Adequate sexual function is a complex interaction of hormonal events and psychosocial relationships. There are four stages to sexual response as described in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 51(3):265-277 (1995). The first stage of sexual response is desire. The second stage of sexual response is arousal. Both physical and emotional stimulation may lead to breast and genital vasodilation and clitoral engorgement (vasocongestion). In the female, dilation and engorgement of the blood vessels in the labia and tissue surrounding the vagina produce the "orgasmic platform," an area at the distal third of the vagina where blood becomes sequestered. Localized perivaginal swelling and vaginal lubrication make up the changes in this stage of sexual response. Subsequently, ballooning of the proximal portion of the vagina and elevation of the uterus occurs. In the male, vasodilation of the cavernosal arteries and closure of the venous channels that drain the penis produce an erection. The third stage of sexual response is orgasm, while the fourth stage if resolution. Interruption or absence of any of the stages of the sexual response cycle can result in sexual dysfunction. One study found that 35% of males and 42% of females reported some form of sexual dysfunction. Read et al, J. Public Health Med., 19(4): 387-391 (1997).
In both pre-menopausal and menopausal females, sexual dysfunction can include, for example, sexual pain disorders, sexual desire disorders, sexual arousal dysfunction, orgasmic dysfunction, dyspareunia, and vaginismus. Sexual dysfunction can be caused, for example, by pregnancy, menopause, cancer, pelvic surgery, chronic medical illness or medications.
Erectile dysfunction is a widespread disorder that is thought to affect about 10% to 15% percent of adult men. A number of causes of erectile insufficiency, in addition to anatomical deficiencies of the penis or scrotum that preclude an erection sufficient for vaginal penetration, have been identified. Causes of erectile dysfunction can be categorized as psychogenic, neurogenic, endocrinologic, drug-induced, or vasculogenic and in any individual suffering from erectile dysfunction there may be more than one cause.
Psychogenic impotence is often the result of anxiety or depression, with no apparent somatic or organic impairment Neurogenic impotence may arise from, for example, surgery or a pelvic injury, involving the nervous system affecting the penis. Erectile dysfunction which is endocrinologic in origin is most often associated with the disorders hypo- or hypergonadotropic hypogonadism and hyperprolactinemia.
Vasculogenic impotence is thought to be the most frequent cause of impotence accounting for approximately fifty percent of all cases of organic impotence. In these cases, the erectile dysfunction may be attributed to alterations in the flow of blood to and from the penis. Atherosclerotic or traumatic arterial occlusive disease to the arteries which supply blood to the penis can lead to a decrease in the rigidity of the erect penis as well as increase the time to achieving maximal erection. In still other cases, there is leakage from veins in the penis such that sufficient pressure for an erection can be neither obtained nor maintained.
There is also a high incidence of erectile insufficiency among diabetics, particularly those with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Erectile dysfunction in diabetics is often classified as "diabetogenic," although the underlying dysfunction is usually neurogenic, but may be vasculogenic or neurogenic and vasculogenic. About half of diabetic males suffer from erectile insufficiency, and about half of the cases of neurogenic impotence are in diabetics.
Erectile insufficiency is sometimes a side effect of certain drugs, such as beta-antagonists that are administered to reduce blood pressure in persons suffering from hypertension, or drugs administered to treat depression or anxiety. Excessive alcohol consumption has also been linked to erectile insufficiency. These forms of erectile insufficiency may be regarded as a subset of neurogenic or psychogenic insufficiency.
A number of methods to treat impotence are available. These treatments include pharmacological treatments, surgery and, in cases of psychogenic dysfunction, psychological counseling is sometimes effective. Psychogenic impotence often can be cured by counseling coupled with a demonstration to the patient that he is capable of having a full erection by inducing such an erection from one to a few times in the patients. Insufficiency due to excessive alcohol consumption is sometimes cured by reducing or eliminating such consumption.
In the rare cases where the insufficiency is untreatable because of venous leakage, surgery can usually be used to repair the venous lesion and thereby either cure the insufficiency or, if there remains an erectile insufficiency after repair of the venous lesion, render the insufficiency amenable to treatment by pharmacological methods. Also, penile implants, which provide a mechanic means to produce an erection sufficient for vaginal penetration, are widely used to treat impotence. In recent years, implants have been used, especially in cases where pharmacological intervention is ineffective, which are usually cases of severe vasculogenic impotence. Treatment of impotence with penile implants, however, entails serious disadvantages. Such treatment requires surgery and necessitates total destruction of the erectile tissues of the penis, forever precluding normal erection.
Pharmacological methods of treatment are also available. Such methods, however, have not proven to be highly satisfactory or without potentially severe side-effects. Papaverine is now widely used to treat impotence, although papaverine is ineffective in overcoming impotence due, at least in part, to severe atherosclerosis. Papaverine is effective in cases where the dysfunction is psychogenic or neurogenic and severe atherosclerosis is not involved. Injection of papaverine, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor and a smooth muscle relaxant, or phenoxybenzamine, a non-specific antagonist and hypotensive, into corpus cavemosum has been found to cause an erection sufficient for vaginal penetration, however, these treatments are not without the serious and often painful side effect of priapism. Also, in cases where severe atherosclerosis is not a cause of the dysfunction, intracavernosal injection of phentolamine, an .alpha.-adrenergic antagonist, causes an erection sufficient for vaginal penetration. The resulting erection is one of significantly shorter duration than that induced by intracavernosal injection of papaverine or phenoxybenzamine and often times is of such short duration that satisfactory sexual relations are difficult or impossible. As an alternative or, in some cases an adjunct to phosphodiesterase inhibition or .alpha.-adrenergic blockade for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) has been administered via intracavernosal injection. A major side effect frequently associated with intracorprally delivered PC;E1 is penile pain and burning.
Thus, there is a need in the art for treatments of male and female sexual dysfunctions, including treatments without the undesirable side effects of those agents currently used. The present invention is directed to these, as well as other, important ends.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to semiconductor laser devices using gallium nitride-based semiconductor and optical information reproduction apparatuses using the semiconductor laser device as a source of light, and particularly to an improvement in the device's end surface mirror.
2. Description of the Related Art
Nitride based semiconductor materials represented by GaN, InN, AlN and mix crystal semiconductor thereof are used to build a prototype of a semiconductor laser device emitting light in a range from blue color through ultraviolet. FIG. 10 shows a nitride semiconductor laser device lasing with a wavelength of 405 nm, as reported by Masaru KURAMOTO et al., Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 38, pp. L184-L186, 1999. This semiconductor laser device includes a substrate 901 of n-GaN (of 100 μm in thickness) and thereon a lower clad layer 902 of n-Al0.07Ga0.93N (of 1 μm in thickness), a lower guide layer 903 of n-GaN (of 0.1 μm in thickness), a triple quantum well active layer 904 of In0.2Ga0.8N (of 3 nm in thickness) /In0.05Ga0.95N (of 5 nm in thickness), a cap layer 905 of p-Al0.19Ga0.81N (of 20 nm in thickness), an upper guide layer 906 of p-GaN (of 0.1 μm in thickness), an upper clad layer 907 of p-Al0.07Ga0.93N (of 0.5 μm in thickness) and a contact layer 908 of p-GaN (of 0.05 μm in thickness), successively stacked, with an electrode 909 provided thereon and thereunder. Furthermore, an end surface mirror is provided by cleavage. This laser device has active and guide layers posed between clad layers to have a waveguide structure. The active layer emits light, which is in turn confined in this waveguide structure, and the end surface mirror functions as laser resonator mirror to provide a lasing operation.
This conventional semiconductor laser device as described above, however, is disadvantageous, as follows: the present inventors fabricated a semiconductor laser device having the aforementioned structure and have found that in a waveguide portion at an end surface mirror an epitaxially grown layer (each semiconductor layer upper than substrate 901) can have a cross section, a region in a vicinity of a front surface (i.e., a surface opposite to the substrate) in particular, failing to have a satisfactory cleavage plane. Herein an “unsatisfactory cleavage plane” means that an epitaxially grown layer forming a waveguide has a step offset from a vertical cross section or there exists a plane different in angle from a cleavage plane of the GaN substrate or there exists a rolling portion. The present inventors observed this portion in detail and have found that in particular at the active layer, cracking varies, and from the active layer through the front surface, the cracking is often observed different than in the remainder.
A semiconductor laser device has an end surface mirror provided by externally exerting a force along a scratch on a wafer to warp and thus divide the wafer at a predetermined position. As such, the wafer particularly has a surface and therearound receiving a large magnitude of force exerted thereto and thus considered as cracking in a more complicated manner than the interior of the wafer. Possibly for the aforementioned semiconductor based semiconductor laser device this issue was not noted in designing the structure of a layer provided in a vicinity of an active layer formed in a vicinity of the wafer surface and it is thus believed that cracking tends to vary at the active layer of InGaN.
The conventional technology can thus fail to provide a satisfactory end surface mirror. Thus not only does mirror reflectance variation vary a threshold value, differential efficiency and other similar device characteristics but also a light radiation surface roughened prevents a far field pattern (FFP) from being smoothly unimodal, and a split peek, ripple or other impaired optical characteristics would be introduced. Such a FFP abnormality is not preferable as it results in insufficiently condensed light in application for example to an optical pickup in particular and in an extreme case causes stray light.


In photography, an image is recorded onto film and the image on the film is then developed into a photographic reproduction of the image. Usually the film contains an emulsion on which the image is recorded. In the standard photodeveloping process, the exposed film is processed in a developer which contains primary developing agents which reduce silver in the film emulsion to produce an image thereon.
In high resolution microfilm, the film emulsion is loaded with a high level of accutance, antihalation and sensitization dyes.
When film is developed in a film processor, oily dye residues are released from the film emulsions. These oily dye residues build up over time. If these oily dye residues do not remain in solution, they will stain microfilm that is subsequently developed in the film processor or build up on the surfaces of the film processor, plugging orifices or otherwise adversely affecting the performance of the film processor.
One solution to the dye residue buildup problem is to change the developer solution in the film processor frequently. This, however, escalates the cost of photodevelopment and is not the preferred alternative. Furthermore, closed loop film processors are designed so that they will not have to be shut down prior to having developed a certain amount of film. Shutting down a closed loop process during a development cycle reduces the efficiency and economic advantages of the closed loop process.
Preferably, an emulsifier is used to solubilize the oily residues in the photodeveloper to prevent the oily dye residues from adhering to the film or the components of the film processor. Standard emulsifiers such as disodium mono- and didodecyl diphenyl oxide disulfide anionic emulsifier or sodium alpha olefin sulfonate foam are not suited for this purpose, especially when the photodeveloping solution is continuously circulated through the film processor. These standard emulsifiers foam excessively when subjected to the constant recirculation of the developing solution in this type of film processor. The very alkaline conditions of the photodeveloper solutions in this type of chemical environment also adversely affect the stability of many emulsifiers.
The foam generated by these standard emulsifiers in photodeveloping solutions is very undesirable. Conventional surfactants are therefore of limited usefulness for preventing the build up of oily dye residues in the chemical environment required by film development, especially in closed loop film processors.
Brightening agents have also been incorporated into photodeveloping solutions in order to control, reduce or eliminate the problem of dye stains on developed film. U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,716 to Vincent et al. incorporates brightening agents into photodeveloping compositions to reduce staining.
However, brightening agents merely cover up or correct dye stains on photographs. Brightening agents do not solubilize the oily dye residues in the developer solution to prevent them from staining the film or adhering to components of the film processing tanks.
Typical brightening agents include stilbene type brightening agents. Stilbene-containing compositions have been used to reduce or eliminate stains on film caused by the build up of oily dye residues in the developer solution.
A published disclosure, Cappel, C.R. and Purol, M.D., "Method for Reducing Spectral Sensitizing Dye Stain in Photographic Elements," Research Disclosures, No. 20733 (Kenneth Mason Publications, Ltd, Jul. 10, 1981) describes adding a water soluble stilbene, bis-4, 4'-s-triazyl amino stilbene sulfonic acid or mixtures of water-soluble stilbenes and nonionic surfactants, into a developing solution. The build up of dibenzooxazole carbocyanine sensitizing dyes in the gel matrix or within a coupler dispersion in the photographic emulsion layers was said to be avoided by the addition of the aqueous amino stilbene sulfonic acid solution. Dibenzooxazole carbocyanine sensitizing dyes extend the sensitivity of photographic emulsions to electromagnetic radiation which is beyond the wave lengths of visible light.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,195 to Ishikawa et al. discloses a method of processing a silver halide photographic light-sensitive film material. The method is said to be economical because the amount of photodeveloping solution used in the process is reduced.
In Ishikawa et al. the reduction in the amount of photodeveloping solution used is accomplished by not changing the photodeveloping solution in the film processor as often. Since the photodeveloping solution is not changed as often, the problems associated with the accumulation of oily dye residues on film processing equipment become more acute.
In Ishikawa et al., a combination of two different triazyl stilbene-type brightening agents must be added to the color developer to avoid the adverse effects caused by the build up of oily dye residues therein. The brightening agents are present in the photodeveloper in an amount of about 0.3 gram to about 10 grams per liter of color developer solution.
If the maximum fluorescent wavelengths of the fluorescent spectra of the two triazyl stilbenes used in Ishikawa et al. are less than 4 m.mu. apart, the triazyl stilbene solution will not remove the dye stains, however. If only one of the two types of stilbene brightening agents is used or if the difference in the maximum fluorescent wavelength of the two triazyl stilbenes is not at least 4 m.mu. , build up of oily dye residues in the developer solution remains a problem. If the amount of triazyl stilbene in solution exceeds 10 grams per liter, the film's development will be adversely effected and fluorescent quenching or an unfavorable photographic performance such as non-color may result.
From the foregoing it is apparent that the type of stilbene used to reduce dye stains on films is linked to the type of dye residue in the process. The type of dye residue in the process is linked to the emulsion on the film. The emulsion on the film is linked to the type of film and the process by which the film is developed.
Standard films have an emulsion thereon which is compatible with the developing process for standard films which requires bleaching steps to convert the negative image on the film to a positive photographic image. Other films, such as direct positive films, do not require bleaching steps because a positive image is recorded directly onto the film when the film is exposed to that image. Photographic emulsions are provided on direct positive films which are compatible with this type of developing process.
Thus, there continues to be a need for a composition which will solubilize the oily dye residues produced by the development of direct positive silver halide film without foaming. If the oily dye residues are sufficiently solubilized, they will remain in solution and not adhere to the film or build up on the components of the film processor.
In continuous, automatic developers where the photodeveloping solution is recirculated and not replenished until a predetermined amount of film is developed, it is important that the oily dye residues remain solubilized until the photodeveloping solution is spent. Otherwise the film processor has to be shut down more frequently to change the solution, and the economy of the continuous, nonreplenished process is adversely effected. The composition also must not adversely affect the direct positive silver halide film developing process.


The present invention relates to disposable containers for hospital sharps and infectious waste, and pertains particularly to a secure disposable container and alternate closure assemblies for stand alone and for insert containers.
Hospitals and medical clinics use great quantities of sharps, such as needles, syringes, surgical blades, and the like, that are disposed of rather than cleaned and reused. It is necessary that the sharps be disposed of in a manner that prevents them being reused without sterilization. In particular, it is necessary to keep them from falling into the hands of those, such as intravenous drug users and the like, who are likely to use them without proper sterilization.
Numerous containers have been developed in recent years, which are reasonably secure and disposable for receiving and disposing of hospital sharps, wastes and the like. Many of these containers are disposable inserts that mount into a security housing which is lockable and is securely mounted on a wall or other support structure. Many of these insert containers however have an inadequate security closure built into it, and are out dated so that they do not provide adequate security against pilfering of used syringes and the like therefrom. While improved containers have been developed which cannot readily be reopened and articles cannot be easily removed therefrom, such containers must be kept in a secure place or securely mounted to non-removable structure to prevent unauthorized removal.
Many hospitals and clinics that have the older secure housings with insert type disposable containers do not wish to invest in new housings. It is therefore necessary to develop improved insert type disposable containers for these housings with improved closures for the combination. It is also desirable that new stand alone units be available.
An example of a prior art disposable insert type container and mounting housing is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,715,498 of Hanifl dated Dec. 29, 1987. This patent discloses a sharps container having a closure door that provides limited access to the interior of the container for mounting in a protective housing. However, an improved closure is desirable for such containers.
Examples of stand alone type containers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,860, granted Apr. 12, 1988 to Bemis, and entitled SHARPS DISPOSAL CONTAINER, and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,107, granted May 9, 1989 to Spencer and entitled DISPOSABLE CONTAINER FOR SYRINGES. It is desirable that simpler more effective disposable containers be available.
In the manufacture of multiple related or similar products, it is desirable that as many parts be interchangeable as possible in order to reduce manufacturing costs. It is also desirable that different variations of the product be available to meet different conditions and needs. It is, therefore, desirable that an improved securable disposable container combination be available to provide both insert and stand alone containers.


A single crystal used as a substrate of semiconductor devices, for example, a silicon single crystal, is mainly produced by Czochralski method (hereafter abbreviated to CZ method).
When producing a single crystal by CZ method, for example, a single crystal production apparatus 10 as shown FIG. 2 is used to produce the single crystal. This single crystal production apparatus 10 has a member for containing and melting a raw material polycrystal such as silicon, heat insulation members to insulate heat, and etc. They are installed in a main chamber 11. A pulling chamber 12 extending upwardly is continuously provided from a ceiling portion of the main chamber 11, and a mechanism for pulling a single crystal 13 by a wire 14 (not shown) is provided above it.
In the main chamber 11, a quartz crucible 16 for containing a melted raw material melt 15 and a graphite crucible 17 supporting the quartz crucible 16 are provided, and these crucibles 16 and 17 are supported by a shaft 18 so that they can be rotated and moved upwardly or downwardly by a driving mechanism (not shown). To compensate for decline of the melt level of the raw material melt 15 caused by pulling of the single crystal 13, the driving mechanism for the crucibles 16 and 17 is designed to rise the crucibles 16 and 17 as much as the melt level declines.
And, a graphite heater 19 for melting the raw material is provided so as to surround the crucibles 16 and 17. A heat insulating member 20 is provided outside the graphite heater 19 so as to surround it in order to prevent that the heat from the graphite heater 19 is directly radiated on the main chamber 11.
Moreover, a graphite cylinder 23 is provided above the crucibles, and a heat insulating material 24 is provided on the outside of the lower end of the graphite cylinder 23 so as to oppose to the raw material melt 15 so that the heat radiation from the melt surface is intercepted and the temperature of the raw material melt surface is kept.
A raw material lump is put in the quartz crucible 16 provided in the single crystal production apparatus as described above, the crucible 16 is heated by the graphite heater 19 as described above to melt the raw material lump in the quartz crucible 16. A seed crystal 22 fixed by a seed holder 21 connected with the lower end of the wire 14 is immersed into the raw material melt 15 melted from the raw material lump as described above. Thereafter, the single crystal 13 having a desired diameter and quality is grown under the seed crystal 22 by rotating and pulling the seed crystal 22. In this case, after bringing the seed crystal 22 into contact with the raw material melt 15, so-called necking, once forming the neck portion by narrowing the diameter to about 3 mm, is performed, and then, a dislocation-free crystal is pulled by spreading to a desired diameter.
The silicon single crystal produced by the CZ method as described above is mainly used for producing a semiconductor devices. In these years, with higher integration of semiconductor devices, an element becomes finer. The problem of Grown-in crystal defects introduced during the crystal growth has become more significant as an element has become finer.
Hereafter, the Grown-in crystal defects will be described (see, FIG. 4).
In the silicon single crystal, if the crystal growth rate is relatively high, Grown-in defects such as FPD (Flow Pattern Defect) considered to be originated from voids aggregated of void-type point defects, are present at high density over the region in a crystal radial direction. The region where the defects are present is called V (Vacancy) region. Moreover, if the growth rate is lower, OSF (Oxidation Induced Stacking Fault) region is generated as in a ring shape from the periphery of the crystal with lowering of the growth rate. And defects such as LSEPD (Large Secco Etch Pit Defect) and LFPD (Large Flow Pattern Defect) considered to be originated from dislocation loops aggregated of interstitial silicons in the outside of the ring are present at low density, and the region where the defects are present is called I (Interstitial) region. With further lowering of the growth rate, OSF ring is contracted to disappear in the center of a wafer, and the whole plane becomes I region.
In these years, in the outside of the OSF ring between V region and I region, a region has been discovered where neither such as FPD originated from voids nor such as LSEPD and LFPD originated from interstitial silicons are present. The region is called N (Neutral) region. Moreover, the N region is further categorized as follows. There are Nv region (a region where more voids are present) next to the outside of the OSF ring and Ni region (a region where more interstitial silicons are present) next to I region. In the Nv region, amount of precipitated oxygen is rich when thermal oxidation treatment is performed, and in the Ni region, amount of precipitated oxygen is little.
The Grown-in defects are considered to be determined the introduced amount by the parameter of F/G which is ratio of the pulling rate (F) and an average value of a temperature gradient in the crystal along a pulling axis from the melting point of silicon to 1400° C. (G) (See, for example, V. V. Voronkov, Journal of Crystal Growth, 59 (1982) 625-643). Namely, if the pulling rate and the temperature gradient are controlled so that F/G is constant, a single crystal can be pulled in a desired defect region or in a desired defect-free region (See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open (Kokai) Publication No. 2000-178099).
Therefore, it is conventionally necessary to pull a single crystal by controlling the pulling rate etc. for N region so as to obtain a single crystal of defect-free region. It is difficult to control the rate because the single crystal of N region can be grown in a range of a relatively limited pulling rate. Thus, productivity and yield of the single crystal become low. Accordingly, a method of expanding a pulling rate range where a defect-free region can be obtained has been required so as to produce it more easily.


In ordinary metal microstructure inspection, common display methods of the microstructures after the microstructures are polished include an optical method, an etching method and an interference layer method, while the follow-up inspection of the microstructure and the analysis of metallography are mainly by means of the image observation and analysis of the microscope. The solution proportioning and reaction time of the etching method have a direct influence on the authenticity and clarity of displaying the metal microstructure, while image observation is limited by the amplification factor of the microscope. Therefore, the result of metallography has certain subjectivity and volatility, and cannot be accurately and quantitatively determined.
In the metal industry, the isostatic pressing technology is widely used to further improve the uniformity of the alloy microstructure. With the difference between the isostatic pressure and the mechanical property of the alloy microstructure, collapse and deformation will be different, meanwhile, the deformation behavior on the surface will be severe than the deformation behavior inside the alloy sample. Therefore, the isostatic pressing technology can be used to distinguish the microstructures with different hardness and mechanical properties on the surface of the alloy sample.
When the isostatic pressure is used to carry out the microstructure metallographic determination with the fluid micro-explored strain, the microstructure can only be subjected to elastic plastic deformation in the vertical loading direction, and the microstructure will sink into a ‘horizontal potential well’ in the horizontal surface under the uniform extrusion effect of the pressure transmission medium and will not generate horizontal dislocation and slip. Therefore, no interference will be generated on the horizontal position of the microstructure.
In traditional metal microstructure inspection method, metallographic analysis is a macroscopic method, and rely more on subjective judgment and image magnification factor, while in the present invention, a technical method is adopted to characterize multiple parameters, when the full-field metallography of alloy microstructure is given, the statistical results of quantitative metallographic analysis can also be given.


The cellular telephone industry has had an enormous development in the world in the past decades. From the initial analog systems, such as those defined by the standards AMPS (Advanced Mobile Phone System) and NMT (Nordic Mobile Telephone), the development has during recent years been almost exclusively focused on standards for digital solutions for cellular radio network systems, such as D-AMPS (e.g., as specified in EIA/TIA-IS-54-B and IS-136) and GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications). Currently, the cellular technology is entering the so called 3rd generation (3G) by means of communication systems such as WCDMA, providing several advantages over the 2nd generation digital systems referred to above.
Many of the advances made in mobile phone technology are related to functional features, such as better displays, more efficient and longer lasting batteries, and means for generating polyphonic ring signals. One functional feature which has become more and more common is built-in cameras. Cameras with video camera functionality are available today in several mobile phones. With the entrance of high bit-rate services, such as EDGE (Enhanced Data-rates for GSM) and 3G, the availability and usability for video-related services will increase. In particular, mobile video telephony, with simultaneous communication of sound and moving images, has recently become commercially available.
For stationary use, video conference systems generally include a camera mounted on or beside a communication terminal, such as a personal computer (PC), or integrated in an internet protocol (IP) enabled phone. Use of such a system may be fairly straightforward, as the user is positioned in front of the terminal with the camera aiming towards the user. However, mobile video conferencing is a bit more cumbersome. The terminal may be positioned in a support unit on a desktop, from which a camera in the unit is aimed towards the object of interest to be captured, typically the user. A more common way of using a mobile phone for video conferencing with face to face transmission is when it is held, such that the built-in camera is manually aimed towards the user. When communicating through a mobile handheld terminal, the user therefore may hold the terminal steady in front of the face so that the receiving party can see the face of the user, i.e. the sending party.
A problem related to video conferencing with a radio terminal is caused by the fact that the built-in camera typically is placed adjacent to and parallel with the display, i.e. the optical axis of the camera is perpendicular to the display surface. The terminal therefore has to be aimed more or less 90° to the face, in order to get a proper image of the user. However, many users find this way of holding the terminal uncomfortable. Furthermore, for most mobile phone designs it may be difficult to use the terminal when placed on a desktop without additional supporting means, since it may require that the user's face be held over the terminal. A related problem is that the terminal may also include a small lamp aimed parallel with the camera to provide light to the object to be captured. When the camera, and the lamp, is aimed towards the face of the user at a 90° angle, there is also a risk that reflections of the user's face in the display surface will disturb the images presented on the display.


1. Field
The present invention relates to a metal capacitor and a manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, to a metal capacitor in which an electric conductivity is significantly improved by applying a metal material for an electrolyte and a manufacturing method thereof.
2. Background
An aluminum electrolytic capacitor is used to smooth a power output from a power circuit to be a predetermined value, or is used as a low frequency bypass. Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the aluminum electrolytic capacitor will be briefly described.
An etching process of etching the surface of an aluminum foil is performed to enlarge a surface area of the aluminum foil and thereby increase an electric capacity. When the etching process is completed, a forming process of forming a dielectric substance on the aluminum foil is performed. When cathode and anode aluminum foils are manufactured through the etching process and the forming process, a slitting process of cutting the manufactured aluminum foil and a separator by as long as a desired width based on the length of a product is performed. When the slitting process is completed, a stitching process of stitching an aluminum lead patch, which is a lead terminal, to the aluminum foil is performed.
When the slitting of the aluminum foil and the separator is completed, a winding process of disposing the separator between the anode aluminum foil and the cathode aluminum foil, and then winding the separator and the aluminum foils in a cylindrical shape and attaching a tape thereto, so as to not be unwounded. When the winding process is completed, an impregnation process of inserting the wound device into an aluminum case and injecting an electrolyte is performed. When the injecting of the electrolyte is completed, a curing process of sealing the aluminum case using a sealing material is performed. When the curling process is completed, an aging process of restoring a damage to the dielectric substance is performed. Through this, the assembly of the aluminum electrolytic capacitor is completed.
Due to the current development in digitalization and thinness of electronic devices, when applying the conventional aluminum electrolytic capacitor, there are some problems as follow.
Since the aluminum electrolytic capacitor uses the electrolyte, an electric conductive is comparatively low and thus a lifespan of the aluminum electrolytic capacitor is reduced in a high frequency area. Also, there are some constraints on improvement of reliability, a high frequency response, a low equivalent series resistance (ESR), and impedance. Also, due to a comparatively high ripple pyrexia, there are some constraints on stability and environments, such as fuming and firing.


1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to novel fluorescent compositions and low-velocity electron excited fluorescent display devices utilizing the same, and more particularly is concerned with novel fluorescent compositions which can display emission having high luminance in a high state of color purity under low-velocity electron excitation, and low-velocity electron excited fluorescent display devices containing as a fluorescent screen these fluorescent compositions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, a low-velocity electron excited fluorescent display device (hereinafter referred to as "fluorescent display device") have been widely employed as a display device for desk top electronic calculators and various kinds of measuring instruments. As is well known, the fluorescent device of this kind in general has a fundamental structure such that both an anodic plate having a fluorescent screen on one side thereof and a cathode standing face to face with the above-described fluorescent screen are enclosed in an evacuated tube wherein the fluorescent screen placed on the anodic plate is excited by low-velocity electrons emitting from the cathode to result in emission of light of certain wavelengths. Both FIGS. 1 and 2 give outlines of typical structures of fluorescent display devices, and they show a diode type display tube and a triode type display tube, respectively. As shown in both FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, one side of an anodic plate 11 made of, e.g., an aluminium plate, has a fluorescent screen 12 thereon. The other side of the anodic plate 11 is supported by a ceramic base plate 13. The diode type display tube is equipped with a cathode standing face to face with the above-described fluorescent screen 12 placed on the one side of the anodic plate 11, and emission occurs by excitation of the fluorescent screen 12 which arises from low-velocity electrons emitted from the cathode 14. In particular, the triode type display tube shown in FIG. 2 additionally has a grid electrode 15 between the cathode 14 and the fluorescent screen 12 so as to control or diverge low-velocity electrons emitted from the cathode 14. Moreover, when the surface of the fluorescent screen 12 has wide area, two or more cathodes may be additionally placed in both fluorescent display tubes shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 wherein only one cathode is placed, and there is no particular limit to the number of cathodes that can be placed therein. The aforesaid anodic plate 11 having a fluorescent screen 12 on one side thereof, the ceramic base plate 13 and the cathode 14 (which are shown in FIG. 1), or the aforesaid anodic plate 11 having a fluorescent screen 12 on one side thereof, the ceramic base plate 13, the cathode 14 and the grid electrode 15 (which are shown in FIG. 2) are enclosed in a transparent container 16, made of, for example, glass, the pressure inside which is held at a high vacuum of 10.sup.-5 to 10.sup.-9 Torr.
Zinc activated zinc oxide phosphors (ZnO:Zn) have been commonly known as phosphors employed for the above-described fluorescent display devices which can emit light of high luminance under low-velocity electron excitation occurring under certain conditions, particularly under acceleration potential below 100V. Phosphors of this kind can be prepared by firing zinc oxide (ZnO) alone in a reducing atmosphere, or by firing ZnO contaminated with a slight amount of a certain zinc compound other than ZnO such as zinc sulfide (ZnS) or the like in air, and they can give forth greenish white emission of high luminance when excited by low-velocity electrons. Fluorescent display devices having the fluorescent screen made of the aforesaid (ZnO:Zn) have been commercially used as display devices for, e.g., desk top electronic calculators and various kinds of measuring instruments. However, aside from (ZnO:Zn) almost no phosphors are known which can emit light under low-velocity electron excitation, and therefore, fluorescent display devices equipped with fluorescent screens containing phosphors other than (ZnO:Zn) are rare at the present stage of this art. Emission color of (ZnO:Zn) is greenish white as described above, and therefore a fluorescent display device utilizing (ZnO:Zn) has inadequate color purity as a green emitting display. Accordingly, the present invention is aimed at providing green emitting compositions and fluorescent display devices using them which can emit green light in a high state of color purity. In addition, the present invention is also aimed at providing fluorescent compositions capable of emitting light of specific wavelengths, other than greenish ones, in high luminance and at providing fluorescent display devices utilizing them.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to protective knee and elbow protectors employed by athletes and the like, particularly adapted to prevent injuries to the knee and the proximal anatomical structure associated therewith.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various knee and elbow protector devices are known in the art. It has been found that by placing a protector element atop the kneecap, injuries sustained in physical activity are reduced. Further, it has been determined by using such devices, the incidence of aggravating a current injury is also reduced. As such, knee and elbow protector devices are beneficial in the sport and athletic arts.
Examples of knee and elbow protector protectors and other protector devices for use during athletic activity are described in the following U.S. Patents:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,641,761 to Schultz discloses a knee brace or stabilizer. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,044,075 to Rawlings discloses a protective device to protect the wearer at impact points. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,322,873 to Hitchcock discloses a resilient body protector for use over various portions of the body. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,725 to Gaylord discloses a protective pad to be employed generally with jointed portions of the body. This pad would be placed atop the jointed element to prevent debilitating bedsores and ulceration. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,570 to Barlow discloses a protective knee support. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,885 to to Applegate discloses a knee brace with a resilient pad for surrounding the patella. There exists no central pad, merely a central opening to receive the extended portion of the patella therethrough. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,280 Hayes discloses a contact sport joint protector. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,361 to Leighton discloses a knee and elbow pad and a method of manufacturing the same. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,216 to Wortbeg discloses an impact dissipater to protect bones from impacts or falls. This device is primarily designed to be used proximal the bony region of the hip portion of the body. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,698 to Aleylein discloses a knee orthosis. This device includes a right and a left lateral extension which is integral to the elastic cylindrical element. The device does not include a central foam element nor does it include an upper or lower lateral extension. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,723,322 to Shelby discloses a knee pad. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,796,303 Atwater discloses a knee protector pad. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,870,956 to Fatool discloses a knee brace. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,837 to Meistrell discloses a knee or elbow protector. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,473 to Valtakwi discloses an athletic outfit having pockets for protective pads. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,229 to Brandt discloses an elastic articular bandage. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,037 to Hess discloses a knee-joint bandage. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,524 to Carg discloses a joint support. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,680,657 to Valtakwi discloses protective pads for insertion into pockets to protect from impact while playing sports. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,021 to Tsujino discloses protective head gear for wrestlers containing a gel cushioning material. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,452 to Grim discloses a formed resilient orthopedic pad. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,809 to Witzell discloses a below the joint amputation limb protector. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 327,961 to Decker, U.S. Pat. No. 341,005 to Pratt, U.S. Pat. No. 341,229 to Tsuiino, U.S. Pat. Nos. 360,284, 360,285, 360,286 and 360,287 to Pafet, U.S. Pat. No. 363,147 to Chen, U.S. Pat. Nos. 394,332 and 394,333 to Tsujino.
The following US design patents include pads and protectors for knees and other joints:
All of the forementioned patents are directed to protecting the knee or other body part from a direct impact. The instant invention is directed to a knee and elbow protector having a specific structure that protects the knee from an oblique, non-direct, or proximal impact. None of these references, either singly or in combination, disclose the instant invention and the benefits derived therefrom.


1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a multiple-ratio transmission mechanism in a powertrain for an automotive vehicle and to a control strategy for achieving smooth engagement and release of friction torque establishing elements during a transmission upshift event.
2. Background
In a geared automatic transmission in an automotive vehicle powertrain having an engine or other torque source, a ratio change may be made from a so-called low ratio to a so-called higher ratio when a friction torque establishing element, such as a clutch or brake, is engaged in synchronism with disengagement of a companion friction torque establishing element. This is referred to as a ratio upshift. The friction torque establishing elements involved in the upshift may be referred to as an oncoming clutch or brake and an off-going clutch or brake. The upshift event is characterized by a preparatory phase, a torque phase and an inertia phase as the vehicle accelerates from a standing start.
In a conventional automatic transmission in a vehicle powertrain, the oncoming clutch torque capacity is controlled to increase from a low value during the torque phase. Simultaneous engagement of one clutch or brake and release of another results in a momentary activation of two torque flow paths through the gearing, causing a gear tie-up in which transmission output shaft torque decreases momentarily. This condition may be referred to as a “torque hole”. It occurs before the off-going clutch totally disengages.
Friction elements, such as disc clutches, band brakes and disc brakes, typically are actuated hydraulically under the control of a transmission control module, which disengages an off-going friction clutch or brake while simultaneously engaging an oncoming friction clutch or brake during an upshift in order to lower speed ratio. For purposes of the present description of the invention, the clutch and the brake will be referred to as friction elements.
During the preparatory phase, an automatic transmission control reduces off-going friction element torque capacity to prepare it for release as an actuator for the oncoming friction element is adjusted to prepare for its engagement. During the torque phase, the controller increases oncoming friction element torque capacity, which causes torque transmitted through the off-going friction element to drop quickly due to the transient gear tie up.
As torque is transmitted through the off-going friction element deceases, the automatic transmission output shaft torque drops, which causes the so-called torque hole. This is perceived by a vehicle occupant as an unpleasant shift shock. The inertia phase begins when the off-going clutch is released with no significant torque capacity.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automotive vehicle glare reducing shields for use on vehicle sun visors.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the past, various sun visor extensions have been devised to serve as transparent extensions of an automotive vehicle sun visor. Such vehicle sun visors are conventionally foldably located near the upper boundary of a vehicle windshield. Sun visors of conventional design are opaque and are intended to serve as an optical shield at the upper portion of a windshield to prevent solar or other reflective glare from impairing a vehicle driver's vision. While the opaque sun visors perform this function under some glare conditions, many situations arise in which glare or high light level is directed through the windshield beneath the visor to nevertheless impair a driver's visual observation of road and traffic conditions. While conventional transparent shields have been provided and fixed to a vehicle sun visor, such devices of conventional design have had certain limitations.
Many conventional transparent sun visor extension glare shields are not adapted to be folded flat into juxtaposition against an automotive vehicle sun visor when not in use. Rather, they have been affixed to the vehicle sun visor as rigid, readily noticeable, unsightly extensions thereof. Also, while useful under high glare conditions, such fixed sun visor extensions impair vision when glare is not a problem.
Other glare shield extensions which have been designed for rotation about a bracket secured to the sun visor for storage purposes have not operated satisfactorily. Many such devices are constructed with plastic hinges or knuckles which are secured by friction to an axle or rod about which they are rotated. While the force of friction of the hinge knuckles on the horizontal mounting rod will hold the glare reducing sheet folded up in a stored position the first few times it is used, the plastic hinge knuckles rapidly tend to partially lose their elasticity, so that insufficient frictional force is present between the plastic hinge knuckles and the mounting rod to hold the glare reducing sheet upright in a position stored behind the sun visor. As a result, the glare reducing shield tends to flop downward and oftentimes assumes a position somewhere between its fully extended downwardly depending position, and its fully folded position behind the sun visor. This is both annoying and dangerous to the vehicle operator, and is especially irritating when the vehicle is traveling over rough and bumpy roads. Under such conditions the visor extension tends to tilt from behind the sun visor with considerable frequency. The vehicle operator's attention is thereupon distracted to a significant degree while the vehicle is traveling over surfaces which especially warrant the operator's undivided attention.
Various attempts have been made to adjust the diameter of the visor extension hinge pin and the plastic knuckle configuration to achieve a fit which is tight enough to allow the glare reducing shield to be positioned as desired and held in place by the force of friction between the plastic knuckles and the hinge pin. However, in each case the plastic knuckles deform inelastically over a relatively short period of time so that a tight friction fit between the plastic knuckles and the hinge pin cannot be maintained.


This invention relates to means for protecting marine installations such as offshore drilling and production installations in polar waters from large floating ice formations.
More specifically it relates to an energy absorbing system, which converts the kinetic energy of large ice structures into heat and power; the power being stored and used to energise, monitor and control, so that difficulties of control can be overcome.
A number of ways exist for absorbing the kinetic energy of ice formations in polar waters. One way is to construct a gravel island on the seabed, with a long sloping beach, up which the ice formations ground.
The gravel island can be improved by containing the top section within a heavy caisson so as to minimise the quantity of filling material.
Another method consists of fabricating a number of large, hollow concrete horizontal slabs which can be floated into position and sunk onto the seabed stacked on top of each other. The finished face of the outer wall is shaped so that the advancing ice is forced upward until the horizontal motion becomes vertical and is absorbed by gravity.
A fourth method is to create underwater obstacles, sometimes in the form of a vertical wire fence, anchored to the seabed, against which the advancing ice keels will collide.
A fifth method is by creating an underwater circle of drag elements (as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,093 of Oct. 15, 1985) which are attached to seabed anchorages by long anchor lines, the drag elements having teeth which penetrate the underside of the ice and absorb the kinetic energy of the ice formation by their shearing action.
All these methods suffer from very real disadvantages. The artificial islands are very expensive and take a long time to construct even in shallow water. Removal is an even greater problem. The caisson retained top helps to minimise the cost, but there are still time and cost problems. Concrete slabs stacked on top of each other have the advantage of re-use on a number of different sites in different seat water depths, but they become very large and expensive in deep water especially if they have to resist the collision impact force from a large ice island. Sea obstructions can be destroyed too easily by a large ice keel, and repair is not possible during the winter season. Drag elements can be very effective with fast moving ice but they suffer from the disadvantages that the drag force cannot be controlled, the teeth-freeze into very slow moving ice, and there can be a tendency for following pack ice to overslide ice slabs held on the drag elements.


A video telephony service enables a user to communicate while viewing images of the other party through a mobile communication terminal to which a camera is attached, and can be classified into a circuit-switched method using a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) and a packet-switched method using an all-Internet Protocol (IP) network.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the construction of a mobile communication network for providing video telephony service.
When a video telephony call is attempted by a calling mobile communication terminal 10, a base station 12 receives the call, and performs video telephony with a called mobile communication terminal 20 through an MSC 26, a Base Station Controller (BSC) 24, and a base station 22 that are connected with the called mobile communication terminal 20 through a BSC 14 and an MSC 16. Video telephony service, as described above, is provided through the MSCs 16 and 26 in the case where the circuit-switched method is employed, and the service is provided through a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) providing register, that is, a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN) 30, and a GPRS gate providing register, that is, a Gateway GPRS Support Register (GGSN), that are connected with the BSCs 14 and 24, in the case where the packet-switched method using an all-IP network is employed.
In order to provide video telephony service, an international standard protocol, for example, H.323 or H.324M, defined by International Telecommunication Union (ITU), must be implemented in a mobile communication system. H.323 is a system protocol that enables the provision of video telephony service in an IP network, that is, a packet data network, H.324 is a system protocol developed on the basis of a public network, and H.324 Mobile (M) is a system protocol that has been improved for mobile communication.
In a video telephony service using H.324M as a system protocol, the compression and encoding of moving images are performed using H.261 and H.263, and the encoding of voice is performed using G.723.1. With regard to this, H.261 is a moving image compression/encoding standard for video telephony and video conferencing, and H.263 and MPEG-4 are video compression/encoding standards that have been improved more than H.261. Furthermore, G.723.1 is a standard for converting voice signals to be less than 8 Kbps. A video standard used in 3GPP is 3G-324M, which was created by modifying H.324M to be suitable for 3GPP. 3G-324M is considerably different from H.324M in that Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) is basically used as a voice codec, and G.723.1 is an option.
Furthermore, H.324M uses H.223 to multiplex moving images, voice and data, and uses H.245 to allocate a point-to-point or point-to-multipoint channel by selecting a voice codec and performing a function of logical channel signaling.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a general video telephony service method, and shows an example of using a 3G-324M protocol.
As shown in the drawing, when a calling mobile communication terminal attempts a call to use video telephony service, a setup process is performed using H.223 at step S10 and, thereafter, the call is set up at step S20.
After the call setup has been completed, a line connection and allocation process based on negotiation between calling and called mobile communication terminals using H.245 is performed at step S30. After a communication path has been established accordingly, moving images, voice, and data (picture, photograph and the like) are exchanged between the calling and called mobile communication terminals at steps S40 to S60.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the line connection and allocation process of FIG. 2 in detail.
The line connection and allocation process is a process of exchanging information about the characteristics of mobile communication terminals and, thereby, making settings so that video telephony is made possible, in the case where voice codecs or video codecs used for the calling and called mobile communication terminals are different from each other.
As shown in the drawing, for line connection and allocation between the calling and called mobile communication terminals, a master/slave decision and response process is performed at step S310, a terminal characteristic information exchange process at S320, a multiplexing information exchange process at step S330, a logical channel generation process for voice transmission at step S340, and a logical channel generation process for video transmission at step S350.
As described above, the current negotiation process for video telephony is complicated, and a lot of time is required, so that a problem occurs in that the communication path is not established immediately after call setup, and communication is not performed, and the delay time occurs in proportion to the time for which the negotiation process is performed.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data error detecting apparatus and a data error detecting method. The present invention particularly relates to a data error detecting apparatus and a data error detecting method in a single-chip microcomputer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Semiconductor devices called as microcomputers are installed in many commercially available apparatuses. The microcomputer has a microprocessor (CPU) for performing arithmetic and logic processing and a memory, which are generally formed as an integrated circuit (IC) on a single LSI chip.
For apparatuses with microcomputers installed, there are apparatuses that reliability is especially important. For example, electric components provided for vehicles require high reliability at all times. For this reason, the microcomputer provided to such an apparatus is designed based on a design concept called fail-safe, in order to measure unexpected trouble occurrence. Such a microcomputer is designed under the presumption that problems such as a failure, an operational mistake, and a design defect occur. In occurrence of the problem, the microcomputer has a function for keeping damage minimum. For example, when a CPU in a system reads out extremely important data, the fail-safe function instantaneously detects data abnormality resulting from device failure by always monitoring the data to prevent occurrence of false operations.
One fail-safe function is realized as a data error detecting apparatus in a microcomputer. A parity bit is added to important data, and a parity check is carried out when a CPU reads the data. If any abnormality is found, parity error interrupt is issued to inform data abnormality as soon as possible.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional microcomputer 101 having a data error detecting apparatus. With reference to FIG. 1, the conventional microcomputer 101 includes a peripheral function 102, a data error detecting apparatus 103, and a CPU 104. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 1, the data error detecting apparatus 103 includes a parity bit adding circuit 105, a register 106, and a parity check circuit 107, which are connected through a bus 109.
In the conventional microcomputer 101, the parity bit adding circuit 105 adds a parity bit to a data in storage of the data, and writes the data with the added parity bit into the register 106. The parity check circuit 107 carries out parity check when the CPU 104 reads out the data from the register 106. The parity check circuit 107 determines whether there is any breaking of a data line and failure in a circuit for controlling the data, based on the result of the parity check. When it is determined that there is breaking of the data line or a failure in a circuit for controlling the data, the parity check circuit 107 issues a parity error interrupt, thereby detecting data abnormality.
As stated above, the conventional data error detecting apparatus 103 detects a failure in the microcomputer 101 by carrying out parity check to detect a data error corresponding to the data line (data line and the circuit for controlling the data). In general, the data error detecting apparatus 103 does not monitor any failure in the control circuit for writing the data into the register, breaking of a clock line, and so on. Therefore, the data error detecting apparatus 103 cannot know whether or not the data is originally right. In other words, the data error detecting apparatus 103 regards a currently retained data as a correct data and continues a reading operation even when data update is no longer possible.
FIG. 2 shows an operation of the data error detecting apparatus 103 in the conventional microcomputer 101 when there is occurrence of a failure in a control circuit writing data into a register or breaking of a clock line. With reference to FIG. 2, the following data are outputted from the peripheral function 102:
First time: 0111;
Second time: 0101;
Third time: 1110; and
Fourth time: 1010.
Also, it is shown that data update is not carried out due to the breaking of a line when the data should be updated from second data to third data. As shown in FIG. 2, the parity check circuit 107 reads non-update data when data update is not possible due to the breaking of the line. At this time, an error is not detected in the parity check since a consistency between a register value and a parity bit is kept. For this reason, the CPU reads an old data as a correct data, leading a delay to detection of trouble occurrence. Therefore, the conventional data error detecting apparatus 103 continues data readout without determination of a failure even if a read value is the same value for ten consecutive times.


Safety instrument systems typically incorporate emergency shutdown valves which are normally in a fully opened or a fully closed state and are controlled by a logic solver, a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), or an emergency shutdown controller of some type to change states in the event of an emergency situation. To ensure that these valves can function properly, process control system operators typically periodically test the emergency shutdown valves by running these valves through a stroke test, which partially or completely opens or closes the valve. Because these tests are typically performed while the process is operating on-line or is operational, it is important to perform any test reliably and then return the valve to its normal state as quickly as possible. In this context, the term “normal state” refers to the position or state of the emergency shutdown valve when there is no emergency and the emergency shutdown valve is not being tested, i.e., when the process is operating normally.
In many cases, the emergency shutdown tests are performed at predetermined intervals by remotely located controllers. For example, emergency shutdown tests may be performed only a few times each year due to cumbersome test procedures and issues related to manpower. Also, during emergency shutdown tests, the emergency shutdown valve, or other emergency shutdown device being tested, is not available for use if an actual emergency event were to arise. However, limited, periodic testing is not an efficient way of verifying the operability of an emergency shutdown test system. As a result, digital valve controllers have been, in some cases, programmed to assist in the operation of the valve test to make the testing more automatic, user friendly and reliable.
Additionally, it is typically important that any emergency shutdown system be able to activate an emergency shutdown device (an emergency shutdown valve, for example) to its safe condition even when commanded by the emergency shutdown controller to do so in the unlikely but possible situation where an emergency event occurs during an emergency shutdown device test. In this context, the term “safe condition” refers to the position of the emergency shutdown device that makes the process plant or portion of the process plant “safe.” Typically, this safe position is associated with a position of the shutdown device that shuts down or halts some portion of the process plant.
While there are many systems that test the ultimate emergency shutdown device, such as an emergency shutdown valve, itself, in many cases there is supporting equipment associated with the emergency shutdown device that should also be tested to assure the complete operability of the emergency shutdown capabilities at any particular plant location. For example, in some pneumatic valve configurations, a solenoid valve is connected between a pneumatic valve actuator of an emergency shutdown valve and an emergency shutdown controller to redundantly control the operation of the valve actuator in response to signals from the emergency shutdown controller. While the emergency shutdown valve may be functional, it is possible for the solenoid device to become defective and therefore not operate properly as a redundant method of actuating the emergency shutdown valve. In some cases, an improperly operating solenoid device may even prevent the emergency shutdown valve from actuating properly when the emergency shutdown controller sends a shut-down signal to the valve controller for the emergency shutdown valve.
While it is possible to develop and provide specialized equipment at each emergency shutdown location within a plant to perform testing of each different emergency shutdown device and its supporting equipment, it is more desirable to provide a universal or generic set of equipment that may be used in many different situations to test different types of emergency shutdown devices and the supporting equipment associated therewith or to perform other functions in the plant. For example, it is desirable if such versatile equipment is able to control and test different types of emergency shutdown valves and solenoid valve configurations while simultaneously or alternatively operating as part of a closed loop distributed process control system.


The present invention relates to an apparatus for printing upon the wall of a container, whereby during printing the wall of the container is moved around a rotatable support which keeps the container wall pressed directly against a rotating printing surface.
For printing upon or painting containers it has hitherto been the practice to use an internal support whose circumference abuts precisely upon the inner wall of the container whereby it is possible with the aid of this rotatable support to carry out continuous printing either only upon circular beakers or only upon substantially rectangular containers of a specified size and shape.


As fixed type constant velocity universal joints, there have been publicly known joints of a six-ball Rzeppa type (BJ), a six-ball undercut-free type (UJ), an eight-ball Rzeppa type (EBJ), an eight-ball undercut-free type (EUJ), and a track groove crossing type in which paired track grooves cross each other (see, for example, Patent Literature 1). Those joints are used as appropriate in accordance with purposes, required characteristics, and the like.
Referring to FIG. 14a and FIG. 14b, description is given of an example of the fixed type constant velocity universal joint of the track groove crossing type (hereinafter referred to as “crossing fixed type CVJ”). FIG. 14a is a vertical sectional view (sectional view taken along the line A-O-B in FIG. 14b) of a state in which the crossing fixed type CVJ for a propeller shaft forms an operating angle of 0°, and FIG. 14b is a front view of the crossing fixed type CVJ. The constant velocity universal joint 100 includes an outer joint member 102, an inner joint member 103, balls 104, and a cage 105. Eight arc-shaped track grooves 107 are formed in a spherical inner peripheral surface 106 of the outer joint member 102. The track grooves 107 are formed so that planes including ball raceway center lines x of the track grooves 107 are inclined with respect to a joint axial line n-n and the track grooves 107 are adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction with their inclination directions opposite to each other. Eight arc-shaped track grooves 109 are formed in a spherical outer peripheral surface 108 of the inner joint member 103. The track grooves 109 are formed so as to be mirror-image symmetrical with the paired track grooves 107 of the outer joint member 102 with respect to a plane P including a joint center O at the operating angle of 0°. That is, the inner joint member 103 is assembled to an inner periphery of the outer joint member 102 so that the paired track grooves 107 and 109 cross each other.
As illustrated in FIG. 14a, curvature centers of the track grooves 107 of the outer joint member 102 and the track grooves 109 of the inner joint member 103 are each positioned at the joint center O. The balls 104 are interposed in crossing portions between the paired track grooves 107 and 109, and are received and held in pocket portions 105a of the cage 105 arranged between the spherical inner peripheral surface 106 of the outer joint member 102 and the spherical outer peripheral surface 108 of the inner joint member 103. Curvature centers of a spherical outer peripheral surface 111 and a spherical inner peripheral surface 112 of the cage 105 are each positioned at the joint center O. In the constant velocity universal joint 100, the balls 104 are interposed in the crossing portions between the paired track grooves 107 and 109. Therefore, when the joint forms an operating angle, the balls 104 are always guided in a plane bisecting an angle formed between axial lines of the outer joint member 102 and the inner joint member 103. With this, rotational torque is transmitted at a constant velocity between the two axes.
Further, the track grooves 107 of the outer joint member 102 and the track grooves 109 of the inner joint member 103 are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction with their inclination directions opposite to each other. Therefore, when both the joint members 102 and 103 rotate relative to each other at the operating angle of 0°, forces in the opposite directions are applied from the balls 104 to the pocket portions 105a of the cage 105 that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction. With this, the cage 105 is stabilized at the position of the joint center O. Thus, a contact force between the spherical outer peripheral surface 111 of the cage 105 and the spherical inner peripheral surface 106 of the outer joint member 102, and a contact force between the spherical inner peripheral surface 112 of the cage 105 and the spherical outer peripheral surface 108 of the inner joint member 103 are suppressed. As a result, it is possible to attain the constant velocity universal joint 100 that is capable of suppressing torque loss and heat generation, and is excellent in durability. Thus, with use of the constant velocity universal joint 100, it is possible to attain a propeller shaft that is suppressed in torque loss and heat generation, and is enhanced in efficiency.
Operability of fixed type constant velocity universal joints including the constant velocity universal joint 100 described above, in which rotational torque is transmitted between both the joint members through intermediation of the balls, is secured by setting wedge angles of ball tracks formed by the paired track grooves (by holding the balls with the paired track grooves). In the constant velocity universal joint 100 of the track groove crossing type, as described above, when wedge angles, which are formed so that a force of pressing the cage 105 to one axial side (for example, right side in FIG. 14a) is applied from the balls 104 at the operating angle of 0°, are defined as positive wedge angles, and wedge angles, which are formed so that a force of pressing the cage 105 to the other axial side is applied from the balls 104 at the operating angle of 0°, are defined as negative wedge angles, ball tracks that form the positive wedge angles and ball tracks that form the negative wedge angles are alternately formed in the circumferential direction. With this, desired joint performance is secured. In the constant velocity universal joint 100 described above, the curvature centers of the track grooves 107 and 109 are each positioned at the joint center O, and hence sizes and opening directions of the wedge angles are determined in accordance with angles (inclination angles) that are formed by the track grooves 107 and 109 (by planes including the ball raceway center lines thereof) with respect to the joint axial line n-n, contact angles of the balls 104 with respect to the track grooves 107 and 109, and operating angles.


The present application discloses an access control apparatus and an access control method for controlling accesses to each recording area on a disk on a command with a time limit requiring completion of the command in a predefined period of time.
Recently, magnetic disk apparatuses (hereinafter referred to as HDDs) are widely used as data storage incorporated in personal computers (hereinafter referred to as PCs) or connected to the PCs. The use of the HDDs has been expanding in application, not only for PCs, but for various equipment such as video recorders and car navigation systems requiring storage of a large amount of data.
Not all sectors in a recording area of the magnetic disk (hereinafter referred to as an HD) mounted in the HDD are writable or readable. There are defective sectors in the recording area to which data can not written or from which data can not read. Therefore, the HDDs require a process which is called an automated alternate process.
FIGS. 1A, 1B, and 1C are explanatory illustration of the automated alternate process.
Each sector included in the recording area of the HD is assigned a logical block addressing (LBA) address for identifying the sector as shown in FIG. 1A. In this application, data are written onto each sector in numerical order as LBA 10, 11 and 12. For example, if writing data onto a sector at LBA address 13 fails and the data are not written when retrying the access a predefined number of times, the data attempted to be written in the sector at LBA address 13 are stored in a sector at LBA address 0 as shown in FIG. 1B. Then, information that the data attempted to be written in the sector at LBA address 13 are stored in the sector at LBA address 0 is recorded in an alternate candidate table shown in FIG. 1C provided in a different area of the HD.
Therefore, the data are read from the sector at LBA address 0 instead of the sector at LBA address 13 when a read command to read the data stored in the sector at LBA address 13 is received.
As described above, the process for storing data on the alternate sector instead of the sector on which the data are initially attempted to be written is called an alternate process. An alternate process that is executed automatically in a specific sequence is called the automated alternate process.
However, the automated alternate process takes a long time when an access to a sector is retried and failed. The automated alternate process takes a long time because a magnetic head is moved to the alternate area to store the data and the information on the alternate sector is recorded in the alternate candidate table.
For example, stream commands such as movies and music require real-time processing. These stream commands are issued with a command completion time limit (CCTL). The command completion time limit requires execution of the commands in a period of time specified by the time limit absolutely. If the accesses to multiple sectors are retried during execution of the stream command, a time-out error will occur and the movie or the music may be intermittent.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. H11-327808 discloses that the automated alternate process is not executed when the time is running out even though the process is required.
In Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. H11-327808, the automated alternate process is not executed. Therefore, data to be stored at the sector are not stored. Thus, the data to be read from the sector does not exist. This leads to deterioration of a data quality such as an image quality of the movie or a sound quality of the music.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-196924 discloses that the automated alternate process is not executed immediately after failing to store the data. The data are stored in an interim buffer and the data are read from the buffer and stored on the alternate sector of the HD when processing time is finished.
However, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-196924 discloses only the write process onto the HD, and mentions no comprehensive process including a read process. Besides, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-196924 does not point out an issue or offer a solution when a write command is reissued and the sector at the LBA address is accessed again before the data stored in the interim buffer are stored on the HD or a read command is issued and the sector at the LBA address is accessed.


The present invention relates to a method of improving the control behavior of an anti-lock control system, wherein a vehicle reference speed that is used as a reference quantity to determine the wheel slip of the individual wheels is derived from the rotating behavior of the vehicle wheels, and criteria are obtained for identifying a cornering situation and the curve direction, wherein for identifying cornering the wheel slip values are filtered by way of a low-pass filter and the filtered values are compared.
It is already known in the art to extend the functions of an anti-lock control system by employing the system for improving the driving stability or deceleration stability in the curve. For this purpose, during cornering or during a partial deceleration, i.e., in a deceleration process in which the threshold of response to the anti-lock control system is not achieved, a stabilizing moment about the vertical axis of the vehicle is created by specifically delaying the brake pressure build-up on the wheels at the inner side of the curve compared to the brake pressure on the wheels on the outer side of the curve (`Bremsanlage und Schlupf-Regelsystem der neuen 7-er Reihe von BMW` (Brake System and Slip Control System of the new BMW No. 7 series); ATZ 97 (1995), pp. 8-15, and `Bremsanlage und Schlupf-Regelsysteme der neuen Baureihe 5 von BMW` (Brake System and Slip Control Systems of the new BMW No. 5 series); ATZ 98 (1996), pp. 188-194. The information on the actual steering angle is derived--if no steering angle sensor is used--from the transverse acceleration which, in turn, is calculated from the wheel sensor signals.
DE 34 13 738 C2 discloses an anti-lock control system (ABS) provided with a system for identifying a cornering situation based on wheel slip measurement. To identify a cornering situation, the sum of slip values on the wheels at one vehicle side are summed up and compared to the slip values on the wheels at the other vehicle side, generating a cornering identification signal as soon as the difference of the summed-up slip values exceeds a predetermined limit value. Upon identification of a cornering situation, selective criteria, such as `select-low` or `select high` according to which the pressure variation in the individual brake pressure control channels of the said brake system is controlled, and limit values for rendering the said selective criteria effective, are varied. In this way, the control will be adjusted to the varying conditions during straight-forward driving and during cornering.
DE 21 19 590 A1 which has an older filing date teaches generating a cornering identification signal with the aid of a transverse acceleration meter, such as a mercury switch.
The calculation of the filtered wheel slip and the evaluation of this quantity to determine criteria for cornering are described in the patent application DE 195 22 634 A1 which is not prior published. The filtered wheel slip values are compared and evaluated for cornering identification according to the above publications. Cornering is identified when simultaneously the values of the filtered wheel slip on both front wheels exceed a predetermined maximum slip value and the filtered wheel slip of a rear wheel is in excess of an equally predetermined maximum slip value and the filtered wheel slip of the second rear wheel is below a determined minimum slip value.
When cornering is identified, switch-over to a special, i.e., cornering, control mode is effected according to patent application DE 195 22 632 A1 which is also not prior published.
An object of the present invention is to improve, in a method of the type referred to hereinabove, the ability of evaluating the measuring signals and, more particularly, the reliable identification of a cornering situation compared to straight travel.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to methods and systems using local number portability (LNP) databases and, more particularly, to a method and system for forecasting telephony traffic trends using LNP databases.
2. Background Art
Local number portability (LNP) allows wireless and landline telephone customers to keep their telephone numbers when they change residences and/or service providers. A LNP database stores a list of telephone numbers that have been switched or ported from one service provider to another service provider. For each ported telephone number, the LNP database also stores an associated location routing number (LRN). The networks of the service providers use the LRN to route a telephone call from a point of origination (such as from a telephone associated with the ported telephone number or from another party's telephone) to a point of destination (such as to the other one of the telephone associated with the ported telephone number or to the other party's telephone) over the public switched telephone network (PSTN).
Porting telephone numbers between service providers causes changes in the way that the networks of the service providers handle telephone calls associated with the ported telephone numbers. Generally, the network of a service provider handles more telephone calls if there is a net influx of ported telephone numbers to the service provider. As such, the service provider should ensure that its network has enough capacity and is properly connected to the networks of other service providers in order to handle the additional telephone traffic. Likewise, the network of a service provider handles less telephone calls if there is a net outflow of ported telephone numbers from the service provider. As such, this service provider should consider changing its network and reconfiguring how its network is connected to the networks of other service providers in view of the reduced amount of telephone traffic.
The networks of the other service providers not directly involved in the porting of telephone numbers between two service providers may also handle telephone calls associated with the ported telephone numbers differently after these telephone numbers have been ported between the two directly involved service providers. As such, these other service providers should consider changing their networks and reconfiguring how their networks connect with the networks of other service providers in view of the differently routed telephone traffic.
Presently, network engineers monitor service provider networks using broad measures such as minutes of use on trunk groups, blocking on trunk groups, and point-to-point telephone traffic flows through the networks. These metrics are compiled over long periods of time (for instance, several months) and therefore are indicative of what has previously happened in the networks. As such, these are lagging indicators of telephone traffic trends.
Thus, there exists a need for using LNP database images or snapshots obtained at periodic times to track ported telephone numbers between service providers and then use this data along with topology and interconnection data regarding the networks of the service providers in order to predict future telephone traffic on the service provider networks.


1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to juvenile products, such as multiple infant activity centers for use by children and their caregivers, and more particularly to height adjustment mechanisms for use in connection with such products.
2. Description of the Related Art
Juvenile products are widely used by caregivers. Many of those products, such as multiple infant activity centers, have seating portions for a child, or other aspects, that occasionally need adjustment to accommodate children of different sizes. It is generally desired that such adjustment quick and easy for the caregiver, but result in a secure adjustment.
While various devices have been used in the past to accomplish such adjustment, most of those prior art devices have been lacking in ease of adjustments, security, or both.
In sum, the prior art devices do not provide the important advantages of allowing easy adjustment of the juvenile products, such as seat position in multiple infant activity centers.