Abstract: During initial start-up of an optical communication system, an ASE reference span loss is calculated based on transmitting power and received power of ASE light generated by an optical amplifier, and an OSC reference span loss is calculated based on the transmitting power and the received power of OSC light. During normal operation of the optical communication system, a span loss is calculated using the OSC light, and an amount of change in the span loss representing a difference between the span loss and the OSC reference span loss is calculated. A current span loss between a transmitting station and a receiving station is calculated by adding the amount of change in the span loss to the ASE reference span loss.

Abstract: An engine-driven work machine is provided in which elastic support members (11, 11) are disposed between a lower part of a work unit (U) having an engine (3) and a frame (2) having the work unit (U) mounted thereon, the elastic support members (11, 11) being disposed beneath a crankshaft (17) of the engine on either side of a vertical plane (V) passing through the axis of the crankshaft (17), and restricting means (122) is provided between the work unit (U) and the frame (2), the restricting means (122) restricting the amplitude of swing of the work unit (U) around the crankshaft (17) to within a predetermined angle, and the restricting means (122) being disposed between upper parts of the work unit (U) and the frame (2). Even when the work unit receives a large external force in the lateral direction, swing of the work unit can thereby be restricted to within the predetermined angle.

Abstract: To provide an organic EL drive circuit and an organic EL display device using the organic EL drive circuit, which, when grey levels of passive matrix type organic EL elements are controlled time-divisionally, is capable of easily collecting luminance in low luminance level with low drive voltage and restricted power consumption. [Means for Resolution]An organic EL drive circuit, which has a plurality of current drive circuits for generating PWM pulse having pulse width corresponding to display data of luminance of organic EL elements and outputting a drive current for driving the organic EL elements for a time period corresponding to the PWM pulse, comprises a peak current generator circuit for generating a peak current on the drive current.

Abstract: This invention provides monoglycerides containing a conjugated fatty acid, and a process for producing the above described conjugated fatty acid containing monoglycerides in which all kinds of lipases can be used as catalysts. This invention relate to monoglycerides containing a conjugated fatty acid (preferably in an amount of 50% or more of fatty acids). This invention also relates to a process for producing the conjugated fatty acid containing monoglycerides, in which the conjugated fatty acid containing a free fatty acid and glycerol are subjected to the reaction of esterification, or of esterification and glycerolysis in the presence of lipase as a catalyst.

Abstract: An optical transmission device includes: an attenuator that attenuates an optical signal from an adjacent optical transmission device; an optical element that is arranged downstream of the attenuator; a detector that detects a change in a characteristic of a transmission path; and a controller that adjusts, when the change is detected, an attenuation of the attenuator to keep the level of the optical signal input to the optical element at a predetermined level.

Abstract: An optical transmission device includes: an attenuator that attenuates an optical signal before being input into an optical element by a predetermined attenuation amount determined so that a level of an adjustment optical signal input into the optical element falls within a predetermined dynamic range of the optical element; and a controller that adjusts the predetermined attenuation amount so that a level of the optical signal input into the optical element falls within the predetermined dynamic range.

Abstract: A method for switching a transmission route in an optical network. A regenerator station extracts a main signal, and detects the input level of the main signal. When the input level falls below a threshold, the regenerator station determines that a failure occurs, and stops output of a main signal from the regenerator station, and transmits a control signal indicating occurrence of the failure to a receiver station, which separates the control signal from a main signal transmitted thereto, detects the input level of the main signal at the receiver station, analyzes the separated control signal, and determines whether or not a failure occurs. When the input level of the main signal at the receiver station falls below a threshold, or when the separated control signal indicates occurrence of a failure, the receiver station detects the occurrence of the failure, and switches the transmission route.

Abstract: A lottery device has a turntable 12 with a plurality of ball pockets 13 and balls 2 each to be dropped onto the turntable 12, rolls on the turntable 12 and eventually falls into one of the ball pockets 13 to determine a winner ball pocket 13. The lottery device includes sets of sensors 24 and 25 combined with the ball pockets 13, respectively, to detect the ball that has fallen into the corresponding ball pocket 13, light-emitting rings 23 combined with the ball pockets 13, respectively, a ball identifying mechanism 41 for identifying the balls by type, and a computer 100 including a storage unit storing control programs and controlling lottery operations according to the control programs.

Abstract: An input side drive current of a D/A converter circuit is controlled by a switch circuit connected in series with at least one of a plurality of input side transistors connected in parallel to form a current mirror connection. By turning the switch circuit from ON to OFF, a constant current flowing through the input side transistor, which is turned OFF by the switch circuit, is distributed to the remaining input side transistors, resulting in a large D/A converted current in a current mirror connected output side transistor. Thus, it is possible to correspondingly reduce a value of a display data, so that the number of bit positions of the D/A converter circuit can be reduced by 1 or more.

Abstract: An optical transmission network includes a first dispersion compensator arranged in a maximum dispersion span having a maximum dispersion value and searched out from within a maximum dispersion route having a maximum dispersion value from among routes of non-regeneration intervals within which a dispersion value before dispersion compensation does not satisfy an upper limit of a dispersion tolerance, and a second dispersion compensator arranged in a maximum dispersion span having a maximum dispersion value searched out from within a maximum dispersion route having a maximum dispersion value from among the routes when a dispersion compensator is successively arranged until a route of a non-regeneration interval within which a dispersion value of a certain channel does not satisfy the dispersion tolerance does not remain any more based on the dispersion value after the dispersion compensation with respect to the searched out maximum dispersion span.

Abstract: An optical transmission network includes a first dispersion compensator arranged in a maximum dispersion span having a maximum dispersion value and searched out from within a maximum dispersion route having a maximum dispersion value from among routes of non-regeneration intervals within which a dispersion value before dispersion compensation does not satisfy an upper limit of a dispersion tolerance, and a second dispersion compensator arranged in a maximum dispersion span having a maximum dispersion value searched out from within a maximum dispersion route having a maximum dispersion value from among the routes when a dispersion compensator is successively arranged until a route of a non-regeneration interval within which a dispersion value of a certain channel does not satisfy the dispersion tolerance does not remain any more based on the dispersion value after the dispersion compensation with respect to the searched out maximum dispersion span.

Abstract: An apparatus for compensating for dispersion include a wavelength-selective optical switching unit which receives at one input thereof a WDM signal into which a plurality of wavelengths are multiplexed, and demultiplexes the WDM signal so as to output the demultiplexed wavelengths at desired output ports while switching routes of the demultiplexed wavelengths leading to the output ports; a plurality of dispersion compensation units which are connected to the respective output ports, and have respective, different dispersion values; and a multiplexing unit which receives at a plurality of input ports thereof the demultiplexed wavelengths output from the dispersion compensation units, and multiplex the demultiplexed wavelengths to generate a WDM signal.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a process for purifying a crude xanthophyll which is characterized by acting a lipase on the crude xanthophyll, which is obtained by extracting algae with a solvent, in the present of water under an acidic condition without adjusting the pH whereupon the contaminating neutral lipids (mono-, di- and triglycerides) are selectively hydrolyzed, subjecting the lipase-treated liquor to oil/water separation and removing free fatty acids from the oil layer fractioned thereby elevating the content of xanthophyll.

Abstract: In an optical signal level control apparatus used in a WDM system, the amount of circuitry per wavelength is reduced. Optical power level is detected on the output side of a variable optical attenuator, and the amount of attenuation in the variable optical attenuator is adjusted so that the output level becomes equal to a constant value L1. At this time, if the detected level is lower than a threshold value Th0 or Th-d, it is determined that a signal off condition has occurred, and the amount of attenuation is set to a constant value A1. The amount of attenuation, A1, is chosen to be sufficiently larger than the amount of attenuation used in the output level constant control but small enough to be able to detect the restoration of the signal. When the amount of attenuation is being held at the constant value A1, if the output level is restored to a level higher than the threshold value Th0 or Th1 (Th1<Th-d), the output constant control is resumed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to prevention of erroneous connection in an optical network and, in particular, it provides an optical communication node having route switching function as well as an optical network system using the same in a wavelength division multiplex (WDM) network system. There is provided an optical communication node that is connected to a specific optical path in an optical network, said optical communication node having: an external network that is placed thereunder; and an interruption means for interrupting connection between said optical network and said external network, wherein said interruption means interrupts the connection until a sequence of changing a route is completed when the route setting of said optical path is changed.

Abstract: An input side drive current of a D/A converter circuit is controlled by a switch circuit connected in series with at least one of a plurality of input side transistors connected in parallel to form a current mirror connection. By turning the switch circuit from ON to OFF, a constant current flowing through the input side transistor, which is turned OFF by the switch circuit, is distributed to the remaining input side transistors, resulting in a large D/A converted current in a current mirror connected output side transistor. Thus, it is possible to correspondingly reduce a value of a display data, so that the number of bit positions of the D/A converter circuit can be reduced by 1 or more.

Abstract: This invention provides monoglycerides containing a conjugated fatty acid, and a process for producing the above described conjugated fatty acid containing monoglycerides in which all kinds of lipases can be used as catalysts.

Abstract: A method of making a catalytic converter for an automotive internal combustion engine comprises a cylindrical honeycomb catalyst carrier made of a ceramic and carrying a catalytic material. The catalyst carrier is encased within a cylindrical container upon being axially supported at its opposite end faces between oppositely disposed annular metal caps through cushioning materials. The metal caps are fixedly secured to the inner peripheral surface of the container by plug welding. In production of the catalytic converter, the plug welding is made in a state in which the metal caps are being biased to the catalyst carrier at a predetermined pressure by a pair of pressing jigs which respectively abut the metal caps.

Abstract: A manifold converter comprises a housing constructed of two metal shells welded at their mating edges; a catalyzer carrier unit installed in the housing in a manner to define therein upstream and downstream portions with respect to the catalyzer carrier unit; and a sealing mat disposed between the catalyzer carrier unit and the housing to achieve a hermetical sealing therebetween. A binding structure is further employed for binding a given portion of the housing where the sealing mat is located. With this binding structure, undesired permanent expansion of the housing caused by the inevitable thermal expansion is suppressed or at least minimized.

Abstract: An electromagnet having a magnetic shield, in which dummy holes generally equal in shape to a hole conventionally provided for a service port are formed in a pair of end plates of a magnetic shield. The holes formed in each of the end plates are in equal radial-direction positions and are arranged in the circumferential direction at equal angular intervals, and the positions of the holes formed on the two end plates are symmetric on the center point of the electromagnet and/or the plane containing the center point and perpendicular to the center axis. Portions of the end plates in the vicinity of the holes are increased in thickness to compensate for the loss of the magnetic material due to the formation of the holes.