Author: claimsbot

1. A method (20) for automatically self-configuring a network device being added to a network comprising:
attempting (21) to access a predetermined service from the network, which predetermined service is also capable of being performed by the network device;
upon (24) successfully accessing the predetermined service by the network device, disabling the predetermined service within the network device; and
upon (23) unsuccessfully accessing the predetermined service by the network device, activating the predetermined service within the network device.
2. The method (20) according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined service includes a network address translation service.
3. The method (20) according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined service includes a dynamic host configuration protocol server.
4. The method (20) according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined service includes DNS service.
5. The method (20) according to claim 1, further comprising:
acquiring (31) an Internet Protocol address from the network;
determining (32) if the Internet Protocol address assigned by the network is a private Internet Protocol address.
6. The method (20) according to claim 5, further comprising:
upon (34) determining that the assigned Internet Protocol address is a private Internet Protocol address, self-configuring the network device to use a local area network port to access the Internet and the network.
7. The method (20) according to claim 5, further comprising:
upon (33) determining that the assigned Internet Protocol address is not a private Internet Protocol address, self-configuring the network device to use a wide area network port to access the Internet and a local area network port to access the network.
8. A method (30) for automatically self-configuring a network device being added to a network comprising:
acquiring (31) an Internet Protocol address from the network;
determining (32) if the Internet Protocol address assigned by the network is a private Internet Protocol address; and
upon (34) determining that the assigned Internet Protocol address is a private Internet Protocol address, self-configuring the network device to use a local area network port to access the Internet and the network.
9. The method (30) according to claim 8, further comprising:
upon (33) determining that the assigned Internet Protocol address is not a private Internet Protocol address, self-configuring the network device to use a wide area network port to access the Internet and a local area network port to access the network.
10. The method (30) according to claim 8, further comprising:
attempting (21) to access a predetermined service from the network, which predetermined service is also capable of being performed by the network device;
upon successfully (24) accessing the predetermined service by the network device, disabling the predetermined service within the network device; and
upon (23) unsuccessfully accessing the predetermined service by the network device, activating the predetermined service within the network device.
11. The method (30) according to claim 8, further comprising:
attempting (21) to access one or more predetermined services from the network, each of which one or more predetermined services is also capable of being performed by the network device;
disabling (24) within the network device each of the one or more predetermined services that were successfully accessed by the network device; and
enabling (23) within the network device each of the one or more predetermined services that were unsuccessfully accessed by the network device.
12. The method (30) according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined service includes a network address translation service.
13. The method (30) according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined service includes a dynamic host configuration protocol server.
14. The method (30) according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined service includes DNS service.
15. A method (30) for automatically self-configuring a network device being added to a network comprising:
acquiring (31) an Internet Protocol address from the network; and
self-configuring (33) the network device to act as a gateway to the Internet for the network based on a format of the Internet Protocol address.
16. The method (30) according to claim 15, wherein the format of the Internet Protocol address includes an address type.
17. The method (30) according to claim 15, wherein the address type includes a public Internet Protocol address.
18. The method (30) according to claim 15, wherein the address type includes a private Internet Protocol address.
19. The method (30) according to claim 15, wherein the address type includes a format that matches 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x wherein the numbers constitute octets and the x constitutes any octet.
20. A method (40) for self-configuring a network device comprising:
sending (41) a DHCP discover message to the network upon coupling the network device to a network;
upon (43) receiving no response to the DHCP discover message, enabling DHCP service within the network device;
upon (44) receiving a response to the DHCP discover message, sending a DHCP request for an IP address;
upon (45) receiving a response to the DHCP request message, examining the received IP address to determine if the received IP address is a private IP address or not; and
upon (47) determining that the received IP address is a private IP address, then using a single LAN port to access the network and the Internet; and
upon (46) determining that the received UP address is not a private IP address, then using a LAN port to access the network and a WAN port to access the Internet.
21. An apparatus (13, 17) for coupling to a network comprising:
a local area network port (5);
a wide area network port (6);
a processor (4) to send data to and from the local area network port (5) and the wide area network port (6), said processor (4):
sending (41) a DHCP discover message to the network upon coupling the local area network port (5) to a network;
upon (43) receiving no response to the DHCP discover message, enabling DHCP service;
upon (44) receiving a response to the DHCP discover message, sending a DHCP request for an IP address;
upon (45) receiving a response to the DHCP request message, examining the received IP address to determine if the received IP address is a private IP address or not; and
upon (47) determining that the received IP address is a private IP address, then using the local area network port (5) to access the network and the Internet; and
upon (46) determining that the received UP address is not a private IP address, then using the local area network port (5) to access the network and the wide area network port (6) to access the Internet.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A parallel inverter device, comprising a plurality of inverters connected in parallel that supply alternating current voltage to a single load and a transmission means, wherein
each of the plurality of inverters includes
a power converter that converts direct current to alternating current and supplies alternating current voltage to the single load, and
a power converter control unit;

one of the inverters is a master inverter, the control unit thereof computing a voltage command value for the power converter in the master inverter, and an other of the inverters is a slave inverter, the power converter of the slave inverter being driven in accordance with said voltage command value;
the transmission means transmits the voltage command value computed by the control unit of the master inverter to the slave inverter; and
the control unit of the master inverter includes a delay device that delays the voltage command value by a transmission time needed for transmitting a computed voltage command value to the slave inverter, and provides the voltage command value delayed by the delay device to the power converter of the master inverter.
2. The parallel inverter device according to claim 1, wherein the slave inverter includes a synchronization device that synchronizes switching timing of the power converter of the slave inverter with switching timing of the power converter of the master inverter.
3. The parallel inverter device according to claim 1, wherein the master inverter transmits the voltage command value in synchronization with the switching timing of the power converter of the master inverter in a fixed cycle, and the control unit of the master inverter controls a time from a start of transmission to a finish of transmission of the voltage command value by the master inverter and a time from a start of reception to a completion of reception of the voltage command value by the slave inverter to be equal.
4. The parallel inverter device according to claim 1, wherein the delay device adjusts the delay time so that the voltage command value for the master inverter and the voltage command value for the slave inverter are equal.
5. The parallel inverter device according to claim 1, wherein the power converter further comprises a semiconductor switching element.
6. A parallel inverter device, comprising three or more inverters connected in parallel that supply alternating current voltage to a single load, and a transmission means, wherein
each of the inverters includes
a power converter that carries out a direct current to alternating current conversion, and supplies alternating current voltage to the load,
a power converter control unit having a delay device;

one of the inverters is a master inverter, the control unit of the master inverter computing a voltage command value for the power converter of the master inverter, the other inverters are slave inverters, and the power converters in the slave inverters are driven in accordance with the voltage command value;
the transmission means transmits a voltage command value computed by the control unit of the master inverter to the slave inverters;
the delay unit of the master inverter delays the voltage command value by a transmission time for transmitting the computed voltage command value to one of the slave inverters that requires a longest transmission time, and provides the voltage command value delayed by the delay device to the power converter of the master inverter, and
the delay device of each of the slave inverters delays the voltage command value transmitted from the master inverter or another slave inverter so as to provide a voltage command value synchronous with the voltage command value delayed by the delay device of the master inverter to the power converter of the slave inverter.
7. The parallel inverter device according to claim 6, wherein each said slave inverter includes a synchronization device that synchronizes switching timing of the power converter of said slave inverter with switching timing of the power converter of the master inverter.
8. The parallel inverter device according to claim 6, wherein the master inverter
transmits the voltage command value in synchronization with the switching timing of the power converter of the master inverter in a fixed cycle, and
controls so that the time from a start of transmission to a finish of transmission of the voltage command value by the master inverter and a time from a start of reception to a completion of reception of the voltage command value by each slave inverter are identical.
9. The parallel inverter device according to claim 6, wherein the delay device adjusts the delay time so that the voltage command value for the master inverter and the voltage command value for each of the slave inverters are equal to each other.
10. The parallel inverter device according to claim 6, wherein the power converter further comprises a semiconductor switching element.
11. A method of controlling a parallel inverter device that includes a plurality of parallel-connected inverters, including a master converter and at least one slave converter, that supply alternating current voltage to a single load, the method comprising:
converting direct current to alternating current by a switching action of a power converter in each of the inverters,
supplying the alternating current voltage to the single load,
computing a voltage command value for the power converter the master inverter,
driving the power converter in the slave inverter in accordance with the voltage command value,
transmitting the voltage command value to the slave inverter,
delaying the voltage command value by a transmission time for transmitting a computed voltage command value to the slave inverter, and
providing the delayed voltage command value to the power converter of the master inverter.
12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising synchronizing switching timing of the power converter of the slave inverter with switching timing of the power converter of the master inverter.
13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising
transmitting the voltage command value in synchronization with the switching timing of the power converter of the master inverter in a fixed cycle, and
controlling a time from a start of transmission to a finish of transmission of the voltage command value from the master inverter and a time from a start of reception to a completion of reception of a voltage command value by the slave inverter to be equal to each other.
14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising adjusting the delay time so that the voltage command value for the master inverter and the voltage command value for the slave inverter are equal to each other.

1. A method of detecting intrusions with respect to a monitored space, comprising:
exposing said monitored space to at least one passive infrared sensor, each passive infrared sensor having a first sensor element generating a positive polarity signal when its field of view senses an infrared-radiating moving object, and a second sensor element generating a negative polarity signal when its field of view senses an infrared-radiating moving object;
generating a movement signal constituted of at least one positive polarity signal and at least one negative polarity signal when both have been generated within a first time interval such as to indicate the movement of an object within the monitored space;
determining from the relative sequential order of the at least one positive polarity signal and at least one negative polarity signal in said movement signal the direction of movement of the detected object, and particularly whether the movement direction is a hostile direction or a friendly direction; and
actuating an alarm when the direction of movement of the movement signal is determined to be in the hostile direction, but not when it is determined to be in the friendly direction.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises disabling the actuation of said alarm during a second time interval after a generated movement signal has been determined to be in the friendly direction.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said disabling of the actuation of the alarm is effected by applying each movement signal, after a short time delay, to restart said second time interval during which the actuation of the alarm is disabled.
4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said first time interval is measured in seconds, said second time interval is measured in tens of seconds or minutes, and said short time delay is measured in a small fraction of a second.
5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said method further comprises determining whether the temperature of the monitored space is above or below body temperature (approximately 36 C.), and utilizing said latter determination to determine from said sequential order of positive and negative polarity signals, the direction of movement of the body generating said movement signal.
6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitored space is a door or window of an enclosure and said hostile direction is from the door or window into the interior of the enclosure.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein only the space within, and at one side of, the enclosure in the region of the door or window, is exposed to the passive infrared sensor.
8. A method of detecting movement of an infrared-radiating object in a predetermined direction within a monitored space, comprising:
exposing said monitored space to at least one passive infrared sensor, each passive infrared sensor having a first sensor element generating a positive polarity signal when its field of view senses an infrared-radiating moving object, and a second sensor element generating a negative polarity signal when its field of view senses an infrared-radiating moving object;
generating a movement signal comprising at least one positive polarity signal and at least one negative polarity signal when both have been generated within a first time interval such as to indicate the movement of an object within the monitored space; and
determining from the relative sequential order of the at least one positive polarity signal and the at least one negative polarity signal in said movement signal the direction of movement of the detected object.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said method further comprises determining whether the temperature of the monitored space is above or below body temperature (approximately 36 C.), and utilizing said latter determination to determine the direction of movement of the body generating said movement signal.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the monitored space is a door or window of an enclosure, and the passive infrared sensor is mounted to monitor only the space within, and at one side of, the enclosure in the region of the door or window.
11. Apparatus for detecting moving infrared-radiating objects in a monitored space, comprising:
at least one passive infrared sensor to be mounted to view said monitored space, said at least one passive infrared sensor having a first sensor element generating a positive polarity signal when its field of view senses an infrared-radiating moving object, and a second sensor element generating a negative polarity signal when its field of view senses an infrared-radiating moving object;
a time window circuit for receiving the generated positive polarity signals and negative polarity signals and for generating a movement signal when a positive polarity signal and negative polarity signal have both been generated within a first time interval such as to indicate the movement of an object within the monitored space; and
a direction-determining circuit for determining, from the relative sequential order of the positive and negative polarity signals in said movement signal, the direction of movement of the detected object.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, particularly useful for detecting intrusions in said monitored space, wherein said apparatus further comprises:
an alarm; and
an alarm actuating circuit which actuates the alarm when the direction of movement of the movement signal is determined to be in a hostile direction, but not when it is determined to be in a friendly direction.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said apparatus further comprises:
a disabling circuit for disabling the actuation of said alarm during a second time interval after a generated movement signal has been determined to be in the friendly direction.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said apparatus further comprises:
a delay circuit for receiving each movement signal and, after a short time delay, for applying said movement signal to said disabling circuit to restart said second time interval.
15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said first time interval is measured in seconds, said second time interval is measured in tens of seconds or minutes, and said short time delay is measured in a small fraction of a second.
16. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said apparatus further comprises a temperature sensor for sensing the temperature of the monitored space, and for utilizing said sensed temperature to determine from said sequential order of positive and negative polarity signals, the direction of movement of the body generating said movement signal.
17. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first and second sensor elements are mounted on a base enclosed within a housing having a lens defining said fields of view; said base being shifted laterally with respect to said lens such that the mid-line between said first and second sensor elements passes obliquely through the transverse optical axis of the lens, to thereby produce fields of view of the sensor elements which are non-symmetrical with respect to the lens.
18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the distance between said first and second sensor elements and said lens is 10-30 mm, and said lateral shift is 0.5-3 mm.
19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said at least one passive infrared sensor is mounted on one side of a door or window of an enclosure so as to monitor only the space within, and at one side of, the enclosure in the region of the door or window.
20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said at least one passive infrared sensor is mounted on one side of a door or window of an enclosure so as to monitor only the space within, and at one side of, the enclosure in the region of the door or window.
21. A method of detecting movement of an infrared-radiating object in a predetermined direction within a monitored space, comprising:
exposing said monitored space to at least one passive infrared sensor, each passive infrared sensor having a first sensor element generating a first polarity signal when its field of view senses an infrared-radiating moving object, and a second sensor element generating a second polarity signal when its field of view senses an infrared-radiating moving object; and
determining from the relative sequential order of said first polarity signal and said second polarity signal the direction of movement of the detected object, and particularly whether the movement direction is a hostile direction or a friendly direction.
22. The method of detecting movement according to claim 21 further comprising the step of:
counting the number of persons moving in at least one direction.
23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:
generating a movement signal constituted of said first polarity signal and said second polarity signal when both have been generated within a first time interval such as to indicate the movement of an object within the monitored space.
24. The method according to claim 21 particularly useful for detecting intrusions in said monitored space further comprising the step of:
actuating an alarm when the direction of movement of the movement signal is determined to be in the hostile direction, but not when it is determined to be in the friendly direction.
25. The method according to claim 24, wherein said disabling of the actuation of the alarm is effected by applying each movement signal, after a short time delay, to restart said second time interval during which the actuation of the alarm is disabled.
26. Apparatus for detecting moving infrared-radiating objects in a monitored space, comprising:
at least one passive infrared sensor to be mounted to view said monitored space, said at least one passive infrared sensor having a first sensor element generating a first polarity signal when its field of view senses an infrared-radiating moving object, and a second sensor element generating a second polarity signal when its field of view senses an infrared-radiating moving object; and
a direction-determining circuit for determining, from the relative sequential order of the first and second polarity signals in said movement signal, the direction of movement of the detected object.
27. The apparatus according to claim 26, particularly useful for detecting intrusions in said monitored space, wherein said apparatus further comprises:
a time window circuit for receiving the generated first polarity signals and second polarity signals and for generating a movement signal when a positive polarity signal and negative polarity signal have both been generated within a first time interval such as to indicate the movement of an object within the monitored space;
an alarm; and
an alarm actuating circuit which actuates the alarm when the direction of movement of the movement signal is determined to be in a hostile direction, but not when it is determined to be in a friendly direction.
28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said apparatus further comprises:
a disabling circuit for disabling the actuation of said alarm during a second time interval after a generated movement signal has been determined to be in the friendly direction.
29. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said apparatus further comprises:
a delay circuit for receiving each movement signal and, after a short time delay, for applying said movement signal to said disabling circuit to restart said second time interval.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An optical film comprising:
a substrate; and
a hard coat layer provided on the substrate;
the hard coat layer being a layer obtained by curing a photocurable composition on the substrate;
the photocurable composition including an epoxide represented by Chemical Formula I below, a bisphenol compound, and a cationic photopolymerization initiator.
2. An optical film as defined in claim 1, wherein the bisphenol compound is represented by General Formula II-1 below.
wherein R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a hydrocarbon group having a carbon number within a range from 1 to 15, and X represents a divalent linking group formed by at least one species selected from among a single bond, a hydrocarbon group having a carbon number within a range from 1 to 15, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, and a sulfonyl group.
3. An optical film as defined in claim 1, wherein the bisphenol compound is represented by General Formula II-2 below.
wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 represent hydrogen or a hydrocarbon group having a carbon number within a range from 1 to 15, and R3 and R4 may bind to form a single cyclic structure.
4. An optical film as defined in claim 2, wherein:
R1 and R2 are one of hydrogen and a hydrocarbon group having a carbon number within a range from 1 to 6.
5. An optical film as defined in claim 3, wherein:
R1 and R2 are one of hydrogen and a hydrocarbon group having a carbon number within a range from 1 to 6.
6. An optical film as defined in claim 4, wherein:
R1 is hydrogen and R2 is a methyl group.
7. An optical film as defined in claim 5, wherein:
R1 is hydrogen and R2 is a methyl group.
8. An optical film as defined in claim 1, wherein:
the content of the bisphenol compound with respect to the total solid content of the photocurable composition is within a range from 1% to 40%.
9. An optical film as defined in claim 1, wherein:
the substrate is a cellulose ester substrate.
10. An optical film as defined in claim 1, wherein:
the optical film is employed as a polarizing plate protecting film.
11. A polarizing plate, comprising:
a polarizer; and
the optical film as defined in claim 10 provided on at least one surface of the polarizer.
12. A liquid crystal display device comprising:
a pair of polarizing plates; and
a liquid crystal cell clamped between the pair of polarizing plates;
at least one of the pair of polarizing plates being the polarizing plate defined in claim 11.
13. A method for producing an optical film comprising a substrate and a hard coat layer provided on the substrate, comprising:
coating a photocurable composition including an epoxide represented by Chemical Formula I below, a bisphenol compound, and a cationic photopolymerization initiator on the substrate to form a coated film; and
forming the hard coat layer by irradiating light onto the coated film to cure the coated film.
14. A method for producing an optical film as defined in claim 13, wherein the bisphenol compound is represented by General Formula II-1 below.
wherein R1 and R2 represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a hydrocarbon group having a carbon number within a range from 1 to 15, and X represents a divalent linking group formed by at least one species selected from among a single bond, a hydrocarbon group having a carbon number within a range from 1 to 15, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, and a sulfonyl group.
15. A method for producing an optical film as defined in claim 14, wherein the bisphenol compound is represented by General Formula II-2 below.
wherein R1, R2, R3 and R4 represent hydrogen or a hydrocarbon group having a carbon number within a range from 1 to 15, and R3 and R4 may bind to form a single cyclic structure.
16. A method for producing an optical film as defined in claim 13, wherein:
the light which is irradiated onto the coated film is ultraviolet light.
17. A method for producing an optical film as defined in claim 13, wherein:
the irradiation of light is performed in a state in which the substrate having the coated formed thereon is heated.
18. A method for producing an optical film as defined in claim 13, wherein:
the hard coat layer is produced without applying heat after the light is irradiated.