Author: claimsbot

1. A real-time energy usage data storage distribution process comprising:
receiving incoming energy usage information data and an origination information data at a logger device, the origination information data indicative of a particular sensor device from which the incoming energy usage information data was received;
determining to which plurality of non-volatile storage devices, each non-volatile storage device from a respective group of non-volatile storage devices, to distribute and store the energy usage information data, based on the origination information data;
wherein the logger device executes a determination of where to store the incoming energy usage information data by performing a spreading algorithm on the origination information data, the spreading algorithm performs a modulus operation which is a calculation performed on the origination information data resulting in a remainder used to determine to which non-volatile storage device from the respective group of non-volatile storage devices the incoming energy usage information data is to be distributed and stored;
wherein the received incoming energy usage information data is received from a plurality of agent devices; and
wherein the received incoming energy usage information data is an energy usage data packet including origination information, timestamp, and energy usage information.
2. The real-time energy usage data storage distribution process of claim 1, wherein the received incoming energy usage information data is an aggregate energy usage data packet.
3. The real-time energy usage data storage distribution process of claim 1, wherein the received energy usage data packet is an aggregate energy usage data packet including origination information and a plurality of a timestamp and energy usage information.
4. The real-time energy usage data storage distribution process of claim 1, wherein the energy usage data packet further includes an origination identifier;
wherein the origination identifier includes origination information and ownership information.
5. A logger device comprising:
a processor,
a transmitter;
a receiver;
an IO device;
a memory;
a module stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor to:
receiving incoming energy usage information data and an associated origination information data indicative of a particular sensor device from which the incoming energy usage information data was received at the logger device;
determining to which plurality of non-volatile storage devices, each non-volatile storage device from a respective group of non-volatile storage devices, to distribute and store the incoming energy usage information data, based on the associated origination information data;
wherein the logger device executes a determination of where to store the incoming energy usage information data by performing a spreading algorithm on the origination information data, the spreading algorithm performs a modulus operation which is a calculation performed on the origination information data resulting in a remainder used to determine to which non-volatile storage device from the respective group of non-volatile storage devices the incoming energy usage information data is to be distributed and stored;
wherein the received incoming energy usage information data is received from a plurality of agent devices; and
wherein the received incoming energy usage information data is an energy usage data packet including origination information, timestamp, and energy usage information.
6. The logger device of claim 5, wherein the received incoming energy usage information data is an aggregate energy usage data packet.
7. The logger device of claim 5, wherein the received energy usage data packet is an aggregate energy usage data packet including origination information and a plurality of a timestamp and energy usage information.
8. The logger device of claim 5, wherein the energy usage data packet further includes an origination identifier;
wherein the origination identifier includes origination information and ownership information.

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 image forming apparatus comprising:
at least one document feeder to feed an original document;
a time delay integration image sensor to scan the original document and read image data; and
a controller to activate a time delay integration function of the time delay integration image sensor when a direction for feed of the original document corresponds to a sub-scanning direction of the time delay integration image sensor, and to deactivate the time delay integration function of the time delay integration image sensor when the direction for feed of the original document does not correspond to the sub-scanning direction of the time delay integration image sensor, during reading of the original document.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one document feeder comprises:
a first document feeder to feed the original document in a first direction; and
a second document feed to feed the original document in an opposite direction to the first direction.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first document feeder is a sheet feed type document feeder to automatically feed the original document, and the second document feeder is a platen type document feeder to fix the original document onto a platen glass.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the time delay integration image sensor comprises:
a first pixel array; and
a second pixel array installed to be spaced apart from the first pixel array by a predetermined interval in the sub-scanning direction.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first pixel array is a time delay integration pixel array.
6. An image forming apparatus comprising:
at least one document feeder to feed an original document;
a time delay integration image sensor to scan the original document and read image data; and
a controller to activate a time delay integration function of the time delay integration image sensor and to read the image data from the original document, and to perform image correction for improvement of quality of the image data when a direction for feed of the original document does not correspond to a sub-scanning direction of the time delay integration image sensor.
7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the at least one document feeder comprises:
a first document feeder to feed the original document in a first direction; and
a second document feed to feed the original document in an opposite direction to the first direction.
8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first document feeder is a sheet feed type document feeder to automatically feed the original document, and the second document feeder is a platen type document feeder to fix the original document onto a platen glass.
9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the time delay integration image sensor comprises:
a first pixel array; and
a second pixel array installed to be spaced apart from the first pixel array by a predetermined interval in the sub-scanning direction.
10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first pixel array is a time delay integration pixel array.
11. A method of controlling an image forming apparatus comprising at least one document feeder to feed an original document, and a time delay integration image sensor to scan the original document and read image data, the method comprising:
receiving an operation command;
reading image data from the original document in response to the operation command;
activating a time delay integration function of the time delay integration image sensor when a direction for feed of the original document corresponds to a sub-scanning direction of the time delay integration image sensor during reading of the original document; and
deactivating the time delay integration function of the time delay integration image sensor when the direction for feed of the original document does not correspond to the sub-scanning direction of the time delay integration image sensor during the reading of the original document.
12. A method of controlling an image forming apparatus comprising at least one document feeder to feed an original document, and a time delay integration image sensor to scan the original document and read image data, the method comprising:
receiving an operation command;
activating a time delay integration function of the time delay integration image sensor to read image data from the original document in response to the operation command; and
performing image correction for improvement of quality of the image data when a direction for feed of the original document does not correspond to a sub-scanning direction of the time delay integration image sensor.
13. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a first document feeder to feed an original document in a first direction;
a second document feed to feed the original document in a second direction;
a time delay integration image sensor to scan the original document fed through the first document feeder in a first sub-scanning direction to read image data, and to scan the original document fed through the second document feeder in a second sub-scanning direction to read image data; and
a controller to deactivate a time delay integration function of the time delay integration image sensor when the original document fed through the first document feeder is scanned in the first sub-scanning direction to read the image data, and to activate the time delay integration function of the time delay integration image sensor when the original document fed through the second document feeder is scanned in the second sub-scanning direction to read the image data.
14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:
the first document feeder is an automatic document feeder to automatically feed the original document and transfer the original document along a preset feed path such that the original document is scanned by the image sensor while being transferred on a sensing surface of the time delay integration image sensor in an opposite direction to the first sub-scanning direction; and
the second document feeder is a platen type document feeder to allow the original document aligned on a surface of a platen glass to be scanned while the time delay integration image sensor moves in the second sub-scanning direction when the original document is aligned on the surface of the platen glass.
15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein:
the first document feeder is a platen type document feeder to allow the original document aligned on a surface of a platen glass to be scanned while the time delay integration image sensor moves in the second sub-scanning direction when the original document is aligned on the surface of the platen glass; and
the second document feeder is an automatic document feeder to automatically feed the original document and transfer the original document along a preset feed path such that the original document is scanned by the image sensor while being transferred on a sensing surface of the time delay integration image sensor in an opposite direction to the first sub-scanning direction.

1. A bait cast fishing reel comprising a frame, a spool, and a handle, wherein the frame comprises a brake housing, the spool is rotatably attached to and contained within the frame, the handle is rotatably attached to a crankshaft, the handle and the spool inversely rotate in parallel via a gear mechanism, and the brake housing is contained on the portion of the frame opposite the handle, wherein the frame further comprises a front cover, the front cover comprising a line hole, where the front cover does not include a level wind mechanism, and wherein the spool further comprises a recessed portion and two full portions, the recessed portion residing between the two full portions, and a line retainer element, the line retainer element residing on the recessed portion of the spool.
2. The bait cast fishing reel of claim 1, wherein the line retainer element is located substantially in the center of the recessed portion of the spool.
3. The bait cast fishing reel of claim 1, where the recessed portion of the spool is of substantially the same width as the diameter of the line hole, and wherein the recessed portion of the spool is in substantial alignment with the line hole.
4. The bait cast fishing reel of claim 1, where the line hole consists essentially of a ceramic or stainless steel.
5. The bait cast fishing reel of claim 4, where the line hole consists essentially of stainless steel and is coated in chromium nitride or titanium nitride.
6. The bait cast fishing reel of claim 1, where the wind ratio of the handle to the spool is between about 1:1 to about 7:1.
7. The bait cast fishing reel of claim 6, where the wind ratio of the handle to the spool is between about 5:1 to about 7:1.
8. The bait cast fishing reel of claim 7, where the wind ratio of the handle to the spool is about 6:1.
9. The bait cast fishing reel of claim 1, where the line retainer element is a mushroom-type peg.
10. The bait cast fishing reel of claim 1, further comprising a permanent drag lock system.
11. The bait cast fishing reel of claim 1, further comprising an adjustable drag lock system.
12. A bait cast fishing reel comprising a frame, a spool, and a handle, wherein the frame comprises a brake housing, the spool is rotatably attached to and contained within the frame, the handle is rotatably attached to a crankshaft, the handle and the spool inversely rotate in parallel via a gear mechanism, and the brake housing is contained on the portion of the frame opposite the handle, wherein the frame further comprises a front cover, the front cover comprising a line hole, where the front cover does not include a level wind mechanism, and wherein the spool further comprises a recessed portion and two full portions, the recessed portion residing between the two full portions, and a line retainer element, the line retainer element residing on the recessed portion of the spool, and wherein the bait cast fishing reel further comprises an adjustable drag lock system.
13. A bait cast fishing reel comprising a frame, a spool, and a handle, wherein the frame comprises a brake housing, the spool is rotatably attached to and contained within the frame, the handle is rotatably attached to a crankshaft, the handle and the spool inversely rotate in parallel via a gear mechanism, and the brake housing is contained on the portion of the frame opposite the handle, wherein the frame further comprises a front cover, the front cover comprising a line hole, where the front cover does not include a level wind mechanism, and wherein the spool further comprises a recessed portion and two full portions, the recessed portion residing between the two full portions, and a line retainer element, the line retainer element residing on the recessed portion of the spool, and wherein the bait cast fishing reel further comprises a permanent drag lock system.
14. A bait cast fishing reel comprising a frame, a spool, and a handle, wherein the frame comprises a brake housing, the spool is rotatably attached to and contained within the frame, the handle is rotatably attached to a crankshaft, the handle and spool inversely rotate in parallel via a gear mechanism, and the brake housing is contained on the portion of the frame opposite the handle, wherein the frame further comprises a front cover, the front cover comprising a line hole, where the front cover does not include a level wind mechanism, and wherein the spool further comprises a recessed portion and two full portions, the recessed portion residing between the two full portions, and a line retainer element, the line retainer element residing on the recessed portion of the spool, and wherein the line retainer element is located substantially in the center of the recessed portion of the spool, and wherein the recessed portion of the spool is of substantially the same width as the diameter of the line hole, and wherein the recessed portion of the spool is in substantial alignment with the line hole, and wherein the line hole is stainless steel coated in chromium nitride, and wherein the wind ratio of the handle to the spool is about 6:1, and wherein the line retainer element is a mushroom-type peg.
15. The bait case fishing reel of claim 14 further comprising an adjustable drag lock system.
16. The bait cast fishing reel of claim 14 further comprising a permanent drag lock system.

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 method of operating a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell for aging of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell including a membrane electrode assembly comprising a pair of electrodes and an electrolyte membrane interposed between the electrodes, the method comprising:
a first aging step of performing hydrogen pump operation in a state where an electric potential is applied to the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, by not supplying an oxygen-containing gas to one of the electrodes and by supplying humidified hydrogen to the other of the electrodes to cause the hydrogen to pass through the electrolyte membrane toward the one electrode; and
a second aging step of performing power generation of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell at least at the maximum current density after the first aging step.
2. An operating method according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyte membrane includes hydrocarbon material.
3. An operating method according to claim 1, wherein a minus electrode electric potential is applied to a cathode as the one electrode, and a plus electrode electric potential is applied to an anode as the other electrode.
4. A method of operating a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell for aging of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell including a membrane electrode assembly comprising a pair of electrodes and an electrolyte membrane interposed between the electrodes, the method comprising the steps of:
directly supplying water in the liquid state to the membrane electrode assembly; and
performing hydrogen pump operation in a state where an electric potential is applied to the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, by not supplying an oxygen-containing gas to one of the electrodes and by supplying humidified hydrogen to the other of the electrodes to cause the hydrogen to pass through the electrolyte membrane toward the one electrode.
5. An operating method according to claim 4, wherein the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell has a fuel gas flow field for supplying a fuel gas to the other electrode, and an oxygen-containing gas flow field for supplying an oxygen-containing gas to the one electrode; and
heat retention of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell is performed in a state where at least the fuel gas flow field or the oxygen-containing gas flow field is filled with the water in the liquid state.
6. An operating method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of performing power generation of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell at least at maximum current density in use after the hydrogen pump operation is performed at least at the maximum current density in use.
7. An operating method according to claim 4, wherein the electrolyte membrane includes hydrocarbon material.
8. An operating method according to claim 4, wherein the water in the liquid state is hot pure water having a temperature in a range of 40\xb0 C. to 100\xb0 C.
9. An operating method according to claim 4, wherein a minus electrode electric potential is applied to a cathode as the one electrode, and a plus electrode electric potential is applied to an anode as the other electrode.
10. A method of operating a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell for aging of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell including a membrane electrode assembly comprising a pair of electrodes and an electrolyte membrane interposed between the electrodes, the method comprising:
an aging step of performing hydrogen pump operation in a state where an electric potential is applied to the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, by not supplying an oxygen-containing gas to one of the electrodes and by supplying humidified hydrogen to the other of the electrodes to cause the hydrogen to pass through the electrolyte membrane toward the one electrode,
wherein in the aging step, hydrogen discharged from at least the one electrode is returned to the other electrode.
11. An operating method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of reducing a pressure in a channel for the hydrogen at least before or after the aging step.
12. An operating method according to claim 10, wherein after the hydrogen passes through the humidifier, the hydrogen humidified by the humidifier is supplied to the other electrode.
13. An operating method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of performing power generation of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell at least at maximum current density in use after the hydrogen pump operation is performed at least at the maximum current density in use.
14. An operating method according to claim 10, wherein the electrolyte membrane includes hydrocarbon material.
15. An operating method according to claim 10, wherein a minus electrode electric potential is applied to a cathode as the one electrode, and a plus electrode electric potential is applied to an anode as the other electrode.
16. A method of operating a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell for aging of the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell including a membrane electrode assembly comprising a pair of electrodes and an electrolyte membrane interposed between the electrodes, the method comprising:
a positioning step of preparing and positioning a plurality of fuel cell stacks each including at least one solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell; and
an aging step of performing hydrogen pump operation in a state where an electric potential is applied to the fuel cell stacks, by not supplying an oxygen-containing gas to one of the electrodes and by supplying humidified hydrogen to the other of the electrodes,
wherein in the aging step, after the hydrogen supplied to the other electrode of the fuel cell stack on an upstream side passes through the electrolyte membrane toward the one electrode, the hydrogen is supplied to the other electrode of the fuel cell stack on a downstream side.
17. An operating method according to claim 16, wherein the hydrogen discharged from the one electrode of the fuel cell stack at the downstream end is returned to the other electrode of the fuel cell stack at the upstream end through a circulation channel.
18. An operating method according to claim 17, wherein a storage tank for storing the hydrogen is provided in the circulation channel.
19. An operating method according to claim 16, wherein after the hydrogen is humidified by a humidifier, the hydrogen is supplied to the fuel cell stack at the upstream end.
20. An operating method according to claim 16, wherein the fuel cell stack on the upstream side is electrically connected to the fuel cell stack on the downstream side in series.
21. An operating method according to claim 16, wherein the electrolyte membrane includes hydrocarbon material.
22. An operating method according to claim 16, wherein a minus electrode electric potential is applied to a cathode as the one electrode, and a plus electrode electric potential is applied to an anode as the other electrode.
23. An aging apparatus for performing aging of a solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell, the solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell including a membrane electrode assembly comprising a pair of electrodes and an electrolyte membrane interposed between the electrodes, the aging apparatus comprising:
a stack area where a plurality of fuel cell stacks each including at least one solid polymer electrolyte fuel cell are disposed;
a power supply unit for applying an electric potential to the fuel cell stacks;
a hydrogen supply unit for performing hydrogen pump operation when the power supply unit is operated, by not supplying an oxygen-containing gas to one of the electrodes and by supplying humidified hydrogen to the other of the electrodes,
wherein the hydrogen supply unit includes a serial supply channel, and after the hydrogen supplied to the other electrode of the fuel cell stack on an upstream side has passed through the electrolyte membrane toward the one electrode, the hydrogen is supplied to the other electrode of the fuel cell stack on a downstream side through the serial supply channel.
24. An aging apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the hydrogen supply unit includes a circulation channel for allowing the hydrogen discharged from the one electrode of the fuel cell stack at the downstream end to be returned to the other electrode of the fuel cell stack at the upstream end.
25. An aging apparatus according to claim 24, wherein a hydrogen storage tank for storing the hydrogen is provided in the circulation channel.
26. An aging apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the hydrogen supply unit is provided upstream of the fuel cell stack at the upstream end, and includes a humidifier for humidifying the hydrogen.
27. An aging apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the power supply unit electrically connects the fuel cell stack on the upstream side to the fuel cell stack on the downstream side in series.
28. An aging apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the electrolyte membrane includes hydrocarbon material.
29. An aging apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the power supply unit applies a minus electrode electric potential to a cathode as the one electrode, and applies a plus electrode electric potential to an anode as the other electrode.