Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. A visual speech system, wherein the visual speech system comprises:
a data import system for receiving text data that includes word strings and emoticon strings; and
a text-to-animation system for generating a displayable animated face image that can reproduce facial movements corresponding to the received word strings and the received emoticon strings.
2. The visual speech system of claim 1, further comprising a keyboard for typing in text data.
3. The visual speech system of claim 1, further comprising a text-to-audio system that can generate an audio speech broadcast corresponding the received word strings.
4. The visual speech system of claim 3, further comprising an audio-visual interface for displaying the display able animated face image along with the audio speech broadcast.
5. The visual speech system of claim 1, wherein the text-to-animation system associates each emoticon string with an expressed emotion, and wherein the expressed emotion is reproduced on the animated face image with at least one facial movement.
6. The visual speech system of claim 5, wherein the text-to-animation system associates each word string with a spoken word, and wherein the spoken word is reproduced on the animated face image with at least one mouth movement.
7. The visual speech system of claim 6, wherein the at least one facial movement is morphed with the at least one mouth movement.
8. The visual speech system of claim 1, further comprising an inputoutput system for receiving and sending text data over a network.
9. A program product stored on a recordable medium, which when executed provides a visual speech system, comprising:
a data import system for receiving text data that includes word strings and emoticon strings; and
a text-to-animation system for generating a displayable animated face image that can reproduce facial movements corresponding to the received word strings and the received emoticon strings.
10. The program product of claim 9, wherein an inputted emoticon string is reproduced on the animated face image as an expressed emotion.
11. The program product of claim 10, wherein an inputted word string is reproduced on the animated face image by mouth movements.
12. The program product of claim 11, wherein the expressed emotion is morphed with the mouth movements.
13. An online chat system having visual speech capabilities, comprising:
a first networked client having:
a first data import system for receiving text data that includes word strings and emoticon strings; and
a data ex(port system for sending the text data to a network; and

a second networked client having:
a second data import system for receiving the text data from the network; and
a text-to-animation system for generating a displayable animated face image that reproduces facial movements corresponding to the received word strings and the received emoticon strings contained in the text data.
14. The online chat system of claim 13, wherein each emoticon string is reproduced on the animated face image as an expressed emotion.
15. The online chat system of claim 14, wherein each word string is reproduced on the animated face image by mouth movements.
16. The online chat system of claim 15, wherein the expressed emotion is morphed with the mouth movements.
17. A method of performing visual speech on a system having a displayable animated face image, comprising the steps of:
entering text data into a keyboard, wherein the text data includes word strings and emoticon strings;
converting the word strings to audio speech;
converting the word strings to mouth movements on the displayable animated face image, such that the mouth movements correspond with the audio speech;
converting the emoticon strings to facial movements on the displayable animated face image, such that the facial movements correspond with expressed emotions associated with the entered emoticon strings; and
displaying the animated face image along with a broadcast of the audio speech.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the mouth movements and facial movements are morphed together.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the displaying of the animated face image along with the broadcast of the audio speech is done remotely over a network.
20. A visual speech system, comprising:
a data import system for receiving text data that includes at least one emoticon string, wherein the at least one emoticon string is associated with a predetermined facial expression; and
a text-to-animation system for generating a displayable animated face image that can simulate at least one facial movement corresponding to the predetermined facial expression.

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 cooling system for an electronic device, comprising:
an evaporator that cools exhaust air from the electronic device by vaporizing a refrigerant with heat generated from the electronic device;
a cooling tower which is provided at a place higher than the evaporator, cools the refrigerant and condenses the vaporized refrigerant;
a circulation line in which the refrigerant naturally circulates between the evaporator and the cooling tower
a heat exchanger which cools the refrigerant
a parallel line which is a flow path for the refrigerant, connected to the circulation line, and which produces a parallel relationship between the heat exchanger and the cooling tower, and
a parallel control mechanism which controls an amount of refrigerant which is fed to the parallel line from the circulation line.
2. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein
the parallel control mechanism comprises
an outside air temperature sensor which measures outside temperature,
a parallel valve which is provided in the parallel line, and regulates an amount of the refrigerant which is refrigerant gas returning from the evaporator and flowing into the heat exchanger, and
a parallel control part which calculates capacity of cooling the refrigerant in the cooling tower from a measurement result of the outside air temperature sensor, and regulates an opening degree amount of the parallel valve from a result of the calculation to control a refrigerant amount which is fed to the heat exchanger.
3. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein
the parallel control mechanism comprises
a cooling tower outlet port sensor which measures at least one of refrigerant temperature and refrigerant pressure at an outlet port of the cooling tower,
a parallel valve which is provided in the parallel line and regulates an amount of the refrigerant which is refrigerant gas returning from the evaporator and flowing into the heat exchanger, and
a parallel control part which regulates an opening degree amount of the parallel valve so that a measurement result of the cooling tower outlet port sensor becomes a predetermined value to control an amount of refrigerant which is fed to the heat exchanger.
4. A cooling system for an electronic device, comprising:
an evaporator which cools exhaust air form the electronic device by vaporizing a refrigerant with heat generating from the electronic device;
a cooling tower which is provided at a place higher than the evaporator, cools the refrigerant and condenses the vaporized refrigerant;
a circulation line in which the refrigerant naturally circulates between the evaporator and the cooling tower;
a heat exchanger which cools the refrigerant;
a series line which is a flow path for the refrigerant, connected to the circulation line, and which produces a series relationship with respect to the cooling tower, the series line being arranged to cause the refrigerant returning from the evaporator to reach the heat exchanger after passing through the cooling tower; and
a series control mechanism which controls cooling capacity of the heat exchanger.
5. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 4, wherein
the series control mechanism comprises
a heat exchanger outlet port sensor which measures a refrigerant temperature andor refrigerant pressure in the heat exchanger outlet port,
a primary refrigerant valve which regulates a refrigerant amount of a primary refrigerant for cooling the refrigerant flowing into the heat exchanger, and
a series control part which controls the primary refrigerant valve based on a measurement result of the heat exchanger outlet port sensor,
wherein the series control part controls the primary refrigerant valve so that the measurement result of the heat exchanger outlet port sensor becomes a predetermined value.
6. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 4,
wherein the series control mechanism comprises
a cooling tower outlet port sensor which measures refrigerant temperature andor refrigerant pressure at the cooling tower outlet port,
a bypass line which can feed refrigerant gas returning from the evaporator into the heat exchanger,
a bypass valve which regulates a flow rate of refrigerant gas flowing in the bypass line,
a regulating valve provided at the cooling tower outlet port, and
a series control part which controls the bypass valve and the regulating valve based on a measurement result of the cooling tower outlet port sensor,
wherein the series control part controls the bypass valve and the regulating valve so that the measurement result of the cooling tower outlet port sensor becomes a predetermined value.
7. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 4,
wherein the series control mechanism comprises
a cooling tower outlet port sensor which measures refrigerant temperature andor refrigerant pressure at the cooling tower outlet port,
a bypass line which can feed refrigerant gas returning from the evaporator into the heat exchanger,
a bypass valve which regulates a flow rate of refrigerant gas flowing in the bypass line,
a regulating valve provided at the cooling tower outlet port, and
a series control part which controls the bypass valve and the regulating valve based on a measurement result of the cooling tower outlet port sensor,
wherein the series control part controls the bypass valve and the regulating valve so that the measurement result of the cooling tower outlet port sensor becomes a predetermined value.
8. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 7,
wherein the series control mechanism further comprises
an outside air temperature sensor which measures outside air temperature,
a bypass line which can feed the refrigerant gas returning from the evaporator into the heat exchanger, and
a bypass valve which regulates a flow rate of the refrigerant gas which flows in the bypass line,
wherein the series control part totally closes the regulating valve and totally opens the bypass valve to shut off return of the refrigerant gas to the cooling tower to guide all the refrigerant gas to the heat exchanger, when the measurement result of the outside air temperature sensor reaches a predetermined value or more.
9. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 8,
wherein the series control mechanism further comprises
an outside air temperature sensor which measures outside air temperature,
a bypass line which can feed the refrigerant gas returning from the evaporator into the heat exchanger, and
a bypass valve which regulates a flow rate of the refrigerant gas which flows in the bypass line,
wherein the series control part totally closes the regulating valve and totally opens the bypass valve to shut off return of the refrigerant gas to the cooling tower to guide all the refrigerant gas to the heat exchanger, when the measurement result of the outside air temperature sensor reaches a predetermined value or more.
10. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 7,
wherein the series control mechanism further comprises
an outside air temperature sensor which measures outside air temperature,
a bypass line which can feed the refrigerant gas returning from the evaporator into the heat exchanger, and
a bypass valve which regulates a flow rate of the refrigerant gas which flows in the bypass line,
wherein the series control part totally closes the regulating valve and totally opens the bypass valve to shut off return of the refrigerant gas to the cooling tower to guide all the refrigerant gas to the heat exchanger, when the measurement result of the outside air temperature sensor reaches a predetermined value or more.
11. A cooling system for an electronic device, comprising:
an evaporator which cools exhaust air from the electronic device by vaporizing a refrigerant with heat generating from the electronic device;
a cooling tower which is provided at a place higher than the evaporator, cools the refrigerant and condenses the vaporized refrigerant;
a circulation line in which the refrigerant naturally circulates between the evaporator and the cooling tower;
an air-conditioning machine which cools high-temperature air taken in from a device room; and returns the air into the device room; and
an air-conditioning circulation line which is branched from the circulation line, and circulates the refrigerant to and from a cooling part of the air-conditioning machine.
12. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:
an air-conditioning machine which cools high-temperature air taken in from a device room, and returns the air into the device room; and
an air-conditioning circulation line which is branched from the circulation line, and circulates the refrigerant to and from a cooling part of the air-conditioning machine.
13. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 12,
wherein the plurality of electronic devices are divided into a plurality of groups, heat exchangers for groups are provided halfway through the circulation line by the number of groups into which the electronic devices are divided, and
wherein the circulation line is constituted of a main circulation line in which the refrigerant circulates between the cooling tower andor the heat exchanger and the heat exchangers for a group, and a group circulation line in which the refrigerant circulates between the heat exchangers for groups and the evaporator andor the cooling part of the air-conditioning machine.
14. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 13,
wherein the plurality of electronic devices are divided into a plurality of groups, heat exchangers for groups are provided halfway through the circulation line by the number of groups into which the electronic devices are divided, and
wherein the circulation line is constituted of a main circulation line in which the refrigerant circulates between the cooling tower andor the heat exchanger and the heat exchangers for a group, and a group circulation line in which the refrigerant circulates between the heat exchangers for groups and the evaporator andor the cooling part of the air-conditioning machine.
15. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a flow rate regulating device which is provided in a refrigerant gas flow path at a position of the evaporator outlet port of the circulation line, and regulates a refrigerant flow rate;
a temperature sensor which detects temperature of air discharged from the evaporator; and
a controller which controls the flow rate regulating device,
wherein the controller controls the flow rate regulating device so that the temperature sensor indicates a predetermined value.
16. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 4, further comprising:
a flow rate regulating device which is provided in a refrigerant gas flow path at a position of the evaporator outlet port of the circulation line, and regulates a refrigerant flow rate;
a temperature sensor which detects temperature of air discharged from the evaporator; and
a controller which controls the flow rate regulating device,
wherein the controller controls the flow rate regulating device so that the temperature sensor indicates a predetermined value.
17. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a server.
18. The cooling system for an electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the electronic device is a server.

1. An air vehicle comprising:
a bag skirt extendable along a portion of a hull of the air vehicle, the bag skirt being inflatable to provide an air cushion during touchdown and deflatable during flight of the air vehicle;
a cover roller adjacent the bag skirt; and
a cover portion coupled to the cover roller, the cover roller being configured to roll between an exposed position and an unexposed position to expose or hide the bag skirt with the cover portion without generating a separation gap,
wherein the cover roller includes an extensible shaft and a pad securely wrapped around the extensible shaft, the extensible shaft capable of being rotated along a shaft axis, one end of the extensible shaft being pivotally coupled to the hull by an anchor, a circumference of the cover roller being based on a function of a distance between the exposed and the unexposed positions, and
wherein the cover portion has a first end secured to the hull and a second end rollable around the cover roller.
2. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein an increase in the distance between the exposed and unexposed positions results in a greater portion of the cover portion being rolled around the cover roller compared to the distance between the exposed and unexposed positions being substantially equal to zero.
3. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein the cover portion conforms to the outer contour of the air vehicle when the bag skirt hidden, thereby reducing drag compared to a drag present when the bag skirt is exposed.
4. The air vehicle of claim 1, wherein evacuation of air from the bag skirt causes the cover portion to retract, thereby decreasing the distance between the exposed and unexposed positions.
5. The air vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a pressurized air source to provide air, the pressurized air source being operable in a suction mode to deflate the bag skirt, the pressurized air source being operable in a blower mode to inflate the bag skirt, and the pressurized air source being operable in a combination mode to inflate the bag skirt and deflate a second bag skirt, the second bag skirt being extendable in a volume enclosed by the bag skirt.
6. The air vehicle of claim 5, wherein the blower mode causes the distance to be increased for takeoff and landing of the air vehicle.
7. The air vehicle of claim 5, wherein the suction mode causes the bag skirt to have a reduced profile compared to the profile in the blower mode.
8. The air vehicle of claim 5, wherein the pressurized air source is selectable to operate in one of the blower mode for takeoff and landing of the air vehicle, the suction mode during the flight of the air vehicle, and the combination mode after the touchdown and before the takeoff of the air vehicle.
9. The air vehicle of claim 5, wherein the suction mode causes the distance to be substantially reduced to zero after a takeoff and during the flight of the air vehicle, the distance being increased to expose the bag skirt in preparation of the touchdown and after completion of the takeoff of the air vehicle.

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 coupling structure for coupling first and second casing halves into a casing, comprising:
a detachment tool storable in a tool retention bore formed in said casing;
an opening formed at an overlapping position of said first and second casing halves of said coupled casing;
a first coupling element projecting inward from an inner surface of the first casing half and formed with a detachment hole, said detachment hole in open communication with said opening to permit extension of said detachment tool therein; and
a second coupling element projecting inward from an inner surface of the second casing half for engaging the first coupling element;
wherein said casing is matingly engaged by aligning said first and second casing halves to engage said first and second coupling elements, and disengaged by inserting said detachment tool into said detachment hole through said opening to abut said second coupling element resulting in inward bending of said second coupling element with respect to said first coupling element, thereby disengaging said second coupling element from said first coupling element.
2. The coupling structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said opening is formed either in the first casing half or the second casing half.
3. The coupling structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the detachment tool is a push rod or a pin rod.
4. The coupling structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said first coupling element is further formed with a hook at an end thereof, said second coupling element being formed with a hooking groove for receiving said hook.
5. The coupling structure as defined in claim 4, wherein said second coupling element has an abutment portion and a hooking portion formed at a distal end, whereby insertion of the detachment tool via the opening and said detachment hole in the casing abuts said abutment portion to disengage said second coupling element from said first coupling element.
6. The coupling structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said first coupling element is further formed with a hooking groove adjacent to said detachment hole, said second coupling element being further formed with a hook for engaging in said hooking groove, thereby coupling the first and second casing halves into the casing.
7. The coupling structure as defined in claim 6, wherein said second coupling element has an abutment portion formed with said hook and a hooking portion located at a distal end thereof, whereby insertion of the detachment tool via the opening and said detachment hole in the casing abuts said abutment portion resulting in inward bending of said second coupling element with respect to said first coupling element, thereby disengaging said second coupling element from said first coupling element.