All The Claims

1. Fill-level indicator for use in a liquefied petroleum gas tank, comprising:
an array of optical detectors (9) attached to a mount, vertically spaced apart from one another and distributed inside the tank (2) over the height of the latter, each detector including a light source (10) and a receiver (12), and
means (17) for feeding power to the light sources of the various detectors (9), for processing the signals arriving at the various receivers (12) and for transmitting signals to a gauge (20) displaying the fill-level of the liquefied gas,
characterized in that the mount and the detectors placed on it are positioned in a casing (16) which is highly transparent to the light beams emitted by the light sources (10) and that a synthetic resin (13) which is highly transparent to the light beams emitted by the light sources (10) is poured between one surface of the said casing and the detectors for encapsulating the mount and the detectors in such fashion that the surface of the resin facing the detectors (9) reflects a light beam emitted by the corresponding light source (10) toward the associated receiver (12).
2. Fill-level indicator as in claim 1, characterized in that the material constituting the casing has a refractive index very close to that of the resin.
3. Fill-level indicator as in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the resin used is an epoxy resin.
4. Fill-level indicator as in one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the casing (16) consists of polycarbonate.
5. Fill-level indicator as in one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the casing (16) is in the form of a U-shaped profile, that each leg (23) of the U is provided on its inside with a longitudinal groove (25), whereby the two grooves are designed to accept the mount (8) with the detectors (9) in such fashion that it extends parallel to the base (24) of the casing.
6. Fill-level indicator as in one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the mount (8), the resin (13) and, where applicable, the casing (16) are flush-mounted in a retaining head (26) designed to be attached to the tank (2).
7. Fill-level indicator as in claim 6, characterized in that the retaining head (26) is a metal head equipped with an annular flange and attached to the tank (2) by means of screws.
8. Fill-level indicator as in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that an insulated wire conduit (28) is installed in the retaining head (26).
9. Fill-level indicator as in one of the claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the mount (8) consists of a printed circuit board.
10. Fill-level indicator as in one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the means (17) for supplying power to the light sources and for processing the signals include a microprocessor or a microcontroller.
11. Fill-level indicator as in one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the means (17) for processing the signals perform a smoothing of the shift value of the gauge (20) between the measurements of two neighboring detectors (9) by simulating intermediate measurements between two actual measuring points, interpolating a mean gas consumption during an average time period.
12. Fill-level indicator as in one of the claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the signal processing means (17) include a filtering of the change of state of the detectors (9) by the integration of a time lag during which no detection variation is to be registered.
13. Fill-level indicator as in one of the claims 1 to 12, characterized in that, when used in an automobile tank (12), the signal processing means (17) are connected at one end to a distribution panel (19) for feeding electric current to the engine of the vehicle and at the other end to a solenoid valve (6) mounted on the filler unit of the tank, for the purpose of permitting the opening of the solenoid valve only when the engine is stopped and the fill level is below a specific point, that being 80% of the maximum capacity of the tank represented by the detector in the uppermost position.
14. Fill-level indicator as in one of the claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the signal processing means (17) perform a detector test function within a specific periodic cycle.
15. Fill-level indicator as in claim 14, characterized in that in the event of a failure of the maximum-fill-level detector (9) its functions are automatically transferred to the next lower detector, or the filling of the tank is rendered impossible by keeping the solenoid valve closed.

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

What is claimed is:

1. An antenna system installation comprising a towersupport structure, and an antenna structure mounted on said towersupport structure, said antenna structure comprising:
a plurality of antenna elements;
a plurality of power amplifiers, each power amplifier being operatively coupled with one of said antenna elements and mounted closely adjacent to the associated antenna element, such that no appreciable power loss occurs between the power amplifier and the associated antenna element;
each said power amplifier comprising a relatively low power, relatively low cost per watt linear power amplifier chip;
a first RF to fiber transceiver mounted on said towersupport structure and operatively coupled with said antenna structure; and
a second RF to fiber transceiver mounted adjacent a base portion of said towersupport structure and coupled with said first RF transceiver by an optical fiber cable.
2. A method of installing an antenna system on a towersupport structure, said method comprising:
mounting a plurality of antenna elements arranged in an antenna array on said towersupport structure;
coupling a power amplifier comprising a relatively low power, relatively low cost per watt linear power amplifier chip with each of said antenna elements mounted closely adjacent to the associated antenna element, such that no appreciable power loss occurs between the power amplifier and the associated antenna element; and
mounting a first RF to fiber transceiver on said towersupport structure, and coupling said first RF to fiber transceiver with said antenna structure; and mounting a second RF to fiber transceiver adjacent a base portion of said towersupport structure, and coupling said second RF to fiber transceiver with said first RF to fiber transceiver by an optical fiber cable.

1. An electrostatically-drivencapacitance-detection type gyro sensor comprising:
a sensing element including
a movable part displaceable in a motion plane,
a first electrode provided in said movable part and applied with a bias voltage;
a second electrode applied with a drive signal to generate an electrostatic force acting on said movable part in order that said movable part vibrates along a first direction on said motion plane,
a third electrode forming a first variable capacitor with said movable part, a capacitance of said first variable capacitor varying in accordance with a displacement of said movable part along said first direction, and
a fourth electrode forming a second variable capacitor with said movable part, a capacitance of said second variable capacitor varying in accordance with a displacement of said movable part along a second direction on said motion plane, said second direction being orthogonal to said first direction;

a reference voltage generator generating, from a power supply voltage supplied from outside said gyro sensor, a reference voltage which is constant irrespective of variation of said power supply voltage;
a bias voltage generator generating said bias voltage by amplifying said reference voltage;
a capacitance-voltage converter converting said capacitance of said first variable capacitance into a first voltage signal whose voltage level varies following variation of said capacitance of said first variable capacitor, and converting said capacitance of said second variable capacitance into a second voltage signal whose voltage level varies following variation of said capacitance of said second variable capacitor;
a drive signal generator generating said drive signal by amplifying and phase-adjusting said first voltage signal, said drive signal having an offset voltage proportional to said reference voltage; and
a sensor output signal generator generating, from said second voltage signal, a sensor output signal having a magnitude corresponding to said voltage level of said second voltage signal, said sensor output signal having an offset voltage proportional to said power supply voltage.
2. The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein said drive signal generator includes a phase shifter for phase-shifting said first voltage signal in order that said drive signal has a phase allowing said movable part continues to vibrate along said first direction, and an amplifier for amplifying said first voltage signal in order that said drive signal has such an amplitude as to keep an amplitude of displacement of said movable part along said first direction is kept constant.
3. The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein said drive signal generator includes a phase shifter for phase-shifting said first voltage signal in order that said drive signal has a phase allowing said movable part continues to vibrate along said first direction, and an amplifier for amplifying said first voltage signal in order that said drive signal has such an amplitude as to keep an amplitude of displacing velocity of said movable part along said first direction is kept constant.
4. The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein said drive signal generator includes a phase shifter for phase-shifting said first voltage signal in order that said drive signal has a phase allowing said movable part continues to vibrate along said first direction, and said sensor output signal generator includes an amplifier amplifying said second voltage signal, said amplifier having a gain which is proportional to said power supply voltage and has a temperature characteristic compensating for a temperature characteristic of said second voltage signal.
5. The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein said drive signal generator includes a phase shifter for phase-shifting said first voltage signal in order that said drive signal has a phase allowing said movable part continues to vibrate along said first direction, and said sensor output signal generator includes an amplifier amplifying said second voltage signal, said amplifier having a gain which is inversely proportional to an amplitude of said first voltage signal and proportional to said power supply voltage.
6. The gyro sensor according to claim 1, wherein, said drive signal generator includes a phase shifter for phase-shifting said first voltage signal by differentiating said first voltage signal in order that said drive signal has a phase allowing said movable part continues to vibrate along said first direction, and said sensor output signal generator includes an amplifier amplifying said second voltage signal, said amplifier having a gain which is inversely proportional to an amplitude of a derivative of said first voltage signal and proportional to said power supply voltage.

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 gaming machine comprising:
a main body including a main display on which a game image is displayed which is arranged in a substantially horizontal posture and a sub display on which a portion of the game image is displayed in an enlarged manner and which is arranged contiguously with the main body;
an aiming controller being configured to be movable over the main display and indicating an aiming position on the game image displayed on the main display;
first display control device performing a display control of the game image on the main display;
aiming position detection device detecting the aiming position on the game image indicated by the aiming controller; and
second display control device performing an enlarged display control of a portion of the game image on the sub display such that the portion of the game image includes the aiming position detected by the aiming position detection device.
2. A gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the aiming controller is constituted as a magnifying glass.
3. A gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the second display control device performs the enlarged display control of the portion of the game image on the sub display such that the portion of the game image includes an image which is not included in the game image displayed on the main display.
4. A gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the aiming position detection device detects the aiming position on the game image indicated by the aiming controller based on the measured result obtained by the sensor for measuring direction andor position of the aiming controller.
5. A gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the sub display is arranged in a vertical posture.
6. A gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the sub display is mounted on a deep end of the main display in an upright manner.