Holders for releasably holding annuloplasty rings prior to and during the implantation of the rings employ any of a variety of features relating to such things as holder shape, handle attachment structures, securement of a ring to the holder, and release of the ring from the holder. In one aspect, the holder includes a flexible bracket and a more rigid connector. In another aspect, the holder includes a flexible bracket and cutting blocks, wherein the interior surface of the cutting block is made of a higher durometer material than the bracket. The interior surface of the cutting block can be coated with a higher durometer material than the material of the bracket. In another aspect, the holder includes a flexible bracket and cutting blocks made of a higher durometer material than the flexible bracket.

Annuloplasty rings are useful in a variety of medical procedures, such as strengthening the base annulus of mitral and tricuspid valves in the heart. Heart disease may result in disorders of the cardiac valves characterized by weakening or loosening of the heart muscle tissue forming and surrounding the heart valves. The mitral and tricuspid valves respectively allow blood to flow from the heart's left and right atria into the heart's left and right ventricles. Weakening of heart tissues may cause these valves to function improperly. In particular, these valves may no longer close completely, allowing blood to be regurgitated back through the valve during ventricle contraction. An annuloplasty ring may be used to provide support to the base annulus of a cardiac valve, restoring the ability of the valve to close and seal itself adequately. The ring prevents the base annulus of the valve from deforming, thereby reducing or eliminating regurgitation through the valve.
The implantation of an annuloplasty ring on a cardiac valve may require open-heart or less invasive surgery. During surgery, the implanted ring is mounted on a specially designed holder which is used to secure and maintain the shape of the ring while the ring is placed into the heart and is sutured to the valve annulus. The holder may also be used to secure and support the ring during storing, transportation, and other manipulations surrounding the implantation procedure. The holder is typically detached from the ring during the ring implantation procedure, and is removed from the implantation site.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,130, U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,481, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,001,127 show and describe annular and C-shaped annuloplasty ring holders.

Systems and methods for holding annuloplasty rings

St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.


A tool box has a bottom portion, a pair of side portions, a back portion, a front portion, and a cover rotatably mounted adjacent the back portion. The cover has a horizontal section and a slanted section sloping downwardly from the horizontal section. A partition plate is positioned in the interior of the tool box and has a peg sheet mounted thereto with a row of pegs extending upwardly from the top of the partition plate. The upper ends of the pegs contact or are in close proximity to the horizontal section of the cover when the cover is in its closed position such that tools disposed on the pegs are secured in position. A pair of compartments are positioned in the interior, one near the bottom of the box and one intermediate the bottom and the top, both having a cover structure disposed thereon with peg sheets for maintaining tools in secured and unsecured positions.

Numerous containers or boxes are known in the prior art for arranging tools of different shapes and sizes within a tool box. For instance, tool boxes sometimes have trays with longitudinal channels therein in which sockets for use with a ratchet drive are placed. Further, tool boxes with compartments in their interior for containing different sizes or structures of tools are known. These tool boxes, however, are disadvantageous because upon rough handling of the tool box or possible inversion of the tool box, the tools disposed in designated channels or areas become displaced and scattered throughout the tool box.
While adding individual lids to the compartments in a tool box can help prevent the intermingling of tools when the tool box is handled or inverted, such compartments, however, normally inhibit the tool box user from finding the appropriate tool when the main tool box cover is open. Thus, a tool box is needed which secures the tools placed inside such that handling of the tool box will not displace the tools from their respective positions. Furthermore, the tool box should allow visibility of the tools in their appropriate locations such that the tools can be easily found by the tool box user when the tool box cover is open.
Other types of tool boxes exist (e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,358) that have numerous storage pegs for the placement of tools and the cover oriented such that when the cover of the tool box is closed, the tools placed on the pegs are prevented from being dislodged from their respective pegs. The pegs on these such designs are formed from metal and individually welded to the plates from which they project.
The tool box depicted in the above reference is advantageous in that it secures tools placed on the pegs in their respective positions when the tool box cover is closed, and further, allows great visibility of tools contained in the box. However, uniformly spacing and aligning the individual pegs during the welding process is difficult as both the pegs and plates tend to deform from the heat of the welder. Thus, an improved method of manufacturing peg rows for tool boxes is needed which easily provides the uniform spacing and alignment.


The present invention relates to methods and systems for purifying gases, such as for example semiconductor process gases. The invention more particularly relates to fluid purification methods and systems having improved heat transfer capabilities and controls such that the purified fluid produced from the process contains reduced impurity levels and/or exhibits more uniform concentrations within the final product. In another aspect of the invention, the activation time for adsorbent beds used in such processes and systems can be reduced.

Process gases such as those gases used for semiconductor processes (e.g., arsine (AsH3), phosphine (PH3) and ammonia (NH3)) typically must be purified prior to use in semiconductor processes in order to remove impurities (e.g., moisture, CO2 and SO2) to acceptable levels. For example, ammonia is used as a source gas in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of nitride films during the fabrication of semiconductor chips. Typical nitrides are silicon nitride, made for example by the reaction of silane and ammonia and titanium nitride, made for example by the reaction of titanium tetrachloride and ammonia. The presence of one to three thousand parts per billion (ppb) levels of moisture can result in a decrease of the performance properties of the nitride layer. Gallium nitride CVD technology has been shown to require even lower levels of moisture in the source of ammonia than silicon and titanium nitride technology.
Purification of such gases either prior to use in semiconductor applications or in purification after use and before re-use currently includes passing the process gas through one or more beds formed of an adsorbent to remove such target impurities.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,576,138 B2 to Sateria et al. discloses a method for producing purified semiconductor gases from its impure form using adsorption and evaporation techniques.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,819 B2 relates to a process for purifying ammonia. The process relates to contacting crude ammonia with catalyst to remove oxygen and/or carbon dioxide that are present in the ammonia as impurities. The reference also relates to contacting crude ammonia with a catalyst that contains manganese oxide as an ingredient and then contacting the ammonia with a synthetic zeolite to remove at least one of carbon dioxide, oxygen and moisture from the ammonia.
Adsorption processes can be sensitive to temperature. Generally, higher operating and/or ambient temperatures will reduce adsorption efficiency. In addition, gas purification systems are often located in geographical areas where the ambient temperature is not controlled or monitored, and/or can fluctuate significantly based on prevailing weather and other environmental conditions. Consequently, there can be significant variability in the temperature of the adsorbent bed. The adsorption process itself moreover results in an increase in the temperature of the adsorbent bed, especially in cases where the moisture content of the feed material is high. These factors can cause the quality of the material being purified to fluctuate on the basis of the operating temperature of the adsorbent bed and/or surrounding conditions.
Another factor to be considered with regard to the purification of such gases includes the time required for activation of the adsorbent bed(s). The activation process involves heating the adsorbent bed(s) to elevated temperatures (for example, 100° C. to 400° C.) while flowing a dry purge gas through the bed(s). Because many adsorbents used in purification systems for semiconductor gases are of low thermal conductivity, it can be difficult to control the temperature of the adsorbent bed not only during purification operations, but also during the activation phase of the adsorbent bed.
Previous attempts to address heat transfer issues have involved several approaches. For example, the use of monoliths of carbon with higher thermal conductivity than granular adsorbents as the adsorbent media in the bed to improve heat transfer is proposed in Menard, et al., "Activated Carbon Monolith of High Thermal Conductivity for Adsorption Processes Improvement Part A: Adsorption Step", Chemical Engineering and Processes, 44 (2005), 1029-1038.
A method for heat transfer in the bed in which a finned inner-tube is enclosed in a larger tube and the adsorbent material is contained in the annulus thus formed between the two tubes is contemplated in Bonjour, et al., "Temperature Swing Adsorption Process with Indirect Cooling and Heating", Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2002, 41, pages 5802-5811.
Some general means of removing moisture from fluids is discussed in Weiner, "Dynamic Fluid Drying", Chemical Engineering, Sep. 16, 1974, pages, 92-101.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,972 to Iles et al. proposes heating and cooling of the sorbent beds by flowing coolant through the beds.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,413 to Leavitt relates to a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) system which includes means for controlled retention of internally generated, self-refrigeration such that the average temperature of the bed is to be reduced.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,022 to Garret et al. proposes a method for heat transfer within a bed that involves having at least one heat conductive member containing a liquid medium arranged within the bed such that in operation, heat is said to be conducted by convection through the liquid from a region of maximum temperature at or near the bottom of the bed to a region of minimum temperature at or near the top of the bed.
There remains a need in the art of gas purification for improved temperature control of adsorbent beds such that the purified gas produced from such processes contain reduced impurity levels and/or exhibit less variability in impurity concentration. There also remains a need to reduce the time required to activate adsorbent beds prior to use and/or reuse in such purification processes.


The invention relates to a non-linear optical material comprising a salt of an organic compound with an optically active organic acid, wherein said organic compound has a conjugated .pi. electron system containing both electron donor and acceptor groups and has at least one substituent group represented by the following formulas (1), (2) and (3) which is located outside of said conjugated .pi. electron system. The invention also concerns a method of manufacturing the optical material and an optical converter which uses the non-linear optical material. ##STR1## According to the invention, a second-order non-linear optical material, which is readily capable of crystal growth, permits a large crystal to be readily obtained, and ensures high hardness of the crystal and gives excellent processibility and non-linear optical characteristics.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to non-linear optical materials having second-order non-linear optical characteristics, a method of manufacturing the same and optical wavelength converters using the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, KH.sub.2 PO.sub.4 (abbreviated as KDP), LiNbO.sub.3 (abbreviated as LN) and like materials have been used for laser beam wavelength converters and electro-optic modulators using Pockels effect. Recently, organic compounds having large optical nonlinearity as the crystals have been found, and study and development concerning them are being made.
In order for a crystallized organic compound to have second-order non-linear optical characteristics, it is necessary that the molecular second-order polarizability .beta. of the compound is relatively large and that the crystal structure is not centrosymmetric. For destroying the centrosymmetric structure, the following means can be used:
(1) Like the case of 2-methyl-4-nitroaniline (abbreviated MNA), substituent group (i.e., a methyl group in this case) are introduced to decrease the symmetry of the molecules.
(2) Like the case of methyl-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)aminopropanate, N-(5-nitro-2-pyridyl)-(S)-prolinol or like compound, an asymmetric carbon atoms is introduced to a molecule to decrease the symmetry of the molecules.
(3) To form an organic salt such as a trans-4'-dimethylamino-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium methylsulfate.
Well-known organic compounds having second-order non-linear optical characteristics and available as large crystals, are organic salts of L-arginine phosphate monohydrate (abbreviated as LAP) and so forth.
Crystal organic compounds having second order non-linear optical characteristics previously included those compounds which form molecular crystals. These compounds have molecules which are bonded together in the crystal by van der Waals bonds or hydrogen bonds. As the binding force is weak, and as the molecular symmetry is low, it is difficult to obtain a large crystal of this type of compound. Even if a large crystal can be obtained, subsequent mechanical processing (such as cutting or polishing to obtain an optical surface) is difficult or impossible because of low mechanical strength. Thus, it is impossible to obtain a surface having satisfactory optical characteristics. Problems are, therefore, presented when the crystal is processed into a device or element.
In ionic crystal organic compounds, such as salts, strong ionic bonds are formed in the crystal compared to van der Waals bonds or hydrogen bonds. Single crystals which are relatively large and have high mechanical strength, are obtainable. However, with the well-known ionic crystal organic compounds having second order non-linear optical characteristics, e.g., a trans-4'-dimethylamino-N-methyl-4-stilbazolium methylsulfate, the length of the conjugated .pi. electron system is very large. That is, the optical absorption maximum wavelength is comparable to that of the second harmonic of Nd:YAG or semiconductor laser beams. Therefore, wavelength converted light is absorbed by the material, and the second harmonic can not be efficiently obtained. The LAP has small optical non-linearity and particularly low efficiency of low power laser beam conversion. Therefore, it can not be used for the wavelength conversion of semiconductors or like laser beams.

Non-linear optical material, method of manufacturing the same and optical wavelength converter

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) chip for measuring a pressure in a pressure space includes a MEMS substrate having a measuring region, a contact-making region connected to the measuring region via lines and having contacts, and a bushing region disposed between the measuring region and the contact-making region. The MEMS substrate defines a cavity formed as a blind hole that defines an opening through one side of the MEMS substrate, the bottom of the blind hole forming a membrane. A measuring bridge includes piezoresistive elements disposed on that side of the membrane which faces away from the cavity's opening. A carrier substrate is disposed over the cavity's opening and bonded to the MEMS substrate in a two-dimensional manner to form a rod, with the result that the carrier substrate forms a bottom wall of the cavity spaced apart from the membrane.

MEMS chips (micro electromechanical systems) combine electronic elements and micromechanical structures on a semiconductor chip and can process electrical and mechanical information. They are deployed in sensors, actuators and other items.
In the operating state the measuring regions of the MEMS chips of the above-described type are exposed to the pressure space, whereby appropriate measured signals that are recorded in the pressure space can be taken off the contacts. Such MEMS chips are suitable for a pressure-tight arrangement in a bushing, which can be formed by a full peripheral encasement of the surface of the bushing region 11 normal to the longitudinal axis A.
Embodiments of such MEMS chips of known art are, for example, described in WO 2004/081510 A1, or also in the publication of Birkelund K et al: "High pressure silicon sensor with low-cost packaging", SENSORS AND ACTUATORS A, ELSEVIER SEQUOIA S. A., LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND, Vol. 92, No. 1-3, Pages 16-22. Such MEMS chips have in the measuring region a cavity in the carrier substrate, which is closed by a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer, whereby a measuring bridge is fitted within the cavity on the SOI wafer. Moreover, in the whole of the forward region of the MEMS chip the SOI wafer is configured with a reduced thickness, so that the latter operates there as a membrane.
The stiffness of this membrane, which is responsible for the sensitivity of the MEMS chip, or more particularly the measuring element, is now adjusted via the remaining residual thickness of the SOI wafer in the measuring region. This is relatively costly, since the thickness reduction as a rule is achieved by selective etching of the silicon layer: the longer the etching process, the thinner becomes the membrane layer. However, since these etching times are very short, an accurate reproduction of a specified membrane stiffness becomes extremely difficult.

MEMS chip, measuring element and pressure sensor for measuring a pressure

FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNT E.V.


According to some embodiments of the present invention, a system for detecting counterfeit or altered coins or bullion includes a sensor system, an alternating current (AC) power supply electrically connected to the sensor system, a detection system electrically connected to the sensor system and the AC power supply, and a data processor configured to communicate with the detection system. The sensor system comprises an impedance component and a measurement circuit. The detection system is configured to determine a calibration complex impedance and a sample complex impedance. The data processor is configured to receive the calibration complex impedance and the sample complex impedance from the detection system, and provide information regarding a composition of the sample to distinguish valid coins and bullion from at least one of counterfeit or altered coins and bullion.

1. Technical Field
The field of the currently claimed embodiments of this invention relates to metal detection, and more particularly to detecting counterfeit or altered bullion, coins, or metal.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Coin and bullion investors and dealers need a means of quickly verifying the metal content of coins and bullion in a transactional environment. They need a device that allows for quick selection of a metal or alloy type, a straight-forward way to place the coin or bullion on the measurement device, and a fast and concise display of the result.
XRF spectrometers come closest to meeting the above-described needs. XRFs cost about $20,000, are very slow to operate, and only measure the surface of the sample to a depth of about 100 millionths of an inch. They are easily fooled by plating and cladding. XRF devices have wear-out mechanisms that result in maintenance costs. They cannot be moved to coin shows or different locations, especially in public, because they are x-ray sources and need special permits to operate, with the permit specifying the location of operation. Also, they do not work well with coins because, during the manufacture of alloy coins, some of the metals are concentrated at the surface of the coin, so the XRF reading of the elements is not in correct proportion to the actual metal contained in the bulk of the coin.
Other methods that can be used to measure the metal in coins and bullion include chemical tests and specific gravity tests. Chemical tests are time consuming, expensive, and remove material from the coin or bullion under test. The removal of material affects the value of the sample, and thus methods such as chemical tests are never used on coins and bullion. Chemical tests are also typically messy and require replacement of the chemicals, and so are expensive. Additionally they take a long time to perform. Specific gravity measurements, an alternative to chemical tests, require complex placement of the coin or bullion into a chamber that is typically filled with water. The process is very time consuming and complex. Accordingly, neither of these methods is typically used in a transactional environment because they are slow, expensive, and possibly destructive.
For very large bullion, often a hole is drilled and a bolus of material is removed. The removed metal is then chemically tested, typically using atomic absorption, mass spectrometry, atomic emission, or another well-known method. The disadvantages of this method are that it is extremely expensive, time consuming, requires metal to be removed from the bullion, and only tests a very small fraction of the bullion.
Another method for testing large bullion is ultrasound. However, ultrasound does a poor job of determining metal type, and is primarily useful for detecting large inclusions in the bar. If the bar is a fairly consistent alloy, the ultrasound system must measure the speed of sound in the metal, which may be difficult due to variations in the thickness of the bar and the roughness of its surfaces. Securing a matching fluid to couple the ultrasound waves to the bar may also be difficult. Matching liquids need to be used to make the measurements which is very inconvenient.
A detection device is needed that is fast, portable, and non-destructive.

Device for use in detecting counterfeit or altered bullion, coins or metal


Disclosed are: a compound which is stable in an acid, has an antibacterial effect against a bacterium Helicobacter pylori, can exert a satisfactory level of an antibacterial effect when used singly, does not affect an enteric bacterium, has an antibacterial effect against a bacterium resistant to an antibacterial agent, and has an inhibitory effect on gastric acid secretion; and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound. Specifically disclosed are: a compound represented by the general formula (I) or a salt thereof; and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the compound or the salt thereof:

Gastritis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer are diseases which develop as a result of complicated entanglement of factors such as stress, genetic predisposition and lifestyle habit. In recent years, attention is being paid to the bacterium Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) as one of the principal causes. Since the success of Warren and Marshall in the isolation and culture of spiral-shaped bacteria from gastric biopsy specimens in 1983, vigorous research has been carried out on the relationship between the subject bacteria and gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer and gastric cancer. As a result, the infection rate of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is reported to be such that while the positive rate in normal stomach was about 4%, the positive rate was as high as about 83% for chronic gastritis, about 69% for gastric ulcer, about 92% for duodenal ulcer, and about 51% for non-ulcer dyspepsia syndrome (see Non-Patent Document 1). Furthermore, infection by the bacterium Helicobacter pylori is strongly correlated to the incidence rate of gastric cancer, and in 1994, the International Agency for Research on Cancer of the WHO declared the bacterium Helicobacter pylori as a carcinogen indicating a strong causal relationship.
The mainstream of the treatment for gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer and the like has been represented by symptomatic therapy, in which gastric acid secretion inhibitors which inhibit gastric acid secretion, such as H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors, and mucosal protective agents are utilized for the purpose of improving subjective symptoms such as epigastric pain, and accelerating the healing of gastric ulcer. However, it is reported that even though the lesions are temporarily healed by these drugs, if the treatment is stopped, about 80% of the patients have a relapse within one year (see Non-Patent Document 1). On the other hand, it is also reported that when Helicobacter pylori bacteria are eradicated, the one-year recurrence rate was 10% or less for duodenal ulcer, and the rate was low also for the case of gastric ulcer (see Non-Patent Document 2).
Currently, as a method for eradicating Helicobacter pylori bacteria, treatment is carried out, such as by using a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) in combination with antibacterial agents such as amoxicillin and clarithromycin, in large quantities over one week or more, and in some cases, adding metronidazole thereto. However, administration of antibacterial agents in large quantities also causes disinfection of useful bacteria in the intestine, and as a result, there is concern for adverse side effects such as loose stool, diarrhea and taste disturbance, glossitis, stomatitis, abnormality of hepatic function, and hemorrhagic enteritis, as well as the possibility of promoting the emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
To date, a large number of patent applications have been filed with regard to pyridine derivatives, for the applications as antiulcer agents, gastric acid secretion inhibitors, antibacterial agents against Helicobacter pylori bacteria, and the like (see Patent Documents 1 to 8). However, there is not found any compound which combines an anti-Helicobacter pylori action and a gastric acid secretion inhibiting action in a well balanced manner, and is capable of eradicating Helicobacter pylori bacteria, when used as a sole agent.
Furthermore, a compound having an anti-Helicobacter pylori action in vitro and a gastric acid secretion inhibiting action has been discovered (see Non-Patent Document 3). However, in a Helicobacter pylori-infected model using Mongolian gerbil, which is considered to reflect human infection by Helicobacter pylori bacteria, the effectiveness could not be verified, and development of the agent has been abandoned.
In spite of such extensive efforts as described above, triple therapy is still widely practiced at present, for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori bacteria. The reason is that proton pump inhibitors such as omeprazole, lansoprazole and rabeprazole, and clarithromycin are all extremely unstable in acid, and it is difficult with amoxicillin to exhibit antibacterial activity under acidic conditions. That is, there was a need to administer large quantities of the aforementioned acid-labile antibiotic substances, while gastric acid had been strongly inhibited by proton pump inhibitors which were administered as an enteric preparation.    Patent Document 1: JP-A No. 61-50979    Patent Document 2: JP-A No. 3-173817    Patent Document 3: JP-A No. 5-247035    Patent Document 4: JP-A No. 59-181277    Patent Document 5: JP-A No. 7-69888    Patent Document 6: JP-A No. 3-48680    Patent Document 7: JP-A No. 2-209809    Patent Document 8: JP-A No. 58-39622    Non-Patent Document 1: Martin J. Blaser: Clin. Infectious Disease, 15; 386-393, 1992    Non-Patent Document 2: Graham D. Y., et al.: Ann. Intern. Med., 116; 705-708, 1992    Non-Patent Document 3: Thomas C. Kuehler, et al., J. Med. Chem. 1998, 41, 1777-1788

Helicobacter pylori eradicating agent having inhibitory activity on gastric acid secretion

Abstract: wherein R represents a linear alkyl group having 4 to 8 carbon atoms, preferably 5 to 7 carbon atoms.


A display device includes: a flexible first substrate; a flexible second substrate provided facing the first substrate; a display part; and a wiring substrate. The display part has a display component which is disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate. The display component produces at least one of an optical characteristic change and a light emission. The wiring substrate is connected to a connection pad provided on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate. At least a portion of the wiring substrate is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate outside the display part.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a display device and a method for manufacturing the same.
2. Background Art
In recent years, display devices using thin film transistors (TFTS) are used widely as monitors for personal computers and display devices for information terminals such as mobile telephones due to good display quality and video image display capabilities.
Recently, development is advancing for flexible display devices that provide pliability to the display device itself to further increase the degrees of freedom of configurations (for example, JP-A 2003-280548 (Kokai)).
However, such flexible display devices suffer from the problem that separation of connection portions easily occurs during bending because the bending elastic modulus and thickness differ between the flexible printed circuit board for wiring connections and the flexible substrates on either side of the display part.

Display device and method for manufacturing same


An apparatus and an associated method for automatic gain control (AGC) are provided to improve the ability to lock effective signal power when interference exists, thereby upgrading the receiver performance of a communication system. The apparatus includes a variable-gain circuit for adjusting the power level of an input signal. The apparatus also includes a gain adjustment circuit and a target value adjustment circuit. The gain adjustment circuit is for adjusting the gain of the variable-gain circuit according to the adjusted input signal and a target value, while the target value adjustment is for dynamically adjusting the target value according to the strength of the adjusted input signal.

(a). Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a communication system, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for automatic gain control for the communication system.
(b). Description of the Prior Arts
In general, a receiver in the communication field needs to fix a received signal at a specific power level. Such mechanism is called automatic gain control (AGC). In prior art, a receiver first detects the signal power received and compares it with a threshold level to generate a comparison signal, and then feeds the comparison signal back to a front-end programmable-gain amplifier (PGA) or a variable-gain amplifier (VGA) to adjust the received signal power. In this manner, the receiver, within a reasonable received power range, can lock the received signal power at a desired level.
However, since the prior art determines how to adjust the signal power according to the comparison of total power of the received signal with the threshold level, the received power level will be deviated when the received signal is mixed with undesired interference. Thus, more quantization noise might be generated during the analog-to-digital signal conversion to degrade the receiver performance.
Other conventional technologies use an additional interference detector to reduce the interference effect. However, the additional circuit means a higher cost, and the interference detector might not work if there is undetectable interference.

Apparatus and method for automatic gain control


An image reading apparatus includes a light source that irradiates a document with light, the light source including a multilayer substrate and light emitting elements linearly arranged on a first surface of the multilayer substrate; and a light receiver that receives reflected light reflected from the document. The multilayer substrate has at least a pair of through holes each having an inner surface on which a reinforcement member is formed, the at least a pair of through holes being formed so that one of the light emitting elements is interposed therebetween. The reinforcement members contact wiring formed on the first surface of the multilayer substrate and wiring formed on a second surface of the multilayer substrate opposite the first surface.

(i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image reading apparatus and a multilayer substrate.
(ii) Related Art
Image reading apparatuses that automatically read image data of a document are used as copiers, facsimile machines, and scanners for inputting image data to computers. Such image reading apparatuses read an image of a document by irradiating the document with light using a light source that extends in a direction perpendicular to a transportation path of the document and by receiving reflected light reflected from the document by using image sensors.

Image reading apparatus and multilayer substrate


A method of forming a nozzle and an ink chamber of an ink jet device, includes forming a nozzle passage by subjecting a substrate to a directional first etch process from one side of the substrate; applying a second etch process from the same side of the substrate for widening an internal part of the nozzle passage, to form a cavity forming at least a portion of the ink chamber adjacent to the nozzle; and controlling the shape of the cavity by providing, on the opposite side of the substrate, an etch accelerating layer buried under an etch stop layer and by allowing the second etch process to proceed into the etch accelerating layer. The following steps precede the first etch process: forming an annular trench in the substrate on the side of the substrate where the nozzle is to be formed; and passivating the walls of the trench so as to become resistant against the second etch process. The material surrounded by the trench is removed in the first etch process.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method of forming a nozzle and an ink chamber of an ink jet device, wherein a nozzle passage is formed by subjecting a substrate to a directional first etch process from one side of the substrate. A second etch process is applied from the same side of the substrate for widening an internal part of the nozzle passage, thereby to form a cavity forming at least a portion of the ink chamber adjacent to the nozzle. The shape of the cavity is controlled by providing, on the opposite side of the substrate, an etch accelerating layer buried under an etch stop layer and by allowing the second etch process to proceed into the etch accelerating layer.
2. Background of the Invention
A method of the type indicated above is known from EP-A-1 138 492.

Method of forming a nozzle and an ink chamber of an ink jet device by etching a single crystal substrate


A server system and a printing device are described. The server system can obtain environmental data that describes at least one environmental condition. The server system can transmit first data to the printing device. The first data is based upon the environmental data.

As used herein, the phrase "printing device" refers to any device that includes a printing function. Thus, for example, the phrase "printing device" may refer to an inkjet printer, a laser printer, a commercial printing press, a multifunction peripheral (MFP) that includes a printing function, etc. The phrase "laser printer" may refer to any printing device that uses an electro-photographic (EP) process to generate printed output.
The operation of a printing device can be influenced by environmental conditions. For example, the ambient temperature and ambient humidity conditions that exist when a printing device is printing can sometimes resulted in a degradation of print quality and/or influence other aspects of the printing device operation.
Environmental Sensors, such as temperature and humidity sensors, can be placed in a printing device and the printing device can be adapted to adjust various operational parameters based upon the data obtained from these sensors. Unfortunately, environmental sensors can add cost to the printing device.

Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.


A system includes a camera positioned in an environment to capture image data of a subject; a computing device communicatively coupled to the camera, the computing device comprising a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable memory; and a machine-readable instruction set stored in the non-transitory computer-readable memory. The machine-readable instruction set causes the computing device to perform at least the following when executed by the processor: receive the image data from the camera; analyze the image data captured by the camera using a neural network trained on training data generated from a 360-degree panoramic camera configured to collect image data of a subject and a visual target that is moved about an environment; and predict a gaze direction vector of the subject with the neural network.

Vision is the primary sense with which humans perceive the surrounding world. By analyzing where a subject is looking, or in other words tracking the gaze or fixation of a subject, it is possible to learn about the attention, intention, and possible future actions of the subject.
Equipping machines (e.g., agents) with social intelligence is important in applications where they must observe and respond to human behavior. Common examples include self-driving cars and collaborative robots, which interact with or operate in very close proximity to humans.
To be socially intelligent, an agent must be able to observe and perceive certain aspects of other agents' behaviors. From a vision perspective, a critical task in order to interact with humans is to detect and track their bodies or faces in images. Recently, methods leveraging the representational power of deep convolutional neural networks and the ability to harness very large datasets have made progress towards these tasks. Human body landmark and pose tracking, particularly in 2D, has begun to reach high levels of robustness and efficiency. Supervised learning with deep networks on large datasets has shown to an approach for detecting other useful cues for acquiring social intelligence, such as verbal cues through improved audio-visual speech recognition and emotion estimation through observing facial expressions.
Another less commonly exploited cue is the human eye gaze. Eye gaze is a powerful non-verbal cue, signaling engagement, interest and attention during social interactions. Detecting and following where another person is looking is a skill developed early on in a child's life (e.g., four-month-old infants use eye gaze cuing to visually process objects) and helps to scaffold learning and collaboration by providing an additional feedback signal. Just as a parent's gaze can help to guide a child's attention, human gaze fixations have also been found to be useful in helping machines to learn or interact in various contexts.
Until now, gaze tracking has not been exploited with the same success as related problems such as body pose or face tracking. This is partially because of the difficulty of acquiring high enough resolution imagery around the eye to allow for its use in general applications. As very high resolution cameras become inexpensive and more commonplace, it seems likely that gaze tracking from RGB images in-the-wild will become increasingly useful. Perhaps more importantly, it is due to the lack of sufficiently large and variegated training data for the task. This is because collecting precise and highly varied gaze data, particularly outside of a lab environment, is challenging.
Accordingly, a need exists for collecting precise and highly varied gaze data generating labeled training datasets for training neural networks to predict a gaze of a subject.


The present invention discloses a test device and a test method for a multimedia data card and a mobile-phone multimedia data card. The test device comprises a printed circuit board (PCB), and the PCB is provided with a connecting slot module that can be split and used for connecting modules under test. The test device for a multimedia data card comprises a miniature connector, which is plugged into the connecting slot module. According to the present invention, the PCB can be tested simply by connecting the PCB tester to the miniature USB connector, and the components can be easily plugged in without need of such operations as windowing and positioning. Therefore, the test efficiency is improved, and because the cost for developing test clamps to connect these test points is saved, the test cost and the manufacturing cost get reduced.

Currently, the Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA) technology is evolving towards the TD-Long Term Evolution (TD-LTE) technology at an amazing speed in China, and application functions thereof are increasingly enhanced. As the 3G industry is being developed rapidly in China nowadays, the market for enhanced multimedia data cards is very promising.
Products currently developed support multi-mode applications such as TD-SCDMA/HSDPA/HSUPA/GSM/DCS, and also support multimedia broadcasting services. Because of the many comprehensive applications, the space in the layout and structural design of a printed circuit board (PCB) becomes much valuable for a data card; morover, data card terminals are now developing towards slim and compact profiles (e.g., towards a miniature profile or a USB-drive form). This imposes a hightened requirement on the PCB and the structural and layout design. However, during the development and design of the product, Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) and other necessary system status parameter monitoring points of ARM microprocessors (i.e., a series of microprocessors manufactured by Advanced RISC Machines Company) and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) microprocessors which are connected to a baseband chip of the data card are needed to be tracked and tested for the development of software and hardware as a new design application. Those test points usually amount to about 10, and this needs to occupy a sufficient space on the surface of the PCB of the data card to arrange the test points, which adds to the difficulty in achieving a compact layout of the PCB. Moreover, a window has to be formed in an enclosure of the data card so that, via the window of the enclosure, test clamps can be well positioned to make contact with the test points of the PCB within the enclosure. However, this not only makes the structural design of the PCB more complex but also has an adverse influence on the appearance of the data card, thereby significantly affecting the overall planning of the product as well as the competitive power of the product in the market.
China Patent Publication No. CN101458297Y discloses "TEST SYSTEM AND TEST METHOD FOR PCB", according to which the PCB is tested by using test clamps to fix test points on the PCB and providing a window-like structure on an enclosure of a mobile phone. The aforesaid test process is very complicated. Moreover, before each of the test points is tested, the test point has to be re-positioned by using a corresponding test clamp, which increases the manufacturing cost and lowering the test efficiency. Accordingly, the prior art needs to be further improved.

Test device and test method for multimedia data card and mobile-phone multimedia data card

Huizhou TCL Mobile Communication Co., Ltd.


Provided are a refresh charging method and a refresh charging apparatus for an assembled battery constituted from lead-acid storage batteries, by which a necessary charging rate may be performed while shortening a charging period. In a constant voltage charging mode, n intermediate threshold values S1 to Sn which decrease stepwisely are set between a predetermined threshold value S0 and a lower-limit current value, and n additional timer periods T1 to Tn are set where n is an integer equal to or larger than one. Counting of the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn is respectively started when the charging current reaches the n intermediate threshold values S1 to Sn. A maximum timer period Tm and the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn are set to satisfy a relationship of Tm>T1> . . . >Tn. Charging is stopped when the counting of one of the maximum timer period Tm and the n additional timer periods T1 to Tn is completed before the lower-limit current value is detected.

Traditionally, a lead-acid storage battery has been used for a vehicle battery or an industrial battery against an instantaneous voltage drop when a power failure occurs at an office building, a hospital, or the like. Recently, a vehicle that has adopted the ISS system has been marketed in the automobile industry. In the ISS system, while the vehicle stops due to a traffic signal or the like, the engine of the vehicle is temporarily stopped, and the lead-acid storage battery is used as a power source during the stop of the vehicle or a power source for restarting the engine when the vehicle starts moving. It has also been studied that electric power generated by the use of natural energy obtained by the solar power generation, the wind power generation, or the like is regulated by the lead-acid storage battery, or energy obtained by the power generation is temporarily stored in the lead-acid storage battery to use as power for an electric vehicle or the like.
In a system using the lead-acid storage battery for the above-mentioned ISS system or the above-mentioned applications of the solar power generation and the wind power generation, electric power is generated by a power generator (such as an engine power generator for a vehicle, a solar battery, or a wind power generator), and the electric power obtained by the power generation is converted to direct current by a converter to charge the lead-acid storage battery. On the contrary, when discharging is performed from the lead-acid storage battery, electric power is converted to alternating current by an inverter, and is then supplied to a load.
The lead-acid storage battery to be used in this manner has a characteristic that, when the lead-acid storage battery in a fully-charged state is to be further charged, water in the electrolyte of the lead-acid storage battery is decomposed by a charging current. Thus, it is a practice to use the lead-acid storage battery in a charged state (that is commonly referred to as a State Of Charge. Hereinafter referred to as "SOC") set to a lower state (e.g., SOC: 60%) than the fully-charged state so as not to waste generated electric power. When the lead-acid storage battery is used for a long time by this usage, crystals of lead sulfate generated in a negative-electrode active material inside the lead-acid storage battery coarsen. Thus, the crystals are not dissolved even if the lead-acid storage battery is charged. Then, these crystals of lead sulfate are accumulated to bring about deterioration of the lead-acid storage battery. As a result, the life of the lead-acid storage battery is shortened. Further, a plurality of the lead-acid storage batteries are connected in series for use. Consequently, a variation occurs in the amount of the crystals of lead sulfate that are not dissolved, for each battery.
So-called "refresh charging" (that may also be referred to as "equalizing charging") is performed in order to solve this problem (refer to JP 2010-020906 A [Patent Document 1], for example). In this refresh charging, each of the lead-acid storage batteries connected in series is charged to a completely-charged state (SOC: 100%, or the fully-charged state) for each given period to remove lead sulfate accumulated in the negative-electrode active material.
The charging method described in Patent Document 1 is characterized in that, after each lead-acid storage battery has been charged with a constant current until the voltage of the lead-acid storage reaches a set voltage (E), charging with the set voltage (E) is continued until a charging current reaches a set current value or less.

Refresh charging method for an assembled battery constituted from a plurality of lead-acid storage batteries and charging apparatus


A new and distinct cultivar of geranium plant named xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99, particularly characterized by the combined features of lavender-pink colored, semi-double flowers with small white eyes, long peduncles, relatively large, medium-green leaves with weak zonation, vigorous growth, low and wide plant habit, and medium to late spring flowering response.

Genus and species of the invention: Hybrid Pelargonium zonale L""Hxc3xa9ritier.
Variety denomination: xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99.
The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of geranium, botanically known as Pelargonium zonale, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99.
xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99 is a product of a planned breeding program which had the objective of creating new zonal geranium cultivars with cultivars with semi-double flowers, relatively vigorous, but well-branched growth habit, good outdoor performance, and in various flower colors.
xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99 originated from a hybridization made by the inventor, Angelika Utecht, in a controlled breeding program in Hillscheid, Germany, in 1998. The female parent was an unpatented hybrid seedling, no. K96-0827-2, having light violet, semi-double flowers, dark-green foliage with distinct zonation, and moderately compact growth. The male parent of xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99 was the unpatented hybrid seedling no. K93-1030-1, with single-type, light violet flowers, dark-green leaves with weak zonation, and relatively strong growth.
xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99 was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross by Angelika Utecht in 1999, in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal.
The first act of asexual reproduction of xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99 was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in the fall of 1999, in a controlled environment in Moncarapacho, Portugal, by, or under the supervision of, Angelika Utecht.
Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in May 2000 in Hillscheid, Federal Republic of Germany, and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99 are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and day length. The following observations, measurements, and comparisons describe plants grown in Hillscheid, Germany, under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used in commercial practice.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99 in combination distinguish this geranium as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Lavender-pink and white, semi-double flowers;
2. Medium to large inflorescences, high above the foliage;
3. Medium-green foliage with weak zonation;
4. Vigorous growth, but well-branched plant habit; and
5. medium to late spring flowering response.
Of the many commercial cultivars known to the present inventor, the most similar in comparison to xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99 is the variety xe2x80x98Fiseyelyxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,246).
In comparison to xe2x80x98Fiseyelyxe2x80x99, the main flower color of flower of xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99 is somewhat more to the pink side, and it lacks the red-purple eyes on petals. Furthermore, inflorescences of xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99 are higher above the foliage, and plant habit is generally somewhat wider.

Geranium plant named xe2x80x98Fisrolavxe2x80x99


A structure (46) for holding an integrated circuit (IC) die (50) during packing includes a flexible structurally reinforced silicone adhesive film (22) and a mold frame (44). The mold frame (44) adheres to an adhesive side (38) of the film (22). A method (20) of packaging the IC die (50) includes placing the IC die (50) on the adhesive film (22) with its active surface (52) and bond pads (54) in contact with an adhesive side (38) of the film (22). A molding compound (58) is dispensed over the IC die, and the IC die (50) is encapsulated using compression molding to form a compression molded encapsulant layer (70). IC die (50) is subsequently released from the film (22) as a panel (72) of IC dies (50).

Integrated circuit packaging is critical in the process of providing small and highly performing semiconductor devices. As such, it has a significant effect on the appearance and function of end-user devices, from computers to cell phones to embedded processors. Integrated circuit (IC) packaging has evolved through multiple types of packaging technologies including, for example, system in package, package on package, chips first packaging, and so forth.
System in package is a technology that allows the placement of several integrated circuits in one package, providing a complete set of device electronics in a small area. Package on package places one package on top of another for greater integration complexity and interconnect density. System in package and package on package techniques typically use wire bonding to connect the IC die and the package. Unfortunately, although wire bonding is a useful packaging technique, the wires take up valuable board space. Accordingly, flip chip techniques have been developed to eliminate wire bonding. In a flip chip process, an IC die is connected face-down to a board or substrate using ball grid array or other conductive bumps. This technique eliminates wire bonds, increases speeds and reduces size.
Chips-first packaging has been developed to counter the limitations of wire bonding and some ball grid array techniques. In chips-first packaging, the IC die or dies are mounted face up to an inert substrate and the interconnect circuit is then built above the IC chips. The interconnect is formed to the IC chips as an integral part of the processing of the circuit board, thus eliminating the need for wire bonds, tape-automated bonds (TABs), or solder bumps.
A conventional chips-first packaging technique entails utilizing a support substrate upon which an acrylic thermal release adhesive tape is attached. To ensure clean release of a panel of IC dies, a silicone adhesive tape is then added on top of the thermal release tape. Each of the IC dies is attached with its active surface, i.e., that surface of the IC die having bond pads, face down on the silicone adhesive to hold it in place. A mold is placed around the IC dies and a molding material (such as a liquid epoxy resin) is then applied over the IC dies within the mold with the tape defining the bottom surface of the mold. After the molding material has been cured, the support substrate is removed from the encapsulated structure and the interconnect circuitry is built above the IC dies.
In the above process, the acrylic thermal release tape is used to facilitate release of the cured encapsulated structure from the support substrate. Unfortunately, thermal release tape can be problematic due to its temperature sensitive nature. In some examples, its adhesion properties can be drastically reduced at elevated temperatures, e.g., at about 150° C., even for the highest temperature grade thermal release tape. Unfortunately, a reduction in the adhesion properties of the thermal release tape can cause the IC dies in some examples to drift from a desired location within the encapsulated structure. In addition, this prior art technique may be undesirably complex, utilizes costly and short shelf life liquid compounds, and requires multiple material layers and processing steps, thus driving up cost and introducing the probability of reliability issues. Accordingly, what is needed is a method for effectively encapsulating IC dies undergoing chips-first packaging that can be readily implemented in existing packaging methodologies.

Packaging an integrated circuit die using compression molding


A dithiolate metal complex compound having formula [I] ##STR1## wherein each R individually represents an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a halogen, a halogenated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an amino group which may be substituted with 1 or 2 alkyl groups each having independently 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a trifluoromethyl group, M represents a transition metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Pt, Co, Cu and Mn, n is an integer of 0 to 4, and A represents the counter cation of the complex compound, a method of producing the same, and an optical information recording medium comprising a recording layer comprising a polymethine dye and the dithiolate metal complex compound are disclosed.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a dithiolate metal complex compound usable as a dye component in an optical information recording medium, a production method of the complex compound, and an optical information recording medium comprising a polymethine dye and the complex compound.
2. Discussion of Background
Recently, a thin film containing as its main component an organic dye having both light-absorptivity and light-reflectivity, such as a cyanine dye, a triaryl methane dye, a mercocyanine dye, a naphthoquinone dye, a xanthene dye or a squalyrium dye, has been proposed as a recording layer for use in an optical information recording medium, for example, in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications 51-135886, 57-11090 and 61-70503.
The conventional recording layer made of a metallic thin film is now being substituted by a recording layer made of the above organic thin film. A thin film containing the organic dye has a low melting point and decomposition point, and also has low thermal conductivity, so that a recording layer made of such an organic thin film has high sensitivity, allowing information to be recorded in this layer with high density.
In addition to the above-mentioned advantages, the thin film containing the organic dye can be simply formed by a coating method, so that it can be produced with higher productivity and lower production cost.
The thin film containing the organic dye, however, cannot stand for a long term because the organic dye tends to lose its color when natural light or a reproduction laser beam is repeatedly applied to the film. Moreover, when the thin film is formed by a coating method, a halogenated hydrocarbon or the like is used as a solvent, so that limitations are placed on resins which can be used as a substrate.
In order to overcome the above shortcomings, intensive studies are now being carried out both on dyes which are highly stable in natural light in the red to near-infrared region, as well as in a reproduction light, and on stabilizing agents which will effectively improve the stability in the light.

Dithiolate metal complex compound, production method of the same, and optical information recording medium comprising the same


The vehicle odometry and motion direction system and method is described. The vehicle odometry and motion direction system and method determines if the first ground speed data is acceptable. Ground speed data is calculated for all targets within a radar's field of view and targets ground speed data is processed to determine second ground speed data. The vehicle odometry and motion direction system and method determines trusted ground speed data using first ground speed data and second ground speed data and adjusts the trusted ground speed data due to errors in radar Doppler speed data.

Vehicle management includes determinations of vehicle odometry and motion direction. The need to manage vehicle odometry and motion direction is amplified in a mass-transit vehicle environ. Vehicle odometry includes the ground speed the vehicle is moving on the road or the rails and the distance the vehicle travelled along the road/rails since start up or with respect to a known landmark. Motion direction determinations inform vehicle management of which end of vehicle is leading and which direction the vehicle is moving.

Vehicle odometry and motion direction determination


A steering input apparatus for a vehicle includes a grip position sensor configured to sense a grip position on a rim of a steering wheel of the vehicle. The steering input apparatus also includes at least one processor configured to, based on a determination that the grip position on the rim of the steering wheel sensed through the grip position sensor is improper for a driving situation of the vehicle, perform a control operation to output grip guide information for the rim of the steering wheel.

A vehicle is an apparatus that is moved in a desired direction by a user riding therein. A typical example of the vehicle is an automobile.
Vehicles have been increasingly equipped with various sensors and electronic devices to provide user convenience. In particular, various apparatuses for driver convenience are under development.
A vehicle includes a steering input apparatus. The driver provides an input for steering the vehicle through the steering input apparatus. A typical example of the steering input apparatus may be a steering wheel. Some drivers cause accidents because they do not properly grip the rim of the steering wheel.

Steering input apparatus for vehicle and vehicle


A control method of a refrigerator includes: determining whether a first temperature of a refrigerating compartment satisfies a first temperature condition; based the first temperature satisfying the first temperature condition, determining whether a second temperature of a freezing compartment satisfies a second temperature condition; based on the second temperature satisfying the second temperature condition, determining (i) whether a third temperature of an ice making compartment satisfies a third temperature condition and (ii) whether a driving time for ice making has passed; maintaining operation of a compressor while determining (i) whether the second temperature satisfies the second temperature condition, (ii) whether the third temperature satisfies the third temperature condition, and (iii) whether the driving time has passed; and stopping operation of the compressor based on at least one of (i) a determination that the third temperature satisfies the third temperature condition or (ii) a determination that the driving time has passed.

A refrigerator is an apparatus that can store food items and keep the food items fresh for a certain time. In some examples, the refrigerator may have a food storage compartment that maintains a low temperature state by a cooling cycle to allow food items to be maintained at a fresh state.
In some cases, the food storage compartment may include a plurality of storage compartments having their respective properties different from each other to allow a user to select a storage method suitable for each food item by considering types and features of the food items and storage periods of the food items. For instance, the storage compartment may include a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment.
In some examples, when a user desires to drink a beverage or water together with ice pieces, the user may open a freezing compartment door and take ice pieces out of an ice tray in the freezing compartment. In some cases, it may be inconvenient for the user to separate ice pieces from the ice tray after opening the freezing compartment door and then taking the ice tray out of the freezing compartment. In some cases, when the user opens the freezing compartment door, cool air of the freezing compartment may discharge to an outside, which may increase a temperature of the freezing compartment. In some cases, a compressor may be driven to decrease the temperature of the freezing compartment.
An automatic ice maker may be disposed inside a refrigerator and discharge ice pieces separated from the ice tray through a dispenser. The automatic ice maker may automatically supply water to the ice tray to make the ice pieces.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Ice maker and refrigerator including the same


The present invention relates to mouse antibodies that bind to angiopoietin-2 (Ang2), humanized anti-Ang2 antibodies derived therefrom, and the use thereof. The anti-Ang2 antibodies have a dual function of activating the Tie2 receptor together with neutralizing Ang2. The anti-Ang2 antibodies show the property of normalizing abnormal and pathological blood vessels, and thus exhibits therapeutic efficacy against various diseases and disorders associated with abnormal blood vessels. The present invention further provides an angiogenesis inhibitor and a composition for treatment of diseases associated with abnormal Ang2 expression and Tie2 dysregulation, which comprise the antibody as an active ingredient, and a composition for diagnosing diseases associated with Ang2 inhibition and Tie2 activation, which comprises the antibody.

Angiogenesis occurs dynamically by a variety of regulatory factors during the development, growth, maintenance, and homeostasis of an organism. Blood vessels newly formed in this process act as transport channels for various biomaterials such as nutrients, oxygen, and hormones in the surrounding cells. Functionally and structurally abnormal blood vessels are the direct or indirect cause for the initiation and progression of various diseases. Tumor blood vessels aggravate hypoxia due to their defective function and structure, resulting in tumor progression and metastasis to other tissues, and also in the poor delivery of anticancer drugs into the core of the tumor mass. Defective blood vessels are also found in other various diseases and conditions, in addition to cancer. Examples thereof include various ocular diseases (e.g., diabetic macular edema, wet age-related macular degeneration), viral infections, and acute inflammatory responses such as sepsis. Thus, if a therapeutic agent capable of normalizing pathologic blood vessels is available, it can be applied to the treatment of various patients with vascular abnormalities.
The angiopoietin family plays an important role in the formation and maintenance of blood vessels, and is comprised of four angiopoietins (Ang1, Ang2, Ang3, and Ang4). Angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) binds to the Tie2 receptor present on the surface of vascular endothelial cells to phosphorylate and activate Tie2 receptor, resulting in stabilization of blood vessels. On the other hand, angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) binds to the Tie2 receptor, but acts as an antagonist to induce inactivation of the Tie2 receptor, resulting in destabilization of blood vessels and leakage of blood vessels. It was reported that the expression level of Ang2 is highly increased in the blood of cancer patients, ocular diseases, viral and bacterial infections and inflammatory diseases (Saharinen P et al., 2017, Nature Review Drug Discovery). However, Ang2 is also known to act as an agonist to induce activation of the Tie2 receptor in several processes, including lymphatic tube formation and maintenance, and thus it is believed that Ang2 performs various functions depending on the context.
Ang2-binding antibodies have been reported in several literatures (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,658,924, and 8,987,420). It is known that most of the Ang2 antibodies reported so far inhibit the binding of Ang2 to Tie2 and thus inhibiting the formation of new blood vessel through such Ang2 neutralization efficacy. Currently, various Ang2 antibodies are being clinically tested in various cancer patients, but their anti-cancer efficacy is known to be insufficient. For example, Phase 3 clinical trials conducted by Amgen showed that the anti-cancer efficacy of the Ang2 antibody in ovarian cancer patients was insignificant (Marth C et al., 2017, Eur. J. Cancer).
In addition to antibodies, recombinant proteins that bind directly to the Tie2 receptor to induce phosphorylation and activation of Tie2 have also been reported. Examples thereof include COMP-Angl (Cho et al., 2004, PNAS) and Vasculotide (David S et al., 2011, Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol) peptide consisting of five angiopoietin-1 protein fragments. However, it is considered that these proteins have a very short half-life and unstable physicochemical properties. In addition, there is a phosphatase called VE-PTP that removes a phosphate group from phosphorylated Tie2 to inactivate the Tie2, and a low molecular compound (AKB-9778) was also developed, which indirectly maintains Tie2 activity by inhibiting the activity of the enzyme VE-PTP (Goel S, 2013, J Natl Cancer Inst). However, this compound has the disadvantage of activating other receptors besides Tie2 (Frye M, 2015, J Exp. Med, Hayashi M, 2013, Nature Communication, Mellberg S et al., 2009, FASEB J.).

Anti-angiopoietin-2 antibodies that induce Tie2 activation

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology


A mobile and versatile vehicle simulator is integrated with a vehicle control system to provide a mobile simulator based vehicle control system such as the exemplary system. The vehicle simulators included in the simulator based control system allows for a vehicle operator to be moved in two or even three axis of rotation while, in some embodiments, also allowing for sudden jolts or motion similar to what might be encountered when a pilot encounters air turbulence or a driver encounters ruts or pot holes.

Unmanned aerial vehicles have been growing in importance for a wide variety of purposes from inspection operations for industrial sites, surveillance applications, to the actual delivery of military ordinance in areas of armed conflict. Unmanned vehicles are often controlled via a control interface that often takes the form of a display screen and control console very similar to that found in video games. While the vehicle being controlled and the actions taken by a vehicle are very real, the operator sitting in a chair controlling the vehicle is often limited to visual and/or audio input and does not have a physical sense for how the vehicle is moving. This lack of tactile input and lack of a sense of actual physical motion which a pilot of a manned vehicle feels, results in the operator of a unmanned vehicle having a much lower sense of vehicle motion. In addition, the vehicle operation has little sense of personal presence as compared to the case where a human is in a cockpit and is shaken by air turbulence and feels the motion induced by operation of the operator controls.
It should be appreciated that it would be desirable if operator control of unmanned vehicles could be improved so that they were closer to the feel, including the feel of actual vehicle motion. In particular, it would be desirable if an operator of an unmanned vehicle could be made to feel the motion of the vehicle and thereby obtain a sense of presence normally felt by an operator of a manned vehicle.
In view of the above discussion, it should be appreciated that there is a need for improved methods and apparatus for controlling unmanned vehicles whether they be aerial vehicles, land vehicles or water based vehicles.

Unmanned vehicle simulator based control methods and apparatus


A wheeled cart capable of rolling along a first environmental surface, which may carry a plurality of storage receptacles in gimballing fashion thereon, and which enables the wheeled cart to be slid onto an elevated second environmental surface. The wheeled cart comprises a base supporting wheels and two upright support posts. A subframe supporting the storage receptacles is pivotally and slidably mounted to the upright support posts. The subframe may be inclined from its usual vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation and slid onto the second environmental surface. The base and support posts may be inclined from their usual vertical orientation to reassume longitudinal alignment with the subframe. Contents of the storage receptacles are thus moved en masse onto the second environmental surface without requiring removal from the wheeled cart, while constantly assuming their orientation relative to a vertical direction because of gimballing action of the storage receptacles.

Wheeled carts for transporting tools, small parts, work materials, displays, and the like are known. A wheeled cart is practical to move about on a smooth, flat environmental surface. However, should the cart require transport from one locale to another, maneuvering the cart may become difficult. This is particularly true when the cart must be moved from one premises to a transport vehicle to a second premises. The overall weight of the loaded cart may require that a number of people assist in lifting and maneuvering the cart. Also, should the cart be utilized to contain many small objects such as tools, replacement parts, or any other objects which have been placed in organized order within the cart, tipping the cart in the course of moving it may objectionably cause the contained objects to become disorganized. Should the objects contain fluent materials which are not fully enclosed, such as bowls of soup, cans of paint, receptacles of powdered substances, and the like, these fluent materials may be spilled, mixed, and otherwise rendered unuseful when the cart is maneuvered.

Wheeled cart slidable onto horizontal surface


A light emitting structure comprises a bank surrounding a sub-pixel stack on a substrate, a first filler material in an interior space above the sub-pixel stack, and a second filler material over the first filler material. The sub-pixel stack emits a first emission peak along an on-axis direction substantially normal to a top surface of the sub-pixel stack and through an interface between the first and second filler materials. The sub-pixel stack emits a second emission peak along an off-axis direction that is totally internally reflected by the interface before reaching a sloped sidewall of the bank and is then emitted along the on-axis direction. An emissive area of the sub-pixel stack is configured such that the second emission peak is reflected by the interface not more than once before reaching the sloped sidewall.

An Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) is among the most prevalent LEDs used in a display device while quantum dots are proposed as an improvement to OLEDs as they have better spectral emission and are chemically more stable. Quantum dots are often used as phosphors for blue LEDs and exist as backlight for Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs). Conventional LED displays take a refining approach with cavities in the LED structure and their effect on light. For example, Kodak (US20060158098) describes a top emitting structure and Samsung (U.S. Pat. No. 9,583,727) describes an OLED and QLED structure with light emitting regions between reflective areas, one of which is partially transmitting.
Other displays involve methods to improve luminance of cavities in LEDs. For example, Samsung (US2015/0084012) describes the use of dispersive layers in an OLED structure, Samsung (U.S. Pat. No. 8,894,243) describes the use of microstructure scattering to improve efficiency, and 3M (WO2017/205174) describes enhancement of light emission by use of surface plasmon nanoparticles or nanostructures in transport layers.
Methods that involve modifications to a cavity (or cavities) are often difficult to implement as they require very small size features or control of layers. One alternative to modifying the cavity is to use a thick top "filler" layer with a high refractive index, which enables reduction in Fresnel reflections and increases in transmissivity through a top electrode. However, the light in a high index layer may be mostly trapped by total internal reflection (TIR). To extract the trapped light, reflective and/or scattering banks surrounding the filler layer are used to out-couple light that is trapped by TIR.
TCL (CN106876566) and JOLED (U.S. Pat. No. 9,029,843) describe such a pixel arrangement with banks and a filler material above the organic layers of the cavity and between the banks. Hitachi (U.S. Pat. No. 7,091,658) describes banks that can be reflective using electrode metallic material, Cambridge Display Tech (KR1020150020140) describes banks that can be shaped in different structures using different assembly steps, and Sharp (U.S. Pat. No. 10,090,489) describes a shaped reflector underneath the organic layers.
Another approach is to control filler materials. For example, Global OLED (U.S. Pat. No. 8,207,668) describes filler layers that can be controlled, where the fillers and organic layers have different thicknesses for different sub pixels, in order to maximize the light output as a function of wavelength.
In yet another approach, Lee et al. ("Three Dimensional Pixel Configurations for Optical Outcoupling of OLED Displays—Optical Simulation", Proceedings SID Display Week 2019) describes simulations of pixel banks structures with the design of an OLED emission layer. Such approach simulates optimum extraction efficiencies with bank structures that maximize efficiency for real bank structures. The optimum solution involves only green light and an ITO electrode, which would not be practical in such a device as the emission spectrum would be too broad, and thus have an inferior colour gamut while On-axis brightness (apparent brightness to the user) is not considered.
In yet another approach, red, green, or blue pixels are split into multiple sub-pixels. Each sub-pixel is not independently controlled, and the sub-pixels emit equally according to the required emission at a specific pixel. For example, Japan Display (JP6274771) describes a display where the sub-pixels are split equally for both colours. Semiconductor Energy Laboratories (U.S. Pat. No. 8,587,742) describes such split arrangement offset by colours. Shenzhen Yunyinggu Technology Co., Ltd. (U.S. Pat. No. 10,103,205) describes an OLED display with two red and green sub-pixels and only one blue pixel.
In yet another approach, arrangements of sub-pixels can also be asymmetric between colours as described in Japan Display Inc. (U.S. Pat. No. 9,680,133). In another approach, the shapes of each pixels can also be irregular, for example, Japan Display Inc. (U.S. Pat. No. 9,337,242) describes red, green, blue and white pixels that are arranged in "stripes" across a rectangular pixel or BOE (U.S. Pat. No. 10,401,691) describes the pixels that are alternate parallelograms.
In yet another approach, sub-pixel structuring is more unusual, for example, BOE (US2017/0110519) describes different sub pixels having different cavity designs to reduce colour shift effects. In another approach, Lockheed Martin Corp. (US 2019/0103518) describes stacked emitting areas in a hexagonal shape to produce white light.

Multiple QD-LED sub-pixels for high on-axis brightness and low colour shift


Methods and implantable devices for cardiac signal analysis. The methods and devices make use of waveform appraisal techniques to distinguish event detections into categories for suspect events and waveform appraisal passing events. When adjustments are made to the data entering analysis for waveform appraisal, the waveform appraisal thresholds applied are modified as well. For example, when the data analysis window for waveform appraisal changes in length, a waveform appraisal threshold is modified. Other changes, including changes in sensing characteristics with which waveform appraisal operates may also result in changes to the waveform appraisal threshold including changes in gain, sensing vector, activation of other devices, implantee posture and other examples which are explained.

An implantable cardiac stimulus device (ICSD) typically senses cardiac electrical signals in an implantee and uses the sensed signals to classify the implantee's cardiac rhythm as normal/benign or malignant/treatable. Illustrative malignant arrhythmias may include ventricular fibrillation and/or ventricular tachyarrhythmia. Other conditions including non-ventricular arrhythmias may also be considered "treatable" depending upon patient characteristics and physician preferences.
A method of analyzing cardiac signal data may begin by detecting cardiac events in sensed signals. However, signals sensed by implantable cardiac systems can be subjected to many sources of noise, where noise, for a cardiac system, is defined as any non-cardiac signal. Differentiating noise from likely cardiac events can be a challenging task for the implantable device.
New or alternative methods for ensuring accurate cardiac event detection are desired.

Adaptive waveform appraisal in an implantable cardiac system


This invention provides compositions comprising at least one protein nanoparticle comprising a protein and a stealth polymer. In certain embodiments, the nanoparticle further comprises a therapeutic agent, such as but not limited to a miRNA and/or siRNA. In other embodiments, the nanoparticle further comprises a cell surface receptor ligand. Also included in the invention are methods of preparing the compositions of the present invention, and methods of treating, ameliorating or preventing a disease or disorder in a subject using the compositions of the present invention.

Proteins are chief players in cellular metabolism, being regularly used as therapeutic agents in medicine. Native or recombinant proteins, along with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), are examples of therapeutically relevant proteins. However, proteins in general are poorly absorbed across biological membranes, and are thus generally delivered intravenously. Parenteral administration route has several disadvantages, including patient discomfort, potential high cost, and the risk of needle-stick injuries. Pulmonary administration route offers an excellent alternative for proteins (especially antibodies) targeted towards local lung diseases. Monoclonal antibodies such as bevacizumab, anatumomab, benralizumab, enokizumab, mitumomab, oxelumab and palivizumab have gained FDA approval for the treatment of lung diseases, such as asthma, lung cancers and respiratory syncytial virus infection.
Microparticles (rather than nanoparticles) are the particles of choice for delivering drugs (including proteins) to the lung by inhalation, due to the widespread belief that nanoparticles are in a size range not suitable for deep lung delivery. On the other hand, nanoparticles in pulmonary drug delivery may offer advantages such as: (1) potential to achieve relatively uniform distribution of drug dose among the alveoli; (2) enhanced solubility of the drug as compared to its aqueous solubility; (3) decreased incidence of side effects; (4) improved patience compliance; and (5) potential of drug internalization by cells.
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) currently do not benefit fully from the unique advantages offered by nanosystems in pulmonary drug delivery, mainly because of the labile nature of their higher order structures, which are not compatible with stresses involved in nanoparticle fabrication.
Bevacizumab, a humanized mAb against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), has shown encouraging signs in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) when used alone or in combination with chemotherapy. It was approved in 2006 for use along with paclitaxel and carboplatin as first-line treatment for those with advanced NSCLC. Cancer cells tend to overexpress VEGF, a potent stimulator of angiogenesis, facilitating cancer growth and metastasis. Internalization of bevacizumab into cancer cells is highly important, as intracellular pool of VEGF could be responsible for resistance to bevacizumab in cancer therapy. To this end, intracellular VEGF provides a compelling target for mAbs in cancer therapy.
RNA interference (RNAi) is a very effective tool in the knockdown of specific oncogenes in cancer cells. siRNA is the most widely studied form of RNAi, and has a promising therapeutic potential in cancer and other diseases such as autoimmune diseases and infectious diseases. Nevertheless, challenges still occur in the development of siRNA as a therapeutic agent due to siRNA's susceptibility to enzymatic degradation in blood, non-specific uptake by cells, and the difficulty involved in its transfection into cells due to its relatively large size and polarity. Clearance by the reticulo-endothelial system (RES) is another limiting factor affecting the possible therapeutic application of siRNA.
To achieve an efficient knockdown by siRNA, various types of delivery systems have been investigated. Use of viral vectors are hampered by the possibility of viral toxicity and immunogenic and inflammatory reactions. Non-viral vectors such as lipid-based nanoparticles and mesoporous silica are being investigated as possible delivery systems for efficient siRNA transfection. In order to achieve an efficient delivery of siRNA, the delivery system must have the following properties: protect siRNA from nuclease degradation during transportation in systemic circulation; have minimal RES uptake, thereby allowing for long blood circulation time; allow for effective endosomal escape following internalization by host cells; and most important, must not elicit immunological and inflammatory reaction. Lipid nanoparticles demonstrate major limitations: siRNA delivery by lipid-based nanoparticles is substantially reduced, because approximately 70% of the internalized siRNA undergoes exocytosis through egress of the lipid nanoparticles from late endosomes and lysosomes. Use of poly (D,L)-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) nanoparticles to deliver siRNA is also problematic, because this polymer is negatively charged and interacts minimally with negatively charged siRNA, thus reducing cellular internalization. There is thus a growing need for a smart nanoparticle delivery system for efficient and stable siRNA transfection.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are frequently utilized as research tools within the broad borders of gene therapy and the emerging field of molecular medicine. Although most of the miRNAs are in early stages of clinical trials, these classes of compounds have emerged in recent years as extremely promising candidates for drug therapy to a wide range of diseases, including cancer, infectious diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, and other genetic disorders. Due to their short sequence, miRNA are often able to form a perfect base-pairing with target messenger RNA (mRNA) to mediate mRNA degradation. Often, one miRNA is able to bind to a number of mRNA transcripts enabling the blockade of numerous pathways that modulate cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and invasion.
miRNA-29b is an epi-miRNA that targets DNA methyltranferases (DNMTs) and regulates DNA demethylation, thus leading to down-regulation of global DNA methylation in malignant cells. Specifically, down-regulation of DNMT3B led to inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. In view of this, miRNA-29b is seen as an attractive candidate for miRNA-based therapeutics in NSCLC due to its potent tumor suppressant capabilities. They have the ability to silence critical molecular pathways and possibly enhance the sensitivity of NSCLC to conventional chemotherapeutic agents. However, translational application of this relatively novel therapeutic is limited by many challenges, including degradation in serum, rapid blood clearance, stimulation of immune response, off-target effects, and poor cellular uptake. In order to fully harness this treatment modality in NSCLC, a smart nanoparticle delivery system must be developed in tandem with the development of miRNAs.
Presently, nanoparticulate systems used in drug delivery include: polymer-based drug carriers (including polymeric nanospheres, polymeric micelles and dendrimers), liposomes, viral nanoparticles, and carbon tubes. The processes involved in the fabrication of these nanoparticles often lead to degradation and sometimes loss of biological activity in the biological agent. Further, some materials used to formulate these nanoparticles may have toxic effects and may not be viable in therapeutic treatments.
There is thus a need in the art for novel and versatile delivery compositions that are compatible with biological systems and therapeutic agents. There is a further need for novel compositions and formulations that allow for pulmonary delivery of therapeutically useful proteins, such as native or recombinant proteins or monoclonal antibodies. There is a further need for novel compositions and formulations that allow for efficient and stable miRNA or siRNA transfection. The present invention satisfies these needs.

Delivery compositions, and methods of making and using same


A method for bleaching a cloth comprising subjecting a cloth soaked with an aqueous bleaching solution comprising sodium chlorite to wet heat treatment at a temperature nearly to 100.degree. C., particularly subjecting a long cloth soaked with the bleaching solution to wet heat treatment continuously in an ordinary pressure wet heat treating chamber of which atmosphere being acidified to a pH of 3-4 by the use of an activation agent for making the atmosphere containing sodium chlorite acidic comprising an inorganic acid such as sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid, an organic acid such as formic acid and acetic acid, and a carbonyl compound such as formaldehyde and acetaldehyde so as to form chlorine dioxide active for the bleaching of a cloth by the decomposition of sodium chlorite, and apparatuses for carrying out the method.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for bleaching a long cloth continuously, with particular in tension to give an excellent result in saving energy, and an apparatus therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional method for bleaching a long cloth produced industrially with the use of sodium chlorite, an aqueous bleaching solution comprising sodium chlorite together with an organic acid such as formic acid and acetic acid or an inorganic acid such as phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid, is applied to a cloth to be bleached at tile ordinary temperature, and the resultant cloth is subjected to wet heat treatment in a treating chamber in gaseous or liquid medium for carrying out the bleaching treatment in object continuously.
To describe said method for bleaching a long cloth continuously for practical use in detail, the pH of the aqueous treating solution is controlled to 3-4, and after the cloth is soaked with said bleaching solution at the ordinary temperature by transporting the cloth continuously therethrough, the cloth is squeezed by using a squeeze roll in order to render its solution content appropriate (about 100%), and then the resultant cloth is transported through a bleaching chamber in gaseous or liquid medium continuously. In the bleaching chamber, the cloth is folded to form piles in succession, and subjected to the bleaching at a temperature in the range of 80.degree.-90.degree. C. for about 40-60 minutes. After a sufficient treating time, the piles of the thus treated cloth are taken out of the chamber in succession, and thus the continuous bleaching of a long cloth is ended.
However, in such an instance, since the cloth is piled in succession in this way, the temperature distribution of the interior and the outside of the cloth thus piled is not uniform, and the temperature of the interior of the pile is unavoidably low. Accordingly, the reaction velocity, i.e., the bleaching speed, is low at the interior of the piles. This is the reason why it needs a long time of about 40-60 minutes as above mentioned in order to complete the bleaching up to the interior of the piles sufficiently. Moreover, since the treating degree differs place after place, uniformly bleached product can hardly be obtained, and further, since the treating time is unavoidably long as above mentioned, it is unavoidable that creases are formed in the cloth due to folding, particularly at the bottom part of the piles owing to the weight of the cloth itself. The formation of creases is especially remarkable in a high density cloth and the one with a fine yarn number.
Separately, to avoid the defect of forming piles of cloth, in bleaching a long cloth continuously, a method has been proposed to transport a cloth to be bleached continuously through a wet heat treating chamber with no tension continuously by using a plurality of guide rolls or a piler. However, since it needs a long treating time of about 40-60 minutes thereby for the bleaching of each part of a long cloth uniformly, the length of the cloth staying in a chamber becomes unavoidably very long, and accordingly the number of guide rolls necessary for transporting the cloth continuously becomes very numerous and the size of the piler becomes very large. In calculating, for trial, the length of a cloth necessary to stay in the wet heat treating chamber under the condition that the passing speed of a cloth therethrough is 100 m/min as usual in the similar treatment in a wet heat treating chamber, the length of the cloth staying in the treating chamber becomes unavoidably very long as 4,000-6,000 meters when the bleaching time is so long as 40-60 minutes as in the above-mentioned case. Therefore, it is obvious that such a proposal is by no means practical.


An image processing apparatus includes a decoding unit, a deblocking filter, and a sample adaptive offset processing unit. The decoding unit is configured to perform a decoding process for a coded stream to generate an image. The deblocking filter is configured to store a block, a corresponding block of which on a current edge is not input, in a memory, out of blocks of the image generated by the decoding unit and read the block stored in the memory at timing when the corresponding block is input, to perform a filter process. The sample adaptive offset processing unit is configured to perform a sample adaptive offset process by using a pixel of the block that has been subjected to the filter process by the deblocking filter.

The present disclosure relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method, and more particularly to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of reducing the number of accesses to an external memory which is necessary for an encoding or decoding process.
These days, an apparatus is becoming widespread which handles image information as digital information and, at this time, performs compression coding for an image by adopting a coding system for compression by an orthogonal transform such as a discrete cosine transform and a motion compensation with a use of redundancy unique to image information for the purpose of transmitting and accumulating the information highly efficiently. Examples of the coding system include an MPEG (moving picture experts group), H.264, MPEG-4 Part 10 (advanced video coding, hereinafter, referred to as H.264/AVC), and the like.
Currently, to further improve the coding efficiency as compared to H.264/AVC, JCTVC (joint collaboration team-video coding), which is a joint standardization organization of ITU-T and ISO/IEC, is pursuing standardization of the coding system called HEVC (high efficiency video coding).
In the draft of the HEVC at this point, as an in-loop filter, a deblocking filter and a sample adaptive offset (SAO) filter are adopted. The deblocking filter is an image quality improvement tool for removing a block noise caused by image compressing. The deblocking filter is used not only in the HEVC but also in the H.264/AVC, but there is a difference in the order of filter processes.
In the H.264/AVC, the filter process is performed for a corresponding vertical edge and a corresponding horizontal edge on a macro block basis in this order. On the other hand, in the HEVC, filtering is performed for a corresponding entire vertical edge on a picture basis, and then, filtering is performed for a corresponding entire horizontal edge.
For this reason, the process is not compatible with a process on a coding unit (hereinafter, referred to as CU) basis and on a coding tree unit (hereinafter, referred to as CTU) basis.
In reference software HM of the HEVC, a function is called so that that local decoding for one picture prior to a deblocking filter process is completed, then the filtering is performed for the vertical edge with respect to an entire picture, and then a function is called so that the filtering is performed for the horizontal edge of the entire picture.
It should be noted that in the in-loop filter, the process is performed in order of the deblocking filter and the sample adaptive offset filter. However, in the case where a process is performed on an LCU basis, which is the largest coding unit, on the horizontal edge of the LCU (hereinafter, also simply referred to as LCU edge), a line memory has to be provided for each. In total, a great number of line memories are necessary.
In view of the above, to reduce the great number of line memories, various proposals have been given. For example, "Line Memory Reduction for ALF Decoding" (Semih Esenlik, Matthias Narroschke, Thomas Wedi, JCTVC-E225, March 2011) (hereinafter, referred to as Non-patent Document 1) proposes that, for a process (tap reference pixel) of a sample adaptive offset filtering for a line held for the deblocking, a reconstruction pixel (that is, pixel prior to deblocking) is used.

Image processing apparatus and image processing method