A system, method, and computer program product for digital stabilization of video data from cameras producing multiple simultaneous views, typically from rolling shutter type sensors, and without requiring a motion sensor. A first embodiment performs an estimation of the global transformation on a single view and uses this transformation for correcting other views. A second embodiment selects a distance at which a maximal number of scene points is located and considers only the motion vectors from these image areas for the global transformation. The global transformation estimate is improved by averaging images from several views and reducing stabilization when image conditions may cause incorrect stabilization. Intentional motion is identified confidently in multiple views. Local object distortion may be corrected using depth information. A third embodiment analyzes the depth of the scene and uses the depth information to perform stabilization for each of multiple depth layers separately.

User operation of video imaging devices, in particular hand-held recording devices, can produce displaced or distorted image data due to small movements of the operator while supporting the imaging device. Displaced and distorted image data, however, is not desired. Accordingly, conventional methods and devices have been employed for stabilization of image data captured by video imaging devices.
For example, one conventional method includes employing one or more motion sensors, such as a gyroscope, to detect motion of the imaging device for correction of image data. These methods require motion sensors, which may increase cost, and may still result in image distortions as the motion sensing arrangements typically employed usually do not detect rotational motion around the optical axis nor translational camera motion. Difficulties with image stabilization may additionally increase when using zoom features of the imaging device, or when imaging scenes with a strongly three-dimensional (3D) nature, i.e. with both nearby and distant objects in view.
Optical stabilization systems may also shift the optics or the image sensor to correct for image shake. The main disadvantages of such systems are their complexity and cost. The available correction range is also limited due to a limited ability to shift the optics and/or image sensor. Further, rotational motion cannot usually be compensated with such systems.
A processor typically operates on image data, as it arrives or after storage in a memory, to digitally manipulate the pixels to correct for motion instabilities of various origins. Pixels are generally shifted in position by an amount calculated from various types of information provided by the camera or extracted from the video data. Processed images may be shifted, combined, warped, or otherwise used to compensate for problems with video quality according to image conditions, a given methodology, and/or user preferences.
Image data captured by rolling shutter type sensors can present unique difficulties. The term "rolling shutter" refers generally to a method of image acquisition in which each frame is recorded not from a snapshot of a single point in time, but rather by scanning across the frame, either vertically or horizontally. Not all parts of the image are recorded at exactly the same time, even though the whole frame is displayed at the same time during playback. Most CMOS sensors employed in the field are rolling shutter type sensors. The advantage of rolling shutters is that the image sensor can continue to gather photons during the acquisition process, thus increasing sensitivity. The disadvantage is that distortions and artifacts can occur, particularly when imaging fast-moving objects or scenes having rapid changes in light level.
When multiple views are available for the video sequence, for example when imagery is recorded by several sensors as in 3D video capture, the process of Digital Video Stabilization (DVS) may be improved. In the prior art, the multi-view video sequence is used to obtain structure-from-motion (i.e., a 3D description of the scene), to estimate 3D camera movement and then to form a single-view output video sequence with a smoothed 3D path. Performing the processes of structure-from-motion and determination of 3D camera movement is computationally very costly for real-time systems, however.
Further, the prior art does not address the problems intrinsic to the process of determination of camera motion, especially for cameras with rolling shutter sensors. These problems include distinguishing local motion from global motion (i.e. objects moving within a visual frame vs. the motion of the entire frame), and distinguishing 3D motion from CMOS/rolling shutter artifacts.
Thus, there is a need in the art for improvements in DVS by better using information obtainable from multiple views. This application describes a solution to these difficulties.

Digital video stabilization for multi-view systems


The present invention relates to an antenna device built into a casing, the antenna device configured to prevent the deterioration of antenna characteristics by switching the antenna operation. The antenna device built into a casing, the antenna device comprises first and second antenna elements disposed in the casing; and a switch unit that is disposed between the first antenna element and the second antenna element and opens and closes. An antenna comprising the first antenna element or the second antenna element is configured as a result of the switch unit being switched to an open state, and an antenna comprising the first antenna element and the second antenna element is configured as a result of the switch unit being switched to a closed state.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna device used in various types of wireless communication apparatuses, such as mobile telephones provided with a folding structure. The present invention also relates to an antenna device whose antenna operation is switchable by opening and closing a casing and to a wireless communication apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of antennas, such as whip antennas, are used in mobile telephones. Antennas that protrude from the casing, such as whip antennas, are functionally excellent, but they are inconvenient in that they protrude from the casing, and this interferes with storage and retrieval. For this reason, antennas that are built into the casing have come to be used.
In relation to such antennas built into the casing of mobile telephones, there is a mobile telephone where plural antennas are built into a foldable casing, with stable antenna characteristics and communication quality being excellently maintained without relation to the opening and closing of the casing (e.g., see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication (JP-A) No. 2002-368850, paragraph no. 50 and FIG. 12). There is also a mobile telephone configured to switch plural antennas (e.g., see JP-A No. 2002-368850, paragraph no. 53 and FIG. 15). There is also a mobile telephone where two antennas are built into a foldable casing, with one antenna being usable in a state where the casing is folded and the other antenna being usable in a state where the casing is not folded (e.g., see JP-A No. 2003-204281).
In wireless communication apparatuses such as mobile telephones, the casing is becoming increasingly compact and designed so as to be foldable, and in this type of casing, the disposal space for the built-in antenna is narrow. When an antenna is disposed in a narrow space, the antenna element comes into close proximity to the grounding conductor (GND), and in wireless communication apparatuses provided with a folding structure, there is the potential for the distance from the grounding conductor resulting from the opening and closing of the device to cause the antenna characteristics to deteriorate. JP-A Nos. 2002-368850 and 2003-204281 neither disclose nor suggest anything in regard to this problem, and the configurations disclosed in JP-A Nos. 2002-368850 and 2003-204281 cannot solve this problem.

Antenna device and wireless communication apparatus


A display apparatus comprises a memory (20) and a display controller (22) adapted to read lines of an image stored in the memory in accordance with a raster-scan pattern for synchronous display. Elements are provided for periodically reconfiguring the display controller (22) so as to display an image having lines comprising pixel values interpolated between the pixel values of adjacent lines of the stored image. The display apparatus may include elements (10) for reading an image from an optical disc in accordance with the Compact Disc Interactive Standard (CD-I). A method of storing an image comprises storing picture information in combination with program information defining the required periodic reconfiguration of the display controller.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a display apparatus comprising a display memory, means for storing in the display memory lines of image data read from a removable storage device, and a display controller constructed for reading in sequence the lines of image data stored in the memory to enable the synchronous display of a raster scan image comprising lines of pixel values defined by the stored lines of image data. The invention further relates to a method of storing an image for subsequent display by such an apparatus and to a removable storage device wherein an image has been stored by such a method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such display apparatus are known generally in the art, but a particular example is the Compact Disc Interactive (CD-I) player described for example in "CD-I--a Designer's Overview" published by Kluwer (ISBN 9020121103).
In the CD-I system, various image coding options are available. For example, natural photographic images can be encoded and recorded on an optical disc for subsequent retrieval, decoding and display by the CD-I player. The encoding technique used achieves a high degree of data compression, but the data rate of the data channel (the disc reading apparatus) is not high enough to permit sequences of such images to be displayed as moving pictures unless the images are limited to a small area of the available display screen.
Such images can be expanded in the known apparatus to fill a larger screen area, but only by repeating the received pixel values to display each value over a large block of pixels. This technique introduces a "mosaic" effect, however, which is visually obtrusive and generally undesirable.
It is known that satisfactory expansion of digitised images can be achieved by using linear interpolation to generate intermediate pixel values. The interpolation can be performed substantially independently in the line scan (hereinafter "horizontal") and field scan (hereinafter "vertical") directions.
Techniques for performing vertical interpolation are known, for example in television studio equipment such as that described in United Kingdom patent application GB-A-2 073 988. In known systems, special memory addressing hardware enables parallel access to two lines of stored pixel values and uses special arithmetic circuits to combine these to form the interpolated values. Such a technique is too expensive for use in high-volume consumer applications. Furthermore, in CD-I for example, images are stored in the differentially coded form in which they are received from the disc, and are only decoded to give the actual pixel values after being read synchronously with the raster scan display.
An alternative technique would be to provide a line buffer to store the decoded pixel values of a line so that they may be combined with values decoded for subsequent line. This solution is similar to that applied in a television display system described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,719, but it too is expensive for high-volume consumer applications.

Display apparatus, a method of storing an image and a storage device wherein an image has been stored


A calculation processing apparatus, which executes calculation processing based on a network composed by hierarchically connecting a plurality of processing nodes, assigns a partial area of a memory to each of the plurality of processing nodes, stores a calculation result of a processing node in a storable area of the partial area assigned to that processing node, and sets, as storable areas, areas that store the calculation results whose reference by all processing nodes connected to the subsequent stage of that processing node is complete. The apparatus determines, based on the storage states of calculation results in partial areas of the memory assigned to the processing node designated to execute the calculation processing of the processing nodes, and to processing nodes connected to the previous stage of the designated processing node, whether or not to execute a calculation of the designated processing node.

As applications to a pattern identification system, prediction system, control system, and the like, a signal processing apparatus using a neural network is prevalently used. The neural network is often implemented as software which runs on a microprocessor, and is provided as application software for a personal computer, workstation, and the like.
FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the arrangement of an image processing apparatus using a general layer-interconnected neural network. Referring to FIG. 14, reference numeral 21 denotes detection target data, for example, raster-scanned image data. Reference numeral 22 denotes a calculation unit which detects a predetermined object from an image, and comprises a neural network of three layers in the example of FIG. 14. Reference numeral 23 denotes an output data plane corresponding to the calculation result. The calculation unit 22 executes processing while scanning and referring to a predetermined image area 24, thereby detecting a detection target which exists in the image. The output data plane 23 is an image plane having the same size as the image data 21 as the detection target, and stores detection outputs obtained when the calculation unit 22 processes all the areas of the image data 21 while scanning them. Since the calculation unit 22 outputs a large value at a position where a target is detected, it can recognize the position of the target in the image plane by scanning the output data plane 23. In the calculation unit 22, reference numerals 25, 26, and 27 denote layers of the neural network, and a predetermined number of neurons 28 exist in each layer. The first layer 25 has the same number of nodes, that is, neurons 28 as the number of pixels of a reference image. Respective neurons are feedforward-interconnected via predetermined weighting coefficients. FIG. 15 shows the arrangement of one neuron 28. Reference numerals in_1 to in_n denote input values to this processing node, which are detection target image data in the first layer, and neuron output values of the previous layer in the second and subsequent layers. Multipliers 31a, 31b, . . . , 31n output products obtained by multiplying the output values of the respective previous layer neurons by coefficients w_1 to w_n obtained by learning. An accumulation adder 32 accumulates the products from the multipliers 31a, 31b, . . . , 31n. A nonlinear transformation processing unit 33 nonlinearly transforms the accumulated sum of the accumulation adder 32 using a logistic function, hyperbolic tangent function (tan h function), or the like, and outputs that result as a detection result "out". In the hierarchical neural network, the weighting coefficients w_1 to w_n required for respective neurons are determined in advance in accordance with a detection target using a learning algorithm such as back propagation, or the like, which is generally known.
For the purpose of low-cost implementation of such layer-interconnected neural network in an embedded device or the like, an implementation method using analog hardware or digital hardware has been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent No. 2679730 (patent reference 1) discloses an architecture of a hierarchical structure neural network which implements a multilayered structure using single-layer analog neural network hardware as time division multiplexing. Also, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 03-055658 (patent reference 2) discloses an implementation method using digital hardware.
On the other hand, a calculation method called Convolutional Neural Networks (to be abbreviated as CNN hereinafter) of neural networks is known as a method that allows pattern recognition robust against variations of an identification target. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-021406 (patent reference 3) and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-358500 (patent reference 4) have proposed examples applied to target identification or detection in an image.
FIG. 16 shows the logical network composition as an example of simple CNN. FIG. 16 shows an example of three-layer CNN in which the number of features of a first layer 406 is 3, that of a second layer 410 is 2, and that of a third layer 411 is 1. Reference numeral 401 denotes image data, which corresponds to raster-scanned image data. Reference numerals 403a to 403c denote feature planes of the first layer 406. The feature plane is an image data plane indicating the calculation result while scanning data of the previous layer using a predetermined feature extraction filter (the accumulated sum of convolution calculations and nonlinear processing). Since the feature plane is the detection result for the raster-scanned image data, the detection result is also expressed by a plane. The feature planes 403a to 403c are generated from the image data 401 by corresponding feature extraction filters. For example, the feature planes 403a to 403c are generated by two-dimensional convolution filter calculations corresponding to convolution filter kernels 404a to 404c, and the nonlinear transformation of the calculation results. Note that reference numeral 402 denotes a reference image area required for the convolution calculations.
For example, a convolution filter calculation having a kernel size (the length in the horizontal direction and the height in the vertical direction) of 11×11 processes data by a product-sum calculation given by:
                              output                                (                          x              ,              y                        )                          =                              ∑                          row              =              0                        rowSize                                                                                ∑                              column                =                0                            columnSize                                                                                input                                                  (                                                            x                      +                      column                                        ,                                          y                      +                      row                                                        )                                            ×                              weight                                                  (                                      column                    ,                    row                                    )                                                                                (        1        )            where
input(x, y): a reference pixel value at coordinates (x, y)
output(x, y): a calculation result at coordinates (x, y)
weight(column, row): a weighting coefficient at coordinates (x+column, y+row)
columnSize=11, rowSize=11: a convolution filter kernel size (the number of filter taps).
Reference numerals 404a to 404c denote convolution filter kernels having different coefficients. Also, the convolution filter kernels have different sizes depending on the feature planes. The convolution filter kernels will be referred to as convolution kernels hereinafter.
The CNN calculations generate the feature plane by repeating the product-sum calculation while scanning a plurality of filter kernels for respective pixels, and by nonlinearly transforming the final product-sum result. Upon calculating the feature plane 403a, since the number of interconnections with the previous layer is 1, the number of filter kernels is 1 (404a). On the other hand, upon calculating each of feature planes 407a and 407b, since the number of interconnections with the previous layer (first layer 406) is 3, the calculation results of three convolution filters corresponding to convolution kernels 409a to 409c or 409d to 409f are accumulated. The convolution kernels 409a to 409f have different filter coefficients. The convolution kernels 409a to 409c and the convolution kernels 409d to 409f have different kernel sizes, as shown in FIG. 16. For example, the feature plane 407a can be generated by accumulating the outputs from the convolution kernels 409a to 409c, and finally executing the nonlinear transformation processing of the result.
The basic arrangement of the accumulation of convolution kernels (convolution filters) and the nonlinear transformation processing is the same as that of the neuron shown in FIG. 15. That is, the coefficients of the convolution kernel correspond to the weighting coefficients w_1 to w_n. Upon interconnecting to the feature planes of a plurality of previous layers like the feature planes 407a, 407b, and 408, the accumulation adder 32 accumulates a plurality of convolution kernel calculation results. That is, the total number of interconnections corresponds to the convolution kernel size×the number of features of the previous layer.
FIG. 17 is a view for explaining graphic detection processing in the CNN calculations. Reference numerals 51a to 51c denote convolution kernels which illustrate feature extraction targets of the first layer, and are learned to respectively extract a horizontal edge and oblique edges. Reference numerals 52a and 52b denote graphics determined based on the extraction results of a plurality of first layer features (primary features) and their spatial allocation relationships. Reference numeral 53 denotes a graphic to be finally extracted (ternary feature in this example). The graphic 53 is determined based on the extraction results of a plurality of second layer features (secondary features) and their spatial allocation relationship. Assume that the respective filter coefficients of the convolution kernels are determined for respective features by learning using a prevalent method such as perceptron learning, back propagation learning, or the like. In object detection, recognition, and the like, a filter kernel having a size as large as 10×10 or more is normally used. In general, convolution kernel sizes are different for respective features.
In this way, in the CNN calculations, by hierarchically interconnecting layers while holding the results by respective image planes for respective feature extractions, robust pattern detection based on primitive features and their spatial allocation relationships can be implemented.
As has been described using FIG. 14, in an apparatus for detecting an object in an image, which uses a general hierarchical neutral network, as the memory size required for calculation processing, a buffer memory used to hold neuron outputs suffices except for input and output image buffers. That is, if a memory having the predetermined number of bits as many as the number of neurons is provided, desired calculation processing can be executed.
On the other hand, in case of the CNN calculations, since feature extraction is made based on the spatial allocation of a plurality of feature extraction results of the previous layer, data buffers of a predetermined size are required between adjacent layers. For example, in case of the CNN calculation configuration shown in FIG. 16, an image size×five feature plane buffer memories are required in addition to input and output image buffers. For this reason, a memory size required for processing becomes larger than a general hierarchical neural network.
The methods disclosed in patent references 3 and 4 described above are also those which hold the feature extraction results by image planes, and the memory size required for processing is larger than a general hierarchical neural network.
Particularly, upon hardware implementation of the CNN calculations, a RAM (Random Access Memory) having a large size needs to be prepared in an LSI, resulting in increases in circuit scale and cost. Even upon software implementation of the CNN calculations, if it is implemented in an embedded device, the cost similarly increases due to an increase in memory size required for the system.

Calculation processing apparatus and control method thereof


A system and method for monitoring glitch frequency and energy is disclosed. The system includes a glitch capture module that monitors the voltage of a biased component and captures any glitches that occur. The glitch capture module also extends the duration of that glitch so that the controller is guaranteed to observe this glitch. In certain embodiments, the glitch capture module captures the maximum energy of the glitch by storing the minimum voltage, in terms of magnitude, of the glitch.

The fabrication of a semiconductor device involves a plurality of discrete and complex processes. One such process may be an etch process, where material is removed from the workpiece. Another process may be a deposition process, wherein material is deposited on the workpiece. Yet another process may be an ion implantation process where ions are implanted into the workpiece.
To direct the ions along the desired path, a system with electrical biased components, such as electrodes, is used. Some of these electrodes are maintained at relatively high voltages. These electrodes may be disposed proximate to other components which may be at a very different voltage. This difference in voltage between nearby components may cause arcing or a glitch in the power supply to occur. These glitches may lead to defects or degraded performance in the workpieces being processed.
Determining the frequency of these glitches and the energy of these glitches may be useful in determining when the system is due for preventative maintenance. However, many of these glitches are very short in duration and therefore may not be observed by a controller that only samples these voltages at a fixed sampling rate.
Therefore, it would be beneficial if there was a system and method for detecting and monitoring glitch energy and frequency. Further, it would be advantageous if the system allowed a controller, which samples these voltages at a predetermined sampling rate, to observe each glitch, even those that occur outside of the sampling window. It would also be beneficial if the controller was able to determine the energy of the glitch by observing the minimum voltage that occurs during the glitch.

System and method to monitor glitch energy

Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.


A lifter is provided with operating levers, which, against driving forces of actuators that switch the ratchet pawls to unengaged orientations, switch the ratchet pawls to engaged orientations of being engaged with ratchet gears, is provided with a link mechanism, which, when a workpiece support base is being lowered by collapsing motions of a pair of right and left crosslink mechanisms supporting the workpiece support base and a difference arises in movement amounts of movable support shafts at lower end sides of the respective crosslink mechanisms, converts the movement amount difference to an operating force of the operating lever at the larger movement amount side, and is such that by the operating lever at one side being driven by the link mechanism, the operating lever switches the ratchet pawl at the larger movement amount side to the engaged orientation.

Known lifters for conveying devices can include a workpiece support base, vertically movably supported on a base via a pair of right and left crosslink mechanisms, an elevation/lowering drive means, elevatingly and loweringly driving the workpiece support base, and a pair of right and left fall prevention means, juxtaposed to the respective crosslink mechanisms. The fall prevention means can include a pair of right and left ratchet gears, fixed to movement path flanks of movable support shafts, which are capable of forward/reverse movement, at the base sides of the respective crosslinks. The fall prevention means can also include a pair of right and left ratchet pawls, moving forward and in reverse in interlock with the respective movable support shafts and being engaged with the ratchet gears by urging forces to deter lowering of the workpiece support base, and a pair of right and left actuators, which, when the workpiece support base is lowered, switch and hold the respective ratchet pawls against the urging forces to and in unengaged orientations of being separated from the ratchet gears. Such a lifter is described in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2012-41110 (Patent Literature 1). In Patent Literature 1, a motor-driven screw jack in a horizontal orientation is indicated as the elevation/lowering drive means elevatingly and loweringly driving the workpiece support base. There is also known an elevation/lowering drive means that uses a pair of right and left elevation/lowering drive chains that respectively and separately perform elevation/lowering drive of the pair of right and left crosslink mechanisms.


Methods of separating and classifying the relative amounts of two or more classes of hydrocarbon molecules in a sample are disclosed wherein an input stream comprising a mobile phase and the sample is injected into a chromatographic column, and an effluent stream exiting a chromatographic column is split into a first effluent stream and a second effluent stream. The mass of carbon in each of the classes of hydrocarbons in the first effluent stream is determined, preferably using a flame ionization detector, and the second effluent stream is directed through a variable restrictor, allowing the pressure and mass flow rate of the input stream to be independently controlled and improved results obtained. In a preferred embodiment the present invention also includes identifying the hydrocarbon molecules in the second effluent stream in order to verify the analysis or provide additional data, preferably by using an ultraviolet detector. The present invention is most preferably used to analyze the aromatic hydrocarbons in a sample of diesel fuel.

A number of chromatographic techniques are known for separating the components of a sample. In packed column chromatography, a mobile phase fluid and a sample flow through a column containing a stationary phase, which is chosen to retain specific components of the sample. Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) uses a supercritical fluid, usually carbon dioxide, as the mobile phase. The solvent power of the mobile phase in supercritical fluid chromatography is a linear function of density, which is in turn related to pressure. However, in systems such as SFC systems that use compressible fluids at pressures above atmospheric (ambient), the pressure of the system is coupled to the mass flow rate.
The problems caused by the coupling between pressure and mass flow rate in supercritical fluid systems and their solution are explained in detail in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,133,859; 5,094,741 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 804,155 filed Dec. 6, 1991--Frank et al., which are all incorporated herein by reference. Frank et al. teach that mass flow rate and pressure can be "decoupled" and independently controlled by providing a variable orifice restrictor downstream from, e.g., the column of a chromatographic instrument or the extraction chamber of an extraction instrument. Variable orifice restrictors and their use are disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,009,778; 5,151,178 and 5,178,767--Nickerson et al. which are all incorporated herein by reference. As used herein, "variable restrictors" refer to variable orifice restrictors such as those disclosed in the Frank and Nickerson patents, as well as other types of restrictors in which the degree of restriction is changed by varying the size of an orifice, occluding an orifice, changing other physical characteristics of an orifice or interchanging and selecting fixed orifices of varying sizes within a valve or similar device.
A specific application of supercritical fluid chromatography is the analysis of the aromatic content of diesel fuels using packed columns and a flame ionization detector (FID). The test method is set forth in ASTM D518691, published by the American Society for Testing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, Pa. (USA) 19103-1187, which is incorporated herein by reference. The above-referenced ASTM method is generally applicable to many different types of petroleum and chemical samples where the goal is to determine the relative amounts of different classes of hydrocarbons. Basically, saturated hydrocarbons are separated from aromatic hydrocarbons in an SFC column and the flame ionization detector provides a signal based on the mass of carbon in each class of hydrocarbon.
The ASTM method specifies a fixed restrictor at the end of the SFC column to maintain the necessary pressure for supercritical fluid chromatography. However, there are several disadvantages to this configuration. First, fixed restrictors clog, changing retention time and the response of the flame ionization detector. Also, since every restrictor is different, no two sets of analysis equipment will have equivalent retention times, thereby introducing an uncertainty into the test method. Additionally, as explained above, in a fixed restrictor system, flow rate through the column is directly related to the pressure and the restrictor, so optimization and maintenance of chromatographic conditions is very difficult.
Another problem with the ASTM method is that the response of flame ionization detectors becomes nonlinear and non-uniform for the different classes of hydrocarbons as the flow the supercritical fluid mobile phase becomes too large. This limits the size of columns that can be used. Typically, the larger the column size, the larger the flow to the flame ionization detectors. Thus, in this type of system, smaller columns are less problematic than larger columns. It would be desirable to be able to control the flow rate to permit the use of columns having a larger inner diameter than typical SFC columns.
Finally, even though the flame ionization detector provides a signal representing the mass of the carbon atoms in the molecule, some diesel fuels with relatively the same amount of aromatic compounds perform quite differently in engines. Therefore, the flame ionization detector signal alone is not sufficient to differentiate all the diesel fuels being tested. Accordingly, it would be further desirable to provide a system wherein additional analytical techniques or instruments can be incorporated to simultaneously analyze the effluent stream from the SFC column to more accurately characterize the sample.

Hydrocarbon class separation and quantitation by split column effluent analysis


A linear vibration actuator is provided, comprising a movable structure, a coil and an elastic suspension system. The elastic suspension system comprises a first and a second elastic sheets, and the first and second elastic sheet respectively comprising a first and a second fixed portions, a first and a second suspension portions, and a first and a second engaging portions. Both first and second suspension portions comprise a bend with an angle greater than 90°. The elastic suspension system enables the simple harmonic motion of the movable structure approximating a parallel motion to improve vibration effect without increasing current outputted to the coil, so as to reduce temperature and power consumption of the present invention. As a result, the present invention is able to provide superior vibration effect to portable electronic product and solve the overheating and power consumption problems.

From the vibration in the early game handles to the modern portable electronic products, such as, mobile phones or tablet PC, the vibration is generated by the built-in actuators. The early actuators mostly used an eccentric rotating mass (ERM) motor to provide vibration. The vibration function not only provides a reminder when the product is in mute mode, but also as a feedback mechanism in the use of keypad-free operation. The vibration feedback allows the user to feel a slight vibration when using the electronic product equipped with the actuator, prompting the user to complete the interactive operation.
The ERM motor is known to show the drawbacks of slow response, high power consumption, complex structure and easy to damage, and in recent years, with the emergence demand on fast response and low power consumption, the linear resonant actuator (LRA) has replaced the ERM motor to become the mainstream choice to provide the vibration function in portable electronic devices. The main reason is because the LRA uses the Lorentz force generated by electromagnetic effects to drive the movable part in a simple harmonic motion to cause vibration. Compared with the ERM motor, the LRA has the advantages of faster response, lower power consumption, simpler structure and more durable.
The conventional LRA comprises a movable structure, a coil, a elastic suspension system and a housing. The movable structure comprises a magnetic-permeable element, and two magnets. The two magnets are disposed respectively at two opposite sides of the magnetic-permeable element. The coil is fixed to the housing and surrounds the magnetic-permeable element. The elastic suspension system comprises two elastic sheets, with each elastic sheet having a fixed portion, a suspension portion and an engaging portion. The fixed portion of each elastic sheet is fixed to the housing, and the suspension portion is disposed between the fixed portion and the engaging portion. The engaging portion of each elastic sheet is engaged respectively to one side of the magnet away from the magnetic-permeable element. When a continuous alternating current (A/C) current flows through the coil, according to Fleming's left-hand law, the Lorentz force generated by the electromagnetic effect drives the movable structure to move in a first direction with respect to the coil; when the current direction changes, the movable structure moves in a second direction with respect to the coil opposite to the first direction; therefore, a simple harmonic motion (SHM) is generated. The elastic suspension system keeps the movable structure within a fixed range and creates vibration sensation of different frequencies. When the coil is powered off, the elastic suspension system returns the movable structure to the original position.
In general, the vibration effect provided by the LRA to the portable electronic product in parallel movement is superior to that provided in the left and right swing motion. However, the suspension portion of each elastic sheet of the elastic suspension system in the conventional LRA has only one bend and the angle at the bend is equal to or less than 90°, resulting in that the movable structure, in a simple harmonic motion, is actually performing a left-and-right swing with the fixed portions of the two elastic sheets as fulcrums, instead of a parallel movement, which reduces vibration effect and leads to the vibration effect provided to the portable electronic product less than expected.
In order to solve the above problems, a general approach is to directly increase the current to the coil to enhance the vibration effect of the LRA. However, this approach will lead to a significant increase in the temperature and power consumption of the LRA, which leads to the problem of overheating and power consumption for portable electronic products with LRA.

Linear resonant actuator with elastic suspension system


There is provided a channel estimating method of performing frequency conversion by a first fast Fourier transformation on a reception signal and extracting a desired signal after demodulating the reception signal, and deriving electrical energy against time delay of a channel by inverse fast Fourier transformation of the extracted result, wherein: values of a low pass filter, having an output from oversampling the input to the first fast Fourier transformation, are thinned by a plurality of thinning circuits with the same synchronization and different discrete times, and based on the outputs of the plurality of thinning circuits, the electrical energy against time delay related to the reception signal arrival time position is derived by respectively performing the first fast Fourier transformation and the inverse fast Fourier transformation.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a channel estimating method in a receiver device using Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (referred to as "OFDM") or similar Fast Fourier Transformation (referred to as "FFT" below) for demodulating, and to a channel estimator of the same. The present invention is technology applicable, for example, to an equalizer for full-seg Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting-Terrestrial (referred to below as ISDB-T), to an equalizer in OFDM, and the like.
2. Related Art
Up to now, for example as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2000-115087, a channel estimator for deriving a delay profile of an OFDM signal (electrical energy against time delay, referred to below simply as "electrical energy") derives the electrical energy, by: receiving a OFDM signal; demodulating by performing frequency conversion using fast Fourier transformation; then extracting a desired signal (called a Scattered Pilot signal in ISDB-T, referred to below as a "pilot signal"); and performing inverse fast Fourier transformation (referred to below as "IFFT").
However, in channel estimators up to now, a noise component superimposed on the reception signal is included in the electrical energy, and not only is the noise component superimposed on the electrical energy present in the channel, but with the channel in time delays in which the electrical energy is extremely small, or maybe not present, electrical energy becomes evident due to the noise, and correct channel estimating results are not obtainable. If equalization processing is performed based on such incorrect channel estimating information and OFDM demodulating carried out, since equalization processing is performed with electrical energy infiltrated with noise this leads to the problem that the reception characteristics are impaired.
Recently in demodulators using non-OFDM signal FFT, of a single carrier having a guard interval (referred to below as "GI") provided to prevent intersymbol interference due to multi-path delay, and other such devices, similar problems to the above also occur.

Channel estimating method and channel estimator


Methods and systems for an engine intake system are provided. In one example, a system includes a first charge air cooler arranged upstream of a second charge air cooler. The first charge air cooler is configured to provide thermal transfer between a compressed charge air and a fresh intake air.

Government standards for internal combustion engines of motor vehicles with respect to efficiency and pollutant emissions are becoming stricter. One measure for reducing pollutant emissions is exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), in which part of the exhaust gas stream leaving the engine is diverted through an EGR line and returned to the engine together with aspirated fresh air. In some cases, exhaust gas recirculation only takes place under specific conditions, e.g. with a sufficiently heated engine. In some countries however, it may be prescribed that exhaust gas recirculation is also performed with a cold engine, i.e. during the start of the engine for example. In particular, for low-pressure EGR systems, low temperatures may lead to condensation of moisture which may be contained in the recirculated exhaust gas or supplied fresh air, since the temperature lies below the dew point. In the case of a charged engine, condensation or even ice formation may occur before or in the region of the compressor. The flow of condensate and/or ice toward the compressor may degrade (e.g., crack) one or more compressor blades.
As one solution, a coolant circuit may be used to heat the intake air. The coolant circuit may be a dedicated engine coolant circuit. However, the temperature of the corresponding coolant on cold start lies in the region of the ambient temperature, so no effective heating may be achieved in this way without an auxiliary device. Another conceivable solution is to heat the aspirated fresh air or intake air with an electric heating element. This solution is however technically complex and extremely inefficient, in particular from an energy aspect. Furthermore, the auxiliary device, which may include the electric heating element, may increase packaging size of the intake system, which may be disadvantageous and even unusable in some configurations.
GB 2 531 340 A describes an air supply system for a charged internal combustion engine. According to one embodiment, a high-temperature heat exchanger is arranged directly downstream of a compressor, wherein a first line is provided with a low temperature heat exchanger downstream of the high-pressure heat exchanger, and a bypass line which bypasses the low-temperature heat exchanger and joins the first line downstream thereof. Two valves are provided firstly in the first line and secondly in the bypass line in order to set the relative gas flows. Optionally, an exhaust gas recirculation may also be provided. However, these heat exchangers are fluidly coupled to a liquid heat transfer medium, such as a coolant or engine coolant. The exchangers may be fluidly coupled to separate circuits in order to provide different heating/cooling properties.
U.S. 2017/0101968 A1 discloses a charged internal combustion engine with a compressor and an EGR line which connects a supply line upstream of the compressor with an exhaust gas line downstream of the compressor. An EGR valve is arranged in the EGR line. A bypass line connects the supply line downstream of the compressor and the EGR line immediately downstream of the EGR valve. In a first configuration, the supplied air which has passed through the compressor is guided through the supply line and flows into a cylinder, whereas in a second configuration in which the EGR valve is closed, part of the supplied air which has passed through the compressor passes through the bypass line and the EGR line and is returned to the supply line above the compressor.
DE 10 2015 200 172 A1 discloses a device for reducing condensate formation upstream of the compressor of a turbocharged motor vehicle internal combustion engine, with low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation from an exhaust gas aftertreatment device via an exhaust gas recirculation cooler into an air inlet channel, which has a first inlet arranged upstream of the compressor for the exhaust gas recirculated by the exhaust gas aftertreatment device and a second inlet arranged upstream of the first inlet and downstream of an air filter. A charge air recirculation device is provided for conducting part of the charge air compressed by the compressor to the second inlet, wherein the charge air recirculation device has a charge air recirculation line extending from a charge air channel to a second inlet, a regulating valve for regulating the mass flow through the charge air recirculation line, and an air injection nozzle at the second inlet.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,109,505 B2 describes a method for a charged engine. Here, a compressor recirculation duct is provided which connects a point downstream of a charge air cooler to a point upstream of a compressor which is connected in front of the charge air cooler. Under cold conditions, the compressor recirculation duct can be opened while at the same time a charge pressure control valve and an EGR valve are closed. The charge air cooler can thereby be heated.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,846A discloses an exhaust gas recirculation system in an internal combustion engine which has an intake circuit, an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold, wherein the intake circuit has an intake air pressure device. The exhaust gas recirculation system consists of an exhaust gas recirculation line for diverting an exhaust gas stream to the intake manifold, an intake air bypass line which is connected to the intake circuit in order to allow a flow of intake air from the intake circuit, and an exhaust gas recirculation cooler which is connected to the exhaust gas recirculation line and intake air bypass line.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,644,272 B2 describes a charged diesel engine in which an air filter is arranged upstream of a compressor. Before the compressed air reaches a manifold of the diesel engine, it passes successively through an air-cooled charge air cooler and a water cooled charge air cooler. This may firstly achieve a more effective cooling, and secondly, charge air which has been over-cooled in the air-cooled charge air cooler is heated again in the water-cooled charge air cooler.
Thus, each of the previous examples comprises one or more issues, including heating of the intake air during a cold-start or other condition where a component of the vehicle is not to temperature. In such an example, an auxiliary device is used to either heat coolant or to directly heat the intake air. An alternative includes a compressor recirculation valve which is only configured to recirculate a certain amount of compressed air. Thus, the compressor recirculation valve may not provide a sufficient amount of heating during cold conditions.
The inventors have identified the above issues and come up with a way to enable an energy-efficient avoidance of condensation in a charged engine with exhaust gas recirculation to at least partially solve them.
In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by an engine system with an internal combustion engine, an intake line for intake air arranged upstream of a compressor, an exhaust gas recirculation line opening into the intake line, and a charge air line which is arranged downstream of the compressor, wherein the engine system comprises a first charge air cooler configured as a gas-gas heat exchanger and arranged in a portion of the intake line upstream of the exhaust gas recirculation line relative to a direction of fresh air flow, further comprising a second charge air cooler arranged in the charge air line, the second charge air cooler configured as a liquid-gas heat exchanger.
As another example, a system, comprises a first charge air cooler configured to provide thermal communication between a compressed charge air and an uncompressed intake air, and a second charge air cooler configured to provide thermal communication between the compressed charge air and a liquid coolant. By doing this, thermal adjustments to fresh intake air and to charge air may be executed without liquid coolant.
It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


An end-side portion of a front door is pivotably mounted to a hinge base portion of a door hinge member. A link portion of the door hinge member is formed integrally with the hinge base portion, and links between a rear end-side mounting portion of a fender panel, and a front pillar. The link portion is provided with a fender fastening portion to which the rear end-side mounting portion of the fender panel is fastened, and which serves a purpose of positioning the rear end-side mounting portion.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle fender panel mounting structure where a rear end-side mounting portion of a fender panel is mounted on a vehicle body-side component member side.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a front fender (fender panel), a rear end portion thereof is bent at a parting line portion between the front fender and a front door, to a front pillar side, and is disposed so as not to interfere with a movement locus of the front door. For example, sometimes in the case where the front fender is made of resin, a distal end side of a rear end portion of the front fender is fixed to the front pillar via a bracket (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-155357 (JP-A-5-155357)).
However, in this construction, the relative position of the front fender to the front door changes depending on variations of the mounting position of the bracket to the front pillar.


An x-ray film magazine has a housing and a cover which in combination form an interior volume having an approximately C-shaped cross section, which receives a number of sheets of x-ray film in a stack made to conform to the C-shaped cross section. A foil is provided in the interior of the magazine having one end rigidly connected to a base of the housing, and an opposite end being resiliently connected to the cover of the magazine. The foil at least partially supports a bottom-most or lowest sheet of the stack of x-ray film sheets, and due to the resilient mounting of the foil, always presents the uppermost sheet in the stack of film sheets to be presented in a position which permits the uppermost sheet to be reliably conveyed out of the magazine to an exposure position in an exposure component adjacent the film magazine.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an x-ray film magazine for holding a plurality of sheets of x-ray film for conveyance into an exposure unit disposed adjacent the film magazine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An x-ray film magazine wherein a plurality of sheets of x-ray film are held in an approximately C-shaped cross section of a magazine housing, is described in French Patent 2,499,530, corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,447,053. A screw for separating the sheets of film is attached in the housing, substantially centrally in the C-shaped cross section. When conveying a sheet of film out of the magazine, the screw is rotated so that the sheets of film assume a shorter path from flight to flight of the screw, so that the sheet of film which assumes the shortest path projects from an opening of the housing. The projecting portion of this sheet of film is subsequently grasped by a conveyor means which forwards the sheet of film to an exposure position in an adjacent exposure unit.


An image processing apparatus includes a normal vector mapping section for dividing a surface of an object into a plurality of divided surfaces and generating a first normal vector pointing to the vertical direction of each of the divided surfaces, a luminance value mapping section for replacing the first normal vector of each divided surface with a luminance value associated with one of a predetermined number of second normal vectors, each associated with a different luminance value, which is most analogous in characteristic to the first normal vector, and a graphic processor for shading each divided surface according to the replaced luminance value.

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2000-324553 filed on Oct. 24, 2000 and No. 2001-310309 filed on Oct. 5, 2001, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an image processing technique in computer graphics and particularly to a method for easily expressing irregularities on a surface of an object to be subjected to image processing.
In a system for computer graphics, there is an image processing system including (i) an image generator that performs processing such as coordinate conversion including rotation, movement, and scaling, and perspective transformation, shading, and hidden-line/surface removal with respect to an object, and (ii) a graphic processor that draws an image in frame memory.
The image generator generates a graphic instruction (a display list) for drawing a basic graphics (polygon) such as a triangle, rectangle as a result of the above processing in frame memory, which is graphic memory, and sends it to the graphic processor.
The graphic processor draws the image on the frame memory in accordance with the display list sent from the image generator. The graphic result in the frame memory is converted to a video signal and is displayed on a display, making it possible to visually identify the image.
The application field of such an image processing system has grown exponentially in recent years, and this is widely used in not only the industrial field such as CAD (Computer Aided Design) but also in the entertainment field such as in movies, television, and videogames. Particularly, in the entertainment field, the ability to express as real an image as possible at high speed has been desirable in addition to simply displaying the object on the display.
As a method for improving expressive power of computer graphics to obtain a real image, texture mapping is used. Texture mapping adheres (maps) a two-dimensional image (picture) prepared separately from the mapping mage, namely a texture onto the polygon, which constitutes an object and which is the basic graphics.
However, the image obtained by texture mapping can greatly improve the expressive power relating to the color but has difficulty in expressing irregularities on the surface of object. This causes a problem in which the surface of object is so smooth that a realistic expression cannot be obtained.
If modeling is performed that includes the irregularities on the surface of object in detail, an extremely realistic expression may be possible, but the amount of data increases and high-speed image processing cannot be carried out. In addition, it takes a lot of time to carry out modeling itself. Accordingly, this is not a practical method.
Conventionally, bump mapping is used to which the texture mapping is applied as a method for easily expressing the irregularities on the surface of object. The bump mapping can be explained as follows: the surface of an object is divided into a plurality of divided surfaces. Then, a plurality of normal vectors in which their directions are fixed independently are mapped onto the respective divided surfaces. A shading process is carried out based on these normal vectors so as to obtain corresponding luminance values. Then, the divided surfaces are shaded according to the obtained luminance values so as to express unevenness or irregularities on the surface of the object in a pseudo manner. This makes it possible to implement an image resembling the object precisely modeled with a small amount of data.
On the other hand, there is a color lookup table (hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cCLUTxe2x80x9d), which is often used when conversion of color is needed in computer graphics. The CLUT is used as a color conversion table at a color conversion time in computer graphics. The CLUT provides a realistic image with respect to the color. However, the realistic expression is determined depending on the modeling, similar to the texture mapping.
Bump mapping is one of the useful methods currently used to easily express the irregularities on the surface of an object.
However, since the normal vectors mapped onto the divided surfaces are different vectors, respectively, a shading process must be performed based on all normal vectors. Thus, for example, if each divided surface is formed to have the size equivalent to the size of one pixel and the normal vector is mapped onto each divided surface in order to precisely express the irregularities on the surface of object, it takes much time to carry out the shading process, so that high-speed processing cannot be implemented.
It is an object of the present invention is to provide a technique for allowing image processing such as bump mapping to be carried out at high speed regardless of fineness of an image.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing method comprising the steps of: dividing a surface of an object of image data into a plurality of areas; generating a first normal vector for each of the plurality of areas; determining second normal vectors each having identification data, wherein the number of the second normal vectors is smaller than the number of the first normal vectors; classifying the first normal vectors into the second normal vectors; assigning each of the second normal vectors to at least one of the plurality of areas where the correspondingly classified first normal vector has been generated; and shading each of the plurality of areas based on the identification data of the corresponding second normal vector.
The identification data may include a luminance value.
The surface of the object may consist of at least one polygon.
Each of the plurality of areas may consist of one pixel.
The first normal vectors may be classified into the second normal vectors according to directions of the first normal vectors.
The second normal vectors may be generated based on the first normal vectors.
The step of determining the second normal vectors may comprise the steps of: classifying the first normal vectors into a plurality of groups according to directions of the first normal vectors, wherein the number of the plurality of groups is equal to the number of the second normal vectors; averaging the classified first normal vectors in each group; and generating each of the second normal vectors corresponding to one of the averaged first normal vectors.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image processing apparatus comprising: first means for dividing a surface of an object of image data into a plurality of areas, and generating a first normal vector for each of the plurality of areas; second means for determining second normal vectors each having identification data, wherein the number of the second normal vectors is smaller than the number of the first normal vectors; third means for classifying the first normal vectors into the second normal vectors, and assigning each of the second normal vectors to at least one of the plurality of areas where the correspondingly classified first normal vector has been generated; and fourth means for shading each of the plurality of areas based on the identification data of the corresponding second normal vector.
The apparatus may further comprise: fifth means for adding a luminance value to each of the identification data; and sixth means for generating table data in which each of the luminance values and the corresponding identification data are linked with each other.
The identification data may include a luminance value.
The surface of the object may consist of at least one polygon.
Each of the plurality of areas may consist of one pixel.
The first normal vectors may be classified into the second normal vectors according to directions of the first normal vectors.
The second normal vectors may be generated based on the first normal vectors.
The second means may comprise: means for classifying the first normal vectors into a plurality of groups according to directions of the first normal vectors, wherein the number of the plurality of groups is equal to the number of the second normal vectors; means for averaging the classified first normal vectors in each group; and means for generating each of the second normal vectors corresponding to one of the averaged first normal vectors.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor device comprising: first means for dividing a surface of an object of image data into a plurality of areas, and generating a first normal vector for each of the plurality of areas; second means for determining second normal vectors each having identification data, wherein the number of the second normal vectors is smaller than the number of the first normal vectors; third means for classifying the first normal vectors into the second normal vectors, and assigning each of the second normal vectors to at least one of the plurality of areas where the correspondingly classified first normal vector has been generated; and fourth means for shading each of the plurality of areas based on the identification data of the corresponding second normal vector.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a computer program for causing a computer to execute the steps of: dividing a surface of an object of image data into a plurality of areas; generating a first normal vector for each of the plurality of areas; determining second normal vectors each having identification data, wherein the number of the second normal vectors is smaller than the number of the first normal vectors; classifying the first normal vectors into the second normal vectors; assigning each of the second normal vectors to at least one of the plurality of areas where the correspondingly classified first normal vector has been generated; and shading each of the plurality of areas based on the identification data of the corresponding second normal vector.

Image processing method, image processing apparatus, computer program, and semiconductor device