In order, in a guide roller for continuous-casting plants, which is formed by a plurality of aligned roller portions, to avoid the creeping movements of the guide roller in the axial direction and thermally induced distortions in it, it is proposed that a roller portion adjacent on both sides of roller portions either be provided at its two ends with roller journals carrying support bearings, and these roller journals engage into recesses of the adjacent roller portions, or be provided at its two ends with recesses, and roller journals, having support bearings, of the adjacent roller portions engage into these recesses.

The invention relates to a guide roller for continuous-casting plants, which is subdivided into a plurality of roller portions aligned with one another, adjacent roller portions being connected to a roller journal carrying a support bearing, and the roller portion which terminates in a roller journal engaging into a recess of the adjacent roller portion.
In plants for the continuous casting of metal strands, in which the ratio of strand width to strand thickness is very high, such as, for example, slabs or thin slabs, the strand guide rollers supporting and guiding the strand along its wide sides are subdivided into a plurality of roller portions with aligned axes.
In the continuous-casting plant known from AT-B 290 750, the roller bodies arranged next to one another are mounted on a common axis, and between the individual roller bodies engage support members or shaft holders which are supported on curved longitudinal girders or on rear-engaging beams or on a fixed frame structure, as is customary on continuous-casting plants of this type. Supporting all the roller bodies individually necessitates an extremely large number of bearings on the common axis, the susceptibility of this construction to faults being very high because of the complicated supply of lubricant to the many bearing points.
AT-B 335 093 discloses a strand guide roller constituting the pre-characterising clause, which is formed by a plurality of roller portions aligned with and identical to one another and which is braced by means of a tie passing centrally through all the roller portions. The asymmetric design of the strand guide roller results in this strand guide roller experiencing a creeping movement in the axial direction, which leads to increased wear in the mountings and on the roller portions adjacent to the connection. The same problem arises in an embodiment of the strand guide roller according to DE-C 27 42 570.
DE-B 24 20 514 likewise discloses a guide roller for continuous-casting plants which is multiply mounted and is subdivided into identical roller portions. Here, too, the above-described disadvantages due to the asymmetric design of the guide roller become evident.
DE-A-24 23 224 discloses a subdivided multiply mounted guide roller for continuous-casting plants, which is formed by roller portions lined up alternately with one another in alignment and by shaft stubs carrying bearings. The multiplicity of components of complicated design results in increased manufacturing costs and high outlay in terms of assembly.
It is also known to arrange a plurality of solid-body rollers next to one another and to mount them individually, on both sides, on a fixed frame structure of the continuous-casting plant. As a result, necessarily, two journal bearings with a large space requirement are positioned next to one another and the billet is not supported in this region, thus causing the billet shell to bulge out and giving rise to increased internal expansions in the billet. The susceptibility of the billet to cracking is therefore increased.
The invention aims to avoid the disadvantages and difficulties described, and its set object is to propose a strand guide roller, by means of which creeping movements of the strand guide roller in the axial direction and distortions dependent on the thermal conditions in the strand guide roller are avoided. Another aim of the invention is to form the strand guide roller from components to be manufactured cost-effectively and to design,it for easy maintenance.
This object is achieved, according to the invention, in that a roller portion which is adjacent on both sides of roller portions either is provided at its two ends with roller journals carrying support bearings, and these roller journals engage in recesses of the adjacent roller portions, or is provided at its two ends with recesses, and roller journals, carrying support bearings, of the adjacent roller portions engage into these recesses. Due to the symmetrical design of a central roller portion flanked by further roller portions, the load exerted by the weight of the strand on the entire strand guide roller results in an optimum, specifically minimized and symmetrical flexion of the strand guide roller. A preferred embodiment is formed by a centrally arranged roller portion which is provided at its two ends by roller journals carrying support bearings. The number of the adjacent roller portions is the same on both sides for reasons of symmetry.
In a refinement which is simple in manufacturing terms and has low wear, the roller journal of a roller portion is mounted in the recess of the adjacent roller portion in sealed-off mountings, preferably sealed-off slide bushes or spherical bearings. It thus becomes possible for relative movements, above all thermally induced axial movements and tilting movements resulting from the roller flexion, to take place without any stress.
According to a further refinement of the invention, adjacent roller portions are secured against rotation and axial displacements relative to one another by means of a positive bracing device, preferably having a clamping sleeve passing through them transversely to their longitudinal extent. The clamping-sleeve connection, in particular, proves to be of simpler design and more cost-effective than the tie bracing known from AT-B 335 093. Moreover, the clamping sleeve fixes by positive connection and thereby prevents a possible crawling movement with friction and wear in the journal connections. Crawling movements of this kind occur, during the normal operation of a plant, due to the uneven wear of the roller surface as a result of the casting of slabs of different width. Preferably, the bracing device passes through the mounting of the roller journal of a roller portion in the recess of the adjacent roller portion.
When the cast strand runs through the supporting and guiding structure of the continuous-casting plant, the guide rollers are subjected to thermal loading due to linear contact with the hot strand and to the heat radiated from the latter. In order to cool the guide rollers, the roller portions have a central coolant duct, and the coolant ducts of adjacent roller portions are connected to coolant cross-over sleeves.


A method for welding horizontal pipe along the inner diameter of the pipe and outer diameter of the pipe to prevent weld root defects on the bottom half of the pipe.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a method of welding pipe and, in particular, to making the top half of the weld with a welding apparatus at the exterior of the pipe and making the bottom half of the weld within the interior of the pipe.
2. Description of the Related Art
In many pipe welding applications, the pipe cannot be rotated during welding. Welding is done with the pipe stationary in a horizontal, i.e., 5-G position, rotating a welding apparatus around the pipe to make the weld. The direction of gravitational forces changes relative to the welding direction as the weld progresses around the pipe. Because of this, some welding positions are more difficult to weld than others. This is particularly true on the lower half of the pipe, where smaller weld pools are typically used to achieve sound welds with acceptable weld bead profiles on the inside diameter of the pipe. This limits weld deposition rates.
The most difficult positions to make a good weld are between the 4:00 o'clock and 8:00 o'clock positions of the pipe, where the weld is being made overhead. In these positions, gravity tends to pull the molten weld pool away from the inside of the pipe, making it more difficult to maintain full penetration and positive root reinforcement.
It is an object of this invention to make a 5-G weld around the diameter of a pipe causing full penetration of root welds and avoiding weld root defects caused by gravitational forces.


There is disclosed a nonstandard sync signal processing apparatus for a video signal processing system, including: a signal separator separating a composite sync signal of a video signal into horizontal and vertical sync signals; a horizontal period counter counting a clock signal for a given horizontal period and producing a processed horizontal sync signal; a vertical period counter counting a clock signal for a given vertical period and producing a processed vertical sync signal; an error detector detecting if an error occurs in the separated horizontal sync signal by comparing it with the processed horizontal sync signal, and detecting if an error occurs in the separated vertical sync signal by comparing it with the processed vertical sync signal; a first data converter converting the video signal of a period prior to where the erroneous horizontal sync signal occurs into corresponding digital data if the error detector determines that the horizontal sync signal is erroneous; and a second data converter converting the video signal of a horizontal period prior to where the erroneous vertical sync signal occurs, into corresponding digital data if the error detector determines that the vertical sync signal is erroneous.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video signal processing system that records and plays back a video signal in response to a sync signal, and more particularly, to an apparatus and a method for processing a video signal and which allows a video to be normally displayed on a screen even if a nonstandard sync signal is received by the processing system.
The present application for an apparatus and method for processing a nonstandard sync signal in a video signal processing system is based on Korean Application No. 59466/1995 which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a video signal processing system such as a digital video cassette recorder (DVCR), a digital camcorder and the like, a supplied video signal can be recorded on a recording medium, such as a magnetic tape, in response to a sync signal attained from the video signal. The recorded video signal can subsequently be played back through the use of the recorded sync signal. If there is an error in the sync signal of the supplied input video signal in a conventional video signal processing system, particularly in a digital video cassette recorder, errors also occur in a pilot frame signal used for recording and a track pair number used during playback. Such errors act as a principal cause of distortion and damage to the video signal displayed on the screen at the time of playback.
The erroneous sync signal also adversely affects the sequence of addresses for reading/writing out a video signal. More specifically, in a memory of the video signal processing system, the erroneous sync signal induces the reading of incorrect data from the memory and/or the writing of data into wrong locations of the memory. This also damages the video signal to be displayed.

Apparatus and method for processing a nonstandard sync signal in a video signal processing system


A piston position sensing system with improved accuracy and reliability is achieved by electromagnetic wave coupling using the combination of: a mechanical structure that in addition to supporting the rod, provides an extension of the resonance cavity, supports the electromagnetic wave couplers and a hydraulic fluid input-output port into the extended cavity and a piston travel stop; an electronic circuitry shielded package having a high frequency section with coaxial shielded input and output conductors on opposing package sides and a lower frequency counting section having a piston position output shielded conductor and a fluid dielectric property change monitor input conductor separated from the high frequency section conductors; and, the positioning of the electronic package on the mechanical structure with the coaxial shielded input and output conductors respectively adjacent to the input and output couplers and with the hydraulic fluid input-output port positioned elsewhere around the periphery of the cylinder. The structure assures minimal high frequency conductor length, with electrical and physical damage.

Hydraulic cylinder piston and rod combinations are being increasingly used in many fields, a principal one of which involves the moving and positioning of material and objects. As the various applications of hydraulic cylinder piston and rod combinations have progressed, more stringent operational criteria are being encountered and systems are appearing in the art that precisely, reliably, and continuously sense the position of the piston and its related displacement parameters, velocity and acceleration, through correlation of resonances of electromagnetic waves in the cavity that is made up of the cylinder and the piston, with the dimensions of the cavity. In some such systems the wave performance is similar to that of an electrical transmission line with shorted ends, in that the resonance frequency of an electromagnetic standing wave correlates inversely with the cavity length.
In the hydraulic cylinder cavity, there is a high loss of a transmitted signal except at a resonance frequency corresponding to a piston position or cavity length where energy is coupled into a particular mode standing wave. At resonance, the amplitude rises sharply with frequency to a peak then declines. The frequency at resonance is lower when the cavity is longer and higher when the cavity is shorter. Correspondingly, the amplitude of each resonance will vary with the cavity length; the lower amplitudes being at the lower resonant frequency and the higher amplitudes being at the higher resonant frequency.
There are variations in position sensing systems in the art such as: injecting the electromagnetic signal into the cavity on the rod or on the head side of the piston; the excitation of particular mode standing waves; and the sensing of a harmonic other than the fundamental of a particular resonance frequency. As illustrations of progress in the art, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,705 a coaxial resonant cavity is employed within which the electromagnetic waves are launched and propagated in the mode referred to as the transverse electromagnetic wave (TEM) mode. The cylinder on the rod side of the piston is one type of coaxial cavity.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,979, compensation through an equalization capability is provided for differences in losses as the extension of the piston and rod in the cylinder takes place.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,063, identification of a fundamental resonance frequency is enhanced by the use of positive and negative slope intercepts of a resonance signal with respect to a reference level, where the positive slope is at the lower frequency and the negative slope is at the higher frequency.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,034, an improved output signal is achieved by placing the input and output electromagnetic wave couplers at approximately 90 degree angular separation on the periphery of the hydraulic cylinder. Unwanted mode resonance is suppressed by positioning dummy couplers at further 90 degree positions.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,332, increased sensitivity is achieved through the use of automatic gain refinement capability.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,710,514, increased piston position accuracy is achieved by compensating for piston velocity in the determination of the piston position.
In copending application Ser. No. 08/799,280, filed concurrently herewith (Caterpillar File 94-453), increased piston position accuracy is achieved by compensating for changes in the dielectric properties of the hydraulic fluid in the piston position system.
The hydraulic cylinder piston and rod combinations may frequently be used in isolated and severe environmental conditions.

Hydraulic cylinder end member arrangement for a piston position sensing system


A closure element applying medical device for repairing a fistula is described. The closure element applying medical device can be configured for repairing any type of fistula that provides an abnormal channel from one body part to another body part (e.g., organ to organ, organ to vessel, and/or vessel to vessel). Examples of fistulas that can be repaired with the present invention include anorectal fistulas, enteroenteral fistulas, enterocutaneous fistulas, vesicovaginal fistulas, arteriovenous fistulas, perilymph fistulas, rectovaginal fistulas, ureterocolon fistulas, and the like. The medical device can include a closure element, a shaft, a carrier assembly, and controller systems. The medical device can also include a locator assembly. Additionally, the closure element applying medical device can include endoscope components so as to function also as an endoscope.

1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical devices usable to repair a fistula. More particularly, the present invention relates to medical devices having distal flexibility and/or controllability to repair a fistula.
2. The Related Technology
In medicine, a fistula is an abnormal connection or passageway between two organs or vessels that normally do not connect. Usually, a fistula is an abnormal passageway between two such organs or vessels, where a first body lumen thereby is abnormally connected to a second body lumen (e.g., organ to organ, organ to vessel, and/or vessel to vessel). The fistula itself is often not well defined and can be represented as a tear, opening, or hole in the tissue so as to have two different openings.
Fistulas can be malformations within the body with serious health consequences, and may even lead to death. Often, the body fluid contained in one body organ or lumen can pass through the fistula to another body organ or lumen. Such passage of body fluids can contaminate or cross-contaminate the body lumens when the fluids should not be passed therebetween. Also, a fistula in a vessel can lead to unfavorable blood deposits in an adjacent lumen or organ.
Some fistulas can be caused by disease. For example, inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are the leading causes of anorectal, enteroenteral, and enterocutaneous fistulas. A person with severe stage-3 hidradenitis suppurativa may also develop fistulas.
Some fistulas can be an unfortunate consequence of a medical procedure, where the fistula forms during the implementation of the medical procedure. For example, complications from gallbladder surgery can lead to a biliary fistula. Also, radiation therapy can lead to a vesicovaginal fistula. However, an intentional arteriovenous fistula can be deliberately created in some instances as part of a therapy.
Some fistulas can be caused by trauma. For example, head trauma can lead to perilymph fistulas, whereas trauma to other parts of the body can cause unwanted arteriovenous fistulas. Obstructed labor can lead to vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas. An obstetric fistula develops when blood supply to the tissues of the vagina and the bladder and/or rectum is cut off during prolonged obstructed labor. At some point, the tissues can die and a hole forms in the tissue through which urine and/or feces pass uncontrollably. Vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas may also be caused by trauma.
Fistulas need to be repaired because they are painful and can cause secondary ailments from certain body fluids or other substances passing into a conduit, lumen, or other body cavity or tissue in which the body fluid does not belong. This can include urine passing into the vaginal or colon conduits, food or drink passing into the lungs, and blood passing from a vessel into another type of body conduit, such as an airway. Currently, fistulas are difficult to fix and require invasive surgery where the fistula is manually stitched closed. Often, surgeries that fix fistulas actually require forming an incision in a patient larger than the actual fistula itself, which is problematic because the incision also has to heal and is susceptible to infection from the surrounding environment and from the fistula itself.
Surgery is often required to ensure adequate drainage of the fistula so that pus may escape without forming an abscess. Various surgical procedures are commonly used to close a fistula, and utilize a common suture to stitch the fistula closed. For example, a fistulotomy can include placement of a seton, which is a cord that is passed through the path of the fistula to keep it open for draining. Also, an endorectal flap procedure can be performed where healthy tissue is pulled over the internal side of the fistula to keep feces or other material from reinfecting the channel. Additionally, treatments can include filling the fistula with fibrin glue, or plugging it with plugs made of porcine small intestine submucosa or other biocompatible substance. Surgery for anorectal fistulae is not without side effects, including recurrence, reinfection, and incontinence. The limited space available during the surgical procedure complicates the ability to properly stitch the fistula closed.


A charge control resin containing a copolymer which has a unit having a sulfonic acid ester group having a specific structure and has the unit in specific proportions. The charge control resin can provide a toner with superior charging performance. Also disclosed is a toner having such a charge control resin.

Conventionally, in image forming processes carried out by electrophotography, electrostatic printing and so forth, the system is so set up that toner particles charged electrostatically develop electrostatic latent images on a photosensitive drum by the aid of an electrostatic force corresponding to potential differences produced on the photosensitive drum. Here, the toner is electrostatically charged by, stated specifically, the friction between toner particles themselves, between the toner and a carrier and further between the toner and a toner layer thickness control blade and so forth. Hence, it is essential to control, besides the particle diameter and particle size distribution of the toner, the charging performance (or chargeability) of the toner.
In order to control the charging performance of the toner, the triboelectric charge characteristics of a binder resin itself may be utilized. However, many binder resins used commonly in toners have low triboelectric charge characteristics, and it is not easy to control the charging performance by controlling their composition. Accordingly, it is common to add what is called a charge control agent capable of imparting charging performance to toners.
Conventionally, as negative-charging charge control agents, available are metal complex salts of monoazo dyes, metal compounds of nitrofumic acid and salts thereof, salicylic acid, alkylsalicylic acids, dialkylsalicylic acids, naphthoic acid, dicarboxylic acids and so forth, boron compounds, urea compounds, silicon compounds, carixarene, sulfonated copper phthalocyanine pigments, chlorinated paraffin, and so forth. Charge control agents containing these dyes or pigments are structurally complicated, are not constant in properties and have a poor stability. In particular, almost all of them cause changes in charging performance depending on environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. Also, some agents change in nature because of decomposition or the like at the time of heat kneading.
In addition, these charge control agents added to toners must be present on toner surfaces to a certain extent in order to impart triboelectric chargeability to the toners. Hence, such an additive may come off toner surfaces because of friction between toners themselves, their collision with a carrier, their friction with a transport sleeve or roller, a toner layer thickness control blade and a photosensitive drum to cause contamination of the carrier and so forth and contamination of developing members and the photosensitive drum. As the result, with an increase in the number of sheets during running, the charging performance becomes poor and at the same time any deterioration due to contamination also becomes worse to cause problems such as changes in image density and a lowering of image quality.
As stated above, charge control agents capable of imparting a sufficient charging performance to toners stably over a long period of time are seen to be very limited. Also, in order for them to be used in full-color toners, those to be added to the toners may preferably be colorless, and further, in order for them to be used in polymerization toners, may preferably have no polymerization inhibitory action. Therefore, taking account of these, only very few agents are feasible for practical use.
As the step of fixing toner images, it has been put forward to use, e.g., a pressure contact heating method making use of a heating roller (hereinafter "heating roller fixing method"), and a heat fixing method in which toner images are fixed bringing a fixing medium sheet into close contact with a heating element through a fixing film (hereinafter "film fixing method").
In the heating roller or film fixing method, toner images held on the fixing medium sheet are made to pass the surface of the heating roller or fixing film while bringing the former into contact with the latter under application of pressure by means of a pressure member kept in touch with the latter. In this fixing method, since the surface of the heating roller or fixing film and the toner images held on the fixing medium sheet come into contact with each other under application of pressure, the heat efficiency in fusing the toner images onto the sheet is so high as to enable performance of rapid and good fixing.
In circumstances where electrophotographic apparatus used in recent years are variously demanded to be achievable of high image quality and to be made compact and light-weight, high-speed and high-productivity, energy-savable, highly reliable, low-cost, maintenance-free and so forth, it is an important technical subject how systems and materials are put forward which can achieve much higher speed, energy saving, high reliability and so forth, especially in the step of fixing. However, in order to resolve such a subject in the heating roller or film fixing method, it is essential, in particular, to vastly improve fixing performance of the toner that is a material. Thus, it is necessary to improve the performance of being capable of sufficient fixing to the fixing medium sheet at a lower temperature (hereinafter "low-temperature fixing performance") and to improve the performance of being capable of prevention of offset which is a phenomenon in which contamination due to toner having adhered to the surface of the heating roller or film causes contamination of a next fixing medium sheet (hereinafter "anti-offset performance").
In toners to be fixed by heat and pressure, toners incorporated with a wax having a high affinity for binder resins exhibits good anti-offset performance and low-temperature fixing performance under specific fixing conditions (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. H08-050367 and 2001-318484). In these toners, however, glass transition point of toner and melt viscosity of toner may lower as the wax blends with the binder resin, and hence, besides storage stability and fluidity, the charging performance tends to be damaged when it is aimed to further improve the low-temperature fixing performance, to tend to cause a great decrease in density and image defects especially when printed continuously. Accordingly, it is sought to provide a toner satisfying development stabilizing performance in virtue of superior charging performance and having further low-temperature fixing performance.
Now, as printers, LED or laser beam printers are prevalent in recent market, and techniques trend toward those having a higher resolution, that is, those which hitherto have a resolution of 300 or 400 dpi are being replaced by those having a resolution of 600 or 1,200 dpi. Accordingly, correspondingly thereto, developing systems have also come to be required to secure a higher minuteness. Also, in copying machines as well, they are being made more high-function, and hence are trending toward digital processing. This trend is chiefly a trend toward a method in which electrostatic latent images are formed using a laser, and hence the copying machines are also trending toward high resolution. Here is also demanded a high-resolution and high-minuteness developing system like the printers. As a means for meeting such a demand, toners are being made to have a smaller particle diameter, and toners with a small particle diameter and having specific particle size distribution are proposed (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. H01-112253, No. H01-191156, No. H02-214156, No. H02-284158, No. H03-181952 and No. H04-162048).
However, as toners have smaller particle diameter, stable triboelectric charging of toner powder becomes an important technique. More specifically, the lowering of image stability as stated above tends to occur more remarkably unless fine individual toner particles are made to have a uniform charge quantity. This is because, as the toner merely has a small particle diameter, the toner particles adhere to the photosensitive member at a larger force (image force or van der Waals force) than Coulomb force acting on toner particles in the step of transfer, and, in addition thereto, since making toners have smaller particle diameter concurrently makes the toner have poor fluidity, the toner particles tend to have non-uniform charge quantity, so that toner particles causative of fog and having poor transfer performance may come present in a large number.
From the background as stated above, studies are energetically made on how toners can be improved in charge characteristics. In particular, on account of consideration for environment, requirement for stabler charging performance and reduction of production cost, it is proposed in recent years that a resin having a charge control function is used as a raw material for toners (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Publication No. H08-012467 and Japanese Patent No. 2663016).
According to what are disclosed in these publications, toners improved in charging performance are obtainable. However, as a result of studies made by the present inventors on these toners, it has turned out that they have a problem that, when printed on a large number of sheets, a toner charged to a reverse polarity increases gradually in a developing assembly to make what is called reversal fog rapidly come to occur seriously. Also, in these publications, disclosed is only a binary copolymer composed of styrene and 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid, and the binary copolymer disclosed therein has a glass transfer material temperature of 90° C. or more, and has caused a problem on the low-temperature fixing performance in some cases.
Toners containing a copolymer of a more improved, sulfonic acid group-containing acrylamide and a vinyl monomer (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Applications Laid-open No. H11-184165, No. H11-288129 and No. 2000-056518). However, in these publications as well, the achievement of both charging performance (in particular, rise performance at the initial stage) and fixing performance can not be well satisfactory.
In regard to the improvement in charging performance of the resin having a charge control function, too, some proposals are hitherto made (see, e.g., Japanese Patent No. 2807795 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. H08-030017). According to what are disclosed in these publications, toners are obtainable which have a relatively good rise of charging and in which various additives are well stand dispersed in the binder resin. In regard to the charging performance, however, there is further room for improvement, and also these toners can not be said to be sufficient in regard to the low-temperature fixing performance as well. Further, in the toners disclosed in these publications, their transfer performance is not sufficient to cause problems on image quality in some cases.


A method for making a combination IC card comprising the steps of forming antenna leads and patterned connection leads, forming a hole for mounting an external electrode chip on a sheath on at least one side of the antenna substrate, mounting an IC chip on the antenna substrate having the antenna leads and the patterned connection leads, mounting the external electrode chip on the antenna substrate having the antenna leads and the patterned connection leads, and attaching the sheath having the hole on the antenna substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for making an IC card. More specifically, the invention relates to a method for making an IC card functioning as both a contact IC card and a non-contact IC card. A contact IC card receives electric power and signals via an electric contact, and a non-contact IC card receives electric power and signals by electromagnetic coupling without forming an electric contact.
2. Description of the Related Art
An IC card including an IC chip has a large memory capacity and high security compared to a known magnetic stripe card and is widely used in the financial and transportation industries.
In general, two types of IC cards are known: a non-contact IC card and a contact IC card. The former may be used in the transportation industry as a commuter pass, and the latter may be used in the finance industry as a credit card complying with expected monetary value standards. Such IC cards have different specifications according to their intended purposes.
Under such circumstances, an IC card known as a dual interface card has drawn attention. A dual interface card is an IC card functioning as both a contact IC card and a non-contact IC card. When the IC card functions as a contact IC card, it can be used, for example, as a credit card. When the IC card functions as a non-contact IC card, it can be used, for example, as a commuter pass. Thus, one dual interface card may conveniently be used for two different purposes.
The dual interface card includes two different types: a combination card that operates with one IC chip and a hybrid card that operates with two or more IC chips. Because of problems related to mounting the IC chip onto a card, the combination card that can be operated with one IC chip has attracted attention.
Such a combination card has an external electrode chip (or a tape automated bonding (TAB) chip), which is for connection with an external read/write apparatus for controlling the functions as a contact IC card, buried in a card substrate. The combination card also has antenna leads for controlling the functions as a non-contact IC card. Moreover, the card substrate has patterned leads for connecting the IC chip with the external electrode chip and the antenna leads.
A known combination card can be produced according to a method in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-155128. In this method for making an IC card, first, an antenna sheet with antenna leads for non-contact communication is interposed between card substrates, and the entire card is laminated. Then, a hole for mounting a TAB chip is formed on one of the card substrates by spot facing. By forming the hole, the patterned leads for connecting the TAB chip are exposed. Subsequently, the TAB chip is buried in the hole to electrically connect the TAB chip and the patterned leads.


For improving the grey scale portrayal, several dithering methods are used: Cell-based dithering, multi-mask dithering or error diffusion. Each of them has specific disadvantages. A simple combination of them does not bring expected advantages. However, an improvement is obtained if the result of the multi-mask dithering is used for controlling the error diffusion by a switch, for example.

A PDP utilizes a matrix array of discharge cells, which can only be "ON", or "OFF". Also unlike a CRT or LCD in which grey levels are expressed by analogue control of the light emission, a PDP controls the grey level by modulating the number of light pulses per frame (sustain pulses). This time-modulation will be integrated by the eye over a period corresponding to the eye time response. Since the amplitude video is portrayed by the number of light pulses, occurring at a given frequency, more amplitude means more light pulses and thus more "ON" time. For this reason, this kind of modulation is also known as PWM, pulse width modulation.
This PWM is responsible for one of the PDP image quality problems: the poor grey scale portrayal quality, especially in the darker regions of the picture. This is due to the fact, that displayed luminance is linear to the number of pulses, but the eye response and sensitivity to noise is not linear. In darker areas the eye is more sensitive than in brighter areas. This means that even though modern PDPs can display ca. 256 discrete grey levels, quantization error will be quite noticeable in the darker areas.
To achieve a better grey scale portrayal, within the internal data processing a dithering signal is added to a processed video signal, before truncation to the final video grey scale amplitude resolution. Dithering is a well-known technique from the technical literature, used to reduce the effects of quantization noise due to a reduced number of displayed resolution bits. Dithering, by adding artificial levels in-between, improves grey scale portrayal, but adds high frequency low amplitude dithering noise, perceptible to the human viewer only at a small viewing distance. There are mainly two kinds of dithering used for PDP:                Cell-Based dithering (EP1269457)and its enhanced version: Multi-Mask dithering (EP1262947), which improves grey scale portrayal but adds high frequency low amplitude dithering pattern (e.g. checker pattern). The content of both documents is incorporated herein by reference. This concept of dithering is based on the spatial and temporal eye integration function. In other words, it is possible to display levels located between the value 1 and 2 by simply mixing these values spatially and temporally. However, it is not possible to render more than 3 additional bits with this method without introducing disturbing low frequency flickering. The major advantage of this concept is that the unnatural dithering pattern introduced by this method is quite invisible at a normal viewing distance. Moreover, this method is independent of the picture content.        Error-Diffusion: it improves grey scale portrayal and generates no dithering pattern. This method is based on a distribution of fractional parts to the neighbouring cells. But it adds a noise mainly in the darker areas (which becomes more noticeable for static pictures without temporal noise). In theory it is possible to render more bits with this method but after a certain limit the gain is no more visible but the noise increases. Finally, it can be said that this method has the disadvantage of adding noise visibly even at a normal viewing distance but it is more natural for moving pictures. Furthermore, this method is dependent on the picture content.
In the following, the necessity of dithering is pointed out in detail. As mentioned before, plasma uses PWM (pulse width modulation) to generate the different shades of grey. Contrarily to CRTs where luminance is approximately quadratic to applied cathode voltage, luminance is linear to the number of discharge pulses. Therefore an approximately digital quadratic degamma function has to be applied to video before the PWM.
Due to this degamma function, for smaller video levels, many input levels are mapped to the same output level. In other words, for darker areas, the output number of quantization bits is smaller than the input number, in particular values smaller than 16 (when working with 8 bit for video input) are all mapped to value 0 (this corresponds to four bit resolution which is actually unacceptable for video). Indeed, the output value corresponding to an input video level of 11, is:
  Out  =            255      ×                        (                      11            255                    )                2.2              =    0.25  in the case of a gamma value of 2.2 (standard video). However, a 8-bit display like a PDP will not be able to render the fractional part. Therefore, if nothing special is done, the low input levels are all mapped to 0 and so on.
However, as already said, dithering is a known technique for avoiding losing amplitude resolution bits to truncation. It only works if the resolution is available before truncation, which is the present case (if more bits are used for degamma). Dithering can in principle bring back as many bits as those lost by truncation. However dithering noise frequency decreases, and therefore becomes more noticeable, with the number of dithering bits.
1 bit of dithering corresponds to multiply the number of available output levels by 2, 2 bits of dithering multiply by 4, and 3 bits of dithering multiply by 8 the number of output levels.
The required amount of fractional bits mandatory to render the first input video level (1) is 10 bits since
      255    ×                  (                  1          255                )            2.2        =            0.00129                                      and                                      0.00129      ×              2        10              ≥    1.
Cell-based dithering adds a dithering pattern that is defined for every cell of the panel and not for every pixel (3 cells) of this panel. A panel pixel is composed of three cells: red, green and blue. This has the advantage of rendering the dithering noise finer and thus less noticeable to the human viewer. The difference can directly be seen in FIG. 1.
The multi-mask dithering represents an improved version of the cell-based dithering by using different kinds of dithering functions depending of the fractional part to be rendered. For instance, for 3 bit dithering able to render 8 different fractional parts of the value x, 8 different masks will be used (cf. EP 1 262 947) as described below:                Input between x.000 and x.125→mask 0 (mask full of 0)        Input between x.125 and x.250→mask 1        Input between x.250 and x.375→mask 2        Input between x.375 and x.500→mask 3        Input between x.500 and x.625→mask 4        Input between x.625 and x.750→mask 5        Input between x.750 and x.875→mask 6        Input between x.875 and 1→mask 7
Some examples of masks are given in the following table, wherein each frame or mask covers 4×4=16 cells. Mask 1 is the mask defined for the level 1/8, mask 2 is the mask defined for the level 1/4, mask 3 is the mask defined for the level 3/8, mask 4 is the mask defined for the level 1/2, mask 5 is the mask defined for the level 5/8, mask 6 is the mask defined for the level 3/4, mask 7 is the mask defined for the level 7/8.
Frame 1Frame 2Frame 3Frame 4Level 1/8line 11000000000000000line 20000001001000001line 30010100000000000line 40000000000010100Level 1/4line 11000001000010100line 20100000110101000line 30010100001000001line 40001010010000010Level 3/8line 11000001010010110line 20110100101000001line 30010100001101001line 41001011000010100Level 1/2line 11010010110100101line 20101101001011010line 31010010110100101line 40101101001011010Level 5/8line 11101011110010110line 20110100111101011line 30111110101101001line 41001011010111110Level 3/4line 11011011111011110line 20111101111101101line 31110110101111011line 41101111010110111Level 7/8line 11011111111101111line 21111011111111101line 31110111110111111line 41111110111110111
These patterns have been chosen in order to reduce the size of the noisy static patterns, line flicker, and also the noise introduced by asymmetries between the different dithering patterns. The main advantage of the solution is that the masks are fix and do not depend on the video content of the picture. However, only 3 bits can be rendered, which corresponds to the minimum input value of 8 (all values between 0 and 8 are lost, as can be gathered from the above equation of the degamma function).
In contrast to dithering, error diffusion is a neighbourhood operation that quantizes the current pixel signal for example by keeping the integer part of the signal value) and then transfers the quantization error (fractional part) onto future pixels. Formally, Floyd and Steinberg ("An adaptive algorithm for spatial greyscale" in Proc. Soc. Information Display, 1976, vol 17, no. 2, pp. 75-78) define the output pixel y[n] by adjusting and rounding the pixel signal, i.e. the input pixel x[n] such that:
y[n]=int(x[n]+xe[n]) where xe[n] is the diffused error (fractional part) accumulated during previous iterations as
            x      e                  [      n      ]        =            ∑              i        =        1            M                          b        i            ·                        y          e                                  [                      n            -            i                    ]                    where ye[n] represents the various fractional parts such as ye[n]=(x[n]+xe[n])−y[n]
Although error-diffusion images are very pleasant to the eye (introduced noise being similar to natural video noise), the algorithm does generate some unwanted textures (depending on picture content) that can be very objectionable and that never happens with a matrix solution like the multi-mask dithering.
The error diffusion process itself consists of three steps. First, a modified input is formed as the sum of the original input value and the diffused past errors (located above and left of the current pixel). In the second step, this modified error is rounded to yield the output. As the last step, the quantization error (rest of fractional part) is calculated as the difference between the modified input and the final output. Then, this quantization error will be spread to the neighbouring pixels by weighting it with a coefficient that can be chosen in various ways.
FIG. 2 illustrates this principle. At the first stage of the example, the value of the current pixel is 4.5. Then, this value is rounded to 4 generating an error of 0.5. This error will be diffused on three neighboring pixels using three different coefficients (0.5 for the right pixel, 0.3 for the bottom right and 0.2 for the bottom one). Normally, the coefficients are chosen in order to keep the energy constant (sum of coefficient is 1). This is mandatory to keep a good stability in the picture. After these steps, the values of three pixels have changed:4.85+0.5×0.5=5.14.55+0.5×0.3=4.75.10+0.5×0.2=5.2
Then, the process will continue with the current pixel having the value 5.1.
The main disadvantage of the concept is its dependency from the picture content. Indeed the spread error depends on the value of the current pixel and its effect is only visible on its neighbors and is thus picture dependent. Moreover, the rendition of very low levels is based on some spread pixels far from each other since the spread error is too small to have rapid effect. Finally the effect is more a noise on a low level than a real visible level.
On the one hand, there is a multi-mask cell-based matrix dithering able to render 3 bits of fractional part in a quite invisible way, on the other hand up to 10 bits are mandatory to have a greyscale quality similar to CRT standards. Moreover, the error diffusion alone is able to render more levels but in such a noisy way that the final picture quality is not enhanced as it could be: the results will be only good at a very long viewing distance that is not the main application for very large screens today.
A combination of error diffusion and multi-mask dithering might help to render more bits of fractional part if one can keep the major advantages of both concepts: quite invisible dithering pattern with more bits (8 bits will be studied as example in the following parts of this document).
A simple possibility for combining these algorithms is shown in FIG. 3
The general representation "8.8 bits" means 8-bit integer and 8-bit fractional part. Since the 8 bits of the fractional part shall be handled differently, they will be decomposed in the 3 MSBs followed by 5 LSBs described as "3.5". Finally, the 16-bits of information are described under the form 8.3.5 bits.
In the case of FIG. 3, the 8 bits of video information are forwarded to a degamma block 1. This block 1 will perform the quadratic degamma function with 16 bits resolution in order to deliver 8.3.5 bits of information. The 5 lowest bits will be diffused in block 2 following a standard error diffusion principle as explained before. Therefore, after this block 2, there are only 8.3 bits of information (5 LSBs being diffused before, symbolized by adder 3). The 3 bits of the fractional part are used to select the appropriate mask 4 from the multi-mask dithering function 4, 5, which will be applied to the picture depending on the frame number, pixel position and colour (R, G or B). At this position, the output value of the mask is either 000 (corresponding to value "0") or 111 (corresponding to value "1") that is added to the current 8.3 bit value. After that a simple truncation 6 will deliver a standard 8-bit integer to the display 7.
The concept described here is simple and obvious. However, it does not work properly. Indeed, in this concept both error diffusion and dithering are applied independently one after the other. This lies in some kind of interferences on the screen in the form of vertical or diagonal periodical structures. These periodical structures are quite annoying and disable a great part of the dithering function so that finally, the rendition of the fractional part does not achieve the 8 target bits.

Method and device for processing video data by combining error diffusion and another dithering


In a clock signal generating apparatus, an internal clock signal generating circuit generates an internal clock signal. An adjustment data storing section stores an adjusted period designating data and an adjustment content designating data. In this case, the adjusted period designating data indicates ones of N periods (N is an integer larger than 1) of a desired clock signal for adjustment to be performed to obtain the desired clock signal, and adjustment content designating data indicates a content of the adjustment. One period of the desired clock signal is composed of a plurality of periods of the internal clock signal. An adjustment requesting section selectively issues an adjustment request based on the adjusted period designating data and the adjustment content designating data in response to input of desired clock signal. A desired clock signal generating section performs the adjustment in response to the adjustment request while counting pulses of the internal clock signal. As a result, each of specific periods of the N periods designated by the adjusted period designating data is extended or shortened by at least one period of the internal clock signal based on adjustment content designating data. Then, the desired clock signal generating section generates desired clock signal based on the adjustment result.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a period of a second clock signal generated by counting the number of periods of a first clock signal.
2. Description of the Related Art
An IC card equipped with external terminals is called "a card". The IC card has substantially the same size as a credit card or the like, and internally contains an integrated circuit (IC), and also can transfer data via the external terminals formed on a card surface from or to an external device. In general, this IC card equipped with the external terminals is called a smart card. A memory, a microcomputer, and other various control circuits are built in this IC card. This type of IC card is widely utilized. For instance, an IC card equipped with external terminals and containing only a memory is used as an auxiliary and easily detachable storage apparatus for another apparatus. Another type of IC card equipped with external terminals and containing a microcomputer is used as a master of an external apparatus, or as an apparatus which operates independent from an external apparatus, and can transfer data from or to the external apparatus, if required.
The interfaces for a type of IC card equipped with external terminals and another type of IC card equipped functioning as an external apparatus, and the transfer protocol for them and a read/write interface apparatus are defined by ISO/IEC 7816-3 (and also JIS X 6304). The data transfer is performed in accordance with the transfer protocol using serial data transfer.
Now, this definition on "IC card equipped with external terminals: Electric signals and Transfer protocol" will be described.
As an IC card equipped with external terminals, there are two types of IC cards. Namely, there are an external clock signal IC card to which a clock signal is externally supplied, and an internal clock signal IC card containing a clock signal generator therein and not necessitating that any clock signal is supplied from an external device. When a unit time required to transfer 1-bit data is represented by an element time unit (etu), the data transfer rate between an IC card equipped with external terminals and an interface apparatus is defined as follows. That is, a reciprocal of the transfer rate, namely, one (etu) in an initial response of the internal clock signal IC card is defined as 1/9600 seconds. 1 (etu) in an initial response of an external clock signal IC card is equal to 372 times longer than a time period of a clock signal externally supplied to the IC card. Also, in an initial response, 1 character must be composed of a start bit of 1 bit, data bits of 8 bits subsequent to this start bit, a parity bit of 1 bit, and further a protection period of 2 bits at its minimum.
Also, the interface apparatus executes a parity check within this protection period. Then, the interface apparatus must output this parity check result to the IC card equipped with the external terminals within a time period of 1 (etu) at a minimum to 2 (etu) at a maximum after 0.5 (etu) has passed from start of the protection period. The length of 1 character is equal to 12 (etu) at a minimum. In order to correctly transmit/receive data, the interface apparatus must execute the sampling operations as follows. The first bit of the data must be sampled within a range of (1.5.+-.0.2) etu from start of a start bit. The second bit of the data must be sampled within a range of (2.5.+-.0.2) etu from the start of the start bit. In this manner, the range within each of the subsequent bits must be sampled is successively increased by 1 etu. The eighth bit of the data must be sampled within a range of (8.5.+-.0.2) etu from the start of the start bit. The parity bit must be sampled within a range of (9.5.+-.0.2) etu from the start of the start bit. On the other hand, in such a case that the parity check result informed from the interface apparatus indicates an error, the IC card equipped with the external terminals must immediately send the character again.
In the initial response, the characters selected from among 7 characters at a minimum to 33 characters at a maximum are transmitted/received. The IC card equipped with the external terminals may designate various parameters subsequent to the initial response such as a data transfer mode, a transfer rate, a ratio of data transfer clock signal period to card operation clock signal period when the IC card is an external clock signal IC card and the like to the interface apparatus based on these transmitted/received data.
For the data transmission/reception subsequent to the initial response, 83 different kinds of ratios of data transfer clock signal period to card operation clock signal period are allowed, specifically, in case of the external clock signal IC card. Therefore, in order that the interface apparatus transmits/receives data to/from all types of the IC cards equipped with external terminals generated based on the above standard ISO/IEC 7816-3, the interface apparatus must generate clock signals for 83 different kinds of
TABLE 1 ______________________________________ UNIQUE PERIOD FACTOR- SERIAL RATIO IZATION OF NO. RAT! PERIOD RATIO ______________________________________ 1 11.62500 3 .times. 31 .div. 2.sup.3 2 16.00000 2.sup.4 3 17.43750 3.sup.2 .times. 31 .div. 2.sup.4 4 18.60000 3 .times. 31 .div. 5 5 23.25000 3 .times. 31 .div. 2.sup.2 6 24.00000 23 .times. 3 7 25.60000 2.sup.7 .div. 5 8 27.90000 3.sup.2 .times. 31 .div. 2 .div. 5 9 31.00000 31 10 32.00000 2.sup.5 11 34.87500 3.sup.2 .times. 31 .div. 2.sup.3 12 37.20000 2 .times. 3 .times. 31 .div. 5 13 38.40000 2.sup.5 .times. 3 .div. 5 14 42.66667 2.sup.7 .div. 3 15 46.50000 3 .times. 31 .div. 2 16 48.00000 2.sup.4 .times. 3 17 51.20000 2.sup.8 .div. 5 18 55.80000 3.sup.2 .times. 31 .div. 5 19 58.12500 3 .times. 5 .times. 31 .div. 2.sup.3 20 62.00000 2 .times. 31 21 64.00000 2.sup.6 22 69.75000 3.sup.2 .times. 31 .div. 2.sup.2 23 74.40000 2.sup.2 .times. 3 .times. 31 .div. 5 24 76.80000 2.sup.7 .times. 3 .div. 5 25 85.33333 2.sup.8 .div. 3 26 93.00000 3 .times. 31 27 96.00000 2.sup.5 .times. 3 28 102.40000 2.sup.9 .div. 5 29 116.25000 3 .times. 5 .times. 31 .div. 2.sup.2 30 124.00000 2.sup.2 .times. 31 31 128.00000 2.sup.7 32 139.50000 3.sup.2 .times. 31 .div. 2 33 155.00000 5 .times. 31 34 170.66667 2.sup.9 .div. 3 35 186.00000 2 .times. 3 .times. 31 36 192.00000 2.sup.6 .times. 3 37 232.50000 3 .times. 5 .times. 31 .div. 2 38 256.00000 2.sup.8 39 279.00000 3.sup.2 .times. 31 40 372.00000 2.sup.2 .times. 3 .times. 31 41 384.00000 2.sup.7 .times. 3 42 465.00000 3 .times. 5 .times. 31 43 512.00000 2.sup.9 44 558.00000 2 .times. 3.sup.2 .times. 31 45 744.00000 2.sup.3 .times. 3 .times. 31 46 768.00000 2.sup.8 .times. 3 47 930.00000 2 .times. 3 .times. 5 .times. 31 48 1024.00000 1.sup.10 49 1116.00000 2.sup.2 .times. 3.sup.2 .times. 31 50 1488.00000 2.sup.4 .times. 3 .times. 31 51 1536.00000 2.sup.9 .times. 3 52 1860.000000 2.sup.2 .times. 3 .times. 5 .times. 31 53 2048.00000 2.sup.11 54 2232.00000 2.sup.3 .times. 3.sup.2 .times. 31 55 2976.00000 2.sup.5 .times. 3 .times. 31 56 3072.00000 2.sup.10 .times. 3 57 3720.00000 2.sup.3 .times. 3 .times. 5 .times. 31 58 4096.00000 2.sup.12 59 4464.00000 2.sup.4 60 5952.00000 2.sup.5 .times. 3 .times. 31 61 6144.00000 2.sup.11 .times. 3 62 7440.00000 2.sup.4 .times. 3 .times. 5 .times. 31 63 8192.00000 2.sup.13 64 8928.00000 2.sup.5 .times. 3.sup.2 .times. 31 65 11904.00000 2.sup.7 .times. 3 .times. 31 66 12288.00000 2.sup.12 .times. 3 67 14880.00000 2.sup.5 .times. 3 .times. 5 .times. 31 68 16384.00000 2.sup.14 69 17856.00000 2.sup.8 .times. 3.sup.2 .times. 31 70 23808.00000 2.sup.8 .times. 3 .times. 31 71 24576.00000 2.sup.13 .times. 31 72 29760.00000 2.sup.5 .times. 3 .times. 5 .times. 31 73 32768.00000 2.sup.15 74 35712.00000 2.sup.7 .times. 3.sup.2 .times. 31 75 47616.00000 2.sup.9 .times. 3 .times. 31 76 49152.00000 2.sup.14 .times. 3 77 59520.00000 2.sup.7 .times. 3 .times. 5 .times. 31 78 65536.00000 2.sup.16 79 71424.00000 2.sup.8 .times. 3.sup.2 .times. 31 80 95232.00000 2.sup.10 .times. 3 .times. 31 81 98304.00000 2.sup.15 .times. 3 82 119040.00000 2.sup.8 .times. 3 .times. 5 .times. 31 83 131072.00000 2.sup.17 ______________________________________
transfer rates as the card operation clock signal.
The 83 different kinds of ratios of data transfer clock signal period to card operation clock signal period are represented in the above Table 1. It should be noted that the ratio of data transfer clock signal period to the card operation clock signal period is equal to a value of (1 etu)/(1 card operation clock signal period).
In general, conventionally, interface apparatuses are provided which are exclusively used for IC cards equipped with external terminals for specific purposes. For example, there is a combination of an interface apparatus and an IC card equipped with external terminals for an automatic cash dispenser of a financial institution. Also, there is another combination of a mobile telephone functioning as an interface apparatus and an IC card equipped with external terminals functioning as an ID (identification) card. In these combination cases, the IC card equipped with external terminals is normally provided to be fitted with a function of an interface apparatus. Accordingly, this interface apparatus need not be designed to accept all of the above-described 83 different kinds of ratios of data transfer rate clock signal period to card operation clock signal period.
However, application fields of IC cards equipped with external terminals have been expanded. For example, when an IC card equipped with external terminals is utilized as one of peripheral devices of a personal computer system, a general-purpose interface apparatus is necessarily required such that data can be transmitted and/or received to/from any kind of available IC cards.
In order to realize such a general-purpose interface apparatus satisfying the above requirement, the system of utilizing the universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter (UART) shown in FIG. 1 is disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Disclosure (JP-A-Heisei 5-227147).
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a circuit arrangement of an interface apparatus disclosed in Japanese Laid Open Patent Disclosure (Heisei JP-A-5-227147). The interface apparatus can perform a data transfer operation with an IC card 50 equipped with external terminals by using the UART 102. In this circuit arrangement, the interface apparatus is composed of a control unit 106 such as a central processing unit (CPU), a host bus 107, a clock signal generating circuit 101 for generating an operation clock signal 105 for the UART 102 from a source clock signal 103, a programmable frequency dividing circuit 100 for generating a card operation clock signal 104 from the source clock signal 103, and the IC card 50 equipped with external terminals. The control unit 106 sets proper values for the programmable frequency dividing circuit 100 and the clock signal generating circuit 101 via the host bus 107. Then, the control unit 100 transfer data via the UART 102 to the IC card 50 equipped with external terminals.
Now, the operations when data is written from and to the control unit 106 to and from the IC card 50 equipped with the external terminals will be described below.
The control unit 106 writes the 1-byte (8 bits) transfer data in a parallel form via the host bus 107 to the UART 102. The UART 102 converts the 1-byte data from in the parallel form to in a serial form, and then sends out this transfer data in the serial form to the IC card 50 equipped with the external terminals.
When data is read from the IC card 50 equipped with the external terminals, the UART 102 converts a serial transfer data received from the IC card 50 equipped with the external terminals into a parallel transfer data. Then, the control unit 106 reads this parallel transfer data via the host bus 107.
In the previously listed Table 1 of the ratios of data transfer clock signal period to card operation clock signal period, necessary frequency division is carried out by the programmable frequency dividing circuit 100 as to ratios having a prime factor of 3 or 5 in a numerator. On the other hand, necessary frequency division is carried out in either a programmable frequency dividing circuit 101a or a programmable frequency dividing circuit 101d as to ratios having a prime factor of 3, 5, or 31 in a denominator. It should be understood that it is defined that the frequency of the operation clock signal of the UART must be a frequency (16.times.n) times (n is a positive integer) higher than frequency in the data transfer rate of the serial transfer data. In other words, the transfer rate becomes 1/16 or less of the input operation clock signal 105 of the UART 102. Therefore, the operation clock signal generating circuit 101 for the UART 102 includes a 1/4 frequency dividing section composed of a phase & frequency comparing circuit 101b, a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) 101c, and a 1/4 frequency dividing circuit 101e, and prevents the transfer rate from being decreased.
Next, the method for calculating a desirable ratio of data transfer clock signal period to card operation clock signal period in the system shown in FIG. 1 will now be described with reference to an example.
For example, in the case where the ratio of data transfer clock signal period to card operation clock signal period of 18.6 (=3.times.31.div.5) is to be realized, the control unit 106 sets a frequency division ratio of 20 (=2.sup.2 .times.5) through the host bus 107 to the programmable frequency dividing circuit 100, another frequency division ratio of 93 (=3.times.31) to the programmable frequency dividing circuit 101a, and another frequency division ratio of 1 to the programmable frequency dividing circuit 101d. As a result, a clock signal generated by dividing the frequency of the basic clock signal by (3.times.31.div.2.sup.2) is outputted as the UART operation clock signal 105. Thus, the time required to transfer 1 bit data, namely "one etu" is equal to the time obtained by multiplying the time period of the operation clock signal 105 by at least 16. That is, this 1 etu becomes multiplication of (3.times.31.div.2.sup.2 .times.16=3.times.31.times.2.sup.2). Accordingly, as the ratio of data transfer clock signal period to card operation clock signal period, (3.times.31.div.2.sup.2)/(2.sup.2 .times.5), namely (3.times.31.div.5)=18.6 can be obtained.
As described above, it is possible to realize the general-purpose interface apparatus. However, to this end, there is a problem in that it is rather difficult to generate the necessary high-speed basic clock signal. Moreover, there is another problem in that power consumption is increased and also electromagnetic interference is increased.
In other words, in view of the specification of the UART, the frequency of the operation clock signal for the UART must be made 16 times, or more higher than the transfer rate. For this reason, for instance, when it is assumed that the ratio of data transfer clock signal period to card operation clock signal period after the initial response of the external clock signal IC card is equal to 11.625 (=3.times.31.div.2.sup.3), if the card operation clock signal frequency is selected to be 1, the transfer rate capable of realizing this ratio becomes (2.sup.3 .div.(3.times.31)) times higher than this card operation clock signal frequency. Accordingly, the operation clock signal supplied to the UART must have the frequency of 16 times of the transfer rate, namely, 2.sup.7 .div.(3.times.31)=128/93 time the card operation clock signal frequency. However, in the above-described conventional circuit containing the 4-multiplication phase synchronization loop (PLL) circuit, it is not possible to generate a clock signal having a frequency higher than 2.sup.2 .div.(3.times.31). Therefore, the operation clock signal for the UART must be generated by frequency-dividing the card operation clock signal by 2.sup.5, namely 32. In other words, the basic clock signal should has the frequency at least 32 times higher than that of the card operation clock signal. For example, in order to transfer data to an IC card with external terminals operating with a clock signal having a frequency of 5 MHz, the basic clock signal having a frequency of 160 MHz at least is required. This requirement would cause the following problems. That is, for instance, in a system such as a battery-operated type portable computer, not only the power consumption is increased, but also the electromagnetic interference to external devices is increased. Also, it is rather difficult to generate such a basic clock signal having a properly selected high frequency.
In the above-described conventional technique as described in the Japanese Laid open Patent Disclosure, the PLL circuit required for the clock signal generating circuit is constituted by the analog voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and the analog phase comparator. Therefore, there is a problem in that the space required for these analog circuits becomes several thousands to tens of thousands times larger than the space required for a digital circuit made of the digital transistors elements. Also, there is another problem in that the power consumption caused by stationarily flowing currents is large.

Method and apparatus for controlling clock signal period


An antenna device for use in a motor vehicle comprises a plastic plate which is attached to an inside wall of a given part of the vehicle; and an antenna proper which includes a plastic film and an electrically conductive antenna pattern printed on the plastic film. The antenna proper is interposed between the plastic plate and the inside wall in such a manner that the printed antenna pattern is interposed between the plastic film and the plastic plate.

(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to antennas of motor vehicles and more particularly to automotive antenna devices of a type fixed to an interior part of the vehicle.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
In some of the latest motor vehicles, a so-called "keyless entry system" is employed which can lock and unlock the doors with usage of a wireless remote controller. In such system, an antenna is mounted to the vehicle for receiving the instruction radio wave signal from the remote controller. Usually, the antennas are of a type which is attached to an interior part of the vehicle. One of such antennas is an antenna which is printed on a rear window pane of the vehicle by using a printing process. However, for production of such type antenna, to protect the antenna, an additional printing process is further needed for covering the printed antenna with a carbon layer or the like, which inevitably causes increase in production cost of the vehicle. The other one of such antennas is an antenna device disclosed in Japanese Patent First Provisional Publication 7-58535. In this case, the antenna device is incorporated with a pillar garnish of a vehicle. That is, the antenna proper is intimately interposed between a pillar of the vehicle and an ornamental plastic plate fixed to the pillar. However, also this type of automotive antenna device has drawbacks. That is, the production process of the device is complicated and thus the cost of the same increases. Furthermore, the pillar having the antenna connected thereto becomes bulky in construction.

Antenna device having an antenna proper and a plastic plate attached to the antenna proper for connecting the antenna to an inside wall of a vehicle


A silver halide color photographic material is disclosed comprising a support comprising a base material and a water resistant resin layer containing titanium dioxide particles in an amount of at least 14% by weight of the water resistant resin layer, said support having thereon at least one blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, at least one green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, at least one red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer on the same side of the support as the water resistant resin layer, said photographic material having an optical reflection density of at least 0.70 at 680 nm, said photographic material containing at least one compound represented by formula (I) or (II) and at least one compound represented by formula (III), the total layer thickness of the constituent photographic layers provided on the support after immersing in a color developing solution for at least 60 seconds is at least 1.4 times that of the dry thickness before processing, and the total silver coverage of all of the silver halide emulsions contained in the silver halide color photographic material is not more than 0.78 g/m.sup.2 in terms of the coating weight of silver: ##STR1##

Various silver halide color photographic materials are commercially available, and various image forming methods using these materials are known for use in various applications. The performance required of a photographic material varies depending on the use thereof, but generally, a photographic material must exhibit high sharpness for good high density image recording which is the most advantageous characteristic of silver halide photographic materials. Various practical methods for increasing sharpness have been developed in accordance with the degree of requirements for photographic materials and intended application.
Primary factors which cause a lowering in the sharpness of the photographic material include two factors, namely, halation caused by reflection of incident light mainly at the interface between the emulsion layer and the support or between the support and air, and irradiation caused by light scattering from the silver halide grains themselves.
The coating of a layer containing a white pigment on a support is effective for enhancing sharpness as disclosed, for example, in JP-B-58-43734 (the term "JP-B" as used herein refers to an "examined Japanese patent publication"), JP-A-58-17433 (the term "JP-A" as used herein refers to a "published unexamined Japanese patent application"), JP-A-58-14830 and JP-A-61-259246. However, effects obtained by these methods are insufficient. Other methods described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,548,564 and 3,625,694, JP-A-56-12639, JP-A-63-197943, European Patent 0337490A2 and JP-A-1-188850 concerning the coloring of photographic layers in the photographic material by dyes, etc., are proposed for improving sharpness. However, effects obtained by these methods are also insufficient. It has been found that when the content of the dye is increased to improve sharpness, variation in photographic characteristics is disadvantageously increased when the photographic material is continuously processed.
Stain in the unexposed areas of a silver halide color photographic material is undesirable because it influences the white clearance of image and reduces the distinctiveness of the image from the background. In addition thereto, stain has an adverse effect on the color turbidity of dye image and degrades visual sharpness. Particularly, when the support is composed of a reflective material, the reflection density of stain is considered to be enhanced by several times the transmitted density. Accordingly, even slight staining damages image quality, and, therefore, stain is a very important factor. Four main factors contribute to staining. First, stain is caused by heat or humidity prior to processing but after preparation of the photographic material. Second, stain is caused by the developed fog of the silver halide. Third, stain is caused by color staining (e.g., air fogging) of couplers in developing solutions, or bleaching stain wherein developing agents left in emulsion layers are oxidized by the bleaching bath or oxygen and reacted with couplers to form dyes. Fourth, stain is caused by a change with the passage of time caused by light or humidity after development. A problem to be solved in the present invention is concerned with stain caused by the above third or fourth factors, in particular. The problem of stain has been particularly noted in recent years and is associated with the low rate of replenishment of processing solutions including rinsing solutions now employed to conserve resources and reduce pollution. Methods for alleviating the problem of stain are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,935,016, 3,960,570 and 2,360,290, JP-A-51-9449 and European Patent 0277589. The present inventors have studied the methods described in the above patent publications and have found that the compounds represented by formulae (I) or (II) and (III) according to the present invention, as described in European Patent 0277589, can remarkably prevent the occurrence of stain from being formed, but result in an unacceptable change in sensitivity and gradation when the photographic materials are continuously processed. The present inventors have also found that when the coating weights of dyes are increased to improve sharpness as described above, the change in sensitivity and gradation after continuous processing is much increased. Thus, the above described methods cannot be applied practically to continuous processing. As a result, the present inventors have extensively studied the problem of enhanced sharpness in continuous processing while still providing stable photographic properties.

Silver halide color photographic material


The present invention features calibration methods for radiotherapy treatment plans. An image-guided radiotherapy system for tumor treatment featuring a hypoxic-region-focused (HRF) radiation dose is calibrated using a phantom. The treatment plans may also feature a boosted dose to the resistance region of the tumor. The HRF radiation dose may be greater than 120% of a predetermined prescribed radiation dose for the tumor.

Tumor Hypoxia:
Tumor hypoxia refers to the condition in which cells within a tumor are deprived of oxygen. This condition can occur when a rapidly growing tumor lacks a functional vasculature system and thus has inadequate blood supply to regions in the interior of the tumor. Hypoxic regions within a tumor can be visualized using imaging techniques such as PET. Such non-invasive imaging techniques allow for identification of the boundaries of the hypoxic region or regions.
Phantom Calibration of Radiotherapy Treatment Plans:
Radiotherapy plans are designed to provide sufficient dose levels to target tissues and limit the dose levels to surrounding organs at risk. Given the importance of proper radiation dosing, the treatment plans are routinely calibrated using a phantom before use in a patient. Irradiation of a phantom using the proposed treatment plan allows for a measurement of the actual radiation levels which are delivered using the plan. These actual radiation levels can be compared to the calculated radiation levels and the difference can be used to determine if the treatment plan requires revision.
Radiotherapy Dose Limits:
Radiotherapy is a proven modality for cancer cure like surgery for tumors of all sites. The probability to destroy a cancer locally is proportional to the radiation dose delivered to the cancer site. Most often, an effectiveness of radiotherapy is limited by the radiation does that can safely be delivered to a normal organ adjacent to the tumor. Serious complications may occur if the normal organs received a radiation does that exceeds their tolerance to radiation. Paralysis (spinal cord injury), blindness (optic nerve injury), stroke (brain injury), bleeding (blood vessels injury), inflammation of lung (lungs injury) and bowels (bowels injury) may lead to death or seriously affect patient quality of life. These are well known complications of radiation treatment. Current methods of radiation treatment set a maximum limit for the radiation dose.
For example, in section 126.96.36.199 Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) study number 0225: A Phase II Study of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) +/ Chemotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Cancer, it is specified that "No more than 20% of any PTV70 (the gross tumor volume with a 5 mm margin) will receive 110% of the prescribed dose." The rule limits the toxicity of treatment to avoid complications.
FIG. 1B shows schematic representation of "volumes" in radiation therapy in terms of Gross Target Volume, Clinical Target Volume, Planning Target Volume from Page 5, Chapter 1: The Discipline of Radiation Oncology, Book: Perez and Brady's Principles and Practice of Radiation Oncology, 5th Edition, published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with ISBN-10: 078176369X. This figure clearly shows that the planning target volume (PTV) is beyond the tumor boundary.
Table 1 shows the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) Clinical Dose Limits and Inverse Planning Algorithm Constraints for Primary Nasopharynx Tumors, excerpted from book "A practical guide to intensity-modulated radiation therapy" (Medical Physics Pub., 2003, ISBN: 1930524137), Chapter 10: IMRT for head and neck Cancer, Table 10.3, page 201. The table clearly regulates that the maximum dose is 105%.
TABLE 1Inverse Planning Algorithm Constraint TemplateClinical DosePrescription Maximum DoseMinimum DoseDose (%)-% VolumeStructureLimitsDose (%)(%)/Penalty(%)/PenaltyConstraint/PenaltyPTVelD95 ≥ 50 Gy54 Gy56.7 Gy51.3 GyNA(95% of 54 Gy)(77%)(81%)/50(73%)/50Max. Dose ≤ 64.8 Gy(120% of 54 Gy)PTVgrD95 ≥ 70 Gy70 Gy66.5 Gy73.5 GyNA(100% of 70 Gy)(100%)(105%)/50(95%)/50Max. Dose ≤ 84 Gy(120% of 70 Gy)Spinal CordMax. Dose ≤28 GyNA45 Gy(40%)/50BrainstemMax. Dose ≤35 GyNA50 Gy(50%)/50ParotidMean Dose ≤68 Gy≥21 Gy (30%) toGland26 Gy(98%)/50≤30% Volume/50CochleaMax. Dose ≤56 GyNA60 Gy(80%)/50
Table 2 shows the compliance criteria of radiation treatment in Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) study number 0920: A Phase III Study of Postoperative Radiation Therapy (IMRT) +/− Cetuximab for Locally-Advanced Resected Head and Neck Cancer, section 6.7, page 27. The criteria list in Row 1 that any Radiation dose (RT)>66Gy as a major variation should be avoided at any rate. The 66Gy corresponds to a 10% increase over PTV 60Gy.
TABLE 2Per ProtocolMinor VariationMajor VariationTotal RT dose to PTV60 (to 95% of PTV60)60-64 Gy58-60 or 64-66<58 or >66 GyGyMinimum dose ("cold spot" within PTV60,56-60 Gy54-56 Gy<54 Gynot including portion of PTV near (<8 mm)skin)Maximum dose ("hot spot") within PTV60*<70 Gy70-72 Gy>72 GyMaximum dose ("hot spot" outside of<66 Gy66-70 Gy>70 GyPTV60)Definition of CTV60Base on case review by study chair.Definition of PTV60Base on case review by study chair.Total RT dose to spinal cord PRV<48 Gy48-50 Gy>50 Gy(0.03 cm3)Total RT dose to spinal cord PRV<50 Gy50-52 Gy>52 Gy(0.01 cm3)Definition of Spinal cord PRVBase on case review by study chair.Overall RT treatment time>50 days(without a medicallyappropriateindication for delay)Non-Medically Indicated Treatment0-22-4>4Interruptions*Not including the region of PTV60 that falls within PTV66 (if applicable)
Table 3 shows the Critical Normal Structures in Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) study number 0225: A Phase II Study of Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) +/ Chemotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Cancer, section 6.4.3 Critical Normal Structures, page 7. The Critical Normal Structures discloses clearly that 60 Gy or 1% of the PTV cannot exceed 65 Gy (which is close to 10% increase over PTV 60Gy radiation.
TABLE 3Critical Normal Structures6.4.3DVH's must be generated for all critical normal structures and the unspecified tissues. Doseconstraints to normal tissues will be as follows:Brainstem, optic nerves, chiasm54 Gy or 1% of the PTV cannot exceed 60 GySpinal Cord45 Gy or 1 cm3 (if 1% is used, depends on length ofthe cord outlined) of the PTV cannot exceed 50 GyMandible and T-M joint70 Gy or 1 cm3 of the PTV cannot exceed 75 GyTemporal lobes60 Gy or 1% of the PTV cannot exceed 65 GyUnspecified tissue outside the targets: ≤100% of the dose prescribed to PTV70. No morethan 5% of the non-target tissue can receive greater than 70 Gy. Participants are stronglyencouraged to remain within these limits.
FIG. 2 shows the hotspot radiation regulation in a presentation (slide 13) of a research taken at Dana-Farber/Brigham & Women's Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School ("Variability in planning criteria and plan evaluation", Laurence Court, the American Association of Physicists in Medicine annual meeting 2010). The slide clearly shows the aiming for hotspots radiation is limited to <110% of the radiation dose.
However, a use of low radiation dose can be ineffective for curing cancer and a patient can die from uncontrolled tumor growth or from complications resulting from tumor destruction of normal organs. Thus, a clinician is often faced with a dilemma: either let the cancer kill the patient or expose the patient to serious injury from radiation complications. Therefore, there is a need for a balanced method for image-guided radiotherapy for providing higher dose for tumor tissue, such as hypoxia region of tumor, while avoiding excessive radiation to normal tissue.
Any feature or combination of features described herein are included within the scope of the present invention provided that the features included in any such combination are not mutually inconsistent as will be apparent from the context, this specification, and the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. Additional advantages and aspects of the present invention are apparent in the following detailed description and claims.

Calibration of hypoxic region focused radiotherapy treatment plans


Methods and apparatus are disclosed for improving network security through the manipulation of the apparent topology of the network. Such manipulation is accomplished by assigning multiple identifiers to nodes, using different destination identifiers for packets being sent to the same destination, and using source identifiers that do not correspond to the identifiers of the node sending the packets.

When sending a data object from one node on a network to another it is common practice to break the data object up into smaller pieces at a sending node and to have the sending node send each piece across the network in a data block portion of a packet. Such a packet typically also includes a header that contains an identifier identifying a destination node and often an identifier identifying the sending/source node as well. As an example, a node using IP packets to send a data object to another node will often break the data object up into an ordered set of packets where each packet comprises a data block portion containing a piece of the data object, and a header portion the contains both a source IP address and a destination IP address. The phrase "ordered set of packets" is used herein to denote any set of packets used to transmit a data object between nodes such that the contents of all of the data packets is necessary to reconstruct the data object at a receiving node. It is a set in the sense that all the packets are necessary to recreate the data object, and ordered in the sense that the contents of the packets must be ordered in a particular way to recreate the data object. In some instances multiple data objects may be transmitted via a single ordered set of packets.
Unfortunately, the inclusion of source and destination identifiers in packet headers provides a mechanism by which an entity that monitors the flow of packets across a network can identify nodes and possibly reconstruct the topology of the network. Having their identifiers known raises security concerns for the nodes as the identifier can be used to send packets to the node and possibly to gain access to the node.

Security through manipulation of virtual topography