A laminating and coating system is employed with a gravure or flexographic set up using an enclosed doctor blade system with recirculation to coat adhesive onto a film and then laminate it to another film. The preferred adhesive is a two-stage epoxy consisting of a zero VOC 100% solids laminating adhesive having a viscosity of 200-1500 cps which remains within a desired range of 50-100 degrees F for up to 3 hours that will cure at ambient temperature. The adhesive is solventless and is unaffected by moisture. The adhesive consists of ingredients which make it permissible for use as an adhesive for laminations of films designed for food packaging pursuant to F.D.A. Regulation 175.105. The adhesive is formulated to avoid emission of odors and can be used in a four or five roll coating system.

The present invention relates to a process for coating and laminating film using 100% solids adhesive at room temperature.
Traditionally, when preparing some packaging intended to be used to package food products, film is printed on one side, adhesive is applied on top of the printing as well as on the clear areas surrounding the printing, and then the film is laminated to a second film at a laminating nip. In in-line printing, the adhesive is coated on top of the freshly printed ink or the opposite web and immediately thereafter is laminated.
On web machines having a width of 30 inches to 60 inches or more, coating is typically accomplished by employing rotogravure and flexo coating, although other techniques may be used. In many cases, lamination is accomplished xe2x80x9cout of linexe2x80x9d, meaning that a printed roll is taken to another location for lamination.
In the early years of lamination of such packaging materials, solvent borne polyurethane adhesives were employed that gave good xe2x80x9cgreenxe2x80x9d tack and cured further to create good laminations. Over the last 20 years, water borne adhesives have replaced many of the solvent-based adhesives due to the reduction of emissions of noxious vapors (VOCs). Of course, solvent-based adhesives are still employed. Water borne adhesives include urethanes, acrylics and other hybrids.
As the industry has evolved, the desire to reduce solvent emissions created a demand for water-based adhesives. However, a 100% solids polyurethane chemistry using a very expensive four or five roll coating head evolved and is currently making big inroads into the market for laminating adhesives. Such systems are prevalent in Europe and are gaining more acceptance in the United States. When the four or five roll coating head systems are used, no oven is employed for drying but most of the adhesives, if not all of them, must be kept hot or heated during application because the adhesives have high viscosities. As should be understood, heating the adhesives reduces the viscosity. However, at the same time, application of heat severely reduces pot life. In other words, application of heat initially reduces viscosity but speeds the initiation of the exothermic reaction that results in adhesive curing and rapid viscosity increase. The pot life of an adhesive is the time period from the moment it is mixed until the moment the exothermic curing reaction begins to make it unusable. When reaction begins, viscosity rapidly increases.
The adhesives employed with the four or five roll coating system are typically two component systems that must be mixed. Such adhesives are adversely affected by moisture in the air and their higher viscosity, in the range of 1000 cps or more, requires use of the four or five roll coating system.
In the normal use of 100% solids urethane adhesives, there is a major health issue that has surfaced in which the urethanes can pose a health hazard when used in laminating film for flexible packaging used for foodstuffs. In essence, the isocyanate in the adhesive reacts and can form aromatic diamine which is a suspected health hazard and which can also migrate through the film.
For some convertors using the four or five roll system, they heat the polyurethane adhesives as high as 150xc2x0 to 160xc2x0 F. in order to obtain a runnable viscosity. When such heating is done and the film is run at a speed of over 500 feet per minute, misting can occur which fouls many of the parts of the machinery, and contaminates the atmosphere around the machine thereby creating a potential health hazard for the operator of the machine. To prevent this problem, often, the machinery must be slowed down to prevent misting. Although, four and five roll coating systems can run adhesives having a viscosity of 1,000 cps or higher, the misting issue must be addressed in order to effectively coat film while avoiding expensive machinery upkeep and danger to the health of the machine operator.
Often, products are sold using a xe2x80x9cjust in timexe2x80x9d inventory storage procedure and, due to this procedure, demand is increasing for packaging that may be printed and laminated on narrow web presses such as those having a width of 26 inches or less. One example of such an application is the creation of bottle labels of film-film laminations. Flexographic presses are often used to print images on the film. In such systems, in order to make the presses capable of laminating, a system was devised to use an ultraviolet cured adhesive having a low enough viscosity to allow coating by flexographic presses with curing being accomplished immediately thereafter using an ultraviolet light source. Ultraviolet curing has a severe limitationxe2x80x94it cannot be used to cure adhesive on a metallized web combined with a reverse printed web because the ultraviolet light will not penetrate the ink or metal. The same is true where the film is white or opaque.
As is well known in the art, water or solvent-based adhesives are not preferred to be used on flexographic presses because it is quite difficult to apply a sufficient amount of adhesive in a flexographic press and such adhesives are difficult to dry. With typical printing, it has been found that the only way to use water or solvent-based adhesives in a flexographic press is to slow the speed of production or equip with a much larger drying oven. Limitations on production speed are problematic. Thus, the ultraviolet curing system is a preferred system for use with narrow width presses with the UV cured adhesive having a viscosity of about 300 cps.
Such a system works adequately for ultraviolet bottle label applications but has been found to be unacceptable for applications where one of the films comes into contact with a food product. It has been found that the ultraviolet photo-initiators do not fully respond to the ultraviolet light and, as such, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not accepted such adhesives for use in indirect food packaging.
Manufacturers of solvent borne adhesives have attempted to make very high solids (65%) adhesives that can be coated on a gravure press. Such an application reduces the emissions but has not been commercially successful. Water-based adhesives comprising up to 60% solids have been developed with such configuration helping in drying and coating weight but only limited applications have been found for such adhesives.
The adhesive disclosed in Parent application Ser. No. 09/699,437 includes, in some formulations, a flexible epoxy known as DOW 736. Applicant has found that this flexible epoxy causes emission of odors that preclude use of the inventive adhesive in applications where the foodstuff has the ability to absorb odors. One example of such a foodstuff is coffee. As such, a need has developed for an adhesive that will effectively adhere films together without odor emission.
Applicants are aware of U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,252 to Moeller which discloses a solventless release coating. While the solventless nature of the release coating is analogous to the adhesive employed in the inventive process of the present invention, the particular coating employed is significantly different from the adhesive employed herein, and is used for a different purpose.
Each of the techniques and adhesives described above presents significant limitations of one kind or another, whether it be noxious emissions, including misting, requirement for quick production, difficulties in uniform curing, heating requirements coupled with short pot lives, etc. Additionally, some adhesives can cause smudging or bleeding of some inks used to print on the films to be laminated which can cause poor print quality on the finished packaging. As such, a need has developed for a coating technique that employs an adhesive having a sufficiently low enough viscosity at room temperature to permit even and predictable flow, wherein the adhesive does not emit noxious fumes, is not affected by moisture, where pot life is extended to a sufficient degree to increase efficiency of production, and wherein the adhesive employed in the process is deemed acceptable by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use in laminating packaging to be used to package food products, and wherein smudging or bleeding of the inks may be reduced.
It is with these problems and needs in mind that the present invention was developed.
The present invention relates to a process for coating and laminating film using 100% solids adhesive at room temperature. The present invention includes the following interrelated objects, aspects and features:
(1) In a first aspect, Applicants have found that a superior system for conducting the inventive process consists of a two doctor blade coating system. In such a system, two doctor blades combine with other structure to form an enclosed chamber which receives adhesive. The adhesive is pumped into the chamber and, within the chamber, engages a portion of the circumference of a roll having a surface texture. While this roll may be described as xe2x80x9cknurledxe2x80x9d, it is more accurately called an anilox roll or gravure cylinder. It may be engraved or ceramic coated with one of several patterns laser etched into the surface. This roll will be described hereinafter as xe2x80x9cknurledxe2x80x9d and is considered to contemplate all of the alternatives described above. The chamber has an exit allowing adhesive to be recirculated during conducting of the process. A circulating pump is employed that pumps adhesive from a sump to the enclosed chamber and the sump receives adhesive recirculated back from the enclosed chamber. Adhesive is mixed and supplied to the sump while the process is being conducted so that the enclosed chamber is continuously full of adhesive.
(2) In the system employed in conducting the inventive process, neither the blades nor the nip are heated and the process is conducted at room temperature. The blades may be water cooled to offset heat generated by frictional interaction between the blades and knurled roll to maintain adhesive temperature at desired temperature.
(3) In one example of the operation of the inventive process, in order to make sure that the chamber defined by the doctor blades is always maintained full of adhesive, the recirculating pump is designed to pump adhesive at a flow rate twice the rate of usage of adhesive by the system.
(4) One example of an adhesive that Applicants have found suitable for use in conducting the inventive process is a two-stage epoxy having part A and part B with the mixing ratio being two parts by weight of part A mixed with one part by weight of part B, although this ratio may be varied.
(5) The adhesive preferably includes the following constituent ingredients:
Part A: 51% by weight Aliphatic DIEPOXIDE Epoxy Resin, 34% by weight Bisphenol A Type Epoxy Resin, 1% Nonionic defoamer (Example: Air Products DF-75), 13% Dipropylene Glycol Dibenzoate, and 1% by weight Silicone Free surfactant (Example: Air Products SEF).
Part B consists of 79% by weight Amidoamine curing agent, 20% by weight Aliphatic Amidoamine curing agent, 0.5% by weight defoamer as described above, and 0.5% by weight surfactant as described above.
The proportions of the constituent ingredients may be varied as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.
(6) The adhesive is a zero VOC 100% solids laminating adhesive having a mixed viscosity of preferably 200-1500 cps with the viscosity remaining within a desired range at room temperature, defined as a temperature range of 50-110 degrees F for up to 3 hours. In certain applications, such as where a four or five coating method is employed, the viscosity can be adjusted to be as high as 1500 cps. The adhesive is solventless and is unaffected by moisture. Applicants have found that curing of the adhesive will take place for most substrates within 48 hours. The adhesive may be cleaned using IPA (isopropyl alcohol) for at least six hours after mixing and can be cleaned using toluene up to 1 day after mixing. As an important aspect, the adhesive consists of ingredients which make it permissible for use as an adhesive for laminations of films designed for food packaging pursuant to F.D.A. Regulation 175.105. The inventive adhesive does not emit strong odors.
(7) Any adhesive that possesses the properties of the adhesive as described above and which complies with F.D.A. Regulation 175.105 would be a suitable substitute therefor in the inventive process.
(8) Hereinabove, in the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION, Applicants discussed the difficulty of trying to coat high solids adhesive using gravure coating. Such high solids adhesive typically comprises urethane. An advantage of the present invention is the ability to coat 100% solids adhesive by gravure coating technique. Such a technique may be performed both in-line, usually by applying the adhesive to an unprinted web with its own oven, as well as out-of-line on a separate machine. Such a technique can also be accomplished in the last deck of a flexopress as would be done on a narrow machine. The wide web application is extremely important since the wider web increases the amount of surface area per unit time that flows through the machine. Thus, the wider web consumes a much higher amount of adhesive than narrow web applications. Through the use of the present invention, by eliminating the adhesive drying oven, one may double production from, for example, 400 to 500 feet per minute of film to 800 to 1000 feet per minute of film. Additionally, the use of the inventive adhesive in the inventive process reduces costs since energy costs expended for drying the adhesive in an oven are eliminated.
(9) In a typical in-line wide web printing and laminating operation, the coating method is gravure. Such a method of application facilitates putting a heavier coating weight down to obtain satisfactory bonding, but requires a large oven to dry the solvent or water from the adhesive. Again, through the teachings of the present invention, the oven is eliminated. The etch of the knurled cylinder determines the coating weight. Through the use of the present invention, the etch is much finer than usual since only solids are applied instead of solids plus carrier, whether the carrier is a solvent or water. Of course, additionally, the hot nip is also eliminated, which also eliminates curling of the finished product due to the avoidance of exposure to heat both in the oven and in the nip.
(10) In such a system, the print ovens are very small with short dwell time as compared to the size and dwell time of the adhesive oven. This disparity is due to the thinness of the ink coating as compared to the thickness of the adhesive coating. In narrow web flexo-operations where water-based adhesive is applied, high solids adhesives are used in order to obtain a coating weight that is sufficiently heavy enough to work while being easy to dry. In the gravure process, one fewer roll is used as compared to the flexoprocess. In gravure, two rolls are used whereas in flexo, three rolls are used.
(11) The process in accordance with the teachings of the present invention can also be used in extrusion coating. In extrusion coating, the adhesive can be applied by gravure and when the hot extrudate hits the adhesive during the laminating process, it is cured in the range of 80% cure instantaneously. As before, the extrusion process does not require the oven. A typical gravure application will apply the adhesive and the web is then conveyed to the nip where hot molten polyethylene, polypropylene or other materials are extruded to the adhesive. If desired, a second web is brought in to laminate with the first-mentioned web, but this is not absolutely necessary. One or both webs can be printed. Such a process is a superior application since high speed process can be undertaken without a drying problem and with instantaneous bonding.
(12) Applicant has found that there is a high interest in 100% solids adhesive technology for use by wide web convertors, namely, four or five roll coating systems. Such systems typically are able to use higher viscosity adhesive products because the plurality of rolls facilitates spreading of the adhesive to a thickness that may be effectively coated despite the relatively high viscosity.
(13) The adhesives disclosed herein may advantageously be used in a four or five roll coating system, even at a high rate of speed, from 500 feet per minute to as much as 1,500 feet per minute, because the inventive adhesives do not create aromatic diamine or other odors and are highly resistant to misting even at such high coating speeds.
(14) The adhesives disclosed herein are highly advantageous over adhesives currently used in coating processes, particularly since they are able to run at room temperature. As should be understood, running at room temperature avoids the expense of providing heaters and supplying them with energy. Furthermore, when one runs at room temperature, the viscosity of the adhesive remains substantially uniform throughout the coating process, thereby maintaining the coating weight substantially uniform. Where the operator feels the need to heat a drum of adhesive, typically, the heating is done externally and creates a temperature gradient in which the adhesive around the periphery of the drum is hotter than the adhesive at the center within the drum. Such non-uniformity creates variance in coating weights that is problematic. The present invention eliminates this problem.
(15) In practicing the teachings of the present invention, Applicant has been required to take viscosity measurements of the inventive adhesives. For this purpose, Applicant has employed a Brookfield Viscometer Model DV2+ using an S-27 spindle at 25xc2x0 C.xc2x11xc2x0.
Accordingly, it is a first object of the present invention to provide a process for coating and laminating film using 100% solid adhesives at room temperature
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a process wherein the adhesive employed does not emit VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a process wherein the adhesive employed is solventless, possesses low viscosity, and maintains a relatively steady viscosity at room temperature.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a process wherein the adhesive employed is unaffected by moisture and may be used to laminate films to be used as packaging for food products pursuant to F.D.A. Regulation 175.105.
It is a yet further object of the present invention to provide such a process wherein a two doctor blade laminating system is employed wherein adhesive is recirculated to and from a chamber partially defined by the doctor blades.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a process wherein the adhesive employed is resistant to misting and may be formulated to have a viscosity up to 1,500 cps at room temperature.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a process in which the inventive adhesive may be used in a four or five roll coating process while avoiding misting and creation of vapors while running at high speeds as much as 500 to 1,500 feet per minute.
These and other objects, aspects and features of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the appended drawing figures.

Process for coating and laminating film using 100% solids adhesive at room temperature


A cylinder lock mounting device of the invention comprises: a panel 40 having a cylinder lock insert hole 42 and a cylinder lock mounting hole 41; a cylinder lock 20 provided with a engaging projection 25 and a mounting section 27 on an outer peripheral surface thereof; and an outer handle device 1 to be fixed on an outer surface of the panel 40 by a fastener 62 inserted through the mounting section 27 of the cylinder lock 20 and the cylinder lock mounting hole 41 of the panel 40 from an inside of the panel 40, wherein the engaging projection 25 of the cylinder lock 20 is engaged with a peripheral edge of the cylinder lock insert hole 42 on an outside of the panel 40 by inserting and rotating the cylinder lock 20 in the cylinder lock insert hole 42 of the panel 40.

The present invention relates to a cylinder lock mounting device for mounting a cylinder lock on an automotive door panel or the like.
Such cylinder lock mounting device has been known in the prior art as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 7-54523. In this cylinder lock mounting device as shown in FIG. 6, a mounting section 110 is protrusively disposed on the outer periphery of a cylinder lock 109, while a cylinder lock mounting hole 105 is formed on a handle base 103, and the cylinder lock 109 is fitted into the cylinder lock mounting hole 105 from the inside (left side in FIG. 6) of a door. The mounting section 110 of the cylinder lock 109 and the handle base 103 are jointly fastened and fixed with a panel 101 interposed therebetween.
A guide section 113 extending to the inside of a door is formed at least on the lower edge of the cylinder lock mounting hole 105, and a fit-in hole 114 is formed on the guide section 113. On the lower surface of the outer periphery of the cylinder lock 109, there is protrusively provided a hook section 115 in a retractable manner.
When the edge portion of the cylinder lock 109 is fitted in the cylinder lock mounting hole 105 along the guide section 113, the hook section 115 on the outer periphery of the cylinder lock 109 is slid down in the retracted state and protrusively fitted into the fit-in hole 114 of the guide section 113 during the fit-in process, which prevents the cylinder lock 109 from dropping off from the handle base 103.
This achieves provisional retainment of the cylinder lock 109, which allows operators to jointly fasten the mounting section 110 of the cylinder lock 109 and the handle base 103 without holding the cylinder lock 109 by hand.
However, in this prior art embodiment, if strong pressing loads are applied to the cylinder lock 109 in the indoor direction after the above-described assembly of the handle base 103 and the cylinder lock 109, the hook section 115 may be slipped out from the fit-in hole 114 on the guide section 113 because of the retractability thereof. If the hook section 115 is slipped out, the cylinder lock 109 is consequently retained in the cantilever support state only by the mounting section 110, which may make a destruction of the cylinder lock 109 relatively easy.
In view of such problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cylinder lock mounting device which prevents application of cantilever loads on the mounting section and which is free from destruction if strong pressing loads are applied to the cylinder lock to implement improved anti-theft functionality.
In order to accomplish the above object, the first aspect of the invention comprises a panel having a cylinder lock insert hole and a cylinder lock mounting hole; a cylinder lock provided with an engaging projection and a mounting section on an outer peripheral surface thereof; and an outer handle device to be fixed on an outer surface of the panel by a fastener(e.g., bolt, rivet, pin, nail or the like) inserted through the mounting section of the cylinder lock and the cylinder lock mounting hole of the panel from an inside of the panel, wherein the engaging projection of the cylinder lock is engaged with a peripheral edge of the cylinder lock insert hole on an outside of the panel by inserting and rotating the cylinder lock in the cylinder lock insert hole of the panel.
According to the first aspect of the invention, the cylinder lock mounting device has the engaging projection which is engaged with the peripheral edge of the cylinder lock insert hole on the outside of the panel, so that even if strongly pressed down from the front side of the cylinder lock toward the inside of panel, the cylinder lock mounting device is free from application of cantilever loads to the mounting section because the engaging projection engaged with the panel resists the press force, which results in the difficulty of destruction on the cylinder lock and implements improved anti-theft functionality.
In the second aspect of the invention, the engaging projection and the mounting section of the cylinder lock are covered with the outer handle device.
According to the second aspect of the invention, the engaging projection and the mounting section of the cylinder lock are covered with the outer handle device, so that they are not visible from the outside. Consequently, it is impossible to attack and destroy the engaging projection and the mounting section, which makes it possible to implement improved anti-theft functionality.
In the third aspect of the invention, the mounting section of the cylinder lock is provided on a part of a flange section formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylinder lock.
According to the third aspect of the invention, the mounting section of the cylinder lock is provided on a part of the flange section formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder lock. This flange section retains the cylinder lock stably, and at the same time the cylinder lock is hold on the panel by the engaging projection and the flange section, so that if the outer handle device should be destructed, it is impossible to rotate the cylinder lock, which implements high anti-theft functionality.
In the forth aspect of the invention, a retainment projection which penetrates through the panel and projects from an inner surface of the panel is formed on the outer handle device, a flange section is formed on an outer peripheral surface of the cylinder lock, and the retainment projection is engaged with a part of the flange section of the cylinder lock by inserting and rotating the cylinder lock in the cylinder lock insert hole of the panel.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the retainment projection is engaged with the part of the flange section of the cylinder lock with the panel interposed between the outer handle device and the flange section of the cylinder lock, so that the outer handle device is provisionally retained to the panel and not surfaced from the panel.
In the fifth aspect of the invention, a rotation of the cylinder lock is stopped when the retainment projection of the outer handle device is engaged with the flange section of the cylinder lock, and at this time a position of the mounting section on the cylinder lock corresponds with a position of cylinder lock mounting hole on the panel.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the position of the mounting section on the cylinder lock corresponds with the position of the cylinder lock mounting hole on the panel when the retainment projection is engaged with the flange section, so that the fastener can be inserted into the mounting section on the cylinder lock and the cylinder lock mounting hole on the panel without the step of special positioning, which implements high assembling efficiency.


A highly stiff end mill comprising a shank, a plurality of helix cutting edges on the periphery of the end mill, the end mill being characterized in that a radial rake angle of the helix cutting edges in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the end mill is set in the range of -29.degree. to 0.degree. and a core diameter of the end mill is set in the range of 70 to 90% of the outside diameter of the end mill.. By selectively determining the negative rake angle in the range described above, this end mill is applicable to hard materials and has general-purpose properties. The improper factors of the end mill, such as increased cutting resistance, can be compensated for by setting the core diameter thereof to the range described above. This end mill is also structured to be able to cut materials with less hardness values as well as hard materials, thereby covering a wide range of applications.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an end mill used for machine tools such as milling machines and machining centers.
2. Prior Art
An end mill shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 (hereafter referred to as "conventional tool 1") is used as a rotary cutting tool when cutting steel and other general materials by using machine tools such as milling machines and machining centers. The conventional tool 1 is one of the most generally used conventional end mills. The peripheral cutting edges 2 of this conventional tool 1 have a positive rake angle .theta.b and the core diameter 4 of the cutting edge section is set to about 60% of the tool diameter to dispose wide chip pockets and to enhance the cutting performance of the tool.
As end mills used to cut workpiece materials having a hardness exceeding H.sub.RC 50, such as tool steel, an end mill shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 (hereafter referred to as "conventional tool 2") was proposed in the Laid-open Patent Application No. 3-178714, an end mill shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 (hereafter referred to as "conventional tool 3") was proposed in the Laid-open Patent Application Nos. 2-100727 and 3-26413 by the applicants of the present invention, and an end mill shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 (hereafter referred to as "conventional tool 4") was proposed in the Laid-open Patent Application No. 4-159010.
In particular, the conventional tools 2 and 3 can cut workpiece materials having a hardness of H.sub.RC 60 or more. These conventional tools have a large negative rake angle .theta.b of -60.degree. to -30.degree. and a large relief angle .theta.c on their peripheral cutting edges. The conventional tool 4 has a negative radial rake angle of -22.degree. to -5.degree. at the curved sections of the end-cutting edges thereof to enhance the strength of the end-cutting edges when cutting workpiece materials having a hardness exceeding H.sub.RC 50 or more. In FIGS. 1 to 7, numeral 1 represents a tool, numeral 3 represents a tool shank and numeral 5 represents a chip pocket.
Since working hours and man power are desired to be saved and workpieces are requested to have higher accuracy these days, NC machine tools such as machining centers have been used widely and mainly. For this reason, the demand for tools capable of ensuring reliable, highly accurate and efficient machining operation is increasing significantly.
In the case of the conventional tool 1, however, the cutting edge strength and the stiffness of the tool itself are insufficient to satisfy the above-mentioned demands. When the tool is used for high-speed, high-feed cutting, intense vibration generates and causes chipping and breakage, resulting in improper machined surfaces. The tool must thus be used in limited cutting conditions and it has low cutting efficiency. Even during normal cutting, sharp edges made of cemented carbide (inherently brittle material) attached to the conventional tool 1 still need to be improved with respect to tool stability.
When cutting workpieces having a hardness exceeding H.sub.RC 50, the conventional tool 1 wears out significantly, and is apt to be chipped and broken very easily in the same way as in the case of the above-mentioned high-speed, high-feed cutting. In order to cut hard workpieces, the conventional tools 2 and 3 are available. Since the peripheral cutting edges 2 of these conventional tools have a large negative rake angle .theta.b to satisfy the requirements for cutting hard workpieces, these tools are inferior in cutting performance and have great cutting resistance. In actual practice, these tools are applicable only to cutting operations which require slight depths of cut, such as finish cutting. In the case of the conventional tool 4, the length of its curved section is only 0.1 to 0.5 mm, making its chip pocket shallow. This tool is therefore applicable only to cutting operations which require slight depths of cut and cannot be used for general purposes.
When cutting workpieces having low hardness values, such as machine structural carbon steel, the effects of the characteristics of such workpieces on cutting tools become significant. The conventional tools 2 and 3 have low cutting efficiency and generate plucks on machined surfaces, causing a problem of very inferior cutting accuracy. Although the conventional tool 4 is also inferior in cutting efficiency, since its negative rake angle is smaller than those of the conventional tools 2 and 3, the surfaces machined by the conventional tool 4 are less affected by plucks. However, since its end-cutting edges are classified into a master tooth and a slave tooth, the strength of the slave tooth is reduced and the tool is apt to be chipped at its corners when cutting is performed under a heavy load.
As described above, the conventional tools 1 to 4, which have been made by more sufficiently delivering the characteristics of cemented carbide, are apt to cause problems of chipping and breakage when their cutting edges are sharp. When their cutting edges are obtuse, the tools are mainly used for finish cutting. When the rake angle is an intermediate value between the sharp and obtuse angles, that is, .theta.b=-20.degree. to 0.degree., the characteristics of both the sharp and obtuse angles are intermixed and delivered. The tools having such intermediate edge angles can be used for various applications, and can satisfy various accuracy and performance requirements. In actual practice, however, these matters have not yet been examined sufficiently.


The generator includes an asynchronous machine with a wound rotor driven mechanically and a stator connected to the network. The rotor is excited by a constant DC voltage source via an inverter controlled by a pulse width modulation control circuit. In accordance with the invention, the following are generated: a stator frequency set point, a rotor frequency set point which is a function of the stator frequency set point and the rotation speed of the machine, an rms stator voltage set point, an error signal which is a function of the difference between the rms stator voltage set point and the actual rms stator voltage. A rotor voltage set point is imposed on the control circuit which is a function of the error signal and the rotor frequency set point.

The present invention relates to the production of electrical energy by a stand-alone electrical generator, in particular a stand-alone electrical generator of the type used in aircraft.
The invention relates more particularly to a method of controlling a stand-alone electrical generator of the type used in aircraft.
An electrical generator control method is described in an article by Yifan Tang et al. published in IEEE Transactions On Power Electronics, Vol. 10, No. 4, July 1995.
That prior art control method is applied to an asynchronous machine whose stator is connected to the mains electrical power supply and whose wound rotor is driven mechanically. The method uses a constant DC voltage source for electrical excitation of the rotor winding. The DC voltage source feeds the electrical energy into the rotor via an inverter controlled by a pulse width modulation control circuit.
The direct current source of the prior art control device also includes an AC/DC converter or rectifier which is controlled by a pulse width modulation control circuit and which energizes a capacitor connected to the input of the inverter.
The control circuits of the inverter and the rectifier are controlled by control loops designed to control the operation of the generator so that certain operating criteria are complied with. To be more precise, the control system seeks to achieve stable control by controlling the active and reactive power of the generator. The control loops therefore receive set points in the form of an active power reference value and a reactive power reference value.
However, the above control method is designed to be applied to the generators connected to very high power mains electrical power supply networks in which the frequency and the voltage are imposed by the network itself, for example a public mains electrical power supply network.
However, in some applications of such electrical generators the network supplied is relatively small, as is the case in an aircraft, for example, and the voltage and the frequency are not imposed from the outside, but depend on particular operating conditions of the generator, for example the applied load or the rotation speed at which it is driven. In such applications the rotation speed of the device driving the generator can vary considerably. Thus in an aircraft, for example, the speed depends on the rotation speed of the propulsion engines, and can therefore vary by a factor of greater than 2 (from 500 to 1200 radians per second, for example)
The invention aims to provide a method of controlling a stand-alone electrical generator producing electrical energy for a relatively small electrical power supply network at a particular nominal voltage and at a frequency which is constant or variable, depending on the application. The benefit of the invention is that it reduces the range of variation of the frequency relative to the range of variation of the rotation speed.
The invention therefore provides a method of controlling a stand-alone electrical generator including an asynchronous rotating machine whose wound rotor is driven mechanically, in particular to power small electrical power supply networks, at a particular voltage and with a particular frequency, such as those used on aircraft, the stator of said machine being connected to the network and its rotor being excited by an inverter controlled by a pulse width modulation control circuit, the inverter itself being excited by a constant DC voltage source, which method is characterized in that it consists of:
generating a signal representing the stator frequency (or angular frequency) set point,
generating a signal representing the rotor frequency (or angular frequency) set point as a function of the stator frequency set point and the rotation speed of said machine,
generating a signal representing the stator voltage rms set point value,
generating an error signal as a function of the difference between said stator voltage rms set point value and the rms value of the actual stator voltage, and
imposing on said control circuit a rotor voltage set point which is a function of said error signal and said rotor frequency set point.
Because of the above features, the generator can maintain the voltage applied to the network and its frequency at their respective set point values.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

Method of controlling a stand-alone electrical generator, in particular for aircraft


It is possible to efficiently remove deposited materials such as a conductive film or insulting film adhered to parts such as the inner wall of a processing chamber and a substrate supporting tool disposed in the processing chamber. There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method comprises: loading a substrate into a processing chamber; forming a conductive film or an insulating film on the substrate by supplying a plurality of source gases into the processing chamber; unloading the substrate from the processing chamber; and modifying a conductive film or an insulating film adhered to the processing chamber by supplying a modifying gas into the processing chamber. After performing a cycle of the loading, the forming, the unloading, and the modifying processes a plurality of times, the modified conductive film or the modified insulating film adhered to the processing chamber is removed from the processing chamber by supplying a cleaning gas into the processing chamber.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device through a substrate processing process, and relates to a cleaning method and a substrate processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a method of forming a predetermined film on a substrate, there is a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. In a CVD method, two or more sources are caused to react with each other in a gaseous state or on the surface of a substrate to form a film including elements of source molecules on the substrate. As another method of forming a predetermined film on a substrate, there is an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method. In an ALD method, two or more film-forming sources are alternately supplied to a substrate under predetermined film formation conditions (temperature, time, etc.), and the sources are adsorbed on the substrate on an atomic layer basis to form a film by a surface reaction. As compared with a conventional CVD method, the ALD process can be performed at a lower substrate temperature (process temperature), and the thickness of a film formed on a substrate can be controlled by adjusting the execution number of a film-forming cycle.
An aluminum nitride (AlN) film and a titanium nitride (TiN) film are examples of a conductive film that can be formed on a substrate. In addition, there are examples of other conductive films such as a tantalum (Ta) film, a tungsten (W) film, a manganese (Mn) film, a film made of a nitride thereof, a titanium (Ti) film, and an aluminum (Al) film. In addition, examples of insulating films include a film formed by oxidizing Hf, Zr, or Al, and a film formed by nitriding Hf, Zr, or Al.
Such a conductive film or insulating film may be formed by supplying a process gas into a processing chamber in which a substrate is loaded. However, when such a conductive film or insulating film is formed, deposited materials including such a conductive film or insulating film are adhered to the inner wall of the processing chamber and a substrate supporting tool disposed in the processing chamber. If a film is deposited on the inside of the processing chamber to a large thickness, the film may crack due to increasing stresses, and thus contaminants (such as adhered materials that were stripped from the inside of the processing chamber) may be generated. If such contaminants permeate the conductive film or insulating film formed on the substrate, the product process yield may be decreased. Therefore, each time the thickness of a film formed by deposited materials reaches a predetermined value, it is necessary to remove the film. For this, it is preferable that deposited materials are removed by etching them using a cleaning gas without disassembling the processing chamber. If a film can be removed by a cleaning gas, since it is not necessary to disassemble the processing chamber, manpower can be saved, and breakage of processing chamber components can be prevented. Therefore, operational costs can be reduced, and the operating rate of an apparatus can be improved. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses etching technology of a film such as an insulating film by using BCl3.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-146787
When an aluminum nitride film is formed on a substrate as a conductive film, for example, trimethylaluminum (TMA, Al(CH3)3) may be used as an aluminum (Al)-containing source, and ammonia (NH3) may be used a nitriding gas. An aluminum nitride film is used as an insulating film, and by stacked an aluminum nitride film on a titanium (TiN) film in an alternating manner, the aluminum nitride film can be used for forming an electrode.
However, if an aluminum nitride film is etched by using BCl3 (halogen-base gas) as a cleaning gas, the aluminum nitride film is not sufficiently etched so that it is difficult to remove the aluminum nitride film completely.

Method of manufacturing semiconductor device, cleaning method, and substrate processing apparatus


A spring loaded tensioning device. The device includes an elongated tubular member containing a spring loaded rod which extends through a lower stop on the tubular member to an attachment feature such as a hook. At the upper end of the tubular member, a pivot housing is provided to secure a pivotable handle, as well as to provide apertures for locking the device via pin, or a padlock or similar device.

Turnbuckles have been used for many years, and various versions have long provided their unique attributes for various tasks where it was desired to tighten the connection between two anchor points. In various turnbuckle designs, the use of a spring has been adapted to include a way to assure tensioning when for some reason the distance between the two anchor points might change or periodically vary to some limited extent. One situation where adjustable tensioning devices are desirable are those applications where loads are situated on transport vehicles, such as trucks. Many different types of turnbuckles for tensioning connections between loads and transport vehicles, or less commonly, between stationary objects and secure anchor points, are in use today.
Especially in the case of securing loads to transport vehicles, it would be a distinct and important improvement to provide a spring loaded tensioning device which is quickly and easily secured between selected anchor points. Moreover, it would be desirable to provide a design which can be quickly released from between anchor points, thus allowing the tensioning device to be easily removed. Thus, the important advantages of a product providing such desirable features in a workable tensioning apparatus can be readily appreciated.
The foregoing figures, being merely exemplary, contain various elements that may be present or omitted from actual implementations depending upon the circumstances. An attempt has been made to draw the figures in a way that illustrates at least those elements that are significant for an understanding of the various embodiments and aspects of the invention. However, various other elements of a spring loaded turnbuckle device, especially as applied for different variations of the functional components illustrated, as well as different embodiments of artistic elements such as a handle design, may be utilized in order to provide a robust spring loaded turnbuckle device with quick disconnect capability.

Spring loaded turnbuckle with quick disconnect


A powered entrance barrier door alarm device and system is configured to alert someone of an unauthorized breach of a powered entrance barrier, such as a garage door, whereby the powered entrance barrier is opened without the use of the powered entrance barrier opener. The powered entrance barrier alarm system includes a powered entrance barrier position sensor, and a detector circuit coupled with a powered entrance barrier opener power supply. The detector circuit measures an electrical power parameter to a powered entrance barrier opener. A detector module having a controller monitors the inputs from the detector circuit and the powered entrance barrier positioning sensor to determine if an alarm should be initiated. A detector module may have an electrical plug and an electrical outlet for a powered entrance barrier opener.

Home intrusion is a big concern for many home owners and many take measures to reduce the chance of a break-in of their home. Many homeowners install a home security system that incorporates entry sensors, motion sensors and in some cases video surveillance cameras. Entry sensors mounted to doors and/or windows are configured to detect the opening of the door or window. Entry sensors are often installed on garage doors, as this is a vulnerable point of entry. Garage doors may be forced opened or the locking mechanism may be release thereby allowing entry. Installation of entry sensors on garage doors causes a problem for many home owners that enter the home through the garage regularly. When the garage door is opened and the alarm system is activated, the homeowner must quickly go to the alarm system control unit to deactivate the alarm. A homeowner may have groceries or other items to retrieve from the vehicle before entering the home and this delay may prevent them from reaching the control unit before time expires and the alarm is activated. This can be a real nuisance. When an alarm is activated, a call may be made by the alarm system company or local authorities to confirm that there is no emergency situation. Some alarm systems provide a wireless controller that is configured to remotely activate or deactivate the alarm system. Unfortunately, this is another device that a home owner must keep track of and remember to push when entering through home.
Most home alarm systems are configured with a delay to allow the homeowner to make their way to the alarm system control unit and disable the alarm. This delay can be several minutes which is plenty of time for an intruder to breach a garage door or other powered entrance barrier, load up valuable items, such as bicycles, and leave before the delay expires and the alarm is sounded.

Powered entrance barrier alarm device and system using same


A driving circuit for the display apparatus having a plurality of output terminals includes a couple of selecting parts for selecting either a potential VDD2 or a potential VDD4 by control signals 221S, 222S, 231S and 2342S and then outputting said selected potentials as V1 and V2, respectively; and a plurality of output parts: say, one of the odd numbered output parts 202 having, in common with other odd numbered output parts, potentials VDD1 and VDD3 and said selected potential V1, and selecting one potential out of them by control signal 241S, 242S and 243S and outputting said selected next potential as a driving signal; one of the even numbered output parts 203 having, in common with other even numbered output parts, said potentials VDD1 and VDD3 and said selected potential V2, and selecting one potential out of them by control signal 251S, 252S, 253S and outputting said selected next potential as a driving signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving circuit for a display apparatus, particularly to a driving circuit for a display apparatus with a multitude of outputs that outputs specified waveforms and is useful for scaling down the driver chip.
Various kind of driver chips generally output specified waveforms, which are formed in such a way that a plurality of power supplies associated with the respective waveforms are selected by transfer gates and then outputted.
In a driver chip with a multitude of outputs such as a liquid crystal driver, smaller output impedance is needed to obtain a larger driving capability, thus a chip area used for the above mentioned transfer gates tends to be large thus occupying a large percentage of the whole chip area.
Furthermore, recently, as the screen of liquid crystal displays have become wider, driving load requirements have become larger. This necessitates even smaller output impedance, thus the transfer gates will occupy an even greater percentage of the whole chip area.
On the other hand, the reduced chip area of a driving circuit has continuously been sought and crucial to realize even lower price.
For reference purposes, a liquid crystal display apparatus as disclosed in the Japanese Patent Open-Laying No. Hei 2-157815 will be explained below.
FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram of the liquid crystal display apparatus. Elements 4, 8 and 12 are liquid crystal elements, 1 is a video signal line for controlling the twist of the liquid crystal elements 4, 8 and 12 and so on. Elements 3, 7 and 11 are thin film transistors (hereafter referred to as TFT's) for controlling the transfer of a video signal in the video signal line 1 to the liquid crystal elements 4, 8 and 12. Elements 2, 6, and 10 are scanning signal lines for turning on or off TFT's 3, 7 and 11. Elements 5, 9 and 13 are storage capacitors for storing charge.
It should be noted that FIG. 5 illustrates only part of the liquid crystal display apparatus. In accordance with resolution of the display apparatus, a specified number of combinations of a TFT, a liquid crystal element and a storage capacitor are actually arrayed vertically and horizontally, and a specified number of video signal lines and scanning signs lines are also disposed.
FIG. 6 shows the waveforms of scanning signals used in the liquid crystal display apparatus of FIG. 5. A scanning signal 2S comes in a scanning signal line 2, a scanning signal 6S in a scanning signal line 6 and a scanning signal 10S in a scanning signal line 10.
This liquid crystal display apparatus features the presence of the storage capacitors 5, 9 and 13, and as a result of a stored charge on the storage capacitors 5, 9 and 13 an even smaller amplitude of a video signal on the video signal line 1 is usable, thereby helping decreasing power consumption.
The performance of the liquid crystal display apparatus will be explained below in detail.
During t1, scanning signals 2S, 6S and 10S as respectively inputted to the scanning signal lines 2, 6 and 10 turn off the respective TFT's 3, 7 and 11.
During t2, the scanning signal 2S inputted to the scanning signal line 2 turns on the TFT 3, but the amplitude of a video signal on the video signal line 1 is too small to activate the liquid crystal element 4, and the voltage on the video signal line 1, which is to be used to activate the liquid crystal element 4, is applied to the storage capacitor 5, producing a potential difference between the terminals of the storage capacitor 5.
During t3, the scanning signal 2S inputted to the scanning signal line 2 turns off TFT 3.
During t4, the scanning signal 6S inputted to the scanning signal line 6 turns on TFT 7, but the amplitude of the video signal on the video signal line 1 is too small to activate the liquid crystal element 8, and the voltage on the video signal line 1, which is to be used to activate the liquid crystal element 8, is applied to the storage capacitor 9, producing a potential difference between the terminals of the storage capacitor 9.
During t5, the scanning signal 6S inputted to the scanning signal line 2 turns off TFT 7.
During t6, the scanning signal 2S inputted to the scanning signal line 2 activates and twists the liquid crystal element 8.
In more detail, as the potential of the scanning signal line 2 is increased, the potential of the liquid crystal element 8 is increased to the sum of the potential of the scanning signal line 2 and the potential difference (namely, the voltage of the video signal line 1 as stored) between the terminals of the storage capacitor 9. For this reason, even a small amplitude of the video signal on the video signal line 1 is able to activate the liquid crystal element 8.
However, unless TFT 7 is turned off at this time, charge stored in the storage capacitor 9 would discharge to the video signal line 1. For this reason, a time interval t5 is provided so that the potential of the scanning signal line 2 is to be increased after TFT 7 is turned off.
During t6, when the scanning signal 10S is inputted to the scanning signal line 10, the video signal on the video signal line 1 is stored in the storage capacitor 13. Here it should be noted that this video signal on the video signal line 1 is of inverse polarity to that stored in the storage capacitor 9.
During t7, the scanning signal 10S inputted to the scanning signal line 10 turns off TFT 11.
During t8, the scanning signal 6S inputted to the scanning signal line 6 activates and twists the liquid crystal element 12.
In more detail, as the potential of the scanning signal line 6 is lowered, the potential of the liquid crystal element 12 is decreased to the sum of the potential of the scanning signal line 6 and the potential difference between the terminals of the storage capacitor 13. For this reason, even a small voltage amplitude of the video signal on the video signal line 1 is able to activate the liquid crystal element 12. In this case the liquid crystal element 12 twists in the inverse direction against the liquid crystal element 8.
The above mentioned operations are to be repeated until the n-th scanning signal is generated (not shown in FIG. 6), thereby displaying one image on the liquid crystal display apparatus.
If liquid crystal is being twisted in one direction for a long time, a burning effect would occur. Therefore, even when displaying the same image the direction of twisting needs to be incessantly and completely inverted. The performance for twisting liquid crystal in the inverse direction will be explained below.
During t12, the scanning signal 2S inputted to the scanning signal line 2 turns on TFT 3, but the voltage amplitude of a video signal inputted to the video signal line 1 is too small to activate the liquid crystal element 4. However, the voltage of the video signal line 1 which is to be used to activate the liquid crystal element 4 is applied to the storage capacitor 5, thereby producing the potential difference between the terminals of the storage capacitors 5. Here, during t2, the voltage of the video signal line 1 is of opposite polarity to that applied to the storage capacitor 5.
During t13, the scanning signal 2S inputted to the scanning signal line 2 turns off TFT 3.
During t14, the scanning signal 6S inputted to the scanning signal line 6 turns on TFT 7, but the voltage amplitude of a video signal on the video signal line 1 is too small to activate the liquid crystal element 8. However, the voltage of the video signal line 1 which is to be used for activating the liquid crystal element 8 is applied to the storage capacitor 9, thereby producing the potential difference between the terminals of the storage capacitor 9. Here it should be noted that during t14, the potential of the video signal line 1 is of opposite polarity to that applied to the storage capacitor 9.
During t15, the scanning signal 6S inputted to the scanning signal line 6 turns off TFT 7.
During t16, when the scanning signal 2S is inputted to the scanning signal line 2, the liquid crystal element 4 is activated and twisted.
In more detail, as the potential of the scanning signal 2S is lowered, the potential of the liquid crystal element 8 is decreased to the sum of the potential of the scanning signal line 2 and the potential difference between the terminals of the storage capacitor 9. For this reason, even a small voltage amplitude of the video signal on the video signal line 1 is able to activate the liquid crystal element 8.
However, unless TFT 7 is turned off at this time, charge stored in the storage capacitor 9 would discharge via the video signal line 1. For this reason, a time interval t15 is provided so that after TFT 7 is turned off the potential of the scanning signal line 2 is decreased. During t13, when the scanning signal 10S is inputted to the scanning signal line 10, the voltage of the video signal line 1 is stored in the storage capacitor 13. Here it should be noted that the potential of the video signal line 1 is of opposite polarity to that applied to the storage capacitor 13.
During t17, the scanning signal 10S inputted to the scanning signal line 10 turns off TFT 11.
During t18, the scanning signal 6S inputted to the scanning signal line 6 activates and twists the liquid crystal element 12.
In more detail, as the potential of the video signal 6 is increased, the potential of the liquid crystal element 12 is decreased to the sum of the potential of the scanning signal line 6 and the potential difference between the terminals of the storage capacitor 13. For this reason, even a small voltage amplitude of the video signal on the video signal line 1 is able to activate the liquid crystal element 12.
The above mentioned operations are to be repeated until the n-th scanning signal is generated (not shown in FIG. 6), thereby twisting in the inverse direction all liquid crystal elements in the liquid crystal display apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As described above, this liquid crystal display apparatus intends to reduce power consumption by making use of charge stored in the storage capacitors 5, 9 and 13, and for this purpose a driving circuit that outputs the waveforms as shown in FIG. 6 is needed.
Referring to FIG. 6, a conventional driving circuit that outputs the waveforms as shown in FIG. 6 for the liquid crystal display apparatus will be explained.
FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of a conventional driving circuit with n pieces of output terminals for the liquid crystal display apparatus.
In FIG. 7, 30 and 31 are P-type MOS transistors, 32 to 34 are N-type MOS transistors, 35 and 36 are inverter circuits for inverting an input signal, 50 to 53 are control signal lines for turning on or off transistors 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34. 45 is an output terminal for outputting a driving signal into the scanning signal line 2 in the liquid crystal display apparatus as shown in FIG. 5. 40 to 43 are potential supply lines for supplying potentials to the output terminals when the respective transistors 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 60 and so on, are in the on-state, 40 is an on potential line for supplying a TFT in the liquid crystal display apparatus with an on potential VDD1, 41 and 42 are storage potential lines for supplying a storage capacitor with respective potentials VDD2 and VDD4 to store charge, and 43 is an off potential line for supplying a TFT with an off potential VDD3.
Here, the following relationship holds: VDD1>VDD2>VDD3>VDD4>=VSS.
60 and 61 are P-type MOS transistors, 62 to 64 are N-type MOS transistors, 65 and 66 are inverter circuits for inverting an input signal, 70 to 73 are control signal lines for turning on or off transistors 60, 61, 62, 63 and 64. 75 is an output terminal for outputting a driving signal into the scanning signal line 6 in the liquid crystal display apparatus as shown in FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a timing chart of a driving circuit for the liquid crystal display apparatus, where 50S to 53S and 70S to 73S show input waveforms on the control signal lines 50 to 53 and 70 to 73, respectively, and 45S and 75S are output waveforms from the output terminals 45 and 75, respectively, as shown in FIG. 7.
The operation of the driving circuit for the liquid crystal display apparatus as shown in FIG. 7 will be explained, referring to FIG. 8.
During t1, when control signals 50S to 53S are inputted to control signal lines 50 to 53, respectively, as the control signal 53S has a voltage level "1", the N-type MOS transistor 34 is turned on, then the off potential on the off potential line 43 is outputted from the output terminal 45, namely, a driving signal 45S is outputted from the output terminal 45.
On the other hand, when control signals 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 73S has a voltage level "1", the N-type MOS transistor 64 is turned on, then the off potential on the off potential line 43 is outputted from the output terminal 75, namely, a driving signal 75S is outputted from the output terminal 75.
During t2, when the control signals 50S to 53S are inputted to the control signal lines 50 to 53, respectively, as the control signal 50S has a voltage level "1", the P-type MOS transistor 30 is turned on, then the on potential on the on potential line 40 is outputted from the output terminal 45. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 45S from the output terminal 45 in FIG. 8).
On the other hand, even when the control signals 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 73S retains a voltage level "1", the off potential on the off potential line 43 is outputted from the output terminal 75. (Refer to the driving signal 75S from the output terminal 75 in FIG. 8).
During t3, when the control signals 50S to 53S are inputted to the control signal lines 50 to 53, respectively, as the control signal 52S has a voltage level "1", the N- MOS transistor 33 is turned on, then the storage potential VDD4 on the storage potential line 42 is outputted from the output terminal 45. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 45S from the output terminal 45 in FIG. 8).
On the other hand, when the control signals 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 73S retains a voltage level "1", then the off potential on the off potential line 43 is outputted from the it output terminal 75. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 75S from the output terminal 75 in FIG. 8).
During t4, even when the control signals 50S to 53S are inputted to the control signal lines 50 to 53, respectively, as the control signal 52S retains a voltage level "1", the storage potential VDD4 on the storage potential line 42 is outputted from the output terminal 45. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 45S from the output terminal 45 in FIG. 8).
On the other hand, when the control signals 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 70S has a voltage level "1", the P-type MOS transistor 60 is turned on, then the on potential on the on potential line 40 is outputted from the output terminal 75. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 75S from the output terminal 75 in FIG. 8).
During t5, when the control signals SOS to 53S are inputted to the control signal lines 50 to 53, respectively, as the control signal 52S retains a voltage level "1", then the storage potential VDD4 on the storage potential line 42 is outputted from the output terminal 45. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 45S from the output terminal 45 in FIG. 8).
On the other hand, when the control signals 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 71 has a voltage level "1", a CMOS transistor comprising the P-type MOS transistor 61 and the N-type MOS transistor 62 is turned on, then the storage potential VDD2 on the storage potential line 41 is outputted from the output terminal 75. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 75S from the output terminal 75 in FIG. 8).
During t6, when the control signals 50S to 53S are inputted to the control signal lines 50 to 53, as the control signal 53S has a voltage level "1", the off potential on the off potential line 43 is outputted from the output terminal 45. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 45S from the output terminal 45 in FIG. 8).
On the other hand, even when the control signals 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 71S retains a voltage level "1", the storage potential VDD2 on the storage potential line 41 is outputted from the output terminal 75. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 75S from the output terminal 75 in FIG. 8).
During t7, even when the control signals 50S to 53S are inputted to the control signal lines 50 to 53, respectively, as the control signal 53S has a voltage level "1", the off potential on the off potential line 43 is outputted from the output terminal 45. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 45S from the output terminal 45 in FIG. 8).
On the other hand, when the control signal 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 71S has a voltage level "1", the storage potential VDD 2 on the storage potential line 41 is outputted from the output terminal 75. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 75S from the output terminal 75).
The above mentioned operations are to be repeated up until the n-th output terminal (not shown in FIG. 7), thereby outputting the scanning signals for displaying one image in the liquid crystal display apparatus.
Next, liquid crystal in the liquid crystal display apparatus is twisted in the inverse direction to avoid a burning effect in the following manner.
During t12, when the control signals 50S to 53S are inputted to the control signal lines 50 to 53, respectively, as the control signal 50S has a voltage level "1", the P-type MOS transistor 30 is turned on, then the on potential on the on potential line 40 is outputted from the output terminal 45. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 45S from the output terminal 45 in FIG. 8).
On the other hand, even when the control signals 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 73S has a voltage level "1", the off potential on the off potential line 43 is outputted from the output terminal 75. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 75S from the output terminal 75 in FIG. 8).
During t13, when the control signals 50S to 53S are inputted to the control signal lines 50 to 53, respectively, as the control signal 51S has a voltage level "1", a CMOS transistor comprising the P-type MOS transistor 31 and the N-type MOS transistor 32 is turned on, then the storage potential VDD2 on the storage potential line 41 is outputted from the output terminal 45. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 45S from the output terminal 45 in FIG. 8).
On the other hand, even when the control signals 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 73S retains a voltage level "1", then the off potential on the off potential line 43 is outputted from the output terminal 75. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 75S from the output terminal 75 in FIG. 8).
During t14, even when the control signals 50S to 53S are inputted to the control signal lines 50 to 53, respectively, as the control signal 51S retains a voltage level "1", the storage potential VDD2 on the storage potential line 41 is outputted from the output terminal 45. (Refer to the wave form of the driving signal 45S from the output terminal 45 in FIG. 8).
On the other hand, when the control signals 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 70S has a voltage level "1", the P-type MOS transistor 60 is turned on, then the on potential on the on potential line 40 is outputted from the output terminal 75. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 75S from the output terminal 75 in FIG. 8).
During t15, even when the control signals 50S to 53S are inputted to the control signal lines 50 to 53, respectively, as the control signal 51S retains a voltage level "1", then the storage potential VDD2 on the storage potential line 41 is outputted from the output terminal 45. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 45S from the output terminal 45 in FIG. 8).
On the other hand, when the control signals 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 72S has a voltage level "1", the N-type MOS transistor 63 is turned on, then the storage potential VDD4 on the storage potential line 42 is outputted from the output terminal 75. (Refer to the driving signal 75S from the output terminal 75 in FIG. 8).
During t16, when the control signals 50S to 53S are inputted to the control signal lines 50 to 53, respectively, as the control signal 53S has a voltage level "1", the N-type MOS transistor 34 is turned on, then the off potential VDD3 on the off potential line 43 is outputted from the output terminal 45. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 45S in FIG. 8).
On the other hand, even when the control signal 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 72S has a voltage level "1", the storage potential VDD4 on the storage potential line 42 is outputted from the output terminal 75. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 75S from the output terminal 75 in FIG. 8).
During t17, even when the control signals 50S to 53S are inputted to the control signal lines 50 to 53, respectively, as the control signal 53S has a voltage level "1", the off potential on the off potential line 43 is outputted from the output terminal 45. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 45S from the output terminal 45 in FIG. 8).
On the other hand, when the control signal 70S to 73S are inputted to the control signal lines 70 to 73, respectively, as the control signal 72S has a voltage level "1", the storage potential VDD4 on the storage potential line 42 is outputted from the output terminal 75. (Refer to the waveform of the driving signal 75S from the output terminal 75).
The above mentioned operations are to be repeated up until the n-th output terminal (not shown in FIG. 7), thereby outputting the scanning signals for displaying one image in the liquid crystal display apparatus.

Driving circuit and its driving method for display apparatus

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


The present invention is directed to a method of using somatostatin or a somatostatin agonist to inhibit the proliferation of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which comprises administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of said somatostatin or somatostatin agonist. Preferably, a somatostatin sub-type receptor 2 (SSTR-2) selective somatostatin agonist is administered in a method of this invention. The inhibition of H. pylori proliferation is useful in treating various gastroduodenal diseases such as peptic ulcers, gastric cancer and gastric lymphoma.

The present invention is directed to a method of using somatostatin or a somatostatin analogue to inhibit the proliferation of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which comprises administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount of said somatostatin or somatostatin analogue. Preferably, a somatostatin sub-type receptor 2 (SSTR-2) selective somatostatin analogue is administered in a method of this invention.
A growing body of evidence supports a crucial etiological role of H. pylori in the pathogenesis of various gastroduodenal diseases and disorders such as peptic ulcers, gastric cancer, gastric lymphoma, MALT (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue) lymphoma, gastritis with severe abnormality and after early gastric cancer resection. H. pylori can only survive in the gastric mucous layer covering the gastric epithelial cells (Warren, J. R., Marshall, B. J., Lancet, 1983;1:1273-1275, and Marshall, B. J., Warren, J. R., Lancet, 1984;1:1311-1314). Several bioactive peptides such as gastrin and somatostatin, which exist not only in the gastric mucosa (gastrin-containing G-cells and somatostatin containing D-cells) but also in gastric juice, play an important pathophysiological role in gastroduodenal function (Rao, R. K., Life Sci., 1991;48:1685-1704). It has been demonstrated that levels of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity both in the antral mucosa and in gastric juice are lower in subjects infected with H. pylori compared with H. pylori negative subjects (Kaneko, H., et al., Dig. Dis. Sci. 1992;37:409-416). Others have demonstrated that H. pylori infection decreases mucosal somatostatin content, D-cell number and somatostatin messenger RNA (mRNA) expression and that eradication of H. pylori reverses the somatostatin-related parameters mentioned above (Moss, S. F., et al., Lancet, 1992; 340:930-932; Sumii, M., et al., Am. J. Gastroenterol., 1994;89:1515-1519; Calam. J., Ann. Med. 1995;27:569-573). From these lines of evidence, somatostatin-linked pathogenesis in H. pylori-induced mucosal damage has been proposed. Moreover, somatostatin not only shows gastroprotective property by decreasing acid secretion mediated via inhibiting gastrin secretion, but also regulates the proliferation and differentiation of several lines of cells (Chiba, T., Yamada, T., Gut somatostatin. In: Walsh, J. H., Dockray, G. J., ed., Gut peptides: Biochemistry and Physiology. New York: Raven, 1994:123-145). However, an effect of somatostatin on H. pylori proliferation remains unknown.
As a cure for H. pylori infection in several gastroduodenal diseases, treatment with certain drugs have been used, such as amoxycillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole and tinidazole, but the current pharmaceutical treatments have undesirable side-effects (Lee, J., O'Morain, C., Gastroenterology, 1997;113:S99-S106). Thus, there is a need for a drug which avoids the undesirable side-effects.


A method and apparatus for generating a graphical depiction of related data are provided. Non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to identify a graph wherein a node represents a stored object having one or more application-specific attributes associated with a primary application, wherein the primary application includes other than a presentation of nodes in a graph drawing, and wherein edges represent stored relationships between said objects, which include a relevancy to the primary application. The computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to receive a selection formula wherein the selection formula is based on the one or more application-specific attributes of the objects, and wherein the formula classifies the objects based on at least one of predetermined and selectable values of the attributes; and depict a visual representation of the graph.

The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to graph representation and, more specifically, to node positioning within stratified graph representations based upon attributes of represented objects.
At least some known graph drawing tools are designed to implement graph drawing algorithms that can either import or receive from a user interactively sets of properties for nodes that are relevant to their display in a visual representation of the graph. For example, a label or text for a node may be imported or specified by a user interactively, and the size of a name might influence the size of one or more of the nodes. As another example, dimensions, color, and perhaps positioning requirements might be specified by a user or imported. These node properties influence the drawing of the graph.
However, these properties do not necessarily reflect the nature of the objects represented by nodes directly. For example, a graph might be generated wherein nodes represent employees within a company. The data representing employees might specify a number of properties about each employee, such as name, department, education level, seniority, position, and so on. At least some texts that present graph drawing algorithms do not present algorithms that directly access such information stored about node objects. A user might specify positioning requirements, or labels or text based upon any number of such properties, and might further specify them programmatically; however, the algorithm for placing the nodes within a drawing does not directly consider information stored about the objects themselves.

Automated stratification of graph display


A multi-aperture imaging device includes an image sensor and array of optical channels, wherein each optical channel includes optics for projecting at least one partial field of view of a total field of view on an image sensor area of the image sensor. The multi-aperture imaging device includes a beam deflector for deflecting an optical path of the optical channels. A first optical channel of the array is configured to image a first partial field of view of a first total field of view, wherein a second optical channel of the array is configured to image a second partial field of view of the first total field of view. A third optical channel is configured to completely image a second total field of view. The second total field of view is an incomplete section of the first total field of view.

The present invention relates to a multi-aperture imaging device, an imaging system and a method of providing a multi-aperture imaging device. The present invention further relates to multi-aperture imaging systems having a linear channel arrangement and a small or very small installation size.
Conventional cameras have an imaging channel that images the entire object field. The cameras have adaptive components that enable a relative lateral, two-dimensional displacement between objective and image sensor for realizing an optical image-stabilization function. Multi-aperture imaging systems having a linear channel arrangement consist of several imaging channels that each only capture a part of the object and that contain a deflecting mirror.
It would be desirable to have concepts for multi-channel capturing of object areas or fields of view that enable a compact realization.
Thus, it is the object of the present invention to provide a multi-aperture imaging device and a method of providing a multi-aperture imaging device that enables a compact realization, i.e., having a small installation space, with a high image quality.

Multi-aperture imaging device, imaging system and method of providing a multi-aperture imaging device

FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.


In one embodiment of the invention, a method for convolution of signals is disclosed including generating four phased half duty cycle clocks each being out of phase by a multiple of ninety degrees from the others; coupling the four phased half duty cycle clocks into a four phase half duty cycle mixer; and switching switches in the four phase half duty cycle mixer in response to the four phased half duty cycle clocks to convolve a differential input signal with the four phased half duty cycle clocks to concurrently generate a differential in-phase output signal and a differential quadrature-phase output signal on a dual differential output port.

A radio frequency (RF) mixer is generally a three-port radio frequency component that is used to change the frequency of one of the input signals. In a radio transmitter, an RF mixer may also be referred to as an upconverter. When used in a radio receiver, an RF mixer may also be referred to as a downconverter.
An RF mixer may be an active component or a passive component. To achieve a small scale size, an RF mixer typically uses an active component formed of transistors receiving a power supply so that it may be integrated into integrated circuits with other radio frequency components and devices.
Referring now to background FIG. 1, a schematic symbol for an RF mixer 100 is illustrated. The mixer 100 has two inputs ports LO, IF/RF and one output port RF/IF. If being used as an upconverter, the input ports are local oscillating input port LO and intermediate frequency input port IF and the output port is radio frequency output port RF. If the mixer is being used as a down converter, the input ports are a local oscillating input port LO and a radio frequency input port RF, and the output port is an intermediate frequency output port IF. The LO port receives a local oscillating signal from an oscillating signal source.
The purpose of a mixer is to change the frequency of a signal while hopefully keeping everything else about the signal the same. In FIG. 1, a first signal is coupled into the IF/RF port of the mixer 100 at particular frequency f1. A carrier signal is coupled into the LO port of the mixer 100 at a second frequency (f2). Two different output signals are formed at the RF/IF output port of the mixer 100 that may be selectively used. For upconversion to a higher frequency output signal, the in-phase output signal with a frequency equal to the sum of the two input frequencies (f1+f2) is selected. For downconversion to a lower frequency output signal, the output signal with a frequency equal to the difference between the two input frequencies (f1−f2) is selected.
For example, sound waves of voice are in a low frequency range of 20 to 20,000 hertz. On the other hand, carrier frequencies of cellular communications systems are in much higher frequency bands, such as 900,000,000 hertz. To talk on a cellular phone, for example, the voice frequency needs to be upconverted to the cellular carrier frequency used in cellular communications. One or more mixers are used to change the frequency band or range of human voice to the frequency band of the cellular carrier frequency.
One important characteristic of a mixer is conversion gain. Conversion gain is the ratio of the amplitude of the output signal to the amplitude of the input signal (not the local oscillating LO signal). Conversion gain may be expressed as a power ratio. If the conversion gain is less than one, a fraction, there is actually a loss through the mixer.
Another important characteristic of a mixer is its noise figure (NF). The noise figure for a mixer is determined by dividing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the input port (not the local oscillating LO input port) by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the output port of the mixer and converting the ratio into decibels.
Thus, a mixer can be improved by increasing the conversion gain and reducing the noise figure. By increasing the conversion gain and reducing the noise figure in a mixer, the requirements for other RF components may be more relaxed leading to simpler designs using less integrated circuit die area and possibly power conserving designs with the amplification of less noise.

Quadrature radio frequency mixer with low noise and low conversion loss


A solution to the read-modify-write problem for mixed tri-state chip processors by implementing a simple hardware change. This change could easily be built into microcontrollers and other chip processors to once and for all solve the problem. The present invention uses at least one logic gate to route data from the output of the data register back to itself instead of from the input pin during reads; the correct value stays in the output register at all times.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to chip processors and more particularly to a solution to a current problem encountered with chip processors such as microcontrollers.
2. Description of the Current Art
In a chip processor such as a microcontroller or microprocessor based system it is common to desire to control an individual bit in an output port from software. In order to control one bit without effecting the other bits it is common practice to perform a read of the port then to mask this data with a logical AND operation or a logical OR operation and then write this data back to the port. For example, assuming an 8 bit port(bits 7 through bits 0)in which the programmer wants to set bit 3 (this is the 4th bit), the software would first read the port, then logically OR the data read with the value 08h (00001000 in binary). This sets the bit. Finally the software would write this changed data back to the port. To clear a bit in the port without effecting the other bits, the software would read the port and logically AND the read data with a mask value and then write it back to the port (F7h (11110111 binary) for the above case). This practice is known as a "read modify write operation". The same concept applies to ports of any width.
Many modern chip processors such as microcontrollers have integrated I/O ports built onto the same chip. Often these ports are designed so they can be dynamically configured to operate either as an input or an output port on a bit by bit basis. In other words, each bit within a port can be dynamically configured as either an input or an output. It is also common to have efficient instructions (op-codes) for the setting or clearing the bits of ports. These instructions normally are capable of performing "read modify read-modify-write" operation directly in hardware by with a single op-code. This saves program space, and more importantly, program execution time.
In a microcontroller based system it is necessary in some cases to have what is called an open drain output where a pin is driven low from a floating state (MOS refers to Metal Oxide Semiconductor transistors common in most microcontrollers). Sometimes this is referred to as an open collector output, using Bipolar Junction Transistor BJT terminology whether or not the system actually uses a BJT or MOS transistor in its output. Sometimes an open source output is used instead of an open drain. The present invention relates equally to open source outputs where a pin is driven a from a floating state to a high state. In the open drain case, an output the pin is either be driven low (where it sinks current) usually representing a binary 0 or allowed to go into a high impedance state (where it draws no current, allowing others to read it or pull it to a fixed level) usually representing a binary 1. Sometime this high impedance state is referred to as a tri-state (or that the line is tri-stated).
It is common practice in the art, and is recommended by many microcontroller manufactures, to implement open drain (or open source) outputs (tri-stated outputs) by configuring the pin as an input rather than an output and using a pull-up or pull-down resistor similar to any tri-state configuration. This permits the manufacturer to implement tri-state configurations (to drive a tri-state bus) without having to actually supply output drivers with three states.
To achieve a workable circuit, the value in the pin output data register is set low for the open drain case with the output pulled high with a resistor. When the pin is configured as an input, goes to a high impedance state and is pulled high by the resistor. When it is desired to drive the pin to a zero (allow it to sink current), the configuration of the pin is changed to be an output. Since there is a 0 in the output data register, the pin is immediately driven low. So instead of setting the data bit high or low as needed in the case of a normal output configuration, the output is driven between the high impedance state and the zero driven state by toggling the input/output configuration bit (commonly called the data direction or DDR bit). The pin can also be used as a receiver or input simply by leaving it configured as an input and reading it in the normal way (where another location on the tri-state bus can pull the bus low). Open source systems work the same way with the states and polarities reversed.


An electrical contact having a body portion and an curvaceous tail portion extending from the body portion is disclosed. The tail portion may include first and second curved portions defining first and second points of contact, respectively. The first and second points of contact may be offset from one another in a direction of insertion and may be separated by a distance measured perpendicular to the direction of insertion. The distance may be greater than the diameter of a through-hole into which the contact is intended to be inserted. At least a portion of the tail portion may be adapted to rotate upon insertion into the through-hole. The tail portion may exert a force on the sidewalls of the through-hole sufficient to retain the electrical contact in the through-hole. The tail portion may also include a sharp tip that digs into the through-hole plating, thereby impeding movement of the tail portion in a direction opposite to the direction of insertion.

Electrical contacts with compliant tail portions are well-known. FIG. 1 depicts a prior-art press-fit electrical contact 100 having body portion 105 and compliant tail portion 110 that extends from body portion 105. The tail portion 110 may include a straight single beam portion 180 that extends from the body portion 105. Each of two curved portions 115, 120 may extend from the beam portion 180. Inner edges 185, 190 of the curved portions 115, 120 may define a slot, or "eye of the needle" 140. The tail portion 110 may define a distal portion 145, which may include a lead-in tip 150.
The curved portions 115, 120 may define opposing contact points 125, 130, respectively. The contact 100 may be inserted into a plated through-hole 132 in a direction of insertion 112. The through-hole 132 may extend through a substrate 122, which may be a printed circuit board (PCB) for example. The contact points 125, 130 may define the maximum width W of the tail portion 110, as measured transverse to the direction of insertion 112. The diameter D of the through-hole 132 may be less than the width W defined between the contact points 125, 130. Consequently, as the tail portion 110 is inserted into the through-hole 132, the sidewalls 133, 134 of the through-hole 132 may exert a compressive force on the tail portion 110 at the contact points 125, 130, thereby compressing the curved portions 115, 120 into the slot 140. The opposing forces at the contact points 125, 130 may define both the insertion force necessary to fully seat the contact in the through-hole, and the retention force necessary to move the contact back out of the through-hole.
With the miniaturization of electronic devices, it is often desirable to reduce the overall size of an electrical connector by reducing the size of its electrical contacts. However, as the contacts become smaller, they may become less physically robust. Thus, the insertion force needed to press fit the electrical contacts into the plated through-holes may be enough to cause the electrical contacts to bend or break.
Also, the slot 140 of the tail portion 110 is typically punched out via die tooling. Given the small size of the tail portion 110 and the slot 104, the die tooling used may need to be small and, consequently, fragile. Such die tooling may be susceptible to damage even after a short period of use. Consequently, the die tooling may need to be repaired or replaced frequently. This may lead to manufacturing delays and/or higher manufacturing costs.


An information processing method is provided in which bit-map data and attribute information for each pixel corresponding to the bit-map data are created by expanding a rendering command. In this method, the type of operation to be performed on the attribute information is determined based on logical operation processing specified for the rendering command. The logical operation processing for attribute information is created based on the determined type of operation. The attribute information is created by executing the logical operation processing. The attribute information is inverted if it possesses an inversion attribute.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing method, an image processing apparatus, and an image processing system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in image output devices, such as laser beam printers, which output high quality images, a device-dependent bit-map is created as follows. Upon receiving a rendering command from an operating system (OS), a multi-level bit map having total of 24 bits for red (R), green (G), and blue (B) is expanded in a multi-level bit-map area. Then, when the processing of all the rendering commands is completed, color processing (color correction, color conversion, n-level processing, etc.) is performed on the entire multi-level bit-map area, thereby forming a device-dependent bit map in a color space.
However, the expanded multi-level bit map does not possess attribute information for each pixel, and a determination as to for which type of object (character, graphics, or image) a certain pixel is used cannot be made, or it cannot be determined whether such a pixel forms an edge portion or a central portion of the object. Accordingly, all the pixels unconditionally undergo substantially the same color processing, and such processing is not always optimal for the individual pixels. The concept of such color processing is shown in FIG. 12.
Accordingly, techniques for providing attribute information for all the pixels in order to achieve optimal color processing on each pixel are known.
For example, the simplest technique is to reserve extra eight bits for providing attribute information per pixel which consists of 24 RGB bits, and one pixel is represented by RGBα having a total of 32 bits.
Another technique is to reserve memory for storing attribute information in a different area while maintaining one pixel as 24 RGB bits. The concept of color processing using such an attribute-information memory is shown in FIG. 13. In this technique, the attribute-information storage area is updated every time the corresponding pixel in the multi-level bit-map area is updated.
Accordingly, when a multi-level bit map is expanded into a multi-level bit-map area in response to a rendering command, attribute information is provided for all the pixels. Then, optimal color processing can be performed while considering the attribute information for each pixel.
According to the above-described techniques for providing attribute information, optimal color processing can be performed without presenting any problem as long as new rendering objects simply overwrite old rendering objects. However, when a rendering object which requires a logical operation is processed, attribute information cannot be precisely stored.
This problem is explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. 14. FIG. 14 illustrates an image object and a graphics object being overlapped when they are expanded into a bit map. Concerning the graphics object, a logical operation, i.e., "rendering is performed only when the graphics object does not have an underlayer" is designated for graphics-image attribute information 102. In this case, in a device-dependent bit-map area 200 in which a bit map is expanded, optimal color processing for images must be performed on the overlapping portion of the image object and the graphics object.
According to the above-described known attribute-information storage technique, however, after image-object attribute information 101 is stored, the graphics-object attribute information 102 may overwrite the image-object attribute information 101, as indicated in an attribute-information storage area 100 in FIG. 14. Then, when performing color processing, pixels which actually possess an image attribute, are erroneously determined to possess the graphics attribute, thereby failing to perform optimal rendering processing.

Image processing method, image processing apparatus, and image processing system