A capacitor 11 made up of a lower electrode 8, a capacitive insulating film 9 of an insulating metal oxide and an upper electrode 10 is formed over a semiconductor substrate 1. A first-layer wire 14 is formed on a passivation film 12 that covers the capacitor 11. A first interlevel dielectric film 15 is deposited to cover the first-layer wire 14. A second interlevel dielectric film 17 is deposited over the first interlevel dielectric film 15 with a barrier film 16, which overlaps the capacitor 11 for preventing hydrogen from diffusing, interposed therebetween. A second-layer wire 19 is formed on the second interlevel dielectric film 17. The first interlevel dielectric film 15 has a hydrogen content lower than that of the second interlevel dielectric film 17.

Recently, as digital technology has been developed, the performance of various electronic units has been further enhanced to catch up with a steep rise in the amount of data to be processed or stored at a time. As a result, semiconductor devices used for those electronic units and semiconductor elements mounted on the semiconductor devices have been rapidly downsized. Correspondingly, to integrate a dynamic RAM (Random Access Memory) more densely, a technique of using a material with a high dielectric constant (which will be herein referred to as a "high-κ material"), instead of silicon oxide or silicon nitride widely used, for a capacitive insulating film of a capacitor has been broadly researched and developed. Further, to implement a novel nonvolatile RAM that can operate at a low operating voltage and write and read data at a high speed, a ferroelectric film with spontaneous polarization properties has been vigorously researched and developed. It is noted that each of the high-κ material and the ferroelectric is an insulating metal oxide.
The most essential task in fabricating a semiconductor memory device such as a nonvolatile RAM is to develop a fabrication process for integrating a capacitor in a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) integrated circuit without deteriorating characteristics of the capacitor. In developing such a fabrication process, it is the most difficult task to suppress reduction of a capacitive insulating film caused by hydrogen or moisture generated during the fabrication process, i.e., to suppress deterioration of capacitor characteristics resulting from reduction of a high-κ material or a ferroelectric.
If capacitor characteristics are deteriorated due to reduction of a capacitive insulating film before an interconnect layer is formed, the capacitive insulating film is re-oxidized during an annealing process performed at high temperatures of 650° C. or higher in an oxygen ambient (which will be hereinafter referred to as a "high-temperature oxygen annealing"), thereby recovering the capacitor characteristics. On the other hand, after the interconnect layer has been formed, the annealing temperature is limited up to about 450° C. because there is a limit on the heat resistance of materials used for interconnection such as aluminum. Thus, an oxidation process with the high-temperature oxygen annealing cannot be used. Accordingly, to suppress the deterioration in capacitor characteristics by preventing reduction of the capacitive insulating film caused by hydrogen or moisture generated after the formation of the interconnect layer, it is necessary to prevent the hydrogen or the moisture from reaching an insulating metal oxide that constitutes the capacitive insulating film.
Hereinafter, a conventional semiconductor device, specifically the semiconductor device disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 10-321811 will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional semiconductor device.
As shown in FIG. 10, a gate electrode 104 is formed over a region surrounded by an isolating insulating film 102 (which will be hereinafter referred to as a "transistor region") in a semiconductor substrate 101 with a gate insulating film 103 interposed therebetween. A sidewall 105 is formed on side faces of the gate electrode 104. A doped layer 106 to be source/drain regions is defined in the transistor region of the semiconductor substrate 101.
A first passivation film 107 is deposited to cover the entire surface of the semiconductor substrate 101 where transistors, each including the gate electrode 104, the doped layer 106, and so on, are integrated. On the first passivation film 107, a capacitor 111 made up of lower electrode 108, capacitive insulating film 109 of Pb (Zr1−xTix)O3 (where 0≦x≦1) and upper electrode 110 is formed. A second passivation film 112 is deposited over the first passivation film 107 to cover the capacitor 111. A first contact hole 113A is formed in the second passivation film 112 to reach the upper electrode 110. A second contact hole 113B is formed in the first and second passivation films 107 and 112 to reach the doped layer 106. An interconnect layer 114 is deposited on the second passivation film 112 including the first and second contact holes 113A and 113B. Specifically, parts of the interconnect layer 114 are buried in the first and second contact holes 113A and 113B, thereby electrically connecting the capacitor 111 and the transistor (specifically, the doped layer 106 to be source/drain regions). A third passivation film 115 is deposited on the second passivation film 112 to cover the interconnect layer 114.
A plurality of third contact holes 116 are formed in the first, second and third passivation films 107, 112 and 115 to reach the doped layer 106. A first-layer wire 117 is formed on the third passivation film 115 including the third contact holes 116. Specifically, each of the third contact holes 116 is filled with part of the first-layer wire 117, thereby electrically connecting the first-layer wire 117 and the transistor.
A first interlevel dielectric film 118 is deposited over the entire semiconductor substrate 101 including the first-layer wire 117. The first interlevel dielectric film 118 is, for example, a silicon oxide film deposited by a plasma-enhanced CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition) process or an SOG (spin-on-grass) film formed by an SOG process. The surface of the first interlevel dielectric film 118 has been planarized. A hydrogen barrier layer 119 is formed over the first interlevel dielectric film 118 to prevent hydrogen or moisture from diffusing, and the entire surface of the hydrogen barrier layer 119 is covered with a second interlevel dielectric film 120. A via hole 121 is formed in the second interlevel dielectric film 120, the hydrogen barrier layer 119 and the first interlevel dielectric film 118 to reach a predetermined area of the first-layer wire 117. The via hole 121 is formed by etching the second interlevel dielectric film 120, the hydrogen barrier layer 119 and the first interlevel dielectric film 118 in that order. A second-layer wire 122 is formed on the second interlevel dielectric film 120 as well as in the via hole 121. In other words, the via hole 121 is filled with part of the second-layer wire 122, thereby electrically connecting the first-layer wire 117 and the second-layer wire 122.
In the conventional semiconductor device shown in FIG. 10, the second interlevel dielectric film 120 is deposited over the first interlevel dielectric film 118 on the first-layer wire 117, with the hydrogen barrier layer 119 interposed between the first and second interlevel dielectric films 118 and 120. Thus, it is possible to suppress the reduction of the capacitive insulating film 109 caused by hydrogen or moisture generated after the deposition of the second interlevel dielectric film 120.
However, the present inventors found that the conventional semiconductor device shown in FIG. 10 has the following two problems. A first problem is that the capacitive insulating film 109 is reduced by hydrogen generated during the deposition of the first interlevel dielectric film 118, resulting in deteriorating characteristics of the capacitor 111. A second problem is that moisture contained in the first interlevel dielectric film 118 is diffused with the passage of time to reach the capacitor 111 after the first interlevel dielectric film 118 has been deposited, resulting in deteriorating characteristics of the capacitor 111. Since the first-layer wire 117 is formed under the first interlevel dielectric film 118, it is impossible to recover characteristics of the capacitor 111 through an oxidation process using the high-temperature oxygen annealing after the first interlevel dielectric film 118 has been deposited.
FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b) are views for use in describing the first and second problems.
If a silicon oxide film 118A deposited by a plasma-enhanced CVD process, for example, is used as the first interlevel dielectric film 118, silane or tetraethylortho silicate (TEOS) containing hydrogen, for example, is used for the silicon oxide film 118A. Thus, as shown in FIG. 11(a), hydrogen ions or hydrogen radicals that have been generated in large quantity in a plasma reach the capacitor 111. As a result, the high-κ material or ferroelectric used for the capacitive insulating film 109 is reduced, thus deteriorating characteristics of the capacitor 111.
In addition, if a silicon oxide film 118B formed by an SOG process or by reaction of ozone and TEOS, for example, is used as the first interlevel dielectric film 118, the silicon oxide film 118B contains a large amount of moisture, i.e., OH radicals, and these OH radicals reach the capacitor 111 one after another with the passage of time as shown in FIG. 11(b). As a result, the high-κ material or the ferroelectric used for the capacitive insulating film 109 is reduced, thus deteriorating characteristics of the capacitor 111. In addition to the OH radicals that reach the capacitor 111 due to the above-described change over time, other OH radicals also reach the capacitor 111 easily when a heat process is performed at temperatures of 400° C. or higher after the deposition of the first interlevel dielectric film 118, thus deteriorating characteristics of the capacitor 111.
That is to say, in the conventional semiconductor device, it is impossible to prevent the capacitor characteristics from deteriorating due to reduction of the capacitive insulating film made of an insulating metal oxide, and thus excellent characteristics cannot be obtained.

Semiconductor device including a capacitor having a capacitive insulating film of an insulating metal oxide

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.


A rotor includes a laminated core, a plurality of magnets, and a resin portion. The laminated core includes a plurality of outer core portions arranged in a circumferential direction. The plurality of outer core portions and the plurality of magnets are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction. In addition, the outer core portion includes a through-hole that penetrates in an axial direction. The resin portion includes a columnar portion that is disposed inside the through-hole. Accordingly, the rigidity of the resin portion is enhanced. In addition, the resin portion includes a gate mark portion. At least a portion of the gate mark portion is positioned farther radially inward than the through-hole.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor, a rotor, and a manufacturing process of the rotor.
2. Description of the Related Art
A so-called inner rotor type motor in which a rotor is disposed inside an armature is known. The types of rotors used in the inner rotor type motor are mainly classified into an SPM (Surface Permanent Magnet) type rotor in which a plurality of magnets are attached to the outer circumferential surface of a rotor core and an IPM (Interior Permanent Magnet) type rotor in which magnets are buried into a rotor core.
When the SPM type rotor is used, the armature and the magnets can be placed in proximity to each other. Therefore, the magnetic force of the magnets can be effectively used. However, in the SPM type rotor, measures to prevent the magnets from escaping outward due to a centrifugal force during high-speed rotation need to be prepared. On the other hand, when the IPM type rotor is used, there is no concern of the magnets escaping due to the centrifugal force. Therefore, recently, the IPM type rotor has been the mainstream.
However, in general, in any of the SPM type and IPM type rotors, each of the magnets is disposed so that a pair of magnetic pole surfaces are respectively directed radially outward and radially inward. Therefore, only the magnetic pole surface on the radially outside surface of the magnet contributes to motor driving. In order to effectively use the pair of magnetic pole surfaces of the magnet, a rotor structure in which magnets and cores of magnetic bodies are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction has been proposed.
A conventional rotor in which the magnets and the cores are alternately arranged in the circumferential direction is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication no. 2010-063285. The rotor in Japanese Patent Application Publication no. 2010-063285 includes a rotor core, and substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped magnets accommodated in a plurality of slots formed in the rotator core, respectively (See, for example, paragraph [0059] of Japanese Patent Application Publication no. 2010-063285). In addition, in Japanese Patent Application Publication no. 2010-063285, the entirety of the magnets of the rotor are covered with a sealing resin (See, for example, paragraph 0063 of Japanese Patent Application Publication no. 2010-063285). Accordingly, the holding force of the magnets is increased (See, for example, paragraph [0064] of Japanese Patent Application Publication no. 2010-063285).
In FIG. 5 of Japanese Patent Application Publication no. 2010-063285, a gate through which the sealing resin is injected into a forming mold is provided at an upward position in the vicinity of the end portion on the radial outside of the magnets. According to the related art, it is thought that the gate is disposed in such a position because it is important to reliably cover the radially outside surface of the magnets with the sealing resin. However, when the position of the gate is eccentrically disposed radially outward, it is difficult for the resin to flow uniformly toward a through-hole positioned farther radially inward than the gate and toward the radial inner side of the magnets. In order to increase the rigidity of the sealing resin, molding the sealing resin with favorable accuracy even in the through-hole and on the radial inside of the magnets is required.

Rotor and manufacturing process of rotor


A magnetic core is made of a composite magnetic material having a relative permeability of between 1 and 29 at a frequency range from 20 kHz to 2.5 MHz. The composite magnetic material consists of cobalt and nickel particles having an average diameter in the range of 1 to 100 micrometers, and a polymer base binding the particles to form a core.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cores for inductors, transformers and like elements used in high frequency power conversion, and to a composition for making said cores.
2. Background Information
Magnetic materials such as ferrites and powered iron are formed into cores for magnetic devices, inductor and transformer cores, for use in, amongst other things, power converters. Ferrites are mixed compounds of ferromagnetic oxides (Fe2O3) and several oxides of bivalent metals such as Nickel Oxide (NiO), Manganous Oxide (MnO) and Zinc Oxide (ZnO). They exhibit low loss and good high frequency operation characteristics. Powdered irons, such as Molydbenum Permalloy Powder (MPP), are mixed with Nickel and Iron to provide magnetic materials for power conversion applications.
The design of a magnetic device depends on such factors as the permeability, loss factor, and size and shape of the core. The loss in a magnetic device usually accounts for 30-40% of the total loss in a power converter.
Conventional magnetic materials suffer from a number of disadvantages including limited size, brittleness, high loss and high cost. One of the typical problems is that for application in high power conversion, over 20 kW, the magnetic materials for device cores are expensive and difficult to form into the desired shape.


An image combining method in an electronic device having a plurality of cameras. In response to a photographing signal, images successively photographed through at least a first camera are successively stored. A first image is selected from the successively photographed images which satisfies a predetermined classification reference, such as a degree of blurring, a facial expression, and/or a shooting composition. A second image is captured through a second camera; and the first and second images are then combined. The combined image may be a picture-in-picture (PIP) type combination image. The first and second cameras may be front and rear cameras of a portable terminal, or vice versa. The successive image capture and selection technique may also be applied to the second camera.

1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally an electronic device having a plurality of cameras and more particularly, to a method for combining effective images among images photographed by using a plurality of such cameras.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, with the rapid development of communication technologies, functions of portable electronic devices such as portable terminals have been expanded, and accordingly, more diverse User Interfaces (UIs) and various functions using the UIs have been provided. In order to increase an effective value of portable terminals and meet various user demands, a variety of portable terminal applications have been developed.
Application functions using a camera have expanded greatly. For example, a camera phone function as well as a video phone function with video conferencing are typical applications in today's smart phones. Another example is an image combining application which is downloadable through a wireless Internet service, in which various image combining applications are possible, e.g., combining a user's hair style in a picture photographed by the user.
Further, in order to satisfy various tastes of users, a dual camera portable terminal with front and rear cameras is currently available. A dual camera portable terminal can display a main image photographed through one camera on a preview screen, while a sub image photographed through the other camera is overlaid with the main image in a form of Picture In Picture (PIP). In the portable terminal having the dual camera, a rear camera of the portable terminal is fixed to face a rear direction of the portable terminal, and a front camera of the portable terminal is fixed to face a front direction so as to photograph the user.
However, while it's possible to simultaneously identify two images through the two cameras facing in opposite directions, several limitations with current technology are apparent. First, in the sub image displayed smaller than the main image in the PIP form, the user has a difficulty in identifying a quality of the sub image with the naked eye due to a size limitation of the sub image. In addition, when different images photographed through the actual dual camera are combined, a combined image may be unsatisfactory if hand trembling occurs.
Thus, the conventional art does not provide a method of guaranteeing quality of the combined image in a dual camera portable terminal.

Combining effective images in electronic device having a plurality of cameras


The present invention is a method and system of transferring any telephone call designated to a first user to the cellular telephone of a second user. The system authenticates an end user's biometric information and then allows the end user to answer an incoming landline telephone call from any location using a cellular phone. Additionally, the reverse situation is true. An authenticated end user can answer an incoming cellular telephone call from any location using an available landline telephone.

In today's culture millions of people rely on cellular phones on a daily basis. Cellular phones are used to store contact information, make to do lists, send/receive e-mail, get information from the Internet, play games, and use calculator. Methods exist for the integration of cellular telephones with other communication devices such as laptops, GPS devices, and PDA's. However, currently there is a need for a comprehensive system that integrates cellular phones with home and/or office landlines. A system and method that automatically transfers any incoming telephone call to another authenticated cellular telephone is desired to provide cost-effective service and rates for long distance calling plans for cellular telephones.

Method and system for transferring a designated call to a cellular telephone

International Business Machines Corporation


A refrigerator includes a housing having at least one refrigerator compartment, a door for accessing the at least one refrigerator compartment, and an ice-dispensing assembly. The ice-dispensing assembly includes an insulated housing arranged within the at least one refrigerator compartment, an ice-making device arranged within the insulated housing and configured to produce ice, an ice-storage container arranged within the insulated housing, and a dispenser arranged within the door and communicating with the ice-storage container, wherein the dispenser is configured to transfer ice from the ice-storage container to an external portion of the refrigerator.

This invention relates generally to an ice dispensing assembly, and more particularly, to an ice dispensing assembly mounted within a refrigerator compartment.
Known refrigerators generally include a refrigerator compartment and a freezer compartment. The freezer compartment often includes an ice-making apparatus. At least some known refrigerators include an ice-dispensing apparatus which can provide cubed or crushed ice through the door.
Through-the-door ice-dispensing apparatus are typically utilized in side-by-side or top mount refrigerators. An ice making system in the freezer compartment has a container for storing ice and a means for conveying ice cubes from the container to a downwardly facing discharge opening. The ice-dispensing apparatus typically includes a chute extending through the door which includes a dispenser opening for delivering ice to a user.
However, due to the positioning of the freezer compartment in bottom freezers, where the freezer compartment is located below the refrigerator compartment, it is inconvenient for a consumer to access ice within the freezer compartment. Additionally, the freezer compartment is positioned at an insufficient height for through-the-door dispensing.

Ice-dispensing assembly mounted within a refrigerator compartment


A voltage-controlled oscillator has a resonance tank core providing a voltage-dependent resonance frequency, switching units connected with the resonance tank core for changing output voltage levels of the oscillator with a frequency corresponding to the resonance frequency of the resonance tank core. At least two of the switching units have pairs of Darlington transistors which are connected via a Darlington node. Output terminals are used for outputting the output voltage levels.

The supply voltage for such an oscillator circuit is conventionally chosen regarding the signal-to-noise ratio. The signal-to-noise ratio in turn influences the frequency stability of the oscillator circuit. A high supply voltage typically results in an improved signal-to-noise ratio. By using a high supply voltage conventionally high voltage transistors have to be employed in the oscillator circuit. High voltage transistors, however, have the major disadvantage that they usually exhibit much lower operation speeds than transistors operating with a lower supply voltage. A disadvantage of using low-voltage high-speed transistors is that they exhibit a lower signal-to-noise ratio than high-voltage transistors.


Denial of service type attacks are attacks where the nature of a system used to establish communication sessions is exploited to prevent the establishment of sessions. For example, to establish a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/Internet Protocol (IP) communication session, a three-way handshake is performed between communication endpoints. When a connection request is received, resources are allocated towards establishing the communication session. Malicious entities can attack the handshake by repeatedly only partially completing the handshake, causing the receiving endpoint to run out of resources for allocating towards establishing sessions, thus preventing legitimate connections. Illustrated embodiments overcome such attacks by delaying allocating resources until after the three-way handshake is successfully completed.

Denial of service (DOS) attacks are on the increase. A DOS attack is one where one or more fictitious network clients repeatedly contact a server in an apparent attempt to communicate with the server. Generally, a server allocates server resources to address an incoming connection. Typically, a server maintains a limited buffer for storing information about a connecting client during a handshaking exchange of messages for setting up a communication session with the client. However, during an attack, the handshaking is never completed by the fictitious network clients, and therefore the server's resources are not released, until, perhaps, a handshaking time out occurs. By rapidly sending fictitious connection attempts, the servers' limited buffer for incoming connections can be overwhelmed, thus causing legitimate connection attempts to be rejected.
Such an attack may be made with respect to any communication protocol in which a server allocates resources. However, such attacks are typically seen with respect to the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)/Internet Protocol (IP), as this is the most common networking protocol in use today. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates establishing conventional TCP/IP communication session. TCP/IP is designed to ensure robust data delivery. Thus, both sides to a communication session are required to keep session state and both transmit and receive acknowledgement packets.
To initiate a TCP/IP communication session, a valid client 100 sends 104 a server 102 a synchronization (SYN) packet to indicate the desire to communicate. The SYN packet also contains the client's Initial Sequence Number (ISN), which the server needs for sequencing fragmented data received from the client. The server allocates resources in its limited buffer for the incoming connection, and then sends 106 the client a synchronization/acknowledgement (SYN/ACK) packet. This SYN/ACK acknowledges the SYN packet sent by the client by setting the ACK number to be the Clients ISN+1, and also includes the server's own ISN (usually a randomly generated number by the server). In response, the client then sends 108 the server an acknowledgement (ACK) packet, which again is typically the server's ISN+1. These three operations are collectively referred to as the TCP/IP three-way handshake, and only when all three operations are completed, is a TCP/IP communication session established between the client and the server.
FIG. 2 illustrates a typical DOS attack. An invalid client 200 (or multiple different clients) sends 204 a SYN packet to a server 202. As discussed above, the server then allocates resources for establishing a communication session, and responds 206 with a SYN/ACK packet. Typically the source address for the SYN packet is forged so that the server's SYN/ACK reaches a non-existent client. If the forged address exists, a reset will be sent by that machine in response to the server's SYN/ACK since it had not initiated the connection, resulting in the connection being closed. Consequently, in most attacks, an attacker ensures the forged address either does not exist or is a victim in another attack which is using up its resources so that a real client will not send a TCP Reset message and close the TCP session. The attacker continues to send 208, 212 such TCP messages with forged addresses to the server and at such a rapid rate that the server allocates resources 210 until it runs out of resources 214 for establishing any more communication sessions. Thus, legitimate TCP connection attempts fail, denying service to real users.


A receptacle connector includes a housing and a receptacle contact. The housing includes a cavity extending through the housing from the mating side to the mounting side. The receptacle contact is disposed within the cavity and is configured to receive a mating contact of the mating connector. The receptacle contact includes elongated shafts disposed on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis and mating tips coupled to the shafts. The mating tips have tapered shapes between the shafts and outer ends of the mating tips. The tapered shapes are wider than the shafts in a lateral direction that is transverse to the longitudinal axis. The receptacle contact is configured to receive a mating contact of a mating connector between the mating tips to electrically couple the mating connector with the receptacle connector.

The invention relates generally to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to receptacle contacts in a connector assembly.
Connector assemblies include connectors having contacts that mate with one another to electrically couple the connectors. The size and geometry of the contacts in different connector assemblies may vary based on a variety of factors, including the desired electrical impedance characteristic of the connectors, the data rate of signals communicated using the connectors, and the like. The electrical impedance characteristic of the contacts in a connector assembly may need to be adjusted to more closely match the electrical impedance characteristic of the system in which the connector assembly is used. For example, in connector assemblies that communicate data at a relatively high data rate, the electrical impedance characteristic of the contacts may need to be adjusted to more closely match the electrical impedance characteristic of the printed circuit boards to which the connector assemblies are mounted.
One known manner in which the electrical impedance characteristic of the contacts is increased to a predetermined or desired target value is to reduce the amount of conductive material in the contacts. For example, the size and geometry of the contacts may be reduced in order to eliminate or decrease the amount of low electrical impedance areas or volumes in the contacts. Decreasing the amount of conductive material in the contacts by reducing the size and geometry of the contacts, however, comes at a cost. In order to reduce the size and geometry of the contacts, some mechanical features or elements of the contacts may need to be removed or eliminated from the contact. For example, some receptacle contacts have extensions, protrusions or other features that engage the housing of the connector in which the receptacle contacts are located. The features engage the housing in order to properly locate or align the receptacle contacts. The features may engage the housing to ensure that the receptacle contacts are properly positioned to receive mating contacts in order to electrically couple the contacts with one another. Reducing the size or geometry of the contacts may require the elimination of the features that engage the housing. Additionally, reducing the size of the receptacle contacts can reduce the areas of the receptacle contacts that mate with or engage the contacts in a mating connector. Reducing the mating areas of the receptacle contacts may result in inadequate engagement or electrical contact between the mating contacts and the receptacle contacts.
Therefore, in some known connector assemblies, the contacts are shaped to either increase the electrical impedance characteristic of the contacts or to ensure that the contacts engage the connector housing. A need exists to meet both of these demands in connector assemblies, and in connector assemblies designed for high data rates of signal communication.

Receptacle contact with a widened mating tip


A method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving a signal of Random Access Channel (RACH) in a wireless communication system using beamforming are provided. The reception method includes receiving the signal through each transmission beam of a transmitter from a transmitter, transmitted in each transmission beam by the transmitter, the signal including as many repeated symbols as a total number of reception beams of a receiver, and detecting symbols by switching to reception beams corresponding to the symbols included in the signal during reception of the signal.

In order to satisfy ever-increasing demands for wireless data traffic, techniques for increasing data rate in a wireless communication system have been proposed. One of the techniques is to increase the bandwidth of a signal. Because securing a broad frequency band in a bandwidth of 10 GHz or below in a general wireless communication system is difficult, a broad frequency should be secured in a higher frequency band. In this context, short-range communication standards in the current 60-GHz frequency band, such as Wireless High Definition (WirelessHD), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.15.3c, IEEE 802.11ad, and the like are under active study for millimeter wave communication systems.
As a result of the use of an extremely high frequency, a millimeter wave communication system suffers from path loss, poor penetration characteristics, and thus a reduction of service coverage. Such problems may be solved by beamforming. Specifically, narrow beam-based beamforming restricts Doppler spread and multi-path components.
Beamforming focuses waves on a specific service area by steering (e.g., directing) signals from a plurality of antennas in a specific direction. Beamforming may include Transmission (Tx) beamforming and Reception (Rx) beamforming. In Tx beamforming, almost no signal is transmitted in directions other than an intended direction. In contrast, in Rx beamforming, almost no signal is received from directions other than an intended direction. For the Tx beamforming and the Rx beamforming, a transmitter and a receiver may need to detect respective best Tx and Rx beams that have highest signal strengths by sequentially steering beams in specific directions.
Meanwhile, when a Mobile Station (MS) initially accesses a Base Station (BS) or performs handover to the BS, the MS performs a Random Access (RA) procedure. The process of detecting best Tx and Rx beams may be performed during the RA procedure. Accordingly, RA is delayed by a time taken to detect the best Tx and Rx beams.
The above information is presented as background information only to assist with an understanding of the present disclosure. No determination has been made, and no assertion is made, as to whether any of the above might be applicable as prior art with regard to the present disclosure.

Method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving uplink random access channel slot in a wireless communication system using beamforming


A welding robot has a gun main body, a stationary electrode tip which is immovable relative to the gun main body, and a movable electrode tip which is mounted on the gun main body and is opened and closed by a pressing source. The gun main body is movable by a driving source in a direction in which both the electrode tips lie opposite to each other. In teaching the welding robot by the movement thereof to each weld spot position of a workpiece, the movable electrode tip is moved in a closing direction relative to the gun main body by the pressing source in a state in which the gun main body is kept stationary at a predetermined position relative to the gun support bracket. The stationary electrode tip is moved in the closing direction by a relative movement of the gun main body relative to the movable electrode tip after the movable electrode tip has come into contact with the workpiece. A position at which the stationary electrode tip contacted the workpiece is detected. This position is stored as teaching data.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of teaching a welding robot which is provided at its operating end with a spot welding gun.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a spot welding gun, there has hitherto been known one as disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 328267/1994. Namely, on a gun main body there are provided a stationary electrode tip which is immovable relative to the gun main body, and a movable electrode tip which is operated for opening and closing by a pressing source (or a source for applying an electrode force) relative to the stationary electrode tip. The gun main body is arranged to be movable relative to a gun support bracket, by means of a driving source, in a direction in which both the electrode tips look toward each other (or lies opposite to each other).
This kind of spot welding gun is attached to an operating end of a welding robot by means of the gun support bracket. In performing the teaching of the welding robot, the following steps are taken. Namely, the spot welding gun is sequentially moved by manual operation to each of the weld spot positions of a workpiece. At each of the spot positions, the movable electrode tip is moved by the pressing source in a direction of closing the movable electrode tip. The stationary electrode tip is also moved by the movement of the driving source in a direction of closing it, whereby the workpiece is pinched between both the electrode tips. When this pinching point has coincided with an ordinary weld spot position of the workpiece, the positional data of each of the axes of the welding robot are stored as teaching data of that particular weld spot position.
The above-described spot welding gun can obtain an equalizing function by the movement of the gun main body by means of the driving source and, as long as the workpiece is inserted between both the electrode tips in a state in which the spot welding gun is opened, welding can be performed by pressing (or applying an electrode force to) the workpiece when the spot welding gun is closed. Therefore, in the conventional teaching, the position of the spot welding gun in the direction of pressing the workpiece is considered to be acceptable as long as the workpiece is inserted between both the electrode tips in a state in which the spot welding gun is open. The position thereof is thus not particularly monitored.
In the actual welding work, in order to shorten the time required for closing the spot welding gun, and also to prevent the workpiece from being deformed due to the striking by the electrode tips, it is desired to close each of the electrode tips at a relatively high speed until they approach the workpiece to a certain degree and, thereafter, close them at a low speed.
In the above-described conventional teaching method, however, at the time of operating the welding robot, the following may occur. Namely, even though the workpiece is inserted into the space between both the electrode tips which are in an open state, the workpiece may deviate toward one of the electrode tips. The electrode tips may therefore come into contact with the workpiece during the above-described high-speed movements of the electrode tips, resulting in a deformation of the workpiece.
In order to eliminate this kind of disadvantage, it becomes necessary to take measures such as to change the position for switching the speeds of movement of the electrode tips depending on the position of the workpiece or to amend the position, in the direction of pressing, of the spot welding gun relative to the workpiece.
In view of the above-described points, the present invention has an object of providing a method of teaching a welding robot in which a detection is made at the time of teaching as to in which position between both the electrode tips the workpiece is present, and the detected position is stored as the teaching data so that the above-described measures can be taken.


A filling connector of the present invention includes a tubular first connection element having a hollow portion and a tubular second connection element supported for sliding movement on an inner circumferential face of the first connection element and having teeth formed at one end thereof. The first and second connection elements are provided with a holding mechanism for holding the second connection element in a first position in which the second connection element is accommodated within the first connection element and a second position in which one end of the second connection element projects from the first connection element.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a filling connector for discharging the contents of a bag filled with a material in the form of liquid or paste.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various goods are sold in dischargeable containers for accommodating the goods in order to reduce waste of the packed material.
Goods of the type mentioned are principally food in the form of liquid or paste such as sauce or dressing or cleaning material in the form of liquid, and these goods are handled particularly by restaurants or hospitals where the goods are consumed in large amounts. Recently however, for the same above-described object, various materials for home use are also sold in dischargeable containers, and the number of kinds of materials thus sold is increasing.
Most conventional dischargeable materials are enclosed in flexible bags, and in order to discharge the material, the bag is partially cut and is squeezed to force out the packed material enclosed therein through the cut opening.
Some conventional dischargeable materials for business use which are consumed in large amounts employ a bag having a cappable plug member welded to the outer side thereof. Upon discharging the material for the first time, the bag is broken at a portion thereof within the plug member. When packed material remains in the bag, the plug member may be capped so as to prevent leakage of the packed material remaining in the bag or admission of dust or foreign matter into the bag.
However, dischargeable bags conventionally used merely enclose the packed material therein. A container which is to be filled with a packed material is naturally formed as a container for accommodating a material in the form of liquid or paste, and in most cases, the entrance of such a container through which a material in a dischargeable bag is to be poured is generally formed of a small size compared with the profile (capacity) of the container. Accordingly, there is a problem that, when the dischargeable bag is partly broken to allow for discharge of the packed material, the packed material is liable to spill around the container.
There is another problem in that, for a transfer operation, it is necessary to have ready a blade for cutting the bag in addition to the bag in which the packed material is contained and the container into which it will be transferred, and the transfer operation is therefore cumbersome.
Further, when some packed material remains in the bag upon completion of a transfer operation, the cut opening of the bag must necessarily be sealed to prevent the packed material from leaking through the cut opening. However, since the bag is flexible as described above, there is a further problem in that the cut opening cannot be effectively sealed and the prevention of leakage cannot be achieved sufficiently. Where a capable plug member is provided for the bag, the last-mentioned problem is eliminated, but since the plug member projects from the bag, there is a problem in that the plug member is liable to collide, upon transportation, with a foreign object, causing damage to the plug member or the bag, and the plug member therefore becomes an obstacle when transporting the bag.
The problems described above are naturally a concern in restaurants or hospitals where material is consumed in large amounts and frequent transfer operations are required. However, with the recent tendency toward the saving of resources and the prevention of the production of waste, the problems are a matter of particular concern from the point of view that they are an obstacle to the popularization of packed materials for home use.


A method of servicing a customer replaceable unit of an imaging device includes providing a customer replaceable unit configured for insertion and removal from an imaging device. The customer replaceable unit includes at least an applicator configured to apply a release agent to a surface of an intermediate transfer drum of the imaging device, a reservoir including a supply of the release agent for the applicator, a delivery pump configured to pump release agent from the reservoir to the applicator, a recirculation pump configured to pump release agent from the applicator to the reservoir, and a memory including operational data for the customer replaceable unit. A maintenance procedure is then performed on the customer replaceable unit.

In solid ink imaging systems having intermediate members, ink is loaded into the system in a solid form, either as pellets or as ink sticks, and transported through a feed chute by a feed mechanism for delivery to a heater assembly. A heater plate in the heater assembly melts the solid ink impinging on the plate into a liquid that is delivered to a print head for jetting onto an intermediate transfer member which may be in the form of a rotating drum, for example. In the print head, the liquid ink is typically maintained at a temperature that enables the ink to be ejected by the printing elements in the print head, but that preserves sufficient tackiness for the ink to adhere to the intermediate transfer drum. In some cases, however, the tackiness of the liquid ink may cause a portion of the ink to remain on the drum after the image is transferred onto the media sheet which may later degrade other images formed on the drum.
To address the accumulation of ink on a transfer drum, solid ink imaging systems may be provided with a drum maintenance unit (DMU). In solid ink imaging systems, the DMU is configured to 1) lubricate the image receiving surface of the drum with a very thin, uniform layer of release agent (e.g., Silicone oil) before each print cycle, and 2) remove and store any excess oil, ink and debris from the surface of the drum after each print cycle. Previously known DMU's typically included a reservoir for holding a suitable release agent and capillary forces delivered the release agent to an applicator as needed for applying the release agent to the surface of the drum.

Method of servicing a drum maintenance unit (DMU) in an image generating system


A highly storage-stable composition for vaginal administration of clindamycin is disclosed which is useful for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. The composition is a vaginal suppository containing an antimicrobially effective amount of clindamycin dispersed in a Hard Fat NF suppository base. Hard Fat NF suppository bases provide a clindamycin product having long term storage stability while providing efficacy against bacterial vaginosis which is equivalent to clindamycin vaginal creams.

The present invention is directed to a treatment for bacterial vaginosis (BV). The exact etiology of BV is unclear although it appears to result from an overgrowth of organisms in the vaginal flora. Although generally a mild condition, BV is distressing to the patient because of the unpleasant vaginal odor and discharge. In addition, it is epidemiologically linked to several urogenital diseases. Clindamycin vaginal cream (CVC) 100 mg per day for 7 days is a standard treatment for BV. It has recently been demonstrated that a 3-day treatment course of CVC is as effective as a 7-day course. However, even with a 3-day treatment, the use of creams is considered to be inconvenient. A vaginal ovule (suppository) formulation containing clindamycin would offer patients an alternative, more convenient dosage form. Therefore, the development of a vaginal suppository having at least the same efficacy as CVC was undertaken. As a result of this development effort, it was discovered that Hard Fat NF suppository bases significantly increased the storage stability of clindamycin.
We have developed a highly storage-stable composition for vaginal administration of clindamycin which comprises a vaginal suppository containing an antimicrobially effective amount of clindamycin dispersed in a Hard Fat suppository base, preferably Hard Hat NF grade. Hard Fat bases are a mixture of glyceride esters of higher saturated fatty acids. The Hard Fat NF suppository bases provide a clindamycin product having increased stability over the CVC formulation while providing equivalent efficacy against BV.

Intravaginal clindamycin ovule composition


A dynamoelectric machine is provided with an arrangement in the form of a plurality of cooling tubes disposed in or adjacent the stator core of the machine and through which a coolant is caused to flow. The coolant tubes extend axially with respect to the rotor of the machine and are spaced around the circumference of the stator. In order to regulate the cooling efficiency and reduce the coolant pressure loss in the coolant tubes, a branching arrangement in combination with a valve arrangement is disposed in at least one of the end brackets of the machine to control the flow of coolant in parallel selectively through different combinations of cooling tubes. The branching arrangement includes a plurality of circumferentially disposed chambers which communicate with respective groups of cooling tubes in parallel, and the valve arrangement allows connection of these chambers selectively in different combinations to a coolant supply and a coolant exhaust. Thereby, the coolant tubes can be connected to form different combinations of parallel passages for carrying coolant to cool the stator of the machine.

The present invention relates to a cooling arrangement for a dynamoelectric machine; and, more specifically, the invention relates to a dynamoelectric machine with a cooling arrangement of the externally supplied liquid cooling type in which coolant is circulated in coolant passages associated with the heat generating portions of the machine.
JP-A-7-79544 (1995) discloses conventional externally supplied liquid cooling type dynamoelectric machine which was designed to provide an enhanced cooling effect. In this machine, coolant is caused to flow through coolant passages formed by a plurality of cooling tubes within a stator core, the cooling tubes being connected to form the coolant passages through which the stator core is directly cooled by the coolant.
However, machine have the following inherent problems. Namely, since the plurality of cooling tubes are connected using connecting tubes to constitute a single long coolant passage and the coolant has to flow through the long and narrow coolant passage with the help of a pump, a large pressure loss is caused in the coolant passage, the reduction of which is difficult.
Further, since the heat recovered from the coolant is generally used for a heater, for example, in a motor vehicle, it is desirable to limit the coolant temperature variation at the coolant outlet regardless of the magnitude of the generated heat from the dynamoelectric machine. However, in the conventional machine, no specific measures were taken which limit such coolant temperature variation at the coolant outlet, so that it was necessary to vary the coolant temperature at the inlet thereof depending upon the conditions, in order to maintain the coolant outlet temperature substantially constant regardless of the magnitude of generated heat from the dynamoelectric machine.
Still further, since cooling tubes made of electrically conductive material pass through the stationary core of the dynamoelectric machine, magnetic fluxes caused by the current flowing through the stationary windings of the stator core induce electromotive forces in the cooling tubes, and, as a result, electric circuits are formed between the stationary core and the cooling tubes which tend to deteriorate the output characteristic and efficiency of the dynamoelectric machine.


The present invention relates to intracellular signaling molecules, in particular the Nod2 protein and nucleic acids encoding the Nod2 protein. The present invention provides methods of identifying modulators of Nod2 signaling. In particular, the present invention additionally provides methods of screening immune modulators such as adjuvants using Nod2. The present invention further provides methods of altering Nod2 signaling.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are defined by chronic, relapsing intestinal inflammation of obscure origin. IBD refers to two distinct disorders, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC). Both diseases appear to involve either a dysregulated immune response to GI tract antigens, a mucosal barrier breach, and/or an adverse inflammatory reaction to a persistent intestinal infection. The GI tract luminal contents and bacteria constantly stimulate the mucosal immune system, and a delicate balance of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cells and molecules maintains the integrity of the GI tract, without eliciting severe and damaging inflammation. It is unknown how the IBD inflammatory cascade begins, but constant GI antigen-dependent stimulation of the mucosal and systemic immune systems perpetuates the inflammatory cascade and drives lesion formation.
There is no known cure for IBD, which afflicts 2 million Americans. Current are herein incorporated by reference; Mann et al., Cell 33:153 [1983]; Markowitz et al., J. Virol., 62:1120 [1988]; PCT/US95/14575; EP 453242; EP178220; Bernstein et al. Genet. Eng., 7:235 [1985]; McCormick, BioTechnol., 3:689 [1985]; WO 95/07358; and Kuo et al., Blood 82:845 [1993]). The retroviruses are integrating viruses that infect dividing cells. The retrovirus genome includes two LTRs, an encapsidation sequence and three coding regions (gag, pol and env). In recombinant retroviral vectors, the gag, pol and env genes are generally deleted, in whole or in part, and replaced with a heterologous nucleic acid sequence of interest. These vectors can be constructed from different types of retrovirus, such as, HIV, MoMuLV ("murine Moloney leukaemia virus" MSV ("murine Moloney sarcoma virus"), HaSV ("Harvey sarcoma virus"); SNV ("spleen necrosis virus"); RSV ("Rous sarcoma virus") and Friend virus. Defective retroviral vectors are also disclosed in WO95/02697.
In general, in order to construct recombinant retroviruses containing a nucleic acid sequence, a plasmid is constructed that contains the LTRs, the encapsidation sequence and the coding sequence. This construct is used to transfect a packaging cell line, which cell line is able to supply in trans the retroviral functions that are deficient in the plasmid. In general, the packaging cell lines are thus able to express the gag, pol and env genes. Such packaging cell lines have been described in the prior art, in particular the cell line PA317 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,719, herein incorporated by reference), the PsiCRIP cell line (See, WO90/02806), and the GP+envAm-12 cell line (See, WO89/07150). In addition, the recombinant retroviral vectors can contain modifications within the LTRs for suppressing transcriptional activity as well as extensive encapsidation sequences that may include a part of the gag gene (Bender et al., J. Virol., 61:1639 [1987]). Recombinant retroviral vectors are purified by standard techniques known to those having ordinary skill in the art.
Alternatively, the vector can be introduced in vivo by lipofection. For the past decade, there has been increasing use of liposomes for encapsulation and transfection of nucleic acids in vitro. Synthetic cationic lipids designed to limit the difficulties and dangers encountered with liposome mediated transfection can be used to prepare liposomes for in vivo transfection of a gene encoding a marker (Felgner et. al., Proc. Natl. methods of managing IBD symptoms cost an estimated $1.2 billion annually in the United States alone.
In patients with IBD, ulcers and inflammation of the inner lining of the intestines lead to symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Ulcerative colitis occurs in the large intestine, while in Crohn's, the disease can involve the entire GI tract as well as the small and large intestines. For most patients, IBD is a chronic condition with symptoms lasting for months to years. It is most common in young adults, but can occur at any age. It is found worldwide, but is most common in industrialized countries such as the United States, England, and northern Europe. It is especially common in people of Jewish descent and has racial differences in incidence as well. The clinical symptoms of IBD are intermittent rectal bleeding, crampy abdominal pain, weight loss and diarrhea. Diagnosis of IBD is based on the clinical symptoms, the use of a barium enema, but direct visualization (sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy) is the most accurate test. Protracted IBD is a risk factor for colon cancer. The risk for cancer begins to rise significantly after eight to ten years of IBD.
Some patients with UC only have disease in the rectum (proctitis). Others with UC have disease limited to the rectum and the adjacent left colon (proctosigmoiditis). Yet others have UC of the entire colon (universal IBD). Symptoms of UC are generally more severe with more extensive disease (larger portion of the colon involved with disease).
The prognosis for patients with disease limited to the rectum (proctitis) or UC limited to the end of the left colon (proctosigmoiditis) is better then that of full colon UC. Brief periodic treatments using oral medications or enemas may be sufficient. In those with more extensive disease, blood loss from the inflamed intestines can lead to anemia, and may require treatment with iron supplements or even blood transfusions. Rarely, the colon can acutely dilate to a large size when the inflammation becomes very severe. This condition is called toxic megacolon. Patients with toxic megacolon are extremely ill with fever, abdominal pain and distention, dehydration, and malnutrition. Unless the patient improves rapidly with medication, surgery is usually necessary to prevent colon rupture.
Crohn's disease can occur in all regions of the gastrointestinal tract. With this disease intestinal obstruction due to inflammation and fibrosis occurs in a large number of patients. Granulomas and fistula formation are frequent complications of Crohn's disease. Disease progression consequences include intravenous feeding, surgery and colostomy.
The most commonly used medications to treat IBD are anti-inflammatory drugs such as the salicylates. The salicylate preparations have been effective in treating mild to moderate disease. They can also decrease the frequency of disease flares when the medications are taken on a prolonged basis. Examples of salicylates include sulfasalazine, olsalazine, and mesalamine. All of these medications are given orally in high doses for maximal therapeutic benefit. These medicines are not without side effects. Azulfidine can cause upset stomach when taken in high doses, and rare cases of mild kidney inflammation have been reported with some salicylate preparations.
Corticosteroids are more potent and faster-acting than salicylates in the treatment of IBD, but potentially serious side effects limit the use of corticosteroids to patients with more severe disease. Side effects of corticosteroids usually occur with long term use. They include thinning of the bone and skin, infections, diabetes, muscle wasting, rounding of faces, psychiatric disturbances, and, on rare occasions, destruction of hip joints.
In IBD patients that do not respond to salicylates or corticosteroids, medications that suppress the immune system are used. Examples of immunosuppressants include azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine. Immunosuppressants used in this situation help to control IBD and allow gradual reduction or elimination of corticosteroids. However, immunosuppressants cause increased risk of infection, renal insufficiency, and the need for hospitalization.
Clearly there is a great need for identification of the molecular basis of IBD, or its associated disorders Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

The Regents of the University of Michigan


Disclosed herein is a torenia plant which has large flowers and bi-color flower petals with light purple, deep purple and vivid purple, and light purple floral tube. The plant has semi-erect growth habit, medium branching and great profusion blooms, and the whole bush remains in bloom for a considerable period of time. The plant has a high resistance to heat, moderate resistance to diseases and pests, and grows and has flowers ordinarily in the shade of trees.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of torenia plant obtained from the mutant of "Sunrenibu" which was obtained from crossing of "Crown Mix" (.female.) and "Con Color" (.male.).
The torenia is a very popular plant and is used for flower bedding and potting in the summer season. There are only a few varieties of the torenia plant which have a semi-erect growth habit, a high resistance to heat and diseases. And the torenia plant needs full sunshine and hardly grows and has flowers in the shade of trees. Accordingly, this invention was aimed at obtaining a new variety having a great profusion of flowers, very big flower, light purple, deep purple and vivid purple bi-color flower petal with light purple floral tube, semi-erect growth habit, a high resistance to heat and diseases, and growing and having flowers ordinarily in the shade of trees.
The new variety of torenia plant according to this invention originated from the mutant of a spontaneously generic variant of "Sunrenibu" (U.S. Application. Ser. No. 559,853) which we previously filed. The new variety of torenia plant was discovered in view of large diameter flower during propagation of "Sunrenibu" in April, 1995. The discovered torenia plant was propagated by cutting from summer, 1995 and then grown in bed and pot on trial from summer, 1995 at the Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd., residing at 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan. The botanical characteristics of the plant was examined, using parent variety, "Sunrenibu" and the similar variety "Crown Violet", for comparison. As a result, it was concluded that this discovered torenia plant is distinguishable from any other variety, whose existence is known to us, sufficiently uniform and stable in its characteristics, then this new variety of torenia plant was named "Sunrenilabu".
In the following description, the color-coding is in accordance with The Horticultural Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England (R.H.S. Colour Chart), and the Inter-Society color Council-Nation Bureau of Standard Color Name (I.S.C.C.-N.B.S. Color Name). A color chart based on The Japan Color Standard for Horticultural Plant (J.H.S. Color Chart) is also added for reference.
The mutant parent variety "Sunrenibu" of this new variety "Sunrenilabu" is presently planted and maintained at the Hakushu Nursery Center of SUNTORY Ltd., residing at 2913-1 Torihara, Hakushu-cho, Kitakoma-gun, Yamanashi-ken, Japan. The main botanical characteristics of "Sunrenibu" are as follows.
Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: Medium resistance to diseases and pests, high tolerances to heat and low tolerance to cold. The plant grows and has flowers ordinarily in the shade of trees. PA0 Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: Low resistance to diseases and pests, high tolerances to heat and low tolerance to cold. PA0 Plant: PA0 Stem: PA0 Leaf: PA0 Flower: PA0 Physiological and ecological characteristics: High resistance to diseases and pests, high tolerances to heat and low tolerance of cold.
Growth habit.--Semi-erect. The stems hang down pliantly when potted in a hanging pot. PA2 Plant height.--15-20 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--50-70 cm. The stem extends to length of 70 cm from the base. PA2 Growth.--Medium branching, a great profusion of blooms; the whole bush remaining in bloom for a considerable this period of time. PA2 Blooming period.--June to November in the southern Kanto area, Japan. The plant shape does not change throughout this period. PA2 Diameter.--2.0mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Medium. PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Length of internode.--4-6 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Serrate. PA2 Length.--1.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Width.--1.0-2.0 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Medium. PA2 Color.--Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 137A, JHS 3508). PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Facing direction.--Laterally. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color of floral tube.--Light Purple (R.H.S. 92B, JHS 8303). PA2 Color of petal.--Single color, Vivid purple (R.H.S. 89B, JHS 8607). PA2 Yellow eye color.--Absent. PA2 Calyx.--1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Present. PA2 Peduncle.--1.5-2.0 mm in thickness; and 2.0-3.0 cm in length. PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Anther color.--White. PA2 Flowering duration.--Medium. PA2 Growth habit.--Erect. PA2 Plant height.--20-30 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--30-50 cm. PA2 Diameter.--3.0mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Few. PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Length of internode.--1-3 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Serrate. PA2 Length.--2.0-4.0 cm. PA2 Width.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Deep. PA2 Color.--Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 137A, JHS 3508). PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Facing direction.--Laterally. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color of floral tube.--Soft violet (R.H.S. 92C, JHS 8008). PA2 Color of petal.--Single color; purplish white (R.H.S. 62D, JHS 8001). PA2 Yellow eye color.--Present. Vivid yellow (R.H.S. 17C, JHS 2507). PA2 Calyx.--1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Present. PA2 Peduncle.--1.5-2.0 mm in thickness; and 1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Anther color.--White. PA2 Flowering duration.--Medium. PA2 Growth habit.--Decumbent. PA2 Plant height.--10-15 cm. PA2 Plant extension.--50-70 cm. PA2 Diameter.--1.5 mm. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation.--Present. PA2 Branching.--Many. PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Length of internode.--4-6 cm. PA2 Phyllotaxis.--Opposite. PA2 Shape of blade.--Crenate. PA2 Length.--1.0-2.0 cm. PA2 Width.--1.0-2.0 cm. PA2 Depth of incision.--Medium. PA2 Color.--Moderate olive green (R.H.S. 137A, JHS 3508). PA2 Pubescence.--Few. PA2 Facing direction.--Laterally. PA2 Diameter.--2.0-3.0 cm. PA2 Height.--20-30 mm. PA2 Color of floral tube.--Moderate Purple (R.H.S. 83B, JHS 8613). PA2 Color of petal.--Single color, Deep purple (R.H.S. 89C, JHS 8311). PA2 Yellow eye color.--Absent. PA2 Calyx.--1.5-2.0 cm in length. PA2 Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.--Present. PA2 Peduncle.--1.5-2.0 mm in thickness; and 3.0-5.0 cm in length. PA2 Reproductive organs.--1 pistil and 4 stamens. PA2 Anther color.--White. PA2 Flowering duration.--Medium.
This new variety, "Sunrenibu" of torenia plant is most suitable for flower bedding and potting, particularly in hanging pots or planters.
The similar variety "Crown Violet" of this new variety "Sunrenilabu" is one of the Crown Series bred by the Sakata Seed Corp., Japan. The Crown Series include a plant having purplish blue flower petals, white flower petals, bi-color of white and purplish blue and the like, and these plants are commonly characterized by a high resistance to heat and are on the market in Japan. The main botanical characteristics of "Crown Violet" are as follows.
"Con Color" used as the male parent in the crossing of "Sunrenibu", which is this new variety mutant parent, is one of the Con Color Series bred by the Sakata Seed Corp., Japan. The Con Color Series include a plant having violet flower petal, bi-color of storing purple and Pale purple and the like, and these plants are commonly characterized by a high resistance to heat and are on the market in Japan. The main botanical characteristics of "Con Color" are as follows.


Described herein is a method for managing media item playback. A method includes presenting a media player in a first portion of a user interface (UI) on a mobile device, the media player to provide playback of a first media item. The method also includes receiving a user selection of a second media item via a second portion of the UI. The user selection indicates a user request to move the second media item from the second portion of the UI to the first portion of the UI. The method further includes upon receiving the user selection, causing the media player to provide playback of the second media item when playback of the first media item is complete. The method includes receiving, via a second portion of the UI, a user request to perform an activity that is independent of the viewing of the first media item or the second media item. The method further includes presenting content associated with the requested activity while continuing to provide playback of either the first media item or the second media item in the media player of the first portion of the UI.

Online content sharing platforms typically allow users to upload, view, and share digital content such as media items. Media items may include audio clips, movie clips, TV clips, music videos, images, or other multimedia content. Users may use computing devices (such as smart phones, cellular phones, laptop computers, desktop computers, netbooks, tablet computers, televisions, set top boxes) to use, play, and/or otherwise consume media items (e.g., watch digital videos, and/or listen to digital music).


Stereoscopic image viewing eyewear includes a left-eye shutter that controls a visual field of a viewer's left eye, a right-eye shutter that controls a visual field of a viewer's right eye, a distance determiner that detects a distance between the display device and the eyewear and determines whether the detected distance is smaller than a predetermined value, and a shutter controller that controls open and close of the left-eye shutter and the right-eye shutter based on the determined result of the distance determiner to cause the viewer to view the stereoscopic image when the detected distance is larger than a predetermined value, and to cause the viewer to view a non-stereoscopic image when the detected distance is smaller than the predetermined value.

1. Technical Field
The technical Field relates to stereoscopic image viewing eyewear that is worn on a viewer for viewing a stereoscopic image.
2. Related Art
In recent years, stereoscopic image display devices for stereoscopically displaying still images and moving images are rapidly spreading due to factors such that development of their manufacturing technique reduces their price, the liquid crystal display devices are thinned and are lightweight, and image quality heightening technique in a display function is developed. Such stereoscopic image display devices are being widely applied to monitors of personal computers and digital TVs or the like for receiving digital broadcasting waves and performing display.
Variety of display systems of the stereoscopic image display devices are present, and most of them utilize parallax between human's right and left eyes to allow viewers to recognize a stereoscopic effect of displayed images. A conventional stereoscopic image display system includes a stereoscopic image display device for displaying right and left images alternately, and stereoscopic image viewing eyewear for receiving a synchronizing signal generated from this display device, and opening and closing left and right shutters in synchronization with the synchronizing signal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,227 discloses control to be performed when the stereoscopic image viewing eyewear cannot receive a synchronizing signal in such a stereoscopic image display system. Specifically, in the control method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,227, when the stereoscopic image viewing eyewear cannot receive a synchronizing signal, the left and right shutters are simultaneously controlled to open or close.
The stereoscopic image viewing eyewear disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,227 include a phase-locked loop that synchronizes synchronizing signals received by an infrared receiver, a mode control logic, a voltage controller that is controlled by the mode control logic and controls a voltage, and a driver that is controlled by the mode control logic and drives a right-eye LCC and a left-eye LCC. In the control of the stereoscopic image viewing eyewear, synchronizing signals received by the receiver are synchronized in the phase locked loop VCO, and the driver is driven based on a control instruction of the mode control logic. The driver drives the right-eye LCC and the left-eye LCC. The mode control logic changes a voltage by means of control of the phase locked loop VCO and switching of power from a battery. As a result, the stereoscopic image viewing eyewear simultaneously open and close the left and right shutters to allow a user with the eyewear to view non-stereoscopic images.
Incidentally, in the stereoscopic image display system, it is known that a display range of an object to be suitably viewed by a viewer in stereoscopic vision (a range of a direction perpendicular to display screen) changes according to a distance between the stereoscopic image display device and the viewer (refer to Non-Patent Document "Stereoscopic displays and visual comfort: a review", Marc Lambooij, et al., 10.1117/2. 1200703.0648, SPIE Newsroom). FIG. 8 is a diagram describing a relationship between the distance from the stereoscopic image display device to the viewer and the display range of an object to be suitably viewed by the viewer in the stereoscopic vision. As shown in FIG. 8, the longer the distance from the stereoscopic image display device to the viewer becomes, the wider the display range of the object to be suitably viewed by the viewer in the stereoscopic vision becomes.

Stereoscopic image viewing eyewear and method for controlling the viewing of stereoscopic images based on a detected distance between a display device and the eyewear

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.


Assuming that an original pixel adjacent to a first original pixel and opposite to a second original pixel is a third original pixel, and an original pixel adjacent to the second original pixel and opposite to the first original pixel is a fourth original pixel, and letting d1 be pixel data on the first original pixel, d2 be pixel data on the second original pixel, d3 be pixel data on the third original pixel, and d4 be pixel data on the fourth original pixel, a first edge component E is calculated on the basis of an equation for operation E=−d3+d1+d2−d4 in the first step, and a second edge component Es is calculated on the basis of an equation for operation Es=|d3+d1−d2−d4|.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image interpolating method for interpolating an image.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally in cases such as a case where an interlace image is converted into a progressive image, a case where an image is enlarged, and a case where the resolution of an image is enhanced, various methods for interpolating an image have been proposed using pixel data on adjacent original pixels (corresponding to the amount of data representing luminance on a display).
Typical examples of an image interpolating method are a simple interpolating method and a linear interpolating method. The simple interpolating method is a method of giving pixel data on either one of pixels adjacent to a pixel to be interpolated on the upper and lower sides (or on the right and left sides) to the pixel to be interpolated as pixel data. The linear interpolating method is a method of giving the average of pixel data on pixels adjacent to a pixel to be interpolated on the upper and lower sides (or on the right and left sides) to the pixel to be interpolated as pixel data.
In the simple interpolating method, however, the pixel data on the pixel adjacent to the pixel to be interpolated is given as it is. When there is a diagonal edge portion in an image reproduced on a display or the like, therefore, backlash occurs in the edge portion. On the other hand, in the linear interpolating method, the average of the pixel data on the pixels adjacent to the pixel to be interpolated on the upper and lower sides (on the right and left sides) is given. Accordingly, the vicinity of the pixel to be interpolated is an edge portion. When the difference between the pixel data on the pixels adjacent to the pixel to be interpolated on the upper and lower sides (on the right and left sides) is large, the interpolated pixel takes an intermediate value, so that the edge portion is blurred.
Therefore, the applicants of the present invention already have developed an image interpolating method capable of preventing, in interpolating an image, backlash and blur from occurring in an edge portion of the image as well as capable of reproducing a smooth image.
Description is made of an image interpolating method already developed by the applicants of the present invention (hereinafter referred to as the conventional method).
A two-dimensional image has a two-dimensional expanse in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. In order to simplify the description, however, description is made of a method of one-dimensional interpolation in the vertical direction.
FIG. 1 illustrates the relationship between original pixels and a pixel to be interpolated.
In FIG. 1, lines (n−1), n, (n+1), and (n+2) are horizontal lines in the original image, and lines (i−1), i, and (i+1) are horizontal lines to be interpolated. Description is herein made of a case where a pixel (hereinafter referred to as an interpolation pixel X) on the line i is interpolated.
In the following description, pixel data on original pixels D01 to D35 and the interpolation pixel X are respectively denoted by d01 to d35 and x. In this example, the pixel data shall be composed of eight bits, and black data and white data shall be respectively "0" and "255".
FIG. 2 shows the procedure for finding the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X by the conventional method.
First, an edge component E is calculated in order to judge whether or not the interpolation pixel X exists in the vicinity of an edge of an original image (step 1). That is, the edge component E is found from the following equation (1) using the pixel data on the two original pixels D01 and D13 just above the interpolation pixel X and the two original pixels D23 and D33 just below the interpolation pixel X:E=−d03+d13+d23−d33  (1)
The edge component E takes a relatively large negative value when the interpolation pixel X exists in the vicinity of a black edge of the original image, while taking a relatively large positive value when the interpolation pixel X exists in the vicinity of a white edge of the original image.
A range S where the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X is settable is then determined on the basis of the edge component E (step 2).
Description is made of a method of determining the settable range S on the basis of FIGS. 3a and 3b. In FIGS. 3a and 3b, dmax denotes the larger one of the pixel data d13 and d23 on the original pixels D13 and D23, and dmin denotes the smaller one of the pixel data d13 and d23. Further, dc denotes the average (dmax+dmin)/2 of dmax and dmin.
(1) Range S Where Pixel Data x is Settable When E≧0
When E≧0, the range S where the pixel data x is settable shall be a range of dmin×α+dc×(1−α)≦S≦dmax×α+dc×(1−α)+E×γ, where α and γ are variables which can be controlled from the exterior.
That is, when the edge component E is not less than zero, the range S where the pixel data x is settable is a range expanded upward by the value of γ·E from a range [dmin×α+dc×(1−α)≦x≦dmax×α+dc×(1−α)] centered around dc.
In this case, it is presumed that the interpolation pixel X exists in the vicinity of the white edge of the original image, to set the settable range S to a range close to dmax in the range of dmin to dmax.
(2) Range S Where Pixel Data x is Settable When E<0
When E<0, the range S where the pixel data x is settable shall be a range of dmin×α+dc×(1−α)+E×γ≦S≦dmax×α+dc×(1−α).
That is, when the edge component E is less than zero, the range S where the pixel data x is settable is a range expanded downward by the value of γ·E from a range [dmin×α+dc×(1−α)≦x≦dmax×α+dc×(1−α)] centered around dc.
In this case, it is presumed that the interpolation pixel X exists in the vicinity of the black edge of the original image, to set the settable range S to a range close to dmin in the range of dmin to dmax.
Candidates for the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X are then found from the range S where the pixel data x is settable on the basis of the pixel data on the opposed pixels between which the interpolation pixel X is sandwiched diagonally (step 3).
In finding the candidates for the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X, a correlation value L1 between the pixel data on the opposed pixels D12 and D24 and the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X and a correlation value R1 between the pixel data on the opposed pixels D14 and D22 and the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X are employed. Therefore, methods of respectively calculating the correlation values L1 and R1 will be first described.
The correlation value L1 between the pixel data on the opposed pixels D12 and D24 and the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X is expressed by the following equation (2), and the correlation value R1 between the pixel data on the opposed pixels D14 and D22 and the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X is expressed by the following equation (3):L=|d12−x|+|d24−x|+β1×Hl−β2×Vl  (2)R=|d14−x|+|d22−x|+β1×Hr−β2×Vr  (3)
In the foregoing equations (2) and (3), β1 and β2 are valuables which can be controlled from the exterior. In the foregoing equation (2), Hl denotes a horizontal correlation intensity, and is expressed by the following equation (4). Further, Vl denotes a vertical correlation intensity, and is expressed by the following equation (5).Hl=MAX(|d11−d12|+|d12−d13|, |d23−d24|+|d24−d25|)  (4)Vl=MIN(|d02−d12|+|d12−d22|, |d14−d24|+|d24−d34|)  (5)
MAX (a, b) is a sign indicating that the larger one of a and b is selected. MIN (a, b) is a sign indicating that the smaller one of a and b is selected.
Hl denotes the larger one of a primary differential value (|d11−d12|+|d12−d13|) in the horizontal direction corresponding to the pixel D12 and a primary differential value (|d23−d24|+|d24−d25|) in the horizontal direction corresponding to the pixel D24. Further, Vl denotes the smaller one of a primary differential value (|d02−d12|+|d12−d22|) in the vertical direction corresponding to the pixel D12 and a primary differential value (|d14−d24|+|d24−d34|) in the vertical direction corresponding to the pixel D24.
In the foregoing equation (3), Hr denotes a horizontal correlation intensity, and is expressed by the following equation (6), and Vr denotes a vertical correlation intensity, and is expressed by the following equation (7):Hr=MAX(|d13−d14|+|d14−d15|, |d21−d22|+|d22−d23|)  (6)Vr=MIN(|d04−d14|+|d14−d24|, |d12−d22|+|d22−d32|)  (7)
Hr denotes the larger one of a primary differential value (|d13−d14|+|d14−d15|) in the horizontal direction corresponding to the pixel D14 and a primary differential value (|d21−d22|+|d22−d23|) in the horizontal direction corresponding to the pixel D22. Further, Vr denotes the smaller one of a primary differential value (|d12−d22|+|d22−d32|) in the vertical direction corresponding to the pixel D22 and a primary differential value (|d04−d14|+51 d14−d24|) in the vertical direction corresponding to the pixel D14.
There are two methods of finding the candidates for the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X. The methods will be described.
(1) Description of First Method
All the pixel data x in the settable range S are respectively substituted in the foregoing equation (2) expressing a correlation value L between the pixel data on the two opposed pixels D12 and D24 between which the interpolation pixel X is sandwiched diagonally (diagonally to the upper left) and the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X, to find the minimum correlation value Lmin and pixel data xl in a case where the minimum correlation value Lmin is given.
Similarly, all the pixel data x in the settable range S are respectively substituted in the foregoing equation (3) expressing a correlation value R between the pixel data on the two opposed pixels D14 and D22 between which the interpolation pixel X is sandwiched diagonally (diagonally to the upper right) and the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X, to find the minimum correlation value Rmin and pixel data xr in a case where the minimum correlation value Rmin is given.
The found pixel data xl and xr are thus candidates for the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X. In such a way, however, a plurality of pixel data may, in some cases, be applicable as the pixel data xl in the case where the minimum correlation value Lmin is given. Similarly, a plurality of pixel data may, in some cases, be applicable as the pixel data xr in the case where the minimum correlation value Rmin is given.
When the plurality of pixel data are applicable as the pixel data xl in the case where the minimum correlation value Lmin is given, the average of the pixel data may be determined as the pixel data xl in the case where the minimum correlation value Lmin is given. Similarly, when the plurality of pixel data are applicable as the pixel data xr in the case where the minimum correlation value Rmin is given, the average of the pixel data may be determined as the pixel data xr in the case where the minimum correlation value Rmin is given.
(2) Description of Second Method
FIG. 4 illustrates the relationship between the correlation value L and the pixel data x. In FIG. 4, xmin denotes the smaller one of the pixel data d12 and d24, and xmax denotes the larger one of the pixel data d12 and d24. Further, xd=xmax−xmin+β1×Hl−β2×Vl.
If xd=xmax−xmin+β1×Hl−β2×Vl, the correlation value L in the foregoing equation (2) can be changed, as expressed by the following equation (8). The correlation value R can be also similarly changed.
                                                        L              =                              xd                +                                  2                                                        (                                          x                      -                                              x                        max                                                              )                                                                                (                              x                >                                  x                  max                                            )                                                                          L              =              xd                                                          (                                                x                  min                                ≦                x                ≦                                  x                                      max                                                                                )                                                                          L              =                              xd                +                                  2                                                        (                                                                  x                        min                                            -                      x                                        )                                                                                (                              x                <                                  x                  min                                            )                                                          (        8        )
Description is now made of methods of respectively finding the minimum correlation values Lmin and Rmin and the pixel data xl and xr (the second method). Description is herein made of the method of finding the minimum correlation value Lmin and the pixel data xl.
FIGS. 5a to 5f show graphs of the correlation value L against the pixel data x and a range where the pixel data x is settable.
In FIGS. 5a to 5f, xa denotes the minimum of the pixel data x in the settable range, and xb denotes the maximum of the pixel data x in the settable range.
{circle around (1)} In the case of xb≦xmin
When the range where the pixel data x is settable is not more than xmin, as shown in FIG. 5a, the correlation value L is the minimum in the pixel data xb. Consequently, the minimum correlation value Lmin is xd+2(xmin−xb). Further, the pixel data xl at this time is xb.
{circle around (2)} In the case of xmax≦xa
When the range where the pixel data x is settable is not less than xmin, as shown in FIG. 5b, the correlation value L is the minimum in the pixel data xa. Consequently, the minimum correlation value Lmin is xd+2 (xa−xmax). Further, the pixel data xl at this time is xa.
{circle around (3)} In the case of xmin≦xa and xb≦xmax
When the range where the pixel data x is settable is from the pixel data xmin to xmax, as shown in FIG. 5c, the correlation value L is the minimum xd in the arbitrary pixel data x in the settable range. Consequently, the minimum correlation value Lmin is xd. In this case, a value (xa+xb)/2 at the center of the settable range is determined as the pixel data xl.
{circle around (4)} In the case of xa<xmin and xmax<xb
When the range where the pixel data x is settable is a range wider than the range of the pixel data xmin to xmax, as shown in FIG. 5d, the correlation value L is the minimum xd in the arbitrary pixel data x in the range of the pixel data xmin to xmax. Consequently, the minimum correlation value Lmin is xd. In this case, the average (xmin+xmax)/2 of the pixel data xmin and xmax is determined as the pixel data xl.
{circle around (5)} In the case of xa<xmin and xmin<xb≦xmax
When the range where the pixel data x is settable is shifted leftward from the range of the pixel data xmin to xmax, as shown in FIG. 5e, the correlation value L is the minimum xd in the arbitrary pixel data x in the range of the pixel data xmin to xb. Consequently, the minimum correlation value Lmin is xd. In this case, the average (xmin+xb)/2 of the pixel data xmin and xb is determined as the pixel data xl.
{circle around (6)} In the case of xmin≦xa<xmax and xmax≦xb
When the range where the pixel data x is settable is shifted rightward from the range of the pixel data xmin to xmax, as shown in FIG. 5f, the correlation value L is the minimum xd in the arbitrary pixel data x in the range of the pixel data xa to xmax. Consequently, the minimum correlation value Lmin is xd. In this case, the average (xa+xmax)/2 of the pixel data xa and xmax is determined as the pixel data xl.
The minimum correlation value Lmin and the pixel data xl are thus found. The minimum correlation value Rmin and the pixel data xr are also found in the same manner as the minimum correlation value Lmin and the pixel data xl.
When the minimum correlation values Lmin and Rmin and the pixel data xl and xr in cases where the minimum correlation values are respectively given are found in the step 3, the pixel data in the case where the smaller one of the minimum correlation values Lmin and Rmin is given is extracted (step 4).
When the minimum correlation values Lmin and Rmin differ from each other, one pixel data is extracted. When the minimum correlation values Lmin and Rmin are the same, two pixel data are extracted.
When one pixel data xl or xr is extracted in the step 4 (YES in step 5), the extracted pixel data is determined as the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X (step 6). When two (a plurality of) pixel data xl and xr are selected in the step 4 (NO in step 5), the average of the pixel data xl and xr is determined as the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X (step 7).
The details are as follows:
{circle around (1)} if Lmin<Rmin, then x=xl
{circle around (2)} if Lmin>Rmin, then x=xr
{circle around (3)} if Lmin=Rmin, then x=(xl+xr)/2
Although in the foregoing step 3, two sets are selected as the set of opposed pixels between which the interpolation pixel X is sandwiched diagonally, two or more sets may be selected. For example, six sets of opposed pixels, for example, D10 and D26, D11 and D25, D12 and D24, D14 and D22, D15 and D21, and D16 and D20 may be selected, as shown in FIG. 6. In this case, pixel data in a case where the minimum correlation value is given is found in the step 3 for each of the sets of opposed pixels. That is, six candidates for the pixel data are found.
When the number of minimums of the minimum correlation values corresponding to the six sets of opposed pixels is three or more, three or more pixel data are extracted from the six candidates for the pixel data in the step 4.
When three or more pixel data are selected in the step 4, there are three methods, as described below, as a method of determining the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X.
The first method is one for calculating the average of three or more pixel data selected in the step 4 and determining the result of the calculation as the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X. The second method is one for extracting the maximum and the minimum of three or more pixel data selected in the step 4, calculating the average of the maximum and the minimum, and determining the result of the calculation as the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X.
The third method is one for selecting, out of three or more pixel data selected in the step 4, the pixel data obtained from the opposed pixels in closest proximity to the interpolation pixel X, and determining the selected pixel data as the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X. When there exist two pixel data obtained from the opposed pixels in closest proximity to the interpolation pixel X, however, the average of the pixel data is calculated, and the result of the calculation is determined as the pixel data x on the interpolation pixel X.
When six sets of opposed pixels are selected, as shown in FIG. 6, as the set of opposed pixels between which the interpolation pixel X is sandwiched diagonally, the correlation values L2 and R2 are respectively expressed by the following equations (9) and (10), for example:L2=|d11−x|+|d25−x|+β1×Hl2−β2×Vl2  (9)R2=|d15−x|+|d21−x|+β1×Hr2−β2×Vr2  (10)
Hl2 and Vl2 in the foregoing equation (9) are respectively expressed by the following equations (11) and (12):Hl2=MAX(|d10−d11|+|d11−d12|, |d24−d25|+|d25−d26|)  (11)Vl2=MIN(|d01−d11|+|d11−d21|, |d15−d25|+|d25−d35|)  (12)
Hr2 and Vr2 in the foregoing equation (10) are respectively expressed by the following equations (13) and (14):Hr2=MAX(|d14−d15|+|d15−d16|, |d20−d21|+|d21−d22|)  (13)Vr2=MIN(|d05−d15|+|d15−d25|, |d11−d21|+|d21−d31|)  (14)