An active matrix OLED display has pixels with light emitting areas arranged in rows and columns and includes; a first pixel having a first height in the column direction and disposed in a first column of pixels and in a first row of pixels; a second pixel having a second height in the column direction and disposed in the first column of pixels and in a second row of pixels wherein the second row of pixels is adjacent to the first row of pixels and the first height being different than the second height; and a first select line arranged to drive only the first row of pixels and a second select lines spaced from the first select line arranged to drive only the second row of pixels wherein the emitting areas of the first and second pixels are disposed between the first and second select lines.

In the simplest form, an organic electroluminescent (EL) device is comprised of an anode for hole injection, a cathode for electron injection, and an organic media sandwiched between these electrodes to support charge recombination that yields emission of light. These devices are also commonly referred to as organic light emitting diodes, or OLEDs. A basic organic EL element is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,429. In order to construct a pixelated OLED display such as is useful as a display such as, for example, a television, computer monitor, cell phone display, or digital camera display, individual organic EL elements can be arranged as pixels in a matrix pattern. These pixels can all be made to emit the same color, thereby producing a monochromatic display, or they can be made to produce multiple colors such as a red, green, blue (RGB) display. For purposes of this disclosure, a pixel is considered the smallest individual unit which can be independently stimulated to produce light. As such, the red pixel, the green pixel and the blue pixel are considered as three distinct pixels.
Color organic EL displays have also recently been described that are constructed as to have four differently colored pixels. One type of display having four differently colored pixels that are red, green, blue, and white in color is known as an RGBW design. Examples of such four pixel displays are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,771,028, U.S. Patent Application Publication US2002/0186214A1, and U.S. Patent Application Publication US2004/0113875A1. Such RGBW displays can be constructed using a white organic EL emitting layer with red, green, and blue color filters. The white pixel area is left unfiltered. This design has the advantage of lower power consumption and current density compared to a three-color filtered white-emitting organic EL displays by using the higher efficiency white pixels to produce a portion of gray scale colors.
Organic EL displays are sometimes driven with active matrix circuitry. Active matrix circuitry typically consists of active circuit components such as multiple transistors and one or more capacitors per pixel. Active matrix circuitry components also comprises signal lines such as power lines for supplying electric power to the pixels, data lines for supplying a voltage or current signal to adjust the brightness of the pixels, and select lines for sequentially activating a row of pixels thereby causing the pixels of each row to adjust in brightness in response to the signal of the data lines. The signal lines are typically shared by either a row or a column of pixels. These circuit components permit the pixels to remain illuminated even when the pixels are not being directly addressed. Examples of organic EL displays driven by active matrix circuitry are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,066, 6,281,634, and 6,456,013.
It is known that the efficiency of organic EL displays decreases over time with use. It is also known that the rate of decay in the efficiency is dependant on the electric current per unit of surface area (hereafter referred to as current density) applied to the organic light emitting diode. For multicolored organic EL displays, it is therefore often desirable to adjust size of the emitting areas of each the differently colored pixel so as to reduce the current density in pixels which are driven more frequently, are of lower efficiency, or are constructed of materials which decay more rapidly with increased current density. In such a configuration, for example, a low efficiency color pixel having a rapid rate of decay may be provided with a larger emitting area than a different colored pixel that is more efficient so that the desired brightness of the lower efficiency pixel can be achieved at a lower current density thereby increasing display lifetime. By adjusting the size of the emitting areas of the differently colored pixel, and thereby the current densities, the lifetimes of the organic EL elements in each pixel can thereby be balanced lessening the possibility that a particular colored pixel with decay more quickly than other colored pixels. Examples of organic EL displays having differently colored pixels where the emitting area of the differently color pixels has been optimized are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,366,025 and 6,747,618 and U.S. Patent Application Publications US2004/0164668A1 and US2004/0173819A1.
In an organic EL display, the pixels are arranged in a series of rows and columns. The simplest arrangement is a strip pattern where the pixels are aligned in both the row and column direction. In such a stripe arrangement, pixels having the same color may be aligned in the same direction such as the column direction. Alternate arrangements where the same colored pixels are not arranged in a row or column direction have also been shown. For example, the delta pattern, where the red, green, and blue pixels are arranged in a triangular fashion is known in the art. Examples of these various pixel arrangements may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,281,634, 6,456,013 and 6,768,482 and U.S. Patent Application Publication US2003/067458A1. Other patterns, such as a quad pattern have been shown which are particularly useful for displays having four differently colored pixels such as an RGBW display. In a quad pattern, four differently colored pixels are arranged in a rectangular fashion with each differently colored pixel disposed in a different corner of the rectangle. Examples of quad patterns are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,771,028.
When these various pixels patterns are coupled with the active matrix circuitry, the arrangement of the circuit components and signal lines typically must be adjusted to accommodate the pixel pattern. This is particularly true for displays having a configuration where the active matrix circuit components are located in a plane between the plane of the organic EL elements and the viewer. This is because, in this configuration, the circuit components and signal lines are typically opaque and would therefore block the light intended for the viewer.
As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,747,618, one approach to adjusting the size of the emitting areas of the differently colored pixels is to change the widths of the pixels while making the heights of the pixels the same. This approach is particularly useful when applied to patterns such as the stripe pattern, because the signal lines can be routed in a linear fashion in both the row and column directions without having to bend the signal lines. Bending the signal lines is undesirable because bent signal lines are effectively longer and therefore more resistive. Bent signal lines also require more area in the plane of the active matrix circuitry leaving less area for other circuit components.
However, when applied to other patterns in which differently colored pixels are located in the same rows and columns, this approach becomes impractical. This is because each differently colored pixel will have, preferably, a differently sized emitting area. As such, for example, the widths of the pixels may need to be adjusted to optimize for differently colored pixels in the same row and the heights of the pixels may need to be adjusted to optimize for differently colored pixels in the same column.
As shown in the prior art described above, signal lines are typically located between the emitting areas of each pixel. For example, in the row direction, a select line may be located between each of the emitting areas of two adjacent rows of pixels. Adjusting the size of the emitting areas in both the row and column direction would result in the circuit components and signal lines needing to be routed around the emitting regions of the pixels. However, routing the signal lines around the emitting regions of the pixels results in the signal lines becoming bent as describe above.


An image processing apparatus, in which an operator can register a workflow with an easy operation, the usage of a routine task function can thus be facilitated, and the work efficiency of the operator can be improved. A plurality of functions for an image processing are provided with the image processing apparatus capable of executing a process including a combination of the plurality of the functions as a workflow. An operation unit receives an operation by an operator for the image processing apparatus. A storing unit stores the operation, which is received by the operation unit, by the operator as an operation history. An extracting unit extracts operation information for causing the workflow to be executed from the operation history stored in the storing unit. A registering unit registers the operation information extracted by the extracting unit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a workflow registering method, and a storage medium, and more particularly, to an image processing apparatus provided with a function for automatically registering device operation information including a series of settings and functions with a routine task function, a workflow registering method, and a storage medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an image processing apparatus, which is represented by a digital copying machine, and the like, has been highly and multiply functionalized. The highly-functional image processing apparatus is provided with a storing function for storing an image in a database as a file, a storing function for storing a document in a storage in the apparatus, a transmitting function for transmitting an image on a network with a network protocol such as an e-mail, a transmitting and receiving function for transmitting and receiving the document through the network and the like in addition to a function for copying a original sheet.
In the image processing apparatus, it is troublesome for an operator to repeatedly and similarly operate various setting works for functions of the image processing apparatus every time the operator executes repeatedly the same process. Thus, some of the highly-functional image processing apparatuses are provided with a routine task function to simplify the operation when the operator repeats the same process.
This routine task function is a function for storing and recreating, based on functions of the image processing apparatus, a document reading function, a printing function, and a network transmitting and receiving function as a series of operations on a console panel.
In the routine task function, for example, a series of processes, which are obtained by storing and customizing operation information set by the operator, are registered, and the stored operation information is called up to be executed by an easy action such as pushing a button. That is, this routine task function is a function for storing and unifying device operation information (so-called, a workflow) including a series of settings and functions, and the device operation information can be repeatedly and easily called up to be executed.
The routine task function includes, for example, a function for assigning a variety of operations and parameters, which are selected and set by the operator, to a predetermined button named as a workflow button. The routine task function is configured so that, since the operator pushes down the predetermined workflow button, a variety of the operations and parameters, which are set to the predetermined workflow button, can be called up with one touch. When the predetermined workflow button is pushed down the called-up workflow is executed (recreated) as if the operator operates.
Concerning the conventional image processing apparatus, there has been proposed a technique which focuses on such a process that the workflow, which has been already registered by another user, is utilized to simplifying a troublesome work for registering the workflow of the routine task function.
This routine task function is provided with a function for managing the workflow button for each user individually. This routine task function is configured so that the workflow button can be set as a common button or a user-specific button, and it is determined whether or not the workflow button can be used with an access right included by each user.
In the routine task function of the image processing apparatus as configured above, in a case where the workflow button is managed for each operator, the workflow of each operator is generated by using the workflow of other user as a reference (for example, refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2007-7922).
In the routine task function of the conventional image processing apparatus as described above, it is a main object to generate the predetermined useful workflow of the operator itself by using the workflow of other operator as a reference, so that, the workflow is generated based on the workflow which has been already registered for other user. However, to register the predetermined operation information of the operator itself as the workflow, it is necessary to reedit the workflow along with the predetermined operation by the operator.
Thus, in the routine task function of the image processing apparatus, since such a work is troublesome that the operator operates to edit and register the workflow, it is desired to further simplify the work for registering the workflow.

Image processing apparatus, method, and computer program product extracting information from operation history and registering workflow


Exemplary apparatus and optical systems for forward and side view apparatus are described. These apparatus include a light focusing element, a grating element inclined with respect to the optical axis of the apparatus, and a transparent element. The transparent element has a proximal surface in contact with the grating element and an inclined distal surface. Such apparatus can be used as spectrally encoded endoscopy (SEE) probes.

Endoscopes are used to view the interior passageway of an object. Endoscopes are used for both medical and technical applications to view confined space where the available pathways for probe advancement are limited, such as in small vessels, joints, organs, small needles, cracks etc.). Conventional miniature endoscopes are generally composed of fiber-optic imaging bundles and an optical system.
To enhance the ability to miniaturize the endoscope, a spectrally encoded endoscope ("SEE") has been developed. U.S. Pat. No. 8,145,018 describes SEE techniques and arrangements which facilitate the use of a single optical fiber to transmit one-dimensional (e.g., line) image by spectrally encoding one spatial axis. (See also, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,796,270; U.S. Pat. No. 7,859,679; U.S. Pat. No. 8,045,177; U.S. Pat. No. 8,812,087; U.S. Pat. No. 8,780,176.) By mechanically scanning this image line in the direction perpendicular thereto, a two dimensional image of the scanned plane can be obtained outside of the probe. This technology provides a possibility for designing the probes that are of slightly bigger diameter than an optical fiber. Probes in approximately 100 μm diameter range may be developed using such SEE technology. SEE techniques and systems facilitate a simultaneous detection of most or all points along a one-dimensional line of the image. Encoding the spatial information on the sample can be accomplished by using a broad spectral bandwidth light source as the input to a single optical fiber endoscope.
Spectrally-encoded endoscopy utilizes the ability of the diffraction grating that deflects incident light to a diffraction angle according to wavelength. When the deflected light hit the object, it is scattered by the object. Detecting the scattered light intensity at each wavelength is equivalent to detecting the intensity from the diffraction angle. Thus, one-dimensional image of the object is obtained. However, as the grating deflects the light, the incident light is usually bent with respect to the optical axis. In this way, no light goes straight with respect to the optical axis. As no light goes straight, it is not capable with conventional spectrally-encoded endoscopy configuration to view forward direction.
Current trend of the spectrally-encoded endoscopy employs side-view type, with a few examples exhibiting forward viewing characteristics. The front-view type consists of multiple components—prism and grating, making the probe design complicated. Examples of such designs can be found, for example, in C. Pitris et al., (B. E. Bouma, M. Shiskov, G. J. Tearney, OPTICS EXPRESS Vol. 11 120-124 (2003) and U.S. Pat. No. 8,145,018, both of which discloses a dual prism configuration where a grating is sandwiched between two prisms (a "grism"). This grism directs spectrally dispersed light in the directions including the optical axis of the fiber. The grism consists of multiple components (grating, prisms) which will need proper alignment. The need of a grism will increase the cost, complexity of fabrication and size of the probe.
Thus, there is a need to provide forward view SEE with an endoscope that has a lower cost and/or complexity compared to prior apparatus.


The invention relates to a method for reconstructing a fully sampled k-space data set. An undersampled GRAPPA scan of a subject is performed in a parallel MRI system using a set of receiver coil elements and corresponding receiver channels to obtain a reduced k-space data set. Autocalibration samples in k-space for each receiver channel are obtained and a GRAPPA reconstruction kernel β is calculated from the reduced k-space data set and autocalibration samples. Missing k-space lines are reconstructed to obtain a reconstructed k-space data set which together with the reduced k-space data set fully samples each channel of k-space. Each line is reconstructed using a regularized GRAPPA reconstruction if prior k-space information is available and using an unregularized GRAPPA reconstruction if no prior k-space information is available. The regularized GRAPPA reconstructions are performed preferably using a Tikhonov regularization framework.

When a substance such as human tissue is subjected to a uniform magnetic field (polarizing field B0), the individual magnetic moments of the spins in the tissue attempt to align with this polarizing field, but precess about it in random order at their characteristic Larmor frequency. If the substance, or tissue, is subjected to a magnetic field (excitation field B1) which is in the x-y plane and which is near the Lamor frequency, the net aligned moment, Mz, may be rotated, or "tipped", into the x-y plane to produce a net transverse magnetic moment Mt. A signal is emitted by the excited spins after the excitation signal B1 is terminated, this signal may be received and processed to form an image.
When utilizing these signals to produce images, magnetic field gradients (Gx, Gy and Gz) are employed. Typically, the region to be imaged is scanned by a sequence of measurement cycles in which these gradients vary according to the particular localization method being used. The resulting set of received NMR signals are digitized and processed to reconstruct the image using one of many well known image reconstruction techniques.
Depending on the technique used, many NMR scans currently used to produce medical images require many minutes to acquire the necessary data. The reduction of this scan time is an important consideration, since reduced scan time increases patient throughput, improves patient comfort, and improves image quality by reducing motion artifacts. Many different strategies have been developed to shorten the scan time.
One such strategy is referred to generally as "parallel imaging". Parallel imaging techniques use spatial information form arrays of RF receiver coils to substitute for the encoding which would otherwise have to be obtained in a sequential fashion using RF pulses and field gradients (such as phase and frequency encoding). Each of the spatially independent receiver coils of the array carriers certain spatial information and has a different sensitivity profile. This information is utilized in order to achieve a complete location encoding by a combination of the simultaneously acquired coil data from the separate receiver coils. Specifically, parallel imaging techniques undersample k-space by reducing the number of phase-encoded lines acquired by increasing the distance between these lines while keeping the maximal extent covered in k-space fixed. The combination of the separate NMR signals produced by the separate receiver coils enables a reduction of the acquisition time required for an image (in comparison to conventional k-space data acquisition) by a factor which in the most favorable case equals the number of the receiver coils. Thus the use of multiple receiver coils acts to multiply imaging speed, without increasing gradient switching rates or RF power.
Two categories of such parallel imaging techniques which have recently been developed and applied to in vivo imaging are SENSE (SENSitivity Encoding) and SMASH (SiMultaneous Acquisition of Spatial Harmonics).
With SENSE, the undersampled k-space data is first Fourier transformed to produce an aliased image from each coil, and then the aliased image signals are unfolded by a linear transformation of the superimposed pixel values.
With SMASH, the omitted k-space lines are filled in or reconstructed prior to Fourier transformation, by constructing a weighted combination of neighboring lines acquired by the difference receiver coils. SMASH requires that the spatial sensitivity of the coils be determined, and one way to do so is by "autocalibration" which entails the use of variable density k-space sampling. A recent important advance to SMASH techniques using autocalibration is a technique known as GRAPPA (GeneRalized Autocalibrating Partially Parallel Acquisitions), introduced by Griswold et al. This technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,841,998 as well as in the article titled "Generalized Autocalibrating Partially Parallel Acquisitions (GRAPPA)," by Griswold et al. and published in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 47:1202-1210 (2002).
Using these original GRAPPA techniques, lines near the center of k-space are sampled at the Nyquist frequency (in comparison to the greater spaced lines at the edges of k-space). These so-called autocalibration signal (ACS) lines are then used to determine the weighting factors that are used to reconstruct the missing k-space lines. In particular, a linear combination of individual coil data is used to create the missing lines of k-space. The coefficients for the combination are determined by fitting the acquired data to the more highly sampled data near the center of k-space.
In dynamic MRI applications, such as functional imaging, interventional imaging and cardiac imaging, there has long been a need in the art for methods and apparatus that provide high quality images, i.e., high-resolution and signal to noise ratio (SNR). Thus, in addition to scan time, it is also desirable to improve the SNR of acquired image data.


Provided herein are antibodies that bind to the alpha subunit of an IL-7 receptor (IL-7Rα). Also provided are uses of these antibodies in therapeutic applications, such as treatment of inflammatory diseases. Further provided are cells that produce the antibodies, polynucleotides encoding the heavy and/or light chain regions of the antibodies, and vectors comprising the polynucleotides.

Interleukin-7 (IL-7) is a member of the common γ chain (γc) family of cytokines that also include IL-2, IL-4, IL-9, IL-15, and IL-21. Nguyen V., et al., J Immunol Res 2017: 4807853 (2017). Like other members, IL-7 signals via a ternary complex formed with its unique α-receptor, IL-7Rα (CD127), and the common γ receptor. Carrette, F., et al., Semin Immunol 24(3): 209-17 (2012). This interaction stimulates the Janus kinase (JAK) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins with subsequent activation of the phosphoinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, or Src pathways to facilitate target gene transcription. IL-7 Rα is also used by thymic stromal-derived lymphopoietin (TSLP) as part of a complex that contains a second receptor chain, TSLPR. Durum, S. K., Blood 124(1):4-5 (2014).
IL-7 plays a critical role in the development of a normal immune system, as it is essential for the thymic development, peripheral maintenance, and survival of lymphocytes. Maraskovsky, E., et al., J Immunol 157(12): 5315-5323 (1996). Thymic T cell precursors require IL-7 for proliferation, differentiation, and survival. In the periphery, IL-7 regulates T cell hemostasis by enhancing the survival and proliferation of naïve and memory T cells.
IL-7 is a tissue-derived cytokine, and is primarily produced from stromal and epithelial cells in various tissues. For instance, in the small and large intestines, IL-7 is produced by the intestinal goblet epithelial cells and has been described as being essential for the persistence of chronic colitis in animal models. Tomita, T., et al., J Immunol 180(1): 383-390 (2008). IL-7 has also been shown to interfere with the immunosuppressive capabilities of regulatory T cells (Tregs). Heninger, A. K., et al., J Immunol 189(12): 5649-5658 (2012). Thus, agents that can modulate the activity of IL-7 in vivo and thereby decrease the survival/function of pathogenic T cells and/or increase the induction of regulatory T cells are highly desirable for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease.

Antibodies against IL-7R alpha subunit and uses thereof


An air-to-air heat pump has a first passageway having an inlet and an outlet both communicating with air outside the building, and having a first heat exchanger constituting an evaporator for a first refrigerant contained therein during a heating cycle, and has a second passageway having an inlet and an outlet both communicating with relatively warm air inside the building, and having a second heat exchanger constituting a condenser for the first refrigerant contained therein during the heating cycle and having the usual active heat pump circuit including the first and second heat exchangers. The invention provides a heat pipe containing a second refrigerant and having a first normally higher end in the first passageway and a second, normally lower end in the second passageway, the second refrigerant being capable of being evaporated by said relatively warm air in the second passageway and being capable of being condensed by cold air in the said first passageway. The first end is positioned in the first passageway upstream of the first heat exchanger whereby cold air is pre-heated by condensation of said second refrigerant before contacting said first heat exchanger so that frosting on the first heat exchanger in cold air conditions is inhibited.

There are several advantageous features of heat pump systems which are not fully exploited. From a residential or small commercial building owners' perspective, there are the obvious savings associated with the installation of any type of heat pump system, as opposed to a conventional electric or fossil fuel system. For the respective utility, there is the potential for reduction in peak demand, and improved load dispersal, over the calendar year. Finally, in a society that has become increasingly conscious of the environment, heat pump systems offer an environmentally sound alternative to building heating and cooling.
In order to introduce a heat pump system using air as the heat source in cold regions, a number of technical problems must be solved, such as degraded performance at outside air temperatures below -8.degree. C., as well as frosting on the evaporator coil at cold outside temperatures. Most of the deficiencies associated with air/air heat pumps have been overcome in our proposed integrated design of heat pump.
The integrated heat pump system combines the proven efficiencies of heat pump technologies with the heat regenerative technologies to give the most efficient heating/cooling system, with capabilities to produce domestic hot water. The system uses environmentally sound blends of refrigerants that have less environmental impact than CFCs, and meet the standards set by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) for Greenhouse Depletion Potential (GDP) and Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP).
The new system is much more efficient than existing air/air split systems for several reasons. In the existing systems, the air heats the refrigerants circulating in the outdoor section of the heat pump, which pass into the indoor system to finally heat the house. Unlike the existing systems, the new system provides a fully integrated unit; the cold air from outside is brought to the unit which is placed indoors. The heat extracted from the cold air is then pumped to heat the house. This reduces the heat loss and refrigerant pipes between the indoor and outdoor sections. Furthermore, the new system utilizes a passive heat pump to preheat the evaporator cold air, which enhances system efficiency in cold weather by reducing frosting on the evaporator. In addition, the refrigerant blend used in the new system is especially formulated to extract more heat from the cold air at lower temperatures.
Since the system uses air as the heat sink, no other cost is involved except air ducting. Therefore, unlike water or ground source heat pumps, it is the most affordable heating and cooling system.
This system is intended for retrofitting houses with fossil fuel furnaces, or for replacing base board electric heating systems.
Prior work has been reported on similar systems, by Dinh, (1), Sami, (2), Linton, J. W. (3 and 4), focused on ventilation and air exchanging of the buildings for humidity and odor control. However, the new system is fully intended for cooling and heating the interior air of the building, rather than providing air exchange or ventilation for buildings.


Pharmaceutical compositions comprising known verotoxins, particularly, verotoxin 1 and their pentameric subunit B, have been found to be useful in the treatment of mammalian neoplasia, particularly, brain cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer and skin cancer. Although verotoxin 1 has previously been shown to have anti-neoplastic activity in vitro, non-lethal doses of verotoxin 1 have been shown to be therapeutically anti-neoplastic in vivo. Use of a sensitizer, such as sodium butyrate, enhances the efficacy of verotoxins and their subunit B.

Bacteriocins are bacterial proteins produced to prevent the growth of competing microorganisms in a particular biological niche. A preparation of bacteriocin from a particular strain of E. coli (HSC.sub.10) has long been shown to have anti-neoplastic activity against a variety of human tumour cell lines in vitro (1,2). This preparation, previously referred to as PPB (partially purified bacteriocin (2)) or ACP (anti-cancer proteins (2)) was also effective in a murine tumour model of preventing metastases to the lung (2).
Verotoxins, also known as SHIGA-like toxins, comprise a family known as Verotoxin 1, Verotoxin 2, Verotoxin 2c and Verotoxin 2e of subunit toxins elaborated by some strains of E. coli (3). These toxins are involved in the etiology of the hemolytic uremic syndrome (3,4) and haemorrhagic colitis (5). Cell cytotoxicity is mediated via the binding of the B subunit of the holotoxin to the receptor glycolipid, globotriaosylceramide, in sensitive cells (6).
The verotoxin family of E coli elaborated toxins bind to the globo series glycolipid globotriaosylceramide and require terminal gal .alpha.-1-4 gal residue for binding. In addition, VT2e, the pig edema disease toxin, recognizes globotetraosylceramide (Gb.sub.4) containing an additional .beta. 1-3 linked galNac residue. These glycolipids are the functional receptors for these toxins since incorporation of the glycolipid into receptor negative cells renders the recipient cells sensitive to cytotoxicity. The toxins inhibit protein synthesis via the A subunit--an N-glycanase which removes a specific adenine base in the 28S RNA of the 60S RNA ribosomal subunit. However, the specific cytotoxicity and specific activity is a function of the B subunit. In an in vitro translation system, the verotoxin A subunit is the most potent inhibitor of protein synthesis yet described, being effective at a concentration of about 8 pM. In the rabbit model of verocytotoxemia, pathology and toxin targeting is restricted to tissues which contain the glycolipid receptor and these comprise endothelial cells of a subset of the blood vasculature. Verotoxins have been strongly implicated as the etiological agents for hemolytic uremic syndrome and haemorrhagic colitis, microangiopathies of the glomerular or gastrointestinal capillaries respectively. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) are sensitive to verotoxin but this sensitivity is variable according to cell line. Human adult renal endothelial cells are exquisitely sensitive to verotoxin in vitro and express a correspondingly high level of Gb.sub.3. However, HUS is primarily a disease of children under three and the elderly, following gastrointestinal VTEC infection. It has been shown that receptors for verotoxin are present in the glomeruli of infants under this age but are not expressed in the glomeruli of normal adults. HUVEC can be sensitized to the effect of verotoxin by pretreatment by tumour necrosis factor which results in a specific elevation of Gb.sub.3 synthesis (7,8). Human renal endothelial cells on the other hand, although they express high levels of Gb.sub.3 in culture, cannot be stimulated to increase Gb.sub.3 synthesis (8). It has been suggested that the transition from renal tissue to primary endothelial cell culture in vitro results in the maximum stimulation of Gb.sub.3 synthesis from a zero background (9). We therefore suspect that HUS in the elderly is the result of verotoxemia and a concomitant stimulation of renal endothelial cell Gb.sub.3 synthesis by some other factor, eg. LPS stimulation of serum .alpha. TNF. Thus under these conditions, the majority of individuals (excepting the very young) would not be liable to VT induced renal pathology following systemic verotoxemia.
It has also been shown that the verotoxin targets a sub-population of human B cells in vitro (10). These Gb.sub.3 containing B cells are found within the germinal centres of lymph nodes (11). It has been proposed that Gb.sub.3 may be involved in a germinal centre homing by CD19 positive B cells (12) and that Gb.sub.3 may be involved in the mechanisms of antigen presentation (13).
Elevated levels of Gb.sub.3 have been associated with several other human tumours (14-16), but ovarian tumours have not been previously investigated. Gb.sub.3 is the p.sup.k blood group antigen (17). Tissue surveys using anti-p.sup.k antisera have shown that human ovaries do not express this glycolipid (18, 19). Sensitivity to VT1 cytotoxicity in vitro has been shown to be a function of cell growth, the stationary phase cells being refractile to cytotoxicity (20). The sequence homology between the receptor binding B subunit and the human .alpha.2-interferon receptor and the B cell marker CD19 suggests that expression of Gb.sub.3 is involved in the mechanism of .alpha.2-interferon and CD19 signal transduction (12). On surface ligation, Gb.sub.3 has been shown to undergo a retrograde intracellular transport via the rough endoplasmic reticulum to the nuclear membrane (21).
The astrocytoma is the most common primary human brain tumour. The majority of astrocytomas are malignant neoplasms which infiltrate diffusely into regions of normal brain. Despite the advent of promising adjuvant therapies and drugs which have impacted positively on patient survival in other tumor types in recent times, no such promising therapy has yet been found for the patient with a malignant astrocytoma. The median survival for patients with glioblastoma multiforme, the most malignant form of astrocytoma, is approximately 12 months and accordingly, it is imperative that new therapeutic treatments for malignant astrocytomas be found.
VTs consist of a 30 kDa enzymatic A subunit which is capable of inhibiting protein synthesis. The A subunit is noncovalently associated with a pentameric 7 kDa B subunit array which binds to Gb.sub.3.
In addition to the cytotoxic effects of VTs on a wide range of cells by the A subunit inhibition of protein synthesis, recent evidence suggests that VT1. and the receptor binding B subunit alone, also induce morphological changes and DNA fragmentation characteristic of apoptosis in Gb.sub.3 -positive cells (22, 23).

Verotoxin pharmaceutical compositions and medical treatments therewith

both executors of said Hannah Fakar-Himsley, deceased


A cooling device for a fuel pump and for fuel in a marine internal combustion engine fuel system includes a housing for water circulation therethrough, a fuel pump disposed in the housing and cooled by the water therein, the fuel pump having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet, a fuel conduit connected to the fuel pump inlet for delivering fuel to the fuel pump, and a fuel recycle line extending through the housing for conducting unused fuel from an internal combustion engine to the fuel conduit. The water circulating in the housing is operative to cool the fuel pump and fuel therein, and to cool the unused fuel in the fuel recycle line.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fuel systems for internal combustion engines and is directed more particularly to a device for cooling a fuel pump and fuel in a fuel system of a marine internal combustion engine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known that an internal combustion fuel system subject to high temperatures will experience "vapor lock" when the fuel reaches the temperature at which the fuel vaporizes. It is further known that fuel pumps, typically with tight tolerance between rotor and housing, expand under high temperature operations, expanding the space between rotor and housing, leading to inefficiency in operation. Still higher temperatures are known to cause the flashing of vapor in the pump which is designed to operate only with the liquid fuel.
In the automotive industry, the fuel pump frequently is placed in the fuel tank, stabilizing the temperature of the pump and fuel therein. However, in marine applications it is required by the Coast Guard that fuel pumps be no more than twelve inches from the engine, eliminating the fuel tank from consideration as a cool place in which to locate the fuel pump. The fuel pump thus absorbs heat from engine surfaces and from the ambient environment, leading to unduly high temperatures, causing the aforementioned vaporization of fuel in the pump and/or system and a marked reduction in fuel pump efficiency. The likelihood of fuel vaporization is increased in marine applications by the known fact that fuel vaporizes at a substantially lower temperature when placed under a negative pressure, as when pulled from a fuel tank by a fuel pump external to the tank, than when placed under a positive pressure provided by a fuel pump inside the fuel tank.
Aggravating the above scenario is the fact that a marine fuel system must be able to idle indefinitely and in the idling state, the fuel temperature rise is greatest. This is because more of the fuel is unused fuel recycled through a fuel recycle line to the system from the engine, with relatively little cool "new" fuel being added. Further, even after shut down of the system, for the first hour, or so, the temperatures in the bilge climb, subjecting fuel lines and the fuel pump to increased heat, often causing vapor lock conditions and a "non start" situation when restart of the engine is sought.
There is thus a need for a device which stabilizes the temperature of the fuel pump and fuel therein, and cools the fuel in the fuel recycle line, thereby cooling the fuel in the system generally so as to maintain the fuel and the fuel pump in a relatively cool condition, below vaporization temperature of the fuel, and permitting the pump to operate continuously at high efficiency.

Cooling device for a fuel pump and fuel in a marine combustion engine


An energy transfer element includes a first winding coupled to an input circuit and a second winding coupled to an output circuit. The first winding has a first unit and a second unit, and the second winding is wound between the first unit of the first winding and the second unit of the first winding. The energy transfer element further includes a third winding provided between the first unit of the first winding and the second winding. The third winding is used to supply a bias voltage of the input circuit, and a winding width of the third winding is greater than a winding width of the first unit of the first winding and a width of the second winding.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an energy transfer element. More particularly, the present invention relates to an energy transfer element for minimizing a number of shields.
2. Description of the Related Art
A converter is a device for converting a DC voltage into at least one DC voltage. To achieve this purpose, the converter uses an energy transfer element and particularly uses a transformer as the energy transfer element.
Parasitic capacitances may exist between a primary coil and a secondary coil of the transformer, which may generate a displacement current when the converter is operated. The displacement current generates electromagnetic interference (EMI). In general, in order to control the displacement current, a shield, such as a conductive shield or a winding shield, is inserted between the primary winding and the secondary winding of the transformer to thus reduce EMI. However, the window size (indicating the part to which the winding is substantially wound) of the core of the transformer is reduced in the case of inserting a plurality of shields so as to reduce the EMI.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Energy transfer element and converter including the same


Apparatus and methods are described for a background microcontroller debugger. A method to debug a microcontroller includes sending a three level signal from a debug module, receiving the three level signal at a single pin on an MCU, sending a second three level signal from the single pin on the MCU, and receiving the second three level signal at the debug module. An apparatus to debug a microcontroller includes a tri-statable pad driver to transmit a three level signal, a reference voltage divider coupled to the tri-statable pad diver, a plurality of voltage comparators to receive the three level signal, a resistive voltage divider to maintain thresholds for the plurality of voltage comparators, and a plurality of logic elements coupled to the plurality of voltage comparators to receive the three level signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of microcontrollers. More particularly, the invention relates to debug interfaces for microcontrollers.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Background debug, which aids in the development of software in microcontrollers (MCUs), has been in existence since about 1990 and has grown in sophistication. Debug is essential for the software development of most modern MCUs. It usually utilizes a synchronous serial data protocol.
As shown in FIG. 1, a control device, such as a computer 100, is linked to a debug module 110 to debug the software in the MCU 150. A "data in" signal 120 and a clock signal 130 are sent simultaneously from the debug module 110 to the MCU 150, and a data signal 140 is sent back to the debug module 110 from the MCU 150. This data signal 140 is analyzed to detect and correct possible problems in the software in the MCU 150.
FIG. 2 illustrates a system where only one wire is used to communicate in a half-duplex manner between the MCU and the debug module 110, thereby maintaining low costs. Signal waveform 210 of the data in/out signals 200 is illustrated. As directed by the computer 100, the debug module 110 sends and receives from the MCU 150 a binary or bi-level waveform 210. However, because a clock signal is not embedded in the data signal, both the MCU 150 and the debug module 110 needs to receive clock information from another source or the information transmitted between the debug module 110 and the MCU 150 is useless.
As the performance of MCUs increases and the cost simultaneously decreases, it is increasingly necessary to put software debug logic on-chip. In future generations of low cost MCUs, the pin count may be so low that only a single pin may be reserved for use as a debug port. This becomes a problem as IC designers never know what frequency a customer might use, and a clocking signal is important to keep the two modules synchronized.
One example of current technology is a system that is implemented with on-chip hardware rather than external software and provides a full set of debugging options. The control logic resides in an on-chip background debug module (BDM), rather than in a CPU. The BDM generally uses CPU dead cycles to execute debugging commands while the CPU is operating normally but can steal cycles from the CPU when necessary. While the BDM is active, the CPU executes a monitor program located in a small on-chip ROM.
Debugging control logic communicates with external devices serially, via single pin. This single-wire approach helps to minimize the number of pins needed for development support. This pin is an open-drain pin that can be driven either by an MCU or by an external host and is used to send and receive data only. The BDM and the MCU both have their own clocks. However, problems arise when the clock in the BDM becomes out of sync with the clock in the MCU. If this situation arises, the BDM cannot effectively detect any problems that may be present. Thus, synchronization of the MCU and the debug module, without dedicated data, clock, and handshake signals, is a fundamental problem.


An image forming apparatus includes a forming unit configured to form a detection patch on a recording material and a detecting unit configured to detect the detection patch on the recording material being conveyed at a first conveying speed. After the detecting unit detects the detection patch, the recording material with the detected detection patch is conveyed at a second conveying speed higher than the first conveying speed.

1. Field
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to image forming apparatuses, such as color printers and color copiers, and in particular to an image forming apparatus including a colorimeter.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, image forming apparatuses, typified by a color printer and a color copier, has required an enhanced image quality in output images. In particular, stability of chromaticity of output images has a profound effect on the quality of the images. However, changes in environment, such as temperature or humidity, or a long period of use may vary the chromaticity of an obtained output image in an image forming apparatus. One effective approach to achieve stable chromaticity of output images is to detect the chromaticity of an output image using a colorimeter and perform color correction control according to the detected chromaticity.
One example method for detecting chromaticity of an output image is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-283898. The method is the one of forming a color patch on a recording material and colorimetrically measuring color of the color patch using a colorimeter while conveying the recording material with the color patch formed thereon. During the colorimetric measurement, the conveying speed of the recording material is lower than a printing speed, thus improving the accuracy of the colorimetric measurement.
However, reducing the conveying speed of the recording material with the color patch subjected to the colorimetric measurement by the colorimeter serving as a detecting unit can improve the accuracy of the colorimetric measurement, but requires a longer period of time taken for discharging the recording material with the color patch formed thereon. This extends the time taken for completing a calibration operation using the detecting unit and raises a problem in that the extended time leads to downtime.


The present invention relates to electroluminescent devices employing single-ion conductors as the materials for an electron- or hole-injecting layer. Preferred electroluminescent devices employ an electron- or hole-injecting layer made of single-ion conductors in a conventional electroluminescent device which comprises: a transparent substrate; a semitransparent electrode deposited on the transparent substrate; a hole-injecting layer positioned on the semitransparent electrode; an electroluminescent layer made of organic luminescent material, positioned on the hole-injecting layer; an electron-injecting layer positioned on the electroluminescent layer; and, a metal electrode deposited on the electron-injecting layer. The electroluminescent devices of the invention have excellent electroluminescent efficiency and low turn-on voltage, which make possible their application to the development of high efficiency electroluminescent devices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electroluminescent devices employing single-ion conductors, more specifically, to organic/polymer electroluminescent devices employing single-ion conductors as an electron- or hole-injecting layer.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electroluminescent ("EL") devices that emit light by applying an electric field to the device typically comprise an ITO (indium tin oxide) substrate, EL material and two electrodes. To improve the EL efficiency, the device is provided with a hole-injecting layer between the ITO electrode and EL material, an electron-injecting layer between EL material and the counter metal electrode, or both layers. As the EL material that plays a crucial role in the device, organic polymer/inorganic hybrid nanocomposite employing insulating inorganic materials, such as SiO2 and TiO2 that help the transport of electric charges, has been developed and put to the practical use (see: S. A. Carter, Applied Physics Letters, 71:1145, 1997; L. Gozano, Applied Physics Letters, 73:3911, 1998).
In the meantime, studies on the hole- or electron-injecting layer have been actively performed to improve the EL efficiency, mainly by way of inserting ionomers as the electron-injecting layer (see: Hyang-Mok Lee et al., Applied Physics Letters, 72, 2382, 1998). However, it cannot be a basic solution to improve the EL efficiency because the movement of ions is restricted in the ionomers, which naturally limits electron-injection. As an alternative means for efficient electron-injection, an electron-transporting layer rather than the electron-injecting layer, was proposed in the art, which utilizes the materials that well transport electrons and have high affinity to the electrons. Several methods that utilize inorganic nanoparticles, 2-(4-biphenylyl)-5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (PBD), or metal chelate complexes have been presented until now (see: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,537,000; 5,817,431; and 5,994,835). However, these methods have not been realized in practical use due to the low EL efficiency or the difficulties confronted in the thin film deposition process.
Under the circumstances, there are strong reasons for developing and exploring a material that can be used as the hole- or electron-injecting layer to improve the EL efficiency while employing the convenient thin-film deposition process such as a spin-coating method.

Organic/polymer electroluminescent devices employing single-ion conductors

Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology


A manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display panel and a liquid crystal dripping device for the liquid crystal dripping and panel pasting method, by which residual moisture, gas constituents, and foreign substances mixed in the liquid crystal can be removed assuredly, and an occurrence of display fault can be suppressed, and can also improve display quality and a yield of the liquid crystal display panel, is provided. In this manufacturing method, prior to drip the liquid crystal on the substrate, pre-treatments, which combines suitably vacuum treatment which removes residual moisture and gas constituents from the liquid crystal maintaining the liquid crystal in a reduced pressure environment, filtration treatment which removes foreign substances from the liquid crystal, and heat treatment which heats the liquid crystal as required for carrying out distributed removal of the organic substances, are performed.

1. Field of the Invention
A present invention relates to a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display panel, and its manufacturing apparatus. In particular, it relates to a manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display panel using a liquid crystal dripping and panel pasting method, and a liquid crystal dripping device to be used for the method.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since it has advantages, such as thin shape, light weight, and low power consumption, the liquid crystal display panel is widely used as a display of AV equipment or OA equipment.
The liquid crystal display panel is sandwiching the liquid crystal between a pair of substrates disposed face to face each other. The liquid crystal display panel provides a pair of electrodes, and controls an alignment direction of a liquid crystal molecule by the electric field generated between electrodes. The liquid crystal display panel displays images by modulating the light irradiated through the liquid crystal display panel in the alignment direction of the controlled liquid crystal molecule.
In the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display panel, there is a method generally named a liquid crystal filling method as a method of filling the liquid crystal between the pair of substrates disposed face to face each other. The liquid crystal filling method has the following typical methods.
One method is a dipping method for filling the liquid crystal by using pressure difference in a vacuum chamber. In this method, an alignment and pasting of the pair of substrates are to be performed. For pasting each substrate which opposes together, a sealing material is applied on the surface of the substrate except for the area used as a liquid crystal filling port, and the pair of substrates pasted together is called "a cell". Then, this cell is put into the vacuum chamber and the pressure inside of the vacuum chamber is decreased to a low pressure state. Next, the liquid crystal filling port of the cell is dipped into the liquid crystal, and returning the pressure of the inside of the vacuum chamber to an atmosphere pressure state. Then, the liquid crystal is sucked up inside of the cell by pressure difference.
In another method, the cell is provided with two ports, a filling port and an exhausting port. The filling port is dipped into the liquid crystal and air inside of the cell is exhausted from the exhausting port, and as the result, the liquid crystal is sucked up inside of the cell by pressure difference.
An example of the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display panel by the liquid crystal filling method is described with reference to FIG. 7.
FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing a part of manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display panel by the conventional liquid crystal filling method.
As a pair of substrates to be used for the cell, a TFT substrate on which switching elements, such as TFT (Thin Film Transistor), are formed in matrix form, and another substrate as a counter substrate on which a color filter and a black matrix are formed are used, and processes are to fill the liquid crystal inside of the cell.
First, by using a printer, provide coating of solution of polyimide, as a material of an alignment layer, on a surface of the TFT substrate and also on a surface of the counter substrate, then performs pre-baking using heating equipment such as a hot plate oven or an IR oven. After pre-baking, performs main baking for carrying out heating dehydration condensation of the polyimide coating film, and forms the alignment layer of uniform thickness (S710, S720).
Next, rubbing process is to be performed for respective alignment layers on both substrates by a rubbing roller which rubs over the surface of the alignment layer in a same direction by a rubbing cloth (S711, S721).
More over, in order to remove the residue on the surface of the substrate, respective substrates are washed by ultrasonic cleaning, jet spray cleaning, which uses warm ultra-pure water or an alcohol. Then, puts the substrates into a drying equipment and dries the substrates with a hot blast circulation or an infrared heating (S712, S722).
Next, using a screen printing method with a heat curing resin, forms the seal patterning for specifying an area, in which the liquid crystal is to be filled, except for a portion of the liquid crystal filling port on one of the substrates of the pair, (it is assumed that the TFT substrate is used for this substrate as an example), and after this, an AG coating is applied (S713, S714).
Spray spacers, such as polymer beads or silica beads, on the other substrate of the pair substrates by a spacer sprayer with a wet type method or a dry type method, and makes them fix (S723, S724).
Next, carries out panel alignment for both substrates of the pair which have performed the above-mentioned processing, and pastes them together (S730).
The substrates of the pair pasted together are pressed from both outsides, the seal material is to be crushed, and a desired gap between two substrates is formed, then the substrates are baked at a predetermined temperature (S731).
Thus, after seal baking process, cuts the substrates of the pair in a predetermined portion of the outside of the seal material (S732).
Next, after drying the substrates of the pair pasted together (S733), holds the substrates in a vacuum system, and decompresses the inside of the vacuum system, which causes a space produced in a gap part between the substrates being decompressed.
Then, the liquid crystal filling port of the substrates pasted together is dipped into liquid crystal, and after dipping, returns the inside of the vacuum system back to the atmosphere pressure state. By this process, the liquid crystal is filled in the gap part between substrates by pressure difference (S734).
After the liquid crystal has been filled in the gap, ultraviolet curing resin is poured into the liquid crystal filling port for end sealing. An ultraviolet rays is glared for curing ultraviolet curing resin to provide end sealing of the liquid crystal filling port, and a liquid crystal display panel (S735) is formed.
The liquid crystal filling method which was mentioned above has such disadvantages as taking long time for filling the liquid crystal through very small liquid crystal filling port (a tiny hole), and requiring a large amount of liquid crystal for dipping the liquid crystal filling port into liquid crystal.
Therefore, another method called a liquid crystal dripping and panel pasting method is used in recent years.
The liquid crystal dripping and panel pasting method applies the seal material to one substrate, drips liquid crystal onto the substrate and pastes another substrate on it in an ordinary atmosphere or a decompressed atmosphere state. It is the method of stiffening the seal material by pressurization or a pressure difference between decompressed atmosphere state and normal atmosphere state. This liquid crystal dripping and panel pasting method can shorten working hours substantially since the liquid crystal is directly dripped on the substrate. Also, it has an advantage of reducing amount of costly liquid crystal because a necessary minimum liquid crystal is enough to be used.
With reference to FIG. 8, the liquid crystal dripping and panel pasting method which drips the liquid crystal under ordinary atmosphere state will be described.
FIG. 8 is a figure of flow showing apart of manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display panel by the conventional liquid crystal dripping and panel pasting method.
Similarly with the case of the liquid crystal filling method, first, by using a printer, provide coating of solution of polyimide on a surface of the TFT substrate and also on a surface of the counter substrate, then performs pre-baking using heating equipment such as a hot plate oven or an IR oven. After pre-baking, performs main baking for carrying out heating dehydration condensation of the polyimide coating film, and forms the alignment layer of uniform thickness (S810, S820).
After carrying out pre-baking and main baking and forming the alignment layer of uniform thickness, rubbing process for the respective alignment layers on both substrates is to be performed by a rubbing roller which rubs over the surface of the alignment layer in a same direction by a rubbing cloth (S811, S821).
And in order to remove the residue on a surface of a substrate, washes both substrates and makes them dry (S812, S822).
Next, using the screen printing method or the dispenser drawing method, forms the seal patterning with the ultraviolet curing resin or the heat curing resin on one of the substrates of the pair, (it is assumed that the TFT substrate is used for this substrate as an example), and after this, an AG coating is applied (S813, S814).
Spray spacers, such as polymer beads or silica beads, on the other substrate (a counter substrate) of the pair substrates by a spacer sprayer with a wet type method or a dry type method, and makes them fix (S824). Then, necessary amount of the liquid crystal is dripped in a viewing area surrounded by the seal material of one substrate (here TFT substrate) using a dispenser for liquid crystal dripping under ordinary pressure (S815).
Next, after fixing spacers on the counter substrate and dripping the liquid crystal on the TFT substrate respectively, the panel alignment is performed for both the substrates of the pair, and pastes them together (S830).
Then, the pair of substrates pasted together is pressed from both outsides, the seal material is to be crushed, and a desired gap between two substrates is formed. After this, the ultraviolet ray is glared from rear side of the substrate (here TFT substrate) for pre-curing the seal material (S831), then bakes at predetermined temperature for actual curing the seal material (S832). And, cuts the substrates of the pair in a predetermined portion of the outside of the seal material (S833), and the liquid crystal display panel is formed.
Thus, the liquid crystal display panel manufactured as above controls display indication by the liquid crystal sandwiched by the gap between the substrates of the pair pasted together. Therefore, if air bubbles mix into the liquid crystal, the thickness of the liquid crystal layer will change and display fault will occur.
As a method for improving an occurrence of the display fault which is caused by such air bubbles, there is the technology disclosed in JP,9-80452,A, for example. The manufacturing method of the liquid crystal device which performs a degassing treatment (vacuum treatment) for removing the gas currently mixed into the liquid crystal composition is disclosed in JP,9-80452,A. This method realizes the degassing treatment prior to carrying out the liquid crystal filling process by leaving the liquid crystal composition as is under the pressure environment below an atmosphere. By performing such vacuum treatment, residual moisture, gas constituents, etc. causing air bubbles are removed from the liquid crystal.
However, it is also to be considered that not only as for residual moisture or gas constituents but solid-state components such as dusts cause the display fault, and hereafter, solid-state component other than the composite of the liquid crystal calls a foreign substance.
In manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel using the liquid crystal filling method mentioned above, even if foreign substances, such as dusts, mix in the liquid crystal, it does not become a problem because a foreign substance having a size more than a diameter of a hole of liquid crystal filling port for pouring a liquid crystal is removed.
However, in manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel by using the liquid crystal dripping and panel pasting method, since the liquid crystal is directly dripped on a substrate, foreign substances mixed into the liquid crystal will be incorporated in a gap as they are. And when the foreign substance of size, which cannot be disregarded compared with the gap between the substrates, is mixed, display faults, such as a bright defect (what is also called a luminous dot) by which a bright dot is recognized visually, will occur, and it causes the problem of low display quality and the low yield in manufacturing.
On the other hand, the method of performing filtration treatment which removes foreign substances in the step of mixing and refining the liquid crystal composition using the filter of a predetermined bore diameter is disclosed, for example, by JP,11-131063,A, JP,2003-322836,A.
However, even if foreign substances were removed by the filtration treatment at the time of a liquid crystal refinement, foreign substances may newly mix in other process of the liquid crystal manufacturing, such as a delivery examination at the time of delivering the refined liquid crystal, a step which subdivides a liquid crystal into small containers for transportation, and a step which packs the subdivided containers. In work environment, foreign substances may also mix in some processes of manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel, such as a step of transfer the liquid crystal from subdivided container to another container for liquid crystal dripping, a step of a vacuum treatment, and a step of a liquid crystal dripping step.
Thus, the method of manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel of high quality is required, in which the foreign substances which may be mixed in the manufacture process of the liquid crystal, or the manufacture process of the liquid crystal display panel are assuredly removed for manufacturing the liquid crystal display panel which sandwiched the liquid crystal to the substrates of the pair.

Manufacturing method of a liquid crystal display panel, and a liquid crystal dripping device used therefor


A device and method for filtering blood is disclosed herein. The device can filter blood and attach analytes within the blood to magnetic particles. The analytes can then be strongly bound to an analyzing device by a magnetic force. The analytes can then be counted by the analyzing device and the result can be displayed.

1. Technical Field
A device and method for use in the field of chemical testing is disclosed. More particularly, the device can be used for filtering whole blood for testing on an integrated circuit.
2. Summary of the Related Art
Point-of-Care (POC) diagnostic medical devices facilitate early stage detection of diseases, enable more individually tailored therapies, and allow doctors to follow up with patients more easily to see if prescribed treatments are working. To ensure widespread adoption, these tools must be accurate, easy to use by untrained individuals, and inexpensive to produce and distribute. Immuno-Assay (IA) applications are particularly well-suited for the POC since a wide range of conditions, from cardiovascular disease to cancer to communicable infections, can be identified from soluble protein bio-markers. The detection and quantitation of these bio-markers from raw samples such as whole blood often involves labeling the target protein using fluorescent or phosphorescent molecules, enzymes, quantum dots, metal particles or magnetic particles. For high sensitivity applications, the labels specifically bound to the target analytes must be distinguished from the unbound ones that contribute to background noise. By combining both label separation and detection in a low cost, easy to use format, the Immuno-Chromatographic Test (ICT) achieves stand-alone operation, i.e. the ability to perform an assay without necessitating a secondary device like an electronic reader or an external sample preparation system. Stand-alone operation is an often overlooked attribute, but one that is key to the popularity of ICTs, achieved despite other drawbacks such as low biochemical sensitivity, user interpretation, inaccurate quantitation, timing requirements, and awkward multiplexing.
The use of magnetic particle labeling is ideal for POC applications; magnetic particles can be individually detected, so sub-pico molar sensitivities can be achieved without signal amplification steps that can take up to an hour as in case of enzymatic labeling. Also, by micro-arraying the sensor areas onto which the particles bind, multiplexed operation can be achieved at low cost. The use of magnetic particles can reduce incubation times, since they can bind to the target analytes with solution-phase kinetics due to their high surface area to volume ratio. Furthermore, the ability to pull the magnetic particles out of solution magnetically and gravitationally overcomes the slow diffusion processes that plague most high sensitivity protocols. The signals from magnetic particles can be stable over time, insensitive to changes in temperature or chemistries and detected in opaque or translucent solutions like whole blood or plasma. The biological magnetic background signal can be low, so high assay sensitivity can be achieved with minimal sample preparation. Most importantly, the use of magnetic particles as assay labels can permit stand-alone device operation, since these particles can be both manipulated and detected electromagnetically.
"Magnetic particles" are typically nano-meter or micro-meter sized particles that display magnetic, diamagnetic, ferromagnetic, ferrimagnetic, paramagnetic, super-paramagnetic or antiferromagnetic behavior. "Magnetic particles" can refer to individual particles or larger aggregates of particles such as magnetic beads.
ICTs in which magnetic particles are used as the assay labels are an improvement to conventional ICTs since the detection of the particles is not limited to the surface of the strip, but can be performed throughout the volume of the strip, resulting in higher sensitivities and improved quantitative accuracy. However, volumetric detection of magnetic particles cannot be readily integrated in a stand-alone device, so these implementations require an external device to measure the volume magnetization in the strip.
One alternative for integration into a stand-alone device is to use magnetic particles that bind to the target analytes in solution before sedimenting via gravity or magnetic force to sensor areas where the specifically bound particles can be detected. A bio-functionalized IC can be used to detect the specifically bound particles. However, most IC-based immuno-assay implementations reported to date cannot operate stand-alone since they require either off-chip components for particle detection, or micro-fluidic actuation for particle manipulation and sample preparation. Other implementations simply cannot reach the cost structures necessary to compete in the current marketplace.
For POC application, it is desirable that the sample preparation be rapid since the assay is limited to 10-15 minutes. In addition, to obviate the need for refrigeration equipment and to facilitate storage and distribution, a dry sample preparation system is desired. It is also desirable to have a sample preparation system that receives small unprocessed samples from patients. The average hanging drop of blood from a finger stick yields approximately 15 μl of fluid. For more fluid, a complicated venu-puncture can be necessary. Moreover, the sample preparation system must be low-cost since biological contamination concerns dictate that all material in contact with biological samples be discarded. It is also desirable that the sample preparation system be amenable to multiplexed operation.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


Provided are an information transmission method and apparatus, and computer storage medium. The method includes following steps: a base station or a second user equipment (UE) sends instruction information to a first UE, where the instruction information is used for instructing the first UE to report at least one of acknowledgement information or channel quality information through a first interface or a second interface; if the base station or the second UE receives the acknowledgement information sent by the first UE, the base station or the second UE determines whether to retransmit data through the first interface according to the acknowledgement information; if the base station or the second UE receives the channel quality information sent by the first UE, the base station or the second UE determines a wireless transmission parameter of the first interface according to the channel quality information.

With the rapid development of economic society, the vehicle parc is rapidly increased and road traffic accidents happen frequently. This has become one of the important factors affecting public safety in recent years. The road traffic safety has become one of the basic factors affecting the social harmony and improving the livelihood of people. At present, it is urgently required to improve traffic safety from several aspects such as technologies, policies and education. The design for improving vehicle safety is an important component.
The technology for improving the vehicle safety is mainly divided into a passive safety technology and an active safety technology. The passive safety technology is used for protecting people and objects inside and outside vehicles after an accident. The active safety technology is used for preventing and reducing vehicle accidents, and avoiding people from being injured. The active safety technology is the focus and trend of development of modern vehicle safety technology.
A collision warning system based on communication uses an advanced wireless communication technology and a new generation information processing technology to implement real-time information interaction between vehicles or between vehicles and roadside infrastructure, so that the current states (including positions, speeds, accelerations and driving paths of the vehicles) and the learned road environment information are notified to each other, and dangerous conditions of roads are sensed in a cooperative way. The collision warning system provides a variety of collision warning information in time, and prevents road traffic accidents. This provides a new thought to improve the road traffic safety in various countries at present.
Vehicle to Everything (V2X) technology may effectively manage and control vehicles, and provide comprehensive services to the vehicles. At present, there are two technologies for implementing the V2X, including: Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) and Long Term Evolution (LTE). In an evolved V2X (eV2X) subject being studied by 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the highest transmission reliability is required to reach 99.999%, and the minimum delay is required to be 3 ms. Thus, the reliability cannot be further improved simply through retransmission.

Information transmission method and apparatus and computer storage medium


A device for correcting the recording density of a recording apparatus having a thermal head implemented as an array of a plurality of elements. The device corrects energy to be applied to the head on the basis of the resistance of each element and thickness data associated with a glaze layer.

The present invention relates to a device for correcting the recording density of a recording device having a thermal head implemented as an array of a plurality of elements.
A recording density correcting device for the above application is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 201876/1984. The device disclosed in this prior art has resistance measuring means for measuring the resistance of each element of the head beforehand, and heat control means for controlling heat to be generated on the basis of the resistance. Specifically, paying attention to irregularities in the resistance of the element, the device controls a current so as to cause all of the elements to generate the same amount of heat. Further, since the device measures the resistance element by element at a predetermined time, it allows all the elements to generate uniform heat despite the resistance which varies due to aging. Another type of recording density correcting device proposed in the past measures print sample densities and controls head in matching relation to the element-by-element density.
However, the problem with the device taught in the above Laid-Open Publication is that the thickness of a glaze layer provided on the head is not uniform throughout the elements. In actual printing, even if the current is so controlled as to cause the elements to generate the same amount of heat, the thermal efficiency for coloring differs from one element to another due to the irregular thickness distribution of the glaze layer. Hence, the resulting print density is not always uniform. Stated another way, since the print density noticeably changes depending on the thickness of the glaze layer, simply correcting the irregularities in the resistance of the element cannot provide a solid image with satisfactory uniform density.
While the above problem will, of course, be eliminated if a thermal head whose glaze layer has a substantially uniform thickness is used, such a head is not practical from the yield standpoint, i.e., the cost standpoint.
The conventional device of the type measuring the print sample density promotes accurate correction since the print sample density suffered from the irregular thickness of the glaze layer is measured and then fed back to the print density. However, since the resistance of each element changes due to aging, correction data have to be sampled at a predetermined period.

Recording density correcting device based on glaze layer thickness of thermal head


A power tool, such as, for example a router. In some aspects, a router includes a base, a motor housing supported by the base, a motor supported by the motor housing, and a hand grip forming at least a portion of one of the base and the housing and being contoured to fit a hand of an operator. The one of the base and the housing may be grasped by the operator when the operator grasps the hand grip to control movement of the router on the work piece surface. In other aspects, a router includes a base, a motor housing supported by and movable relative to the base, and a motor supported by the motor housing. The base is contoured to fit a hand of an operator and includes at least one of a slot or a ridge to provide improved gripping for an operator.

A router generally includes a base for supporting the router on a workpiece surface, a housing supported by the base and movable relative to the base, and a motor supported by the housing and operable to drive a tool element. In a fixed-base router, the housing is fixed or locked in a position relative to the base once the depth of cut of the tool element is set. In a plunge router, the housing is movable relative to the base to the desired depth of cut so that the tool element "plunges" into the workpiece.


A short protection circuit is provided to periodically supply a reset pulse, turns on an electric power element only during the period of the reset pulse, and decide the presence and absence of a short circuit under the condition that the electric power transistor is forced to turn off when a field coil is short-circuited. In this short portection circuit, while the field coil is short-circuit, the reset pulse cycle is reduced, and hence the number of times the resetting is made per unit time is reduced, thus preventing the electric power element from generating excessive heat when the field coil is short-circuited.

The present invention relate s to cont rollers for charging generators, and particularly to a control device for a charging generator having a protection circuit suitable for the control device that is installed in vehicles and has a radio noise reducing circuit such as a soft switching circuit for reducing radio noise, and for protecting a electric power element for controlling a field current from being broken down when the field coil of the generator is short-circuited by some cause so that a battery voltage is supplied directly to the electric power element.
There is known a short protection device that is designed to protect the field current control electric power element from being broken down when the field coil is short-circuited as disclosed in, for example, JP-A-6-276695.
The protection device of this kind has a short protection circuit which decides that the field coil is short-circuited when the voltage at the junction between the field coil and the electric power element is equal to the battery voltage, making the electric power element nonconductive. In this case, a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) output for controlling the electric power element has a fixed frequency and a variable duty, so that the electric power element can be switched from the conductive state to the nonconductive state in a short constant period of time. Thus, even when the electric power element is in the short-circuited state during that short period of time, it can be made conductive by the PWM output, and the short-circuit detection circuit can be reset.

Charging generator having a short protection circuit


One device in accordance with the present invention includes a surgical device for creating channels in tissue of a patient. The device includes a catheter defining a lumen and a transducer assembly carried by the catheter along a lengthwise dimension of the catheter. An end effector is operatively coupled to the transducer assembly and extends distally relative to the transducer assembly. The end effector has a vibrating channel-forming tip wherein the channel-forming tip is adapted to create channels in the heart of a patient. A method in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of inserting an end effector having a tip into a patient, placing the tip of the end effector in direct contact with a surface of the heart, energizing the end effector to cause the tip to vibrate, piercing through the surface of the heart with the tip to create a channel, and removing the end effector.

Heart disease presents a major concern in western societies. Heart disease may cause chest pains, strokes, heart attacks, or even death. One form of heart disease is ischemic heart disease, a condition where the heart or myocardium does not receive an adequate nutritive blood supply. Typically, this condition occurs when the coronary arteries become blocked by plaque build-up on their inner walls.
When the plaque build-up of the coronary arteries hinders the flow of blood to the heart, the heart may become starved for nutrition and oxygen. As a result, the tissue of the heart may scar, causing the heart to be weakened.
A number of approaches have been developed for treating heart disease. In less severe cases, proper diet and exercise may improve heart conditions. However, if diet and exercise are not effective, medication may be prescribed. If heart disease still persists, a minimally invasive or invasive procedure is usually performed.
There are several types of traditional medical procedures that may be used to improve blood supply to the heart. For example, coronary bypass surgery or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) may be performed to increase blood flow to the heart.
Coronary bypass surgery involves open heart surgery where a surgeon removes a blood vessel from another part of the body, such as the leg or inside the chest wall, and uses the vessel to construct a detour around the blocked coronary artery. One end of the vessel is attached below the blockage while the other end is attached above the blockage. As a result, blood may flow around the obstruction into the heart.
However, because bypass surgery typically requires extensive and complicated surgery, the patient needs to have adequate lung and kidney function in order to tolerate such surgery. This procedure also requires postoperative care in an intensive care unit, seven to ten days in the hospital, and several months of recovery. Other complications, such as strokes, heart attacks, or infections, may develop during or as a consequence of the surgery. In addition, the blood vessel may close or become blocked several months after the surgery.
In PTCA, a surgeon inserts a thin wire through a small incision in an arm or leg artery of a patient and threads the wire toward the blocked area of the coronary artery. Next, a guide catheter may be passed over the wire and a balloon-tipped catheter is usually threaded through the guide catheter. When the balloon-tipped catheter reaches the blockage area, the balloon is inflated to compress the plaque build-up against the coronary artery walls, widening the artery for blood flow. The balloon-tipped catheter may then be deflated and withdrawn from the patient.
If the artery closes or threatens to close, a balloon catheter having a mesh stent may be used. As the stented balloon inflates, the mesh of the stent expands and remains in place to hold the artery open after the balloon catheter has been removed.
More recently, Laser Transmyocardial Revascularization (LTR) has been used as an alterative to coronary bypass surgery or PTCA. This technique is used to supplement the blood supply received by the heart by providing the myocardium direct access to blood in the ventricle chamber. In one known approach, LTR is performed using a high power, pulsed, CO.sub.2 laser. The laser may be operated to create a channel from the ventricle to the myocardium. The laser is fired against the outer ventricle surface of the heart when the ventricle is full of blood. The blood in the ventricle acts as a backstop preventing the energy of the laser from penetrating through the other side of the ventricle or damaging nearby tissue. After a channel is formed, blood may flow through the resulting channel from the ventricle into the myocardium.
However, the cost of the laser is quite high, as is the cost of the procedure. The laser is ordinarily quite large and takes up significant space in the operating room. In addition, LTR is not always easily adaptable for thoracoscopic heart surgery and usually requires a 2.5 cm minithoracotomy. Furthermore, LTR ordinarily requires an EKG to synchronize the firing of the laser when the heart is full of blood to absorb the laser beam.
Ultrasonic devices are also known for assisting a surgeon in cutting tissue. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,370 entitled "Blunt Tipped Ultrasonic Trocars," which is herein incorporated by reference, discloses a trocar to puncture an abdominal wall of a patient. U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,299 entitled "Ultrasonic Scalpel Blade And Method Of Application," which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses an ultrasonic device including a blade portion having a recess that defines a hook for grasping and tensioning loose tissue to facilitate cutting. U.S. Pat. No. 5,322,055 entitled "Clamp Coagulator/Cutting System For Ultrasonic Surgical Instruments," which is incorporated herein by reference, also discloses a surgical instrument for cutting tissue. The instrument includes an ultrasonic blade for use with a clamp to improve tissue cutting.
Accordingly, there is a need for devices and methods to treat heart disease. It would be beneficial to provide devices and methods to achieve a more effective treatment of heart disease. It would also be desirable to provide a cost-effective and minimally intrusive procedure to improve blood flow to the heart.

Methods and devices for improving blood flow to a heart of a patient


An array multiplier using modified Booth encoding of multiplier input signals is formed on the surface of a monolithic integrated circuit using masks generated by a computer, in accordance with a silicon compiler program, by arranging an array of standard cells selected from a library of standard cell designs in a tessellation procedure. The array multiplier is laid out in accordance with one of particular tessellation patterns, which employ simpler and more regular patterns of interconnections between cells. Carry-save addition is used in combining partial product terms to avoid concatenating long ripple carry times.

A digital multiplier embodying the invention is essentially a Booth multiplier. To understand the invention, it is necessary to have some understanding of the mode of operation of a Booth multiplier. Booth multiplication is discussed in the book Computer Arithmetic by Kai Hwang (Wiley, 1979). The method described in the detailed description is the so-called modified Booth encoding, but it will be called Booth encoding for brevity.
A primary goal of the invention is to have standardized layout procedures for integrated-circuit digital multipliers that accommodate their design by silicon compiler methods. It is desirable for "custom" integrated circuit design purposes to have an array multiplier in which a close-packed array by row and by column of multiplier cells can be extended in both the row and column dimensions to accommodate multiplier and multiplicand signals having words of any specified bit-width. Further aspects of the invention extend to "semi-custom" design procedures in which standardized "chunks" or close-packed arrays of multiplier cells by row and by column are disposed on a monolithic integrated circuit and are interconnected by discretionary top-level metallization to form digital multipliers with multiplier and multiplicand signals having respective words of differing specified bit-widths. A basic problem encountered in the design of multipliers that can accomodate multiplier and multiplicand signals of differing specified bit-widths is how best to combine partial product terms, in order to avoid concatenating long ripple carry times, which would slow the generation of digital products. The use of Booth encoding is known to be helpful in this regard since it halves the number of partial products that have to be combined.
Where the bit-width of the multiplier words is always the same, a procedure that has been generally used in the prior art to reduce the time required for combining partial products is to sum the partial products with a tree of adders rather than a chain of adders. This speed-up procedure is not used in digital multipliers constructed in accordance with the invention, because the tree connection of adders is not susceptible readily (if at all) to the regular tessellation and interconnection procedures preferred by the silicon compiler.

Array multiplier adapted for tiled layout by silicon compiler


A discrete cosine transformation processor subjects a plurality of input data to addition or subtraction at an adder/subtracter with two combinations according to the control signal every clock pulse so as to output a plurality of combination data. The combination data are assigned to eight groups according to certain combinations and each of them is input to one of eight selection circuits. The selection circuit selects one data from the combination input data according to the control signal and outputs the selected data every clock pulse. A multiplier receives the data selected by the selection circuit and multiplies it by a predetermined coefficient every clock pulse. Further, a second adder/subtracter subjects the output data from the multiplier to addition or subtraction in different combinations according to the control signal to determine cosine transformation coefficient to inverse cosine transformation coefficients.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to one-dimensional and two-dimensional discrete cosine transformation processor, and in particular relates to one-dimensional discrete cosine transformation processor whose block size in 8 sample and two-dimensional discrete cosine transformation processor whose block size is 8.times.8 sample.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, digital signals for image data are coded with utilizing discrete cosine transformation. FIGS. 7 and 8 show examples of multiply-accumulate operators used in processors for the discrete cosine transformation.
FIG. 7 gives the configuration of a conventional discrete cosine transformation processor with a single product-sum operator. This discrete cosine transformation processor divides the input data into a plurality of blocks with several data so as to transform the blocks one by one. Suppose here that one block has eight data.
A discrete cosine transformation processor comprises a selection circuit 401, a coefficient generator 410, a multiply-accumulate operator 420 and an output terminal 430. The selection circuit 401 receives eight input data (f0 to f7) and supply them to the multiply-accumulate operator 420. The coefficient generator 410 adds a sign (+or -) to one of coefficients P1 to P7 before supplying it to the multiply-accumulate operator 420. Values given next to the coefficient generator 410 in the figure indicate coefficients with signs to be selected every clock. For example, "-4" means that "-P4" is to be output.
The multiply-accumulate operator 420 comprises a multiplier 441, an adder 442 and a latch circuit 443. To the multiplier 441, signals are supplied from the selection circuit 401 and the coefficient generator 410. The output of the multiplier 441 is sent to the adder 442, and the output of the adder 442 to the latch circuit 443. The output of the latch circuit 443 is provided to the adder 442 and the output terminal 430.
The operation of a conventional discrete cosine transformation processor with the configuration as above is now described briefly.
The selection circuit 401 supplies input data f0, f1, f2, f3, f4, f5, f6 and f7 in this order to the multiplier 441 with giving one data for each clock. The coefficient generator 410 selects one of the coefficients P1 to P7, adds a sign to it and sends it as a transformation coefficient to the multiplication device 441. The multiplier 441 calculates the product of the input data (one of f0-f7) and the transformation coefficient (one of P1-P7) and supplies it to the multiply-accumulate operator 420. At the multiply-accumulate operator 420, the signal from the multiplier 441 is accumulated with the adder 442 and the latch circuit 443 and sent to the output terminal 430. Thus, discrete cosine transformation coefficients F0 to F7 are in this order output from the output terminal 430 every eight clocks.
In the figure, "*" marks insignificant values on the way of calculation.
Inverse discrete cosine transformation operation is to determine a inverse cosine transformation coefficient (input data) based on a discrete cosine transformation coefficient. This inverse operation can be executed with the same procedure as in the above discrete cosine transformation operation except for the order of the coefficients selected at the coefficient generator 410.
The above discrete cosine transformation processor requires eight clocks for determination of a single discrete cosine transformation coefficient (one of F0 to F7). Thus, 64 clocks are required if eight discrete cosine transformation coefficients are to be determined.
FIG. 8 shows another conventional discrete cosine transformation processor with eight multiply-accumulate operators. This discrete cosine transformation processor comprises eight multiply-accumulate operators 470 to 477, eight coefficient generators 460 to 467 which supply transformation coefficients (P1 to P7) to the above multiply-accumulate operators 470 to 477, and a selection circuit 451 which supplies input data (f0 to f7) to the multiply-accumulate operators 470 to 477.
In the figure, the values given on the left of the coefficient generators 460 to 467 are coefficients with signs to be selected every clock. The values before the slashes are for ordinary discrete cosine transformation operation and those after the slashes are for inverse discrete cosine transformation operation. Meaning of the values themselves are the same as in the above discrete cosine transformation processor (FIG. 7).
With a discrete cosine transformation processor with the above configuration, eight pairs of coefficient generators 460 to 467 and multiply-accumulate 470 to 477 enable determination of eight discrete cosine transformation coefficients in eight clocks (one discrete cosine transformation coefficient in one clock), resulting in rapid processing at a speed eight times higher than that for the discrete cosine transformation processor in FIG. 7.
As described above, the conventional discrete cosine transformation processor as shown in FIG. 7 uses a single multiply-accumulate operator 420 for operation and requires as many as 64 clocks to process a single block (with eight coefficients). This slow processing speed is a drawback of this processor.
In case of a discrete cosine transformation processor as shown in FIG. 8, it certainly enables processing at a speed eight times higher than that for the processor in FIG. 7, but it requires a large amount of hardware devices. For example, when a processor using a single multiply-accumulate operator requires a circuit with 5,000 gates, this processor with eight times higher processing speed needs a circuit with 40,000 gates.

Discrete cosine transformation processor