A system and method for determining a level of empathy between two people includes four sets of questions for each query posed, a first set being how a first participant feels about a topic, a second set being how the first participant thinks a second participant would answer the same question, a third set being how the second participant feels about the topic, and a fourth set being how the second participant thinks the first participant will answer the same question. A “weighted” numerical range of possible answer selections are provided for each question from each set. The first set is compared with the fourth set, the second set is compared with the third set to determine an empathy index for each query for each of the participants. The process is repeated for a plurality of questions that are averaged to also provide an overall empathy index and also various group indices.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general relates to a system and method for determining empathy between two people and, more particularly, to an Internet-based system for determining a subjective index that is representative of the level of empathy that two people have for one-another.
For significant relationships that include boyfriend and girlfriend, husband and wife, or other life-partners and potential life-partners, it is desirable to promote peaceful, harmonious relationships.
Much study has gone into determining and measuring compatibility based on a comparison of values, goals, religious affiliation and the like. There are numerous compatibility tests that people can take which measure these areas.
Still, people who fare well on such "value-based" compatibility types of tests often suffer in their most intimate relationships. And oddly enough, sometimes people who have significant differences in these areas are able to find a way to relate in a healthy, peaceful, and harmonious way making space for these differences. Accordingly, the dynamics of relationship success have remained a mystery.
However, a key factor to predicting success in relating can simply be stated by saying that success is more about "how well people know each other" than about what they have in common. It is from that level of mutual understanding, or empathy for one another, that people modify their behavioral interactions. For example, if a man knows that his partner does not like to sleep in total darkness, then that man may be amenable to using a night-light. Conversely, a total lack of awareness of the needs of his partner might make him insensitive to allowing a night-light to remain on.
Accordingly, it is how well people know each other, perhaps more than anything else, that determines their ultimate compatibility. They can be adherents of the same religion, share numerous values and similar goals, enjoy participating in the same sports and hobbies, but because the fabric of relationship is infinitely more subtle than these course measurements can reveal, they can continue to injure one another until they discover they are not compatible and eventually decide to separate.
Empathy includes more than merely knowing another person. Empathy generally includes an ability to also identify with and understand the feelings, situation, and motives of another person, to paraphrase a definition from Webster's New College Dictionary. This ability to identify with another person arises from an especially deep understanding of the other person. For example, a first person can be intellectually aware of a particular phobia that another (i.e., a second) person has. This intellectual awareness is indicative of a certain level of empathy for the other person. When the first person's awareness also includes a deeper understanding of how and why the second person developed the phobia in the first place, then there is more likelihood for acceptance of the phobia instead of a judgment rising up against it. This deeper level of awareness, of knowing even more about the second person, is indicative of a greater degree of empathy for the other (second) person. If the first person can further relate the experiences of the second person to perhaps a similar frightening experience that they had, possibly in childhood, then there is an even greater possibility that the phobia of the second person will be gently accepted rather than harshly judged. This deeper level of awareness includes a level of self-awareness as well as that of knowing even more about the second person, and it too is indicative of even greater degrees of empathy for the other (second) person. A key to acceptance of one's partner is seen as twofold, a first and especially critical part being how deeply they know each other and the second being how well they know themselves so that they can relate the needs of their partner with those of themselves.
Assessing the level of empathy, including an awareness they have of each other's preferences and needs, is quite different than prior types of compatibility testing that essentially make a tally of these and other factors scoring high when there are many "like" factors and scoring low when there are substantial "differences".
Empathy instead speaks to the knowledge that each person has about the other person in these and other areas instead of the mere number of "hits and misses". There can be any number of differences in needs, preferences, values, etc., and because the two people really know each other (and themselves) well, empathy is high, and they are immanently compatible.
When the empathy level is high, a person knows the needs, preferences, even the issues and "buttons" that the other person has and can therefore choose to respond in ways that calm and soothe any given situation, rather than inflame it.
It matters little what the differences are as long as they are mutually known and accepted. Love is really about accepting the other person as they are and to do so one must be willing and able to learn about the other person, both in detail and in increasing depth as time passes, so as to understand the deep and rich nature that this other person possesses. In other words, you cannot accept what you are not even aware of. This overall awareness of the other person (and yourself) can be stated as your level of empathy for the other person. If people well understand each other and if, from this clear understanding they are able to accept each other, then the differences in values, habits, preferences, religion—almost anything that can be named—is diminished even to the point of utter insignificance.
Because all prior compatibility tests fail to effectively assess empathy, they therefore fail to optimally predict long-term relationship survivability (i.e., long-term compatibility).
When people share high levels of empathy they well understand each other's issues, needs, preferences, likes, and dislikes. From this understanding, each person has the awareness that is absolutely necessary if they are to modify their behavior so that they don't repeatedly injure the other person, for example, by saying something that brings up and aggravates an old wound (i.e., issue).
For example, if a woman was sensitive about her appearance and in particular about her lipstick because a previous life-partner had often bitterly complained about her appearance and in particular about her choice in the shade of lipstick she might (likely) have a strong reaction to criticism in this area.
If her current partner is unaware of this sensitivity (i.e., if he has a low level of empathy about issues appertaining to her appearance) then he might occasionally say critical things about her appearance and on occasion about the shade of lipstick she is wearing. Such comments are likely to cause substantial pain for the woman.
It is important to note that the pain experienced by the woman in this case would appear to be disproportionate to the severity of any remark that was made. Even a mildly disapproving comment about the shade of lipstick could trigger many unpleasant memories for the woman who would likely feel a disproportionate amount of hurt and upset as a result. It matters not that her partner meant to cause her no harm. The pain is felt because an unhealed wound from the past exists in her psyche. We each have our own unique mix of wounds and issues because we each have our own unique history which has helped to shape and mold our own unique personality. Whenever two people relate, they each bring their own unique mix or personalities into the relationship.
However, if he was instead well aware of this lipstick issue, he might then have abstained from making such types of comments. If he really understood her feelings in this area, he might even intervene on her behalf if he overheard another person saying something disparaging to her about her appearance. The woman would then likely feel that her partner cared for her, that he understood and loved her, that her needs were important to him. If she observed him intervening on her behalf, stronger feelings of love and approval for her partner are the likely result.
Accordingly, through such an awareness, through empathy, a partner is better able to relate in ways that promote feelings of love, peace, harmony, and safety. When it comes to relationship, ignorance is a cause of pain, not bliss.
Empathy implies a state of being that also includes more a dose of compassion, of caring. A healthy, empathic human being who becomes aware of what causes pain to another human being experiences an automatic innate avoidance to causing injury. Substantially healthy people normally and naturally do not want to injure each other. Quite the opposite, they spontaneously want to repeat the behaviors that they know will please those they care about.
There are disorders that some people experience where they don't particularly care if their actions cause injury to others. Such a lack of empathy is believed to arise primarily from traumas and abuses they experienced early in their lives and which have not been fully healed (as through appropriate therapy). Such "personality disorders" are not the norm and are generally rare. It is very unusual to encounter a person who is aware of the needs of another and willfully trespasses on those needs. These injured people, while they may be aware of some of the needs of others, do not value the needs of others and therefore have a low level of empathy, or regard for the feelings of others. Until they heal their own significant wounds enough to find satisfaction in being empathic of others, they will not be able to engage in relationship as a caring, nurturing life-partner.
As such, the level of empathy between two people becomes a barometer to predicting their chances of success in relationship, whether they are to become intimate life-partners or if the relationship is to develop into good and caring, nurturing and supportive friends.
Assessing empathy between two people can also be used as an effective remedial tool. It is possible and even likely that there is at least one particular area where even the most compatible of couples lack empathy for the feelings and needs of the other.
Heretofore, there has been no effective way of determining those areas of relationship where empathy levels are high, that is where the two people really know each other well and deeply, and of determining those areas of relationship where empathy levels are low, that is where either or both of the two people don't understand the needs, feelings, and idiosyncrasies of their partner especially well.
If such a measurement tool were possible, then couples could use the information in a most constructive way, that is to talk to each other more about those areas that they are weak in their mutual understanding of one-another.
For example, let us assume that a couple understands each other well regarding their views about exercise, diet, fitness, and health issues in general. It is not important that they share identical viewpoints about these or any other topic. One person can be well into exercise going to the gym several times a week whereas the other may put little thought or energy into exercise. Knowing each other's attitudes, needs, fears, desires is what is important. It is not necessary that they reach any compromise nor come to any agreement as to what is the "right" amount of exercise. It would be counterproductive for a couple, where one person goes to the gym six times per week and the other not at all, to agree to a compromise where they both go three times per week. That would fail to meet the needs of either person, yet this type of compromise is often touted as an approach to solving relationship differences. Rather, a much higher and better goal is to understand the other person's needs so well and so deeply that is becomes easier to accept them than to judge them as somehow being wrong.
If the exercise-resistant person understands the other person's need in this area and allows the pro-exercise partner to go to the gym as often as he or she likes, then there is not likely to be any problem in the relationship concerning attitudes toward health, exercise and fitness training. This level of understanding and awareness is much more likely to develop after the exercise-resistant person has learned considerably more about the pro-exercise person.
For example, the exercise-resistant person may discover that the pro-exercise person's mother, father, and siblings all led sedentary lives and that all of them succumbed to heart-disease at an early age. The exercise-resistant person may also learn that a cardiologist has deemed the pro-exercise person to be in an especially high-risk group for developing heart disease and, accordingly, has advised the pro-exercise person to exercise daily. As stated hereinabove, from this increased level of understanding, of empathy, the exercise-resistant person is then likely to easily, effortlessly let go of any harsh judgments regarding the amount of exercise the other person requires. In fact, the exercise-resistant person is likely to even support and encourage this exercise in proportion to the love that is felt for him or her. This is due both to the natural desire not to re-injure others, as was previously discussed, and also to simply wanting the other person to live a long and healthy life. We see by this example how increasing empathy can lead toward increasing levels of acceptance and even support when before there was primarily judgment against the other person.
Empathy does for relationship what no amount of compromise can. In compromise, people sometimes feel that they must lose part of themselves in order to satisfy the other. With empathy, people learn to better accept the other person as they are.
If, however, the exercise-resistant person remains unaware of the fundamental beliefs, fears, concerns, etc. that contribute to the other person's desire for exercise, then pressure may be put on the pro-exercise person to attend the gym less frequently. Conversely, if the pro-exercise person is unaware of the beliefs and attitudes that contribute to the other's avoidance of physical exercise, then the pro-exercise person may inadvertently apply pressure to the exercise-resistant person to make further efforts in this area, again to the possible overall detriment of the relationship.
If it can be determined that they both well understand the attitudes and resultant needs of the other, there does not have to be any problem amongst them. From a deep level of understanding, each can create the necessary space that makes it OK for the other person to just be who they are, and to even be loved for it. This is the heart of acceptance and it can only come from a high level of empathy.
If it can be determined that the two people do not understand the needs of each other, that their level of empathy is low in this particular area (i.e., exercise), then a topic for further discussion has been identified and this information is particularly useful in that it can bring to an end their ignorance and therefore also put an end to repeated injury arising from such ignorance.
It is also possible to determine significant problems, red-flags, as they are sometimes called. For example, in determining the attitudes each person has toward alcohol consumption, it can also be determined that a potential substance-abuse issue may exist. It is possible that one or both people can be aware of a high or frequent level of alcohol consumption, yet not be inclined to act on this issue because it is potentially risky and disturbing to the status quo of the relationship.
Accordingly, the instant system and method for determining empathy has the potential to detect potential problem areas in relationship regardless of either of the person's attitudes or even their level of empathy in this regard. For example, both people can be aware of excessive or frequent alcohol consumption by one of them. In this regard, though the empathy level would be high, neither person may see this behavior as a potential source of difficulty.
Accordingly, the system and method could be used to generate a suggestive referral that urges the affected person(s) to obtain professional help in this area. Clearly, this unexpected benefit could help to identify problem areas in a relationship before they become especially acute.
Not only is there a need for such a system, there is a need to allow others to participate at their own leisure and in an non-pressured way. Few people enjoy taking any type of a test. Most men are especially reluctant to participate in anything that has to do with "feelings", lest their own ineptitude in identifying and talking about their own or another person's feelings, surface.
Ideally, a system that measures empathy would not make any answer wrong. If this were clear from the onset, resistance to taking such a test would diminish.
Also, it is important to allow each person to take such an evaluation in private, as is strongly recommended, so as to lessen any possibility of interference or influence from their partner affecting their answers. While it is technically possible to take the test side by side with their partner, this is not preferred. It is, of course, possible for each person to take the test simultaneously from different locations. It is also possible for each person to take the test one after the other, however they may decide, as well as to go back and change answers until each person is satisfied. As mentioned above, it is desirable that each person be able to participate even if separated by great distance.
It is also important to preserve confidence regarding the answers and resultant "scores", otherwise fear that others aside from the test participants could possibly access and learn about the intimate details of one or both of the test participants, would arise. Furthermore, flexibility in presenting the scores can be useful in reflecting the empathy that a first person has for a second person, the empathy the second person has for the first, and a composite level of empathy, if desired. The empathy could be about a particular question, a related group of questions, an overall level of one person's empathy regarding the other or, as mentioned above, any composite type of a score. Such scores would therefore be useful in providing an index of one's empathy as a composite or a plurality of indices of empathy for each question or grouping, as desired.
Furthermore, the input data thus obtained can be retained in a data base. The raw input data can track gender, geography, ethnicity, or any other parameter that is desired. The accumulated data can be assembled and categorized as desired and then sold, absent the names of the participants of course, to researchers, therapists and others for a variety of constructive purposes. Perhaps many unsolved riddles about attraction and relationship can be solved as a result of the data thus accumulated.
Of course, participation in such a system could be made available on a fee basis. Preferably one member of a "couple" would pay the required fee and subscribe to the service, preferably using the Internet, and in so doing identify the other person (i.e., his or her partner) who would then later log on as well in order to participate. The initial subscriber would either be given (or select) a password that would be used in the log-in procedure. Accordingly, the system and method for determining empathy has the potential to generate significant revenue streams, worldwide. Participation could also be sold in group, such as to therapists, corporations, or to various organizations who could then make the system and method for determining empathy available to other couples/pairings of people.
The questions can and will, of course, be amended over time to better adapt to any particular situation, for example to a homosexual versus a heterosexual couple. As the system is used over time, refinements in the questions that are asked can enhance the accuracy of the results that are obtained. If desired, the questions can be tailored to more accurately assess the level of empathy between any two people once the nature of their relationship is ascertained. Are they in a new relationship in which they have recently begun dating one-another? Are they in a committed relationship? Are they married? Are they sexually intimate with each other? What is each person's gender? These and other factors can be used to better tailor the system and method for determining empathy to the needs of the participants, as desired. It can also be included as part of the input data that is retained in the data base and which can be of further help in various future research projects.
The benefits of having a high level of empathy can be expanded to include more than potential life-partners. What is the level of empathy between parent and child or between siblings? What is the level of empathy between co-workers who share office space? What is the level of empathy between a manager and his subordinates? Clearly, such a system can be expanded to determine the level of empathy between any two people, and hopefully used to improve that relationship.
A definition of compatibility has to do with having a capability of living or performing in a harmonious, agreeable, or friendly association with another person (paraphrasing Webster's New College Dictionary). Empathy provides the basis, the foundation, for that capability to arise.
Accordingly, there exists today a need for a system and method for determining empathy between two people.
Clearly, such a system and method would be useful and desirable.
2. Description of Prior Art
Compatibility tests are, in general, known. While the structural arrangements of the above described products and methods, at first appearance, may have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.

System and method for determining empathy


An image transmission apparatus provided with a FAX modem, an encoding/decoding section, a digitizer-integrated LCD, encoded image data memory, original image data memory, and additional image data memory. Original image data received by the FAX modem are temporarily stored in the encoded image data memory, and the original image data are decoded by the encoding/decoding section. The thus-decoded original image is stored in the original image data memory. An image of the thus-stored original image data is displayed on the digitizer-integrated LCD. An operator draws an additional image on the digitizer-integrated LCD. Data representing the thus-drawn additional image are stored in the additional image data memory. The thus-stored additional image data are encoded by the encoding/decoding section, and the thus-encoded additional image data are temporarily stored in the encoded image data memory. Then, the encoded additional image data are sent by the FAX modem.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image transmission apparatus and, more particularly, to an image transmission apparatus that transmits an image by facsimile transmission and sends additions or corrections related to the received image back to the sender.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional facsimile transmission system, where a received image is sent back after additions or corrections have been made thereto, the received image is initially output on record paper by a facsimile. Additions or corrections are made on the record paper, and the thus-added or corrected image is read and sent back again by the facsimile.
If these procedures are repeated, the image quality is degraded each time the procedures are repeated, which renders the details of the image illegible.
To prevent this problem, Unexamined Japanese Patent Application No. Sho-58-39161 discloses a facsimile image transfer system. In this system, a sender sends an original image. A receiver superimposes additions on a received image using a synthesizer. The thus-superimposed image is sent back to the sender.
In the above-described conventional facsimile image transmission system, the image that is synthesized by superimposing the received image on the received image to which additions have been made is sent back. As a result, the amount of image data to be sent back becomes massive, which in turn results in increased communication time and cost.
The primary object of the present invention is to provide an image transmission apparatus capable of reducing communication time and cost by minimizing the data size of an image to be sent back as well as preventing picture quality degradation.
To this end, according to one aspect of the present invention, an image transmission apparatus for transmitting image data comprises:
receiving image data storage means for holding receiving image data;
display means for displaying an image of the image data stored in the receiving image data storage means;
input means for entering an additional image to the image displayed on the display means; and
additional image data storage means for holding image data of the additional image entered by the input means.
In the above-described image transmission apparatus, the received image data storage means stores received image data. The thus-received image data are displayed. If an additional image is entered with respect to the displayed image, the data of the thus-entered additional image are stored in the additional image data storage means.
As a result, the history of additions is recorded, which makes it easy to manage images. When compared with the conventional transmission apparatus that holds the original image data and the original image data to which additions have been made, the transmission apparatus stores the received original image data and the additional image data. As a result, storage memory capacity of the transmission apparatus can be relatively reduced.
The image transmission apparatus should preferably be provided with transmission means for sending the additional image data stored in the additional image data storage means. With this arrangement, the received additional image data are superimposed on the image data by the receiver of the additional image data, and resultant composite image data are displayed at the receiving end. As a result, degradation in picture quality can be prevented. Only the additional image data are sent from the sender of the additional image data, and therefore it is possible to reduce communication time and cost.
The received image data storage means should preferably store the received image data together with an identification code for identifying the image data. Further, the additional image data storage means should preferably store the additional image data together with the identification code for identifying the image data. As a result, the image transmission apparatus that sends the image data is prevented from being occupied by the transmission.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an image transmission apparatus comprises:
receiving means for receiving image data;received image data storage means for holding the image data received by the receiving means;
display means for displaying an image of the image data stored in the received image data storage means;
input means for entering an additional image with respect to the image displayed on the display means;
additional image data storage means for holding the additional image data input by the input means; and
sending means for sending the additional image data stored in the additional image data storage means.
In the above-described image transmission apparatus, the receiving means receives image data, and the thus-received image data are stored in the received image data storage means. The thus-stored image data are then displayed by the display means. An additional image is entered with respect to the displayed image by the input means, and the additional image data are stored in the additional image data storage means. The thus-stored additional image data are sent by the sending means.
The image data and the additional data should preferably be merged into one composite image by the sender of the image data, and the thus-created composite image should preferably be displayed at the sending end.
As a result, degradation in picture quality can be prevented. Only the additional image data are sent from the sender of the additional image data, and therefore it is possible to reduce communication time and cost.
Upon receipt of the image data, the receiving means should preferably disconnect the communication line between the sender of the image data and the receiver, which enables a reduction in communication time and cost.
Further, the image data should preferably be sent together with an identification code, which prevents the image transmission apparatus at the sending end from being occupied.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, an image transmission apparatus comprises
a transceiver section for sending encoded data of an additional image as well as receiving encoded data of the original image;
an encoding/decoding section for coding data of the additional image as well as decoding the encoded data of the original image;
original image data memory for holding image data of the decoded original image;
a digitizer LCD for entering an additional image with respect to the displayed original image as well as displaying the original image of the image data stored in the original image data; and
additional image data memory for holding data of the entered additional image.
In the above-described image transmission apparatus, the transceiver section receives encoded data of the original image. The thus-received encoded data are decoded by the encoding/decoding section, and image data of the thus-decoded original image are stored in the original image memory. An image of the thus-stored image data of the original image is displayed on the digitizer LCD, and an additional image is entered with respect to the thus-displayed original image. The entered original image is stored in the additional image data memory, and the original image is encoded by the encoding/decoding section. The thus-encoded original image is sent to the sender of the original image data through the transceiver section.
The additional image data is superimposed on the original image data, so that resultantly created composite image is displayed, and therefore degradation in picture quality can be prevented. Moreover, the image transmission apparatus at the receiving end sends only the additional image, which makes it possible to reduce communication time and cost.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, an image transmission apparatus comprises:
sending means for sending image data;
receiving means for receiving additional image data entered with respect to the image data; and
display means for displaying a composite image by superimposing the additional image data on the image data.
In the above-described image transmission apparatus, the sending means sends image data first. The receiving means receives additional image data sent from a receiver, and the thus-received additional image data are superimposed on the image data by the display means. Resultantly created composite image appears on the display means.
Consequently, the image data can be displayed while the additional data is superimposed thereon.


A rendering apparatus and method in a light field display may determine positions of eyes of a user, may determine a subpixel emitting a ray that enters the eyes, based on the positions of the eyes, among a plurality of subpixels forming a three-dimensional (3D) pixel, and may display a stereoscopic image on the light field display based on a pixel value of the determined subpixel.

1. Field
Example embodiments of the following description relate to a general display, for example, a television (TV), a monitor, a display of a portable device, a display for advertisement, a display for education, and the like. More particularly, example embodiments of the following description relate to rendering subpixels in a light field display to reproduce and display a stereoscopic image without fatigue when viewing the stereoscopic image.
2. Description of the Related Art
A three-dimensional (3D) image display apparatus may provide different images based on a difference in viewpoint between a left eye and a right eye of a viewer, so that the viewer may feel a 3D effect.
In the 3D image display apparatus, a glass type 3D display process and a glassless type 3D display process exist. The glass type 3D display process may be used to perform filtering on a desired image by using a division using a polarized light, a time sharing, a wavelength division enabling primary colors to have different wavelengths, and the like. Additionally, the glassless type 3D display process may enable each image to be viewed only in a predetermined space using a parallax barrier or lenticular lens.
In particular, the glassless type 3D display process may include, for example, a multi-view process, and a light field process. The light field process may be used to represent lights emitted in different directions from points existing in a predetermined space without any change.
However, in the light field process, it is difficult to represent a stereoscopic image, when rays representing lights in different directions are not sufficiently ensured. Additionally, a resolution may be reduced, as a number of rays is increased.
Further, when a gap between rays is not narrow, that is, is equal to or less than a predetermined level, it is difficult to realize natural motion parallax. However, to widen a view area while maintaining the gap between the rays to be equal to or less than the predetermined level, the number of rays needs to be increased, so that the resolution may be reduced again.
Accordingly, there is a desire for a rendering technique that may widen a view area while preventing a decrease in resolution in a light field display.

Apparatus and method for adaptively rendering subpixel


A low-noise optical frequency converter uses a predetermined microwave electric signal to modulate an input light wave and output a light wave that includes a first-order upper-sideband or lower-sideband and a third-order lower-sideband or upper-sideband. The frequency converter modulates a light wave identical to the input light wave with a signal having a frequency that is three times that of the microwave signal, to form a first light wave having a first-order lower-sideband or upper-sideband. The first light wave is mixed with a second light wave having a first-order upper-sideband or lower-sideband and a third-order lower-sideband or upper-sideband, with a phase of the third-order lower-sideband or upper-sideband reversed to a phase of the first light wave, thereby suppressing third-order sidebands.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a low-noise optical frequency converter that is able to convert light having a reference frequency to light having a controlled frequency difference.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Optical frequency converters use a number of ways to convert the frequency of input light, including (1) a method using non-linear optical crystal to mix two light inputs that is a well-known method also used for doubling laser frequencies; (2) a method using a mode-locked laser that comprises using an optical modulator, isolator and Fabry-Perot etalon provided in a laser resonator to generate optical pulses, which method is also used to generate a sideband of a frequency fp that is Km times higher than the phase modulation frequency fm (fp=Km×fm); and (3) a method modulating the light with a microwave signal to derive a sideband that is used to convert the optical frequency.
The above method (3) can be further subdivided into (3-1) a method in which the input light is intensity-modulated or phase-modulated by a microwave signal and the target sideband is selectively extracted by using a filter or the like, to obtain light having a frequency that is the sum or difference of the light frequency and the frequency of the microwave signal, and whose merit is the ability to select just the target sideband and whose drawback is that it requires a filter, and in cases where the microwave signal is to be changed, the filter characteristics have to be adjusted accordingly; and (3-2) a method in which input light is phase-modulated by a microwave signal, an optical circuit is used to cancel the optical carrier and a sideband on one side, and the other sideband is extracted to convert the optical frequency and which method is known as single sideband (SSB) modulation and does not use a filter, so there is no need to adjust a filter even when the microwave signal is to be changed though a drawback is that the obtained optical signal contains order sidebands.
The present invention relates to the method (3-2) mentioned above and will be described below.
Optical SSB modulation is described in detail in, for example, Reference 1 (Shimotsu, Izutsu, et al., "LiNbO3 optical SSB modulator for next-generation communications," Optical Alliance, vol. 27, July 2000) and Reference 2 (Higuma, et al., "Development of optical frequency shifter/SSB-SC modulator using X-cut LiNbO3," Technical Report of IEICE, OPE 2001-159 (2002-2)).
In particular, Reference 2 describes modulation using an SSB modulator constituted by the optical frequency shifter using X-cut LiNbO3 shown in FIG. 1. With reference to FIG. 1, an optical carrier is input and a modulated light wave is output, using a modulator 1. The modulator 1 comprises a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZC) type SSB modulator that uses first and second Mach-Zehnder interferometer type phase modulators (MZA) and (MZB) provided on respective optical paths to modulate the above optical carrier. Here, it is assumed that the incident light is exp(jωt) when ω is the angular frequency of the incident light, Ω is the angular frequency of the microwave signal and Ø is the degree of modulation, and for the sake of the explanation it is assumed that the modulating microwave signal is a monotone signal Ø sin(Ωt). This signal is applied to RFA of the modulator 1 and signal Ø cos(Ωt) is applied to RFB of the modulator 1. This signal is the above signal phase shifted by π/2 (90 degrees), and therefore can be generated from the same signal by using a phase shifter. Also, a bias voltage is applied to DCC, to apply a phase difference of π/2 (90 degrees) between light waves transmitted by the two arms of MZC. Simultaneously, a bias voltage is applied to DCA and DCB, applying a phase difference π (180 degrees) between light waves transmitted by the respective arms of MZA and MZB, suppressing the carrier. That is, the light waves passing through the MZA are subjected to electric fields having mutually opposed orientations and are given a phase differential, so that the output from the MZA is as follows.fA(t)=exp(jωt){exp(jØ sin(Ωt))+exp(−jØ sin(Ωt))exp(jπ)}  (1)And, the light waves passing through the MZB are as follows.fB(t)=exp(jωt){exp(jØ cos(Ωt))+exp(−jØ cos(Ωt))exp(jπ)}  (2)Therefore, a light wave output from MZC will be
                                          f            C                                          (            t            )                          =                              exp                                      (                              j                                                                                ω                                                                                t                            )                                                      [                                                                                {                                                                        exp                                                                                (                                                          j                                                                                ϕsin                                                                                (                                                                      Ω                                                                                t                                                                    )                                                                                )                                                                          +                                                                              exp                                                                                (                                                                                -                                  j                                                                                ϕsin                                                                                (                                                                          Ω                                                                                t                                                                        )                                                                                )                                                                                exp                                                                                (                                                              j                                                                                π                                                            )                                                                                }                                        +                                                                                exp                                                                                (                                                          j                                                                                ϕcos                                                                                (                                                                      Ω                                                                                t                                                                    )                                                                                )                                                                          +                                                                              exp                                                                                (                                                                                -                                  j                                                                                ϕcos                                                                                (                                                                          Ω                                                                                t                                                                        )                                                                                )                                                                                exp                                                                                (                                                              j                                                                                π                                                            )                                                                                }                                                                                exp                                                                    (                                                  j                                                                                π                            /                            2                                                                          )                                                                                ]                                              (        3        )            Ignoring fifth-orders and higher as being very minor, we get equation (4).fC(t)=exp(jωt){J+3(Ø)exp(j3Ωt)+J−1(Ø)exp(−jΩt)}  (4)From equation (4), it can be seen that a first-order lower-sideband and a third-order upper-sideband are output. It is well known that the modulation index Ø can be decreased to damp higher-order terms. Also, estimating as in the above, applying a phase difference of −π/2 (−90 degrees) between the light waves traveling through the two arms of MZC makes it possible to derive a first-order upper-sideband and a third-order lower-sideband.
As described above, with an optical frequency converter using conventional optical SSB modulation, the drawback is that output of a first-order sideband is accompanied by a third-order sideband. Moreover, a higher modulation index Ø gives rise to the output of larger sidebands corresponding to higher-order odd-numbered terms.
In the above explanation, Ø sin(Ωt) is applied to RFA, and Ø cos(Ωt) is applied to RFB having a phase difference of 90 degrees compared to Ø sin(Ωt). If the phase difference deviates from 90 degrees, the term cancelled in equation (3) will not be cancelled, and third- and higher-order terms will increase, increasing the noise component.
An optical frequency converter that uses optical SSB modulation has the merit of not having to adjust a filter when the microwave signal is changed, since the converter does not use a filter. However, a drawback is that the converted-optical-frequency optical signal that is obtained includes third- and higher-order odd-numbered sidebands.
With respect to a frequency converter that uses optical SSB modulation, the present invention achieves a low-noise optical frequency converter that makes it possible to obtain an optical signal in which third-order sidebands, which among third- and higher-order odd-numbered sidebands have the highest signal strength, are suppressed.
In the case of optical frequency conversion using optical SSB modulation, it is necessary to prepare modulation signals having a 90-degree phase difference. Deviation from this 90-degree phase difference increases the noise component. Thus, noise can also be reduced if such deviation is suppressed.
Moreover, there is the merit that there is no need to adjust a filter when the microwave modulation signal is changed, since there is no filter. And there is the drawback that the converted-optical-frequency optical signal that is obtained includes fifth- and higher-order odd-numbered sidebands. Low-noise conversion can be achieved by suppressing these sidebands.
The present invention was accomplished in the light of the foregoing circumstances, and has as its object to provide a low-noise optical frequency converter that uses optical SSB modulation but is able to suppress noise components even when there is a deviation from the 90-degree phase difference between the two signals used for the modulation, and is able to suppress the third-order sidebands that have the highest signal strength among third- and higher-order odd-numbered sidebands.

National Institute of Information and Communications Technology


Embodiments of the invention describe an apparatus, system and method for executing self-correction logic for serial-to-parallel data converters. Embodiments of the invention receive one of a plurality of serial data streams from a peripheral device, each of the serial data streams having one or more bits. In response to detecting that a shift register chain includes a register select value, embodiments of the invention may store the received serial data stream in one of a plurality of data registers, wherein the one data register is selected based, at least in part, on a position of the register select value in the shift register chain. In response to detecting the shift register chain does contain the register select value, embodiments of the invention may insert the register select value at a register of the shift register chain.

Peripheral Component Interconnect express (PCIe) (as described, for example, in The PCI Express Base Specification of the PCI Special Interest Group, Revision 3.0 published Nov. 18, 2010) describes an interconnection standard for coupling peripheral devices to a host computing system. The inbound data on a PCI express (PCIe) link is of serial form, running at a high clock frequency. The digital logic on the respective host system runs at a magnitude of half or more of that clock frequency. Before the data can be handed over to the digital logic, it is required to be converted to a parallel data format so that digital logic running at a lower clock frequency can handle all the incoming data. This serial-to-parallel conversion is done using a Serial In Parallel Out or Serial-To-Parallel Converter (SIPO).
A SIPO employs a serial shift register to implement the control logic required to load the serial data internally using the high clock frequency. System errors, such as clock glitches resulting from noise or system initialization processes, can render the serial shift register inoperable, which would mandate a system reset for re-initializing the PCIe link. What is needed is self-correction logic for serial-to-parallel converters, such as the above described converters used in PCIe links.
Descriptions of certain details and implementations follow, including a description of the figures, which may depict some or all of the embodiments described below, as well as discussing other potential embodiments or implementations of the inventive concepts presented herein. An overview of embodiments of the invention is provided below, followed by a more detailed description with reference to the drawings.

Self correction logic for serial-to-parallel converters


It is intended to provide a sheet stack ejecting apparatus, an image forming apparatus and a sheet stack processing apparatus applicable to ejection of a sheet stack while ejection errors are prevented by reducing disorderliness of ejected sheets of paper. A sheet ejecting apparatus 10 carries and ejects a sheet stack by holding the sheet stack with an ejecting roller pair 10 that consists of a top roller 21 and a bottom roller 22. The sheet ejecting apparatus 10 further includes a motor 24 for shifting the top roller 21 to switch between pressing state and separated state with respect to the ejecting roller pair 15 and a controller 20 for controlling the motor 24. The controller 20 works as ejection means that makes the ejecting roller pair 15 pressing state so as to eject a sheet stack and as separation means that makes the ejecting roller pair 15 separated state before a back end of a sheet stack escapes from nips of the ejecting roller pair 15 by using the motor 24.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet stack ejecting apparatus for ejecting a sheet of paper on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus such as a copier, printer, and the like, an image forming apparatus, and a sheet stack processing apparatus. More particularly, it relates to a sheet stack ejecting apparatus for ejecting a sheet stack, namely, a plurality of sheets of paper which are stacked, an image forming apparatus, and a sheet stack processing apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
In various types of image forming apparatus generally, sheets of paper on which images have been formed are held and carried by rotating members such as an ejecting roller, an ejecting belt, and the like, and then, piled up on an ejected sheet holding tray arranged at downstream side of the rotating members with back ends of the sheets of paper being met with a back plate of the tray. For recent years, sheet ejection speed has become faster along with improvement of operation speed of respective sections in an image forming apparatus. Therefore, there has arisen a problem such that ejected sheets of paper on an ejected sheet holding tray are not piled up neatly. If sheet ejection is slowed down, disorderliness of sheet piling is reduced. However, operation efficiency as the entirety of the image forming apparatus goes down. As countermeasure of such a problem, there has been proposed a sheet ejecting apparatus that can lower rotation speed of an ejecting roller in the middle of ejections by detecting a back end of a sheet (for example, see Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 11-255390). According to this type of sheet ejecting apparatus, sheet ejection speed slows down when a back end of a sheet passes through a nip of an ejecting roller. Since sheet ejection speed slows down when a sheet of paper is ejected to the ejected sheet holding tray, disorderliness of ejected sheets of paper is reduced.
On the other hand, there are some image forming apparatuses provided with a post-processing apparatus that conducts post-processing to sheets of paper on which an image has been formed. In such an image forming apparatus, plural of sheets of paper are piled up to make a sheet stack and ejected through post-processing such as stapling on the sheet stack, for example.
In case of ejecting a sheet stack also, ejection speed is so fast that a sheet stack hops out from an ejection slot vigorously and sometimes does not return to an backboard of an ejected sheet holding tray. Especially, in case of ejecting significant number of sheet stacks, sheet stacks ejected are piled up on an ejected sheet holding tray and sometimes sheet stacks hopping out too much are mounted on near the top of the pile. When such a situation arises, a back end of a sheet stack stays at the vicinity of an ejection slot and a front end of a next sheet stack bumps against the back end of the precedent sheet stack, which could cause an ejection error, and a paper jam.
However, the conventional sheet ejecting apparatus previously described is suitable for ejection operation to eject sheets one by one. In case ejection manner of the conventional apparatus is applied to ejection of sheet stacks, rotation speed of the ejecting roller must be changed in the middle of ejection operation. As a result, out of sheets belonging to a sheet stack, a top sheet and a bottom sheet in contact with rollers receive load. This aspect can cause disorderliness of a sheet stack, and wrinkles on sheets of paper, which are problematic.

Sheet stack ejecting apparatus, image forming apparatus, and sheet stack processing apparatus

Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.


An apparatus for magnetically treating fluid comprised of non-polar molecular clusters, such as water, flowing therethrough is provided. The apparatus includes a housing having an inlet and an outlet, which housing is adapted to permit fluid flow therethrough between the inlet and the outlet within the interior thereof. In the two embodiments disclosed, a magnet arrangement is positioned either totally within or partially surrounding and associated with magnets within the housing to provide a harmonic magnetic field within the housing. The strength of the harmonic magnet field is variable along the housing in response to fluid flow therethrough. In addition, a method of magnetically treating non-polar fluids comprised of cluster molecules, such as water, is disclosed.

Prior to this invention, it has been well known and documented that magnetic treatment of water can be very helpful in softening water and in helping to discourage the formation of scale associated with the handling of calcarious waters which deposit scales or encrustation on heat exchanger and conduit surfaces, such as found in water supply lines in industrial and residential situations. Also, it is known that such treated waters may be used to eliminate previously deposited scales from surfaces contacted by untreated waters.
Prior art patents relating to magnetic water conditioning techniques which utilize permanent magnets have proposed the use of everything from simple elongated bar magnets that are polarized along their longitudinal axes, to cylindrical discs that are polarized along their diameters. In some instances, elongated bar magnets that are polarized along their diameters have been advocated, and the facial polarization of disc type magnets along their axes of symmetry has also been advocated. Included with the various different types of permanently magnetized structures and their arrangements are structures which require fluid flow parallel to the polar axes of the magnets, structures which direct the fluid perpendicular to the polar axes, as well as other and various complicated and expensive structural arrangements that have advocated other desired flow characteristics. In particular, the inventor is aware of the following U.S. patents which disclose various different types of devices for magnetically conditioning water: U.S. Pat. No. 2,652,925 to Vermeiren; U.S. Pat. No. 2,939,830 to Green et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,878 to Moody; U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,479 to Brown; U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,559 to Sanderson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,210,535 to Risk; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,605,498 to Kulish.
These prior art arrangements for providing the seemingly desired flow paths relative to the flux fields are expensive to incorporate into commercial designs for water conditioning and are devised primarily to prevent or remove scaling of pipes and equipment.
United States, Canadian and European investigations have also confirmed that the magnetic treatment of water can be extremely beneficial in helping to promote plant growth. These studies show healthier, richer lawn growth and increased vegetable and fruit yields. Magnetically treated water, free (neutralized) from harmful chemicals, enhances fertilizer and passes more readily through compacted topsoil. The "smaller" molecules associated with magnetically treated water are absorbed more easily through capillary action in plants and vegetable roots, and can carry beneficial nutrients to more areas than non-treated water. This results in a stronger and more well-developed root system, which in turn allows more nutrients for development of above-ground growth where photosynthesis takes place.
Even though it has been recognized that magnetic treatment can have beneficial effects on plant growth characteristics, there has not been developed, to the best of the inventor's knowledge, an effective and economical apparatus which can be easily used to treat water, or any other liquids, inexpensively by using permanent magnets.


When electrodes in two-layer composition, provided with a color filter in the inside thereof, are provided on the inner surface of a liquid crystal cell board, it is aimed to prevent creation of faulty connections in contact holes and to transmit a driving voltage normally even if faulty connections may occur. A first-layer transparent electrode 1a is formed on the board, then resist is coated so that the contact holes 6 are open on the side surface in one side of the electrode pattern, on which a color filter 3 is formed. After that, said resist is removed and a second-layer transparent electrode 1b is formed in film.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a color-filter-fitted board for a liquid crystal display, in which two layers of sheet-like electrodes with a color filter intercalated therebetween are formed on the inner surface of a board composing liquid crystal cells.
2. Description of the Prior Art
With a conventional simple matrix driving type liquid crystal color display, it is required to provide a sheet-like transparent electrode on a color filter for driving liquid crystal cells, in order to improve displaying performance. In addition, it is also needed to make a sheet resistance of the transparent electrode as small as possible, in order that a duty ratio for driving the liquid crystal cells is larger. Although it is effective to heat up said transparent electrode after a film-making process, to reduce the sheet resistance of said transparent electrode, a conventional color filter can resist a maximum temperature of about 270.degree. C. At a temperature such as above, a maximum limit sheet resistance obtainable by forming a transparent electrode as thick as possible on the color filter is only about 20 .OMEGA. to 30 .OMEGA.. Therefore, as disclosed in the Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 26628/88, the inventors of the present invention proposed a method to decrease the sheet resistance by providing transparent electrodes in two-layer composition.
FIG. 5 depicts part of said color-filter-fitted board with transparent electrodes in two-layer composition. In FIG. 5, numerals la and lb represent transparent electrodes in two-layer composition, inside of which a color filter 2 is intercalated. In said color filter 2, a plurality of contact holes (through-holes) 3 is formed. Through said contact holes 3, a first-layer (lower) transparent electrode 1a and a second-layer (upper) transparent electrode 1b are connected electrically.
FIG. 6(a) to 69c) is a view for showing a process of manufacturing a color-filter-fitted board in the configuration described above, in which a section shape of the electrode pattern shown in FIG. 5 in a longitudinal direction is illustrated. First, as shown in FIG. 6(a), a film of a first-layer transparent electrode la is formed on the inner surface of a glass board 4 and heated up satisfactorily before forming a color filter in order to decrease a sheet resistance. A photoresist 5 is then coated at a predetermined location for forming said contact holes 3, on which a color filter 2 is formed by an electro-deposition method as shown in FIG. 6(b) . Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6(c), said photoresist 5 is removed thereby forming contact holes 3 on which a film of a second-layer transparent electrode 1b is formed.
With the color-filter-fitted board manufactured as described above, the second-layer transparent electrode 1b is electrically connected to the first-layer transparent electrode 1a through the contact holes 3, FIG. 7. That is, the first- and second-layer transparent electrodes 1a and 1b are connected parallel to each other. Consequently, an apparent resistance of the electrodes is substantially the same as that of the lower transparent electrode 1a, even if the sheet resistance of the upper transparent electrode 1b of the color filter 2 is not decreased.
In the above, it is required to make the size of said contact holes 3 such that no adverse affect is given to an indication quality of a display panel. Therefore, a diameter normally taken is about 20 .mu.m to 30 .mu.m. And, a method often employed conventionally to form microscopic contact holes 3 such as above in a satisfactory position accuracy is that, before forming a color filter 2 by an electro-deposition method, a photoresist 5 in the same shape as that of the contact holes 3 is pattern-formed on the transparent electrode 1a while peeling said photoresist 5 after completion of electro-depositing the color filter 2, as described above.
On the other hand, in order to have satisfactory color reproducibility using an electro-deposited color filter 2 such as described above, the film thickness of the color filter 2 is required to be more than about 1.7 .mu.m. However, if the photoresist 5 is coated as thick as or more than the above for forming a microscopic pattern, development irregularities, etc. occur resulting sometimes in that the contact holes 3 are not formed in correct shapes. If the film thickness of the photoresist 5 is made to for instance 1.0 .mu.m to 1.2 .mu.m approximately to prevent the irregularities, etc., the thickness is smaller than the film thickness of the color filter 2 while forming the color filter 2 in such a manner that the filter covers up the pattern of the photoresist 5. Thus, the dimension of an opening of the contact holes 3 may disadvantageously become small in excess.
Normally, the shape of a contact hole 3 is a closed figure such as a circle, ellipse or a rectangular. Further, making a film of the transparent electrode 1b comprising ITO, etc. is performed often in a direction normal to the glass board 4. Therefore, if an area of the opening of a contact hole 3 is not satisfactory because of the reason described above, making a film on a side surface of the contact hole 3 cannot be performed satisfactorily resulting sometimes in faulty connection between the upper and lower transparent electrodes, though no such problems will occur provided the contact holes 3 are correctly formed.
In these circumstances, another method shown in FIG. 8 may also be considered, in which the shape of the contact holes 3 is made continuous to the side surface of the electrode pattern. At that time, however, if a connection error occurs in adjacent two contact holes 3 (for instance, between Portions .alpha. and .beta.), no driving voltage is applied any longer to the transparent electrode lb on the color filter 2 between said contact holes. Consequently, the portions are disabled to illuminate during displaying. Particularly with a dot matrix LCD panel used for full-color indication, the number of indication pixels in use is tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands or even more. Therefore, it is difficult to eliminate such pixels as disabled for illumination provided the shape of contact holes 3 is used as shown in FIG. 8. FIG. 9 depicts a section shape of the 9--9 line in FIG. 8.
In the above, disability of illumination owing to faulty connection between said contact holes occurs only with the contact holes in the shape of FIG. 8, but does not occur with those in the shape of FIG. 5. This is because, even when faulty connection occurs between contact holes 3 of the latter, a driving voltage is transmitted through adjacent normal contact holes 3.
Since conventional color-filter-fitted boards for liquid crystal displays are manufactured as described above, the dimension of an opening of the contact holes becomes small in excess where the contact holes are formed in closed shapes. At that time, making a film of an electrode on the side surface of a contact hole is not satisfactorily performed, resulting often in faulty connection. Also, if the contact holes are shaped in such a manner as continued toward the side surface of the electrode pattern, some pixels are sometimes disabled to illuminate because of faulty connection, causing a disadvantageous problem that no normal displaying can be activated.
The present invention has been accomplished from the viewpoint of the problems as described above, and is intended to provide such a method of manufacturing a color-filter-fitted board for a liquid crystal display, with which the occurrence of faulty connection in the contact holes can be prevented and, even if faulty connection in part of the contact holes occurs, a driving voltage can be transmitted and, therefore, there are no non-illumination pixels while maintaining normal displaying at any time.

Method of manufacturing color-filter-fitted board for liquid crystal display


An apparatus for generating a hologram that may generate a three-dimensional (3D) hologram pattern at a high speed may include a pattern setting unit to set points for which hologram patterns are to be generated with respect to a one-eighth area of an entire area for which a hologram pattern is to be generated, a calculation unit to calculate pattern values for a plurality of reference points selected with respect to the one-eighth area of the entire area, and to generate a pattern for the one-eighth area using recurrent interpolation, and a pattern duplicating unit to complete a pattern for the entire area by duplicating the generated pattern for the one-eighth area.

1. Field
The following description relates to an apparatus and method of expediting generation of a three-dimensional (3D) hologram, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for generating a hologram pattern using an operational apparatus by receiving an input of data of a spatial object or image data including color and depth.
2. Description of the Related Art
A stereoscopic image is provided to realize a three-dimensional (3D) image. However, since the stereoscopic image has a limit due to visual fatigue, a limited number of view points, and the like, a method of realizing a 3D image using a hologram is drawing attention.
A hologram is technology for representing a 3D space that has a limitless number of viewpoints and causes little visual fatigue by reproducing a 3D spatial object using a strength and phase of light. Generally, a hologram is generated using a computer generated hologram (CGH) in a method of generating a digital hologram. That is, in the digital hologram generating method, optical signals are approximated, and a hologram is generated using an interference pattern generated through a mathematical operation.
In the digital hologram generating method, a 3D spatial object is construed as a set of 3D points, and point holograms corresponding to all 3D points constituting the 3D spatial object are generated. In this instance, as the sophistication or complexity of the 3D spatial object increases so too does a number of 3D points included in the 3D spatial object, and thus, an amount of calculation subsequently increases.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Apparatus and method for fast generation of three-dimensional (3D) hologram


A composition and method of preventing or inhibiting tumor growth and, more particularly, of treating a malignant tumor, using prodrugs of plant-derived compounds and derivatives is disclosed. In the method, a composition containing betulinic acid or a betulinic acid derivative is administered in a prodrug form to release betulinic acid or a betulinic acid derivative in vivo at the tumor site.

Over the past four decades the incidence of melanoma has been increasing at a higher rate than any other type of cancer. It is now theorized that one in ninety American Caucasians will develop malignant melanoma in their lifetime. While an increasing proportion of melanomas are diagnosed sufficiently early to respond to surgical treatment and achieve a greater than 90% ten-year survival rate, it is estimated that nearly 7,000 individuals suffering from metastatic melanoma will die in the United States each year.
For patients afflicted with a metastatic melanoma not amenable to surgical extirpation, treatment options are limited. 5-(3,3-Dimethyl-1-triazenyl)-1-H-imidazole-4-carboxamide (dacarbazine, DTIC) is the most efficacious single chemotherapeutic agent for melanoma having an overall response rate of 24%. But the duration of response to DTIC is generally quite poor. Combination therapy with other synthetic and recombinant agents, including N,N′-bis(2-chloroethyl)-N-nitrosurea (carmustine, BCNU), cisplatin, tamoxifen, interferon-alpha (INF-α), and interleukin-2 (IL-2), has a higher response rate (e.g., 30–50%) in some trials, but a durable complete response rate is uncommon and toxicity is increased. Sequential chemotherapy also has promise, but current treatment options for individuals suffering from metastatic melanoma are unsatisfactory.
Various drugs derived from natural products, such as adriamycin (doxorubicin), bleomycin, etoposide, and vincristine, and their derivatives, have been tested for efficacy against melanoma either as single agents or in combination therapy. However, similar to the synthetic and recombinant compounds, these compounds exhibit low response rates, transient complete responses, and high toxicities.
Nonetheless, as demonstrated by known and presently used cancer chemotherapeutic agents, plant-derived natural products are a proven source of effective drugs. Two such useful natural product drugs are paclitaxel (taxol) and camptothecin. Paclitaxel, originally derived from the bark of the Pacific yew tree Taxus brevifolia Nutt. (Taxaceae), currently is used for the treatment of refractory or residual ovarian cancer. More recently, clinical trials have investigated the possible role of paclitaxel in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. As a single agent, taxol displays activity comparable to cisplatin and IL-2. Taxol functions by a unique mode of action, and promotes the polymerization of tubulin. Thus, the antitumor response mediated by taxol is due to its antimitotic activity.
The second drug of prominence, camptothecin, was isolated from the stem bark of a Chinese tree, Camptotheca acuminata Decaisne (Nyssaceae). Camptothecin also functions by a novel mechanism of action, i.e., the inhibition of topoisomerase I. Phase II trials of a water-soluble camptothecin prodrug analog, irinotican (CPT-11), have been completed in Japan against a variety of tumors with response rates ranging from 0% (lymphoma) to 50% (small cell lung). Topotecan, another water-soluble camptothecin analog, currently is undergoing Phase II clinical trials in the United States.
In addition, studies have shown that betulinic acid, and betulinic acid derivatives, can inhibit other types of cancer cells, such as neuroblastoma, in addition to melanoma. For example, Das Gupta et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,947 discloses that betulinic acid is useful for the selective control or treatment of human melanoma, and Pezzuto et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,962,527 discloses the selective activity of derivatives of betulinic acid against melanoma cells.
However, a disadvantage associated with the use of betulinic acid or a betulinic acid derivative in the treatment of a cancer is the problem encountered in formulating these active drugs and in providing suitable dosage forms for the treatment of various cancers. The present application is directed to overcoming this disadvantage and providing useful prodrugs of betulinic acid and derivatives thereof that are easy to formulate into a variety of dosage forms and that release betulinic acid or the derivative thereof in vivo.

Method of preparing and use of prodrugs of betulinic acid derivatives

The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois


According to the present invention, a synchronization circuit, which receives a plurality of input signals and a sync signal and performs a predetermined operation corresponding to said input signals in synchronization with said sync signal, comprising: a transition detector for detecting each transition of said plurality of input signals and for generating transition detection signal indicating that said transition occurs; and an internal sync signal generator for, upon the receipt of said sync signal, supplying an internal sync signal to said synchronization circuit when said detection signal indicate that said transition occurs, and for ceasing to supply said internal sync signal to said synchronization circuit, regardless of whether said sync signal is received, when said transition detection signal does not indicate that said transition occurs. According to the present invention, power consumption accompanying an unwanted, repeated operation can be eliminated.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a synchronization circuit for performing a predetermined operation in response to a received sync signal, in particular, to a synchronization circuit to which an internal sync signal is not transmitted when transition of a plurality of received signals does not occur, and to a storage device having such a synchronization circuit.
2. Related Arts
A synchronization semiconductor storage device, which can be operated at high speed, includes an input circuit for latching an address signal and other control signals in response to a sync signal, such as a clock, received from the outside; a sense amplifier for detecting data in a memory cell; and a write amplifier for writing data to a memory cell.
Even when, for example, an address signal is skewed, by employing the above sync signal the entry of data is possible after the address signal has been established. Therefore, waste operation in an input circuit can be eliminated and the period of time that is required to establish an address signal can be shortened. Or, a system can rapidly fetch the data by operating a sense amplifier in response to a sync signal. In addition, the period of time that is required to establish a write data signal can be shortened by initiating the operation of a write amplifier in response to a sync signal. Therefore, processing for which a sync signal is used is indispensable when the speed of memory is to be increased.
The same procedures can be employed for a synchronization circuit, not limiting to the memory, which performs processing in accordance with a plurality of signals, which are supplied in response to a supplied sync signal.
However, even when there are no changes in input signals to which normally the circuit responds, the synchronized memory or the synchronization circuit continues to perform a predetermined operation in response to received sync signals, so that power is consumed wastefully.
In a case where there is no change in an address signal and a reading condition, even though the data have not been changed, a sense amplifier in a synchronized memory will detect data to read in the memory in response to a sync signal. Such operation when performed by the sense amplifier is mere repetition, which constitutes a waste of power.
In a case where there is no change in an address signal and in the data to be written, and when the writing condition is the same, even though the writing of the data to a target memory has been completed, a write amplifier in a synchronized memory performs a writing operation in response to a sync signal. The write amplifier merely repeats an operation that has been completed, which results in a waste of power.

Power saving synchronization circuit and semiconductor storage device including the same


A reflecting surface material for a vehicle interior, including multiple units of reflecting material each having a surface defined by a concave cross-sectional profile with at least one light reflecting face formed in one sector of the profile and at least one light absorbing face formed in another sector of the profile. A plurality of units of reflecting material are positioned such that the light reflecting faces are disposed in one direction toward the exterior of the vehicle and the light absorbing faces are disposed in another direction toward the driver of the vehicle.

With respect to the material used for vehicle interiors, single layer construction resin sheets made with polyvinyl chloride or thermoplastic polyolefin resins (TPO) are frequently used for surface materials for instrument panels/dashboards. The brightness of the resin sheets is low (60 or less) to prevent reflection on the windshield. The surface of an instrument panel/dashboard, which has resin sheets like these, absorbs the incoming rays of the sun which come in through the windshield and becomes very hot.
It is well known that the interior of a parked automobile gets very hot in the blazing sun. According to measurement of the temperature of automobile interiors in the summer in Japan, the temperature inside automobiles parked in the sun reaches approximately 70° C. As for the materials used in the interior, it is reported that the top of dashboards reach about 100° C. while the surface of the ceiling materials and the surface of seats reach high temperatures of around 70° C. Needless to say riding in a vehicle under these circumstances is unpleasant and not only does the passenger feel uncomfortable because the heat is radiated for a long time from the materials used in the interior of the vehicle, the seat feels hot to the passenger due to thermal conductivity from the heat accumulated in the surface of the seat. In addition, the temperature inside of the vehicle and the temperature of the materials used in the interior of the vehicle do not go down readily with ventilation or from air conditioning so that excessive consumption of energy due to air conditioning becomes a problem.
Hitherto, interior material surfaces have been made to include infrared ray reflecting pigments and technology which reflects infrared rays has been proposed concerning problems like these of parked cars in the sun for the purpose of preventing excessive heating of the surfaces of interior materials. See Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-114149 (EP 1 179 628 A1) and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-122044.
However, with these technologies, the direction of reflection becomes irregular and most of the reflected light rays are absorbed in the resin layer and are converted to heat because the infrared reflecting pigment powder is mixed into the resin randomly. Moreover, approximately half of the energy of the sun's rays is visible light and in addition to that, the major cause of rising temperatures of the surface of vehicle interiors has been visible light because the window glass used in automobiles in recent years has been predominantly thermally insulated glass which absorbs near infrared. Thus, a significant effect in preventing the excessive heating of surfaces of automobile interiors cannot be expected from interior facing materials which reflect infrared rays.
Likewise, an optical reflecting feature has been tried on a vehicle other than reflection by surfaces of interior materials. Specifically, a technology is known which concerns multi-layered glass for vehicles which adds a reflecting feature to the glass of windows so that ultra-violet rays are prevented from entering the interior of a vehicle. See Japanese Patent No. 3315453.
However, windshield and front and side windows must have a visible light transmission rate (Tv) of at least 70% according to most laws. In order to maintain this standard, a reflecting feature can only have a sunlight reflection rate (Re) of 20 to 30% and one cannot hope for an increase in performance beyond this. As pathways of entry for light, the windshield and front and side windows have a large area and the fact that no more can be done with these windows for measures of keeping temperatures down means that it is necessary to devise other measures for controlling temperatures. Incidentally, the values of sunlight reflection rate (Re), sunlight transmission rate (Te), visible light reflection rate (Rv) and visible light transmission rate (Tv) cited earlier are measured according to Japan Industrial Standard (JIS) R3106.
Measures for controlling temperatures by means other than mentioned above might include methods of increasing the rate of reflection or the brightness of the surface interior materials and reflecting the energy of the sun's rays for the purpose of preventing excessive heating of the surfaces of interior materials. However, merely raising the rate of reflection of visible light (Rv) of the surface of interior materials would radiate it towards other parts of the interior and ultimately would result in an increase in temperatures inside a vehicle as before. In addition, there is a concern that due to the angle of the reflected sunlight, the reflected light would get into the driver's eyes, or the interior materials would be reflected in the glass of the windows causing a glare that would obstruct the driver's field of vision. Thus, raising the rate of reflection and suppressing window reflection and glare for the driver are in a paradoxical relationship so that the achievement of materials and configuration which prevent window reflection and driver glare without diminution of the reflecting feature is required.


A process for the production of dense polycrystalline silicon carbide shaped articles, includes the steps: (a) heating a powder compact containing silicon carbide and alumina or a precursor thereof together with a secondary sintering assist, to an intermediate temperature for an extended dwell, and then (b) heating the product of step (a) to a higher temperature for sufficient time to produce a dense polycrystalline silicon carbide product. The secondary sintering assist includes one or more rare earths or their precursors, for example scandia, yttria or dysprosia.

Shaped articles comprising of polycrystalline silicon carbide are well known. They are characterised by excellent physical properties such as high resistance to thermal shock, abrasion and oxidation together with high levels of strength and thermal conductivity. It is this combination of properties which makes silicon carbide materials leading candidates for engineering applications. However, the production of satisfactory high density bodies is fraught with difficulties.
Early workers (eg Alliegro, Coffin and Tinkepaugh J. Amer. Ceram. Soc., 39 11! 386-89 1956!) showed that silicon carbide could be hot pressed to high density bodies with the aid of sintering aids such as aluminium and iron, and aluminium plus one of the metals zirconium, boron or iron. It was further disclosed that for the hot pressing of silicon carbide, magnesium additions and magnesium and aluminium additions were ineffective, and impaired the densification process as compared to a control sample of silicon carbide, hot pressed under identical conditions with no additives or additions. Lange (J. Mater. Sci.(10 1975!314-320) disclosed the hot pressing of silicon carbide using alumina as the densification aid. The limitations of hot pressing for the attainment of dense bodies are well known.
The selection of suitable densification aids for the sintering of silicon carbide has been considered by Negita (J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 69 12!C308-10 1986!). Using thermodynamic arguments it was found that metal additives such as boron, aluminium, iron, nickel and cobalt could be effective densification aids. Using these principles, alumina, beryllia, yttria, hafnia and rare earth oxides are considered to be potential densification aids as they do not decompose silicon carbide during sintering. Metal oxides including zirconia, calcia, magnesia are not considered suitable as they tend to decompose silicon carbide to metallic silicon. In addition the use of carbon with metal oxide additions was reported to be beneficial for oxides such as alumina, beryllia, yttria, rare earth oxides, calcia, zirconia, and hafnia. It is stated that the carbon is added to react with the said oxides to form the corresponding metal carbide and silicon metal. The formation of the metal carbides was seen as desirable. In the process according to the present invention, the formation of such metal carbides was not observed. Furthermore, in contrast to the work of Negita, in the current work it has been found that the reaction of carbon with the metal oxide densification aids is undesirable and impairs the densification of the bodies. This indicates that the role of carbon in the present work is different to that proposed by Negita and others. In addition, given the unstable nature of metal carbide phases, for some even in air at room temperature, the formation of such phases is seen as undesirable and are avoided in the present invention. This aspect will be discussed in greater detail for the calcia system.
The work of Cutler and Miller (U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,740) describes a process for a refractory product based on silicon carbide containing at least 1% by weight of aluminium nitride and at least 1% by weight aluminium oxycarbide. The presence of metal impurities (other than aluminium and silicon) were seen to be detrimental to the process and are limited to 0.1 percent by weight or less. No indication was given as to the properties of such bodies and the ease at which they can be made into dense bodies with desirable physical properties and the commercial utility of the process. Further work in this system was described by Virkar et al in International Patent application W087/01693, where the pressureless sintering of silicon carbide-aluminium nitride-aluminium oxycarbide containing materials was described. A major drawback of the process as disclosed is that the materials must be heated at very rapid rates to minimise volatilisation of the active densification species. This could pose problems for the production of large parts in which differential sintering as a result of thermal gradients can lead to distortion and ultimately to micro cracking due to thermal stresses inevitably present as a result of the described firing cycles. This would make the maintenance of the desired physical properties difficult. In addition, the undesirable presence of aluminium oxycarbides in the final body may prove difficult to avoid.
According to Suzuki et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,354,991) the use of aluminium oxide to densify silicon carbide is described. In the process as described the use of non-oxidative atmospheres is taught. These include nitrogen, carbon monoxide, helium and argon. It is taught that argon or helium are preferable and that the atmosphere should preferably contain aluminium, silicon or carbon vapours in the atmosphere. In one method, it is proposed that mixtures of these gases be fed into the reaction chamber with a carrier gas such as nitrogen, argon and helium. In another method, the use of a powder bed, coating or sintered product capable of generating the gases around the silicon carbide article to be densified was disclosed. It was a teaching of the document that it is unnecessary to remove the silica present on the surface of the silicon carbide. In fact it was stated that it is feasible to add silica as a raw material. This is in contrast to the present invention where the presence of this phase has been found to exert a deleterious effect on the densification behaviour at high temperatures and will be explained below. These requirements are considered to be disadvantages of the process. The fired bulk densities obtained were inferior to those achieved compared to the results of this investigation. In addition, the sintering times were much longer. Thus the process and product as disclosed herein overcomes significant disadvantages of the process as disclosed by Suzuki.
In the work of Fuentes U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,226 the use of alumina and calcia as densification aids for silicon carbide was disclosed. It was a requirement of the invention to form liquid phases comprising aluminium oxycarbides at the sintering temperatures to promote densification. The addition of calcia was to increase the amount of the aluminium oxycarbide liquids and enhance densification. It was further disclosed that the addition of free carbon is preferred. It is believed that in the system described by Fuentes, the addition of free carbon is to react with aluminium containing phases to produce or further enhance the formation of the oxycarbide phases which are a requirement for the process. The level of free carbon additions were preferably greater than 0.4% by weight. No indication was given to an upper limit for the carbon addition. This is in contrast to the teachings of the present invention, where the reaction of carbon with the aluminate phase is believed to be detrimental to the densification process. It is claimed that the technique excludes the use of rare earths but no reference was given for their deletion. Indeed, in the work of Omori et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,569,921) the use of calcia and precursors for the oxides of aluminium and rare earth elements for the pressureless sintering of silicon carbide was disclosed with excellent results. In addition, it was been reported by Foster et al (J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 39 1! - 11 1956!) that aluminium carbide and aluminium oxycarbide, the latter at least required for the process as outlined, are very unstable towards both moisture and oxygen. They thought that these materials should not be used in applications where these species are likely to be encountered. In the process as disclosed, such aluminium oxycarbide species are a key element of the process. The presence of such species is expected to greatly degrade the performance and severely limit the suitability of the said materials. In the present invention, aluminium oxycarbides, such as A1.sub.4 O.sub.4 C and Al.sub.2 OC, have not been observed and their presence is not a prerequisite for the process disclosed herein. Thus the process and product as disclosed herein overcomes significant disadvantages of the process as disclosed by Fuentes.
The use of liquid phase sintering with the aid of alumina and rare earth additions has been disclosed by Cutler, Virkar and Hurford in U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,027. The advantages of this over the prior art are seen in the more rapid sintering rates as compared to the boron and carbon technology. It is claimed that the prior using rare earth oxides failed to take advantage of liquids in the rare earth oxide-alumina system (eg see U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,502,983; 4,564,490 and 4,569,921). These disclosures claimed that sintering rate of silicon carbide was enhanced by the presence of solid solutions of the silicon carbide and the additives in each other. In the work by Cutler et al, the use of vacuum or inert (argon, helium or nitrogen) atmospheres are disclosed for the sintering of silicon carbide. Although it is further disclosed that the use of nitrogen can be detrimental as a result of the formation of aluminium nitrides. It was further disclosed that rapid heating rates and short dwells at the maximum temperature are required to produce dense specimens. It should be appreciated that it is not always feasible to use short dwells. This is especially true when large furnace loads are used or when large components are being manufactured. Under these conditions large thermal gradients can exist within the load or within the bodies. This can lead to differential sintering and distortion of the bodies after processing. To overcome these problems slower heating rates are required. No indication of the weight loss of the samples was given.
The use of rare earths and alumina as sintering assists for silicon carbide has been disclosed (eg see Mulla and Krstic Bull. Amer. Ceram. Soc. 70 3!439-443 1991!). In order to obtain high density bodies, the components had to be encapsulated in closed, threaded graphite crucibles sealed with graphite foil. It was revealed that bodies could be produced with over 95% of theoretical density and weight losses of less than 1 percent. When the same experiments were carried out without encapsulation, the resulting bodies obtained less than 80 percent of theoretical density and weight losses up to 20 percent were recorded. Culter and Jackson (pp309-318 in Ceramics Materials and Components for Engines, Proceedings of the Third International Symposium, Las Vegas Nev. 1988) also disclosed the use of yttria and alumina for the sintering of silicon carbide. Although high density bodies could be produced, the recorded weight losses were high and increased with increasing temperature. The decomposition reactions between the sintering assists and the silicon carbide were cited as a major problem. As in the case of Mulla and Krstic only very short times were used, typically of 5 minutes duration at the maximum temperature. The requirement to subject samples to minimum times at high temperatures is considered difficult to carry out on a commercial scale especially for the manufacture of larger components or where large furnace loads are used can lead to large thermal gradients giving rise to problems such as but not limited to differential sintering, leading to distortion of the fired bodies. Thus the process and product as disclosed herein overcomes significant disadvantages of the process as disclosed.

Process for producing dense ceramic product

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation