A process is provided for the isolation of (meth)acrylic acid from a mixture containing (meth)acrylic acid as the main component and lower aldehydes as secondary components by rectification in a rectification column having a stripping section and a rectification section, wherein the starting mixture containing the (meth)acrylic acid to be isolated by rectification is not fed directly to the rectification column but is first passed into a heated dwell vessel which is connected to the vapor side of the rectification section of the rectification column and in which the starting mixture is kept at the boil and, instead of the starting mixture as such, the bottom liquid of the dwell vessel is fed to the rectification column.

(Meth)acrylic acid is used as an abbreviation and represents acrylic acid or methacrylic acid. (Meth)acrylic acid, either as such or in the form of its esters, is particularly important for the preparation of polymers for various applications, for example for use as adhesives.
(Meth)acrylic acid is obtainable, inter alia, by catalytic gas-phase oxidation of alkanes, alkanols, alkenes or alkenals of 3 or 4 carbon atoms. (Meth)acrylic acid is particularly advantageously obtainable, for example, by catalytic gas-phase oxidation of propene, acrolein, tert-butanol, isobutene, isobutane, isobutyraldehyde or methacrolein.
However, other possible starting compounds are those from which the actual C.sub.3 /C.sub.4 starting compound is first formed as an intermediate during the gas-phase oxidation. An example is the methyl ether of tert-butanol.
These starting gases, as a rule diluted with inert gases, such as nitrogen, CO.sub.2, saturated hydrocarbons and/or steam, are passed as a mixture with oxygen, at elevated temperatures (usually from 200.degree. to 400.degree. C.) and, if required, superatmospheric pressure, over transition metal mixed oxide catalysts (containing, for example, Mo, V, W and/or Fe) and are converted by oxidation into (meth)acrylic acid (cf. for example DE-A 4 405 059, EP-A 253 409, EP-A 92 097, DE-A 44 31 957 and DE-A 44 31 949).
Owing to the many parallel and secondary reactions taking place in the course of the catalytic gas phase oxidation and due to the inert dilution gases to be used concomitantly, the product of the catalytic gas-phase oxidation is, however, not pure (meth)acrylic acid but a reaction gas mixture which contains essentially (meth)acrylic acid, the inert dilution gases and byproducts, from which the (meth)acrylic acid must be separated. In addition to byproducts which are comparatively simple to remove from (meth)acrylic acid and are less troublesome in subsequent applications of the (meth)acrylic acid, for example acetic acid, the reaction gas mixture also contains in particular lower aldehydes, such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, methacrolein, propionaldehyde, n-butyraldehyde, benzaldehyde, furfural and crotonaldehyde, which are related to (meth)acrylic acid and therefore more difficult to separate from (meth)acrylic acid, and in addition may contain maleic anhydride (the total amount of these secondary components, which frequently present considerable problems during subsequent applications, is as a rule .ltoreq.2% by weight, based on the amount of (meth)acrylic acid contained in the reaction gas mixture).
The (meth)acrylic acid is usually isolated from the reaction mixture by extraction and rectification processes, ie. as a rule the (meth)acrylic acid formed is initially taken up from the reaction gas mixture of the gas-phase oxidation into a suitable absorbent. By separation of the absorbate by rectification, a crude (meth)acrylic acid is then usually obtained, from which a pure (meth)acrylic acid is frequently produced by passing through further separation stages involving rectification. The crude (meth)acrylic acid has, as a rule, a purity of >98% by weight, the impurities being in particular lower aldehydes and possibly maleic anhydride, whereas the separation of the (meth)acrylic acid from the absorption liquid takes place essentially quantitatively. In contrast to crude (meth)acrylic acid, the purity of the pure (meth)acrylic acid is usually >99% by weight.
DE-A 44 36 243 relates, for example, to a process for the isolation of (meth)acrylic acid from the reaction gas mixture of the catalytic gas-phase oxidation by countercurrent absorption with a high-boiling inert hydrophobic organic liquid, in which the reaction gas mixture is passed countercurrent to the descending high-boiling inert hydrophobic organic liquid in an absorption column, a rectification process is superposed on the absorption process taking place in the absorption column in a natural manner by withdrawing from the absorption column an amount of energy over and above its natural energy release taking place as a result of contact with the ambient temperature, and crude (meth)acrylic acid is isolated via the top by rectification from the liquid discharge of the absorption column (absorbate), which discharge contains (meth)acrylic acid and the absorbent as main components and lower aldehydes and possibly maleic anhydride as secondary components. DE-A 44 36 243 defines high-boiling inert hydrophobic organic liquids (absorbents) generally as those liquids whose boiling point at atmospheric pressure (1 atm) is above the boiling point of (meth)acrylic acid and which comprise at least 70% by weight of molecules which do not contain any externally acting polar group and are thus, for example, incapable of forming hydrogen bridges.
German Patent 2,136,396 and DE-A 43 08 087 likewise disclose the isolation of acrylic acid from the reaction gas mixture of the catalytic gas-phase oxidation of propylene and/or acrolein by countercurrent absorption with a high-boiling inert hydrophobic organic liquid. The process is essentially carried out by a method in which the reaction gas mixture is passed countercurrent to the descending absorption liquid in a conventional absorption column, the readily volatile secondary components which are easy to separate off are substantially removed, by stripping with inert gas in a desorption column, from the liquid discharge of the absorption column, which discharge is composed essentially of acrylic acid, the absorbent and secondary components, and the liquid discharge of the desorption column, which discharge contains acrylic acid and the absorbent as main components and lower aldehydes and possibly maleic anhydride as secondary components, is subsequently rectified in a rectification column in order to isolate crude acrylic acid via the top.
EP-A 297 445 relates, for example, to a process for the isolation of methacrylic acid from the reaction gas mixture of the catalytic gas-phase oxidation by absorption of the methacrylic acid in an absorption column operated with water. For isolation of crude methacrylic acid as a bottom product, the liquid discharge of the absorption column is rectified.
EP-A 117 146 relates to a process for the isolation of acrylic acid from the reaction gas mixture of the catalytic gas-phase oxidation by absorption of the acrylic acid in an absorption column operated with water. The acrylic acid is separated off from the liquid discharge by extraction with ethyl acetate and crude acrylic acid is obtained from the extract as a bottom product by rectification.
EP-B 102 642, British Patent 1,346,737 and DE-B 2 207 184 relate to the isolation of pure (meth)acrylic acid from crude (meth)acrylic acid by rectification. In order to increase the separation efficiency with respect to lower aldehydic impurities, it is advisable to add chemical compounds, such as primary amines, which bind the aldehydic impurities.
The abovementioned isolations of (meth)acrylic acid from a mixture containing (meth)acrylic acid as the main component and lower aldehydes as secondary components by rectification in a rectification column consisting of a stripping section and a rectification section are merely a small selection from the variety of such separation problems mentioned in the prior art.
A disadvantage of all these prior art separation processes by rectification, regardless of whether the (meth)acrylic acid is isolated via the top or via the bottom, is that the rectification apparatuses (in particular the evaporator surface) relatively rapidly become covered with a coating during the isolation by rectification, even when polymerization inhibitors, such as air, hydroquinone, hydroquinone monomethyl ether, para-nitrosophenol, para-methoxyphenol and/or phenothiazine, are present, and the rectification, which is usually carried out continuously, therefore has to be stopped from time to time in order to remove the coatings formed. The different colors of the coatings formed (black and white) show that at least two processes are involved in the formation of the coatings.

Process of isolation of (Meth) acrylic acid


Provided is an integrated circuit device including a through-silicon-via (TSV) structure and a method of manufacturing the integrated circuit device. The integrated circuit device includes a semiconductor structure including a substrate and an interlayer insulating film, a TSV structure passing through the substrate and the interlayer insulating film, a via insulating film substantially surrounding the TSV structure, and an insulating spacer disposed between the interlayer insulating film and the via insulating film.

The inventive concept relates to an integrated circuit device and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to an integrated circuit device having a through-silicon-via (TSV) structure and a method of manufacturing the integrated circuit device.
A 3-dimensional (3D) package where a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked in a single semiconductor package has been actively developed. Among them, a great deal of attention has been paid to a through-silicon-via (TSV) that is a vertical electrical connection passing through a substrate or a die. In order to improve performance and reliability of a 3D package, there is a need for a device that may provide stable operating characteristics and high reliability by preventing elements such as an insulating film and a barrier film disposed around a TSV structure from being damaged or being deteriorated during the formation of the TSV structure.

Integrated circuit device having through-silicon-via structure and method of manufacturing the integrated circuit device


The present invention relates to a hydrous kaolin product having improved optical properties, for example, when used in the production of paper products. The present invention comprises an improved barrier coating for paper and a method of making the coated paper. The present invention also comprises an improved method from making filled and coated paper products. The present invention uses a composition comprising kaolin having a shape factor of at least about 70:1, such as at least about 80:1 or at least about 100:1.

Particulate kaolin products find a variety of uses, including as pigments, fillers, and extenders for use in paint, plastics, polymers, papermaking and paper coating. Kaolin clay, also referred to as China Clay, or hydrous kaolin, is comprised predominantly of the mineral kaolinite, a hydrous aluminum silicate, together with small amounts of a variety of impurities.
Particulate kaolins generally exist in three forms: hydrous kaolin, calcined kaolin and chemically aggregated kaolin. Hydrous kaolin is primarily the mineral kaolinite, which has been mined and beneficiated from natural sources. Calcined kaolins are obtained by processing hydrous kaolin at high temperatures, e.g., greater than 500° C. Chemically aggregated kaolins are particle aggregates having a microstructure resembling that of calcined kaolins produced by treating hydrous kaolin with chemicals. Calcined and chemically aggregated kaolins can show benefits in certain application compositions when compared with hydrous kaolins. However, the benefits associated with calcined and chemically aggregated kaolins are not without disadvantages. The manufacturing costs of calcined and chemically aggregated kaolins are significantly higher than those of hydrous kaolins. The calcined and chemically aggregated kaolins also have the effect of improving certain paper properties while adversely effecting other properties, e.g., strength.
Kaolin has been used as an extender or pigment in paints, plastics and paper coating compositions. Kaolin pigments confer desirable physical and optical properties to such compositions. As flattening (or matting) agents, they help smooth the surfaces of the substrates to which they are applied. As opacifiers, they impart brightness, whiteness, gloss and other desirable optical properties. As extenders, they allow partial replacement of titanium dioxide and other more expensive pigments with minimal loss of whiteness or brightness.
Paper coatings are applied to sheet materials for a number of purposes including, but not limited to, increasing the gloss, smoothness, opacity and/or brightness of the material. Coatings may also be applied to hide surface irregularities or in other ways improve the surface for the acceptance of print. Paper coatings are generally prepared by forming a fluid aqueous suspension of pigment material together with a hydrophilic adhesive and other optional ingredients.
Coatings have been conventionally applied by means of a coating machine including a short dwell time coating head, which is a device in which a captive pond of coating composition under a slightly elevated pressure is held in contact with a moving paper web for a time sufficient to coat the paper before excess coating composition is removed by means of a trailing blade.
Additional advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Hyperplaty clays and their use in paper coating and filling, methods for making same, and paper products having improved brightness


A method and device for determining the state of a movement or stoppage of a yarn fed to a textile machine in which a variation in the shape and/or position of the yarn relative to an optical sensor in front of which the yarn runs during its feed to the textile machine is determined. On the basis of this variation, an output electrical signal is generated and is used for operating an operating member of the textile machine such as an indicator for indicating the state of movement of the yarn, a machine control circuit or a similar operating member. The method is implemented by an optical sensor which generates at least one output which is a variable electrical signal on the basis of a variation in the shape and/or position of the yarn relative to the sensor. The signal is compared with a reference signal in order to operate a switch device which causes the output electrical signal to be generated.

This invention relates to a method for determining the state of a movement or a stoppage of a yarn being fed to a textile machine, and subsequently for further verifying that the yarn is correctly fed to the textile machine. The method involves determining and monitoring the state of movement or stoppage of a yarn fed to a textile machine, by using an optical sensor.
The invention also relates to a device for implementing the method for determining the state of movement or stoppage of a yarn fed to a textile machine.
Various devices and methods are already known for determining the state of progress or stoppage or, in general, the state of movement of yarn fed to a textile machine.
One of these devices has substantially a "tuning fork" configuration and basically comprises a sensitive magnetostrictive piezoelectric element or the like which converts vibrations generated by a feeler member of tuning fork configuration, in contact with the yarn, into electrical signals. The electrical signals are used to measure the yarn movement by an electrical or electronic circuit which controls the machine operation.
Such a device, or similar devices, comprising generally a feeler member in direct contact with the yarn and connected to a sensitive element of the aforesaid type, has considerable drawbacks.
In this respect, it is substantially influenced by vibration or noise external to the machine or generated within the machine during its operation.
These noises and vibrations considerably limit the application of such devices to textile machines.
This is because such noises and vibrations in many cases exceed the vibration generated by the yarn of the feeler member and transmitted to the sensitive element. Because of such noise, the sensitive element may therefore generate spurious signals which prejudice the proper operation of the machine. Consequently, such devices must necessarily be combined with anti-vibration members which limit these external influences in determining the state of the yarn.
Other devices of electrostatic type are known, but these are easily influenced by the conditions of the environment in which they operate, and by the humidity and type of yarn.
Such devices, which operate (as is well known) on the basis of the electrostatic charges generated by the moving yarn with which they cooperate, are considerably influenced by the moisture content of the yarn, to the extent that a yarn which is too moist is unable, during its passage over the corresponding device, to leave or generate electrostatic charges which are sufficient for the corresponding device to detect effective movement.
Similar problems arise when the yarn is too dry or too easily electrifiable, i.e., susceptible to being electrified such as yarns containing wool, which electrify excessively to falsify the measurement of the state of movement by the sensor device. In such a case, the sensor device is able to detect a state of movement of the yarn even if it is not moving.
Other photoelectric cell devices are also known for determining the state of progress of yarn fed to a textile machine.
Briefly, these operate on the basis of interrupting a light beam generated by a light emitter and directed onto a receiver member connected to a control circuit. When the yarn positioned between the emitter and receiver moves, it shifts in position between these members and interrupts the light beam present between them.
This enables the control circuit to sense the movement and to control, in a known manner, the operation of the textile machine or that part of it to which the yarn is fed.
Such a photoelectric cell device requires precise setting and precise positioning relative to the emitter and receiver to ensure that during each stage of operation of the textile machine the yarn always remains between the emitter and receiver.
These devices are consequently difficult to apply, an additional complication being that they have to be positioned as close as possible to the bobbins from which the yarn unwinds, because only in such a position, the yarn has sufficient agitation to give it a high probability of detection.
In addition, to enable the light beam passing between the emitter and receiver to be easily interrupted by the yarn and enable the control circuit to generate an appreciable signal indicative of the movement of the yarn, the light beam must have a cross-section equal to or only slightly greater than that of the yarn being monitored. Because of this, requirement such a device is very sensitive to the accumulation of dust or residues left on it by the moving yarn. The dust or residues can obscure the light beam, which typically has a very small cross-section (such as that of the yarn).
This obscuring adversely affects the proper operation of the device.

Method for determining the position and shape of a yarn fed to a textile machine


A valve stem installation system (10) includes a conveyor (24) for moving wheel (14). A controller (60) is adaptable for segmenting the wheel (14) into a plurality of sections (S1-S11). A detector (70) identifies and signals a general location of the aperture (12) to the controller (60) to identify a target section (S11) transmitted to the controller (60) by a first signal. A robotic manipulator (110, 112) is operably connected to the controller (60) and adaptable for inserting the valve stem into the aperture (12). A sensor (153) is connected to the robotic manipulator (110, 112) and is adaptable for visually identifying the target section (S11) and transmitting the general location of the aperture (12) within the target section by a second signal. The controller (60) generates a target signal transmitted to the robotic manipulator (110, 112) to increase the speed and accuracy of mating the valve stem into the aperture (12) in response to the target signal.

1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates to a wheel and tire assembly for an automotive vehicle, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for mounting a valve stem into a wheel rim.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the assembly of automotive wheel rims and tires, the tire is mounted onto the wheel rim and then inflated. Prior to mounting the tire, a valve stem is inserted into an aperture defined in the wheel rim to permit inflation of the tire. For manufacturing wheel rims on a large production scale, machines are used to automatically insert the valve stems into the wheel rims. Because the wheel rims of different sizes require differently sized valve stems, valve stemming machines must either operate on the wheel rims of a single size or be able to accommodate the use of several sizes of the valve stems.
Over the last few years, snap-in valve stems have become very popular in the automotive industry due to the ease of installation method. Clamp-in tire pressure monitoring systems type of a valve stem (the TPM) are similar to the snap-in valve stems, but also include a tire pressure monitor affixed to one end of the TPM. In order to install the TPM on the wheel rim, the TPM is placed through an opening defined in the wheel rim and then secured to the wheel rim by a retention nut over the TPM. A valve cap is then screwed onto the TPM to form an airtight seal and prevent dust and dirt from entering the valve.
Generally, as done in the past, mounting the valve stem into the wheel rim of any kind, have been performed manually. In particular, mounting the valve stem into the wheel rim has been performed by a stem-inserting tool. Such manual processes are expensive because of the labor and time involved. In addition, operations performed manually are subject to a processing error. Several prior art patents disclose processes for mounting the valve stem into the wheel rim. U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,552, for example, teaches a spinning device to spin a wheel, an optical sensor to locate a valve stem aperture while the wheel is spinning, and a press fitting device that can slide relative to the wheel and insert a valve stem after the valve stem aperture has been located.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,940,960, for example, teaches and automatic valve stemming apparatus including a spinning device to spin the wheel, an optical sensor to locate the valve stem aperture, and a valve stem insertion tool to insert a valve stem after the valve stem aperture has been located.
The art is also replete with various systems and methods, which involve a robot that installs a valve stem into a wheel rim. These systems are taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,353,156; 5,940,960; 6,481,083; and 6,801,126. Other prior art devices utilize a rotatable carousel to dispense valve stems of varying sizes onto a valve stem insertion tool. The assembly line taught by the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,353,156; 5,940,960; 6,801,126 and 6,481,083 are complex, bulky. Some of them require several separate valve stem mounting stations with the robotic manipulator moving the wheel rim to the respective valve stem mounting station. This prior art systems diminish assembly time and flexibility of assembling environment. These systems also performs numerous redundant operations, such as moving the wheel rim to different mounting stations which does not reduce time for assembly of the wheel rims and does not offer the flexibility needed in the modern manufacturing environment. Although the prior art valve stem installation systems are widely used in the automotive industry, these prior art designs have proven to be extremely complicated, and therefore non practicable, or have been inflexible in a manufacturing environment, particularly when a variety of valve stems are mated to a variety of the wheel rims.
One of the areas of continuous development and research is the pursuit of flexible systems operable to receive and process several differently configured rims. Another area is the pursuit of less costly valve stem insertion devices. Costliness can be defined by the capital investment required for putting the valve stem insertion system on the factory floor as well as the operating cost associated with the system. In pursuit of these goals, it would be desirable to develop a new design of the valve stem installation system adaptable for mating of at least two different valve stems into the wheel rim with high degree of accuracy and precision and at a high speed thereby eliminating the need of an extra unit, reduce space in manufacturing environment, and improving cost and efficiency of manufacturing process.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.


A medicament for treating diabetes and complications thereof, the medicament being a glycoprotein, or a mixture of a polysaccharide and a protein, or a polypeptide, or a protein.

Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia, which is caused by impairment in insulin secretion or its biological effects, or both. Diabetes can't be radically cured and is accompanied by several other diseases. It remains the leading cause of blindness among the people aged 25-74. 10% of diabetic patients are complicated by kidney disease. Diabetes is the commonest cause of non-traumatic lower extremity resection and diabetic patients has a risk for leg resection increased by 30 times, a risk of developing heart disease increased by 2-4 times, and a likelihood of developing stroke increased by 5 times.
The etiology of diabetes remains unclear, and both genetic and environmental factors appear to play a part. Diabetes has two categories: insulin dependent (type I) and non-insulin dependent (type II).
Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease that often occurs in children and young adults. The autoantigen that causes type 1 diabetes still remains unknown, and the patient's survival depends on daily intravenous injection of insulin.
Type II diabetes is considered to be a metabolic disease because the body cannot produce a sufficient amount of insulin or the insulin, though generated, cannot be properly used; it is considered to be the commonest type of diabetes. Although it is known that lack of insulin secretion and resistance to insulin are the main causes of type 2 diabetes, the precise genetic factors still remain unclear. Diabetic patients usually have one or more of the following defects. They are: excessively low insulin produced by the pancreas; excessive glucose secreted by the liver; skeletal muscular dysfunction in using glucose; glucose transporter (Glut-1, Glut-2) dysfunction; insulin receptor desensitization and polysaccharide metabolic and decomposition dysfunction.
Patent: Use of soluble myeloid cell-surface glycoprotein in the treatment or prevention of chronic inflammatory conditions and clinical disorders of insulin resistance e.g. type 2 diabetes and obesity, Patent No. ES2232273 (A1), it is disclosed that: soluble myeloid surface glycoprotein (soluble CD14 (sCD14) for the treatment or prevention of animal or human-associated clinical chronic inflammatory conditions, with anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-arteriosclerotic, anti-hypertensive and hypolipidemic effects; it can reduce the level of mouse's serum glucose and serum insulin concentration.
Patent ALPHA-1-ACID GLYCOPROTEIN FOR THE TREATMENT OF DIABETES, Patent No. WO2005117937 (A2) it is disclosed that: "a method using α-1-acid glycoprotein, or its active derivative, to regulate the level of glucose in blood in mammals, especially humans; alpha-1-acid glycoprotein administered to patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes can lower blood glucose levels. The present invention provides the application of an α-1-acid glycoprotein or its reactive derivative for the preparation of a medicament for treating diabetes, which is used to reduce the blood glucose level of patients with acute-phase proteins, or the application of a medicament for treating chronic or subchronic inflammation.
Patent: AMINO ACID TRANSFUSION FOR DIABETES, Patent No. JPS60255722 (A), discloses: an amino acid infusion containing free amino acids, equivalent to 47-53 wt % of total amino acids, including L-leucine, L-proline, L-alanine, L-arginine, the above-mentioned amino acid infusion solution has an effect of promoting insulin secretion, and can reduce the dose of the used insulin medicaments.
The present diabetes treatment medicaments have the following defects:
(1) The blood glucose lowering effect is not obvious;
(2) The reduction of blood glucose and urine glucose is small, and the needs of diabetic patients in all age groups cannot be satisfied simultaneously;
(3) After the medicament withdrawal, the blood glucose and urine glucose concentration fluctuate greatly.

SHANDONG ZHONGHAI PHARMACEUTICAL CO. LTD


The present invention provides a novel human apoptosis-associated protein (NHAAP) and polynucleotides which identify and encode NHAAP. The invention also provides genetically engineered expression vectors and host cells comprising the nucleic acid sequences encoding NHAAP and a method for producing NHAAP. The invention also provides for agonists, antibodies, or antagonists specifically binding NHAAP, and their use, in the prevention and treatment of diseases associated with expression of NHAAP. Additionally, the invention provides for the use of antisense molecules to polynucleotides encoding NHAAP for the treatment of diseases associated with the expression of NHAAP. The invention also provides diagnostic assays which utilize the polynucleotide, or fragments or the complement thereof, and antibodies specifically binding NHAAP.

Normal development, growth, and homeostasis in multicellular organisms require a careful balance between the production and destruction of cells in tissues throughout the body. Cell division is a carefully coordinated process with numerous checkpoints and control mechanisms. These mechanisms are designed to regulate DNA replication and to prevent inappropriate or excessive cell proliferation. In contrast, apoptosis is the genetically controlled process by which unneeded or damaged cells can be eliminated without causing the tissue destruction and inflammatory responses that are often associated with acute injury and necrosis.
The term "apoptosis" was first used by Kerr, J. F. et al. (1972; Br. J. Cancer 26:239-257) to describe the morphological changes that characterize cells undergoing programmed cell death. Apoptotic cells have a shrunken appearance with an altered membrane lipid content and highly condensed nuclei. Apoptotic cells are rapidly phagocytosed by neighboring cells or macrophages without leaking their potentially damaging contents into the surrounding tissue or triggering an inflammatory response.
The processes and mechanisms regulating apoptosis are highly conserved throughout the phylogenetic tree, and much of the current knowledge about apoptosis is derived from studies of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans and the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster (cf., Steller, H. (1995) Science 267:1445-1449, and references therein). Dysregulation of apoptosis has recently been recognized as a significant factor in the pathogenesis of human disease. For example, inappropriate cell survival can cause or contribute to many diseases such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, and inflammatory diseases. In contrast, increased apoptosis can cause immunodeficiency diseases such as AIDS, neurodegenerative disorders, and myelodysplastic syndromes (Thompson, C. B. (1995) Science 267:1456-1462).
A variety of ligands, enzymes, tumor suppressors, viral gene products, pharmacological agents, inorganic ions, and their cellular receptors have important positive or negative roles in regulating and implementing the apoptotic destruction of a cell. Although some specific components of the apoptotic pathway have been identified and characterized, many interactions between the proteins involved are undefined, leaving major aspects of the pathway unknown (Steller, H., supra; Thompson, C. B., supra).
The p53 protein has been shown to function as a tumor suppressor by initiating apoptosis in cells undergoing deregulated growth. p53 has been proposed to mediate its effects by stimulating or repressing the transcription of particular sets of target genes in a gene and tissue-specific manner. For example, certain cellular genes are transcriptionally activated by p53 through p53-responsive elements in their promoter regions. In contrast, several genes that lack p53-responsive elements are repressed by p53. Additionally, the fact that p53 has also been shown to regulate activity of certain genes either positively or negatively depending on specific cell type suggests the involvement of cell-specific factors or coregulators in p53-mediated transcriptional regulation. (Debbas, M. and White, E. (1993) Genes Dev 7:546-554; Zhao, J. et al. (1994) Mol Cell Biol 14:8483-8492; Chin, K. et al. (1992) Science 255:459-462; Jackson, P. et al. (1994) Biochem Biophys Res Commun 203:133-140).
The cytotoxic effect of many chemotherapeutic drugs is dependent on their ability to trigger apoptosis through a p53-dependent pathway. Only two p53-regulated genes, bcl-2 and bax, have demonstrated functions in the apoptotic pathway. Another gene, E124, which is expressed during p53-mediated apoptosis in mouse cells, may be an additional candidate for a gene involved in implementing this pathway. E124 was isolated by using a differential display technique designed to identify RNA species whose expression is altered during apoptosis. Expression of functional p53 in cells transformed with oncogenes (E1A and T24-H-ras) was found to be sufficient to induce E124 mRNA. In addition, E124 mRNA is rapidly induced in cells undergoing p53-mediated apoptosis, such as irradiated mouse thymocytes and NIH3T3 cells treated with etoposide. In untreated cells and treated cells that lack p53 function E124 is only present at low levels. The sequence of E124 seems to be evolutionarily conserved for it demonstrates 36% identity in the most related regions, and 25% overall homology, with C. elegans CELF37 amino acid sequence (Clarke, A. et al. (1993) Nature 362:849-852; Mishiyata, T., et al (1994) Oncogene 9:1799-1805; Lehar, S. M. et al. (1996) Oncogene 12:1181-1187).
The discovery of proteins related to mouse E124 protein, and the polynucleotides encoding them, satisfies a need in the art by providing new compositions useful in diagnosis and treatment of disorders associated with increased or decreased apoptosis.


In an nMOSFET, a gate electrode is formed by a silicide layer comprised of NiSi. In a surface layer of a Ge substrate on both sides of the gate electrode, NiGe layers which are germanide layers comprised of NiGe are formed. On junction interfaces between the NiGe layers and the Ge substrate, first layers are formed which are formed by segregating a predetermined atom with high concentration, and on an interface between the gate electrode and an insulation film, a second layer is formed which is formed by segregating the same atom as that of the first layer with high concentration.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same, more particularly, to a complementary field-effect transistor (CMOSFET) which uses germanium (Ge) and silicon germanium (SiGe) as a material of its channel.
2. Description of the Related Art
Currently, MOSFETs using silicon (Si) as a channel material are widely in practical use. In recent years, designs to improve carrier mobility of the MOSFETs are attempted, such as giving strain in a channel region or the like (see, for example, the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,621,131). As another design to improve carrier mobility, MOSFETs and the like using Ge as their channel material have been developed.
A conventional Ge-channel CMOSFET using Ge as its channel material has a similar structure to that of an existing Si-channel MOSFET using Si as its channel material, and as its source/drain regions, diffusion layers doped with impurities are mainly used.
However, at present, the development of the Ge-channel MOSFET is targeted mostly at a p-channel type. To form a Ge-channel CMOSFET by using a Ge substrate or the like, used is a method to form source/drain regions by pn junctions in such a manner that diffusion layers are formed by doping a Ge substrate or the like with an n-type impurity atom. When this method is adopted, it is essentially difficult to form the source/drain junctions by an n-type impurity because the n-type impurity is generally large in diffusion coefficient and small in solubility limit. This is one of the reasons why it has been difficult to realize an extremely scaled Ge-channel CMOSFET of an n-channel type. Therefore, at present, a scaled and high-speed CMOSFET including Ge-channel CMOSFETs of both a p-channel type and an n-channel type has not been realized.
In a Ge-channel CMOSFET, a metal gate comprised of TaN, TiN, or the like is in the mainstream as a gate electrode, but etching for pattern formation of the metal gate is difficult and an aggressively scaled gate electrode is difficult to form. Further, a threshold voltage is determined depending on its work function, and therefore, it is essentially difficult to adjust the threshold voltage.
In this respect, if reactive ion etching (RIE) is used, a gate electrode is relatively easily formed and there is a possibility that the threshold voltage can be adjusted by doping, and in view of the above, the use of polycrystalline silicon as a material of the gate electrode is also conceivable. However, this method is not suitable for forming a Ge-channel CMOSFET because this method requires high-temperature heat treatment at about 700° C. when the polycrystalline silicon is deposited and when an impurity with which the inside of the polycrystalline silicon is activated. Moreover, no study has been made regarding the control of a threshold voltage in a case where the polycrystalline silicon is used as the material of the gate electrode.
As another method, the use of high Ge-concentration SiGe as a channel material to realize higher speed has conventionally been considered, but such a SiGe-channel CMOSFET has the same disadvantages as those of the Ge-channel CMOSFET.

Semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same


Apparatuses, systems, methods, and computer program products are disclosed for a memory controller. An apparatus includes a volatile memory medium located on a memory module. An apparatus includes a non-volatile memory medium located on a memory module. A memory controller is located on a memory module. A memory controller may be configured to provide access to at least a non-volatile memory medium over a direct wire interface with a processor.

Description of the Related Art
In typical computing devices, main memory includes volatile memory such as dynamic random access memory ("DRAM") and static random access memory ("SRAM"). A processor typically communicates with the main memory over a wire interface using a low-level wire protocol such as the Joint Electron Devices Engineering Council ("JEDEC") protocol, the industry standard for processor—DRAM interfaces. The JEDEC standard assumes that physically addressable media is synchronous, heavily parallel, reliable and implements a design structure that is known to a processor memory controller. Consequently, JEDEC uses a series of distinct commands that cause the DRAM devices to execute known operations in hardware.
Recent significant development of flash-based devices enable use of non-volatile memory as a main memory replacement. However, typical non-volatile main memory solutions continue to provide communication between the processor and the non-volatile main memory using a low-level wire protocol such as JEDEC.


Parts exchange or the like is not easy with an LED illumination apparatus that uses an LED attached to a socket of a conventional fluorescent light fixture. Other problems also exist such as unfavorable operability and reliability, and necessitating additional parts. Provided herewith is an LED illumination apparatus including a cap having a terminal electrically coupled to a socket of a fluorescent light fixture and a main body having an end coupled with the cap, where the main body includes an LED and a coupler to electrically couple the terminal to the LED, the terminal being fitted in the coupler.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an LED illumination apparatus that uses an LED (light emitting diode) attached to a socket of a fluorescent light fixture. The contents of the following patent application is incorporated herein by reference, NO. 2009-259493 filed on Nov. 13, 2009, and NO. 2010-028309 filed on Feb. 11, 2010.
2. Related Art
LED illumination apparatuses that use a white LED with high luminance, energy saving capability, and long life have already been developed to replace conventional illumination apparatuses such as fluorescent lamps.    Patent Document No. 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-351402    Patent Document No. 2: Japanese Patent No. 4156657    Patent Document No. 3: Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 3148176
Patent Document No. 1 proposes an LED illumination apparatus that can be attached to an already-installed fluorescent light fixture with ease.
Patent Document No. 2 proposes an LED illumination apparatus that is assembled efficiently.
FIG. 11 shows an internal structure of a conventional LED illumination apparatus. The LED illumination apparatus includes a main body 1, a cap 3, a print substrate 4, a plurality of LEDs 5, and an electric wire 7, where the cap 3 holds a pair of pin terminals 2 attachable to an already-installed fluorescent light fixture and is joined to the main body 1, the print substrate 4 is accommodated in the main body 1 and has an electric control circuitry mounted thereon, the plurality of LEDs 5 are mounted to the print substrate 4, the electric wire 7 has one end connected to the print substrate 4 and the other end connected to the pair of pin terminals 2, and the pair of pin terminals 2 and the electric terminal 7 are connected to each other by swaging or soldering. The connection by waging or soldering is not only difficult to work with, but also the electric wire, once connected, is structurally difficult to be removed, and the parts exchange is difficult to pursue.
Patent Document No. 3 proposes an LED illumination apparatus having an LED illumination section and/or the LED itself exchangeable. The structure of bringing the contacts into contact with each other has a possibility of causing outage and contact failure, which is not favorable as an illumination apparatus.
Wiring in some fluorescent light fixtures is such that only one pole of the pair of electrodes of the socket 8 is connected to the power source, as shown in FIG. 12. Therefore, both of the pin terminals 2 should be connected to the print substrate 4. One method to realize this is to connect both of the pin terminals 2 to the print substrate 4 via two electric wires, as shown in FIG. 11. Another method is to connect a round terminal 9a to one end of the electric wire 7 drawn from the print substrate 4, to be connected to a pin terminal 2 using screw, as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B. Note that the round terminal 9a and a round terminal 9b that is different from the round terminal 9a are short circuited therebetween using a jumper line 10, and the round terminal 9b is connected to another pin terminal 2 using screw.


A route may be created and provided to a client. A stopping point along the route is received, and a search is performed for at least one point of interest according to the stopping point. Further, a route is created and provided to a client, and at least one stopping point associated with the route is identified based on at least one of a distance along the route, an indication of a place on a map, a category search, and a key word search.

Applications, e.g., software applications available over the World Wide Web, that provide driving directions, and that plot driving routes on maps, are well known. For example, many presently existing applications allow a user to provide a specific starting address, e.g., an address in Detroit, Mich., and a specific destination address, e.g., an address in New York, N.Y. Such presently existing applications might then provide the user with a set of step-by-step directions regarding the route to take to get from a specified starting address to the specified destination address. Further, such known applications may plot a driving route on a map to provide a visual representation of the provided driving directions. Further, some presently existing applications have the ability to suggest stopping points along the suggested driving route.
However, existing applications are limited to providing users with a suggested list of stopping points based on short lists of business categories. For example, a user may be able to specify an interest in stopping points associated with "restaurants," but the user will be unable to specify the names of specific restaurants at which the user would like to stop. Thus, users of existing applications are unable to specify the precise location of their desired stopping points, nor are they able to specify with precision what they would like those stopping points to be.
Further, persons driving from point A to point B often may want to stop along the way at a specific street address. For example, someone driving from Detroit to New York may want to stop to see a friend in Cleveland. Moreover, a person driving from point A to point B might want to specify a particular place on a map at which the person would like to stop while enroute, e.g., to get gas, visit an attraction, etc. For example, the person driving from Detroit to New York may wish to stop at Niagara Falls, which may be easily found on a map. Further, a person driving from point A to point B may want to stop a certain distance from either point A or point B along the route. For example, the person driving from Detroit to New York may wish to stop after driving two-hundred (200) miles from Detroit, e.g., to get gas. Further, a person driving from point A to point B may want to stop along the way for a specific purpose, e.g., to buy a gift for a friend, before having lunch with the friend at a Chinese restaurant. Similarly, the person driving from point A to point B may wish to stop at a specific business of other location along the way. However, existing applications do not allow users to specify where they wish to stop according to points on maps or according to specific purposes or location names.
Accordingly, a need exists for an interactive route based search application that allows users to search for stopping points along driving routes, where the stopping points satisfy the user's precise search criteria.

Computer implemented methods and system for providing a plurality of options with respect to a stopping point


A polarizing optical device has first and second major surfaces. The polarizing optical device is provided at the first major surface thereof with extrafine structures made of a metal and arranged in a specific direction. The extrafine metal structures are provided at surfaces thereof with a metal compound part, the metal compound part being formed by performing surface treatment on the surfaces of the extrafine metal structures. When light is incident from the first major surface side, light polarized in a direction parallel to the specific direction is absorbed, and light polarized in a direction perpendicular to the specific direction is transmitted. When light is incident from the second major surface side, light polarized in the direction parallel to the specific direction is reflected, and light polarized in the direction perpendicular to the specific direction is transmitted.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a polarizing optical device and a liquid crystal display (LCD) using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
A LCD is an apparatus that changes light emitted from a backlight unit (BLU) into linearly polarized light using a polarizer, rotates the linearly polarized light according to the application of voltage to a liquid crystal (LC) layer, and selectively transmits the polarized light using an analyzer, thereby modulating the polarized light and realizing black and white display. At the present time, color display may also be accomplished using a color filter.
A typical polarizer is a dichroic polarizer manufactured by dyeing oriented poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) film with a compound (urea or dichroic dye) having light absorption anisotropy. The polarizer absorbs a polarized light component parallel with an absorption axis of the dichroic dye and transmits a polarized light component perpendicular to the absorption axis of the dichroic dye. Only light transmitted through the polarizer is used as the linearly polarized light. The dichroic polarizer is an absorption type polarizer, having a natural light transmittance of about 50% or less. Consequently, the optical efficiency of the dichroic polarizer is very low.
In order to prevent loss due to the optical absorption of the dichroic polarizer, a reflection type polarizer may be employed, which is capable of reflecting linearly polarized light having a specific direction and transmitting another polarized light having a different direction.
As an example of a reflection type polarizer, there has been proposed a polarizer having an extrafine metal grid (wire grid) structure. Specifically, the reflection type polarizer may be constructed of metal wires having a diameter much less than the wavelength of light to be displayed. The metal wires may be arranged parallel to one another. Consequently, the reflection type polarizer may have polarization characteristics in which the reflection type polarizer reflects a polarized light component parallel to the metal wires, i.e., a transverse electric (TE) polarized light, and transmits a polarized light component perpendicular to the metal wires, i.e., a transverse magnetic (TM) polarized light.
When the reflection type polarizer is used in a LCD, only the TM polarized light component in the non-polarized light emitted from the BLU may be transmitted through the reflection type polarizer to be incident on a LC layer. Thus, the TM polarized light may be used for display.
On the other hand, the TE polarized light may be reflected by the reflection type polarizer, thus returning to the BLU. The TE polarized light may be reflected diffusely inside the BLU. As a result of the diffuse reflection, the TE polarized light may be changed into non-polarized light. This non-polarized light may be incident again on the reflection type polarizer, which is repeatedly performed. Consequently, most of the light emitted from the BLU may be changed into TM polarized light, which is incident on the LC layer, thereby considerably improving optical efficiency of the LCD versus using a dichroic polarizer.
When a dark display operation is performed on the LCD, however, a TE polarized light component in ambient light incident on the LCD may be reflected by the reflection type polarizer. As a result, the display contrast may be decreased.
To minimize reflection of ambient light, an extrafine metal grid (wire grid) structure may be combined with an optical absorption type extrafine grid structure. However, such a combination may require a large number of materials and complicated processes. Thus, such a combination may not be practically manufactured with a size suitable for a large LCD, e.g., an LCD having a diagonal size of 20 inches or more.

Polarizing optical device, liquid crystal display using the same and method of making the same


A multilayer, thermoplastic stretch wrap film containing at least four polymeric film layers and comprised of a first outer cling layer, a second outer cling layer, at least one inner polymeric layer and at least one core layer. The first and second layers have a cling force to s each other of at least about 140 grams/inch. The stretch wrap film has at least one inner polymeric layer, located between the first and second layers. The inner polymeric layer comprises a low polydispersity polymer. The low polydispersity polymer has a polydispersity of from about 1 to about 4, a melt index (I.sub.2) of from about 0.5 to about 10 g/10 min., and a melt flow ratio (I.sub.20 /I.sub.2) of from about 12 to about 22. The core layer, also located between the outer cling layers, comprises either a random copolymer of propylene and ethylene, a heterophasic copolymer of propylene with domains of ethylene interspersed, a polypropylene homopolymer, or blends thereof. The random ethylene-propylene copolymer has a melt flow ratio of from about 2 to about 15 and an ethylene content in the range of from about 2 to about 6 wt. % of the propylene copolymer. The heterophasic copolymer has a melt flow ratio of about 10 to about 18 and an ethylene content in the range of from about 12 to 30 wt. % of the heterophasic propylene. The polypropylene homopolymer has a melt flow ratio of from about 2 to about 15. The multilayer stretch wrap film has a maximum stretch of at least 340% and a machine direction stress force @ 200% elongation of between about 1400 and about 1900 psi. It is contemplated that additional layers may be added to the present invention.

The use of thermoplastic stretch wrap films for the overwrap packaging of goods, and in particular, the unitizing of palleted loads is a significant commercially important application of polymer film, including generically, polyethylene. Overwrapping a plurality of articles to provide a unitized load can be achieved by a variety of techniques. In one procedure, the load to be wrapped is positioned on a platform, or turntable, which is made to rotate and in so doing, to take up stretch wrap film supplied from a continuous roll. Braking tension is applied to the film roll so that the film is continuously subjected to a stretching or tensioning force as it wraps around the rotating load in overlapping layers. Generally, the stretch wrap film is supplied from a vertically arranged roll positioned adjacent to the rotating pallet load. Rotational speeds of from about 5 to about 50 revolutions per minute are common.
At the completion of the overwrap operation, the turntable is completely stopped and the film is cut and attached to an underlying layer of film employing tack sealing, adhesive tape, spray adhesives, etc. Depending upon the width of the stretch wrap roll, the load being overwrapped can be shrouded in the film while the vertically arranged film roll remains in a fixed position. Alternatively, the film roll, for example, in the case of relatively narrow film widths and relatively wide pallet loads, can be made to move in a vertical direction as the load is being overwrapped whereby a spiral wrapping effect is achieved on the packaged goods.
Another wrapping method finding acceptance in industry today is that of hand wrapping. In this method, the film is again arranged on a roll, however, it is hand held by the operator who walks around the goods to be wrapped, applying the film to the goods. The roll of film so used may be installed on a hand-held wrapping tool for ease of use by the operator.
Some of the properties desired of a good stretch wrap film are as follows: good cling or cohesion properties, high puncture resistance, good machine direction tear resistance, good transparency, low haze, low stress relaxation with time, high resistance to transverse tear especially when under machine direction tension, producible in thin gauges, low specific gravity and thus high yield in area per pound, good tensile toughness, high machine direction ultimate tensile strength, high machine direction ultimate elongation, and low modulus of elasticity.
Currently, different grades of stretch wrap films are commonly marketed for different end uses according to overall film properties. For example, certain stretch wrap films have superior properties for load retention, but these films are characterized by having poor stretching characteristics. On the other hand, certain stretch wrap films having superior stretching properties have low load retention properties, thus limiting their use.
A need exists to develop superior stretch wrap films characterized by having moderate load retention characteristics and excellent stretching characteristics while still maintaining other important stretch film properties. Such films could be used in a wider variety of end applications and, thus, not unduly limit users of stretch wrap films to selectively choosing a film based on its properties prior to initiating a stretch wrap application.

Multilayered Metallocene stretch wrap films


The disclosure relates to a method for processing a surface by means of a robotic vehicle, wherein the robotic vehicle has a control system in which data concerning the outline of the surface to be processed are stored, wherein locating means are present, which determine the position of the robotic vehicle, in particular in relation to the surface to be processed, and wherein the method comprises the following steps: dividing the surface to be processed into individual segments; classifying each individual segment into a property class; and moving to and processing each individual segment in succession, each individual segment being processed with a processing strategy corresponding to its property class.

The disclosure relates to a method for processing a surface area by means of a robotic vehicle. A multiplicity of methods for processing a surface area by means of a robotic vehicle are known from the prior art, wherein the surface area is embodied as a lawn surface and is processed and/or mown by means of an autonomously controlled lawn mower. These methods are encumbered by the problem in particular of recognizing outer boundaries of the (lawn) surface area that is to be processed. It is therefore already known from the prior art to use, for example, retaining wires that encompass the outer boundary of the surface area that is to be processed, wherein the retaining wire can be recognized by the robotic vehicle using sensing technology. Moreover, a method is known from DE 10 2007 023 157 A1 of the applicant, in which method the outer boundary can be detected by means of sensors, wherein the sensors comprise at least one infra-red sensor that detects the intensity of an infra-red beam that is reflected from the ground. With the knowledge of the outer boundary of the surface area that is to be processed, it is further known that a control unit can produce an outline map of the surface area that is to be processed.
With respect to a strategy for processing a surface area that is to be processed, it is known to process a surface area according to the random principle. This means that the robotic vehicle moves within the surface area that is to be processed in a straight line at a random angle with respect to the surrounding area, until it comes into contact with a surrounding boundary. A new random angle is generated once the robotic vehicle has performed a turning maneuver at this site. Using courses of this type that are selected randomly has the disadvantage that it takes quite a long time to process a surface area until the surface area to be processed has actually been completely processed. In particular, surface areas are also processed or driven over a number of times. Ideally, a surface area that is to be processed is processed by means of area segments that are arranged in parallel with each other, wherein the area segments end in each case at the outer boundary of the surface area and are connected by 180° curves. A processing strategy of this type renders it possible in the shortest possible time to completely process the surface area, which strategy, moreover, also offers aesthetic advantages, for example in the case of mowing a lawn surface.
Moreover, devices and/or methods for determining the position of a robotic vehicle in an extremely accurate manner are known from the prior art. Position-determining systems of this type are used in order to be able to navigate the robotic vehicle with a high degree of accuracy within the surface area that is to be processed. However, position-determining systems of this type are encumbered with the problem that as the degree of accuracy of the position-determining system increases, so does the necessary expenditure on said position-determining system. This means a relatively high cost expenditure particularly in the private sector, for example for mowing lawn surfaces.

Method for processing a surface by means of a robotic vehicle


A printing apparatus includes: a recording medium interface that sets a recording medium having a predetermined specification; a printing data interface that receives printing data; a printer that performs printing; a non-volatile storage that stores a password, and usage/non-usage designating information indicating whether or not the recording medium interface is used; a usage/non-usage information changing portion that executes a process for changing the usage/non-usage information stored in the non-volatile storage according to an instruction by an operator, only when the operator inputs the password stored in the non-volatile storage; and a controller that executes a direct printing process for reading out information from the recording medium set in the recording medium interface and allowing contents indicated by the information to be printed by the printer, and a common printing process for allowing contents indicated by the printing data received by the printing data interface to be printed by the printer, wherein, when the usage/non-usage information stored in the non-volatile storage is information indicating that the recording medium interface is not used, the controller operates in a state where the controller does not execute a process that access the recording medium interface at all.

1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus that has a function of reading information (file) stored in a memory card or the like and printing it.
2. Related Art
Recently, among printing apparatuses (printers and complex machines) that are on the market, there are printing apparatuses which have a function of reading an image file stored on a recording medium (a memory card, a USB memory, or the like) and printing it.
An existing printing apparatus that has the above-described function (hereinafter, referred to as direct printing function) prints a file selected by a user on a recording medium set therein, when the file is in a printable format. That is, the existing printing apparatus that has the direct printing function can perform a 'function of allowing a computer to manage a usage situation of the printing apparatus for charging', and a 'function of allowing a computer (print server) to restrict the usage of the printing apparatus for security reasons (preventing information from leaking out)'.

Printing apparatus and control method of printing apparatus


A drive transformer and associated circuitry for providing power and appropriate delays to primary switches and synchronous rectifiers in switch-mode power converters. The circuitry takes advantage of the leakage inductances of the drive transformer windings as well as the input capacitance of the primary switches (MOSFETs) to provide the necessary delays. No separate circuitry is needed to provide such delays, thereby providing reliability. Exemplary embodiments further disclose means to disable or enable the primary winding from a condition sensed on the secondary side even with a control and feedback circuit located on the secondary side.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to switch-mode power converters and more particularly it provides a simple drive circuit with an enable function providing isolation and having high performance in topologies using synchronous rectification.
2. Background Discussion
A switch-mode power converter is a circuit that uses an inductor, a transformer, or a capacitor, or some combination, as energy storage elements to transfer energy from an input source to an output load in discrete pulses. Additional circuitry is added to maintain a constant voltage within the load limits of the circuit. The basic circuit can be configured to step up (boost), step down (buck), or invert output voltage with respect to input voltage. Using a transformer allows the output voltage to be electrically isolated from the input voltage.
Switch-mode converters have changed very little over the past 15 years, most using Schottky diodes to rectify their output. However, newer challenges in the industry for dc/dc power supply designers demand lower voltages required by digital circuits, and also higher frequencies. Since converters using Schottky diodes for rectification experience a large forward voltage drop relative to the output voltage, their efficiency is generally relatively low. Lower efficiencies result in more dissipated heat that has to be removed using a heat sink, which takes up space. A dramatic increase in converter efficiency has been realized by replacing the Schottky diodes with "synchronous rectifiers" configured in practice with MOSFET transistors. Synchronous rectifiers are not new, but they have previously been too expensive to justify, primarily due to high ON resistance. However, as costs fall and performance improves, synchronous rectifiers have quickly become a viable component, especially for low voltage converters.
Using self-driven synchronous rectifiers in various converter topologies is very attractive and popular because there is no need for additional isolation between drive signals. It has the advantage of simplicity. However, it has the disadvantage of cross conduction between synchronous rectifiers and primary side switches, as well as reverse recovery current of the parasitic anti-parallel diode of the MOSFET used for synchronous rectification. In order to minimize these shoot-through currents, an inductance (or saturable inductor) is usually placed in series with the synchronous rectifier. While this may be a solution for lower switching frequencies, for example, 100 kHz-200 kHz, it is not suitable for higher switching frequencies (200 kHz and above). Especially at switching frequencies of 300-400 kHz this is not an optimum solution. The reason for this is that increased inductance in series with a synchronous rectifier reduces the effective duty cycle on the secondary side of the power transformer due to slower di/dt of the secondary current. As a result, more voltage head-room is required in the power transformer implying a smaller effective turns ratio and consequently a lower efficiency. A second reason why self-driven synchronous rectification is not suitable for higher switching frequencies is the potential loss due to reverse recovery current in the body diode of the synchronous rectifiers (MOSFETs) and increased turn-on current in the primary side switches (usually MOSFETs).
A previous improvement has been to use direct drive for synchronous rectifiers with well controlled timing between drive signals for the main switches (primary side) and synchronous rectifiers (secondary side). This solution thus allows for very efficient operation of the synchronous rectifiers even at high switching frequencies. Yet another benefit of direct driven synchronous rectifiers is that the drive voltage (gate to source) is constant and independent of input voltage, which further improves efficiency over a wide input voltage range.
An example of the above prior art is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 5,907,481. However, the invention in this patent provides only signals for drivers for the primary side switches and uses additional logic for delaying drive waveforms (R-C-D networks and logic gates). The '481 apparatus uses an isolation drive transformer for a logic signal only to control operation of the primary switches. It does not use a drive transformer to power the primary switches but rather uses a separate circuit to provide power and delays.
It is necessary to provide delays between drive signals for primary side switches and secondary side switches (synchronous rectifiers) in order to avoid cross conduction (simultaneous conduction which would result in a short circuit). When power converters are operated at lower switching frequencies (for example, 100 kHz), cross conduction of the switches can be acceptable since the percentage of the time during which cross conduction occurs relative to the switching period is small (typically about 40 ns/10 μs). Also, a transformer designed to operate at lower frequencies will have a larger leakage inductance, which will reduce cross conduction currents. In the case of higher switching frequencies (above 100 kHz), the cross conduction ratio becomes more unacceptable (about 40 ns/2 μs for a 500 kHz switching frequency). Also for higher switching frequencies, the leakage inductance in the transformer as well as in the entire power stage should be minimized for higher efficiency. Consequently, currents due to cross conduction time can become significant and degrade overall converter efficiency and increase heating of the power components significantly.

Isolated drive circuitry used in switch-mode power converters


A composition comprising a carrier and prostaglandin effective in stimulating synthesis of melanin in a human melanocyte thereby enhancing pigmentation of the human skin and optionally comprising a lysosomotropic agent, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, and/or methylxanthines, and a method of use of the composition. Use of this composition promotes tanning of the human skin and increases photoprotection from ultraviolet radiation.

The present invention generally relates to pigmentation enhancing compositions for topical application on a subject's skin, and specifically, to pigmentation enhancers comprising a prostaglandin.
Skin color in humans arises from a complex series of cellular processes which are carried out within a unique population of cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes are located in the lower part of the epidermis, and their function is to synthesize a brown pigment, melanin, which protects the body from the damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation.
When skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation, such as that contained in sunlight, melanocytes increase their synthesis of melanin. Melanin is deposited in melanosomes, which are vesicles found within the melanocytes. The melanosomes are extruded from the melanocytes and carried to the surface of the skin by keratinocytes, which internalize the melanin containing melanosomes. The end result is that the visible layers of the skin exhibit a brown color typically known as a "tan".
The darkness of the color observed in the skin is proportionate to the amount of melanin synthesized by melanocytes and transferred to the keratinocytes. By increasing natural melanogenesis, skin can be at least partially shielded from ultraviolet radiation, and tanning of the skin can be achieved without exposure of the skin to potentially damaging ultraviolet radiation.

Enhancement of skin pigmentation by prostaglandins

The Board of Regents of The University of Oklahoma


The invention provides human succinyl-CoA synthetase holoenzyme (SCSH) and polynucleotides which identify and encode SCSH. The invention also provides expression vectors, host cells, antibodies, agonists, and antagonists. The invention also provides methods for diagnosing, treating or preventing disorders associated with expression of SCSH.

Mammalian mitochondrial succinyl-coenzyme A (CoA) synthetase holoenzyme (SCS; EC 188.8.131.52) is a component of the tricarboxylic acid cycle that catalyzes the formation of succinate from succinyl-CoA and the formation of GTP from GDP and phosphate within the mitochondrial matrix. Succinyl-CoA is the product of NAD.sup.+ -dependant oxidative decarboxylation of .alpha.-ketoglutarate and CoA. In the reverse reaction, succinyl-CoA is decomposed to succinate, CoASH, GDP, and inorganic phosphate by succinyl-CoA ligase (GDP-forming). The SCS holoenzyme is a dimer made up of one .alpha. subunit and one .beta. subunit. (Bridger, W. A. et al. (1987) Biochem. Soc. Symp. 54:103-111.) Sequence analysis of the cDNAs encoding succinyl-CoA synthetase subunits and succinyl-CoA ligase subunits shows that both enzymes are encoded by the same .alpha. subunit and .beta. subunit genes.
Post-translational covalent modification of enzymes can activate or inactivate enzyme activity. SCS activity purified from the slime mold Dictyostelium discoidium is regulated by ATP- and GTP-dependant phosphorylation of the .alpha. subunit. Phosphorylation of the .alpha. subunit is stimulated by low concentrations of GDP, and this appears to correlate with regulation of SCS activity at an allosteric binding site. (Um, H. D. and Klein, C. (1993) 295:821-826.) The .beta. subunit binds CoASH through a disulphide bond to a sulphydryl group of the .beta. subunit. (Collier, G. E. and Nishimura, J. S. (1978) J. Biol. Chem. 253:4938-4943.)
In addition to the activity of SCS in the tricarboxylic acid pathway, SCS activity has been reported in amino acid metabolic pathways. Valine, methionine, and isoleucine are catabolized in a series of enzyme-catalyzed reactions to succinyl-CoA. Biochemical intermediates and enzymes include methacrylyl-CoA, 3-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA, propionyl CoA carboxylase, hydroxyisobutyric acid, and methylmalonyl CoA mutase. Methylmalonyl CoA mutase activity limits intracellular levels of succinyl-CoA and has been associated with several inherited disorders including methylmalonic aciduria. Methylmalonyl CoA mutase also participates in the oxidation of fatty acids that have an odd number of carbon atoms.
Condensation of succinyl-CoA and glycine to form .delta.-aminolevulinate is the first step of porphyrin biosynthesis. Aberrant succinyl-CoA metabolism may result in clinical symptoms such as dermal photosensitivity and anaemia. Acetazolamide is commonly used in the control of fluid secretion, in particular as an adjunctive treatment for edema due to congestive heart failure, seizures, glaucoma, and to prevent or ameliorate the symptoms associated with acute altitude sickness. SCS activity in the kidney enables ammonia to be excreted in urine, and this activity is inhibited by acetazolamide. (Gougour, A. et al. (1987) Kidney Int. 31:1279-1290.)
The discovery of a new human succinyl-coenzyme A synthetase holoenzyme and the polynucleotides encoding it satisfies a need in the art by providing new compositions which are useful in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of neoplastic, reproductive, immunological, vesicle trafficking, and nervous disorders.

Human succinyl-coenzyme a synthetase holoenzyme


A ventilated seat having ventilation openings arranged on a seat surface of the seat, a ventilation device for generating an air flow, ventilation channels for air-conducting connection of the ventilation device to the ventilation openings, flow control devices for the individual opening and closure of the ventilation channels and/or of the ventilation openings, sensors for determining a force applied to the seat surface and/or a pressure acting on the seat surface and/or for determining an air pressure in the ventilation channels, and a control unit designed to control the flow control devices in accordance with the force determined and/or the pressure determined by the sensors.

Excessively high or excessively low temperatures and humidity can cause discomfort to a person sitting on a seat, particularly to a vehicle passenger sitting on a vehicle seat. To avoid such discomfort, the seat can have devices such as a seat ventilation system having ventilation openings on the seat surface facing the person using the seat and having fans.
Typically, with the use of a fan, an air flow is generated and air is passed to the seat surface and discharged therefrom to the environment. In other words, the person sitting on the seat is exposed to the air flow. This can be air conditioned air, e.g., air cooled or heated and/or dried, as required. Moreover, systems are known in which air, such as air conditioned air, is blown at the person sitting on the seat or air is sucked away from the person in order to generate an air flow.
Problems may arise in the seat ventilation system described if one or more ventilation openings are blocked. Such a blockage can be attributable, for example, to excessive pressure imposed by the sitting person, such as an at least partial closure of the ventilation openings by the body of the sitting person. The increased pressure results in an increased flow resistance for the corresponding ventilation opening. However, since the air flow preferentially takes the flow path with the least flow resistance through the ventilation openings under the least pressure, the humidity and temperature in the regions under a high pressure can then no longer be influenced by the air flow or only to a limited extent. Instead, the majority of the air flow is generally lost via ventilation openings which are not in contact with the person using the seat.
It is therefore desirable to influence the temperature and/or air humidity even in regions with at least partially blocked ventilation openings, especially in the regions in which a person using the seat is in direct contact with the seat surface.

Ventilated seat and method for ventilating a seat


A mutual certification method includes an IC card having a random number generator, a plurality of key data and a plurality of encryption algorithms, and an IC card terminal which also has a random number generator, a plurality of key data and a plurality of encryption algorithms. The key data and encryption algorithm to be used are designated, and a random number may be transmitted for encryption and return, so that mutual certification may be performed.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a certification system and method for verifying data to be written in, e.g., a memory in an IC card.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a new portable data storage medium, a great deal of attention has recently been paid to a so-called IC card incorporating an IC chip having an erasable non-volatile memory and a control element, such as a CPU, for controlling the respective components including the memory.
In a conventional IC card system using such IC cards, e.g., a shopping system or a credit system, when a data write operation is to be performed with respect to an IC card (a memory in the IC card), especially, transaction data is to be written, the transaction data sent to a center (host computer) cannot be verified on the center side.
For this reason, the following certification system and method are proposed.
When an IC card receives a data write instruction from a terminal, the write data is encrypted within the IC card by using predetermined key data and encryption algorithm. Part of the encrypted data is supplied to the terminal. The terminal then supplies the encrypted data and the write data to the center. The write data is verified in the center by using these data.
In such a certification method, however, if IC cards are used in a plurality of applications as they are increasingly used for various purposes, in order to ensure security between the respective applications, it is effective to use different key data for verification which are saved in the applications for verification.
In the above-described certification method, if identical write data, key data, and encryption algorithms are used, the same encrypted data is output from an IC card. Therefore, verification of transaction data becomes difficult.
Furthermore, in such a certification method, special instructions for designating key data and encryption algorithms which are used to encrypt write data within an IC card must be supported.

System for mutually certifying an IC card and an IC card terminal


Systems, methods, and devices for iteratively writing contents to memory locations are provided. A statistical model is used to determine a sequence of pulses to write desired contents to a memory location. The contents can be expressed as a resistance value in a range to store one or more bits in a memory cell. For phase change memory, an adaptive reset pulse and one or more annealing pulses are selected based on a desired resistance range. Reading the resistance value of the memory cell can provide feedback to determine adjustments in an overall pulse application strategy. The statistical model and a look up table can be used to select and modify pulses. Adaptively updating the statistical model and look up table may reduce the number of looping iterations to shift the resistance value of the memory cell into the desired resistance range.

This invention relates generally to computer memory, and more specifically to programming techniques for writing to computer memory.
Memory technologies, such as flash memory and phase change memory (PCM), can have relatively long programming times relative to their respective read times. Flash memory may modulate a charge stored within a gate of a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) transistor to shift the transistor's threshold voltage higher or lower per memory cell. PCM may use the different electrical characteristics of crystalline and amorphous states of chalcogenide material to store different data states per memory cell. Storing multiple bits per memory cell can present additional challenges to ensure accuracy of the stored data. For example, the application of a programming signal two times to the same PCM cell or to two different PCM cells does not necessarily lead to the same resistance values in the two cases. As a further example, PCM cell resistance values can change after programming, usually increasing with time. The meaning of a read resistance value therefore may change with time.
Using a basic write-and-verify approach to memory programming which includes a sequence of write and read operations as a feedback mechanism can reduce errors in the writing process. One drawback of write-and-verify techniques is that the iterative process consumes additional resources in the memory. For instance, the write bandwidth gets reduced in a manner proportional to the number of attempts it takes to store a value in the memory, with a greater number of iterations leading to reduced system performance.

Iteratively writing contents to memory locations using a statistical model

International Business Machines Corporation


In a single chip processor including an instruction ROM and a decoder for decoding instruction codes from the instruction ROM. During usual operation a multiplexer selects supplying instruction codes from the instruction ROM to the decoder. Alternatively, test instruction codes are input from an input interface via the multiplexer to the decoder in a test mode.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a single chip processor, and more particularly, to an improvement of a test function of the single chip processor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a single chip processor, in order to realize a high speed operation, Harvard architecture has been adopted to isolate a data path for instruction codes from a data path for operational data. Particularly in a digital signal processor, an external instruction read-only memory (ROM) or an external instruction random access memory (RAM) is not preferable in view of the access speed and the number of external pins. Therefore, an instruction ROM (or RAM) is incorporated into the single chip processor. In addition, a test program for testing internal circuits has to be incorporated into the instruction memory. As a result, a user processing program area in the instruction memory is reduced in size.
Particularly, since one instruction is formed by a plurality of control fields; in a digital signal processor (DSP) having horizontal type instruction codes, the instructions are very complex. Therefore, it is actually impossible to store all the test programs in the instruction memory. In addition, it is impossible to verify other events which are not included in the test program stored in the instruction memory. Further, it is difficult to verify the operation of the internal circuits after shipping.
In another prior art single chip processor (See JP-A-2-12436), a test program is written into a RAM and a testing operation is, in turn, carried out in accordance with the test program stored in the RAM. In this processor, however, two read operations are carried out for every instruction cycle, thus the test speed is very low. Note that only one read operation is carried out for an instruction cycle of the processor.

Single chip processor with externally executed test function


A method can determine diesel engine airflow in a diesel internal combustion engine using a late intake valve closure (LIVC) strategy. The method includes monitoring the air temperature in an intake manifold to determine an intake manifold air temperature; monitoring a coolant temperature; and determining the air temperature in an intake port of a diesel internal combustion engine. The method includes monitoring the air pressure in the intake manifold and monitoring the engine speed of the diesel internal combustion engine. Moreover, the method includes determining the air density in the diesel internal combustion engine and determining a diesel engine airflow; and determining an intake valve closure crank angle. The method additionally includes determining an adjusted diesel engine airflow based on the diesel engine airflow, engine speed, and intake valve closure crank angle.

Some vehicles include a diesel internal combustion engine for propulsion. During operation, the diesel internal combustion engine ignites an air/fuel mixture to rotate a crankshaft. Accordingly, the diesel internal combustion engine receives intake air from an intake manifold. Because the intake air is an important part of the combustion process in a diesel internal combustion engine, it is useful to examine the diesel engine airflow. As used herein, the term "diesel engine airflow" means the flow of gases (e.g. air) entering a combustion chamber of a diesel internal combustion engine. The diesel engine airflow may be examined, for example, as a part of a diagnosis procedure. Examining the diesel engine airflow may also be useful to control exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) flow. It is therefore useful to determine the diesel engine airflow irrespective of the intake valve closure strategy employed by the diesel internal combustion engine.

Method and system for determining diesel engine airflow in an engine using a late intake valve closure strategy


A valve actuation assembly includes a housing and a vane connected to a shaft. The vane is at least partially disposed within the housing. The valve actuation assembly further includes a valve assembly connected to the housing and a feedback device connected to at least one of the vane and the shaft. The feedback device is configured to apply a feedback force to the valve assembly.

To minimize pollutants produced by internal combustion engines, a portion of the engine exhaust may be recirculated to an intake of the engine. An EGR valve, such as a mixing valve, may be used to assist in directing the portion of the exhaust to the intake. Such valves typically require a great deal of torque for actuation during engine operation. In addition, such valves are often disposed within the engine compartment and, thus, require compact actuation assemblies due to space constraints.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,948,231 issued to Smith ("the '231 patent") discloses a power and deceleration governor for automotive engines including a butterfly-type mixture control valve. In a first embodiment, the valve is actuated using a rack and pinion assembly driven by a diaphragm motor. In a second embodiment, the valve is actuated using a hydraulic cylinder, and in a third embodiment, the valve is actuated using a clutch drive motor.
While the governors of the '231 patent may be configured to actuate the mixture control valve, each of the disclosed governors are relatively large and cumbersome, and may be difficult to package in a conventional engine compartment. In addition, each of the governors relies on a vacuum system for actuation. Such a system may not supply the requisite torque to open, close, and/or otherwise actuate the mixture control valve in certain engine operating conditions. Moreover, the governors of the '231 patent may not control the mixing valve using an internal feedback mechanism.
The disclosed valve actuation assembly is directed toward overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.


A roll coater assembly system for application of a fluid material having a transport system with a part loading system, an application system, and a curing system for curing the material applied. The transport system is a continuous conveyor having a plurality of work stations movably supporting and transporting items to be processed to the application systems and curing systems, with the conveyors of the transport and loading systems having a single drive mechanism which operates both of the conveyors, such that the cylindrical items are provided to circumferentially located stations within and surrounding a cylindrical wheel of the part loading system which rotates to engage and move the cylindrical items into and out of the stations of the cylindrical wheel about a central axis of the cylindrical wheel and into the transport system conveyor by movement of the drive mechanism and respective conveyor synchronized by a control system.

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an improved manufacturing assembly system and more specifically for an improved automated assembly system for roll coating or otherwise preparing manufactured products for further manufacture and shipping.
2. Background of the Related Art
In the past, manufacturing assembly systems have required a variety of human intervention to complete the manufacture of a part, and may have resulted in poor part quality. Consistent, continuous and unassisted feeding of such parts to the manufacturing system can be difficult to maintain. Additionally, manufacturing systems which apply coatings to parts often apply such coatings using a spray system. Spray coating systems have the disadvantage that they are inefficient. During the spray application of material, a majority of the material being sprayed may be "lost," or never applied to the part to be coated.
While such material losses may be expensive, they may also result in releases of solvents or volatile organic component materials into the environment. Since such materials should not be released into the environment, prior systems may have required additional expense to reclaim such "lost" materials. Reclamation systems are typically expensive to operate, and may also result in additional waste treatment issues, for example, waste water removed from the reclamation system. Examples of prior art systems are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,183,509 and 5,275,664, the subject matter of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present system, in addition to providing improved product quality, provides an improved system for accurate and continuous feeding of parts. The present system also reduces system down time due to changes in manufacturing and part requirements, to provide manufacturing process flexibility.


The present invention relates to an image processing method, an image processing apparatus and a recording medium that convert a grey scale image into an area gradation image. The present invention intends to provide an image processing method, an image processing apparatus and a recording medium capable of increasing processing speed in a state where high image quality is maintained. In the image processing method and the image processing apparatus according to the present invention, image data of a C component and image data of an M component in grey scale image data are converted into halftone image data in accordance with an error diffusion method, and image data of a Y component are converted into halftone image data in accordance with a blue noise mask method.

First, the error diffusion method is described.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating functions for implementing the error diffusion method.
Input image data are sequentially supplied to an adding part 111 by unit of one pixel. Based on a computed operation result, the adding part 111 receives an error diffused to the pixel from a line buffer 112. The adding part 111 adds the error from the line buffer 112 to the input image data so as to generate correction data. The correction data are supplied to a comparison part 113 and an error data generating part 114. The comparison part 113 compares the correction data with a predetermined threshold. If the correction data are larger than the threshold, the dot in question is determined as black. In contrast, if the correction data are smaller than the threshold, the dot is determined as white.
The comparison part 113 supplies an output value to the error data generating part 114. The error data generating part 114 generates error data from the output value and the correction data.
The error data are determined according to the formula; (correction data)−{(output value)×255}. The computed error data are supplied to an error filtering part 115.
The error filtering part 115 computes an error diffused to a neighboring pixel by multiplying the error data by an error filter value predetermined for the neighboring pixel. The computed error is added to a stored error as the corresponding pixel error of the line buffer 112.
In this fashion, the error diffusion method achieves quality improvement on an image. However, the error diffusion method requires a considerable amount of processing time because of many operations such as the addition of the correction data, the subtraction for the error data, the multiplication of the diffusion error, and the addition of the error.
Next, the blue noise mask method is described.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating functions for implementing the blue noise mask method.
An input image is supplied to a comparison part 121 by unit of one pixel. The comparison part 121 compares a pixel value of the input image with a threshold matrix created according to the blue noise method in advance. The comparison part 121 generates an output value as follows. If the input pixel value is larger than the threshold, the pixel value is determined as "1". In contrast, if the input pixel value is smaller than the threshold, the pixel value is determined as "0". Here, the value "1" corresponds to a black dot, and the value "0" corresponds to a white dot.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating functions for implementing another blue noise mask method.
An input image is supplied to a table reference part 131 by unit of one pixel. The table reference part 131 outputs a "1" pattern or a "0" pattern with reference to a pattern table 132 in which patterns corresponding to input pixel values are registered in advance.
In this blue noise mask method, the input value is just compared with the threshold as shown in FIG. 3, or the reference table created corresponding to input values in advance is just referred to as shown in FIG. 4. Therefore, the blue noise mask method can realize high speed processing.
In the error diffusion method, although a high-quality image is obtained, a large amount of processing time is required. On the other hand, the blue noise mask method has some problems, for instance, in that the image quality is insufficient because of iterative use of patterns.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing method, an image processing apparatus and a recording medium in which the above-mentioned problems are eliminated.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an image processing method, an image processing apparatus and a recording medium that achieve high-speed processing.

Image processing method, image processing apparatus and recording medium