Methods of document expansion for a speech retrieval document by a recognizer. A database of vectors of automatic transcriptions of documents is accessed and the vectors are truncated by removing all terms that are not recognizable by the recognizer to create truncated vectors. Terms in the vectors are then weighted to associate the truncated vectors with the untruncated vectors. Terms not recognized by the recognizer are then added back to the weighted, truncated vectors. The retrieval effectiveness may then be measured.

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to methods and systems for document expansion. More specifically, the invention, relates to methods and systems for performing document expansion for speech retrieval.
2. Description of the Related Art
Increasing amounts of spoken communications are stored in digital form for archival purposes (e.g., broadcasts), or as a byproduct of modern communications technology (e.g., voice mail). Multimedia documents and databases are also becoming increasingly popular, e.g., on the World-Wide-Web (www). There has thus been an interest in developing tools for searching spoken information that complement existing methods for searching textual information.
With advances in automatic speech recognition (ASR) technology, it is now possible to automatically transcribe speech with reasonable accuracy. Once the contents of a speech database or the audio portions of a multimedia database are transcribed using a speech recognition system, traditional information retrieval techniques can be used to search the database. However, inaccuracies in automatic transcriptions pose several new problems for information retrieval (IR) technology in speech retrieval. For poor automatic transcriptions, retrieval effectiveness is much worse than effectiveness for human transcriptions. Due to various factors, including background non-speech sounds (noise, music), poor recording conditions, and disfluent or non-native speech, it is often not possible to get good automatic transcriptions even with the best ASR systems.
Even though IR techniques have been successfully used in retrieving corrupted text generated by optical character recognition (OCR) systems, the kinds of errors in automatic speech transcriptions are very different from those in OCR transcriptions. Since OCR systems usually operate with single characters, errors in character recognition usually produce illegal words which do not affect the retrieval process substantially. In contrast, current high-performance, large-vocabulary speech recognizers rely on word-pronunciation dictionaries and whole outputs consists only of legitimate words drawn from the dictionary. Recognition errors are then deletions, insertions or substitutions of legitimate words, and are therefore not easily discarded.
One of the main problems in performing word- and phrase-based speech retrieval with current methods arises due to poor index term assignments for automatic speech transcriptions. From its early days, the field of IR has wrestled with the question of which index terms should be assigned to a given document. Defining the concepts which a document is about, —"aboutness" in subject indexing—has been visited several times over the history of IR. Experimentation has shown that automatically-derived, uncontrolled index terms are competitive with carefully crafted manual index terms. Most modern IR systems use automatically derived words and phrases as index terms for documents. However, any indexing system, including word- and phrase-based automatic indexing, is imperfect and may thus fail to index the relevant documents under the query terms even though the documents are about those terms. This has often been called the "vocabulary mismatch" problem. This problem is made worse by speech recognition errors, since the automatic transcription of a document may not contain all the terms that were actually spoken, or may contain terms that were not spoken.
A secondary problem in index term assignment is deciding, for an index term assigned to a given document, the "degree" to which that document is about that term. Modern IR systems use sophisticated term-weighting methods to define the degree of aboutness of documents for different terms. When documents are corrupted, as is the case in speech retrieval, term-weighting schemes assign misleading weights to terms. This might also cause some loss in retrieval effectiveness.
Many devices and methods have been proposed over the years to attack the vocabulary mismatch problem, most notably the use of Thesaurii to enhance the set of index terms assigned to documents or to queries. However, obtaining a reliable Thesaurus for any subject area is quite expensive. Attempts have been made to harness word-to-word associations for automatic Thesaurus construction, but these attempts have been disappointing. More recently, however, it has been shown that enhancing queries with terms related to the entire concept of the query (often referred to as "query expansion"), and not just with words related to individual query words, reduces the problem of vocabulary mismatch considerably and consistently yields large improvements in retrieval effectiveness, especially for short queries.
Correspondingly, document expansion can be used to enhance the index term assignment for documents. Many studies have utilized enhanced document representations using bibliographic citations and references. Research on the use of spreading activation models in IR also aims at crediting documents based on activation of related documents. However, both these techniques need some human supervision (in the form of human generated citations, or the semantic net used) to be made operational.
Document clustering, which doesn't require any human supervision, can also be interpreted as a form of document expansion. When similar documents are clustered and a cluster representative is used in the search process, the cluster representative usually contains terms from all the documents in the cluster, in effect allowing a match between a document and a query (via the cluster representative) even when individual query terms might be missing from the document but are present in other documents in the cluster. Extensive studies on document clustering have given mixed results at best. Work on Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) also produces similarly mixed results. LSI allows a match between queries and documents that might not share any terms in word-space, but do share some concepts in the LSI.
An alternative to word-based approaches is to recognize sub-word units (for instance, phonemes) and to use sequences of these sub-word units as index terms. However, it is unclear if the results from this approach are competitive with word-based approaches now that very-large vocabulary recognition systems are available. It is also possible to simultaneously use as index terms words from the best word transcription and phonetic n-grams from phoneme lattices.
There thus exists a long-felt, but unresolved need in the art for document expansion for speech retrieval systems. The methods and systems to perform this task should be versatile and efficient, performing speech retrieval in short periods of time. These results have not heretofore been achieved in the cut.


The present invention relates to a composition and a healthy food product for inducing bowel movements and promoting weight loss comprising 47-57 parts by weight of a psyllium husk powder, 18-28 parts by weight of a rice bran powder, 5-6 parts by weight of a kelp powder, 4-5 parts by weight of a fructooligosaccharide, 3.5-4.5 parts by weight of chicory fiber, 3-4 parts of weight of glasswort, 2.5-3.5 parts by weight of yeast powder, 1.5-2.5 parts by weight of lactulose powder, 0.5-1.5 parts by weight of lactic acid bacteria powder, 0.05-0.15 parts by weight of complex amino acid, 0.4-0.6 parts by weight of Aloe arborescens, and 0.5-1.5 parts by weight of garlic powder. The composition and health food product for inducing bowel movements and promoting weight loss of the present invention comprise nutritional ingredients such as vegetable dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, etc. which feed beneficial intestinal bacteria.

In modern times, nutrients such as proteins and fats cannot be digested and absorbed in the stomach and intestines due to various causes such as excessive consumption of high-calorie nutrient foods, excessive drinking, stress, diseases of the stomach or small intestines, and nutrients that cannot be digested and absorbed are pushed away to the large intestine, located at the end of the digestive system and are then decayed by harmful bacteria in the large intestine, thus producing toxins such as hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, phenol, indole, histamine and amine in the large intestine.
Of these, hydrogen sulfide gas is soluble in water, so it dissolves in the blood and is converted to a sulfate, which causes stress to the liver while detoxifying the sulfate, thereby not only inducing fatigue, headaches and the like, but also inflammation of intestinal wall due to the gas that is dissolved in the blood and is not detoxified in the liver. This inflammation disturbs the immune function and eventually makes the human body vulnerable to disease.
Harmful gases produced in the large intestine is removed in the liver. However, when the liver is unhealthy or harmful gases are excessively generated, the un-detoxified harmful gases degrade the function of the whole body, thereby interrupting normal metabolism and increasing the possibility of the onset of diseases such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, dermatomyositis and kidney disease.
In addition, the Korea Research Institute of Biomedical Science has reported that, when beneficial bacteria in the intestine are not activated, metabolism for serotonin synthesis cannot be performed, indices of stress become more severe, and mental disorders such as depression and anger management disorders occur. It has also been found that harmful bacteria in the intestine cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation and toxic gases, resulting in inflammation, thus disturbing immune function and worsening arteriosclerosis.
Conventionally, when a problem occurs in the large intestine, for example, when constipation occurs, a therapeutic agent is administered for treatment, but, disadvantageously, such treatment is not a preventive action, but is used only after an abnormality occurs in the large intestine.
As preventive approaches, there are methods such as Korean Patent No. 10-1450968 entitled "Health food composition for improving regular bowel movements to alleviate constipation and coprostasis", Korean Patent Laid-open No. 10-2003-0069231 entitled "Composition for improving intestinal function depending on constipation type", and Korean Patent No. 10-1230756 entitled "Natural food composition prescribed for skinny type". However, these methods include mixing with lactic acid bacteria, among the beneficial bacteria in the intestine, but the lactic acid bacteria cannot reach the beneficial intestinal bacteria while remaining alive. In addition, the methods further require the process of inoculating various lactic acid bacteria in the process of mixing the composition, thus causing a problem of cost increase.
Meanwhile, psyllium husks are not digested in the human digestive system, but reach the large intestine due to the high content of water-insoluble dietary fiber, and thus is fed to the beneficial bacteria in the large intestine, thereby promoting the intestinal environment of the large intestine and facilitating peristalsis of the large intestine due to proliferation of the beneficial bacteria. Dietary fibers of psyllium husk increase the volume by up to 40 times when absorbing moisture, forming porous fibers and increasing the volume and water content of the stool. Thus, psyllium husks are effective in preventing hard stool containing little moisture and in relieving the proctodynia caused by hemorrhoids or bowel movements.
Rice bran including an embryo bud of rice contains complete nutrients and metabolites for germination. As used herein, the term "rice bran" is generally defined by including an embryo bud of rice and rice bran. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) in rice bran is a substance involved in glucose metabolism of amylase, which is a metabolite that breaks down rice, which contains, as a main ingredient, carbohydrate, as a polysaccharide, to glucose which is a monosaccharide as an essential nutrient for the human body, and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is a substance involved in an amino acid metabolism of protein. In particular, the GABA component and octacosanol are foods of Bifidobacterium among microorganisms in the intestine, and Bifidobacterium is particularly abundant in the intestines of breastfeeding infants, and proliferates using oligosaccharides that are not available to harmful pathogens. Bifidobacterium is well known not to produce methane gas. In addition, this component has functions of capturing and discharging triglycerides in the intestine and thus acting as a lubricant to apply an oil to stools during defecation to promote defecation.
Meanwhile, rice bran has a problem of early deterioration, in which rancidity starts within a few hours after rice milling, and contains a lot of polysaccharides that are not easily digested, and thus has a low actual utilization rate in the body despite containing high amounts of vitamins and nutrients. Therefore, rice bran is widely used in conventional diet foods and healthy foods to induce defecation. However, it is difficult to incorporate a large amount of rice bran in these foods and it is also difficult to realize the function of the rice bran when incorporated therein.

Composition for induced bowel movement and diet and preparation method thereof


An anisotropically electroconductive adhesive comprising a thermosetting insulating adhesive mixed with electroconductive particles, the thermosetting insulating adhesive having an intrinsic acoustic impedance of about 1.4 MPaxc2x7s/m or less is provided. Piezoelectric resonators are bonded to lands on an insulating substrate using this anisotropically electroconductive adhesive. The piezoelectric resonators are connected in a ladder type to form a ladder filter by pattern electrodes on the insulating substrate. When a filter is prepared using piezoelectric resonators, this anisotropically electroconductive adhesive can provide good filter characteristics without propagating the vibration of the piezoelectric resonators to the insulating substrate.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an anisotropically electroconductive adhesive and a ladder filter using it. More specifically, it relates, for example, to an anisotropically electroconductive adhesive which is electroconductive in the direction of thermocompression bonding but is insulative in the other directions, and to a ladder filter using it.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is known that an electroconductive adhesive is used for conventionally bonding an external electrode formed on an piezoelectric resonator to a land formed on an insulating substrate in a ladder filter, that is, a piezoelectric part in which plural piezoelectric resonators utilizing mechanical resonance of a piezoelectric material are used (cf. Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-168348).
The structure of this ladder filter will be explained. FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing an example of a ladder filter as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 11-168348. FIG. 2 is its front view. A known insulating substrate such as a glass epoxy substrate or an alumina substrate is used as the insulating substrate b.
On one of the main surfaces of the insulating substrate b, four pattern electrodes c1, c2, c3 and c4 are formed with specific distances therebetween. On these pattern electrodes c1 through to c4, five lands e1, e2, e3, e4 and e5 are formed in line and with specific distances therebetween, wherein each of the lands e1 through to e4 is formed on one end of each of the pattern electrodes c1 through to c4, and the land e5 is formed on the other end of the pattern electrode c2.
On the lands e1 through to e5 of these pattern electrodes c1 through to c4, four piezoelectric resonators a1, b1, b2 and a2 are aligned in line and in this order, wherein the two piezoelectric resonators a1 and a2 are used as serial resonators having the same structure, and the other two piezoelectric resonators b1 and b2 are used as parallel resonators having the same structure as shown in FIG. 3.
Furthermore, in this ladder filter, the central portion in the lengthwise direction (in the up/down direction on the surface of FIG. 1) of an external electrode f1 of the piezoelectric resonator a1 which is to be the first serial resonator, is bonded to the land e1 of the pattern electrode c1 with an electroconductive adhesive d. Thereby, the external electrode f1 of the piezoelectric resonator a1 is connected to the pattern electrode c1.
Also, the central portion in the lengthwise direction of an external electrode f2 of the piezoelectric resonator a1, and the central portion in the lengthwise direction of an external electrode f1 of the piezoelectric resonator b1 which is to be the first parallel resonator, are bonded to the land e2 of the pattern electrode c2 with the electroconductive adhesive d. Thereby, the external electrode f2 of the piezoelectric resonator a1 and the external electrode f1 of the piezoelectric resonator b1 are connected to the pattern electrode c2.
Furthermore, the central portion in the lengthwise direction of an external electrode f2 of the piezoelectric resonator b1, and the central portion in the lengthwise direction of an external electrode f1 of the piezoelectric resonator b2 which is to be the second parallel resonator, are bonded to the land e3 of the pattern electrode c3 with the electroconductive adhesive d. Thereby, the external electrode f2 of the piezoelectric resonator b1 and the external electrode f1 of the piezoelectric resonator b2 are connected to the pattern electrode c3.
Also, the central portion in the lengthwise direction of an external electrode f2 of the piezoelectric resonator b2, and the central portion in the lengthwise direction of an external electrode f1 of the piezoelectric resonator a2 which is to be the second serial resonator, are bonded to the land e4 of the pattern electrode c4 with the electroconductive adhesive d. Thereby, the external electrode f2 of the piezoelectric resonator b2 and the external electrode f1 of the piezoelectric resonator a2 are connected to the pattern electrode c4.
Furthermore, the central portion in the lengthwise direction of an external electrode f2 of the piezoelectric resonator a2 is bonded to the land e5 of the pattern electrode c2 with the electroconductive adhesive d. Thereby, the external electrode f2 of the piezoelectric resonator a2 is connected to the pattern electrode c2.
However, as miniaturization of products has accompanied a shortened distance between the lands formed on an insulating substrate, there is danger, with the conventional electroconductive adhesive, that an electroconductive adhesive spills out or exudes out of the adhesion area on heating and pressing, easily entailing short circuitry between the lands. Thereupon, in the course of the investigation related to the present invention, bonding with an anisotropically electroconductive adhesive was investigated for preventing this short circuitry between the lands.
The anisotropically electroconductive adhesive for use herein is a thermosetting insulating adhesive with which electroconductive particles are blended. Accordingly, by interposing an anisotropically electroconductive adhesive between an electronic part such as a circuit board and another electronic part such as a circuit board for thermocompression bonding, the electroconductive particles are contacted with one another in the direction of thermocompression to electrically connect both electronic parts, while both electronic parts are connected mechanically with the thermosetting insulating adhesive. On the other hand, the electroconductive particles are not contacted with one another in the directions other than the direction of compression bonding, resulting in an insulated state.
When such a thermosetting, anisotropically electroconductive adhesive interposes and is thermocompressed between both electronic parts, the curing agent causes a curing reaction to cure the thermosetting resin and to bond both electronic parts. In many cases, an epoxy type thermosetting resin is used for the thermosetting insulating adhesive. To be more specific, an epoxy resin in combination with a curing agent for an epoxy resin selected from the group of various materials consisting of a polyamide resin, an amine resin, an imidazole resin, a melamine resin, an anhydride, etc., is used.
However when a conventional anisotropically electroconductive adhesive was used for bonding a piezoelectric resonator to a pattern electrode on an insulating substrate, a problem of degraded filter characteristics would occur in a ladder filter shown in FIG. 1. It was found in the course of the investigation related to the present invention, that it was caused by the vibration of the piezoelectric resonator propagated through the anisotropically electroconductive adhesive to the insulating substrate, which was then propagated to another piezoelectric resonator.
Thus, one of the main objects of this invention is to provide an anisotropically electroconductive adhesive which furnishes good filter characteristics without allowing the vibration of a piezoelectric resonator to be propagated to the insulating substrate, in the connection of the piezoelectric resonator with a pattern electrode on the insulating substrate.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a ladder filter having good filter characteristics, by using such an anisotropically electroconductive adhesive.
One aspect of the present invention is an anisotropically electroconductive adhesive comprising a thermosetting insulating adhesive mixed with electroconductive particles, the thermosetting insulating adhesive having an intrinsic acoustic impedance of about 1.4 MPaxc2x7s/m or less.
It is preferable that the thermosetting insulating adhesive in such an anisotropically electroconductive adhesive have a rubber elasticity.
A silicone rubber, a urethane rubber, an isobutylene rubber, or a mixture of two or more of them can be used as the thermosetting insulating adhesive.
Furthermore, resin particles covered with a metal are preferably used as the electroconductive particles.
An anisotropically electroconductive adhesive comprising such metal-covered resin particles preferably further comprises a filler made of inorganic particles having a particle size smaller than that of the resin particles.
Furthermore, another aspect of the present invention is a ladder filter comprising an insulating substrate on which pattern electrodes are formed, and plural piezoelectric resonators connected serially or in parallel to form a ladder type circuit on the insulating substrate, wherein the piezoelectric resonators and the pattern electrodes are electroconductively bonded with each other with the above-described anisotropically electroconductive adhesive.
Regarding the anisotropically electroconductive adhesive according to the present invention, as a result of investigations made on the relationships between the physical properties of a thermosetting insulating adhesive in an anisotropically electroconductive adhesive, and the propagation of the vibration of piezoelectric resonators or the filter characteristics of a ladder filter, it was found that the less the intrinsic acoustic impedance of the thermosetting insulating adhesive was matched with the intrinsic acoustic impedance of an element, the more enhanced the effect for preventing from the propagation of the vibration was and the better the filter characteristics. Thus the present invention has been accomplished.
It was found that for use in manufacturing a filter using piezoelectric resonators of this type, an anisotropically electroconductive adhesive comprising electroconductive particles and a thermosetting insulating adhesive, the thermosetting insulating adhesive having an intrinsic acoustic impedance of about 1.4 MPaxc2x7s/m or less, is preferable as the anisotropically electroconductive adhesive which can prevent from propagation of the vibration.
To be specific, a silicone rubber, a urethane rubber and an isobutylene rubber are examples of the resin used for the thermosetting insulating adhesive which has an intrinsic acoustic impedance xcfx81c (wherein xcfx81 representing specific gravity and c representing the speed of sound) which is greatly mismatched with that of a piezoelectric resonator using lead titanate zirconate.
By using, as the electroconductive particles, resin particles covered with a metal, electroconductivity is realized at the time of thermocompression bonding when the resin particles contact with one another to deform their shape. Furthermore, even when the thermosetting insulating adhesive expands thermally, the electroconductivity is maintained until the deformation of the resin particles has disappeared and the original shapes have been returned to result in loss of the contact between the resin particles. Thus, accurate electroconductivity can be obtained in spite of temperature fluctuation.
Furthermore, a filler is preferably compounded into this anisotropically electroconductive adhesive for preventing from exudation of the adhesive and precipitation of the electroconductive particles. Insulating inorganic particles can be used as the filler. As the examples, silicon dioxide, calcium carbonate, aluminum oxide, etc. are enumerated. It is necessary that these insulating inorganic particles should have a particle size smaller than that of the electroconductive particles. It is preferable that they have an average particle size in the range of from about 0.01 to 3 xcexcm.

Anisotropically electroconductive adhesive and a ladder filter using the same


The present invention relates to an intermediate image synthesizing method using a mesh based on a multi-view square camera structure.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for synthesizing intermediate image using mesh based on multi-view square camera structure and a device using the same and a computer-readable medium having thereon program performing function embodying the same, and more particularly, to a method for synthesizing intermediate image using mesh based on multi-view square camera structure and a device using the same and a computer-readable medium having thereon program performing function embodying the same wherein an accurate disparity vector may be obtained since a shared area is searched for a predetermined time interval using a distance matching and a synthesized image is generated for each area based thereon, an occlusion region is reduced by using three reference images, the synthesized image may be easily generated even for an image having a large disparity, and a converted outline may be accurately expressed, and a high three-dimensional effect may be represented due to the image conversion through the mesh based on a vertex of the outline.
2. Description of the Related Art
A research for a three-dimensional television which is a next generation display of a HDTV is being carried out. A method using a disparity of both eyes has been proposed as an initial type of the 3D television. While the method somewhat provides a three-dimensional effect for an observer, the method does not provide a sufficient vivid motion and reality as in a person seeing an actual object. In order to overcome such disadvantage, a method wherein a more vivid three-dimensional image is displayed using a multi-view image obtained by two or more cameras is under a research.
A moving picture stream used for a multi-view image processing is generally obtained using one camera per view. As an arrangement for a multi-view camera, a parallel arrangement of an in-line type camera, a radical camera arrangement, and the like are available. However, in case of the radical camera arrangement, a distortion of view may occur when a multi-view image obtained from different cameras is displayed on a single screen. The problem may be solved by a parallel camera arrangement method. However, the parallel camera arrangement is disadvantageous in that it is difficult to display a three dimensional effect in a vertical direction. Therefore, a research on a signal processing and a display device employing a square camera arrangement is being carried out recently.
In order to embody a multi-view video system for the 3D television, a transmitter transmits an image obtained from cameras having various arrangements, and a receiver carries out a display based on a transmitted data. In order to transmit the multi-view video through one broadcast channel, a much higher compression ratio is required compared to a compression ratio for a single-view video in video compression. However, it is virtually impossible to transmit an entire multi-view image using a conventional compression algorithm through a conventional broadcast channel. Therefore, an intermediate image synthesis wherein only images the number of which is allowed by the channel are transmitted and the receiver generates a view of image which is not transmitted based on the transmitted image instead of transmitting then entire view of image is under research.
In order to extract a vertex, a feature based method based on a likelihood model, a block based method, a method using a mesh are mainly used as an algorithm related to the intermediate image synthesis. In addition, a method using a depth map is employed. As an example of these algorithms, there are "Multi-view Video System and an Image Generation Method for a 3D Image" disclosed by Korean Patent Application No. 10-2000-0063753 (herein referred to as "Reference 1"), and "Method for Extracting Dense Depth Information using Multiple Camera Input Images and Method for Intermediate Image Synthesis Using the Same" disclosed by Korean Patent Application No. 10-2000-0005297 (herein referred to as "Reference 2"), and these are applied to an application system such as "3D Catalog Shopping System and Method" disclosed by Korean Patent Application No. 10-1995-0042335.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a decompression means 34 and an intermediate image synthesizing means 35 disclosed in Reference 1.
In accordance with Reference 1, a method wherein a number of (N−M) images are newly generated between a number of M view-point images obtained in a 3D system using a number of N parallel multi-view images to finally obtain the number of N view-point images is disclosed. For such, an adaptive point extractor 63, and an occlusion region generator 64 for compensating an occlusion region between reference images based on an extracted adaptive point data are used.
Specifically, as shown, nine view-point images are restored in the video decompression means 34 to be input to the intermediate image generating means 35. The intermediate image generating means 35 performs an adaptive point extraction for reference images 0v1, 0v2, 0v4, 0v6, 0v7 and 0v9 from reference images 0v2, 0v4, 0v5, 0v6 and 0v8 in the adaptive point extractor 63, and then extracts and generates the occlusion region based on an adaptive point extraction data in the occlusion region generator 64. Thereafter, a data corresponding to the adaptive point and an interpolated occlusion region are integrated to generate a new intermediate image, thereby obtaining seventeen view-points.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a conventional MR-MBS (Multi-Resolution Multiple Baseline Stereo) method for synthesizing an intermediate image disclosed by Reference 2.
In accordance with the MR-MBS method of FIG. 2, a depth information of each pixel is densely extracted from images obtained from a finite number of cameras placed in multiple position to generate an intermediate image using this wherein MBS method is converted to a multi-resolution.
Referring to FIG. 2, an input image obtained from multiple cameras with respect to a single object is decomposed into the multi-resolution, and an image having a minimum resolution is subjected to the MBS and the occlusion region process to obtain a depth information of a pixel of the object (step 1) so as to be transmitted to a step 2 wherein a high resolution process is performed. In the step 2, multiple pixels of a high resolution corresponding to a single pixel of a low resolution is subjected to the MR-MBS and the occlusion region process based on the transmitted pixel information to obtain a depth information of the multiple pixels. The process is repeated until a maximum resolution to accurately obtain the depth information for each pixel of the object and the intermediate image.
However, in accordance with the conventional intermediate image synthesizing method, it is difficult to synthesize the intermediate image because the occlusion region is largely generated when a distance between base-lines is large or an angle or a distance between cameras is increased. Moreover, since the adaptive point extractor is applied to an entire object, an unnecessary depth map information and an excessive adaptive point data may be generated.
For example, in accordance with Reference 1, when an intervening image between a left and a right images is synthesized based on a view-point image transmitted from a transmitter in the parallel camera arrangement, a distance between the referred left and the right images are quite increased as a distance of the base-line is slightly increased. As a result, in the synthesis of the intermediate image, the occlusion region is largely increased and the occlusion region cannot be completely compensated using only the adaptive point extractor. Moreover, since the adaptive point extractor is applied to the entire object, an excessive simulation time is required.
In accordance with Reference 2, while problems of a processing time for the MBS and an extension of a boundary line in the depth map are solved by the multi-resolution method employing multiple cameras placed in arbitrary position, the resolution of each pixel and an accurate depth map cannot be obtained when the position and the angle between the cameras are increased. Moreover, in accordance the method, a long simulation time is required due to the unnecessary depth map since the depth map is generated through every camera for the single object and a necessary intermediate image is generated.
In order to overcome the problems, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-116703 (not published) filed by the applicant disclose a technology wherein an intermediate image which is not transmitted from a transmitter is synthesized in a receiver using a distance matching, a block matching and an image blending.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a conventional method for synthesizing an intermediate image from a portion of a multi-view image based on a multi-view square camera arrangement in accordance with Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-116703.
As shown in FIG. 3, the method for synthesizing the intermediate image from the portion of the multi-view image based on the multi-view square camera arrangement in accordance with Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-116703 comprises steps of distance-matching for identifying an overlapping area where an intermediate image to be synthesized and neighboring three reference images overlap (S100 through S110), block-matching wherein a block matching is carried out for a block where a differential image between the reference images in the overlapping area exists (S115 through S130), image-compensation wherein an image of the overlapping area is compensated according to a result of the block matching (S135); and image-synthesizing wherein the intermediate image is synthesized by integrating the compensated image of the overlapping area.
However, Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-116703 is disadvantageous in that an operation time for obtaining the distance matching is very long and accuracy is low. In addition, each block overlaps when a disparity is obtained from the three images only through the block matching and the image compensation is performed. Moreover, when various algorithms are applied only to an area having a large disparity, it is difficult to maintain an object and a background in the image.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2004-116703 wherein only the block matching is used for the intermediate image synthesis by perceiving that a more effective 3D image is obtained when outlines of the object and the background are matched based on a mesh.

Method for synthesizing intermediate image using mesh based on multi-view square camera structure and device using the same and computer-readable medium having thereon program performing function embodying the same

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, an accurate disparity vector may be obtained since a shared area is searched for a predetermined time interval using a distance matching and a synthesized image is generated for each area based thereon, an occlusion region is reduced by using three reference images, the synthesized image may be easily generated even for an image having a large disparity, and a converted outline may be accurately expressed, and a high three-dimensional effect may be represented due to the image conversion through the mesh based on a vertex of the outline.


A dual water heating system uses a pump for pumping water from a swimming pool or spa. A filter is coupled to an output of the pump for filtering the water. A water heater heats the water and returns heated water to the swimming pool or spa. A network of non-corrosive piping is disposed within the swimming pool support structure. A plurality of steam ports are coupled to exit points of the network of piping. A steam generator provides steam to the network of piping for transporting the steam to the steam ports and injecting the heated water into the swimming pool or spa. An energy source supplies energy to the steam heater. A motorized or hand-push cart is used to transport the steam heater and energy source. The steam ports are provided along sidewalls or bottom surface of the swimming pool and spa support structure. The steam ports are contained within cavities formed in the support structure.

People enjoy swimming pools and spas for family activities, therapy, exercise, recreation, and relaxation. Swimming pools are less popular in colder climates, but still find uses in the summer months and indoor settings. In warmer climates, swimming pools are common in residences, hotels, resorts, and health clubs. Spas and hot tubs are found in all types of climates.
In general, people tend to enjoy pools and spas more when the water is relatively warm and pleasant. In swimming pools, some people find 75-80° F. water to be refreshing; other people find 85-90° F. water to be more comfortable. In spas, the water is generally even warmer in the 100-105° F. range. Depending on the time of year and outside air temperature, it is often necessary to heat the pool and spa water to the desired temperature. Most if not all spas and hot tubs include heaters to increase the temperature of the water to higher levels. In swimming pools, heaters have been used to extend the usable season and even make the pool a year-round attraction.
Swimming pool and spa heaters come in basic configurations where water is pumped from the main body of water, filtered, and then heated before returning to the pool. The most common types of filters are sand, diatomaceous earth, and cartridge. The filtered water is routed through heating chambers in the heater before returning to the main body of water. The heater can burn propane or natural gas as an open flame, which is applied directly to the heating chamber to increase the water temperature. Electricity can also be used as an energy source to power a heating element placed in proximity to the heating chamber. The heating element transfers heat to the heating chamber, which in turn increases the temperature of the return water to the pool or spa. In another embodiment, the return water is routed through solar collectors to increase its temperature.
A common problem with conventional heating systems for swimming pools and spas is that the user must either keep the water at the desired temperature at all times, even when the pool is not in use, or the user must allow for the time needed to increase the water temperature to a comfortable level. Keeping the water at a continuous warm temperature increases operating costs, wastes energy, and unnecessarily consumes natural resources. On the other hand, the process of increasing the water temperature to a comfortable level when it comes time to use the pool can take a considerable amount of time. If the pool water is initially at a low temperature, say 50° F., it may take many hours, or an entire day, to raise the temperature to say 80° F., depending on the energy transfer capacity of the heater and volume of pool water. The pool user must plan ahead to have the pool ready to use at the intended time. The requirement to plan ahead limits the spontaneity and enjoyment factor associated with using the pool or spa. Many times the user foregoes the use of the pool because it takes too long to heat the water or requires too much preparation effort.

System and method of heating swimming pools and spas with steam


A system and method are disclosed which include providing a first layer of an image, the first layer including features of the image having locations within the first layer; and providing a second layer of the image, the second layer including data blocks corresponding to respective ones of the features; each data block being in a location in the second layer substantially corresponding to a location in the first layer of the feature corresponding to each data block, wherein a size and shape of the second layer substantially correspond to a size and shape of said first layer.

Recently, image compression standards such as JPEG2000/JPIP (See e.g. David Taubman's implementation of Kakadu, available on the Kakadu software web site: www.kakadusoftware.com) have been introduced to meet a demanding engineering goal: to enable very large images (i.e. giga-pixels in size) to be delivered incrementally or selectively from a server to a client over a low-bandwidth communication channel. When such images are being viewed at full resolution, only a limited region can fit on a client's graphical display at any given time; the new standards are geared toward selectively accessing such regions and only sending across the communication channel data that is relevant to the region. If this "region of interest" or ROI changes continuously, then a continuous dialogue between a client and server over a low-bandwidth channel can continue to keep the client's representation of the area inside the ROI accurate. Prior technologies are typically limited to the incremental and selective transmission of discretely sampled images. The present invention extends this representation and transmission model to include vector data, hyperlinks, and other spatially localized features.

Method for encoding and serving geospatial or other vector data as images


An emitter-coupled logic circuit includes a differential pair of transistors and an emitter follower output stage. A load inductor is connected to one of the differential transistors and a load resistor is connected to the other one of the differential transistors. The emitter follower output stage having an input node connected to the load resistor and an output node is connected to a constant current source formed by a current source transistor and an inductor which is AC-coupled to the load inductor by a mutual induction effect. The pull-up and pull-down delay times of the emitter coupled logic circuit can be reduced in a wide range from a light load to a heavy load.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit device in which an electronic circuit is formed on a semiconductor substrate or semi-insulated substrate and, more particularly, to an emitter-coupled logic (hereinafter referred to as "ECL") circuit operable at a high processing speed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows a typical example of a conventional ECL circuit used as an inverter, to which the present invention relates. In FIG. 1, the ECL circuit comprises a differential pair of transistors Q1 and Q2 whose emitters are connected together; load resistors R.sub.L connected to the collectors of the transistors Q1, Q2, respectively; a constant current source formed by a transistor Q3, a resistor R.sub.E and a first constant voltage source V.sub.CS1 ; a reference constant voltage source V.sub.REF ; and an emitter follower formed by transistors Q4, Q5 and a second constant voltage source V.sub.CS2. In addition, the transistor Q5 and the constant voltage source V.sub.CS2 may be replaced by a resistor.
With such a conventional ECL circuit (an inverter) as illustrated and described above, when the level of an input signal changes from high to low, the output transistor Q4 turns ON so that a load capacitance C.sub.L is charged, whereby the level of an output changes from a low to a high level (pull-up). On the other hand, when the input level changes from low to high, the transistor Q4 turns OFF while discharging electric charges accumulated in the load capacitance C.sub.L through an output resistance of the transistor Q5, thus the output level changes from a high to a low level (pull-down). Time required for the pulling-down is determined according to a time constant decided by a load capacitance and an output resistance. Therefore, the time period required for the pulling-down is longer than that required for the pulling-up, which is a disadvantage in this example of the conventional circuit. The larger the load capacitance, the more significant disadvantage occurs. FIG. 2 depicts a SPICE simulation result for an input/output voltage waveform where a bias current of the paired differential transistors Q1, Q2 is 3 mA, a load resistance is 160 .OMEGA. (hence a logical amplitude is 480 mV), a bias current of the emitter follower is 3 mA, a fan-in is 1, a fan-out is 1, and a load capacitance is 0.4 pF. As shown in FIG. 2., by using device parameters corresponding to those of the latest silicon bipolar transistors, there is obtained a simulation result including a pull-up delay time of 40 picoseconds (psec) and a pull-down delay time of 50 psec.
In the conventional ECL circuits, a pull-down delay time is restricted by the time constant determined by a load capacitance C.sub.L and an output resistance of the transistor Q5, so that it is disadvantageously longer than a pull-up delay time. The disadvantage is particularly significant in the case where the load capacitance is large. This is one of problems to be solved by the invention, in the conventional ECL circuits.

Emitter-coupled logic (ECL) circuit with an inductively coupled output stage for enhanced operating speed


A wireless mobile device is configured to set up communications via wireless links with wireless base stations of a cellular communication system and to obtain information indicative of shadow prices of said wireless base stations via wireless transmissions. Each of the wireless base stations has a corresponding shadow price. The wireless mobile device is configured to make a select one of the wireless base stations for a wireless link with the wireless mobile device based on the information indicative of the shadow prices.

1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to cellular communication apparatus and methods for supporting voice communications.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Some wireless communication systems support spread spectrum communication formats such as code division multiplex access.
FIG. 1 shows a portion of a wireless cellular communication system 10 that supports spread spectrum communication formats. The shown portion of the wireless cellular communication system 10 includes cells 12, 13, 14, 15. The cells 12-15 provide coverage for wireless voice communications from and to a contiguous spatial region that preferably does not have large coverage holes.
Each cell 12-15 includes an associated wireless base station 20, 21, 22, 23. Each wireless base station 20-23 maintains a wireless link with wireless mobile devices 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 located in the associated cell 12-15. In particular, each wireless base station 20-23 generates a pilot beam that enables the wireless mobile devices 28-40 in the associated cell 12-15 to set up the wireless link with the wireless base station 20-23 of the same cell 12-15. Each wireless base station 20-23 provides a communication link between the wireless mobile devices 28-40 in the associated cell 20-23 and a standard communication network such as the public telephone network.
In the wireless communication system 10, very different numbers of wireless mobile devices 28-40 may be located in different ones of the cells 12-15. For that reason, the different cells 12-15 may support very different amounts of wireless communication traffic. In spread spectrum systems, the amount of communication traffic strongly correlates to the amount of interference experienced by the wireless mobile devices 28-40. For that reason, it has often been desirable to balance communication loads between neighboring cells. Since spatial distributions of the wireless mobile devices 28-40 often changed over short time periods, it was also preferable to perform such balancing of cell loads dynamically.
One method for dynamical balancing of cell loads is based on cell breathing. Cell breathing involves dynamically changing the sizes of the cells 12-15 of the cellular communication system 10. Such cell breathing is implemented by changing powers of pilot beams of the cells 12-15, i.e., to shrink or expand selected ones of the cells 12-15. By appropriately varying the powers of pilot beams in neighboring cells 12-15, cell boundaries can be displaced in a manner that reduces differences in wireless communication traffic between the various cells 12-15.
FIG. 2 illustrates the effect of a cell-breathing transformation on the portion of the wireless communication system 10 shown in FIG. 1. The cell-breathing transformation has shrunk the cell 13 in response to that cell 13 having a relatively heavier traffic load in the state of FIG. 1 and has expanded cell 14 in response to that cell 14 having a relatively lighter traffic load in the state of FIG. 1. The cell breathing has reduced the traffic load imbalance by moving cell-boundaries so that wireless mobile devices 34-35 were displaced from the cell 13 with the heavier initial traffic load to the neighboring cell 14 with the lighter initial traffic load.
While such cell-breathing transformations can aid to reduce load imbalances between the cells of the wireless communication system, cell breathing often produces coverage holes. In particular, a cell-breathing transformation usually involves reconfiguring wireless hardware devices such as transmitters of pilot beams. Due to geometric and/or physical constraints, such hardware reconfigurations often produce new spatial cells that incompletely cover the initial coverage region for the wireless communication system. For example, the cell-breathing transformation produced the state of FIG. 2, which includes two large coverage holes 42, 43. Due to geometric and/or physical constraints, none of the pilot beams of adjacent cell 12-15 serves the coverage holes 42, 43.
By generating such coverage holes, cell-breathing transformations can produce situations where some wireless mobile devices 30, 33 are not served by any of the neighboring cells. This deficiency of cell breathing is obviously undesirable in a cellular communication system.

Power load balancing in cellular networks employing shadow prices of base stations


A method of forming a hemispherical grained silicon layer includes the step of forming a first amorphous silicon layer on an integrated circuit substrate by exposing the integrated circuit substrate to a first atmosphere including a silicon source gas and an anti-nucleation gas. A hemispherical grained silicon layer is formed on the amorphous silicon layer opposite the substrate. The anti-nucleation gas can be nitrogen oxide or oxygen.

As dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices become more highly integrated, the memory cells therein become smaller. More particularly, a smaller area is available for each memory cell capacitor. Because the capacitance of a capacitor is directly proportional to the surface area of the electrodes of the capacitor, there exists a need to obtain increased capacitance from capacitors occupying smaller portions of the substrate.
In a dynamic random access memory device, the operation of a memory cell improves as the capacitance of the memory cell capacitor increases. As discussed above, the memory cell capacitance is proportional to the surface area of the storage electrode. Accordingly, the surface area of the storage electrodes should be increased to increase the capacitance of the memory cell capacitor and thus the performance of the memory cell.
Storage electrode surface areas have been increased by forming storage electrodes having three-dimensional structures. For example, cylindrical and fin type storage electrode structures have been proposed. Methods for forming storage electrodes having three-dimensional structures, however, may be complex, and undesirable step differences may be produced between a cell array region and a periphery region. These step differences may be sufficiently large that photolithographically formed patterns may have reduced resolution.
Storage electrode surface areas have also been increased by forming a hemispherical grain (HSG) silicon layer on the surface of the storage electrode. Steps of a method for forming a hemispherical grained silicon layer on a storage electrode according to the prior art are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. In a dynamic random access memory device, a memory cell access transistor is formed on a semiconductor substrate 1. An insulating layer 3 is then formed on the semiconductor substrate 1 and the memory cell access transistor. Moreover, a contact hole is formed through the insulating layer 3 using photolithographic and etch steps to expose a source/drain region of the memory cell access transistor in the substrate 1.
The exposed surface portions of the semiconductor substrate 1 may have a crystal structure different than that of the bulk region of the semiconductor substrate 1 as well as a higher bonding energy due to damage caused during the etch step. In particular, a dry etch step and a wet etch step may damage the exposed portion of the substrate and impurities may be absorbed from the air.
An amorphous silicon layer is formed on the insulating layer 3 wherein the amorphous silicon layer fills the contact hole. The amorphous silicon layer can be formed by reacting a silicon source gas such as silane (SiH.sub.4) or disilane (Si.sub.2 H.sub.6) with a dopant gas such as phosphine (PH.sub.3) at a temperature in the range of 480.degree. C. to 550.degree. C. At an initial stage of forming the amorphous silicon layer, a plurality of silicon nuclei may be formed at the bottom of the contact hole as indicated by the reference character A of FIG. 1. These silicon nuclei may result because the bonding energy of the surface of the semiconductor substrate 1 exposed through the contact hole may be high. The amorphous silicon layer is then patterned to provide a capacitor storage electrode 5 on the insulating layer 3 and in the contact hole. Accordingly, the capacitor storage electrode 5 is coupled to the source/drain region of the memory cell access transistor.
The structure including the capacitor storage electrode 5 is then loaded into a sealed chamber or furnace. This structure is heat processed at a temperature in the range of 600.degree. C. to 620.degree. C. and a silicon source gas is injected to form silicon nuclei on the amorphous storage electrode 5. The structure is then annealed without injecting the silicon source gas to grow the silicon nuclei thereby forming a hemispherical grained (HSG) polysilicon layer 7. This HSG polysilicon layer 7 thus increases the surface area of the amorphous silicon capacitor storage electrode 5.
The silicon nuclei formed at the bottom of the amorphous silicon lo layer adjacent the semiconductor substrate 1, however, may grow so that crystallization occurs through the amorphous silicon up to the surface of the capacitor storage electrode 5 as indicated by reference B of FIG. 2. The HSG polysilicon layer 7, however, may form only on amorphous portions of the capacitor storage electrode 5. In other words, the HSG polysilicon layer 7 may is not sufficiently form on the silicon grains B of FIG. 2 because the bonding energy of the silicon atoms within the silicon grains B may be so high that the silicon nuclei are not formed thereon. Even if silicon nuclei are formed on the silicon grains B, the silicon atoms within the silicon grains B may not migrate sufficiently so that the silicon nuclei do not grow normally.
Because the HSG polysilicon layer may not form uniformly across the storage electrode, the surface area of the storage electrode may not be sufficiently increased. Accordingly, there continues to exist a need in the art for improved methods of forming hemispherical grained silicon layers.

Methods of forming hemispherical grained silicon layers including anti-nucleation gases


In a respirator having an inspiration gas flow controlled by the expiration gas flow, in order to avoid triggering difficulties, particularly in the neonatal respiration therapy, the respirator is controlled such that a continuous gas flow flows through the inspiration and expiration lines. The gas flow is measured in the inspiration line by a gas flow sensor. The measured signal from the gas flow sensor is used to control a valve in the inspiration line, or a common line connected to the inspiration and expiration lines so that a constant gas flow is maintained in the expiration line.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a respirator of the type having an inspiration gas flow which is controlled by the expiration gas flow.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A respirator of the type described above is described in the Training Manual for the Servo Ventilator 900 C, manufactured by Siemens. Various respiration modes can be set using this ventilator. One of these modes is spontaneous respiration with continuous positive aspiration airway pressure (CPAP). CPAP is particularly used in neonatal respiratory care. Initiation of the inspiration phase in this mode is triggered by the patient when, for example given an inhalation attempt by the patient, the pressure in the expiration line falls below an adjustable level. The inspiration valve then opens and breathing ensues without further assistance by the ventilator, i.e., the patient controls, among other things, the breathing rate and the tidal volume. The inspiration is ended, and expiration is initiated, in a similar manner dependent on certain parameters. During the entire time, the expiration valve regulates the expiration pressure to a set PEEP (positive end-expiratory pressure) value, so that a continuous, positive respiratory path pressure is maintained.
Instead of pressure-dependent triggering, it is also known to trigger the ventilator given defined changes in the gas flow.
When providing respiratory therapy to infants and, in particular, premature babies, such triggering may be difficult under certain circumstances. Given pressure-controlled triggering, the infant must first produce a certain under-pressure before the ventilator starts a new inspiration phase. This necessary exertion can complicate the treatment of such infants. Additionally, disturbing delays can arise when switching a respirator of the type described above from the expiration phase to inspiration phase, because the gas column which is present in the gas lines between patient and the ventilator has a certain inertia, which must be overcome. An undesired time thus passes until fresh respiratory gas proceeds from the inspiration line to the airways and lungs of the patient when switching from the expiration phase to the inspiration phase.

Respirator having an inspiration gas flow controlled by the expiration gas flow


A LED package comprises an LED chip, a reflective structure which encloses the LED chip, a wavelength conversion structure placed on the LED chip, and an absorbing structure which encloses or is placed on the reflective structure.

LED is a light-emitting device that uses semiconductor as its material. The mechanism for LED to emit light is based on the recombination of electrons and holes in the semiconductor materials. Currently, applying LED to infrared sensing device is a rising business trend to the market. The SMD (Surface Mounted Device) LED has some advantages such as light weight and small volume, so that it is suitable for small sensing device.
However, comparing to the small size sensing device, for example, the sensing device arranged inside the mobile phone, the whole package size of the SMD LED is still too large, so that there is still a limit for applying SMD LED into the small size sensing device. In addition, although the environmental light can be reduced by covering the absorbing material to the LED package, the light efficiency of the LED package is still decreased. As a result, the location of the object can't be detected by the sensing device successfully.


In the modular exponentiation calculation apparatus of the present invention, a computer calculates a modular exponentiation C=M .sup.E modN (M,N: integral number, E: exponent expressed in base m, C: calculation result expressed in base b). A table generation section calculates values of M.sup.j .cndot. b.sup.i modN (b,n,m: constant, j=1,2, . . . , m-1, i=0,1, . . . , n-1) and generates a table having (m-1)-columns and n-rows in which the calculation values are stored as corresponding elements. A first calculation section calculates a multiplication sum ##EQU1## (Ci: value of each digit of C, ej: non-zero value of j-th digit of E, M.sup.ej .cndot. b.sup.i modN: row elements of ej-column of the table) as updated C. A second calculation section calculates C.sup.m modN for the updated C. A control section controls the first calculation section and the second calculation section to repeat the calculation for each non-zero value of each digit of E from MSB to LSB by unit of digit.

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a modular exponentiation calculation apparatus and method for quickly calculating the modular exponentiation in the technical region of data transmission and data processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
In case of transmitting data, it is necessary to encipher the data. In this case, a modular exponentiation calculation is well known as a public key method as follows. EQU C=M.sup.E modN
In the above equation, M is a plain text to be enciphered, N and E are encryption keys, and C is an encryption result (M,E,N: integral number). "mode N" represents an operation to compute the remainder of the division operation, M.sup.E /N. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of data transmission system including an encryption section (transmission side) and a decryption section (receiving side). When the plain text M is inputted, the encryption section enciphers M according to the encryption keys N,E and transmits the encryption result C to the decryption section. The decryption section deciphers the encryption result C according to decryption key N, D=f(E) and outputs the plain text (decryption result) M. In this case, a large number of bits of N is necessary in order to keep a secret of the plain text M. For example, in trade cipher, 512 bits or 1024 bits as length of N is used. As a result, calculation quantity of the modular exponentiation increases heavily and a method to fastly calculate the modular exponentiation is necessary. In case of calculating the modular exponentiation, the modular exponentiation calculation is expanded as a series of modular multiplications. In various kinds of expansion method, a base m calculation method as excellent expansion method is well known. FIG. 2 is a flow chart of processing of base m modular exponentiation calculation method according to the prior art. Assumed that modular exponent E is expanded in base m as follows. ##EQU2##
In the above equation, ej represents each digit of E so that (0.ltoreq.e.sub.j .ltoreq.m-1). After the plain text M and the encryption keys N,E are inputted (S21), M, M .sup.2 modN, M.sup.3 modN, . . . , M.sup.m-1 mod N are calculated and stored in memory A.sub.1, A.sub.2, A.sub.3, . . . , A.sub.m-1 respectively (S22). Parameter (j) is initialized as (1-1) and variable (c) is initialized as 1 (S23). Then, modular exponent E is scanned from MSB (most-significant-digit) to LSB (least-significant-digit) by unit of digit. The following calculation is repeated according to value of each digit ej (S24). EQU C.rarw.C.times.A.sub.ej modN (A.sub.ej : M e.sub.j modN) (S25) (1) EQU C.rarw.C.sup.m modN (S27) (2)
In this place, when LSB (e.sub.o) is scanned, the above calculation (2) is not executed (S26).
The above calculation (1) consists of multiplication and division. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a calculation circuit for the above calculation (1). In the calculation circuit, calculation quantity of the multiplication is same as that of the division. Therefore, in order to execute the above calculation (1), two times of calculation quantity of the multiplication is necessary.
In this place, in repeat loop of the flow chart in FIG. 2, M and N are constants and do not change in the loop. Therefore, M, M.sup.2 modN, M .sup.3 modN, . . . , M.sup.m-1 modN are also constants. Therefore, the above calculation (1) is exponentiation which variable C is multiplied by constant and divided by N. This is called multiplication with a constant multiplier. Therefore, in comparison with prior method using multiplication and division, new calculation method to reduce the processing time has been considered. For example, in case of "m=2" or binary in the above calculation, the exponentiation is executed using the minimum amount of memory. As for binary, the multiplication with constant multiplication as calculation quantity of one time of multiplication is disclosed in reference (Shin-ichi Kawamura, Kyoko Takabayashi, and Atsushi Shimbo: "A fast modular exponentiation algorism", IEICE Trans.. Vol. E74, No. 8, pp. 2136-2143, August 1991). In the above reference, in case of "m=2", the multiplication with constant multiplier is executed by calculation quantity of one time of multiplication. However, in case of "m>2", it is not possible to quickly calculate the multiplication with constant multiplier.

Modular exponentiation calculation apparatus and method


There is provided a relay apparatus configured to relay data transmitted and received between a plurality of devices, the relay apparatus includes an input unit configured to receive inputting of device group information, a first device and a second device being registered in the device group information, data transmission and reception between the first device and the second device being allowed, a setting unit configured to detect devices connected to respective communication ports of the relay apparatus and to register, in port group information, information associated with the communication ports respectively connected to the first device and the second device when the first device and the second device are connected to the relay apparatus, and a communication control unit configured to enable transmission and reception of data between the communication ports registered in the port group information.

Fibre Channel (hereinafter referred to as FC) is a typical communication protocol used in a Storage Area Network (SAN) system in which a storage apparatus is connected to a computer serving as a server apparatus or the like. In SAN systems using FC, an FC switch is generally used to connect a server apparatus to a storage apparatus.
Port zoning is known as a technique to control the FC switch in terms of accessing. In this technique, ports of the FC switch are grouped in units of zones, and accessing is allowed only between ports included in each zone. The port zoning technique provides an advantage that setting is allowed without depending on connected devices.
In an example of an FC switch using the port zoning technique, physical ports on a side of storage apparatuses are virtually grouped, and physical ports in a group in an access path are switched depending on a load on the FC switch.
A technique to automatically correct a wrong connection in a switch is known. For example, in an optical switch having two inputs and two outputs, when a receiving unit has a received signal level lower than a particular value or when synchronization of a received signal is unstable, the switching is performed in a manner inverted from the initial manner.
Descriptions of related techniques may be found, for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-330762, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2007-304896, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-51750, etc.

Relay apparatus, storage system, and method of controlling relay apparatus


A multiple configuration toy vehicle includes an elongated chassis supported by a plurality of wheels. A rear support is pivotally secured to the rear of the chassis. A creature includes a center body, a rear body and head. The head and rear body are pivotally secured to the center body. The rear body is removably securable to the rear support and includes foldable wings which open as the rear body pivots with respect to the center body.

Perhaps one of the most interesting types of toys to emerge in recent years is the style of toys often referred to as "transformers" or "transformable" toys. While the designs and appearances of such toys vary substantially, generally all provide a toy figure comprised of a plurality of multiply articulated members and appendages usually formed of a molded plastic material or the like. The articulated members are pivotable and movable in various often complex paths and orientations to provide the toys with the capability of being configurable into a plurality of relative positions. The combination of different relative positions provide different appearance and character to the toy. In the majority of such toys, the multiply articulated elements are further enhanced with dramatic aesthetic elements to further enhance this duality of appearance. Thus, typical multiple configuration toys provide toy cars or truck vehicles which configure to form robots or the like. Similarly, such toy vehicles often form cars or trucks which are configurable to appear as exaggerated monsters or other creatures.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,680 issued to Malewicki, et al. sets forth a TRAILERABLE ROBOT FOR CRUSHING VEHICLES in which a mechanical robot having hydraulically operated arms, mandible claws, neck, head and jaw resembles a giant prehistoric reptile. The reptile is capable of picking up and crushing small toy vehicles and is capable of folding into a rigid structure being attached to a trailer tractor for road hauling on its wheels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,599,078 issued to Obara sets forth a TRANSFORMABLE TOY ASSEMBLY in which a toy truck vehicle includes a trailer and tractor having a typical vehicle appearance. The toy is formed of a plurality of articulated members which are transformable by rearrangement of the articulated elements to appear in corresponding to a stylized robot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,948 issued to Obara sets forth a RECONFIGURABLE TOY ASSEMBLY having a toy vehicle truck assembly including foldable portion which allow the toy assembly to simulate both a combination tractor and trailer unit of conventional appearance and a highly stylized robotic humanoid form. The trailer unit is reversibly configurable into a play space for the robotic humanoid.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,610,639 issued to Piazza sets forth a SIMULATED FLYING CREATURE WITH FLAPPABLE WINGS having a one piece member supporting a pair of reciprocating wings. A plurality of legs formed on the creature are configured to assist the grasping of the creature during play. The articulated wings are coupled to the body such that finger pressure upon an actuating member causes the wings to flap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,748 issued to VanRuymbeke sets forth a FLYING TOY capable of moving through the air by flapping its wings. The toy includes a body upon which a pair of wings are pivotally secured. A rubber band drive mechanism and winding assembly are supported within the toy body and operatively coupled to the flapping wings such that energy may be stored within the rubber band and drive the wings in a flapping motion to provide flight by the toy.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have enjoyed some measures of success and popularity, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore improved and entertaining and amusing multiple configuration toys.


An input circuit for an input component is disclosed for enabling the safe reading of input signals applied to the input component. The disclosed input circuit for an input component, particularly a bus input component, enables the safe reading of input signals applied to the input component, particularly according to the standards Category 4 DIN EN 954 and SIL 3 IEC 61508, which is characterized by at least one signal input circuit with a one-channel periphery connection for the connection of at least one signal generator, an evaluation circuit, which can be connected electrically to the signal input circuit via a first coupling element, and a comparison circuit, which is connected electrically to the signal input circuit, for setting a reference voltage for the activation and deactivation of the coupling element.

Reading data from a process environment, such as, for example, from a field, via input signals that are provided by appropriately arranged signal generators, that is particularly by switches [and] sensors, puts demands on the requirements for error recognition and the failure behavior of a circuit constructed for this purpose as well as of the periphery.
Particularly in the case of safety-relevant data in the field of safety technology, these requirements must meet, for example, the standards according to DIN EN 954-1 or according to IEC 61508. To satisfy such requirements, complex, conventionally two-channel, structures of the input circuit are required, which entails high cost for producing the circuit and for providing the circuits for the periphery, that is, particularly with respect to the wiring to the signal generator, for example, to a safety switch. Such circuits consequently have a very complex structure and as a result are also cost intensive. Due to the increased need for component elements, these circuits are additionally also disadvantageous with regard to their availability.

Safe input circuit with one-channel peripheral connection for the input of a bus participant


A semiconductor device has a substrate including a base substrate material and a plurality of conductive vias formed partially though the substrate. A plurality of semiconductor die including a base semiconductor material is disposed over the substrate. A ratio of an encapsulant to a quantity of the semiconductor die is determined for providing structural support for the semiconductor die. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die and substrate. An amount of the encapsulant is selected based on the determined ratio or based on a total amount of the base substrate material and base semiconductor material. Channels are formed in the encapsulant by removing a portion of the encapsulant in a peripheral region of the semiconductor die. Alternatively, a side surface of the semiconductor die is partially exposed with respect to the encapsulant. A portion of the base substrate material is removed to expose the conductive vias.

Semiconductor devices are commonly found in modern electronic products. Semiconductor devices vary in the number and density of electrical components. Discrete semiconductor devices generally contain one type of electrical component, e.g., light emitting diode (LED), small signal transistor, resistor, capacitor, inductor, and power metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET). Integrated semiconductor devices typically contain hundreds to millions of electrical components. Examples of integrated semiconductor devices include microcontrollers, microprocessors, charged-coupled devices (CCDs), solar cells, and digital micro-mirror devices (DMDs).
Semiconductor devices perform a wide range of functions such as signal processing, high-speed calculations, transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals, controlling electronic devices, transforming sunlight to electricity, and creating visual projections for television displays. Semiconductor devices are found in the fields of entertainment, communications, power conversion, networks, computers, and consumer products. Semiconductor devices are also found in military applications, aviation, automotive, industrial controllers, and office equipment.
Semiconductor devices exploit the electrical properties of semiconductor materials. The structure of semiconductor material allows the semiconductor material's electrical conductivity to be manipulated by the application of an electric field or base current or through the process of doping. Doping introduces impurities into the semiconductor material to manipulate and control the conductivity of the semiconductor device.
A semiconductor device contains active and passive electrical structures. Active structures, including bipolar and field effect transistors, control the flow of electrical current. By varying levels of doping and application of an electric field or base current, the transistor either promotes or restricts the flow of electrical current. Passive structures, including resistors, capacitors, and inductors, create a relationship between voltage and current necessary to perform a variety of electrical functions. The passive and active structures are electrically connected to form circuits, which enable the semiconductor device to perform high-speed operations and other useful functions.
Semiconductor devices are generally manufactured using two complex manufacturing processes, i.e., front-end manufacturing, and back-end manufacturing, each involving potentially hundreds of steps. Front-end manufacturing involves the formation of a plurality of die on the surface of a semiconductor wafer. Each semiconductor die is typically identical and contains circuits formed by electrically connecting active and passive components. Back-end manufacturing involves singulating individual semiconductor die from the finished wafer and packaging the die to provide structural support and environmental isolation. The term "semiconductor die" as used herein refers to both the singular and plural form of the words, and accordingly, can refer to both a single semiconductor device and multiple semiconductor devices.
One goal of semiconductor manufacturing is to produce smaller semiconductor devices. Smaller devices typically consume less power, have higher performance, and can be produced more efficiently. In addition, smaller semiconductor devices have a smaller footprint, which is desirable for smaller end products. A smaller semiconductor die size can be achieved by improvements in the front-end process resulting in semiconductor die with smaller, higher density active and passive components. Back-end processes may result in semiconductor device packages with a smaller footprint by improvements in electrical interconnection and packaging materials.
Another goal of semiconductor manufacturing is to reduce cost and increase yield. Conventional semiconductor devices often contain semiconductor die mounted to semiconductor substrates. One type of semiconductor substrates contains conductive through silicon vias (TSV). A plurality of vias is formed through the semiconductor wafer. The vias are filled with conductive material to form the conductive TSV. To produce thinner semiconductor devices, thinner semiconductor die or thinner substrates may be used. A significant portion of semiconductor packaging costs are related to the costs associated with handling and processing thin semiconductor substrates. Temporary bonding of a substrate to a carrier for processing and debonding from the carrier is an expensive process, which increases the cost of the semiconductor device. Bonding and debonding to a temporary carrier adds steps to the manufacturing process and increases manufacturing time and cost.
Another source of decreased yield and increased manufacturing cost for semiconductor devices is excessive warpage. An encapsulant is deposited over the semiconductor die and substrate. The substrate and encapsulant are known to warp under thermal and mechanical stress. Warpage of the semiconductor device may result in misalignment of the interconnect structures used to connect the semiconductor die and substrate. Warpage can cause joint defects or failures and reduce reliability of the electrical connections across the semiconductor device. Warpage of the semiconductor device also reduces manufacturing yield and leads to increased cost.

Semiconductor device and method of reducing warpage using a silicon to encapsulant ratio


A first interlayer dielectric is formed on a semiconductor substrate. A contact pad is formed to contact the substrate through the first interlayer dielectric. A bitline is formed on the first interlayer dielectric not to contact the contact pad. A second interlayer dielectric is formed and planarized to expose the top of the bitline. A protective layer is formed an entire surface of the resultant structure. A sacrificial layer is formed on the protective layer. The sacrificial layer, the protective layer, and the second interlayer dielectric are patterned between two adjacent bitlines to form a bottom electrode contact hole exposing the contact pad. A conductive layer is formed and planarized to form a bottom electrode contact plug filling the bottom electrode contact hole.

Semiconductor devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM) devices, may include memory cells each having one transistor and one capacitor. Since DRAM devices may not retain information stored in memory cells if power is not continuously applied, these cells may be read and refreshed at periodic intervals. DRAM devices may provide a relatively low cost per bit of memory and a relatively high device density.
As semiconductor devices continually shrink in size, DRAM devices may encounter a variety of problems, such as soft errors and/or parasitic capacitance. Further, problems may arise in the fabrication of DRAM devices. For example, a width of a lower/bottom electrode may become smaller as the integration density of semiconductor devices increases. As the width of the lower/bottom electrode becomes smaller, the lower/bottom electrode may collapse during formation. When the lower/bottom electrode collapses, the resulting shock may form cracks in structures below the lower/bottom electrode. Since a cleaning solution may penetrate through the cracks, the lower structure may be damaged, which may thereby degrade reliability of the semiconductor devices.

Methods for forming DRAM devices including protective patterns and related devices


An image pickup frame is divided into a plurality of areas. A contrast at each area is measured. An area where a main subject is located is detected by comparing contrasts at areas. A distance to a subject in the area where the main subject is located is measured. With this range finding technique, even if a main subject is not located at the central area of an image pickup frame, an area where the main subject is located can be identified and range finding can be performed only for that area.

a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a range finder for measuring a distance to a subject by focusing light beams propagated via different optical paths from the subject on a pair of photosensor arrays, calculating a correlation factor between an image on one photosensor array and another image on the other photosensor array by shifting the images relative to each other, and using a shift amount providing the highest correlation factor for determining the distance.
b) Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 34A and 34B, an example of a TTL (through the lens) range finder of a phase difference detection type according to a conventional technique will be described. FIG. 34A shows the structure of the range finder, and FIG. 34B shows an example of a processor circuit. A focus point detector for use with cameras will be described by way of example.
Light beams from a subject to be taken are converged by a taking lens 201, and via a film equivalent plane 202, reach a condenser lens 203 and a separator lens 204. The separator lens 204 divides the incident light beams into two light beam groups which are focused on a standard line sensor 205 and a reference line sensor 206. An image of a subject along an optical axis 208 of the taking lens 201 is separated into two images by the separator lens 204 and focused on the line sensors 205 and 206.
The line sensor 205 has p light receiving elements, and is used as a standard so that it is called a standard line sensor. The other line sensor 206 has q light receiving elements larger than p, and is called a reference line sensor. Signals are read from p light receiving elements of the line sensor 206 while changing the signal read phase, and compared to signals read from the standard line sensor 205 to detect a phase difference.
Signals detected from the standard and reference line sensors 205 and 206 are supplied to a processor circuit 207. The processor circuit 207 calculates a correlation factor to be described later while changing the read phase of a signal to be detected from the reference line sensor 206, and detects an extreme value of correlation factors to detect an in-focus position.
Another method of measuring a distance to a subject has been proposed in which light beams from a subject are not received by a taking lens 201 but directly received by a pair of lenses having the same characteristics placed in front of a reference line sensor and a standard line sensor.
FIG. 34B shows an example of the structure of the processor circuit 207. Analog signals from the standard and reference line sensors 205 and 206 are supplied to an A/D converter 209 to convert the analog signals into digital signals. The digital signals are temporarily stored into a RAM 211 under the control of a CPU 210. The digital signals in RAM 211 are thereafter read, and CPU 210 performs a correlation factor calculation to detect an extreme value of correlation factors, and generates an output signal representing a distance to a subject.
In the focus point detector shown in FIGS. 34A and 34B, electric charges accumulated in the photosensor are directly converted into a voltage which forms an analog detection signal. This analog signal is converted into a digital signal and temporarily stored in RAM 211. Thereafter, it is read for the calculation of a correlation factor.
The above-described range finder measures a distance to a subject only for an image focused on the standard line sensor 205. Generally, only a central image in a frame is formed on the standard line sensor to measure a distance. Therefore, if a main subject is at a position shifted from the frame center, the main subject becomes out of focus.
As a method of eliminating this disadvantage, a range finder has been proposed as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication 3-67203, which can measure a distance to a subject not only at a frame central area but also at a frame peripheral area. This range finder has a standard line sensor longer than a conventional one to form a plurality of standard positions on the standard line sensor, to allow simultaneous measurements of a plurality of frame areas.
A conventional phase difference detection type range finder can measure a distance to a subject whose image is focused on the standard line sensor. Generally, the standard line sensor is designed so as to focus the image of a subject in the direction perpendicular to the line sensor surface. Therefore, this range finder mounted on a camera can measure the distance to a subject only at the frame central area.
If a main subject is at the position shifted from the frame central area, the distance to the main subject is measured by directing the camera toward the main subject, and thereafter the camera is directed to the original direction to depress the shutter.
The range finder disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication 3-67203 can measure the distance to a subject at the position shifted from the frame central area. However, this range finder cannot determine which area among a plurality of areas contains a main subject. As a result, the distance to the main subject cannot be calculated from information regarding a plurality of distances. In addition, since the areas capable of measuring distances are fixed, if a main subject is not in these fixed areas, the subject distance cannot be measured.
It is also necessary to provide correlation factor calculating circuits as many as the number of distance measuring areas. If a number of distance measuring areas are used, the circuits become complicated.
After electric charges accumulated in a photosensor are read and converted into a digital signal, there is no charge left in the photosensor. If a light amount is insufficient, it is necessary to apply light again to the photosensor to accumulate electric charges. In this case, a range finding time becomes long.

Variable target autofocusing and range finder for measuring distance to a subject


A touch sensor panel is disclosed. The touch sensor panel can include a first substrate layer; a first electrode layer comprising one or more of a touch electrode and a trace configured to couple the touch electrode to sense circuitry, the first electrode layer located on a first side of the first substrate layer; a second electrode layer located on the first side of the first substrate layer; a passivation layer disposed in between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer; and a third electrode layer located on a second side of the first substrate layer, different from the first side of the first substrate layer. The first electrode layer can be comprised of a first conductive material, the second electrode layer can be comprised of a second conductive material, and the third electrode layer can be comprised of a third conductive material. The touch sensor panel may not include a second substrate layer between the first substrate layer and the second electrode layer.

Many types of input devices are presently available for performing operations in a computing system, such as buttons or keys, mice, trackballs, joysticks, touch sensor panels, touch screens and the like. Touch screens, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular because of their ease and versatility of operation as well as their declining price. Touch screens can include a touch sensor panel, which can be a clear panel with a touch-sensitive surface, and a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) that can be positioned partially or fully behind the panel so that the touch-sensitive surface can cover at least a portion of the viewable area of the display device. Touch screens can allow a user to perform various functions by touching the touch sensor panel using a finger, stylus or other object at a location often dictated by a user interface (UI) being displayed by the display device. In general, touch screens can recognize a touch and the position of the touch on the touch sensor panel, and the computing system can then interpret the touch in accordance with the display appearing at the time of the touch, and thereafter can perform one or more actions based on the touch. In the case of some touch sensing systems, a physical touch on the display is not needed to detect a touch. For example, in some capacitive-type touch sensing systems, fringing electrical fields used to detect touch can extend beyond the surface of the display, and objects approaching near the surface may be detected near the surface without actually touching the surface.
Some capacitive touch sensor panels can be formed by a matrix of plates (e.g., touch electrodes) made of conductive materials (e.g., Indium Tin Oxide (ITO)) and coupled to routing traces made of a conductive material (e.g., copper). In some examples, plates and routing traces may be formed of the same conductive material. In some examples, a routing trace may comprise a first portion made of a first conductive material (e.g., ITO), and a second portion made of a second conductive material (e.g., copper), which in some examples may be overlaid onto the first conductive material. For instance, a first portion of a routing trace overlapping a viewable area of a display may be made of a transparent conductive material (e.g., ITO), such that the viewable area is visible through the first portion, while a second portion of the routing trace extending outside the viewable area may be made of an opaque conductive material (e.g., copper).
Some touch screens can be formed by at least partially integrating touch sensing circuitry into a display pixel stackup (i.e., the stacked material layers forming the display pixels). However, touch electrodes and routing traces can be susceptible to noise from above and/or below the touch sensor panel. For example, environmental noise, including capacitive coupling between objects above a touch sensor panel, such as human fingers, and routing traces, may interfere with proper operation of the touch sensor panel. Similarly, the display circuitry in a touch screen, which in some examples can be positioned below a touch sensor panel, may present noise that interferes with the ability of the touch sensor panel to detect changes in capacitance. It is desirable to shield touch electrodes and routing traces from noise from above and/or below the touch sensor panel. Some touch sensor panels accomplish this with a laminate including two layers of a substrate material (e.g., cyclo olefin polymer), with conductive materials applied to each of the two substrate layers. Fabricating a touch sensor panel using such a two-substrate structure can be costly and complex. Additionally, each substrate contributes to the thickness of the touch sensor panel. It is desirable to reduce the cost and complexity of fabricating touch sensor panels, and also to reduce the thickness of touch sensor panels, by eliminating the use of a substrate layer, or by substituting a substrate layer integrated in a display for a standalone substrate layer.

This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.

Touch sensor panel with top and/or bottom shielding