Abstract: A graphic rendering pipeline has a number of different rendering units and receives fragments for rendering. A renderer stated word cache is used to store rendering state data to be used to configure the rendering units when they render a fragment. Each rendering unit includes a functional block which carries out a rendering operation on a received fragment and a renderer state word interface that can be used to look up the required rendering state data from the renderer state word cache. Each fragment is provided to the rendering pipeline with fragment data that indicates, inter alia, a fragment index, a renderer state word index, and other fragment data that is necessary to render the fragment. When a rendering unit of the rendering pipeline receives a fragment to be rendered, it firstly uses the renderer state word index associated with the fragment to look-up, using its renderer state word interface, the relevant rendering state data from the renderer state word cache.

Abstract: A securities settlement system for settling trades in central depository systems is disclosed. The securities settlement system includes a credit line structure forming a tree structure with a number of levels with credit nodes. The securities settlement system also includes a control system for minimizing the transfer of cash between accounts by propagating cash obligations for each node in the tree structure to a highest common node.

Abstract: The image synthesis apparatus 10 includes an anti-aliasing processing circuit 11 for generating a foreground image having a reduced aliasing by blending the color information and blending the alpha information for each dot of the input foreground image, and an image synthesizing circuit 15 for synthesizing the color information of the foreground image having the reduced aliasing and the color information of the background image, using the alpha information of the foreground image having the reduced aliasing.

Abstract: An intake control device for an engine includes a throttle body that defines a throttle bore, which is substantially circular-shaped in cross section, through which intake air flows. A throttle valve is rotatably assembled in the throttle bore of the throttle body. The throttle valve rotates integrally with a shaft. One axial end of the shaft is connected to a rotary driver, so that the rotation angle of the throttle valve is changed via the shaft. The rotary driver defines a fitted hole, to which the one axial end of the shaft is clearance fitted. The rotary driver defines a fitting recess dented radially outward from the hole wall surface of the fitted hole. The one axial end of the shaft includes a coupling that is crimped and fixed to the rotary driver in the state of being fitted to the fitted hole.

Abstract: A device for recording a refractive index pattern in a photosensitive optical fiber includes a rotary disc formed with a phase mask in a circular pattern, which is rotated by an axis. The phase mask is illuminated with laser light in a region so that a moving interference pattern is formed. The optical fiber is moved along a path in synchronism with the moving interference pattern so that the pattern becomes recorded in the fiber. The pattern can be formed continuously over long fiber lengths, e.g., of the order of one meter.