Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a polishing composition which allows high-speed polishing of a barrier film and an inter-layer dielectric film along with a wiring metal at the same time, while preventing dishing and erosion, and particularly maintaining the flatness of metal film. The chemical-mechanical polishing composition of the present invention comprises a dicarboxylic acid having 7 to 13 carbon atoms, an oxidizing agent, an abrasive and water.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing composition for polishing copper or copper alloy, comprising: an oxidizing agent (A); at least one acids (B) selected from amino acids, carboxylic acids of 8 or less carbon atoms, or inorganic acids; a sulfonic acid (C) having an alkyl group of 8 or more carbon atoms; a fatty acid (D) having an alkyl group of 8 or more carbon atoms; and an N-substituted imidazole (E) represented by the following general formula (1). (In the formula (1), Ra, Rb, and Rc represent H or an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and Rd represents a group selected from the group consisting of a benzyl group, a vinyl group, an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and a group in which a portion of H of these groups has been substituted with OH or NH2.

Abstract: A wide dynamic range image sensor method combines the response of high-gain sensing cells and low-gain sensing cells with better linearity than the prior art. A search is made in successive central regions within the response curve of the high-gain and low-gain cells to find a highest slope linear fit. This highest slope and the corresponding offset are used in mixing the high-gain and low-gain responses to achieve a wide dynamic range.

Abstract: The present invention provide a chemical-mechanical polishing composition for inhibiting dishing and erosion as well as rapidly polishing an insulating film and barrier film at the same time while maintaining the flatness of the substrate surface polished. The present chemical-mechanical polishing composition comprises methanesulfonic acid, an alkali metal ion, an oxidizing agent, a silica abrasive and water, and has a pH of 8 to 12.

Abstract: Methods for contrast enhancement of digital images are provided. A method of adaptive histogram equalization is provided that determines weighting factors for discriminating between sub-regions of a digital image to be more enhanced or less enhanced. Another method for content adaptive local histogram equalization is provided that uses a mapping function in which the dynamic range is not changed by the transformation. A third method for contrast enhancement is provided that includes dividing a digital image into a plurality of regions of pixels, and for each region in the plurality of regions, determining a threshold gray level for the region, generating a mapping curve for the region based on the threshold gray level, and applying the generated mapping curve to each pixel in the region to enhance contrast.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing composition for polishing copper or copper alloy, comprising: an oxidizing agent (A); at least one acids (B) selected from amino acids, carboxylic acids of 8 or less carbon atoms, or inorganic acids; a sulfonic acid (C) having an alkyl group of 8 or more carbon atoms; a fatty acid (D) having an alkyl group of 8 or more carbon atoms; and an N-substituted imidazole (E) represented by the following general formula (1). (In the formula (1), Ra, Rb, and Rc represent H or an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and Rd represents a group selected from the group consisting of a benzyl group, a vinyl group, an alkyl group of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and a group in which a portion of H of these groups has been substituted with OH or NH2.

Abstract: A wide dynamic range image sensor method combines the response of high-gain sensing cells and low-gain sensing cells with better linearity than the prior art. A search is made in successive central regions within the response curve of the high-gain and low-gain cells to find a highest slope linear fit. This highest slope and the corresponding offset are used in mixing the high-gain and low-gain responses to achieve a wide dynamic range.

Abstract: An intake VVT mechanism includes: link mechanisms and connected to an intake camshaft and operated to change a phase of an intake valve; and a control pin sliding on a guide plate along a guide groove to allow the link mechanism to operate; a control pin sliding on the guide plate along a guide groove to allow the link mechanism to operate. The control pin is detached from an end of the guide groove when the control pins and are moved in a direction allowing the phase to be retarded until the control pin abuts against an end of the guide groove.

Abstract: This invention is a method for speeding up block matching based motion estimation for video encoder. The invention 1) calculates statistics for a candidate motion vector for a predetermined fraction of the pixels of a macroblock, 2) makes an early decision based on this preliminary cost function, and 3) terminates the block matching process without calculating the cost function for other pixels if the preliminary cost function is not less than a predetermined threshold. This early decision for goodness estimation provides an economy of processing load when a large portion of data is left untouched (i.e. unprocessed). The present invention employs feedback control to reduce the predetermined threshold for quick convergence upon each detection of a better match.

Abstract: When electric power is obtained from a thermoelectric element, a value of electric current is changed, and two combinations of the electric current value and a voltage value (i1, V1) and (i2 and V2) are obtained. An electric current value it at which the maximum electric power Wmax can be obtained is obtained using an electric current-voltage characteristic estimated based on the obtained two combinations of the electric current value and the voltage value. The electric current is controlled such that the value of the electric current becomes equal to the obtained value it when the electric power is obtained from the thermoelectric element. The value it is represented by an equation, it=(i2V1?i1V2)/2(V1?V2).

Abstract: The mixing of high-gain and low-gain outputs of a wide dynamic range image sensor uses relationship parameter estimation according to linear regression; and the mixed output is adaptively filtered for noise gap reduction.

Abstract: A method of grinding the outer circumferential surface of a workpiece 5 formed of a hard and brittle material into a predetermined shape using a grinding wheel while rotating the workpiece 5 is disclosed. The method includes plunge grinding the workpiece 5 at an arbitrary portion (plunge ground portion 21) in the longitudinal direction of the workpiece 5 by causing the grinding wheel to come in contact with the workpiece 5 in a direction which intersects a rotational axis 8 of the workpiece 5, and traverse grinding the workpiece 5 toward the plunge ground portion 21 by moving the grinding wheel relative to the workpiece 5 in a direction parallel to the rotational axis 8 of the workpiece 5. This allows the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece made of a hard and brittle material, such as a honeycomb structure used for a DPF, to be ground into a predetermined shape in a short time, and prevents occurrence of chipping during grinding.

Abstract: The exhaust heat recovery system of the invention includes: a thermoelectric conversion element that generates electric energy by thermoelectric conversion using heat of exhaust gas discharged from an engine; and a heat pump including a heat recovery unit that absorbs the heat contained in the exhaust gas through an endothermic reaction using a heating medium, and a heat generation unit which generates heat through an exothermic reaction of the heating medium and which supplies the heat to the thermoelectric conversion element. With this configuration, the thermoelectric conversion element and the heat generation unit are movably attached to each other such that they can be placed in contact with and separated from each other, and the heat recovery unit is positioned in an exhaust gas passage in an exhaust gas downstream flow direction from the heat generation unit.

Abstract: The present invention provide a chemical-mechanical polishing composition for inhibiting dishing and erosion as well as rapidly polishing an insulating film and barrier film at the same time while maintaining the flatness of the substrate surface polished. The present chemical-mechanical polishing composition comprises methanesulfonic acid, an alkali metal ion, an oxidizing agent, a silica abrasive and water, and has a pH of 8 to 12.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a polishing composition which allows high-speed polishing of a barrier film and an inter-layer dielectric film along with a wiring metal at the same time, while preventing dishing and erosion, and particularly maintaining the flatness of metal film. The chemical-mechanical polishing composition of the present invention comprises a dicarboxylic acid having 7 to 13 carbon atoms, an oxidizing agent, an abrasive and water.

Abstract: As a polishing composition which allows high-speed polishing while dishing and erosion are prevented and the flatness of metal film is maintained, there is provided a polishing composition for polishing a metal film provided on a substrate having trenches such that the metal film fills the trenches, so as to provide a planarized surface, wherein the composition comprises water, a phosphate ester having a C?6 carbon atom alkyl group in its molecule, and an etchant for the metal, and has a pH of 5 to 11.

Abstract: An ECU executes a program including the steps of detecting the crank angle, advancing, at a crank angle at which the cam torque is exerted in the direction opposite to the rotational direction of an intake camshaft, the phase in which the intake valve is closed and retarding, at a crank angle at which the cam torque is exerted in the rotational direction of the intake camshaft, the phase in which the intake valve is closed.

Abstract: A method of grinding the outer circumferential surface of a workpiece 5 formed of a hard and brittle material into a predetermined shape using a grinding wheel while rotating the workpiece 5 is disclosed. The method includes plunge grinding the workpiece 5 at an arbitrary portion (plunge ground portion 21) in the longitudinal direction of the workpiece 5 by causing the grinding wheel to come in contact with the workpiece 5 in a direction which intersects a rotational axis 8 of the workpiece 5, and traverse grinding the workpiece 5 toward the plunge ground portion 21 by moving the grinding wheel relative to the workpiece 5 in a direction parallel to the rotational axis 8 of the workpiece 5. This allows the outer circumferential surface of the workpiece made of a hard and brittle material, such as a honeycomb structure used for a DPF, to be ground into a predetermined shape in a short time, and prevents occurrence of chipping during grinding.

Abstract: A method of variable length coding classifies each received symbol into one of a plurality of classifications having a corresponding variable length code table selected based upon a probability distribution of received symbols within the classification. The variable length codeword output corresponds to the received symbol according to the variable length code table corresponding to the classification of that received symbol. The plurality of classifications and the corresponding variable length code tables may be predetermined and fixed. Alternatively, the variable length code table may be dynamically determined with data transmitted from encoder to decoder specifying the variable length code tables and their configurations. Universal variable length code (UVLC) is used to code the symbols. Universal variable length code can instantiate to different variable length code tables with different parameters.

Abstract: A quantizer employs a scaled integral inverse ratio division for quantization of an input T by a quantization step Q. The quantizer forms an integral approximation q of 2r/Q by either trunc(2r/Q) or round(2r/Q). A multiplier multiplies the absolute value of T by the q. An adjustment factor is added alternatively to the absolute value of T prior to multiplication or to the product after multiplication. This adjustment factor minimizes errors near transition points in the quantization. This invention is applicable to both trunc(T/Q) and round(T/Q).