Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a protective layer between a window layer and an absorber layer, the protective layer inhibiting dissolving/intermixing of the window layer into the absorber layer during a device activation step, and methods of forming such photovoltaic devices.

Abstract: A metrology system for gauging and spatially mapping a semiconductor material on a substrate can be used in controlling deposition and thermal activation processes.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device including a protective layer between a window layer and an absorber layer, the protective layer inhibiting dissolving/intermixing of the window layer into the absorber layer during a device activation step, and methods of forming such photovoltaic devices.

Abstract: A metrology system for gauging and spatially mapping a semiconductor material on a substrate can be used in controlling deposition and thermal activation processes.

Abstract: A metrology system for gauging and spatially mapping a semiconductor material on a substrate can be used in controlling deposition and thermal activation processes.

Abstract: A metrology system for gauging and spatially mapping a semiconductor material on a substrate can be used in controlling deposition and thermal activation processes.

Abstract: A phase change memory including an ovonic threshold switch is formed using a pulsed direct current (DC) deposition chamber using pulsed DC. Pulsed DC is used to deposit a chalcogenide film. Pulsed DC may be also used to deposit a carbon film.

Abstract: A moving picture coding apparatus including an inter-pixel filter having the filters for filtering decoded image data so as to remove block distortion which is high frequency noise around block boundaries. The filters include a filter A114a, a filter B114b, a filter C114c, and a filter D114d; each having a different filtering strength. The coding apparatus also includes a filter processing control unit for determining a filtering strength of the inter-pixel filter.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a video coding method and a video decoding method which allow enhancement of coding efficiency and improvement in video quality. A video coding apparatus (100) includes: a mode determination unit (111) which determines a notification method for notifying a transform block size to be used in orthogonal transform of a current block to be either the implicit mode or the explicit mode, and outputs the ABT mode indicating the determined notification method; an orthogonal transformation unit (104) which transforms the difference values between the input image and predicted image into frequency coefficients based on the transform block size determined in accordance with the determined notification method; a quantization unit (105) which quantizes the frequency coefficients and output the quantized values; and a variable length coding unit (110) which performs variable length coding on the quantized values, the ABT mode, and the like, so as to output a coded stream.

Abstract: A joint assembly comprising a seal provided with a first retaining surface and a second retaining surface, a ball stud provided with a ball portion and a socket, wherein the socket is provided with a seal acceptor and a ball cooperating surface, wherein the ball portion of the ball stud is within the ball cooperating surface and a portion of the seal is within the seal acceptor, and a first and a second constricting element, wherein the first constricting element is held in place by the first retaining surface on the seal and the second constricting element is held in place by the second retaining surface on the seal.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.

Abstract: A picture information decoding method enables to switch a pixel precisions of a motion vector while compatibility with conventional standard is maintained and a delay occurred in parsing a picture parameter set is prevented, and it is judged whether or not a half_pixel_mv_flag indicating the pixel precision of the motion vector used for picture decoding is included as a last parameter in a plurality of parameters of a picture parameter set, and in the case where the half_pixel_mv_flag is included, the half_pixel_mv_flag is decoded.

Abstract: A decoding method according to the present invention is a method of decoding a variable length code to a Run symbol and a Level symbol. The Run symbol indicates the number of consecutive coefficients each having a value of zero. The Level symbol indicates a value of a non-zero coefficient following the Run symbol. The decoding method includes: decoding a variable length code to a code number; determining whether the code number obtained in the decoding belongs to a first range or a predetermined range; decoding the code number to a Run symbol and a Level symbol by referring to the table, when it is determined that the code number belongs to the first range; and decoding the code number to a Level symbol and then decoding a variable length code following the decoded variable length code to a Run symbol, without referring to the table, when it is determined that the code number belongs to the predetermined range.

Abstract: A joint assembly comprising a seal provided with a first retaining surface and a second retaining surface, a ball stud provided with a ball portion and a socket, wherein the socket is provided with a seal acceptor and a ball cooperating surface, wherein the ball portion of the ball stud is within the ball cooperating surface and a portion of the seal is within the seal acceptor, and a first and a second constricting element, wherein the first constricting element is held in place by the first retaining surface on the seal and the second constricting element is held in place by the second retaining surface on the seal.

Abstract: A picture encoding method of the present invention is a picture encoding method of predictively encoding an input picture with reference to pictures stored in a picture buffer, decoding the encoded input picture, judging whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for reference and whether or not the decoded picture is a picture for output which needs to be stored until its display time, and storing, in the picture buffer, the picture for reference and the picture for output based on the determination result.