Abstract: Disclosed is an O-phosphoserine sulfhydrylase (OPSS) mutant which has a Mycobacterium smegmatis-derived amino acid sequence corresponding to that of SEQ ID NO: 1 which is devoid of three to seven C-terminal amino acid residues. Also, a nucleic acid molecule encoding the OPSS mutant, an expression vector carrying the nucleic acid molecule, and a transformant transformed with the expression vector are disclosed. In addition, a method is provided for producing cysteine in which O-phospho-L-serine (OPS) is reacted with a sulfide in the presence of the OPSS mutant. The OPSS mutant has improved enzymatic activity and can be applied to the environmentally friendly production of L-cysteine through a simple enzymatic conversion reaction.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for the production of cysteine or derivates thereof by culturing a microorganism having reduced activity of endogenous phosphoserine phosphatase and the activity of PhnC, PhnD, and PhnE is reduced, and enhanced activity of phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase and/or phosphoserine aminotransferase. The O-phosphoserine produced by such an organism can then be reacted with a sulfide in the presence of a sulfydrylase or a microorganism expressing a sulfhydrylase to produce cysteine or a derivative thereof. Microorganisms having these reduced and enhanced properties noted above are also provided herein.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a reference voltage generation unit that generates a reference voltage that alternately decreases and increases at a constant rate in an operation mode of the image sensor to convert analog signals of detected incident light to a digital value using the reference voltage to determine an intensity of the incident light with high sensitivity and high signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: An analog to digital converter (ADC) can include a multi-input comparison unit configured to compare a pixel voltage from an image sensor, a comparison voltage comprising a stepped voltage modified during a coarse mode of operation, and a ramp voltage comprising a ramped voltage modified to one another during a fine mode of operation, to provide a comparison result signal that indicates whether the comparison voltage combined with the ramp voltage is greater than or less than the pixel voltage. A selection control signal generation unit can receive the comparison result signal and a mode control signal, to indicate the coarse or fine mode, to provide a selection control signal allowing modification of the comparison voltage in the coarse mode and to hold the comparison voltage constant in the fine mode. A reference voltage selection unit can receive the selection control signal to control modification of the comparison voltage.

Abstract: An example embodiment of an image sensor may include a controller and a plurality of up/down ripple counters. The controller may generate a first control signal and a second control signal. Each of the up/down ripple counters may perform a stop operation or a count operation in response to a corresponding one of a plurality of operation control signals generated based on at least in part on the first control signal. The count operation may be an up-count operation or a down-count operation based on the second control signal. The image sensor may also include a plurality of memory chains. Each of the memory chains may receive a count value output from the up/down counters and may shift the received count value in response to a third control signal and a fourth control signal output from the controller.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metal base package having a via structure that can provide via forming technology for a cheap 3D package and form a via having a high aspect ratio of various sizes is provided. The method of manufacturing a metal base package having a via structure includes: preparing a metal substrate; forming an oxidation prevention mask pattern in the prepared metal substrate; forming a metal oxide layer by oxidizing a metal substrate portion that is exposed between the oxidation prevention mask patterns in a predetermined depth; removing the oxidation prevention mask pattern; forming a via forming mask pattern on the metal substrate and the metal oxide layer; forming a via in the metal oxide layer by performing chemical etching; removing the via forming mask pattern; and forming a conducting layer with a conductive material at the inside of the formed via.

Abstract: A method of k*k subsampling, where k is an integer greater than one, a full frame readout on a plurality of pixels arranged in rows and columns, each pixel belonging to one of at least two sets, a first set configured to sense a first value of an image parameter and a second set configured to sense a second value of the image parameter, the method including sampling signals of k pixels of at least one set in a first row to output subsampled signals, converting the subsampled signals into digital signals having a lower resolution than the full frame readout, repeating sampling and converting for k rows, and adding digital signals for the first to kth rows within the at least one set.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a WDM-PON optical transmitter; and, more particularly, to a system for controlling a driving current of the WDM-PON optical transmitter. The present disclosure provides a driving current control system of an optical transmitter for use in WDM-PON including a plurality of optical transmitters, each transmitter generating and transmitting a transmittance optical signal based on a driving current and an optical multiplexer/demultiplexer for combining the optical signals received from the plurality of the optical transmitters to output a combined optical signal through a single common terminal, wherein the driving current is controlled based on the combined optical signal outputted from the common terminal.

Abstract: A metal-based photonic device package module that is capable of greatly improving heat releasing efficiency and implementing a thin package is provided. The metal-based photonic device package module includes a metal substrate that is formed the shape of a plate, a metal oxide layer that is formed on the metal substrate to have a mounting cavity, a photonic device that is mounted in the mounting cavity of the metal oxide layer, and a reflecting plane that is formed at an inner surface of the mounting cavity of the metal oxide layer.

Abstract: A counter array and an image sensor including the same may be provided. The counter array may include a controller and a plurality of counter units. The controller may output an operation control signal and a direction indication signal. The counter units hold previous output values or may perform a counting operation in response to the operation control signal and may perform an up-count operation or a down-count operation in response to the direction indication signal when performing the counting operation.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a WDM-PON (wavelength division multiplexed-passive optical network) optical transmitter; and, more particularly, to a system for controlling driving current of the WDM-PON optical transmitter. The present disclosure provides a driving current control method of the optical transmitter for in use in the WDM-PON, including: setting an attenuation value of a variable optical attenuator to X; detecting an optical power Px received by a monitoring photo diode of the optical transmitter; setting an attenuation value of the variable optical attenuator to Y; detecting an optical power Py received by the monitoring photo diode of the optical transmitter; calculating an optical power Pout of an optical signal outputted from a common terminal of a 1×N optical multiplexer/demultiplexer based on the detected optical power Px and Py; and controlling a driving current based on the calculated optical power Pout.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a technology for allocating a Channel State Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in a wireless communication system. Embodiments of the present invention provides an apparatus and method for allocating CSI-RSs to resource areas, in which, under the condition of a subframe in which the CP is an extended CP, and the duplex scheme is TDD, if CSI-RSs for maximum 8 antenna ports are allocated, the CSI-RSs are allocated to the 8th and 9th symbols (symbol No. l=7 and 8), wherein each CSI-RS for every two antenna ports is allocated to the same RE while being discriminated from each other by an orthogonal code and neighbor CSI-RS allocated REs in the frequency axis are spaced by an interval of three REs.

Abstract: In a method of forming a pattern, a mold layer having an opening is formed on a substrate. A conductive layer is formed on the mold layer having the opening, the conductive layer having a substantially uniform thickness. A buffer layer pattern is formed in the opening having the conductive layer, the buffer layer pattern having a cross-linked structure of water-soluble copolymers including a repeating unit of N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone and a repeating unit of acrylate. An upper portion of the conductive layer exposed over the buffer layer pattern is etched. Accordingly, a conductive pattern for a semiconductor device is formed on the substrate. The method of forming a pattern may simplify manufacturing processes for a capacitor and a semiconductor device, and may improve their efficiencies.

Abstract: A method includes: determining a CS parameter which implicitly indicates an orthogonality allocation rule and orthogonality-related information, by determining a multiple access state of one or more User Equipments (UEs), and transmitting the determined CS parameter to the one or more UEs, wherein the orthogonality-related information comprises an Orthogonal Cover Code (OCC) indicated by the CS parameter, the orthogonality allocation rule is determined as a uniform scheme or a non-uniform scheme according to a set with at least one element to which the CS parameter belongs, if the non-uniform scheme is applied as the orthogonality rule, determining the at least one element as the CS parameter of the UE if the UE is in an SU-MIMO (Single User Multiple Input Multiple Output) state, and if the uniform scheme is applied as the orthogonality rule, determining the at least one element as the CS parameter of the UE if the UE is in an MU-MIMO (Multiple User Multiple Input Multiple Output) state.

Abstract: In a wireless communication system, a base station, a resource allocation device and method, a user equipment, a resource allocation reception device and method that utilize encoding and decoding techniques for transmitting through communication systems with uplinks and downlinks, the resource allocation information used to share transmission resources in a wireless communication system.

Abstract: Provided is a three-dimensional aluminum package module including: an aluminum substrate; an aluminum oxide layer formed on the aluminum substrate and having at least one first opening of which sidewalls are perpendicular to an upper surface of the aluminum substrate; a semiconductor device mounted in the first opening using an adhesive; an organic layer covering the aluminum oxide layer and the semiconductor device; and a first interconnection line and a passive device circuit formed on the organic layer and the aluminum oxide layer.

Abstract: Semiconductor device fabrication equipment performs a PEOX (physical enhanced oxidation) process, and includes a remote plasma generator for cleaning a process chamber of the equipment. After a PEOX process has been preformed, a purging gas is supplied into the process chamber to purge the process chamber, and the remote plasma generator produces plasma using a first cleaning gas. Accordingly, a reactor of the remote plasma generator is cleaned by the first cleaning gas plasma. Subsequently, the purging gas is supplied to purge the process chamber, and the remote plasma generator produces plasma using a second cleaning gas to remove the first cleaning gas plasma from the remote plasma generator and the process chamber. Finally, full flush operations are performed to remove any gases remaining in the process chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of constructing an environmental map using sonar sensors. The method includes the steps of checking whether conflict cells have occurred using input sonar sensor data; if conflict cells have occurred, selecting incorrect data and eliminating the conflict cells using sound pressure comparison until the conflict cells do not occur any longer; and once the elimination has completed, preparing a grid map using a Maximum Approximated Likelihood (MAL) approach. Inconsistency in data occurs when multiple pieces of sensor data overlap each other, the conflict cells are cells that experience inconsistency over an entire arc region, and candidates for the incorrect sonar sensor data are obtained when the conflict cells occur.

Abstract: 2-cyclopenten-1-one oxime derivatives represented by Formula (I), or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof inhibit the production of TNF-? or PDE4, and therefore show therapeutic effect in inflammatory or immunological disorders mediated through TNF-? or PDE4.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the boost circuit includes a boost unit configured to perform a charge pumping operation based on a control signal. A controller is configured to control the boost unit such that the boost unit performs a lesser charge pumping operation from an initial time when power is supplied to the boost circuit until a desired time than after the desired time.