Abstract: The present invention provides molybdenum and tungsten nanostructures, for example, nanosheets and nanoparticles, and methods of making and using same, including using such nanostructures as catlysts for hydrogen evolution reactions.

Abstract: An image processing method for processing an input image is provided. The image processing method includes: performing a plurality of first imaging processing operations on the input image to generate a first image; and performing a plurality of second imaging processing operations on the first image. Each of the first imaging processing operations is along a first direction, and the plurality of first imaging processing operations include a first scaling operation for increasing resolution. Each of the second imaging processing operations is along a second direction different from the first direction, and the plurality of second imaging processing operations include a second scaling operation for increasing resolution.

Abstract: An image processing circuit and a method thereof are provided herein. The image processing circuit has a first scaling circuit, one or more line buffers, a first sharpness circuit, a second scaling circuit, and a second sharpness circuit. The first scaling circuit enlarges an input image along a first direction to generate a first enlarged image. The one or more line buffers temporarily store the pixel values of a plurality of pixel rows of the first enlarged image. The first sharpness circuit vertically sharpens the first enlarged image to generate a first sharpened image. The second scaling circuit enlarges the first sharpened image along a second direction to generate a second enlarged image. The second sharpness circuit horizontally sharpens the second enlarged image to generate a second sharpened image. Accordingly, it is possible to use the one or more line buffers having shorter data lengths to perform the vertical sharpening.

Abstract: A tea pot is provided with a container having an upper reservoir, a lower reservoir, and an intermediate dividing member; a cavity formed with the dividing member and having an upper opening for communicating with the upper reservoir, and a lower opening for communicating with the lower reservoir; a receptacle in the upper reservoir and including a ball receiving well; a vent pipe partially positioned in the receptacle and having a passageway; a threaded recess extending outward from the cavity and being open to an outer surface of the container; a rotatable cylinder inserted through the recess into the cavity and including a hollow main body having surface openings; a nut secured to the recess; and a knob secured to the cylinder. Communication from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir through the openings of the main body can be open or closed by turning the knob.

Abstract: A container for storing food is provided with a receptacle including a bellows, a top opening, and external threads around the opening; and a lid including a skirt including internal threads secured to the external threads, a top bossed hole communicating with the bellows, and a top frame having an n-shaped section, the frame including an inner slot; an inlet valve in the bossed hole; a trigger assembly including a spring loaded piston in the frame, and a trigger formed with the piston; a sealing ring secured to an end of the piston distal the trigger; a cylinder for receipt of the sealing ring and a portion of the piston, an inlet port fitted on the bossed hole, and an outlet valve at an end distal the sealing ring; and a cover including a peripheral opening for receipt of the trigger.

Abstract: An image processing circuit and a method thereof are provided herein. The image processing circuit has a first scaling circuit, one or more line buffers, a first sharpness circuit, a second scaling circuit, and a second sharpness circuit. The first scaling circuit enlarges an input image along a first direction to generate a first enlarged image. The one or more line buffers temporarily store the pixel values of a plurality of pixel rows of the first enlarged image. The first sharpness circuit vertically sharpens the first enlarged image to generate a first sharpened image. The second scaling circuit enlarges the first sharpened image along a second direction to generate a second enlarged image. The second sharpness circuit horizontally sharpens the second enlarged image to generate a second sharpened image. Accordingly, it is possible to use the one or more line buffers having shorter data lengths to perform the vertical sharpening.

Abstract: An image processing circuit and a method thereof are provided herein. The image processing circuit has a first scaling circuit, a plurality of line buffers, a first sharpness circuit, a second scaling circuit, and a second sharpness circuit. The first scaling circuit enlarges an input image along a first direction to generate a first enlarged image. The line buffers temporarily store the pixel values of a plurality of pixel rows of the first enlarged image. The first sharpness circuit vertically sharpens the first enlarged image to generate a first sharpened image. The second scaling circuit enlarges the first sharpened image along a second direction to generate a second enlarged image. The second sharpness circuit horizontally sharpens the second enlarged image to generate a second sharpened image. Accordingly, it is possible to use the line buffers having shorter data lengths to perform the vertical sharpening.

Abstract: The present invention provides molybdenum and tungsten nanostructures, for example, nanosheets and nanoparticles, and methods of making and using same, including using such nanostructures as catlysts for hydrogen evolution reactions.

Abstract: A tea pot includes an upper container assembly comprising a releasable top, an open bottom, a beverage chamber, and a funnel in the beverage chamber; a check valve comprising a cylindrical seat comprising a bossed hole having a conical top surface, an opening spaced from the hole and being sealingly aligned with a stem of the funnel, and guide slots on an annular surface of the seat; a conical valve unit comprising a stepped-diameter tunnel, the valve unit being seated upon the seat; and a sliding assembly comprising a body, periphery tabs slidably received in the guide slots, and a top shaft including grooves, and a cylindrical top projection fasten in the tunnel wherein the shaft is slidably inserted into the hole in an assembled state; and a lower container assembly comprising releasable top and bottom, a lower ingredient chamber, and an intermediate strainer.

Abstract: A tea pot includes a lower container assembly comprising an internally threaded open top, a releasable bottom, and a diaphragm for dividing space of the lower container assembly into a lower beverage chamber and an upper passage chamber, the diaphragm having holes for communicating the beverage chamber with the passage chamber and an annular flange projecting into the passage chamber; and an upper container assembly comprising an externally threaded lower portion secured to the top of the lower container assembly, a releasable top, a bottom dividing the upper container assembly into upper ingredient chamber and lower passageway chamber, a cylindrical channel integrally formed with the bottom of the upper container assembly and projecting into the passageway chamber, and an annular gasket put on the channel and blocking the holes when the upper and lower container assemblies are threadedly secured together; and a strainer in the ingredient chamber.

Abstract: A tea pot is provided with a container having an upper reservoir, a lower reservoir, and an intermediate dividing member; a cavity formed with the dividing member and having an upper opening for communicating with the upper reservoir, and a lower opening for communicating with the lower reservoir; a receptacle in the upper reservoir and including a ball receiving well; a vent pipe partially positioned in the receptacle and having a passageway; a threaded recess extending outward from the cavity and being open to an outer surface of the container; a rotatable cylinder inserted through the recess into the cavity and including a hollow main body having surface openings; a nut secured to the recess; and a knob secured to the cylinder. Communication from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir through the openings of the main body can be open or closed by turning the knob.

Abstract: A circuit and a method for image processing are provided. The image processing circuit has an adaptor and a sharpening circuit. The adaptor has a processing unit and a weight generator. The processing unit receives an input video signal, and the input video signal has information of a plurality of pixels. The processing unit processes the input video signal to calculate a color difference value of a target pixel of the pixels. The weight generator generates a weighting signal according to the color difference value. The sharpening circuit performs a sharpening operation on the input video signal according to the weighting signal to generate a sharpened video signal.

Abstract: An image processing circuit and an image processing method thereof are disclosed. A difference value adaptor of the image processing circuit produces a weighing value and a flag value corresponding to the pixel according to the pixel difference value of each pixel of an input video signal. The image processing circuit judges which area among a first area, a second area and a third area the pixel difference value of each pixel falls in according to the flag value. The image processing circuit performs a low-pass filtering processing on the pixel having the pixel difference value falling in the first area, performs a high-pass filtering processing on the pixel having the pixel difference value falling in the second area and performs a luminance transient improvement processing (LTI processing) on the pixel having the pixel difference value falling in the third area.

Abstract: A bit rate transcoding method includes: (a) receiving a motion vector of a current macroblock (MB); (b) retrieving an error count of a referenced previous MB for setting it as the error count of the current MB; (c) calculating a weight value; (d) calculating a new quantization parameter, and multiplying the same by the weight value so as to obtain a weighted new quantization parameter falling into a continuous distribution; (e) selectively using a transformation technique to transform the weighted new quantization parameter into one falling into a discrete distribution; (f) if the weighted new quantization parameter exhibits the continuous distribution, and if the weighted new quantization parameter is within a predetermined range, incrementing the error count by a predetermined value; and (g) if the weighted new quantization parameter exhibits the discrete distribution, and if the weighted new quantization parameter does not belong to a smallest quantization parameter cluster, incrementing the error count by

Abstract: A tea pot includes an upper container assembly comprising a releasable top, an open bottom, a beverage chamber, and a funnel in the beverage chamber; a check valve comprising a cylindrical seat comprising a bossed hole having a conical top surface, an opening spaced from the hole and being sealingly aligned with a stem of the funnel, and guide slots on an annular surface of the seat; a conical valve unit comprising a stepped-diameter tunnel, the valve unit being seated upon the seat; and a sliding assembly comprising a body, periphery tabs slidably received in the guide slots, and a top shaft including grooves, and a cylindrical top projection fasten in the tunnel wherein the shaft is slidably inserted into the hole in an assembled state; and a lower container assembly comprising releasable top and bottom, a lower ingredient chamber, and an intermediate strainer.

Abstract: A tea pot includes a lower container assembly comprising an internally threaded open top, a releasable bottom, and a diaphragm for dividing space of the lower container assembly into a lower beverage chamber and an upper passage chamber, the diaphragm having holes for communicating the beverage chamber with the passage chamber and an annular flange projecting into the passage chamber; and an upper container assembly comprising an externally threaded lower portion secured to the top of the lower container assembly, a releasable top, a bottom dividing the upper container assembly into upper ingredient chamber and lower passageway chamber, a cylindrical channel integrally formed with the bottom of the upper container assembly and projecting into the passageway chamber, and an annular gasket put on the channel and blocking the holes when the upper and lower container assemblies are threadedly secured together; and a strainer in the ingredient chamber.

Abstract: An image processing circuit and a method thereof are provided herein. The image processing circuit has a first scaling circuit, a plurality of line buffers, a first sharpness circuit, a second scaling circuit, and a second sharpness circuit. The first scaling circuit enlarges an input image along a first direction to generate a first enlarged image. The line buffers temporarily store the pixel values of a plurality of pixel rows of the first enlarged image. The first sharpness circuit vertically sharpens the first enlarged image to generate a first sharpened image. The second scaling circuit enlarges the first sharpened image along a second direction to generate a second enlarged image. The second sharpness circuit horizontally sharpens the second enlarged image to generate a second sharpened image. Accordingly, it is possible to use the line buffers having shorter data lengths to perform the vertical sharpening.

Abstract: A circuit and a method for processing an image are provided. The circuit includes a weighting circuit and a sharpening circuit. The weighting circuit includes at least two adapters and a weight decider. The weighting circuit receives an input image. Each of the adapters respectively generates a weight according to an image property of the input image. The weight decider performs a logical calculation according to the weights generated by the adapters to generate a total weight. The sharpening circuit performs an image sharpening process on the input image according to the total weight to generate an output image.

Abstract: A circuit and a method for image processing are provided. The image processing circuit has an adaptor and a sharpening circuit. The adaptor has a processing unit and a weight generator. The processing unit receives an input video signal, and the input video signal has information of a plurality of pixels. The processing unit processes the input video signal to calculate a color difference value of a target pixel of the pixels. The weight generator generates a weighting signal according to the color difference value. The sharpening circuit performs a sharpening operation on the input video signal according to the weighting signal to generate a sharpened video signal.

Abstract: An image processing circuit and an image processing method thereof are disclosed. A difference value adaptor of the image processing circuit produces a weighing value and a flag value corresponding to the pixel according to the pixel difference value of each pixel of an input video signal. The image processing circuit judges which area among a first area, a second area and a third area the pixel difference value of each pixel falls in according to the flag value. The image processing circuit performs a low-pass filtering processing on the pixel having the pixel difference value falling in the first area, performs a high-pass filtering processing on the pixel having the pixel difference value falling in the second area and performs a luminance transient improvement processing (LTI processing) on the pixel having the pixel difference value falling in the third area.