1. An image forming apparatus, comprising:
a data storing unit configured to store data of a plurality of pages onto a plurality of storage devices;
a plurality of data processing units configured to perform parallel processing on the data of the plurality of pages, wherein the data for each of the pages is assigned to one of the plurality of data processing units; and
an assignment unit configured to assign the data of each of the pages to be processed by one of the plurality of data processing units, wherein the assignment of the data of each of the pages to one of the plurality of data processing units is determined by a transfer rate of each of the storage devices for the data of the plurality of pages stored on the plurality of storage devices.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the assignment unit is further configured to assign the data of each of the pages to one of the plurality of data processing units in order of decreasing priority, wherein a priority for each of the storage devices is determined using the transfer rates of the storage devices containing the data of the plurality of pages.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:
a table creation unit configured to acquire the transfer rates of each of the storage devices and create a priority table, wherein the priority for each of the storage devices is determined in descending order of the transfer rates of the plurality of storage devices, and
wherein the assignment unit is further configured to assign the data of each of the pages to the plurality of data processing units based on the priority of each of the storage devices within the priority table.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:
a rate information retaining unit configured to retain the transfer rates of the plurality of storage devices; and
a rate measuring unit configured to measure the transfer rate of each of the storage devices,
wherein the table creation unit is further configured to create the priority table from the transfer rates retained in the rate information retaining unit and the transfer rates measured by the rate measuring unit.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:
the plurality of storage devices includes a server connected to a network, wherein the server includes a server storage unit; and
the assignment unit is further configured to assign the data of the plurality of pages stored on the server storage unit to the plurality of data processing units, wherein the assignment of the data of each of the pages stored on the server storage unit is determined using a server transfer rate, wherein the server transfer rate is based on a combination of protocols used by the server storage device and the server.
6. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing an image processing program executable by a computer of an image processing apparatus, wherein the image processing program comprises:
a first program code that causes the computer to store data of a plurality of pages onto a plurality of storage devices;
a second program code that causes the computer to realize a plurality of data processing functions that perform parallel processing on the data of the plurality of pages, wherein the data of each of the plurality of pages is assigned to one of the plurality of data processing functions; and
a third program code that causes the computer to assign the data of each of the pages to be processed in parallel by one of the plurality of data processing functions, wherein the assignment of the data of each of the pages to be processed in parallel by one of the plurality of data processing functions is determined by a transfer rate of each of the storage devices for the data of the plurality of pages store on the plurality of storage devices.
7. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 6, wherein the third program code further causes the computer to assign the data of each of the pages to one of the plurality of data processing functions in order of decreasing priority, wherein a priority of each of the storage devices is determined using the transfer rates of the storage devices containing the data of the plurality of pages.
8. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 7, wherein the image processing program further comprises:
a fourth program code that causes the computer to acquire the transfer rates of each of the storage devices and create a priority table, wherein the priority for each of the storage devices is determined in descending order of the transfer rates of the plurality of storage devices, and
wherein the third program code causes the computer to assign the data of each of the pages to the plurality of data processing functions based on the priority of each of the storage devices within the priority table.
9. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 8, the image processing program further comprising:
a fifth program code that causes the computer to retain the transfer rates of the plurality of storage devices; and
a seventh program code that causes the computer to measure the transfer rate of each of the storage devices; and
the fourth program code further causes the computer to create the priority table from the transfer rates retained by the fifth program code and the transfer rates measured by the seventh program code.
10. The non-transitory computer-readable recording medium according to claim 6, wherein:
the plurality of storage devices includes a server connected to a network, wherein the server includes a server storage unit; and
the third program code further causes the computer to assign the data of the plurality of pages stored on the server storage unit to the plurality of data processing functions, wherein the assignment of the data of the plurality of pages stored on the server storage unit is determined using a server transfer rate, wherein the server transfer rate is based on a combination of protocols used by the server storage device and the server.
11. An image forming method, comprising:
storing, via a data storage unit, data of a plurality of pages onto a plurality of storage devices;
performing, via a plurality of data processing units, parallel processing on the data of the plurality of pages, herein the data for each of the pages is assigned to one of the plurality of data processing units; and
assigning, via an assignment unit, the data of each of the pages to be processed by one of the plurality of data processing units, wherein the assignment of the data of each of the pages to one of the plurality of data processing units is determined by a transfer rate of each of the storage devices for the data of the plurality of pages stored on the plurality of storage devices.
12. The image forming method according to claim 11, wherein the assignment unit assigns the data each of the pages to one of the plurality of data processing units in order of decreasing priority, wherein a priority for each of the storage devices is determined by the transfer rate of the storage devices is determined using the transfer rates of the storage devices containing the data of the plurality of pages.
13. The image forming method according to claim 12, further comprising acquiring, via a table creation unit, the transfer rates on each of the storage devices to create a priority table, wherein the priority for each of the storage devices is determined in descending order of the transfer rates of the plurality of storage devices, and
wherein the assignment unit assigns the data of each of the pages to the plurality of data processing units based on the priority of each of the storage devices within the priority table.
14. The image forming method according to claim 13, further comprising:
retaining, via a rate information retaining unit, the transfer rates of the plurality of storage devices; and
measuring, via a rate measuring unit, the transfer rate of each of the storage devices,
wherein the table creation unit creates the priority table from the transfer rates of retained in the rate information retaining unit and the transfer rates measured by the rate measuring unit.
15. The image forming method according to claim 11, wherein:
the plurality of storage devices includes a server connected to a network, wherein the server includes a server storage unit; and
the assignment unit assigns the data of the plurality of pages stored on the server storage unit to the plurality of data processing units, wherein the assignment of the data of each of the pages stored on the server storage unit is determined using a server transfer rate, wherein the server transfer rate is based on a combination of protocols used by the server storage device and the server.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A photoelectric conversion device comprising:
a pixel,
the pixel including
a photoelectric conversion unit, and
an amplification unit configured to output a signal generated by the photoelectric conversion unit,
the photoelectric conversion unit including a first electrode, a second electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an insulating layer disposed between the photoelectric conversion layer and the second electrode,
the photoelectric conversion layer including quantum dots.
2. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer further includes a member formed of a material different from a material of the quantum dots, and
wherein the quantum dots are dispersed in the member.
3. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 2, wherein the material of the member has a larger band gap than the material of the quantum dots.
4. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 2, wherein the material of the quantum dots absorbs light having a longer wavelength than light having a longest wavelength that the material of the member absorbs.
5. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer further includes a cover layer configured to cover the quantum dots, and
wherein a material of the cover layer has a larger band gap than a material of the quantum dots.
6. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer further includes a cover layer configured to cover the quantum dots, and
wherein a material of the quantum dots absorbs light having a longer wavelength than light having a longest wavelength that a material of the cover layer absorbs.
7. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer further includes a buried layer in which the quantum dots are buried, and
wherein a material of the buried layer has a larger band gap than a material of the quantum dots.
8. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer further includes a buried layer in which the quantum dots are buried, and
wherein a material of the quantum dots absorbs light having a longer wavelength than light having a longest wavelength that a material of the buried layer absorbs.
9. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the quantum dots include a quantum dot having a particle size in a range of 1 nm to 20 nm.
10. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the photoelectric conversion layer further includes a shell configured to surround the quantum dots.
11. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein a ratio of a lattice constant of a material of the quantum dots to a lattice constant of a material of the shell member is in a range of 0.9 to 1.1.
12. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the quantum dots is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of PbS, PbSe, PbTe, CdS, CdSe, CdTe, C, Si, and Ge.
13. A photoelectric conversion device comprising:
a pixel,
the pixel including
a photoelectric conversion unit, and
an amplification unit configured to output a signal generated by the photoelectric conversion unit,
the photoelectric conversion unit including a first electrode, a second electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and an insulating layer disposed between the photoelectric conversion layer and the second electrode,
the photoelectric conversion layer including a first member, and a plurality of particles arranged in the first member and having a particle size in a range of 1 nm to 20 nm.
14. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a reset unit configured to supply a reset voltage to the second electrode;
a first capacitor including a first terminal and a second terminal, the first terminal being electrically connected to the second electrode; and
a voltage supply unit configured to supply at least a first voltage and a second voltage different from the first voltage to the second terminal,
wherein the amplification unit is electrically connected to the second electrode, and
wherein the following relationship is satisfied:
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
1
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
1
+
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
2
>
Vs
–
Vres
Vd
\ue89e
\ue89e
2
–
Vd
\ue89e
\ue89e
1
,
where Vs denotes a voltage supplied to the first electrode, Vd1 denotes the first voltage, Vd2 denotes the second voltage, Vres denotes the reset voltage, C1 denotes a capacitance value of the first capacitor, and C2 denotes a capacitance value of a second capacitor formed by the first electrode and the second electrode.
15. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 14, wherein the first voltage is supplied to the second terminal to accumulate signal charge in the photoelectric conversion layer, and
wherein the second voltage is supplied to the second terminal to discharge the signal charge from the photoelectric conversion layer.
16. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a reset unit configured to supply a reset voltage to the second electrode;
a first capacitor electrically connected to the second electrode; and
a voltage supply unit configured to supply at least a first voltage and a second voltage different from the first voltage to the first electrode,
wherein the amplification unit is electrically connected to the second electrode, and
wherein the following relationship is satisfied:
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
1
C
\ue89e
\ue89e
2
>
Vres
–
Vs
\ue89e
\ue89e
1
Vs
\ue89e
\ue89e
2
–
Vres
,
where Vs1 denotes the first voltage, Vs2 denotes the second voltage, Vres denotes the reset voltage, C1 denotes a capacitance value of the first capacitor, and C2 denotes a capacitance value of a second capacitor formed by the first electrode and the second electrode.
17. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 16, wherein the first voltage is supplied to the first electrode to accumulate signal charge in the photoelectric conversion layer, and
wherein the second voltage is supplied to the first electrode to discharge the signal charge from the photoelectric conversion layer.
18. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 14, wherein the first capacitor includes two electrodes facing each other.
19. An imaging system comprising:
the photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1; and
a signal processing device configured to process a signal from the photoelectric conversion device.
20. The imaging system according to claim 19, wherein two photoelectric conversion units, each comprising the photoelectric conversion unit, are disposed for each pixel, and
wherein the signal processing device processes a signal based on electric charge generated by the two photoelectric conversion units, and obtains information on a distance from the photoelectric conversion device to an object.