All The Claims

1. A method for an agent service applied to a Widget, comprising:
receiving a service request for the Widget using an Application Programming Interface (API) initiated by a user terminal;
forwarding the service request to an API service provider;
forwarding a response for the service request from the API service provider to the user terminal;
determining whether charging in for an API service is performed according to a service duration;
collecting charging information generated by the Widget using the API service, wherein the charging information comprises a service starting timed a service vice ending time when the charging for the API service is performed according to the service duration, and wherein the charging information comprises a number of times of completed service when the charging for the API service is not performed according to the service duration; and
recording the charging information, wherein the charging information, together with a charging policy registered by the Widget, is used to perform uniform charging for the API service used by the Widget.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein forwarding the service request to the API service provider comprises:
authenticating the service request;
converting the service request after authentication succeeds; and
forwarding the converted service request to the API service provider.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the service request comprises authentication information, wherein the authentication information comprises a user identifier (ID), a Widget ID, and an API ID used by the Widget, and wherein authenticating the service request comprises:
determining that a user of the user terminal is a registered user and has a use right according to the user ID;
determining that the Widget used by the user is already registered according to the Widget ID;
comparing the Widget ID and the API ID with registration information of the Widget; and
determining that the Widget has a right to use the API.
4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
querying charging information of a user of the user terminal in a certain period of time according to a user identifier (ID);
classifying the charging information of the user in the certain period of time according to a Widget ID;
querying the charging policy registered by the Widget according to the Widget ID; and
performing charging settlement for the API service used by the Widget according to the charging policy and the classified charging information.
5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:
performing a rating process for charging settlement information; and
outputting a composite bill.
6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing settlement for the API service provider according to the charging information and an API settlement manner registered by the API service provider.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein performing the settlement for the API service provider according to the charging information and the settlement manner registered by the API comprises:
querying charging information collected when using the API according to an API identifier (ID);
querying the API settlement mariner registered by the API service provider according to the API ID;
performing the settlement according to the settlement manner; and
gathering and accumulating statistics of the settlement information of the API service provider.
8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:
deducting a charge amount generated by a user using the Widget according to charging settlement information, wherein the charging settlement information comprises a user identifier (ID) and the charge amount;
obtaining a charge amount of the API service provider from the deducted charge amount generated by the user using the Widget according to a charge amount generated after the settlement is performed for the API service provider; and
distributing the obtained charge amount of the API service provider to the API service provider.
9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising performing settlement for the API service provider according to the charging information provided by the API service provider and API settlement manner registered by the API service provider, wherein the charging information provided by the API service provider comprises the API identifier (ID), a server ID, and the number of times of completed service using the API, or comprises the API ID, the server ID, and time for using the API.
10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the Widget uses the API service and a plurality of other API services, wherein the API service provider collects charging information for the API service and the plurality of other API services, and wherein the API service provider performs charging for the API service and the plurality of other API services at a same time.
11. A server for an agent service applied to a Widget, wherein the server is communicatively connected to multiple user terminals and multiple Application Programming Interface (API) service providers respectively, comprising:
a service agent unit; and
a charging unit,
wherein the service agent unit is configured to receive a service request for the Widget using an API initiated by a user terminal, forward the service request to an API service provider, and forward a response for the service request from the API service provider to the user terminal, and
wherein the charging unit is configured to collect charging information generated by the Widget using an API service and record the charging information after the service agent unit receives the service request, wherein the charging information, together with a charging policy registered by the Widget, is used to perform uniform charging for the API service used by the Widget, wherein the charging information comprises a service starting time and a service ending time when charging for the API service is performed according to a service duration and wherein the charging information comprises a number of times of completed service when the charging for the API service is not performed according to the service duration.
12. The server according to claim 11, wherein the service agent unit is further configured to authenticate the service request and convert the service request after authentication succeeds.
13. The server according to claim 11, wherein the service request comprises authentication information, wherein the authentication information comprises a user identifier (ID), a Widget ID, and an API ID used by the Widget, and wherein the service agent unit is further configured to determine that a user of the user terminal is a registered user and has a use right according to the user ID, determine that the Widget used by the user is already registered according to the Widget ID, compare the Widget ID and the API ID with registration information of the Widget, and determine that the Widget has a right to use the API.
14. The server according to claim 11, wherein the charging unit is further configured to query charging information of a user in a certain period of time according to a user identifier (ID), classify the charging information of the user in the certain period of time according to a Widget ID, query the charging policy registered by the Widget according to the Widget ID, and perform charging settlement for the API service used by the Widget according to the charging policy and the classified charging information.
15. The server according to claim 11, further comprising:
a user charge management unit configured to manage a charge amount of the user; and
a server charge management unit configured to deduct a charge amount generated by a user using the Widget from the charge amount of the user managed by the user charge management unit according to charging settlement information of the charging unit, wherein the charging settlement information comprises a user identifier (ID) and the amount.
16. The server according to claim 15, further comprising an API service provider charge management unit configured to obtain a charge amount of the API service provider from the charge amount managed by the server charge management unit according to a charge amount generated after the charging unit performs settlement for the API service provider, and distribute the obtained charge amount of the API service provider to the API service provider.
17. The server according to claim 11, wherein the server is further communicatively connected to an operator, wherein the charging unit is further configured to send charging settlement information to the operator to notify the operator of deducting a charge amount of a user from an operator account, wherein the settlement information comprises a user identifier (ID), a server ID, and the amount, and wherein the server further comprises a server charge management unit that is configured to receive the charge amount of the user from the operator account deducted by the operator.
18. The server according to claim 11, wherein the charging unit is further configured to perform settlement for the API service provider according to the charging information and an API settlement manner registered by the API service provider.
19. The server according to claim 11, wherein the charging unit is further configured to perform settlement for the API service provider according to the charging information provided by the API service provider and an API settlement manner registered by the API service provider, and wherein the charging information provided by the API service provider comprises an API identifier (ID), a server ID, and the number of times of completed service using the API or the service starting time and the service ending time for using the API service.
20. The server according to claim 11, wherein the Widget uses the API service and a plurality of other API services, wherein the API service provider collects charging information for the API service and the plurality of other API services, and wherein the API service provider performs charging for the API service and the plurality of other API services at a same time.

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. An image processing device including an edge enhancement section configured to perform edge enhancement by adding a shoot component in a frame constituting an image, the image processing device comprising:
a calculating section configured to calculate, for each of pixels constituting the frame, a luminance difference between a pixel and another pixel adjacent to the pixel, and to calculate a first ratio which is a ratio of pixels whose luminance difference is greater than or equal to a first threshold,
the edge enhancement section performing the edge enhancement in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component to be added is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio,
wherein:
the calculating section further calculates a second ratio and a third ratio, the second ratio being a ratio of pixels whose luminance difference is (i) greater than or equal to a second threshold which is smaller than the first threshold and (ii) less than the first threshold, and the third ratio being a ratio of pixels whose luminance difference is less than the second threshold; and
the edge enhancement section performs the edge enhancement in such a way that a shoot component, which is to be added for a frame whose second ratio is smaller than the third ratio, is smaller than a shoot component which is to be added for a frame whose second ratio is greater than the third ratio.
2. The image processing device as set forth in claim 1, comprising:
a scene identity level detecting section configured to detect a scene identity level indicating how much a target frame and a frame preceding to the target frame are identical with each other; and
a motion level detecting section configured to detect a motion level between the target frame and the frame preceding the target frame,
in a case where the scene identity level thus detected by the scene identity level detecting section is higher than a predetermined level, and the motion level thus detected by the motion level detecting section is higher than a predetermined level, the edge enhancement section performing the edge enhancement in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component to be added is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio.
3. The image processing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the edge enhancement section has a function of performing a LTI process in addition to the edge enhancement, the LTI process causing a gradient of an edge to be steep without adding the shoot component, and performs the LTI process to a frame for which the edge enhancement section has performed the edge enhancement with a smaller shoot component magnitude that is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio.
4. The image processing device as set forth in claim 3, wherein the edge enhancement section performs the LTI process in such a way that the magnitude of the gradient is caused to be inversely proportional to the magnitude of first ratio.
5. The image processing device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:
the edge enhancement section performs the edge enhancement by (i) referring to corresponding information in which fractional ranges, which are fractions of a possible range of the first ratio, are associated with edge enhancement filters for edge enhancement, and (ii) using an edge enhancement filter corresponding to a fractional range to which the first ratio thus calculated by the calculating section belongs; and
in the corresponding information, the edge enhancement filters are associated with the fractional ranges in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component added in an edge enhancement filter for a respective fractional range is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio.
6. The image processing device as set forth in claim 1, comprising:
an instruction receiving section configured to receive an instruction on switching ON or OFF a function of the edge enhancement section, the function being a function to change the shoot component according to the first ratio,
when the instruction receiving section has turned ON the function of edge enhancement section, the edge enhancement section performing the edge enhancement in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component to be added is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio.
7. An image processing device including an edge enhancement section configured to perform edge enhancement by adding a shoot component in a frame constituting an image, the image processing device comprising:
a calculating section configured to calculate, for each of pixels constituting the frame, a luminance difference between a pixel and another pixel adjacent to the pixel, and to calculate a first ratio which is a ratio of pixels whose luminance difference is greater than or equal to a first threshold,
the edge enhancement section performing the edge enhancement in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component to be added is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio;
a scene identity level detecting section configured to detect a scene identity level indicating how much a target frame and a frame preceding to the target frame are identical with each other; and
a motion level detecting section configured to detect a motion level between the target frame and the frame preceding the target frame,
in a case where the scene identity level thus detected by the scene identity level detecting section is higher than a predetermined level, and the motion level thus detected by the motion level detecting section is higher than a predetermined level, the edge enhancement section performing the edge enhancement in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component to be added is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio,
wherein the scene identity level detecting section (i) prepares a luminance histogram for each frame, the luminance histogram indicating the number of pixels with respect to each of luminances and (ii) detects, as the scene identity level, a total frequency of a histogram indicating differences between a luminance histogram of the target frame and a luminance histogram of the frame preceding the target frame.
8. An image processing device including an edge enhancement section configured to perform edge enhancement by adding a shoot component in a frame constituting an image, the image processing device comprising:
a calculating section configured to calculate, for each of pixels constituting the frame, a luminance difference between a pixel and another pixel adjacent to the pixel, and to calculate a first ratio which is a ratio of pixels whose luminance difference is greater than or equal to a first threshold,
the edge enhancement section performing the edge enhancement in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component to be added is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio;
a scene identity level detecting section configured to detect a scene identity level indicating how much a target frame and a frame preceding to the target frame are identical with each other; and
a motion level detecting section configured to detect a motion level between the target frame and the frame preceding the target frame,
in a case where the scene identity level thus detected by the scene identity level detecting section is higher than a predetermined level, and the motion level thus detected by the motion level detecting section is higher than a predetermined level, the edge enhancement section performing the edge enhancement in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component to be added is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio,
wherein the motion level detecting section (i) calculates, for each pixel, a luminance difference between the target frame and the frame preceding the target frame and (ii) detects, as the motion level, a ratio of pixels having a luminance difference greater than or equal to a predetermined motion threshold.
9. The image processing device as set forth in claim 1, comprising:
an image quality mode determining section configured to determine an image quality mode regarding image quality of the image,
the calculating section changing the first threshold in value according to the image quality mode determined by the image quality mode determining section.
10. An image processing method for performing edge enhancement by adding a shoot component in a frame constituting an image, the method comprising the steps of:
calculating, for each of pixels constituting the frame, a luminance difference between a pixel and another pixel adjacent to the pixel, and calculating a first ratio which is a ratio of pixels whose luminance difference is greater than or equal to a first threshold; and
performing the edge enhancement in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component to be added is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio, wherein:
the step of calculating further includes calculating a second ratio and a third ratio, the second ratio being a ratio of pixels whose luminance difference is (i) greater than or equal to a second threshold which is smaller than the first threshold and (ii) less than the first threshold, and the third ratio being a ratio of pixels whose luminance difference is less than the second threshold; and
the edge enhancement is performed in such a way that a shoot component, which is to be added for a frame whose second ratio is smaller than the third ratio, is smaller than a shoot component which is to be added for a frame whose second ratio is greater than the third ratio.
11. An image processing method for performing edge enhancement by adding a shoot component in a frame constituting an image, the method comprising the steps of:
calculating, for each of pixels constituting the frame, a luminance difference between a pixel and another pixel adjacent to the pixel, and calculating a first ratio which is a ratio of pixels whose luminance difference is greater than or equal to a first threshold;
performing the edge enhancement in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component to be added is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio;
detecting a scene identity level indicating how much a target frame and a frame preceding to the target frame are identical with each other; and
detecting a motion level between the target frame and the frame preceding the target frame,
in a case where the scene identity level thus detected by the step of detecting scene identity level is higher than a predetermined level, and the motion level thus detected by the step of detecting motion level is higher than a predetermined level, performing the edge enhancement in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component to be added is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio,
wherein the step of detecting scene identity level includes (i) preparing a luminance histogram for each frame, the luminance histogram indicating the number of pixels with respect to each of luminances and (ii) detecting, as the scene identity level, a total frequency of a histogram indicating differences between a luminance histogram of the target frame and a luminance histogram of the frame preceding the target frame.
12. An image processing method for performing edge enhancement by adding a shoot component in a frame constituting an image, the method comprising the steps of:
calculating, for each of pixels constituting the frame, a luminance difference between a pixel and another pixel adjacent to the pixel, and calculating a first ratio which is a ratio of pixels whose luminance difference is greater than or equal to a first threshold;
performing the edge enhancement in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component to be added is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio;
detecting a scene identity level indicating how much a target frame and a frame preceding to the target frame are identical with each other; and
detecting a motion level between the target frame and the frame preceding the target frame,
in a case where the scene identity level thus detected by the step of detecting scene identity level is higher than a predetermined level, and the motion level thus detected by the step of detecting motion level is higher than a predetermined level, performing the edge enhancement in such a way that the magnitude of the shoot component to be added is inversely proportional to the magnitude of the first ratio,
wherein the step of detecting motion level includes (i) calculating, for each pixel, a luminance difference between the target frame and the frame preceding the target frame and (ii) detecting, as the motion level, a ratio of pixels having a luminance difference greater than or equal to a predetermined motion threshold.

1. A process for the hydroconversion of heavy oils, said process comprising the following steps:
(a) providing at least two upflow reactors in series, a first reactor and a second reactor, with a separator in between each reactor;
(b) combining a heated heavy oil feed, an active slurry catalyst composition and a hydrogen-containing gas to form a mixture;
(c) passing the mixture of step (b) to the bottom of the first reactor, which is maintained at hydroprocessing conditions, including elevated temperature and pressure;
(d) removing a vapor stream comprising products, hydrogen, unconverted material and slurry catalyst from the top of the first reactor and passing it to a first separator;
(e) in the first separator, removing the products and hydrogen to further processing and passing a liquid bottoms stream, comprising unconverted material and slurry catalyst, to the bottom of the second reactor, which is maintained at slurry hydroprocessing conditions, including elevated temperature and pressure;
(f) removing a vapor stream comprising products and hydrogen unconverted material and slurry catalyst from the top of the second reactor and passing it to a second separator;
(g) in the second separator, removing the products and hydrogen overhead as a vapor stream to further processing and passing a bottoms stream, comprising unconverted material and slurry catalyst to further processing
(h) Wherein the bottoms material of step (g) is recycled to step (b), the mixture of step (b) further comprising recycled unconverted material and slurry catalyst.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein the bottoms material of step (f) is passed to the bottom of a third reactor which is maintained at hydroconversion conditions, including elevated temperature and pressure.
3. The process of claim 1, in which at least one of the reactors is a liquid recirculating reactor.
4. The process of claim 3, in which the recirculating reactor employs a pump.
5. The process of claim 1, in which hydroprocessing conditions employed in each reactor comprise a total pressure in the range from 1500 through 3500 psia and temperature from 700 through 900 F.
6. The process of claim 1, in which the total pressure is preferably in the range from 2000 through 3000 psia and temperature is preferably in the range from 775 through 850 F.
7. The process of claim 1, wherein the separator located between each reactor is a flash drum.
8. The hydroconversion process of claim 1, wherein the heavy oil is selected from the group consisting of atmospheric residuum, vacuum residuum, tar from a solvent deasphlating unit, atmospheric gas oils, vacuum gas oils, deasphalted oils, olefins, oils derived from tar sands or bitumen, oils derived from coal, heavy crude oils, synthetic oils from Fischer-Tropsch processes, and oils derived from recycled oil wastes and polymers.
9. The hydroconversion process of claim 1, wherein the process is selected from the group consisting of hydrocracking, hydrotreating, hydrodesuiphurization, hydrodenitrification, and hydrodemetalization.
10. The process of claim 1, wherein the active slurry catalyst composition of claim 1 is prepared by the following steps:
(a) mixing a Group VIB metal oxide and aqueous ammonia to form a Group VI B metal compound aqueous mixture;
(b) sulfiding, in an initial reaction zone, the aqueous mixture of step (a) with a gas comprising hydrogen sulfide to a dosage greater than 8 SCF of hydrogen sulfide per pound of Group VIB metal to form a slurry;
(c) promoting the slurry with a Group VIII metal compound;
(d) mixing the slurry of step (c) with a hydrocarbon oil having a viscosity of at least 2 cSt @212\xb0 F. to form an intermediate mixture;
(e) combining the intermediate mixture with hydrogen gas in a second reaction zone, under conditions which maintain the water in the intermediate mixture in a liquid phase, thereby forming an active catalyst composition admixed with a liquid hydrocarbon; and (f) recovering the active catalyst composition.
11. The process of claim 1, in which about 98 wt % of heavy oil feed is converted to lighter products.

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 driving support apparatus, which supports a driving operation of a vehicle by an operator by capturing a view around the vehicle and by displaying the captured view on at least a displaying means provided inside a cabin of the vehicle, comprising:
a target spot setting means for setting a target spot that is a position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle;
a distance measuring means for measuring a distance between the vehicle and the target spot;
a speed measuring means for measuring a traveling speed of the vehicle; and
a speed controlling means for controlling the traveling speed of the vehicle so as not to exceed a speed predetermined in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot;
wherein operation of an accelerator by the operator during driving support execution does not cause the traveling speed to exceed the predetermined speed.
2. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target spot setting means sets the target spot based on a position which the operator specifies on an image displayed on the displaying means.
3. A driving support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the displaying means changes an image to be displayed, in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot.
4. A driving support apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the target spot setting means sets the position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle, based on at least one of a bumper portion of the vehicle and a wheel portion of the vehicle.
5. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target spot setting means sets the target spot based on a distance, and a direction, from the vehicle, which the operator specifies.
6. A driving support apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the displaying means changes an image to be displayed, in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot.
7. A driving support apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the target spot setting means sets the position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle, based on at least one of a bumper portion of the vehicle and a wheel portion of the vehicle.
8. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displaying means changes an image to be displayed, in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot.
9. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the target spot setting means sets the position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle, based on at least one of a bumper portion of the vehicle and a wheel portion of the vehicle.
10. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the distance between the vehicle and the target spot is at, or greater than, a first distance, a maximum speed value of the traveling speed of the vehicle is controlled at a first predetermined speed by the speed controlling means.
11. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a maximum speed value of the traveling speed of the vehicle is lowered by the speed controlling means in response to an approach of the vehicle to the target spot.
12. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, until the vehicle reaches the target spot, the traveling speed of the vehicle is controlled to change stepwise from a first predetermined speed to a second predetermined speed which is lower than the first predetermined speed.
13. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the displaying means displays, therein, an indication which informs the operator that the traveling speed of the vehicle has been controlled, while the speed controlling means controls the traveling speed of the vehicle so as not to exceed the predetermined speed.
14. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the traveling speed of the vehicle is changeable in response to an operation of the accelerator pedal while the driving support is executed.
15. The driving support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the speed controlling means controls the traveling speed in a manner where the speed controlling means gradually decreases an upper limit value of the traveling speed as the vehicle approaches to the target spot.
16. A driving support apparatus, which supports a driving operation of a vehicle by an operator by capturing a view around the vehicle and by displaying the captured view on at least a displaying means provided inside a cabin of the vehicle, comprising:
a target spot setting means for setting a target spot that is a position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle;
a distance measuring means for measuring a distance between the vehicle and the target spot;
a speed measuring means for measuring a traveling speed of the vehicle; and
a speed controlling means for controlling the traveling speed of the vehicle so as not to exceed a speed predetermined in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot;
wherein, until the vehicle reaches the target spot, the traveling speed of the vehicle is controlled to change stepwise from a first predetermined speed to a second predetermined speed which is lower than the first predetermined speed.
17. A driving support apparatus, which supports a driving operation of a vehicle by an operator by capturing a view around the vehicle and by displaying the captured view on at least a displaying means provided inside a cabin of the vehicle, comprising:
a target spot setting means for setting a target spot that is a position to which the operator attempts to direct the vehicle;
a distance measuring means for measuring a distance between the vehicle and the target spot;
a speed measuring means for measuring a traveling speed of the vehicle; and
a speed controlling means for controlling the traveling speed of the vehicle so as not to exceed a speed predetermined in accordance with the distance between the vehicle and the target spot;
wherein the displaying means displays, therein, an indication which informs the operator that the traveling speed of the vehicle has been controlled, while the speed controlling means controls the traveling speed of the vehicle so as not to exceed the predetermined speed.