The data processing device 100 described here includes an input/output unit 120 which supplies positional data L-INF and to which image data VIDEO is supplied and an arithmetic unit 110 to which the positional data L-INF is supplied and supplies the image data VIDEO (see FIG.","1).","The input/output unit 120 includes the position input portion 140 which supplies the positional data L-INF and the display portion 130 to which the image data VIDEO is supplied.","The position input portion 140 is flexible to be bent such that, for example, a first region 140(1), a second region 140(2) facing the first region 140(1), and a third region 140(3) between the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) are formed (see FIG.","2B).","For another example, the position input portion 140 is flexible to be folded, such that the first region 140(1), the third region 140(3), and a fourth region 140(4) facing the third region 140(3) are formed (see FIG.","2E).","For another example, the position input portion 140 is flexible to be folded, such that the third region 140(3), a fifth region 140(5), the fourth region 140(4) facing the third region 140(3) are formed (see FIG.","3C).","Note that the surfaces or regions may be provided with the respective position input portions 140.For example, as illustrated in FIGS.","4C, 4D, and 4E, position input portions 140(A), 140(B), 140(C), 140(D), and 140(E) may be provided in the respective regions.","Alternatively, a structure may be employed in which some of the position input portions 140(A), 140(B), 140(C), 140(D), and 140(E) are not provided as illustrated in FIG.","4F.","As illustrated in FIGS.","4G and 4H, the position input portion may be provided around the entire inside surface of a housing.","Note that the second region 140(2) may face the first region 140(1) with or without an inclination.","Note that the fourth region 140(4) may face the third region 140(3) with or without an inclination.","The display portion 130 is supplied with the image data VIDEO and is provided to overlap with at least part of the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2), the third region 140(3), the fourth region 140(4), or the fifth region 140(5).","The arithmetic unit 110 includes an arithmetic portion 111 and a memory portion 112 that stores a program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 (see FIG.","1).","The data processing device 100 includes the flexible position input portion 140 sensing proximity or touch of an object.","The position input portion 140 can be bent such that the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2) facing the first region 140(1), and the third region 140(3) positioned between the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) and overlapping with the display portion 130 are formed, for example.","With this structure, whether or not a palm or a finger is proximate to or touches the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2), or the like can be determined.","As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided.","Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.","Individual components included in the data processing device 100 are described below (see FIG.","1).","Note that these units can not be clearly distinguished and one unit also serves as another unit or include part of another unit in some cases.","For example, a touch panel in which a touch sensor overlaps with a display portion is provided over the position input portion 140 as well as over the display portion 130.<> The input/output unit 120 includes the position input portion 140 and the display portion 130.An input/output portion 145, a sensor portion 150, a communication portion 160, and the like may also be included.","The input/output unit 120 is supplied with data and can supply data (see FIG.","1).","<> The position input portion 140 supplies the positional data L-INF.","The user of the data processing device 100 can supply the positional data L-INF to the position input portion 140 by touching the position input portion 140 with his/her finger or palm and thereby supplying a variety of operation instructions to the data processing device 100.For example, an operation instruction including a termination instruction (an instruction to terminate the program) can be supplied (see FIG.","1).","The position input portion 140 includes, for example, the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2), and the third region 140(3) between the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) (see FIG.","10A1).","In each of the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2), and the third region 140(3), the proximity sensors 142 are arranged in matrix (see FIG.","10A2).","The position input portion 140 includes, for example, a flexible substrate 141 and the proximity sensors 142 over the flexible substrate 141 (see FIG.","10B).","The position input portion 140 can be bent such that the second region 140(2) and the first region 140(1) face each other (see FIG.","2B).","The third region 140(3) of the position input portion 140 overlaps with the display portion 130 (see FIGS.","2B and 10A1).","Note that when the third region 140(3) is positioned closer to the user than the display portion 130 is, the third region 140(3) has a light-transmitting property.","The distance between the second region and the first region of the position input portion 140 in a bent state is one that allows the user of the data processing device 100 to hold it in his/her hand (see FIG.","14A1).","The distance is, for example, 17 cm or shorter, preferably 9 cm or shorter, further preferably 7 cm or shorter.","When the distance is short, the thumb of the holding hand can be used to input the positional data to a wide range of the third region 140(3).","Thus, the user of the data processing device 100 can use the data processing device 100, holding it with the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar) being proximate to or touching one of the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), and a finger(s) other than the thumb being proximate to or touching the other.","The shape of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar) being proximate to or touching one of the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) is different from the shape(s) of the finger(s) other than the thumb being proximate to or touching the other region; therefore, the first region 140(1) supplies positional data different from that supplied by the second region 140(2).","Specifically, the shape of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar) being proximate to or touching one region is larger than the shape(s) of the finger(s) other than the thumb being proximate to or touching the other region or is continuous (not divided), for example.","The proximity sensor 142 is a sensor that can sense proximity or touch of an object (e.g., a finger or a palm), and a capacitor or an imaging element can be used as the proximity sensor.","Note that a substrate provided with capacitors arranged in matrix can be referred to as a capacitive touch sensor, and a substrate provided with an imaging element can be referred to as an optical touch sensor.","For the flexible substrate 141, a resin thin enough to be flexible can be used.","Examples of the resin include polyester, polyolefin, polyamide, polyimide, aramid, epoxy, polycarbonate, and an acrylic resin.","As a normal substrate not having flexibility, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a semiconductor substrate, or the like can be used.","Specific examples of a structure that can be employed in the position input portion 140 are described in Embodiments 6 and 7.<> The display portion 130 and at least the third region 140(3) of the position input portion 140 overlap with each other.","Not only the third region 140(3) but also the first region 140(1) and/or the second region 140(2) may overlap with the display portion 130.There is no particular limitation on the display portion 130 as long as the display portion 130 can display the supplied image data VIDEO.","An operation instruction associated with a portion of the display portion 130 with which the first region 140(1) and/or the second region 140(2) overlap(s) may be different from an operation instruction associated with a portion of the display portion 130 with which the third region 140(3) overlaps.","The user can thus see, from display on the display portion, what operation instruction is associated with the portion with which the first region 140(1) and/or the second region 140(2) overlap(s).","Consequently, a variety of operation instructions can be associated.","Moreover, false input of an operation instruction can be reduced.","Specific examples of a structure that can be employed in the display portion 130 are described in Embodiments 6 and 7.<> The arithmetic unit 110 includes the arithmetic portion 111, the memory portion 112, an input/output interface 115, and a transmission path 114 (see FIG.","1).","The arithmetic unit 110 is supplied with the positional data L-INF and supplies the image data VIDEO.","For example, the arithmetic unit 110 supplies the image data VIDEO including an image used for operation of the data processing device 100, and the input/output unit 120 is supplied with the image data VIDEO including the image used for operation.","The display portion 130 displays the image used for operation.","By touching a portion of the third region 140(3) overlapping with the display portion 130 in which an image used for operation is displayed with his/her finger, the user can supply the positional data L-INF for selecting the image.","<> The arithmetic portion 111 executes the program stored in the memory portion 112.For example, in response to supply of the positional data L-INF that is associated with a position in which an image used for operation is displayed, the arithmetic portion 111 executes a program associated with the image.","<> The memory portion 112 stores the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111.Note that examples of a program to be executed by the arithmetic unit 110 are described in other embodiments.","<> The input/output interface 115 supplies data and is supplied with data.","The transmission path 114 can supply data, and the arithmetic portion 111, the memory portion 112, and the input/output interface 115 are supplied with data.","In addition, the arithmetic portion 111, the memory portion 112, and the input/output interface 115 can supply data and the transmission path 114 is supplied with data.","The data processing device 100 includes the arithmetic unit 110, the input/output unit 120, and the housing 101 (see FIG.","1 and FIG.","2B).","<> The sensor portion 150 senses the states of the data processing device 100 and the circumstances and supplies sensing data SENS (see FIG.","1).","Note that the sensor portion 150 senses, for example, acceleration, a direction, pressure, a global positioning system (GPS) signal, temperature, humidity, or the like and may supply data thereon.","<> The communication portion 160 supplies data COM supplied by the arithmetic unit 110 to a device or a communication network outside the data processing device 100.Furthermore, the communication portion 160 acquires the data COM from the device or communication network outside the data processing device 100 and supplies the data COM.","The data COM can include a variety of instructions and the like.","For example, the data COM can include a display instruction to make the arithmetic portion 111 generate or delete the image data VIDEO.","A communication unit for connection to the external device or external communication network, e.g., a hub, a router, or a modem, can be used for the communication portion 160.Note that the connection method is not limited to a method using a wire, and a wireless method (e.g., radio wave or infrared rays) may be used.","<> As the input/output portion 145, for example, a camera, a microphone, a read-only external memory portion, an external memory portion, a scanner, a speaker, or a printer can be used (see FIG.","1).","Specifically, as a camera, a digital camera, digital video camera, or the like can be used.","As an external memory portion, a hard disk, a removable memory, or the like can be used.","As a read-only external memory portion, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, or the like can be used.","<> The housing 101 protects the arithmetic unit 110 and the like from external stress.","The housing 101 can be formed using metal, plastic, glass, ceramics, or the like.","This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.","Embodiment 2 In this embodiment, the structure of the data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.","FIG.","11 shows a block diagram of a structure of a data processing device 100B of one embodiment of the present invention.","FIGS.","12A to 12C are schematic views illustrating the external appearance of the data processing device 100B.","FIG.","12A is the schematic view illustrating the external appearance of the data processing device 100B in an unfolded state, FIG.","12B is the schematic view illustrating the external appearance of the data processing device 100B in a bent state, and FIG.","12C is the schematic view illustrating the external appearance of the data processing device 100B in a folded state.","FIGS.","13A to 13E are schematic views illustrating the structures of the data processing device 100B.","FIGS.","13A to 13D illustrate the structure in an unfolded state and FIG.","13E illustrates the structure in a folded state.","FIG.","13A is a top view of the data processing device 100B, FIG.","13B is a bottom view of the data processing device 100B, and FIG.","13C is a side view of the data processing device 100B.","FIG.","13D is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross section of the data processing device 100B taken along a cutting-plane line Y1-Y2 in FIG.","13A.","FIG.","13E is a side view of the data processing device 100B in the folded state."," The data processing device 100B described here includes an input/output unit 120B which supplies the positional data L-INF and the sensing data SENS including folding data and to which the image data VIDEO is supplied and the arithmetic unit 110 to which the positional data L-INF and the sensing data SENS including the folding data are supplied and which supplies the image data VIDEO (see FIG.","11).","The input/output unit 120B includes a position input portion 140B, the display portion 130, and the sensor portion 150.The position input portion 140B is flexible to be unfolded or folded such that the first region 140B(1), the second region 140B(2) facing the first region 140B(1), and the third region 140B(3) between the first region 140B(1) and the second region 140B(2) are formed (see FIGS.","12A to 12C and FIGS.","13A to 13E).","The sensor portion 150 includes a folding sensor 151 capable of sensing a folded state of the position input portion 140B and supplying the sensing data SENS including the folding data.","The display portion 130 is supplied with the image data VIDEO and is positioned so that the display portion 130 and the third region 140B(3) overlap with each other.","The arithmetic unit 110 includes the arithmetic portion 111 and the memory portion 112 that stores the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 (see FIG.","13D).","The data processing device 100B described here includes the flexible position input portion 140B sensing a palm or a finger that is proximate to the first region 140B(1), the second region 140B(2) facing the first region 140B(1) in the folded state, and the third region 140B(3) positioned between the first region 140B(1) and the second region 140B(2) and overlapping with the display portion 130; and the sensor portion 150 including the folding sensor 151 capable of determining whether the flexible position input portion 140B is in a folded state or an unfolded state (see FIG.","11 and FIGS.","13A to 13E).","With this structure, whether or not a palm or a finger is proximate to the first region 140B(1) or the second region 140B(2) can be determined.","As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided.","Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.","Individual components included in the data processing device 100B are described below.","Note that these units can not be clearly distinguished and one unit also serves as another unit or include part of another unit in some cases.","For example, a touch panel in which a touch sensor overlaps with a display portion is provided over the position input portion 140B as well as over the display portion 130.The data processing device 100B is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 1 in that the position input portion 140B is flexible to be in an unfolded state or a folded state and that the sensor portion 150 in the input/output unit 120B includes the folding sensor 151.Different structures will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar structures.","<> The input/output unit 120B includes the position input portion 140B, the display portion 130, and the sensor portion 150 including the folding sensor 151.The input/output portion 145, a sign 159, the communication portion 160, and the like may also be included.","The input/output unit 120B is supplied with data and can supply data (FIG.","11).","<> The data processing device 100B has a housing in which a high flexibility portion E1 and a low flexibility portion E2 are alternately provided.","In other words, in the housing of the data processing device 100B, the high flexibility portion E1 and the low flexibility portion E2 are strip-like portions (form stripes) (see FIGS.","13A and 13B).","The above-described structure allows the data processing device 100B to be folded (see FIGS.","12A to 12C).","The data processing device 100B in a folded state is highly portable.","It is possible to fold the data processing device 100B such that part of the third region 140B(3) of the position input portion 140B is on the outer side and use only part of the third region 140B(3) (see FIG.","12C).","The high flexibility portion E1 and the low flexibility portion E2 can have a shape both sides of which are parallel to each other, a triangular shape, a trapezoidal shape, a fan shape, or the like.","The user of the data processing device 100B folded to a size that allows the data processing device to be held in one hand can operate part of the third region 140B(3) of the position input portion with the thumb of his/her hand supporting the data processing device and input positional data.","In the above manner, the data processing device that can be operated with one hand can be provided (see FIG.","15A).","Note that in a folded state such that parts of the position input portion 140 are on the inner side, the user cannot operate part of the third region 140B(3) (see FIG.","12C).","Thus, it is possible to stop driving of part of the third region 140B(3) of the position input portion in a folded state.","In that case, the data processing device 100B can have reduced power consumption with the position input portion in a folded state.","The position input portion 140B in an unfolded state is seamless and has a wide operation region.","The display portion 130 and the third region 140B(3) of the position input portion overlap with each other (see FIG.","13D).","The position input portion 140B is interposed between a connecting member 13a and a connecting member 13b.","The connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b are interposed between a supporting member 15a and a supporting member 15b (see FIG.","13C).","The display portion 130, the position input portion 140B, the connecting member 13a, the connecting member 13b, the supporting member 15a, and the supporting member 15b are fixed by any of a variety of methods; for example, it is possible to use an adhesive, a screw, structures that can be fit with each other, or the like.","<> The high flexibility portion E1 is bendable and functions as a hinge.","The high flexibility portion E1 includes the connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b overlapping with each other (see FIGS.","13A to 13C).","<> The low flexibility portion E2 includes at least one of the supporting member 15a and the supporting member 15b.","For example, the low flexibility portion E2 includes the supporting member 15a and the supporting member 15b overlapping with each other.","Note that when only the supporting member 15b is included, the weight and thickness of the low flexibility portion E2 can be reduced.","<> The connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b are flexible.","For example, flexible plastic, metal, alloy and/or rubber can be used as the connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b.","Specifically, silicone rubber can be used as the connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b.","<> Any one of the supporting member 15a and the supporting member 15b has lower flexibility than the connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b.","The supporting member 15a or the supporting member 15b can increase the mechanical strength of the position input portion 140B and protect the position input portion 140B from breakage.","For example, plastic, metal, alloy, rubber, or the like can be used as the supporting member 15a or the supporting member 15b.","The connecting member 13a, the connecting member 13b, the supporting member 15a, or the supporting member 15b formed using plastic, rubber, or the like can be lightweight or break-resistant.","Specifically, engineering plastic or silicone rubber can be used.","Stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium alloy, or the like can also be used for the supporting member 15a and the supporting member 15b.","<> The position input portion 140B can be in an unfolded state or a folded state (see FIGS.","12A to 12C).","The third region 140B(3) in an unfolded state is positioned on a top surface of the data processing device 100B (see FIG.","13C), and the third region 140B(3) in a folded state is positioned on the top surface and a side surface of the data processing device 100B (see FIG.","13E).","The usable area of the unfolded position input portion 140B is larger than that of the folded position input portion 140B.","When the position input portion 140B is folded, an operation instruction that is different from an operation instruction associated with a portion of the third region 140B(3) on the top surface of the data processing device 100B can be associated with a portion of the third region 140B(3) on the side surface of the data processing device 100B.","Note that an operation instruction that is different from an operation instruction associated with the second region 140B(2) may be associated with the portion of the third region 140B(3) on the side surface of the data processing device 100B.","In this manner, a complex operation instruction can be given with the use of the position input portion 140B.","The position input portion 140B supplies the positional data L-INF (see FIG.","11).","The position input portion 140B is provided between the supporting member 15a and the supporting member 15b.","The position input portion 140B may be interposed between the connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b.","The position input portion 140B includes the first region 140B(1), the second region 140B(2), and the third region 140B(3) between the first region 140B(1) and the second region 140B(2) (see FIG.","13D).","The position input portion 140B includes a flexible substrate and proximity sensors over the flexible substrate.","In each of the first region 140B(1), the second region 140B(2), and the third region 140B(3), the proximity sensors are arranged in matrix.","Specific examples of a structure that can be employed in the position input portion 140B are described in Embodiments 6 and 7.<> The data processing device 100B includes the sensor portion 150.The sensor portion 150 includes the folding sensor 151 (see FIG.","11).","The folding sensor 151 and the sign 159 are positioned in the data processing device 100B so that a folded state of the position input portion 140B can be sensed (FIGS.","12A and 12B and FIGS.","13A, 13C, and 13E).","In a state where the position input portion 140B is unfolded, the sign 159 is positioned away from the folding sensor 151 (see FIG.","12A and FIGS.","13A and 13C).","In a state where the position input portion 140B is bent at the connecting members 13a, the sign 159 is close to the folding sensor 151 (see FIG.","12B).","In a state where the position input portion 140B is folded at the connecting members 13a, the sign 159 faces the folding sensor 151 (see FIG.","13E).","The sensor portion 150 senses the sign 159 to determine that the position input portion 140B is in a folded state and supplies the sensing data SENS including folding data.","<> The display portion 130 and at least part of the third region 140(3) of the position input portion 140 overlap with each other.","The display portion 130 can display the supplied image data VIDEO.","Particularly when flexible, the display portion 130 can be unfolded or folded with the position input portion 140 overlapping with the display portion 130.Thus, seamless display with excellent browsability can be performed by the display portion 130.Specific examples of a structure that can be employed in the flexible display portion 130 are described in Embodiments 6 and 7.<> The arithmetic unit 110 includes the arithmetic portion 111, the memory portion 112, an input/output interface 115, and a transmission path 114 (see FIG.","11).","This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.","Embodiment 3 In this embodiment, a structure of a data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.","FIGS.","14A1, 14A2, 14B1, and 14B2 illustrate a state where the data processing device 100 of one embodiment of the present invention is held by a user.","FIG.","14A1 illustrates the external appearance of the data processing device 100 held by a user, and FIG.","14A2 illustrates the ranges of a palm and fingers holding the data processing device 100 that are sensed by the proximity sensor in the position input portion 140 illustrated in FIG.","14A1.Note that the case where separate position input portions 140(A), 140(B), and 140(C) are used is illustrated in FIG.","17A.","The description for the case of FIG.","17A can apply to the case of FIG.","14A2.FIG.","14B1 is a schematic view where solid lines denote results of edge sensing processing of first positional data L-INF(1) sensed by the first region 140(1) of the position input portion 140 and second positional data L-INF(2) sensed by the second region 140(2).","FIG.","14B2 is a schematic view where hatching patterns denote results of labelling processing of the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2).","FIGS.","16A and 16B are flow charts showing the programs to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 of the data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention."," The data processing device described here is the data processing device 100 in Embodiment 1 in which the first region 140(1) supplies the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second region 140(2) supplies the second positional data L-INF(2) (see FIG.","14A2); and the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 with which the third region 140(3) overlaps is generated by the arithmetic portion 111 in accordance with results of a comparison between the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2) (see FIG.","1, FIGS.","2A to 2E, FIGS.","10A1, 10A2, 10B and FIGS.","14A1, 14A2, 14B1, and 14B2).","Individual components included in the data processing device 100 are described below.","Note that these units can not be clearly distinguished and one unit also serves as another unit or include part of another unit in some cases.","For example, a touch panel in which a touch sensor overlaps with a display portion is provided over the position input portion 140 as well as over the display portion 130.The data processing device 100 is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 1 in that the first region of the position input portion 140 supplies the first positional data and the second region of the position input portion 140 supplies the second positional data, and that an image to be displayed on the display portion 130 is generated in accordance with results of a comparison between the first positional data and the second positional data.","Different structures will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar structures.","<> The position input portion 140 is flexible to be bent such that the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2) facing the first region 140(1), and the third region 140(3) provided between the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) and overlapping with the display portion 130 are formed (see FIG.","2B).","FIG.","14A1 illustrates the data processing device 100 held by a user.","In FIG.","14A2, the ranges of a palm and fingers holding the data processing device 100 that are sensed by the proximity sensor in the position input portion 140 are illustrated together with the position input portion 140 in the unfolded state.","The first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) of the data processing device 100 held by a user sense part of the user's palm and part of the user's fingers.","For example, the first region 140(1) supplies the first positional data L-INF(1) including data on contact positions of part of the index finger, the middle finger, and the ring finger, and the second region 140(2) supplies the second positional data L-INF(2) including data on a contact position of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar).","Note that the third region 140(3) supplies data on a contact position of the thumb.","<> The display portion 130 and the third region 140(3) overlap with each other (see FIGS.","14A1 and 14A2).","The display portion 130 is supplied with the image data VIDEO and displays the image data VIDEO.","For example, the image data VIDEO including an image used for operation of the data processing device 100 can be displayed.","A user of the data processing device 100 can input positional data for selecting the image, by making his/her thumb touch the third region 140(3) overlapping with the image.","For example, a keyboard 131, icons, and the like are displayed on the right side as illustrated in FIG.","17B when operation is performed with the right hand.","The keyboard 131, icons, and the like are displayed on the left side as illustrated in FIG.","17C when operation is performed with the left hand.","In this way, operation with fingers is facilitated.","Note that a displayed screen may be changed in response to sensing of inclination of the data processing device 100 by the sensor portion 150 that senses acceleration.","For example, the left end of the data processing device 100 held in the left hand as illustrated in FIG.","18A is positioned higher than the right end as illustrated in FIG.","18C when seen in the direction denoted by an arrow 152.Here, in response to sensing of this inclination, a screen for the left hand is displayed as illustrated in FIG.","17C and the keyboard 131 for the left hand is operated.","In a similar manner, the right end of the data processing device 100 held in the right hand as illustrated in FIG.","18B is positioned higher than the left end as illustrated in FIG.","18D when seen in the direction denoted by the arrow 152.Here, in response to sensing of this inclination, a screen for the right hand is displayed as illustrated in FIG.","17B and the keyboard 131 for the right hand is operated.","The display positions of a keyboard, icons, and the like may be controlled in this manner.","Note that the method for sensing inclination of the data processing device 100 and the method illustrated in FIGS.","14A1, 14A2, 14B1, and 14B2 may be combined to control the display positions.","Alternatively, without sensing of information, the screen may be switched between an operation screen for the right hand and an operation screen for the left hand by the user of the data processing device 100.<> The arithmetic portion 111 is supplied with the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2) and generates the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 in accordance with results of a comparison between the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2)."," The data processing device described here is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 1 or that described above in that the memory portion stores a program in accordance with which the arithmetic portion 111 executes the following seven steps (see FIG.","16A).","Different processes will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar processes.","<> In a first step, the length of a first line segment is determined using the first positional data L-INF(1) supplied by the first region 140(1) (see 51 in FIG.","16A).","In a second step, the length of a second line segment is determined using the second positional data L-INF(2) supplied by the second region 140(2) (see S2 in FIG.","16A).","In a third step, the length of the first line segment and the length of the second line segment are compared with the predetermined length.","The program proceeds to a fourth step when only one of the lengths of the first and second line segments is longer than the predetermined length.","The program proceeds to the first step in other cases (see S3 in FIG.","16A).","Note that it is preferable that the predetermined length be longer than or equal to 2 cm and shorter than or equal to 15 cm, and it is particularly preferable that the predetermined length be longer than or equal to 5 cm and shorter than or equal to 10 cm.","In a fourth step, the coordinates of the midpoint of the line segment longer than the predetermined length are determined (see S4 in FIG.","16A).","In a fifth step, whether “tap”, “flick”, or the like is performed in a region in which the coordinates of the midpoint is not determined is checked in the first region 140(1) or the second region 140(2) (see S5 in FIG.","16A).","In a sixth step, the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 which overlaps with the third region 140(3) is generated based on the coordinates of the midpoint and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed confirmed in the fifth step (see S6 in FIG.","16A).","In a seventh step, the program is terminated (see S7 in FIG.","16A).","The data processing device 100 described here includes the flexible position input portion 140 capable of sensing proximity or touch of an object and supplying the positional data L-INF, and the arithmetic portion 111.The flexible position input portion 140 can be bent such that the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2) facing the first region 140(1), and the third region 140(3) positioned between the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) and overlapping with the display portion 130 are formed.","The arithmetic portion 111 can compare the first positional data L-INF(1) supplied by the first region 140(1) with the second positional data L-INF(2) supplied by the second region 140(2) and generate the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130.With this structure, whether a palm or a finger is proximate to or touches the first region 140(1) or the second region 140(2) can be determined, furthermore, whether the data processing device is operated with one hand or whether it is operated with both hands can be determined, and the image data VIDEO including an image (e.g., an image used for operation) positioned for easy operation can be generated.","As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided.","Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.","Note that a step in which the display portion 130 displays the predetermined image data VIDEO (also referred to as initial image) may be included before the first step.","In that case, the predetermined image data VIDEO can be displayed when both the length of the first line segment and that of the second line segment are longer or shorter than the predetermined length.","Individual processes executed by the arithmetic portion with the use of the program are described below.","Note that these processes cannot be clearly distinguished and one process also serves as another process or include part of another process in some cases.","<> Hereinafter, a method for determining the length of the first line segment and the length of the second line segment using the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2), respectively, is described.","A method for determining the midpoint of a line segment is also described.","Specifically, an edge sensing method for determining the length of a line segment is described.","Note that although description is given of an example in which an imaging element is used as the proximity sensor, a capacitor or the like may be used as the proximity sensor.","Assume that a value acquired by an imaging pixel with coordinates (x, y) is f(x, y).","It is preferable that a value obtained by subtracting a background value from a value sensed by the imaging pixel be used as f(x, y) because noise can be removed.","<> Formula 1 below expresses the sum Δ(x, y) of differences between a value sensed by the imaging pixel with the coordinates (x, y) and values sensed by imaging pixels with coordinates (x−1, y), coordinates (x+1, y), coordinates (x, y−1), and coordinates (x, y+1), which are adjacent to the coordinates (x, y).","Δ(x,y)=4·f(x,y)−{f(x,y−1)+f(x,y+1)+f(x−1,y)+f(x+1,y)} [Formula 1] FIG.","14A2 shows values sensed by the imaging pixels in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2).","FIG.","14B1 shows calculation results of Δ(x, y).","When Δ(x, y) is used in the above manner, an edge (contour) of a finger or a palm that is proximate to or touches the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) can be extracted to the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2).","<> The coordinates of intersection between the contour extracted to the first region 140(1) and a predetermined line segment W1 are determined, and the predetermined line segment W1 is cut at the point of intersection to be divided into a plurality of line segments.","The line segment having the longest length among the plurality of line segments is the first line segment.","Note that the length of the first line segment is length L1 (see FIG.","14-B1).","The coordinates of intersection between the contour extracted to the second region 140(2) and a predetermined line segment W2 are determined, and the predetermined line segment W2 is cut at the point of intersection to be divided into a plurality of line segments.","The line segment having the longest length among the plurality of line segments is the second line segment.","Note that the length of the second line segment is length L2.<> The length of the first line segment L1 and the length of the second line segment L2 are compared with each other, the longer one is selected, and the coordinates of a midpoint M is calculated.","In this embodiment, the length L2 is longer than the length L1; thus, the coordinates of the midpoint M of the second line segment are determined.","<> The coordinates of the midpoint M can be associated with the position of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar), the movable range of the thumb, or the like.","In this manner, image data that facilitates operation of the data processing device 100 can be generated in accordance with the coordinates of the midpoint M. For example, it is possible to generate the image data VIDEO that includes an image used for operation positioned in the display portion 130 with which the third region 140(3) in the movable range of the thumb overlaps.","Specifically, images used for operation (denoted by circles) can be positioned on a circular arc whose center is in the vicinity of the midpoint M (see FIG.","14A1).","Among images used for operation, images that are used frequently may be positioned on a circular arc and images that are used less frequently may be positioned inside or outside the circular arc.","As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided.","Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.","In the case where an operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which the midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), it can be determined that a user operates the data processing device 100 with both hands, and a predetermined processing such as the display of image data VIDEO which is different from the above can be executed.","For example, when the operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the second region 140(2) at the same time as the midpoint M is calculated in the first region 140(1), it can be determined that a user operates the data processing device 100 with both hands, and a predetermined image can be displayed on the display portion 130.In the case where the operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which the midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), the predetermined processing may be performed by determining that the data processing device is not operated by both hands.","For example, predetermined program execution, display or non-display of images, or turning on or off a power source may be performed."," The data processing device described here is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 1 or that described above in that the memory portion stores a program in accordance with which the arithmetic portion 111 executes the following six steps, in which the area of a first figure and the area of a second figure are used instead of the length of the first line segment and the length of the second line segment (see FIG.","16B).","Different processes will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar processes.","<> In a first step, the area of the first figure is determined using the first positional data L-INF(1) supplied by the first region 140(1) (T1 in FIG.","16B).","In a second step, the area of the second figure is determined using the second positional data L-INF(2) supplied by the second region 140(2) (T2 in FIG.","16B).","In a third step, the area of the first figure and the area of the second figure are compared with the predetermined area.","The program proceeds to a fourth step when only one of the areas of the first and second figures is larger than the predetermined area.","The program proceeds to the first step in other cases (T3 in FIG.","16B).","Note that it is preferable that the predetermined area be larger than or equal to 1 cm2 and smaller than or equal to 8 cm2, and it is particularly preferable that the predetermined area be larger than or equal to 3 cm2 and smaller than or equal to 5 cm2.In a fourth step, the barycentric coordinates of the figure whose area is larger than the predetermined area are determined (T4 in FIG.","16B).","In a fifth step, whether “tap”, “flick”, or the like is performed in a region in which barycentric coordinates are not determined in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) is checked (see T5 in FIG.","16A).","In a sixth step, the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 which overlaps with the third region is generated based on the barycentric coordinates and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed confirmed in the fifth step (T6 in FIG.","16B).","In a seventh step, the program is terminated (see T7 in FIG.","16B).","Individual processes executed by the arithmetic portion with the use of the program are described below.","Note that these processes cannot be clearly distinguished and one process also serves as another process or include part of another process in some cases.","<> Hereinafter, a method for determining the area of the first figure and the area of the second figure using the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2), respectively, is described.","A method for determining the center of gravity of a figure is also described.","Specifically, labeling processing for determining the area of a figure is described.","Note that although description is given of an example in which an imaging element is used as the proximity sensor, a capacitor or the like may be used as the proximity sensor.","Assume that a value acquired by an imaging pixel with coordinates (x, y) is f(x, y).","It is preferable that a value obtained by subtracting a background value from a value sensed by the imaging pixel be used as f(x, y) because noise can be removed.","<> In the case where one imaging pixel and an adjacent imaging pixel in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) each acquire a value f(x, y) exceeding a predetermined threshold value, the region where the region occupied by these imaging pixels is regarded as one figure.","Note that when f(x, y) can be 256, for example, it is preferable that the predetermined threshold value be greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 150, and it is particularly preferable that the predetermined threshold value be greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 50.The above processing is performed on all of the imaging pixels in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), and imaging of the results is carried out to give the regions in which adjacent imaging pixels each exceeds the predetermined threshold value as shown in FIGS.","14A2 and 14B2.The figure having the largest area among figures in the first region 140(1) is the first figure.","The figure having the largest area among figures in the second region 140(2) is the second figure.","<> The area of the first figure and that of the second figure are compared, the larger one is selected, and the center of gravity is calculated.","Coordinates C(X, Y) of the center of gravity can be calculated using Formula (2) below.","C ( X , Y ) = ( 1 n ∑ i = 0 n - 1 x i , 1 n ∑ i = 0 n - 1 y i ) [ Formula 2 ] In Equation (2), (x, y) represents the coordinates of n imaging pixels forming one figure.","The area of the second figure is larger than that of the first figure; thus, the barycentric coordinates C of the second figure are determined.","<> The barycentric coordinates C can be associated with the position of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar), the movable range of the thumb, or the like.","In this manner, image data that facilitates operation of the data processing device 100 can be generated in accordance with the barycentric coordinates C. In the case where an operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which the center of gravity C is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), it can be determined that a user operates the data processing device 100 by both hands, and the image data VIDEO which is different from above can be displayed.","In the case where an operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which the center of gravity C is not calculated in the first region 140 (1) and the second region 140 (2), operations other than the display of the image data VIDEO may be performed.","For example, execution of a predetermined program, display or non-display of images or turning on or off a power source may be performed.","In the case where the position input portion 140 is provided on the front surface and the back surface of the data processing device 100, the position input portion 140 of the front surface and the back surface are tapped at the same time, whereby execution of the predetermined program, display or non-display of images, or turning on or off a power source may be performed, for example (see FIG.","19A).","In addition, portions of the position input portion 140 of the front surface and the back surface are “flicked” at the same time, whereby execution of the predetermined program, display or non-display of images, turning on or off a power source may be performed, for example (see FIG.","19B).","Therefore, unexpected malfunctions can be prevented.","This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.","Embodiment 4 In this embodiment, a structure of a data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.","FIGS.","15A and 15B illustrate a state where the data processing device 100B of one embodiment of the present invention is held by a user.","FIG.","15A illustrates the data processing device 100B in a folded state held by a user, and FIG.","15B illustrates the ranges of a palm and fingers sensed by the data processing device 100B in the state illustrated in FIG.","15A.","Note that the ranges of the palm and fingers are illustrated together with the unfolded position input portion 140B.","FIG.","20 is a flow chart showing the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 of the data processing device 100B of one embodiment of the present invention.","FIGS.","21A to 21C illustrate an example of an image displayed on the display portion 130 of the data processing device 100B of one embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","22 is a flow chart showing the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 of the data processing device 100B of one embodiment of the present invention."," In a data processing device described here, the first region 140B(1) of the position input portion 140B supplies the first positional data L-INF(1), and the second region 140B(2) supplies the second positional data L-INF(2) (see FIG.","15B).","The sensor portion 150 supplies the sensing data SENS including folding data; and the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 is generated by the arithmetic portion 111 in accordance with the sensing data SENS including the folding data and results of a comparison between the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2) (see FIG.","11, FIGS.","12A to 12C, and FIGS.","15A and 15B).","Individual components included in the data processing device 100B are described below.","Note that these units can not be clearly distinguished and one unit also serves as another unit or include part of another unit in some cases.","For example, a touch panel in which a touch sensor overlaps with a display portion is provided in the position input portion 140B as well as in the display portion 130.The data processing device 100B is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 2 in that the first region 140B(1) of the position input portion 140B supplies the first positional data and the second region 140B(2) of the position input portion 140B supplies the second positional data, and that an image to be displayed on the display portion 130 is generated in accordance with results of a comparison between the first positional data and the second positional data.","Different structures will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar structures.","<> The position input portion 140B is flexible to unfolded or folded such that the first region 140B(1), the second region 140B(2) facing the first region 140B(1), and the third region 140B(3) provided between the first region 140B(1) and the second region 140B(2) and overlapping with the display portion 130B are formed (see FIGS.","12A to 12C).","The first region 140B(1) and the second region 140B(2) which the user's palm and the user's fingers are proximate to or touch sense part of the user's palm and part of the user's fingers.","For example, the first region 140B(1) supplies the first positional data L-INF(1) including data on contact positions of part of the index finger, the middle finger, and the ring finger, and the second region 140B(2) supplies the second positional data L-INF(2) including data on a contact position of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar).","Note that the third region 140B(3) supplies data on a contact position of the thumb.","<> The display portion 130 and the third region 140B(3) overlap with each other (see FIGS.","15A and 15B).","The display portion 130 is supplied with the image data VIDEO and can display an image used for operation of the data processing device 100B, for example.","A user of the data processing device 100B can input positional data for selecting the image, by making his/her thumb touch the third region 140B(3) overlapping with the image.","<> The arithmetic portion 111 is supplied with the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2) and generates the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 in accordance with results of a comparison between the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2)."," The data processing device described here is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 2 or that described above in that the memory portion stores a program in accordance with which the arithmetic portion 111 executes the following nine steps (see FIG.","20).","Different processes will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar processes.","<> In a first step, the length of the first line segment is determined using the first positional data supplied by the first region (U1 in FIG.","20).","In a second step, the length of the second line segment is determined using the second positional data supplied by the second region (U2 in FIG.","20).","In a third step, the length of the first line segment and the length of the second line segment are compared with the predetermined length.","The program proceeds to a fourth step when only one of the lengths of the first and second line segments is longer than the predetermined length.","The program proceeds to the first step in other cases (U3 in FIG.","20).","Note that it is preferable that the predetermined length be longer than or equal to 2 cm and shorter than or equal to 15 cm, and it is particularly preferable that the predetermined length be longer than or equal to 5 cm and shorter than or equal to 10 cm.","In the fourth step, the coordinates of the midpoint of the line segment longer than the predetermined length are determined (U4 in FIG.","20).","In a fifth step, whether or not the operation such as “tap” or “flick” is performed in a region in which the coordinates of the midpoint are not determined in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) is checked (see U5 in FIG.","20A).","In a sixth step, the folding data of the data processing device 100B is acquired.","The program proceeds to a seventh step when the folding data indicates the folded state (U6 in FIG.","20).","In the seventh step, the first image data to be displayed on the display portion 130 with which the third region overlaps is generated in accordance with the coordinates of the midpoint and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed which is confirmed in the fifth step (U7 in FIG.","20).","In the sixth step, the folding data of the data processing device 100B is acquired.","The program proceeds to an eighth step when the folding data indicates the folded state (U5 in FIG.","20).","In the eighth step, the second image data to be displayed on the display portion with which the third region overlaps is generated in accordance with the coordinates of the midpoint and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed which is confirmed in the fifth step (U8 in FIG.","20).","In the ninth step, the program is terminated (see U9 in FIG.","20).","The data processing device 100B described here includes the flexible position input portion 140B capable of sensing proximity or touch of an object and supplying the positional data L-INF; the sensor portion 150 including the folding sensor 151 that can determine whether the flexible position input portion 140B is in a folded state or an unfolded state; and the arithmetic portion 111 (see FIG.","11).","The flexible position input portion 140B can be bent such that the first region 140B(1), the second region 140B(2) facing the first region 140B(1) in the folded state, and the third region 140B(3) positioned between the first region 140B(1) and the second region 140B(2) and overlapping with the display portion 130 are formed.","The arithmetic portion 111 can compare the first positional data L-INF(1) supplied by the first region 140B(1) with the second positional data L-INF(2) supplied by the second region 140B(2) and generate the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 in accordance with the folded state.","With this structure, whether or not a palm or a finger is proximate to or touches the first region 140B(1) or the second region 140B(2) can be determined, furthermore, whether data processing device is operated with one hand or with both hands can be determined, and the image data VIDEO including a first image positioned for easy operation in the folded state of the position input portion 140B (e.g., the first image in which an image used for operation is positioned) or a second image positioned for easy operation in the unfolded state of the position input portion 140B can be generated.","As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided.","Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.","In the data processing device 100B described here, a step in which the predetermined image data VIDEO is generated by the arithmetic portion 111 and displayed by the display portion 130 may be included before the first step.","In that case, the predetermined image data VIDEO can be displayed when both the length of the first line segment and that of the second line segment are longer or shorter than the predetermined length in the third step.","Individual processes executed by the arithmetic portion with the use of the program are described below.","Note that these processes cannot be clearly distinguished and one process also serves as another process or include part of another process in some cases.","The program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 of the data processing device 100B is different from the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion of the data processing device in Embodiment 3 in that in the fifth step, the process is branched in accordance with the folded state of the position input portion 140B.","Different processes will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar processes.","<> When the acquired folding data indicates the folded state, the arithmetic portion 111 generates the first image data.","For example, in a manner similar to that of the fifth step of the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 of the data processing device 100 in Embodiment 3, first image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 with which the third region 140B(3) in the folded state overlaps is generated in accordance with the coordinates of the midpoint and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed which is confirmed in the fifth step.","The coordinates of the midpoint M can be associated with the position of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar), the movable range of the thumb, or the like.","In the case where an operation such as “tap” or “flick” is not detected in the region in which the midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), it can be determined that a user operates the data processing device 100 with one hand, and image data that facilitates the operation of the data processing device 100B in the folded state can be generated in accordance with the coordinates of the midpoint M. For example, it is possible to generate the first image data VIDEO for one-hand operation that includes an image used for operation positioned in the display portion 130 with which the third region 140B(3) in the movable range of the thumb overlaps.","Specifically, images used for operation (denoted by circles) can be positioned on a circular arc whose center is in the vicinity of the midpoint M (see FIG.","21A).","Among images used for operation, images that are used frequently may be positioned on a circular arc and images that are used less frequently may be positioned inside or outside the circular arc.","As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided in the data processing device 100B in the folded state.","Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.","In the case where an operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which the midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), it can be judged that the data processing device 100 is operated with both hands, so that the first image data VIDEO for two-hand operation can be displayed.","Note that the first image data VIDEO for one-hand operation and the first image data VIDEO for two-hand operation can be the same.","In the case where operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), operations other than the display of the imaged data VIDEO may be performed.","For example, execution of the predetermined program, display or non-display of images or turning on or off a power source may be performed.","<> When the acquired folding data indicates the unfolded state, the arithmetic portion 111 generates the second image data.","For example, in a manner similar to that of the fifth step of the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 of the data processing device 100 in Embodiment 3, first image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 with which the third region 140B(3) in the folded state overlaps is generated in accordance with the coordinates of the midpoint and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed which is confirmed in the fifth step.","The coordinates of the midpoint M can be associated with the position of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar), the movable range of the thumb, or the like.","For example, it is possible to generate second image data VIDEO that includes an image used for operation not positioned in an area with which the movable range of the thumb overlaps.","For example, in the case where an operation such as “tap” or “flick” is not detected in the region in which midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), it can be determined that a user operates the data processing device 100 with one hand, and images used for operation (denoted by circles) can be positioned outside a circular arc whose center is in the vicinity of the midpoint M (see FIGS.","21A to 21C).","The position input portion 140B may be driven such that the position input portion 140B supplies positional data in response to sensing of an object that is proximate to or touches the circular arc or a region outside the circular arc.","The user can support the data processing device 100B by holding the circular arc or a region inside the circular arc in the position input portion 140B in the unfolded state with one hand.","The image used for operation and displayed outside the circular arc can be operated with the other hand.","As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided in the data processing device 100B in the unfolded state.","Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.","In the case where an operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) (see FIGS.","21A and 21B), it can be judged that the data processing device 100 is operated with both hands, so that the second image data VIDEO for two-hand operation can be displayed.","Note that the first image data VIDEO for one-hand operation and the second image data VIDEO for two-hand operation can be the same.","In the case where the operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), operations other than the display of the image data VIDEO may be performed.","For example, execution of the predetermined program, display or non-display of images or turning on or off a power source may be performed."," The data processing device described here is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 2 or that described above in that the memory portion stores a program in accordance with which the arithmetic portion 111 executes the following seven steps, in which the area of the first figure and the area of the second figure are used instead of the length of the first line segment and the length of the second line segment (see FIG.","22).","Different processes will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar processes.","<> In a first step, the area of the first figure is determined using the first positional data supplied by the first region 140B(1) (see V1 in FIG.","22).","In a second step, the area of the second figure is determined using the second positional data supplied by the second region 140B(2) (see V2 in FIG.","22).","In a third step, the area of the first figure and the area of the second figure are compared with the predetermined area.","The program proceeds to a fourth step when only one of the area of the first figure and the area of the second figure is larger than the predetermined area.","The program proceeds to the first step in other cases (see V3 in FIG.","22).","Note that it is preferable that the predetermined area be larger than or equal to 1 cm2 and smaller than or equal to 8 cm2, and it is particularly preferable that the predetermined area be larger than or equal to 3 cm2 and smaller than or equal to 5 cm2.In a fourth step, the barycentric coordinates of the area which is larger than the predetermined area are determined (see V4 in FIG.","22).","In a fifth step, the folding data of the data processing device 100B is acquired.","The program proceeds to the sixth step when the folding data indicates the folded state (see V5 in FIG.","22).","In a sixth step, whether operations of “tap”, “flick”, or the like are performed in a region in which the coordinates of the midpoint are not determined in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) is checked (see V6 in FIG.","22).","In a seventh step, the first image data to be displayed on the display portion 130 which overlaps with the third region is generated in accordance with the barycentric coordinates and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed confirmed in the sixth step (see V7 in FIG.","22).","In a fifth step, the folding data of the data processing device 100B is acquired.","The program proceeds to the eighth step when the folding data indicates the folded state (see V5 in FIG.","22).","In an eighth step, the second image data to be displayed on the display portion with which the third region overlaps is generated in accordance with the barycentric coordinates (see V8 in FIG.","22).","The program is terminated in a ninth step (see V9 in FIG.","22).","This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.","Embodiment 5 In this embodiment, an operation example that can be used for the data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.","In the case where the data processing device 100 is held by a user, a specific region of the position input portion 140 is touched for a long time.","In the display portion 130, display on a region overlapping with the region touched or rewriting data in the region overlapping with the region touched is not performed, whereby power consumption of the data processing device 100 can be suppressed.","Since a region touched is a blind spot, visibility of the display image is not decreased when the display in the region overlapping with the region touched is stopped.","Here, the region in which the display is stopped may be smaller than the region touched, for example.","In that case, display appears to be performed even if a hand holding the data processing device moves a little.","In the display portion 130, there may be a region in which display is not performed or a region in which a rewriting operation is not performed may be provided in a region other than touched region.","For example, when the data processing device 100 is held by a user, there might be a region in which a user cannot view the display images near the region touched even though the region is not touched.","A region in which display is not performed or a region in which a rewriting operation is not performed may be provided even in such a region.","As an example of such a case, the case of contacting the display portion 130 with a palm can be given.","When a palm contacts the display portion 130, the entire palm does not necessary contact the display portion.","Even in a region with which palm is not in contact, however, the palm prevents a user from viewing the region in some cases.","Thus, display or a rewriting operation is not necessarily performed in such a region.","Here, the terms “display is not performed” and “rewriting operation is not performed” refer to not supplying a new image signal or charge to pixels in the display portion 130.Furthermore, the terms indicate that light is not supplied from the lighting device such as a backlight or a frontlight.","For example, in the case of using a light-emitting element for the pixel, black display is performed in the region that is not supplied with an image signal in some cases.","In addition, in the case where a display element that is not a light emitting element (e.g., a liquid crystal element) is used for the pixel, black display or white display is performed depending on a pixel configuration.","Moreover, in the case of using a liquid crystal element as the pixel, an image which is displayed just before the supply of an image signal is stopped might be continuously displayed.","For example, in the case of using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor in a channel portion, the same image may be continuously displayed because the off-state current of the transistor is extremely small.","Furthermore, in the case of using a liquid crystal element for the pixel, black display may be performed in the region to which illumination light from the backlight is not supplied.","In the case where a user holds the data processing device 100 with a hand and the like, the region held by the hand can be determined by various methods.","For example, as described in the above embodiments, the edge detection processing is performed based on the first positional data L-INF (1) sensed by the first region 140(1) of the position input portion 140 and a second positional data L-INF (2) sensed by a second region 140(2), and when the arithmetic portion 111 determines that the area or the barycentric coordinates of the region surrounded by the edge is not changed for a certain period or longer, a portion of the display of the display portion 130 overlapping with the region is stopped.","Alternatively, the display image rewriting of a portion of the display portion 130 that overlaps with the region is stopped.","A similar processing may be performed using a third positional data L-INF (3) sensed by the third region 140(3).","In the case where the data processing device 100 includes a fourth region 140(4) and a fifth region 140(5), for example, a similar processing may be performed based on fourth positional data L-INF (4) sensed by the fourth region 140(4) and a fifth positional data L-INF (5) sensed by the fifth region 140(5), for example.","Alternatively, all the touched regions are simply detected, and the regions which are determined to be touched for a certain period or longer may be determined to be a region which is held by a hand or the like.","Alternatively, the regions may be determined by using another sensor such as an acceleration sensor, an optical sensor, and an infrared ray sensor.","In such a manner, the regions that are held by a hand can be determined by using and combining various methods.","For example, as shown in FIG.","32(A), a region A which is touched for a certain period or longer by a hand or the like does not react.","In addition, a region B does not react because the region B is not in contact with anything.","Next, as shown in FIG.","32(B), when a finger or the like touches the region B, the region B reacts but the region A does not react.","It is possible to operate the data processing device 100 by such a method.","<> An example of a program for making the arithmetic portion 111 execute the processing by which display is not performed in the region overlapping with the region touched for a certain period will be described with reference to FIG.","23.The data processing device described here has a memory portion storing a program for making the arithmetic portion 111 execute the following eight steps.","Note that the data processing device described in the above embodiments can be appropriately used as the data processing device.","In a first step, a region a1 that is touched over the position input portion 140 is identified based on the first positional data L-INF (1) to the fourth positional data L-INF (4), and the like (see R1 in FIG.","23).","In a second step, the area and the barycentric coordinates of the region a1 are calculated (R2 in FIG.","23).","In a third step, the data processing device stands by for a certain period (R3 in FIG.","23).","Note that the stand-by time is preferably 1 second or longer and shorter than 30 seconds, and more preferably 1 second or longer and shorter than 15 seconds.","When the stand-by time is too long, the display quality of the data processing device 100 is likely to decrease because the display in the display portion 130 overlapping with the region a1 might not be performed even after the holding position changed or holding is stopped.","In a fourth step, a region a2 over the position input portion 140 which is touched is identified based on the first positional data L-INF (1) to the fourth positional data L-INF (4), or the like (R4 in FIG.","23).","In a fifth step, the area and the barycentric coordinates of the region a2 are calculated (R5 in FIG.","23).","In a sixth step, whether there are big differences in the areas and the barycentric coordinates between the region a1 and the region a2 is determined (R6 in FIG.","23).","In the case where there is no great difference in at least one of the areas and the barycentric coordinates between the region a1 and the region a2, a seventh step is performed (R7 in FIG.","23).","In the seventh step, display of the display portion 130 overlapping with the region a1 is stopped.","Alternatively, display image rewriting of the display portion 130 overlapping with the region a1 is stopped.","After that, the operation returns to the third step, and the data processing device stands by for a certain period.","In the sixth step, in the case where there is a great difference in at least one of the areas and the barycentric coordinates between the region a1 and the region a2, the execution of the program is terminated in an eighth step.","In such a manner, power consumption of the data processing device 100 can be suppressed.","Note that although the display or the display image rewriting of the display portion 130 overlapping with the region a1 is stopped in the seventh step, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.","For example, in the seventh step, when the display or the display image rewriting of the display portion 130 is stopped, it is also stopped not only in the region touched for a certain period but also in the vicinity thereof.","Alternatively, the display or the display image rewriting of the display portion 130 is stopped in a region which is a slightly smaller than the region touched for a certain period.","In the case of FIGS.","2C, 2D, and 2E, for example, when the region touched for a certain period exists in any part of the fourth region 140(4), the display of a region of the display portion 130 that overlaps with the entire part of the first region 140(4) is stopped, or the display image rewriting is stopped.","Similarly, for example, in the case where a region touched for a certain period exists in any part of the first region 140(1), the display of a region of the display portion 130 that overlaps with the entire part of the first region 140 (1) is stopped, or the display image rewriting is stopped.","For example, since the fourth region 140(4) corresponds to the back surface of the data processing device 100, the fourth region 140(4) is a place which is hardly viewed by a user when the data processing device is held.","Accordingly, when the display portion 130 may be not viewed from a user, the display or the display image rewriting is temporarily stopped in the entire part of such a region.","However, when the third region 140(3) is not touched for a certain period, the display is restored, for example.","Thus, the display can be performed only when a user is viewing, which results in reducing the power consumption.","In the case where a user views the fourth region 140(4), the third region 140(3) substantially corresponds to the back surface of the data processing device 100.Thus, for example, in such a case, in a manner similar to the case of the fourth region 140(4), the display or the display image rewriting of the display portion 130 is stopped in the entire part of the third region 140(3).","At least one of the region determining whether the region is touched for a long time; the region determining whether the region is touched for holding the data processing device by a user; the region in which the display of the display portion 130 is stopped; and the region in which the display image rewriting of the display portion 130 may be set to be a part of a region of the display portion 130.Furthermore, the position of the region, a judgment operation or a display operation performed in the region, and the like may be changed according to the situation.","In addition, they may be set and changed by a user.","For example, whether a region is touched for a long time or is touched for holding the device is not necessarily determined in the region corresponding to the front surface of the data processing device 100, such as in the third region 140(3).","Furthermore, in such a region, the display or the display image rewriting of the display portion 130 is not necessarily stopped.","In this manner, a user can view a display image even when the user rapidly changes the holding state of the data processing device 100.Furthermore, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic sensor, or the like may be used for determining whether a user is viewing the back surface or the front surface of the data processing device 100.By utilizing data of these sensors, circumstances can be precisely judged.","In the case where the data processing device 100 is held by a user, when the region held by a user is included in the region determining touch action, touch action cannot be accurately determined, which causes malfunction or decrease in operability.","In addition, there is a risk of dropping the data processing device 100 when a user holds a region of the data processing device 100 except for the region determining touch action.","Hence, for example, a region touched by a user unintentionally is excluded from the region determining touch action in the position input portion 140.Furthermore, for example, a region of the position input portion 140 touched by a user for holding the data processing device 100 is excluded from the region determining touch action.","Alternatively, for example, a region which cannot be touched even if a user intends to is excluded from the region determining touch action.","For example, a region touched for a certain period is excluded from a region determining touch action in the position input portion 140.Thus, detection accuracy of touch action can be improved.","Furthermore, favorable operability of the data processing device 100 can be obtained.","As an example of a region which cannot be touched even if a user intends to, a region in contact with a palm can be given.","In the case where a palm touches the region, the entire palm is not necessarily in contact with the region.","Even if the region is not touched by a palm, the palm prevents the other hand from touching the region.","As an example of a region which cannot be touched even if a user intends to touch, small spaces between fingers at the time of touching with a plurality of fingers can be given.","The spaces cannot be touched with another hand.","In this manner, a region which cannot be touched even if a user intends to touch may be excluded from the region determining touch action.","In the case where the data processing device 100 is held by a hand or the like, the region held by a hand can be judged by various methods.","For example, as described in the above embodiments, the edge detection process is performed based on the first positional data L-INF (1) sensed by the first region 140 (1) of the position input portion 140 and the second positional data L-INF (2) sensed by the second region 140 (2), and when the arithmetic portion 111 judges that the area or the barycentric coordinates of a region surrounded by the edge is not changed for a certain period or longer, the region is excluded from the region determining touch action.","The similar processing may be performed using the third positional data L-INF (3) sensed by the third region 140 (3).","In the case where the data processing device 100 includes the fourth region 140(4), the fifth region 140(5), and the like, the same processing may be performed based on the results of the fourth positional data L-INF (4) sensed by the fourth region 140(4) and the fifth positional data L-INF (5) sensed by the fifth region 140(5), and the like.","Alternatively, all the touched regions are simply detected, and the region which is determined to be touched for a certain period or longer may be determined to be a region which is held by a hand, or the like.","Alternatively, the regions may be determined by using another sensor such as an acceleration sensor, an optical sensor, and an infrared ray sensor.","In such a manner, the regions that are held with a hand can be determined by using and combining various methods.","<> An example of a program for making the arithmetic portion 111 execute the processing by which a region touched for a certain period is excluded from the region determining touch action will be described with reference to FIG.","24.The data-processing device described here has the memory portion storing a program for making the arithmetic portion 111 execute the following eight steps.","Note that, the data processing device described in the above embodiments can be appropriately used as the data processing device.","In a first step, a region a1 that is touched over the position input portion 140 is identified based on the first positional data L-INF (1) to the fourth positional data L-INF (4), and the like (see W1 in FIG.","24).","In a second step, the area and the barycentric coordinates of the region a1 are calculated (see W2 in FIG.","24).","In a third step, the data processing device stands by for a certain period (see W3 in FIG.","24).","The stand by time is preferably 1 second or longer and shorter than 30 seconds, and more preferably 1 second or longer and shorter than 15 seconds.","When the stand-by time is too long, display quality of the data processing device 100 is likely to decrease because the display in the display portion 130 that overlaps with a region a1 is not performed in some cases even after the holding position changed or holding is stopped.","In a fourth step, a region a2 that is touched over the position input portion 140 is identified based on the first positional data L-INF (1) to the fourth positional data L-INF (4), and the like (see W4 in FIG.","24).","In a fifth step, the area and the barycentric coordinates of a region a2 are calculated (see W5 in FIG.","24).","In a sixth step, whether there are big differences in the area and the barycentric coordinates between region a1 and the region a2 is judged (see W6 in FIG.","24).","In the case where there is no great difference in at least one of the areas and the barycentric coordinates between the region a1 and the region a2, a seventh step is performed (see W7 in FIG.","24).","In the seventh step, a region touched for a certain period is excluded from the region determining the touching action in the position input portion 140.In the sixth step, in the case where there is a great difference in at least one of the areas and the barycentric coordinates of the region a1 and the region a2, the execution of the program is terminated in an eighth step.","In such a manner, detection accuracy of touch action of the data processing device 100 can be improved.","Furthermore, favorable operability of the data processing device 100 can be obtained.","Since a user does not need to be careful not to touch the region determining touch action, the data processing device 100 can be easily held.","Since it becomes easy for a user to operate the data processing device 100 by one hand while holding the data processing device 100 by the other hand, the user can easily operate the data processing device 100 by both hands.","Note that, although the region touched for a certain period is excluded from the region determining the touching action in the position input portion 140 in the seventh step, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.","For example, in the seventh step, when the region touched for a certain period is excluded from the region determining the touch action in the position input portion 140, the vicinity of the region touched for a certain period can also be excluded from the region determining touch action.","In the case of FIGS.","2A and 2B, for example, when a region touched for a certain period exists in any part of the second region 140(2), the entire part of the second region 140(2) is excluded from the region determining touch action.","Similarly, for example, when a region touched for a certain period exists in any part of the first region 140(1), the entire part of the first region 140(1) is excluded from the region determining touch action.","Since the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) correspond to the side surfaces of the data processing device 100, the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) are regions that are easily touched.","Thus, such regions may be temporarily excluded from the regions determining touch action.","Note that, when the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) are not touched for a certain period, the regions are returned to the regions determining touch action.","Accordingly, touch action can be utilized only when a user intends to perform operations.","At least one of the region determining whether the region is touched for a long time, the region determining whether the region is touched by a user for holding the data processing device, and the region determining touch action may be set to be a part of the region of the display portion 130.Furthermore, the position of the region, a judgment operation or a display operation performed in the region, and the like may be changed according to the situation.","In addition, they may be set and changed by a user.","For example, whether a region is touched for a long time or is touched for holding the data processing device is not necessarily judged in the region corresponding to the front surface of the data processing device 100 such as the third region 140 (3).","In addition, such a region is not necessarily excluded from the region determining touch action.","Thus, a user can use the data processing device 100 smoothly in some cases.","Note that instead of determining whether a region is touched for a certain period, a user may set a specific region which is excluded from the region determining touch action.","For example, in a normal use, only a front surface such as the third region 140 (3) may be set to be the region determining touch action.","Then, the other regions are excluded from the region determining touch action.","The settings are changed according the usage of the data processing device.","Thus, a user can easily operate the data processing device 100.Furthermore, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic sensor, or the like can be used for determining whether a user is viewing the back surface or the front surface of the data processing device 100.By utilizing the data of these sensors, circumstances can be precisely determined.","The program described above is not only used in the data processing device 100 but also used in data processing devices in other embodiments.","In FIG.","25, a data processing device 100B which is unfolded is held by a left hand, and touch action is performed on the position input portion 140 overlapping with the display portion 130 by a right hand.","With the use of the program described above in the data processing device 100B, the display of the region held by a left hand is stopped, which results in reducing the power consumption.","Alternatively, with use of the program described above in the data processing device 100B, the region held by a left hand is excluded from the region determining touch action, whereby the detection accuracy of touch action of the data processing device 100B can be improved.","Alternatively, favorable operability of the data processing device 100B can be obtained.","When the data processing device 100 is held by a user, in a region of the display portion 130 overlapping with the region touched, an operation of not performing the display of the region or an operation of not performing rewriting operation of the region, and an operation of excluding the region from the region determining touch action can be carried out in combination.","For example, display is not performed and touch action is not judged in the region touched by a user for holding the data processing device 100.This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.","Embodiment 6 In this embodiment, the structure of a display panel that can be used for a position input portion and a display device of the data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.","26A to 26C.","Note that the display panel described in this embodiment includes a touch sensor (a contact sensor device) that overlaps with a display portion; thus, the display panel can be called a touch panel (an input/output device).","FIG.","26A is a top view illustrating the structure of a display panel that can be used for a position input portion and a display device of the data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","26B is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-B and line C-D in FIG.","26A.","FIG.","26C is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-F in FIG.","26A."," An input/output device 300 described as an example in this embodiment includes a display portion 301 (see FIG.","26A).","The display portion 301 includes a plurality of pixels 302 and a plurality of imaging pixels 308.The imaging pixels 308 can sense a touch of a finger or the like on the display portion 301.Thus, a touch sensor can be formed using the imaging pixels 308.Each of the pixels 302 includes a plurality of sub-pixels (e.g., a sub-pixel 302R).","In addition, in the sub-pixels, light-emitting elements and pixel circuits that can supply electric power for driving the light-emitting elements are provided.","The pixel circuits are electrically connected to wirings through which selection signals are supplied and wirings through which image signals are supplied.","Furthermore, the input/output device 300 is provided with a scan line driver circuit 303g(1) that can supply selection signals to the pixels 302 and an image signal line driver circuit 303s(1) that can supply image signals to the pixels 302.Note that when the image signal line driver circuit 303s(1) is placed in a portion other than a bendable portion, malfunction can be inhibited.","The imaging pixels 308 include photoelectric conversion elements and imaging pixel circuits that drive the photoelectric conversion elements.","The imaging pixel circuits are electrically connected to wirings through which control signals are supplied and wirings through which power supply potentials are supplied.","Examples of the control signals include a signal for selecting an imaging pixel circuit from which a recorded imaging signal is read, a signal for initializing an imaging pixel circuit, and a signal for determining the time it takes for an imaging pixel circuit to detect light.","The input/output device 300 is provided with an imaging pixel driver circuit 303g(2) that can supply control signals to the imaging pixels 308 and an imaging signal line driver circuit 303s(2) that reads out imaging signals.","Note that when the imaging signal line driver circuit 303s(2) is placed in a portion other than a bendable portion, malfunction can be inhibited."," The input/output device 300 includes a substrate 310 and a counter substrate 370 that faces the substrate 310 (see FIG.","26B).","The substrate 310 is a stacked body in which a flexible substrate 310b, a barrier film 310a that prevents diffusion of unintentional impurities to the light-emitting elements, and an adhesive layer 310c that attaches the barrier film 310a to the substrate 310b are stacked.","The counter substrate 370 is a stacked body including a flexible substrate 370b, a barrier film 370a that prevents diffusion of unintentional impurities to the light-emitting elements, and an adhesive layer 370c that attaches the barrier film 370a to the substrate 370b (see FIG.","26B).","A sealant 360 attaches the counter substrate 370 to the substrate 310.The sealant 360 also serving as an optical adhesive layer has a refractive index higher than that of air.","The pixel circuits and the light-emitting elements (e.g., a first light-emitting element 350R) and the imaging pixel circuits and photoelectric conversion elements (e.g., a photoelectric conversion element 308p) are provided between the substrate 310 and the counter substrate 370.<> Each of the pixels 302 includes a sub-pixel 302R, a sub-pixel 302G, and a sub-pixel 302B (see FIG.","26C).","The sub-pixel 302R includes a light-emitting module 380R, the sub-pixel 302G includes a light-emitting module 380G, and the sub-pixel 302B includes a light-emitting module 380B.","For example, the sub-pixel 302R includes the first light-emitting element 350R and the pixel circuit that can supply electric power to the first light-emitting element 350R and includes a transistor 302t (see FIG.","26B).","Furthermore, the light-emitting module 380R includes the first light-emitting element 350R and an optical element (e.g., a coloring layer 367R).","The transistor 302t includes a semiconductor layer.","As the semiconductor layer, any layer which is semiconductive can be used.","For example, a semiconductor such as silicon and germanium, a compound semiconductor such as gallium arsenide, an oxide semiconductor such as indium oxide, zinc oxide, indium gallium zinc oxide, and an organic semiconductor can be used.","Furthermore, the semiconductor layer may have crystallinity such as a single crystal, a polycrystal, a microcrystal, and the like.","Furthermore, the semiconductor layer may be amorphous.","The characteristics of the oxide semiconductor are less likely to change even when a change in shape such as bending is given to the oxide semiconductor.","Thus, an oxide semiconductor is preferably used for a semiconductor layer of a transistor to be formed over a flexible substrate.","Although a channel-etched transistor that is a type of bottom-gate transistor is illustrated as the transistor 302t in this embodiment, a channel-protective transistor can be used.","In addition, the transistor 302t may be a top-gate transistor.","The transistor 302t may have a single gate structure including one channel formation region in a semiconductor layer, a double gate structure including two channel formation regions in a semiconductor layer, or a triple gate structure including three channel formation regions in a semiconductor layer.","The transistor 302t may include a back gate electrode, with which the threshold value of the transistor 302t may be controlled.","The light-emitting element 350R includes a first lower electrode 351R, an upper electrode 352, and a layer 353 containing a light-emitting organic compound between the first lower electrode 351R and the upper electrode 352 (see FIG.","26C).","The layer 353 containing a light-emitting organic compound includes a light-emitting unit 353a, a light-emitting unit 353b, and an intermediate layer 354 between the light-emitting units 353a and 353b.","The light-emitting module 380R includes the first coloring layer 367R on the counter substrate 370.The coloring layer transmits light of a particular wavelength and is, for example, a layer that selectively transmits light of red, green, or blue color.","A region that transmits light emitted from the light-emitting element as it is may be provided as well.","The light-emitting module 380R, for example, includes the sealant 360 that is in contact with the first light-emitting element 350R and the first coloring layer 367R.","The first coloring layer 367R is positioned in a region overlapping with the first light-emitting element 350R.","Accordingly, part of light emitted from the first light-emitting element 350R passes through the sealant 360 that also serves as an optical adhesive layer and through the first coloring layer 367R and is emitted to the outside of the light-emitting module 380R as indicated by arrows in FIGS.","26B and 26C.","<> The input/output device 300 includes a light-blocking layer 367BM on the counter substrate 370.The light-blocking layer 367BM is provided so as to surround the coloring layer (e.g., the first coloring layer 367R).","The input/output device 300 includes an anti-reflective layer 367p positioned in a region overlapping with the display portion 301.As the anti-reflective layer 367p, a circular polarizing plate can be used, for example.","The input/output device 300 includes an insulating film 321.The insulating film 321 covers the transistor 302t.","Note that the insulating film 321 can be used as a layer for planarizing unevenness caused by the pixel circuits.","An insulating film on which a layer that can prevent diffusion of impurities to the transistor 302t and the like is stacked can be used as the insulating film 321.The input/output device 300 includes the light-emitting elements (e.g., the first light-emitting element 350R) over the insulating film 321.The input/output unit 300 includes, over the insulating film 321, a partition wall 328 that overlaps with an end portion of the first lower electrode 351R (see FIG.","26C).","In addition, a spacer 329 that controls the distance between the substrate 310 and the counter substrate 370 is provided on the partition wall 328.<> The image signal line driver circuit 303s (1) includes a transistor 303t and a capacitor 303c.","Note that the image signal line driver circuit 303s(1) can be formed in the same process and over the same substrate as those of the pixel circuits.","The transistor 303t has a structure similar to that of the transistor 302t.","Note that the transistor 303t may have a structure different from that of the transistor 302t.","<> The imaging pixels 308 each include a photoelectric conversion element 308p and an imaging pixel circuit for sensing light received by the photoelectric conversion element 308p.","The imaging pixel circuit includes a transistor 308t.","The transistor 308t has a structure similar to that of the transistor 302t.","Note that the transistor 308t may have a structure different from that of the transistor 302t.","For example, a PIN photodiode can be used as the photoelectric conversion element 308p.","<> The input/output device 300 includes a wiring 311 through which a signal can be supplied.","The wiring 311 is provided with a terminal 319.Note that an FPC 309(1) through which a signal such as an image signal or a synchronization signal can be supplied is electrically connected to the terminal 319.The FPC 309(1) is preferably placed in a portion other than a bendable portion of the input/output unit 300.Moreover, the FPC 309(1) is preferably placed at almost the center of one side of a region surrounding the display portion 301, especially a side which is folded (a longer side in FIG.","26A).","Accordingly, the distance between an external circuit for driving the input/output unit 300 and the input/output unit 300 can be made short, resulting in easy connection.","Furthermore, the center of gravity of the external circuit can be made almost the same as that of the input/output unit 300.As a result, the data processing device can be treated easily and mistakes such as dropping can be prevented.","Note that a printed wiring board (PWB) may be attached to the FPC 309(1).","Note that although the case where the light-emitting element is used as a display element is illustrated, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.","For example, in this specification and the like, a display element, a display device which is a device including a display element, a light-emitting element, and a light-emitting device which is a device including a light-emitting element can employ a variety of modes or can include a variety of elements.","Examples of a display element, a display device, a light-emitting element, or a light-emitting device include a display medium whose contrast, luminance, reflectance, transmittance, or the like is changed by electromagnetic action, such as an electroluminescence (EL) element (e.g., an EL element including organic and inorganic materials, an organic EL element, or an inorganic EL element), an LED (e.g., a white LED, a red LED, a green LED, or a blue LED), a transistor (a transistor that emits light depending on current), an electron emitter, a liquid crystal element, electronic ink, an electrophoretic element, a grating light valve (GLV), a plasma display panel (PDP), a display element using micro electro mechanical system (MEMS), a digital micromirror device (DMD), a digital micro shutter (DMS), MIRASOL (registered trademark), an interferometric modulator display (IMOD) element, a MEMS shutter display element, an optical-interference-type MEMS display element, an electrowetting element, a piezoelectric ceramic display, or a carbon nanotube.","Note that examples of display devices having EL elements include an EL display.","Examples of display devices including electron emitters are a field emission display (FED) and an SED-type flat panel display (SED: surface-conduction electron-emitter display).","Examples of display devices including liquid crystal elements include a liquid crystal display (e.g., a transmissive liquid crystal display, a transflective liquid crystal display, a reflective liquid crystal display, a direct-view liquid crystal display, or a projection liquid crystal display).","An example of a display device including electronic ink or electrophoretic elements is electronic paper.","In the case of a transflective liquid crystal display or a reflective liquid crystal display, some of or all of pixel electrodes function as reflective electrodes.","For example, some or all of pixel electrodes are formed to contain aluminum, silver, or the like.","In such a case, a memory circuit such as an SRAM can be provided under the reflective electrodes.","Accordingly, power consumption can be further reduced.","In this specification and the like, for example, transistors with a variety of structures can be used as a transistor, without limitation to a certain type.","For example, a transistor including a single-crystal silicon, or a transistor including a non-single-crystal semiconductor film typified by amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, microcrystalline (also referred to as microcrystal, nanocrystal, or semi-amorphous) silicon, or the like can be used as a transistor.","A thin film transistor (TFT) obtained by thinning such a semiconductor can be used.","In the case of using the TFT, there are various advantages.","For example, since the TFT can be formed at temperature lower than that of the case of using single-crystal silicon, manufacturing cost can be reduced or a manufacturing apparatus can be made larger.","Since the manufacturing apparatus is made larger, the TFT can be formed using a large substrate.","Therefore, many display devices can be formed at the same time at low cost.","In addition, a substrate having low heat resistance can be used because of low manufacturing temperature.","Therefore, the transistor can be formed using a light-transmitting substrate.","Alternatively, transmission of light in a display element can be controlled by using the transistor formed using the light-transmitting substrate.","Alternatively, part of a film included in the transistor can transmit light because the thickness of the transistor is small.","Therefore, the aperture ratio can be improved.","Note that when a catalyst (e.g., nickel) is used in the case of forming polycrystalline silicon, crystallinity can be further improved and a transistor having excellent electric characteristics can be formed.","Accordingly, a gate driver circuit (e.g., a scan line driver circuit), a source driver circuit (e.g., a signal line driver circuit), and a signal processing circuit (e.g., a signal generation circuit, a gamma correction circuit, or a DA converter circuit) can be formed using the same substrate as a pixel portion.","Note that when a catalyst (e.g., nickel) is used in the case of forming microcrystalline silicon, crystallinity can be further improved and a transistor having excellent electric characteristics can be formed.","In this case, crystallinity can be improved by just performing heat treatment without performing laser irradiation.","Accordingly, a gate driver circuit (e.g., a scan line driver circuit) and part of a source driver circuit (e.g., an analog switch) can be formed over the same substrate.","Note that when laser irradiation for crystallization is not performed, unevenness in crystallinity of silicon can be suppressed.","Therefore, high-quality images can be displayed.","Note that it is possible to manufacture polycrystalline silicon or microcrystalline silicon without a catalyst (e.g., nickel).","Note that although preferably, crystallinity of silicon is improved to polycrystal, microcrystal, or the like in the whole panel, the present invention is not limited to this.","Crystallinity of silicon may be improved only in part of the panel.","Selective increase in crystallinity can be achieved by selective laser irradiation or the like.","For example, only a peripheral driver circuit region excluding pixels may be irradiated with laser light.","Alternatively, only a region of a gate driver circuit, a source driver circuit, or the like may be irradiated with laser light.","Alternatively, only part of a source driver circuit (e.g., an analog switch) may be irradiated with laser light.","Accordingly, crystallinity of silicon can be improved only in a region in which a circuit needs to be operated at high speed.","Since a pixel region is not particularly needed to be operated at high speed, even if crystallinity is not improved, the pixel circuit can be operated without problems.","Thus, a region whose crystallinity is improved is small, so that manufacturing steps can be decreased.","Thus, throughput can be increased and manufacturing cost can be reduced.","Alternatively, since the number of necessary manufacturing apparatus is small, manufacturing cost can be reduced.","Note that for example, a transistor including a compound semiconductor (e.g., SiGe, GaAs, and the like), an oxide semiconductor (e.g., ZnO, InGaZnO, IZO (indium zinc oxide) (registered trademark), ITO (indium tin oxide), SnO, TiO, and AlZnSnO (AZTO)), ITZO (In—Sn—Zn—O) (registered trademark), or the like; a thin film transistor obtained by thinning such a compound semiconductor or an oxide semiconductor; or the like can be used as a transistor.","A thin film transistor obtained by thinning such a compound semiconductor or an oxide semiconductor, or the like can be used.","Since manufacturing temperature can be lowered, such a transistor can be formed at room temperature, for example.","Accordingly, the transistor can be formed directly on a substrate having low heat resistance, such as a plastic substrate or a film substrate.","Note that such a compound semiconductor or an oxide semiconductor can be used not only for a channel portion of the transistor but also for other applications.","For example, such a compound semiconductor or an oxide semiconductor can be used for a wiring, a resistor, a pixel electrode, a light-transmitting electrode, or the like.","Since such an element can be formed at the same time as the transistor, cost can be reduced.","Note that for example, a transistor or the like formed by an inkjet method or a printing method can be used as a transistor.","Accordingly, a transistor can be formed at room temperature, can be formed at a low vacuum, or can be formed using a large substrate.","Therefore, the transistor can be formed without use of a mask (reticle), so that the layout of the transistor can be easily changed.","Alternatively, since the transistor can be formed without use of a resist, material cost is reduced and the number of steps can be reduced.","Further, since a film can be formed where needed, a material is not wasted as compared to a manufacturing method by which etching is performed after the film is formed over the entire surface; thus, costs can be reduced.","Note that for example, a transistor or the like including an organic semiconductor or a carbon nanotube can be used as a transistor.","Accordingly, such a transistor can be formed using a substrate which can be bent.","A device including a transistor which includes an organic semiconductor or a carbon nanotube can resist a shock.","Note that transistors with a variety of different structures can be used as a transistor.","For example, a MOS transistor, a junction transistor, a bipolar transistor, or the like can be used as a transistor.","By using a MOS transistor as a transistor, the size of the transistor can be reduced.","Thus, a large number of transistors can be mounted.","With use of a bipolar transistor as the transistor, large current can flow.","Thus, a circuit can be operated at high speed.","Note that a MOS transistor and a bipolar transistor may be formed over one substrate.","Thus, reduction in power consumption, reduction in size, high speed operation, and the like can be realized.","Note that in this specification and the like, for example, a transistor with a multi-gate structure having two or more gate electrodes can be used as a transistor.","With the multi-gate structure, a structure where a plurality of transistors are connected in series is provided because channel regions are connected in series.","Thus, with the multi-gate structure, the amount of off-state current can be reduced and the withstand voltage of the transistor can be increased (the reliability can be improved).","Alternatively, with the multi-gate structure, drain-source current does not change much even if drain-source voltage changes when the transistor operates in a saturation region, so that a flat slope of voltage-current characteristics can be obtained.","By utilizing the flat slope of the voltage-current characteristics, an ideal current source circuit or an active load having an extremely large resistance can be realized.","Accordingly, a differential circuit, a current mirror circuit, or the like having excellent properties can be realized.","Note that a transistor with a structure where gate electrodes are formed above and below a channel can be used, for example.","With the structure where the gate electrodes are formed above and below the channel, a circuit structure where a plurality of transistors are connected in parallel is provided.","Thus, a channel region is increased, so that the amount of current can be increased.","Alternatively, by using the structure where gate electrodes are formed above and below the channel, a depletion layer can be easily formed, so that subthreshold swing can be improved.","Note that as a transistor, for example, it is possible to use a transistor with a structure where a gate electrode is formed above a channel region, a structure where a gate electrode is formed below a channel region, a staggered structure, an inverted staggered structure, a structure where a channel region is divided into a plurality of regions, a structure where channel regions are connected in parallel or in series, or the like.","A transistor with any of a variety of structures such as a planar type, a FIN-type, a Tri-Gate type, a top-gate type, a bottom-gate type, a double-gate type (with gates above and below a channel), and the like can be used.","Note that in this specification and the like, a transistor can be formed using any of a variety of substrates, for example.","The type of a substrate is not limited to a certain type.","As the substrate, a semiconductor substrate (e.g., a single crystal substrate or a silicon substrate), an SOI substrate, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a plastic substrate, a metal substrate, a stainless steel substrate, a substrate including stainless steel foil, a tungsten substrate, a substrate including tungsten foil, a flexible substrate, an attachment film, paper including a fibrous material, a base material film, or the like can be used, for example.","As an example of a glass substrate, a barium borosilicate glass substrate, an aluminoborosilicate glass substrate, a soda lime glass substrate, or the like can be given.","Examples of a flexible substrate, a flexible substrate, an attachment film, a base film, or the like are as follows: a plastic typified by polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and polyether sulfone (PES); a synthetic resin such as acrylic; polypropylene; polyester; polyvinyl fluoride; polyvinyl chloride; polyester; polyamide; polyimide; aramid; epoxy; an inorganic vapor deposition film; and paper.","Specifically, the use of semiconductor substrates, single crystal substrates, SOI substrates, or the like enables the manufacture of small-sized transistors with a small variation in characteristics, size, shape, or the like and with high current capability.","A circuit using such transistors achieves lower power consumption of the circuit or higher integration of the circuit.","Note that a transistor may be formed using one substrate, and then the transistor may be transferred to another substrate.","Examples of a substrate to which a transistor is transferred include, in addition to the above-described substrates over which transistors can be formed, a paper substrate, a cellophane substrate, an aramid film substrate, a polyimide film substrate, a stone substrate, a wood substrate, a cloth substrate (including a natural fiber (e.g., silk, cotton, or hemp), a synthetic fiber (e.g., nylon, polyurethane, or polyester), a regenerated fiber (e.g., acetate, cupra, rayon, or regenerated polyester), or the like), a leather substrate, a rubber substrate, and the like.","When such a substrate is used, a transistor with excellent properties or a transistor with low power consumption can be formed, a device with high durability, high heat resistance can be provided, or reduction in weight or thickness can be achieved.","Note that all the circuits needed to realize a predetermined function can be formed over the same substrate (e.g., a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, a single crystal substrate, or an SOI substrate).","Thus, costs can be reduced by reduction in the number of components, or the reliability can be improved by reduction in the number of connections to circuit components.","Note that it is possible to form not all the circuits needed to realize the predetermined function over the same substrate.","That is, a part of the circuits needed to realize the predetermined function can be formed over a substrate and another part of the circuits needed to realize the predetermined function can be formed over another substrate.","For example, a part of the circuits needed to realize the predetermined function can be formed over a glass substrate and a part of the circuits needed to realize the predetermined function can be formed over a single crystal substrate (or an SOI substrate).","Then, a single crystal substrate over which a part of the circuits needed to realize the predetermined function (such a substrate is also referred to as an IC chip) can be connected to a glass substrate by COG (chip on glass), and an IC chip can be provided on the glass substrate.","Alternatively, an IC chip can be connected to a glass substrate using TAB (tape automated bonding), COF (chip on film), SMT (surface mount technology), a printed circuit board, or the like.","When some of the circuits are formed using the same substrate as a pixel portion in this manner, cost can be reduced by reduction in the number of components or reliability can be improved by reduction in the number of connections to circuit components.","In particular, a circuit with high driving voltage, a circuit with high driving frequency, or the like consumes a large amount of power in many cases.","In order to deal with it, such a circuit is formed over a substrate (e.g., a single crystal substrate) which is different from a substrate where the pixel portion is formed, so that an IC chip is formed.","By the use of this IC chip, an increase in power consumption can be prevented.","For example, in this specification and the like, an active matrix method in which an active element is included in a pixel or a passive matrix method in which an active element is not included in a pixel can be used.","In an active matrix method, as an active element (a non-linear element), not only a transistor but also various active elements (non-linear elements) can be used.","For example, an MIM (metal insulator metal), a TFD (thin film diode), or the like can also be used.","Since such an element has few numbers of manufacturing steps, manufacturing cost can be reduced or yield can be improved.","Alternatively, since the size of the element is small, the aperture ratio can be improved, so that power consumption can be reduced or higher luminance can be achieved.","As a method other than the active matrix method, the passive matrix method in which an active element (a non-linear element) is not used can also be used.","Since an active element (a non-linear element) is not used, the number of manufacturing steps is small, so that manufacturing cost can be reduced or yield can be improved.","Alternatively, since an active element (a non-linear element) is not used, the aperture ratio can be improved, so that power consumption can be reduced or higher luminance can be achieved, for example.","This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.","Embodiment 7 In this embodiment, the structure of a display panel that can be used for a position input portion and a display device of the data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.","27A and 27B and FIG.","28.Note that the display panel described in this embodiment includes a touch sensor (a contact sensor device) that overlaps with a display portion; thus, the display panel can be called a touch panel (an input/output device).","FIG.","27A is a schematic perspective view of a touch panel 500 described as an example in this embodiment.","Note that FIGS.","27A and 27B illustrate only main components for simplicity.","FIG.","27B is a developed view of the schematic perspective view of the touch panel 500.FIG.","28 is a cross-sectional view of the touch panel 500 taken along line X1-X2 in FIG.","27A.","The touch panel 500 includes a display unit 501 and a touch sensor 595 (see FIG.","27B).","Furthermore, the touch panel 500 includes a substrate 510, a substrate 570, and a substrate 590.Note that the substrate 510, the substrate 570, and the substrate 590 each have flexibility, for example.","Note that in this specification and the like, a transistor can be formed using any of a variety of substrates, for example.","The type of a substrate is not limited to a certain type.","As the substrate, a semiconductor substrate (e.g., a single crystal substrate or a silicon substrate), an SOI substrate, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a plastic substrate, a metal substrate, a stainless steel substrate, a substrate including stainless steel foil, a tungsten substrate, a substrate including tungsten foil, a flexible substrate, an attachment film, paper including a fibrous material, a base material film, or the like can be used, for example.","As an example of a glass substrate, a barium borosilicate glass substrate, an aluminoborosilicate glass substrate, a soda lime glass substrate, or the like can be given.","Examples of a flexible substrate include a flexible synthetic resin such as plastics typified by polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and polyether sulfone (PES), and acrylic.","Examples of an attachment film are attachment films formed using polypropylene, polyester, polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinyl chloride, and the like.","Examples of the material for the base film include polyester, polyamide, polyimide, inorganic vapor deposition film, and paper.","Specifically, the use of semiconductor substrates, single crystal substrates, SOI substrates, or the like enables the manufacture of small-sized transistors with a small variation in characteristics, size, shape, or the like and with high current capability.","A circuit using such transistors achieves lower power consumption of the circuit or higher integration of the circuit.","The display portion 501 includes the substrate 510, a plurality of pixels over the substrate 510, and a plurality of wirings 511 through which signals are supplied to the pixels.","The plurality of wirings 511 is led to a peripheral portion of the substrate 510, and part of the plurality of wirings 511 forms a terminal 519.The terminal 519 is electrically connected to an FPC 509(1)."," The substrate 590 includes the touch sensor 595 and a plurality of wirings 598 electrically connected to the touch sensor 595.The plurality of wirings 598 is led to a peripheral portion of the substrate 590, and part of the plurality of wirings 598 forms a terminal for electrical connection to an FPC 509(2).","Note that in FIG.","27B, electrodes, wirings, and the like of the touch sensor 595 provided on the back side of the substrate 590 (on the back side of the diagram) are indicated by solid lines for clarity.","As a touch sensor used as the touch sensor 595, a capacitive touch sensor is preferably used.","Examples of the capacitive touch sensor are a surface capacitive touch sensor and a projected capacitive touch sensor.","Examples of the projected capacitive touch sensor are a self capacitive touch sensor and a mutual capacitive touch sensor, which differ mainly in the driving method.","The use of a mutual capacitive type is preferable because multiple points can be sensed simultaneously.","An example of using a projected capacitive touch sensor is described below with reference to FIG.","27B.","Note that a variety of sensors that can sense the closeness or the contact of a sensing target such as a finger, can be used.","The projected capacitive touch sensor 595 includes electrodes 591 and electrodes 592.The electrodes 591 are electrically connected to any of the plurality of wirings 598, and the electrodes 592 are electrically connected to any of the other wirings 598.The electrode 592 is in the form of a series of quadrangles arranged in one direction as illustrated in FIGS.","27A and 27B.","Each of the electrodes 591 is in the form of a quadrangle.","A wiring 594 electrically connects two electrodes 591 arranged in a direction intersecting with the direction in which the electrode 592 extends.","The intersecting area of the electrode 592 and the wiring 594 is preferably as small as possible.","Such a structure allows a reduction in the area of a region where the electrodes are not provided, reducing unevenness in transmittance.","As a result, unevenness in luminance of light from the touch sensor 595 can be reduced.","Note that the shapes of the electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592 are not limited to the above-mentioned shapes and can be any of a variety of shapes.","For example, the plurality of electrodes 591 may be provided so that space between the electrodes 591 are reduced as much as possible, and a plurality of electrodes 592 may be provided with an insulating layer sandwiched between the electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592 and may be spaced apart from each other to form a region not overlapping with the electrodes 591.In that case, between two adjacent electrodes 592, it is preferable to provide a dummy electrode which is electrically insulated from these electrodes, whereby the area of a region having a different transmittance can be reduced.","The structure of the touch panel 500 is described with reference to FIG.","28.The touch sensor 595 includes the substrate 590, the electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592 provided in a staggered arrangement on the substrate 590, an insulating layer 593 covering the electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592, and the wiring 594 that electrically connects the adjacent electrodes 591 to each other.","An adhesive layer 597 attaches the substrate 590 to the substrate 570 so that the touch sensor 595 overlaps with the display portion 501.The electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592 are formed using a light-transmitting conductive material.","As a light-transmitting conductive material, a conductive oxide such as indium oxide, indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, zinc oxide, or zinc oxide to which gallium is added can be used.","The electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592 may be formed by depositing a light-transmitting conductive material on the substrate 590 by a sputtering method and then removing an unnecessary portion by any of various patterning techniques such as photolithography.","The insulating layer 593 covers the electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592.Examples of a material for the insulating layer 593 are a resin such as acrylic or epoxy resin, a resin having a siloxane bond, and an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, or aluminum oxide.","Furthermore, openings reaching the electrodes 591 are formed in the insulating layer 593, and the wiring 594 electrically connects the adjacent electrodes 591.The wiring 594 is preferably formed using a light-transmitting conductive material, in which case the aperture ratio of the touch panel can be increased.","Moreover, the wiring 594 is preferably formed using a material that has higher conductivity than those of the electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592.One electrode 592 extends in one direction, and a plurality of electrodes 592 is provided in the form of stripes.","The wiring 594 intersects with the electrode 592.Adjacent electrodes 591 are provided with one electrode 592 provided therebetween and are electrically connected by the wiring 594.Note that the plurality of electrodes 591 is not necessarily arranged in the direction orthogonal to one electrode 592 and may be arranged to intersect with one electrode 592 at an angle of less than 90 degrees.","One wiring 598 is electrically connected to any of the electrodes 591 and 592.Part of the wiring 598 serves as a terminal.","For the wiring 598, a metal material such as aluminum, gold, platinum, silver, nickel, titanium, tungsten, chromium, molybdenum, iron, cobalt, copper, or palladium or an alloy material containing any of these metal materials can be used.","Note that an insulating layer that covers the insulating layer 593 and the wiring 594 may be provided to protect the touch sensor 595.Furthermore, a connection layer 599 electrically connects the wiring 598 to the FPC 509(2).","As the connection layer 599, any of various anisotropic conductive films (ACF), anisotropic conductive pastes (ACP), or the like can be used.","The adhesive layer 597 has a light-transmitting property.","For example, a thermosetting resin or an ultraviolet curable resin can be used; specifically, a resin such as an acrylic resin, a urethane resin, an epoxy resin, or a resin having a siloxane bond can be used.","Display Portion The touch panel 500 includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix.","Each of the pixels includes a display element and a pixel circuit for driving the display element.","In this embodiment, an example of using an organic electroluminescent element that emits white light as a display element will be described; however, the display element is not limited to such element.","As the display element, for example, other than organic electroluminescent elements, any of a variety of display elements such as display elements (electronic ink) that perform display by an electrophoretic method, an electronic liquid powder method, or the like; MEMS shutter display elements; optical interference type MEMS display elements; and liquid crystal elements can be used.","Note that a structure suitable for employed display elements can be selected from among a variety of structures of pixel circuits.","The substrate 510 is a stacked body in which a flexible substrate 510b, a barrier film 510a that prevents diffusion of unintentional impurities to light-emitting elements, and an adhesive layer 510c that attaches the barrier film 510a to the substrate 510b are stacked.","The substrate 570 is a stacked body in which a flexible substrate 570b, a barrier film 570a that prevents diffusion of unintentional impurities to the light-emitting elements, and an adhesive layer 570c that attaches the barrier film 570a to the substrate 570b are stacked.","A sealant 560 attaches the substrate 570 to the substrate 510.The sealant 560, also serving as an optical adhesive layer, has a refractive index higher than that of air.","The pixel circuits and the light-emitting elements (e.g., a first light-emitting element 550R) are provided between the substrate 510 and the substrate 570.<> A pixel includes a sub-pixel 502R, and the sub-pixel 502R includes a light-emitting module 580R.","The sub-pixel 502R includes the first light-emitting element 550R and the pixel circuit that can supply electric power to the first light-emitting element 550R and includes a transistor 502t.","Furthermore, the light-emitting module 580R includes the first light-emitting element 550R and an optical element (e.g., a coloring layer 567R).","The first light-emitting element 550R includes a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and a layer containing a light-emitting organic compound between the lower electrode and the upper electrode.","The light-emitting module 580R includes the first coloring layer 567R on the substrate 570.The coloring layer transmits light of a particular wavelength and is, for example, a layer that selectively transmits light of red, green, or blue color.","A region that transmits light emitted from the light-emitting element as it is may be provided as well.","The light-emitting module 580R includes the sealant 560 that is in contact with the first light-emitting element 550R and the first coloring layer 567R.","The first coloring layer 567R is positioned in a region overlapping with the first light-emitting element 550R.","Accordingly, part of light emitted from the first light-emitting element 550R passes through the sealant 560 that also serves as an optical adhesive layer and through the first coloring layer 567R and is emitted to the outside of the light-emitting module 580R as indicated by arrows in FIG.","28.<> The display portion 501 includes a light-blocking layer 567BM on the substrate 570.The light-blocking layer 567BM is provided so as to surround the coloring layer (e.g., the first coloring layer 567R).","The display portion 501 includes an anti-reflective layer 567p positioned in a region overlapping with pixels.","As the anti-reflective layer 567p, a circular polarizing plate can be used, for example.","The display portion 501 includes an insulating film 521.The insulating film 521 covers the transistor 502t.","Note that the insulating film 521 can be used as a layer for planarizing unevenness due to the pixel circuit.","An insulating film on which a layer that can prevent diffusion of impurities to the transistor 502t and the like is stacked can be used as the insulating film 521.The display portion 501 includes the light-emitting elements (e.g., the first light-emitting element 550R) over the insulating film 521.The display portion 501 includes, over the insulating film 521, a partition wall 528 that overlaps with an end portion of the first lower electrode.","In addition, a spacer that controls the distance between the substrate 510 and the substrate 570 is provided on the partition wall 528.<> The image signal line driver circuit 503s(1) includes a transistor 503t and a capacitor 503c.","Note that the image signal line driver circuit 503s(1) can be formed in the same process and over the same substrate as those of the pixel circuits.","<> The display portion 501 includes the wirings 511 through which signals can be supplied.","The wirings 511 are provided with the terminal 519.Note that the FPC 509(1) through which a signal such as an image signal or a synchronization signal can be supplied is electrically connected to the terminal 519.Note that a printed wiring board (PWB) may be attached to the FPC 509(1).","This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.","Embodiment 8 In this embodiment, a method for manufacturing a foldable device that can be used for the data processing device or an electronic device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.","29A to 29D, FIGS.","30A to 30D, and FIGS.","31A to 31D.","As examples of the foldable device, a display device, a light-emitting device, an input device, and the like can be given.","As examples of the input device, a touch sensor, a touch panel, and the like can be given.","As examples of the light-emitting device, an organic EL panel, a lighting device, and the like can be given.","As examples of the display device, a light-emitting device, an organic EL panel, a liquid crystal display device, and the like can be given.","Note that functions of an input device such as a touch sensor and the like are provided in the display device and or the light-emitting device in some cases.","For example, a counter substrate (e.g., a substrate not provided with a transistor) included in the display device or the light-emitting device is provided with a touch sensor in some cases.","Alternatively, an element substrate (e.g., a substrate provided with a transistor) included in the display device or the light-emitting device is provided with a touch sensor in some cases.","Alternatively, the counter substrate included in the display device or the light-emitting device and the element substrate included in the display device or the light-emitting device are provided with touch sensors in some cases.","First, a separation layer 703 is formed over a formation substrate 701, and a layer 705 to be separated is formed over the separation layer 703 (FIG.","29A).","Furthermore, a separation layer 723 is formed over a formation substrate 721, and a layer 725 to be separated is formed over the separation layer 723 (FIG.","29B).","Furthermore, in the case of using a tungsten film as a separation layer, a tungsten oxide film can be formed on a surface of the tungsten film by any of the following methods: performing a plasma treatment over the surface of the tungsten film using a gas containing oxygen such as N2O, annealing the tungsten film in a gas atmosphere containing oxygen.","Alternatively, a tungsten oxide film can be formed by method such as sputtering in gas atmosphere containing oxygen.","In this manner, the oxide tungsten film may be formed between a separation layer and a layer to be separated.","In a separating and transferring process of the tungsten oxide film, it is preferable that the tungsten oxide film be mainly WOx whose x is smaller than 3.In the case where WOx is WnO(3n−1) or WnO(3n−2), which is a homologous series, shear is easily caused by heating because there is a crystal optical shear plane therein.","The tungsten oxide film is formed, so that separation of the layer to be separated from a substrate can be performed with small force.","Alternatively, it is also possible that a tungsten film is not formed and only the tungsten oxide film is formed as the separation layer.","For example, the tungsten oxide film may be formed by the following methods: performing a plasma treatment using a gas containing oxygen with respect to a sufficiently thin tungsten film, annealing the sufficiently thin tungsten film in a gas atmosphere containing oxygen.","Alternatively, the tungsten oxide film may be formed by a method such as a sputtering method in a gas atmosphere containing oxygen.","Here, when the tungsten oxide film is separated at the interface with the layer to be separated, the tungsten oxide film remains on the layer to be separated side in some cases.","When the tungsten oxide film remains, the characteristics of the transistor are adversely affected in some cases.","Thus, after a step of separating the separation layer and the layer to be separated, the step of removing the tungsten oxide film is preferably included.","In the above method of separating from the substrate, N2O plasma treatment is not necessarily performed, and the step of removing the tungsten oxide film can be omitted.","In that case, the device can be manufactured more easily.","Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, a tungsten film with a thickness of greater than or equal to 0.1 nm and less than 200 nm is formed over the substrate.","As the separation layer, a film containing molybdenum, titanium, vanadium, tantalum, silicon, aluminum, or an alloy thereof can be used, besides a tungsten film.","Furthermore, it is also possible to use a stack of such a film and an oxide film.","The separation layer is not limited to an inorganic film, and an organic film such as polyimide may be used.","In the case of using an organic resin for the separation layer, a process temperature needs to be lower than or equal to 350° C. when polysilicon is used as an active layer of the transistor.","Thus, dehydrogenation baking for silicon crystallization, hydrogenation for termination of defects in silicon, or activation of a doped region cannot be performed sufficiently, so that the performance of the transistor is limited.","On the other hand, in the case of using an inorganic film, the process temperature can be higher than 350° C., and excellent characteristics of a transistor can be obtained.","In the case of using the organic resin for the separation layer, the organic resin or a functional element is damaged by laser irradiation at the time of crystallization; thus, it is preferable to use an inorganic film for the separation layer because such a problem is not caused.","Furthermore, in the case of using the organic resin for the separation layer, the organic resin shrinks by laser irradiation for separating the resin and contact failure is caused in the contact portion of the terminal of an FPC or the like, which makes it difficult for functional elements with many terminals a high-definition display of FPC, or the like to separate and transpose with high yield.","In the case of using an inorganic film for the separation layer, there is no such limitation, and functional elements with many terminals of high-definition display and the like, or the like can be separated and transferred with high yield.","In the method for separating and transferring the functional element from the substrate of one embodiment of the present invention, an insulating film and a transistor can be formed over the formation substrate at a temperature of lower than or equal to 600° C. In that case, a high-temperature polysilicon or CG silicon (registered trademark) can be used for a semiconductor layer.","With use of a conventional production line for high-temperature polysilicon or CG silicon (registered trademark), a semiconductor device with a high operation speed, a high gas barrier property, and high reliability can be mass-produced.","In that case, with use of the insulating layer and the transistor formed through the process at the temperature of lower than or equal to 600° C., insulating layers having an excellent gas barrier property formed at the temperature of lower than or equal to 600° C. can be provided above and below an organic EL element.","Accordingly, entry of impurities such as moisture into the organic EL element or the semiconductor layer can be suppressed, whereby an extraordinarily reliable light-emitting device can be obtained as compared with the case of using the organic resin or the like as the separation layer.","Alternatively, the insulating layer and the transistor can be formed over the formation substrate at 500° C. or lower.","In that case, low-temperature polysilicon or an oxide semiconductor can be used for the semiconductor layer, and mass production is possible with use of a conventional production line for low temperature polysilicon.","Also in that case, with use of the insulating layer and the transistor formed through the process at the temperature of lower than or equal to 500° C., insulating layers having an excellent gas barrier property formed at the temperature of lower than or equal to 500° C. can be provided above and below the organic EL element.","Accordingly, the entry of impurities such as moisture into the inorganic EL element or the semiconductor layer is suppressed, whereby a highly reliable light-emitting device can be obtained as compared with the case of using the organic resin as the separation layer.","Alternatively, the insulating layer and the transistor can be formed over the formation substrate at 400° C. or lower.","In that case, amorphous silicon or the oxide semiconductor can be used for the semiconductor layer, and mass production is possible with use of a conventional production line for amorphous silicon.","Also in that case, with use of the insulating layer and the transistor formed through the process at the temperature of 400° C. or lower, the insulating layers having an excellent gas barrier property formed at the temperature of 400° C. or lower can be provided above and below the organic EL element.","Accordingly, entry of impurities such as moisture into the organic EL element or the semiconductor layer is suppressed, whereby a highly reliable light emitting device can be obtained as compared with a case of using the organic resin and the like as the separation layer.","Next, the formation substrate 701 and the formation substrate 721 are attached to each other by using a bonding layer 707 and a frame-shaped bonding layer 711 so that the surfaces over which the layers to be separated are formed face each other, and then, the bonding layer 707 and the frame-shaped bonding layer 711 are cured (FIG.","29C).","Here, the frame-shaped bonding layer 711 and the bonding layer 707 in a region surrounded by the frame-shaped bonding layer 711 are provided over the layer 725 to be separated and after that, the formation substrate 701 and the formation substrate 721 face each other and are attached to each other.","Note that the formation substrate 701 and the formation substrate 721 are preferably attached to each other in a reduced-pressure atmosphere.","Note that although FIG.","29C illustrates the case where the separation layer 703 and the separation layer 723 are different in size, separation layers of the same size as illustrated in FIG.","29D may be used.","The bonding layer 707 is provided to overlap with the separation layer 703, the layer 705 to be separated, the layer 725 to be separated, and the separation layer 723.Then, an end portion of the bonding layer 707 is preferably positioned on an inner side of at least an end portion of either the separation layer 703 or the separation layer 723 (the separation layer which is desirably separated from the substrate first).","Accordingly, strong adhesion between the formation substrate 701 and the formation substrate 721 can be suppressed; thus, a decrease in the yield of a subsequent separation process can be suppressed.","Next, a first separation trigger 741 from the substrate is formed by laser light irradiation (FIGS.","30A and 30B).","Either the formation substrate 701 or the formation substrate 721 may be separated first.","In the case where the separation layers differ in size, a substrate over which a larger separation layer is formed may be separated first or a substrate over which a smaller separation layer is formed may be separated first.","In the case where an element such as a semiconductor element, a light-emitting element, or a display element is formed only over one of the substrates, the substrate on the side where the element is formed may be separated first or the other substrate may be separated first.","Here, an example in which the formation substrate 701 is separated first is described.","A region where the bonding layer 707 in a cured state or the frame-shaped bonding layer 711 in a cured state, the layer 705 to be separated, and the separation layer 703 overlap with one another is irradiated with laser light.","Here, the bonding layer 707 is in a cured state and the frame-shaped bonding layer 711 is not in a cured state, and the bonding layer 707 in a cured state is irradiated with laser light (see an arrow P3 in FIG.","30A).","The first separation trigger 741 (see a region surrounded by a dashed line in FIG.","30B) can be formed by cracking (causing break or crack) at least the first layer (a layer provided between the layer 705 to be separated and the separation layer 703, e.g., a tungsten oxide film).","At this time, not only the first layer but also the separation layer 703, the bonding layer 707, or another layer included in the layer 705 to be separated may be partly removed.","It is preferable that laser light irradiation be performed from the substrate side provided with the separation layer that is desirably separated.","In the case where a region where the separation layer 703 and the separation layer 723 overlap with each other is irradiated with laser light, the formation substrate 701 and the separation layer 703 can be selectively separated by cracking only the layer 705 to be separated between the layer 705 to be separated and the layer 725 to be separated (see a region surrounded by a dotted line in FIG.","30B).","When the separation trigger from the substrate is formed in both the layer 705 to be separated on the separation layer 703 side and the layer 725 to be separated on the separation layer 723 side in the case where the region where the separation layer 703 and the separation layer 723 overlap with each other is irradiated with laser light, it might be difficult to selectively separate one of the formation substrates.","Therefore, laser light irradiation conditions might be restricted so that only one of the layers to be separated is cracked.","The first separation trigger 741 from the substrate may be formed by a sharp knife such as a cutter, without limitation to the laser light irradiation, or the like.","Then, the layer 705 to be separated and the formation substrate 701 are separated from each other from the formed first separation trigger 741 (FIGS.","30C and 30D).","Accordingly, the layer 705 to be separated can be transferred from the formation substrate 701 to the formation substrate 721.The layer 705 which is separated from the formation substrate 701 in the step in FIG.","30D is attached to a substrate 731 with a bonding layer 733, and the bonding layer 733 is cured (FIG.","31A).","Next, a second separation trigger 743 from the substrate is formed by a sharp knife such as a cutter (FIGS.","31B and 31C).","The second separation trigger 743 from the substrate is formed by the laser light irradiation, without limitation to the sharp knife such as a cutter, or the like.","In the case where the substrate 731 on the side where the separation layer 723 is not provided can be cut by a knife or the like, a cut may be made in the substrate 731, the bonding layer 733, and the layer 725 to be separated (see arrows P5 in FIG.","31B).","Accordingly, part of the first layer can be removed; thus, the second separation trigger 743 from the substrate can be formed (see a region surrounded by a dashed line in FIG.","31C).","As illustrated in FIGS.","31B and 31C, in the case where the formation substrate 721 and the substrate 731 are attached to each other using the bonding layer 733 in a region not overlapping with the separation layer 723, yield of a process for separation from the substrate might be decreased depending on a degree of adhesion between the formation substrate 721 side and the substrate 731 side.","Therefore, it is preferable to make a cut in a frame shape in a region where the bonding layer 733 in a cured state and the separation layer 723 overlap with each other to form the second separation trigger 743 from the substrate in a form of a solid line.","Accordingly, the yield of a process for separation from the substrate can be improved.","Then, the layer 725 to be separated and the formation substrate 721 are separated from each other from the formed second separation trigger 743 from the substrate (FIG.","31D).","Accordingly, the layer 725 to be separated can be transferred from the formation substrate 721 to the substrate 731.For example, in the case where the tungsten oxide film, which is tightly anchored by N2O plasma or the like is formed on an inorganic film such as a tungsten film, adhesion can be relatively high in deposition.","After that, when a separation trigger is formed, cleavage occurs therefrom, whereby a layer to be separated is easily separated from the formation surface and transferred to another substrate.","The formation substrate 721 and the layer 725 to be separated may be separated by filling the interface between the separation layer 723 and the layer 725 to be separated with a liquid such as water.","A portion between the separation layer 723 and the layer 725 to be separated absorbs a liquid through capillarity action, whereby an adverse effect (e.g., a phenomenon in which a semiconductor element is damaged by static electricity) on the functional element such as an FET included in the layer 725 to be separated due to static electricity caused at the time of separation from the substrate can be suppressed.","When a bond of M-O—W (M represents a given element) is divided by application of physical force, a liquid is absorbed in the separation portion, whereby the bond becomes a bond of M-OH HO—W and the separation is promoted.","Note that a liquid may be sprayed in an atomized form or in a vaporized form.","As the liquid, pure water, an organic solvent, or the like can be used; a neutral, alkaline, or acid aqueous solution, an aqueous solution in which salt is dissolved, and the like may be used.","The temperature of the liquid and the substrate at the time of dynamic separation is set in the range from room temperature to 120° C., and preferably set to 60° C. to 90° C. In the method for separation from the substrate of one embodiment of the present invention described above, separation of the formation substrate is performed in such a manner that the second separation trigger 743 from the substrate is formed by a sharp knife or the like so that the separation layer and the layer to be separated are made in a state where separating can be easily performed.","Accordingly, the yield of the process for separation from substrate can be improved.","In addition, bonding of a substrate with which a device is to be formed can be performed after the following procedure: a pair of formation substrates each provided with the layer to be separated are attached to each other and then, separating each formation substrate is performed.","This means that formation substrates having low flexibility can be attached to each other when the layers to be separated are attached to each other.","Accordingly, alignment accuracy at the time of attachment can be improved as compared to the case where flexible substrates are attached to each other.","Note that this embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments and examples described in this specification as appropriate.","EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE 100: data processing device, 101: housing, 110: arithmetic unit, 111: arithmetic portion, 112: memory portion, 114: transmission path, 115: input/output interface, 120: input/output unit, 130: display portion, 131: keyboard, 140: position input portion, 141: substrate, 142: proximity sensor, 145: input/output portion, 150: sensor portion, 151: sensor, 152: arrow, 159: sign, 160: communication portion, 300: input/output unit, 301: display portion, 302: pixel, 308: imaging pixel, 309: FPC, 310: substrate, 311: wiring, 319: terminal, 321: insulating film, 328: partition wall, 329: spacer, 352: upper electrode, 353: layer, 354: intermediate layer, 360: sealant, 370: counter substrate, 500: touch panel, 501: display portion, 509: FPC, 510: substrate, 511: wiring, 519: terminal, 521: insulating film, 528: partition wall, 560: sealant, 570: substrate, 590: substrate, 591: electrode, 592: electrode, 593: insulating layer, 594: wiring, 595: touch sensor, 597: adhesive layer, 598: wiring, 599: connection layer, 100B: data processing device, 120B: input/output unit, 130B: display portion, 13a: connecting member, 13b: connecting member, 140 (1): region, 140 (2): region, 140 (3): region, 140 (4): region, 140 (5): region, 140B: position input portion, 140B (1): region, 140B (2): region, 140B (3): region, 15a: supporting member, 15b: supporting member, 302B: sub-pixel, 302G: sub-pixel, 302R: sub-pixel, 302t: transistor, 303c: capacitor, 303g (1): scan line driver circuit, 303g (2): imaging pixel driver circuit, 303s (1): image signal line driver circuit, 303s (2): imaging signal line driver circuit, 303t: transistor, 308p: photoelectric conversion element, 308t: transistor, 310a: barrier film, 310b: substrate, 310c: adhesive layer, 350R: light-emitting element, 351R: lower electrode, 353a: light-emitting unit, 353b: light-emitting unit, 367BM: light-blocking layer, 367p: anti-reflective layer, 367R: coloring layer, 370a: barrier film, 370b: substrate, 370c: adhesive layer, 380B: light-emitting module, 380G: light-emitting module, 380R: light-emitting module, 502R: sub-pixel, 502t: transistor, 503c: capacitor, 503s: image signal line driver circuit, 503t: transistor, 510a: barrier film, 510b: substrate, 510c: adhesive layer, 550R: light-emitting element, 567BM: light-blocking layer, 567p: anti-reflective layer, 567R: coloring layer, 570a: barrier film, 570b: substrate; 570c: adhesive layer, 580R: light-emitting module, 701: formation substrate, 703: separation layer, 705: layer to be separated, 707: bonding layer, 711: frame-shaped bonding layer, 721: formation substrate, 723: separation layer, 725: layer to be separated; 731: substrate, 733: bonding layer, 741: first separation trigger, and 743: second separation trigger.","This application is based on Japanese Patent Application serial no.","2013-248392 filed with Japan Patent Office on Nov. 29, 2013, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference."]],"string":"[\n [\n \"DATA PROCESSING DEVICE AND DRIVING METHOD THEREOF\",\n \"A data processing device which includes a flexible position input portion for sensing proximity or a touch of an object such as a user's palm and finger.\",\n \"In the case where a first region of the flexible position input portion is held by a user for a certain period, supply of image signals to the first region is selectively stopped.\"\n ],\n [\n \"1.A portable device comprising: a display panel configured to display an image over a front surface and a first side surface of the portable device; a sensor portion configured to sense touch of an object over the front surface and the first side surface of the portable device; and an arithmetic portion configured to determine whether touch in a region of the display panel corresponds to an intentional input of a user and selectively stop supply of an image signal to the region, wherein a part of the display panel is curved toward a back surface of the portable device, and wherein the arithmetic portion is mounted over the part of the display panel.\",\n \"2.The portable device according to claim 1, wherein touch in the region is identified as an unintentional input when the portable device is held by the user for a certain period.\",\n \"3.The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the part of display panel is curved in conformity with the first side surface of the portable device.\",\n \"4.The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the arithmetic portion is on and in contact with the part of the display panel.\",\n \"5.The portable device according to claim 1, wherein the display panel is configured to display the image over a second side surface opposite to the first side surface of the portable device.\",\n \"6.A portable device comprising: a display panel configured to display an image over a front surface and a first side surface of the portable device; a sensor portion configured to sense touch of an object over the front surface and the first side surface of the portable device; and an arithmetic portion configured to determine whether touch in a region of the display panel corresponds to an intentional input of a user and selectively stop supply of an image signal to the region, wherein a part of the display panel is curved toward a back surface of the portable device, wherein the sensor portion comprises a plurality of sensors over a flexible substrate, wherein a part of the flexible substrate is curved toward the back surface of the portable device, and wherein the arithmetic portion is mounted over the part of the display panel.\",\n \"7.The portable device according to claim 6, wherein touch in the region is identified as an unintentional input when the portable device is held by the user for a certain period.\",\n \"8.The portable device according to claim 6, wherein the part of display panel is curved in conformity with the first side surface of the portable device.\",\n \"9.The portable device according to claim 6, wherein the arithmetic portion is on and in contact with the part of the display panel.\",\n \"10.The portable device according to claim 6, wherein the display panel is configured to display the image over a second side surface opposite to the first side surface of the portable device.\",\n \"11.A portable device comprising: a display panel configured to display an image over a front surface and a first side surface of the portable device; a sensor portion configured to sense touch of an object over the front surface and the first side surface of the portable device; and an arithmetic portion configured to determine whether touch in a region of the display panel corresponds to an intentional input of a user and selectively stop supply of an image signal to the region, wherein a part of the display panel is curved toward a back surface of the portable device, wherein the arithmetic portion is mounted over the part of the display panel, and wherein the display panel is folded in three such that a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion of the display panel overlap with each other.\",\n \"12.The portable device according to claim 11, wherein touch in the region is identified as an unintentional input when the portable device is held by the user for a certain period.\",\n \"13.The portable device according to claim 11, wherein the part of display panel is curved in conformity with the first side surface of the portable device.\",\n \"14.The portable device according to claim 11, wherein the arithmetic portion is on and in contact with the part of the display panel.\",\n \"15.The portable device according to claim 11, wherein the display panel is configured to display the image over a second side surface opposite to the first side surface of the portable device.\",\n \"16.The portable device according to claim 11, wherein the display panel is folded between the first portion and the second portion and between the second portion and the third portion.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BACKGROUND ART Display devices with large screens can display many pieces of information.\",\n \"Therefore, such display devices are excellent in browsability and suitable for information processors.\",\n \"The social infrastructures relating to means for transmitting information have advanced.\",\n \"This has made it possible to acquire, process, and send out many pieces and various kinds of information with the use of an information processor not only at home or office but also at other visiting places.\",\n \"With this being the situation, portable information processors are under active development.\",\n \"For example, portable information processors are often used outdoors, and force might be accidentally applied by dropping to the information processors and display devices included in them.\",\n \"As an example of a display device that is not easily broken, a display device having high adhesiveness between a structure body by which a light-emitting layer is divided and a second electrode layer is known (Patent Document 1).\"\n ],\n [\n \" BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG.\",\n \"1 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"2A to 2E illustrate structures of a data processing device and a position input portion of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"3A to 3C illustrate structures of a data processing device and a position input portion of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"4A to 4H illustrate structures of a data processing device and a position input portion of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"5A and 5B are schematic views illustrating a structure of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"6A and 6B are schematic views illustrating a structure of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"7 A 1 , 7 A 2 , 7 B 1 , and 7 B 2 are schematic views illustrating structures of data processing devices of embodiments.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"8 A 1 , 8 A 2 , 8 B 1 , and 8 B 2 are schematic views illustrating structures of data processing device of embodiments.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"9 A 1 , 9 A 2 , 9 B 1 , and 9 B 2 are schematic views illustrating a structure of data processing devices of embodiments.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"10 A 1 , 10 A 2 , and 10 B illustrate a structure of a position input portion of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"11 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"12A illustrates a structure of a data processing device of an embodiment, and FIGS.\",\n \"12B and 12C illustrate an unfolded state and an folded state of the data processing device.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"13A to 13E illustrate a structure of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"14 A 1 , 14 A 2 , 14 B 1 , and 14 B 2 illustrate a data processing device of an embodiment held by a user.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"15A and 15B illustrate a data processing device of an embodiment held by a user.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"16A and 16B are flow charts showing a program to be executed by an arithmetic portion of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"17A to 17C illustrate structures of a data processing device and a position input portion of an embodiment FIGS.\",\n \"18A to 18D illustrate structures of a data processing device and a position input portion of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"19A and 19B illustrate application examples of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"20 is a flow chart showing a program to be executed by an arithmetic portion of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"21A to 21C illustrate an example of an image displayed on a display portion of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"22 is a flow chart showing a program to be executed by an arithmetic portion of a data processing device in one embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"23 is a flow chart showing a program to be executed by an arithmetic portion of a data processing device of one embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"24 is a flow chart showing a program to be executed by an arithmetic portion of a data processing device of one embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"25 illustrates an application example of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"26A to 26C illustrate structures of a display panel that can be used for a display device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"27A and 27B illustrate a structure of a display panel that can be used for a display device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"28 illustrates a structure of a display panel that can be used for a display device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"29A to 29D illustrate a method for manufacturing a foldable functional element of one embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"30A to 30D illustrate a method for manufacturing a foldable functional element of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"31A to 31D illustrate a method for manufacturing a foldable functional element of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"32A and 32B illustrate application examples of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"detailed-description description=\\\"Detailed Description\\\" end=\\\"lead\\\"?\"\n ],\n [\n \"TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an object, a method, or a manufacturing method.\",\n \"In addition, the present invention relates to a process, a machine, manufacture, or a composition of matter.\",\n \"In particular, the present invention relates to, for example, a semiconductor device, a display device, a light-emitting device, a power storage device, a driving method thereof, or a manufacturing method thereof.\",\n \"In particular, the present invention relates to, for example, a method and a program for processing and displaying image information, and a device including a recording medium in which the program is recorded.\",\n \"In particular, the present invention relates to, for example, a method for processing and displaying image information by which an image including information processed by an information processor provided with a display portion is displayed, a program for displaying an image including information processed by an information processor provided with a display portion, and an information processor including a recording medium in which the program is recorded.\",\n \"BACKGROUND ART Display devices with large screens can display many pieces of information.\",\n \"Therefore, such display devices are excellent in browsability and suitable for information processors.\",\n \"The social infrastructures relating to means for transmitting information have advanced.\",\n \"This has made it possible to acquire, process, and send out many pieces and various kinds of information with the use of an information processor not only at home or office but also at other visiting places.\",\n \"With this being the situation, portable information processors are under active development.\",\n \"For example, portable information processors are often used outdoors, and force might be accidentally applied by dropping to the information processors and display devices included in them.\",\n \"As an example of a display device that is not easily broken, a display device having high adhesiveness between a structure body by which a light-emitting layer is divided and a second electrode layer is known (Patent Document 1).\",\n \"REFERENCE [Patent Document 1] Japanese Published Patent Application No.\",\n \"2012-190794 DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a novel human interface with high operability.\",\n \"Another object is to provide a novel data processing device with high operability.\",\n \"Another object is to provide a novel processing device, a novel display device, or the like.\",\n \"Another object is to provide a data processing device, a display device, or the like which consumes low power.\",\n \"Another object is to provide a data processing device, a display device, or the like with favorable operability.\",\n \"Another object is to provide a data processing device, a display device, or the like which can be easily held by a user.\",\n \"Another object is to provide a data processing device, a display device, or the like which is less likely to fall.\",\n \"Another object is to provide a data processing device, a display device, or the like with fewer malfunctions.\",\n \"Another object is to provide a data processing device and a display device that can be easily operated with both hands.\",\n \"Note that the descriptions of these objects do not disturb the existence of other objects.\",\n \"In one embodiment of the present invention, there is no need to achieve all the objects.\",\n \"Other objects will be apparent from and can be derived from the description of the specification, the drawings, the claims, and the like.\",\n \"One embodiment of the present invention is a data processing device including an input/output unit that supplies positional data and receives image data, an arithmetic unit that receives the positional data and supplies the image data.\",\n \"The input/output unit includes a position input portion and a display portion.\",\n \"The position input portion is flexible to be bent such that a first region, a second region facing the first region, and a third region between the first region and the second region are formed.\",\n \"The display portion is provided to overlap with at least part of the first region, the second region, or the third region.\",\n \"The arithmetic unit includes an arithmetic portion and a memory portion that stores a program to be executed by the arithmetic portion, and supplies image data to the display portion based on the positional data.\",\n \"Another embodiment of the present invention is a data processing device including an input unit having a plurality of regions provided with a sensor portion that senses proximity or a touch of the object, an arithmetic portion that determines a proximity operation or a contact operation over a sensor portion, and a display device having flexibility.\",\n \"In the case where the specific proximity operation or contact operation is performed in the plurality of regions at the same time, predetermined processing is carried out.\",\n \"One embodiment of the present invention is a method for driving a data processing device including an input unit provided with a sensor portion that senses proximity or a touch of an object and a display unit provided with a display portion for displaying images.\",\n \"The sensor portion and the display portion overlaps with each other.\",\n \"The data processing device determines the first region over the sensor portion in which proximity or touch of an object is sensed for a predetermined time, and image signals are not provided to the second region over the display portion which overlaps with the first region.\",\n \"Another embodiment of the present invention is a driving method of a data processing device including an input unit provided with a sensor portion for sensing proximity or a touch of an object, and an arithmetic portion for determining a proximity operation or a contact operation over the sensor portion.\",\n \"The data processing device detects a region over the sensor portion in which proximity or contact of an object is sensed for a predetermined time is determined, so that the region is excluded from a subject of determination of the proximity operation or the contact operation.\",\n \"Another embodiment of the present invention is a driving method of a data processing device in which whether the data processing device is operated by one hand or whether it is operated with both hands is determined, and an image based on the determination result is displayed.\",\n \"In one embodiment of the present invention, a human interface with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"A novel data processing device or a novel display device can be provided.\",\n \"Furthermore, a data processing device, a display device, and the like which consume low power can be provided.\",\n \"A data processing device, a display device, and the like with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"A data processing device, display device, and the like which can be held easily can be provided.\",\n \"A data processing device, a display device, and the like which are less likely to fall can be provided.\",\n \"A data processing device, a display device, and the like with fewer malfunctions can be provided.\",\n \"A data processing device, a display device, and the like which is easily operated by both hands can be provided.\",\n \"Note that the description of these effects does not disturb the existence of other effects.\",\n \"One embodiment of the present invention does not necessarily achieve all the objects listed above.\",\n \"Other effects will be apparent from and can be derived from the description of the specification, the drawings, the claims, and the like.\",\n \"BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG.\",\n \"1 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"2A to 2E illustrate structures of a data processing device and a position input portion of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"3A to 3C illustrate structures of a data processing device and a position input portion of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"4A to 4H illustrate structures of a data processing device and a position input portion of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"5A and 5B are schematic views illustrating a structure of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"6A and 6B are schematic views illustrating a structure of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"7A1, 7A2, 7B1, and 7B2 are schematic views illustrating structures of data processing devices of embodiments.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"8A1, 8A2, 8B1, and 8B2 are schematic views illustrating structures of data processing device of embodiments.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"9A1, 9A2, 9B1, and 9B2 are schematic views illustrating a structure of data processing devices of embodiments.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"10A1, 10A2, and 10B illustrate a structure of a position input portion of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"11 is a block diagram illustrating a structure of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"12A illustrates a structure of a data processing device of an embodiment, and FIGS.\",\n \"12B and 12C illustrate an unfolded state and an folded state of the data processing device.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"13A to 13E illustrate a structure of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"14A1, 14A2, 14B1, and 14B2 illustrate a data processing device of an embodiment held by a user.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"15A and 15B illustrate a data processing device of an embodiment held by a user.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"16A and 16B are flow charts showing a program to be executed by an arithmetic portion of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"17A to 17C illustrate structures of a data processing device and a position input portion of an embodiment FIGS.\",\n \"18A to 18D illustrate structures of a data processing device and a position input portion of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"19A and 19B illustrate application examples of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"20 is a flow chart showing a program to be executed by an arithmetic portion of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"21A to 21C illustrate an example of an image displayed on a display portion of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"22 is a flow chart showing a program to be executed by an arithmetic portion of a data processing device in one embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"23 is a flow chart showing a program to be executed by an arithmetic portion of a data processing device of one embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"24 is a flow chart showing a program to be executed by an arithmetic portion of a data processing device of one embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"25 illustrates an application example of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"26A to 26C illustrate structures of a display panel that can be used for a display device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"27A and 27B illustrate a structure of a display panel that can be used for a display device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"28 illustrates a structure of a display panel that can be used for a display device of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"29A to 29D illustrate a method for manufacturing a foldable functional element of one embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"30A to 30D illustrate a method for manufacturing a foldable functional element of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"31A to 31D illustrate a method for manufacturing a foldable functional element of an embodiment.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"32A and 32B illustrate application examples of a data processing device of an embodiment.\",\n \"BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments will be described in detail with reference to drawings.\",\n \"Note that the present invention is not limited to the description below, and it is easily understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.\",\n \"Accordingly, the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited to the content of the embodiments below.\",\n \"Note that in the structures of the invention described below, the same portions or portions having similar functions are denoted by the same reference numerals in different drawings, and description of such portions is not repeated.\",\n \"The position, size, range, and the like of each component illustrated in the drawings and the like are not accurately represented in some cases to facilitate understanding of the invention.\",\n \"Therefore, the disclosed invention is not necessarily limited to the position, the size, the range, or the like disclosed in the drawings and the like.\",\n \"For example, the position, size, range, and the like of each component are not illustrated in some cases for easy understanding.\",\n \"Note that the term “over” or “below” in this specification and the like does not necessarily mean that a component is placed directly on or directly below and directly in contact with another component.\",\n \"For example, the expression “electrode B over insulating layer A” does not necessarily mean that the electrode B is on and in direct contact with the insulating layer A and can mean the case where another component is provided between the insulating layer A and the electrode B.\",\n \"Note that ordinal numbers such as “first” and “second” and the like in this specification and the like are used in order to avoid confusion among components and do not denote the priority or the order such as the order of steps or the stacking order.\",\n \"A term without an ordinal number in this specification and the like might be provided with an ordinal number in a claim in order to avoid confusion among components.\",\n \"In addition, a term with an ordinal number in this specification and the like may be provided with a different ordinal number in a claim.\",\n \"In this specification and the like, “touch” means contacting with a surface of a data processing device by part of the body of a user such as a finger or a tool such as a stylus.\",\n \"In this specification and the like, “tap” means hitting the surface of the data processing device with part of the body of a user such as a finger or a tool such as a stylus.\",\n \"In this specification and the like, “flick” means sliding part of the body of a user or a tool such as a stylus on the surface of the data processing device.\",\n \"In this specification and the like, “drag” means selecting part or all of an image displayed on a display portion and moving the selected image by “flick” by part of the body of a user such as a finger or a tool such as a stylus.\",\n \"In this specification and the like, “pinch in” means sliding two fingers on the surface of the data processing device as if pinching an object.\",\n \"In this specification and the like, “pinch out” means sliding two fingers on the surface of the data processing device so that they are away from each other.\",\n \"In this specification and the like, a proximity operation and a contact operation performed over a sensor portion, such as “touch”, “tap”, “flick”, “drag”, “pinch in”, and “pinch out” are collectively referred to as “touch action”.\",\n \"Embodiment 1 In this embodiment, a structure of a data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"1 shows a block diagram of a structure of a data processing device 100 of one embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"2A is a schematic view illustrating the external appearance of the data processing device 100 of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.\",\n \"2B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross-sectional structure along a cutting-plane line X1-X2 in FIG.\",\n \"2A.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"2C and 2D are schematic views illustrating the external appearance of the data processing device 100 of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.\",\n \"2E is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross-sectional structure along a cutting-plane line X3-X4 in FIGS.\",\n \"2C and 2D.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"2C is a schematic view illustrating a front surface of the data processing device 100.FIG.\",\n \"2D is a schematic view illustrating a back surface of the data processing device 100.FIG.\",\n \"3A is a schematic view illustrating the external appearance of the data processing device 100 of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.\",\n \"3B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross-sectional structure along a cutting-plane line X5-X6 in FIG.\",\n \"3A.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"3C is a cross sectional view illustrating an example of a cross-sectional structure which is different from that of FIG.\",\n \"3B.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"4A is a schematic view illustrating the external appearance of the data processing device 100 of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.\",\n \"4B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross-sectional structure along a cutting-plane line X7-X8 in FIG.\",\n \"4A.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"4C to 4H are cross-sectional views illustrating examples of cross-sectional structures which are different from those of FIG.\",\n \"4B.\",\n \"As illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"2C and 2D, and FIG.\",\n \"3C, a position input portion 140 or a display portion 130 may be provided not only on the front surface but also on the side surface or the back surface of the data processing device 100.As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"3A, the position input portion 140 or the display portion 130 may also be provided on the top surface of the data processing device 100.The position input portion 140 or the display portion 130 may also be provided on the bottom surface of the data processing device 100.As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"4A and FIG.\",\n \"4B that is a cross-sectional view of FIG.\",\n \"4A, the position input portion 140 and the display portion 130 are not necessarily provided on the side surface, the top surface or the back surface of the data processing device 100.For example, a structure illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"5A and 5B may be employed.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5A is a schematic perspective view of the front surface side of the data processing device, and FIG.\",\n \"5B is a schematic perspective view of the back surface side thereof.\",\n \"Alternatively, a structure illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"6A and 6B may be employed.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"6A is a schematic perspective view of the front surface side of the data processing device, and FIG.\",\n \"6B is a schematic perspective view of the back surface side thereof.\",\n \"Alternatively, a structure illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"7A1 and 7A2 may be employed.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7A1 is a schematic perspective view of the front surface side of the data processing device, and FIG.\",\n \"7A2 is a schematic perspective view of the back surface side thereof.\",\n \"In addition, a structure illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"7B1 and 7B2 may be employed.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7B1 is a schematic perspective view of the front surface side of the data processing device, and FIG.\",\n \"7B2 is a schematic perspective view of the back surface side thereof.\",\n \"In addition, a structure illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"8A1 and 8A2 may be employed.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"8A1 is a schematic perspective view of the front surface side of the data processing device, and FIG.\",\n \"8A2 is a schematic perspective view of the back surface side thereof.\",\n \"In addition, a structure illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"8B1 and 8B2 may be employed.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"8B1 is a schematic perspective view of the front surface side of the data processing device, and FIG.\",\n \"8B2 is a schematic perspective view of the back surface side thereof.\",\n \"In addition, a structure illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"9A1 and 9A2 may be employed.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"9A1 is a schematic perspective view of the front surface side of the data processing device, and FIG.\",\n \"9A2 is a schematic perspective view of the back surface side thereof.\",\n \"In addition, a structure illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"9B1 and 9B2 may be employed.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"9B1 is a schematic perspective view of the front surface side of the data processing device, and FIG.\",\n \"9B2 is a schematic perspective view of the back surface side thereof.\",\n \"Note that in addition to the position input portion 140, a hardware button, an external connection terminal, and the like may be provided on the surface of a housing 101.With such a structure, images can be displayed not only on the plane parallel to the front surface of the housing like in a conventional data processing device but also on the side surface of the housing.\",\n \"In particular, display regions are preferably provided along the two or more side surfaces of the housing because the variety of display is further increased.\",\n \"A display region provided along the front surface of the data processing device and display regions provided along the side surface thereof may be independently used as display regions to display different images or the like, or two or more of the display regions may display one image or the like.\",\n \"For example, a continuous image may be displayed on the display region provided along the front surface of the data processing device and the display region provided along the side surface thereof and the like.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"10A1 is a schematic view illustrating arrangement of a position input portion 140 and the display portion 130 that can be employed in the data processing device 100 of one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.\",\n \"10A2 is a schematic view illustrating arrangement of proximity sensors 142 of the position input portion 140.FIG.\",\n \"10B is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross-sectional structure of the position input portion 140 along a cutting-plane line X9-X10 in FIG.\",\n \"10A2. The data processing device 100 described here includes an input/output unit 120 which supplies positional data L-INF and to which image data VIDEO is supplied and an arithmetic unit 110 to which the positional data L-INF is supplied and supplies the image data VIDEO (see FIG.\",\n \"1).\",\n \"The input/output unit 120 includes the position input portion 140 which supplies the positional data L-INF and the display portion 130 to which the image data VIDEO is supplied.\",\n \"The position input portion 140 is flexible to be bent such that, for example, a first region 140(1), a second region 140(2) facing the first region 140(1), and a third region 140(3) between the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) are formed (see FIG.\",\n \"2B).\",\n \"For another example, the position input portion 140 is flexible to be folded, such that the first region 140(1), the third region 140(3), and a fourth region 140(4) facing the third region 140(3) are formed (see FIG.\",\n \"2E).\",\n \"For another example, the position input portion 140 is flexible to be folded, such that the third region 140(3), a fifth region 140(5), the fourth region 140(4) facing the third region 140(3) are formed (see FIG.\",\n \"3C).\",\n \"Note that the surfaces or regions may be provided with the respective position input portions 140.For example, as illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"4C, 4D, and 4E, position input portions 140(A), 140(B), 140(C), 140(D), and 140(E) may be provided in the respective regions.\",\n \"Alternatively, a structure may be employed in which some of the position input portions 140(A), 140(B), 140(C), 140(D), and 140(E) are not provided as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"4F.\",\n \"As illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"4G and 4H, the position input portion may be provided around the entire inside surface of a housing.\",\n \"Note that the second region 140(2) may face the first region 140(1) with or without an inclination.\",\n \"Note that the fourth region 140(4) may face the third region 140(3) with or without an inclination.\",\n \"The display portion 130 is supplied with the image data VIDEO and is provided to overlap with at least part of the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2), the third region 140(3), the fourth region 140(4), or the fifth region 140(5).\",\n \"The arithmetic unit 110 includes an arithmetic portion 111 and a memory portion 112 that stores a program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 (see FIG.\",\n \"1).\",\n \"The data processing device 100 includes the flexible position input portion 140 sensing proximity or touch of an object.\",\n \"The position input portion 140 can be bent such that the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2) facing the first region 140(1), and the third region 140(3) positioned between the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) and overlapping with the display portion 130 are formed, for example.\",\n \"With this structure, whether or not a palm or a finger is proximate to or touches the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2), or the like can be determined.\",\n \"As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"Individual components included in the data processing device 100 are described below (see FIG.\",\n \"1).\",\n \"Note that these units can not be clearly distinguished and one unit also serves as another unit or include part of another unit in some cases.\",\n \"For example, a touch panel in which a touch sensor overlaps with a display portion is provided over the position input portion 140 as well as over the display portion 130.<> The input/output unit 120 includes the position input portion 140 and the display portion 130.An input/output portion 145, a sensor portion 150, a communication portion 160, and the like may also be included.\",\n \"The input/output unit 120 is supplied with data and can supply data (see FIG.\",\n \"1).\",\n \"<> The position input portion 140 supplies the positional data L-INF.\",\n \"The user of the data processing device 100 can supply the positional data L-INF to the position input portion 140 by touching the position input portion 140 with his/her finger or palm and thereby supplying a variety of operation instructions to the data processing device 100.For example, an operation instruction including a termination instruction (an instruction to terminate the program) can be supplied (see FIG.\",\n \"1).\",\n \"The position input portion 140 includes, for example, the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2), and the third region 140(3) between the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) (see FIG.\",\n \"10A1).\",\n \"In each of the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2), and the third region 140(3), the proximity sensors 142 are arranged in matrix (see FIG.\",\n \"10A2).\",\n \"The position input portion 140 includes, for example, a flexible substrate 141 and the proximity sensors 142 over the flexible substrate 141 (see FIG.\",\n \"10B).\",\n \"The position input portion 140 can be bent such that the second region 140(2) and the first region 140(1) face each other (see FIG.\",\n \"2B).\",\n \"The third region 140(3) of the position input portion 140 overlaps with the display portion 130 (see FIGS.\",\n \"2B and 10A1).\",\n \"Note that when the third region 140(3) is positioned closer to the user than the display portion 130 is, the third region 140(3) has a light-transmitting property.\",\n \"The distance between the second region and the first region of the position input portion 140 in a bent state is one that allows the user of the data processing device 100 to hold it in his/her hand (see FIG.\",\n \"14A1).\",\n \"The distance is, for example, 17 cm or shorter, preferably 9 cm or shorter, further preferably 7 cm or shorter.\",\n \"When the distance is short, the thumb of the holding hand can be used to input the positional data to a wide range of the third region 140(3).\",\n \"Thus, the user of the data processing device 100 can use the data processing device 100, holding it with the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar) being proximate to or touching one of the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), and a finger(s) other than the thumb being proximate to or touching the other.\",\n \"The shape of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar) being proximate to or touching one of the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) is different from the shape(s) of the finger(s) other than the thumb being proximate to or touching the other region; therefore, the first region 140(1) supplies positional data different from that supplied by the second region 140(2).\",\n \"Specifically, the shape of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar) being proximate to or touching one region is larger than the shape(s) of the finger(s) other than the thumb being proximate to or touching the other region or is continuous (not divided), for example.\",\n \"The proximity sensor 142 is a sensor that can sense proximity or touch of an object (e.g., a finger or a palm), and a capacitor or an imaging element can be used as the proximity sensor.\",\n \"Note that a substrate provided with capacitors arranged in matrix can be referred to as a capacitive touch sensor, and a substrate provided with an imaging element can be referred to as an optical touch sensor.\",\n \"For the flexible substrate 141, a resin thin enough to be flexible can be used.\",\n \"Examples of the resin include polyester, polyolefin, polyamide, polyimide, aramid, epoxy, polycarbonate, and an acrylic resin.\",\n \"As a normal substrate not having flexibility, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a semiconductor substrate, or the like can be used.\",\n \"Specific examples of a structure that can be employed in the position input portion 140 are described in Embodiments 6 and 7.<> The display portion 130 and at least the third region 140(3) of the position input portion 140 overlap with each other.\",\n \"Not only the third region 140(3) but also the first region 140(1) and/or the second region 140(2) may overlap with the display portion 130.There is no particular limitation on the display portion 130 as long as the display portion 130 can display the supplied image data VIDEO.\",\n \"An operation instruction associated with a portion of the display portion 130 with which the first region 140(1) and/or the second region 140(2) overlap(s) may be different from an operation instruction associated with a portion of the display portion 130 with which the third region 140(3) overlaps.\",\n \"The user can thus see, from display on the display portion, what operation instruction is associated with the portion with which the first region 140(1) and/or the second region 140(2) overlap(s).\",\n \"Consequently, a variety of operation instructions can be associated.\",\n \"Moreover, false input of an operation instruction can be reduced.\",\n \"Specific examples of a structure that can be employed in the display portion 130 are described in Embodiments 6 and 7.<> The arithmetic unit 110 includes the arithmetic portion 111, the memory portion 112, an input/output interface 115, and a transmission path 114 (see FIG.\",\n \"1).\",\n \"The arithmetic unit 110 is supplied with the positional data L-INF and supplies the image data VIDEO.\",\n \"For example, the arithmetic unit 110 supplies the image data VIDEO including an image used for operation of the data processing device 100, and the input/output unit 120 is supplied with the image data VIDEO including the image used for operation.\",\n \"The display portion 130 displays the image used for operation.\",\n \"By touching a portion of the third region 140(3) overlapping with the display portion 130 in which an image used for operation is displayed with his/her finger, the user can supply the positional data L-INF for selecting the image.\",\n \"<> The arithmetic portion 111 executes the program stored in the memory portion 112.For example, in response to supply of the positional data L-INF that is associated with a position in which an image used for operation is displayed, the arithmetic portion 111 executes a program associated with the image.\",\n \"<> The memory portion 112 stores the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111.Note that examples of a program to be executed by the arithmetic unit 110 are described in other embodiments.\",\n \"<> The input/output interface 115 supplies data and is supplied with data.\",\n \"The transmission path 114 can supply data, and the arithmetic portion 111, the memory portion 112, and the input/output interface 115 are supplied with data.\",\n \"In addition, the arithmetic portion 111, the memory portion 112, and the input/output interface 115 can supply data and the transmission path 114 is supplied with data.\",\n \"The data processing device 100 includes the arithmetic unit 110, the input/output unit 120, and the housing 101 (see FIG.\",\n \"1 and FIG.\",\n \"2B).\",\n \"<> The sensor portion 150 senses the states of the data processing device 100 and the circumstances and supplies sensing data SENS (see FIG.\",\n \"1).\",\n \"Note that the sensor portion 150 senses, for example, acceleration, a direction, pressure, a global positioning system (GPS) signal, temperature, humidity, or the like and may supply data thereon.\",\n \"<> The communication portion 160 supplies data COM supplied by the arithmetic unit 110 to a device or a communication network outside the data processing device 100.Furthermore, the communication portion 160 acquires the data COM from the device or communication network outside the data processing device 100 and supplies the data COM.\",\n \"The data COM can include a variety of instructions and the like.\",\n \"For example, the data COM can include a display instruction to make the arithmetic portion 111 generate or delete the image data VIDEO.\",\n \"A communication unit for connection to the external device or external communication network, e.g., a hub, a router, or a modem, can be used for the communication portion 160.Note that the connection method is not limited to a method using a wire, and a wireless method (e.g., radio wave or infrared rays) may be used.\",\n \"<> As the input/output portion 145, for example, a camera, a microphone, a read-only external memory portion, an external memory portion, a scanner, a speaker, or a printer can be used (see FIG.\",\n \"1).\",\n \"Specifically, as a camera, a digital camera, digital video camera, or the like can be used.\",\n \"As an external memory portion, a hard disk, a removable memory, or the like can be used.\",\n \"As a read-only external memory portion, a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM, or the like can be used.\",\n \"<> The housing 101 protects the arithmetic unit 110 and the like from external stress.\",\n \"The housing 101 can be formed using metal, plastic, glass, ceramics, or the like.\",\n \"This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.\",\n \"Embodiment 2 In this embodiment, the structure of the data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"11 shows a block diagram of a structure of a data processing device 100B of one embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"12A to 12C are schematic views illustrating the external appearance of the data processing device 100B.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"12A is the schematic view illustrating the external appearance of the data processing device 100B in an unfolded state, FIG.\",\n \"12B is the schematic view illustrating the external appearance of the data processing device 100B in a bent state, and FIG.\",\n \"12C is the schematic view illustrating the external appearance of the data processing device 100B in a folded state.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"13A to 13E are schematic views illustrating the structures of the data processing device 100B.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"13A to 13D illustrate the structure in an unfolded state and FIG.\",\n \"13E illustrates the structure in a folded state.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"13A is a top view of the data processing device 100B, FIG.\",\n \"13B is a bottom view of the data processing device 100B, and FIG.\",\n \"13C is a side view of the data processing device 100B.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"13D is a cross-sectional view illustrating a cross section of the data processing device 100B taken along a cutting-plane line Y1-Y2 in FIG.\",\n \"13A.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"13E is a side view of the data processing device 100B in the folded state.\",\n \" The data processing device 100B described here includes an input/output unit 120B which supplies the positional data L-INF and the sensing data SENS including folding data and to which the image data VIDEO is supplied and the arithmetic unit 110 to which the positional data L-INF and the sensing data SENS including the folding data are supplied and which supplies the image data VIDEO (see FIG.\",\n \"11).\",\n \"The input/output unit 120B includes a position input portion 140B, the display portion 130, and the sensor portion 150.The position input portion 140B is flexible to be unfolded or folded such that the first region 140B(1), the second region 140B(2) facing the first region 140B(1), and the third region 140B(3) between the first region 140B(1) and the second region 140B(2) are formed (see FIGS.\",\n \"12A to 12C and FIGS.\",\n \"13A to 13E).\",\n \"The sensor portion 150 includes a folding sensor 151 capable of sensing a folded state of the position input portion 140B and supplying the sensing data SENS including the folding data.\",\n \"The display portion 130 is supplied with the image data VIDEO and is positioned so that the display portion 130 and the third region 140B(3) overlap with each other.\",\n \"The arithmetic unit 110 includes the arithmetic portion 111 and the memory portion 112 that stores the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 (see FIG.\",\n \"13D).\",\n \"The data processing device 100B described here includes the flexible position input portion 140B sensing a palm or a finger that is proximate to the first region 140B(1), the second region 140B(2) facing the first region 140B(1) in the folded state, and the third region 140B(3) positioned between the first region 140B(1) and the second region 140B(2) and overlapping with the display portion 130; and the sensor portion 150 including the folding sensor 151 capable of determining whether the flexible position input portion 140B is in a folded state or an unfolded state (see FIG.\",\n \"11 and FIGS.\",\n \"13A to 13E).\",\n \"With this structure, whether or not a palm or a finger is proximate to the first region 140B(1) or the second region 140B(2) can be determined.\",\n \"As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"Individual components included in the data processing device 100B are described below.\",\n \"Note that these units can not be clearly distinguished and one unit also serves as another unit or include part of another unit in some cases.\",\n \"For example, a touch panel in which a touch sensor overlaps with a display portion is provided over the position input portion 140B as well as over the display portion 130.The data processing device 100B is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 1 in that the position input portion 140B is flexible to be in an unfolded state or a folded state and that the sensor portion 150 in the input/output unit 120B includes the folding sensor 151.Different structures will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar structures.\",\n \"<> The input/output unit 120B includes the position input portion 140B, the display portion 130, and the sensor portion 150 including the folding sensor 151.The input/output portion 145, a sign 159, the communication portion 160, and the like may also be included.\",\n \"The input/output unit 120B is supplied with data and can supply data (FIG.\",\n \"11).\",\n \"<> The data processing device 100B has a housing in which a high flexibility portion E1 and a low flexibility portion E2 are alternately provided.\",\n \"In other words, in the housing of the data processing device 100B, the high flexibility portion E1 and the low flexibility portion E2 are strip-like portions (form stripes) (see FIGS.\",\n \"13A and 13B).\",\n \"The above-described structure allows the data processing device 100B to be folded (see FIGS.\",\n \"12A to 12C).\",\n \"The data processing device 100B in a folded state is highly portable.\",\n \"It is possible to fold the data processing device 100B such that part of the third region 140B(3) of the position input portion 140B is on the outer side and use only part of the third region 140B(3) (see FIG.\",\n \"12C).\",\n \"The high flexibility portion E1 and the low flexibility portion E2 can have a shape both sides of which are parallel to each other, a triangular shape, a trapezoidal shape, a fan shape, or the like.\",\n \"The user of the data processing device 100B folded to a size that allows the data processing device to be held in one hand can operate part of the third region 140B(3) of the position input portion with the thumb of his/her hand supporting the data processing device and input positional data.\",\n \"In the above manner, the data processing device that can be operated with one hand can be provided (see FIG.\",\n \"15A).\",\n \"Note that in a folded state such that parts of the position input portion 140 are on the inner side, the user cannot operate part of the third region 140B(3) (see FIG.\",\n \"12C).\",\n \"Thus, it is possible to stop driving of part of the third region 140B(3) of the position input portion in a folded state.\",\n \"In that case, the data processing device 100B can have reduced power consumption with the position input portion in a folded state.\",\n \"The position input portion 140B in an unfolded state is seamless and has a wide operation region.\",\n \"The display portion 130 and the third region 140B(3) of the position input portion overlap with each other (see FIG.\",\n \"13D).\",\n \"The position input portion 140B is interposed between a connecting member 13a and a connecting member 13b.\",\n \"The connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b are interposed between a supporting member 15a and a supporting member 15b (see FIG.\",\n \"13C).\",\n \"The display portion 130, the position input portion 140B, the connecting member 13a, the connecting member 13b, the supporting member 15a, and the supporting member 15b are fixed by any of a variety of methods; for example, it is possible to use an adhesive, a screw, structures that can be fit with each other, or the like.\",\n \"<> The high flexibility portion E1 is bendable and functions as a hinge.\",\n \"The high flexibility portion E1 includes the connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b overlapping with each other (see FIGS.\",\n \"13A to 13C).\",\n \"<> The low flexibility portion E2 includes at least one of the supporting member 15a and the supporting member 15b.\",\n \"For example, the low flexibility portion E2 includes the supporting member 15a and the supporting member 15b overlapping with each other.\",\n \"Note that when only the supporting member 15b is included, the weight and thickness of the low flexibility portion E2 can be reduced.\",\n \"<> The connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b are flexible.\",\n \"For example, flexible plastic, metal, alloy and/or rubber can be used as the connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b.\",\n \"Specifically, silicone rubber can be used as the connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b.\",\n \"<> Any one of the supporting member 15a and the supporting member 15b has lower flexibility than the connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b.\",\n \"The supporting member 15a or the supporting member 15b can increase the mechanical strength of the position input portion 140B and protect the position input portion 140B from breakage.\",\n \"For example, plastic, metal, alloy, rubber, or the like can be used as the supporting member 15a or the supporting member 15b.\",\n \"The connecting member 13a, the connecting member 13b, the supporting member 15a, or the supporting member 15b formed using plastic, rubber, or the like can be lightweight or break-resistant.\",\n \"Specifically, engineering plastic or silicone rubber can be used.\",\n \"Stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium alloy, or the like can also be used for the supporting member 15a and the supporting member 15b.\",\n \"<> The position input portion 140B can be in an unfolded state or a folded state (see FIGS.\",\n \"12A to 12C).\",\n \"The third region 140B(3) in an unfolded state is positioned on a top surface of the data processing device 100B (see FIG.\",\n \"13C), and the third region 140B(3) in a folded state is positioned on the top surface and a side surface of the data processing device 100B (see FIG.\",\n \"13E).\",\n \"The usable area of the unfolded position input portion 140B is larger than that of the folded position input portion 140B.\",\n \"When the position input portion 140B is folded, an operation instruction that is different from an operation instruction associated with a portion of the third region 140B(3) on the top surface of the data processing device 100B can be associated with a portion of the third region 140B(3) on the side surface of the data processing device 100B.\",\n \"Note that an operation instruction that is different from an operation instruction associated with the second region 140B(2) may be associated with the portion of the third region 140B(3) on the side surface of the data processing device 100B.\",\n \"In this manner, a complex operation instruction can be given with the use of the position input portion 140B.\",\n \"The position input portion 140B supplies the positional data L-INF (see FIG.\",\n \"11).\",\n \"The position input portion 140B is provided between the supporting member 15a and the supporting member 15b.\",\n \"The position input portion 140B may be interposed between the connecting member 13a and the connecting member 13b.\",\n \"The position input portion 140B includes the first region 140B(1), the second region 140B(2), and the third region 140B(3) between the first region 140B(1) and the second region 140B(2) (see FIG.\",\n \"13D).\",\n \"The position input portion 140B includes a flexible substrate and proximity sensors over the flexible substrate.\",\n \"In each of the first region 140B(1), the second region 140B(2), and the third region 140B(3), the proximity sensors are arranged in matrix.\",\n \"Specific examples of a structure that can be employed in the position input portion 140B are described in Embodiments 6 and 7.<> The data processing device 100B includes the sensor portion 150.The sensor portion 150 includes the folding sensor 151 (see FIG.\",\n \"11).\",\n \"The folding sensor 151 and the sign 159 are positioned in the data processing device 100B so that a folded state of the position input portion 140B can be sensed (FIGS.\",\n \"12A and 12B and FIGS.\",\n \"13A, 13C, and 13E).\",\n \"In a state where the position input portion 140B is unfolded, the sign 159 is positioned away from the folding sensor 151 (see FIG.\",\n \"12A and FIGS.\",\n \"13A and 13C).\",\n \"In a state where the position input portion 140B is bent at the connecting members 13a, the sign 159 is close to the folding sensor 151 (see FIG.\",\n \"12B).\",\n \"In a state where the position input portion 140B is folded at the connecting members 13a, the sign 159 faces the folding sensor 151 (see FIG.\",\n \"13E).\",\n \"The sensor portion 150 senses the sign 159 to determine that the position input portion 140B is in a folded state and supplies the sensing data SENS including folding data.\",\n \"<> The display portion 130 and at least part of the third region 140(3) of the position input portion 140 overlap with each other.\",\n \"The display portion 130 can display the supplied image data VIDEO.\",\n \"Particularly when flexible, the display portion 130 can be unfolded or folded with the position input portion 140 overlapping with the display portion 130.Thus, seamless display with excellent browsability can be performed by the display portion 130.Specific examples of a structure that can be employed in the flexible display portion 130 are described in Embodiments 6 and 7.<> The arithmetic unit 110 includes the arithmetic portion 111, the memory portion 112, an input/output interface 115, and a transmission path 114 (see FIG.\",\n \"11).\",\n \"This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.\",\n \"Embodiment 3 In this embodiment, a structure of a data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"14A1, 14A2, 14B1, and 14B2 illustrate a state where the data processing device 100 of one embodiment of the present invention is held by a user.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"14A1 illustrates the external appearance of the data processing device 100 held by a user, and FIG.\",\n \"14A2 illustrates the ranges of a palm and fingers holding the data processing device 100 that are sensed by the proximity sensor in the position input portion 140 illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"14A1.Note that the case where separate position input portions 140(A), 140(B), and 140(C) are used is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"17A.\",\n \"The description for the case of FIG.\",\n \"17A can apply to the case of FIG.\",\n \"14A2.FIG.\",\n \"14B1 is a schematic view where solid lines denote results of edge sensing processing of first positional data L-INF(1) sensed by the first region 140(1) of the position input portion 140 and second positional data L-INF(2) sensed by the second region 140(2).\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"14B2 is a schematic view where hatching patterns denote results of labelling processing of the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2).\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"16A and 16B are flow charts showing the programs to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 of the data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \" The data processing device described here is the data processing device 100 in Embodiment 1 in which the first region 140(1) supplies the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second region 140(2) supplies the second positional data L-INF(2) (see FIG.\",\n \"14A2); and the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 with which the third region 140(3) overlaps is generated by the arithmetic portion 111 in accordance with results of a comparison between the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2) (see FIG.\",\n \"1, FIGS.\",\n \"2A to 2E, FIGS.\",\n \"10A1, 10A2, 10B and FIGS.\",\n \"14A1, 14A2, 14B1, and 14B2).\",\n \"Individual components included in the data processing device 100 are described below.\",\n \"Note that these units can not be clearly distinguished and one unit also serves as another unit or include part of another unit in some cases.\",\n \"For example, a touch panel in which a touch sensor overlaps with a display portion is provided over the position input portion 140 as well as over the display portion 130.The data processing device 100 is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 1 in that the first region of the position input portion 140 supplies the first positional data and the second region of the position input portion 140 supplies the second positional data, and that an image to be displayed on the display portion 130 is generated in accordance with results of a comparison between the first positional data and the second positional data.\",\n \"Different structures will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar structures.\",\n \"<> The position input portion 140 is flexible to be bent such that the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2) facing the first region 140(1), and the third region 140(3) provided between the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) and overlapping with the display portion 130 are formed (see FIG.\",\n \"2B).\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"14A1 illustrates the data processing device 100 held by a user.\",\n \"In FIG.\",\n \"14A2, the ranges of a palm and fingers holding the data processing device 100 that are sensed by the proximity sensor in the position input portion 140 are illustrated together with the position input portion 140 in the unfolded state.\",\n \"The first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) of the data processing device 100 held by a user sense part of the user's palm and part of the user's fingers.\",\n \"For example, the first region 140(1) supplies the first positional data L-INF(1) including data on contact positions of part of the index finger, the middle finger, and the ring finger, and the second region 140(2) supplies the second positional data L-INF(2) including data on a contact position of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar).\",\n \"Note that the third region 140(3) supplies data on a contact position of the thumb.\",\n \"<> The display portion 130 and the third region 140(3) overlap with each other (see FIGS.\",\n \"14A1 and 14A2).\",\n \"The display portion 130 is supplied with the image data VIDEO and displays the image data VIDEO.\",\n \"For example, the image data VIDEO including an image used for operation of the data processing device 100 can be displayed.\",\n \"A user of the data processing device 100 can input positional data for selecting the image, by making his/her thumb touch the third region 140(3) overlapping with the image.\",\n \"For example, a keyboard 131, icons, and the like are displayed on the right side as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"17B when operation is performed with the right hand.\",\n \"The keyboard 131, icons, and the like are displayed on the left side as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"17C when operation is performed with the left hand.\",\n \"In this way, operation with fingers is facilitated.\",\n \"Note that a displayed screen may be changed in response to sensing of inclination of the data processing device 100 by the sensor portion 150 that senses acceleration.\",\n \"For example, the left end of the data processing device 100 held in the left hand as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"18A is positioned higher than the right end as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"18C when seen in the direction denoted by an arrow 152.Here, in response to sensing of this inclination, a screen for the left hand is displayed as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"17C and the keyboard 131 for the left hand is operated.\",\n \"In a similar manner, the right end of the data processing device 100 held in the right hand as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"18B is positioned higher than the left end as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"18D when seen in the direction denoted by the arrow 152.Here, in response to sensing of this inclination, a screen for the right hand is displayed as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"17B and the keyboard 131 for the right hand is operated.\",\n \"The display positions of a keyboard, icons, and the like may be controlled in this manner.\",\n \"Note that the method for sensing inclination of the data processing device 100 and the method illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"14A1, 14A2, 14B1, and 14B2 may be combined to control the display positions.\",\n \"Alternatively, without sensing of information, the screen may be switched between an operation screen for the right hand and an operation screen for the left hand by the user of the data processing device 100.<> The arithmetic portion 111 is supplied with the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2) and generates the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 in accordance with results of a comparison between the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2).\",\n \" The data processing device described here is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 1 or that described above in that the memory portion stores a program in accordance with which the arithmetic portion 111 executes the following seven steps (see FIG.\",\n \"16A).\",\n \"Different processes will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar processes.\",\n \"<> In a first step, the length of a first line segment is determined using the first positional data L-INF(1) supplied by the first region 140(1) (see 51 in FIG.\",\n \"16A).\",\n \"In a second step, the length of a second line segment is determined using the second positional data L-INF(2) supplied by the second region 140(2) (see S2 in FIG.\",\n \"16A).\",\n \"In a third step, the length of the first line segment and the length of the second line segment are compared with the predetermined length.\",\n \"The program proceeds to a fourth step when only one of the lengths of the first and second line segments is longer than the predetermined length.\",\n \"The program proceeds to the first step in other cases (see S3 in FIG.\",\n \"16A).\",\n \"Note that it is preferable that the predetermined length be longer than or equal to 2 cm and shorter than or equal to 15 cm, and it is particularly preferable that the predetermined length be longer than or equal to 5 cm and shorter than or equal to 10 cm.\",\n \"In a fourth step, the coordinates of the midpoint of the line segment longer than the predetermined length are determined (see S4 in FIG.\",\n \"16A).\",\n \"In a fifth step, whether “tap”, “flick”, or the like is performed in a region in which the coordinates of the midpoint is not determined is checked in the first region 140(1) or the second region 140(2) (see S5 in FIG.\",\n \"16A).\",\n \"In a sixth step, the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 which overlaps with the third region 140(3) is generated based on the coordinates of the midpoint and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed confirmed in the fifth step (see S6 in FIG.\",\n \"16A).\",\n \"In a seventh step, the program is terminated (see S7 in FIG.\",\n \"16A).\",\n \"The data processing device 100 described here includes the flexible position input portion 140 capable of sensing proximity or touch of an object and supplying the positional data L-INF, and the arithmetic portion 111.The flexible position input portion 140 can be bent such that the first region 140(1), the second region 140(2) facing the first region 140(1), and the third region 140(3) positioned between the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) and overlapping with the display portion 130 are formed.\",\n \"The arithmetic portion 111 can compare the first positional data L-INF(1) supplied by the first region 140(1) with the second positional data L-INF(2) supplied by the second region 140(2) and generate the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130.With this structure, whether a palm or a finger is proximate to or touches the first region 140(1) or the second region 140(2) can be determined, furthermore, whether the data processing device is operated with one hand or whether it is operated with both hands can be determined, and the image data VIDEO including an image (e.g., an image used for operation) positioned for easy operation can be generated.\",\n \"As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"Note that a step in which the display portion 130 displays the predetermined image data VIDEO (also referred to as initial image) may be included before the first step.\",\n \"In that case, the predetermined image data VIDEO can be displayed when both the length of the first line segment and that of the second line segment are longer or shorter than the predetermined length.\",\n \"Individual processes executed by the arithmetic portion with the use of the program are described below.\",\n \"Note that these processes cannot be clearly distinguished and one process also serves as another process or include part of another process in some cases.\",\n \"<> Hereinafter, a method for determining the length of the first line segment and the length of the second line segment using the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2), respectively, is described.\",\n \"A method for determining the midpoint of a line segment is also described.\",\n \"Specifically, an edge sensing method for determining the length of a line segment is described.\",\n \"Note that although description is given of an example in which an imaging element is used as the proximity sensor, a capacitor or the like may be used as the proximity sensor.\",\n \"Assume that a value acquired by an imaging pixel with coordinates (x, y) is f(x, y).\",\n \"It is preferable that a value obtained by subtracting a background value from a value sensed by the imaging pixel be used as f(x, y) because noise can be removed.\",\n \"<> Formula 1 below expresses the sum Δ(x, y) of differences between a value sensed by the imaging pixel with the coordinates (x, y) and values sensed by imaging pixels with coordinates (x−1, y), coordinates (x+1, y), coordinates (x, y−1), and coordinates (x, y+1), which are adjacent to the coordinates (x, y).\",\n \"Δ(x,y)=4·f(x,y)−{f(x,y−1)+f(x,y+1)+f(x−1,y)+f(x+1,y)} [Formula 1] FIG.\",\n \"14A2 shows values sensed by the imaging pixels in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2).\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"14B1 shows calculation results of Δ(x, y).\",\n \"When Δ(x, y) is used in the above manner, an edge (contour) of a finger or a palm that is proximate to or touches the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) can be extracted to the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2).\",\n \"<> The coordinates of intersection between the contour extracted to the first region 140(1) and a predetermined line segment W1 are determined, and the predetermined line segment W1 is cut at the point of intersection to be divided into a plurality of line segments.\",\n \"The line segment having the longest length among the plurality of line segments is the first line segment.\",\n \"Note that the length of the first line segment is length L1 (see FIG.\",\n \"14-B1).\",\n \"The coordinates of intersection between the contour extracted to the second region 140(2) and a predetermined line segment W2 are determined, and the predetermined line segment W2 is cut at the point of intersection to be divided into a plurality of line segments.\",\n \"The line segment having the longest length among the plurality of line segments is the second line segment.\",\n \"Note that the length of the second line segment is length L2.<> The length of the first line segment L1 and the length of the second line segment L2 are compared with each other, the longer one is selected, and the coordinates of a midpoint M is calculated.\",\n \"In this embodiment, the length L2 is longer than the length L1; thus, the coordinates of the midpoint M of the second line segment are determined.\",\n \"<> The coordinates of the midpoint M can be associated with the position of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar), the movable range of the thumb, or the like.\",\n \"In this manner, image data that facilitates operation of the data processing device 100 can be generated in accordance with the coordinates of the midpoint M. For example, it is possible to generate the image data VIDEO that includes an image used for operation positioned in the display portion 130 with which the third region 140(3) in the movable range of the thumb overlaps.\",\n \"Specifically, images used for operation (denoted by circles) can be positioned on a circular arc whose center is in the vicinity of the midpoint M (see FIG.\",\n \"14A1).\",\n \"Among images used for operation, images that are used frequently may be positioned on a circular arc and images that are used less frequently may be positioned inside or outside the circular arc.\",\n \"As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"In the case where an operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which the midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), it can be determined that a user operates the data processing device 100 with both hands, and a predetermined processing such as the display of image data VIDEO which is different from the above can be executed.\",\n \"For example, when the operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the second region 140(2) at the same time as the midpoint M is calculated in the first region 140(1), it can be determined that a user operates the data processing device 100 with both hands, and a predetermined image can be displayed on the display portion 130.In the case where the operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which the midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), the predetermined processing may be performed by determining that the data processing device is not operated by both hands.\",\n \"For example, predetermined program execution, display or non-display of images, or turning on or off a power source may be performed.\",\n \" The data processing device described here is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 1 or that described above in that the memory portion stores a program in accordance with which the arithmetic portion 111 executes the following six steps, in which the area of a first figure and the area of a second figure are used instead of the length of the first line segment and the length of the second line segment (see FIG.\",\n \"16B).\",\n \"Different processes will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar processes.\",\n \"<> In a first step, the area of the first figure is determined using the first positional data L-INF(1) supplied by the first region 140(1) (T1 in FIG.\",\n \"16B).\",\n \"In a second step, the area of the second figure is determined using the second positional data L-INF(2) supplied by the second region 140(2) (T2 in FIG.\",\n \"16B).\",\n \"In a third step, the area of the first figure and the area of the second figure are compared with the predetermined area.\",\n \"The program proceeds to a fourth step when only one of the areas of the first and second figures is larger than the predetermined area.\",\n \"The program proceeds to the first step in other cases (T3 in FIG.\",\n \"16B).\",\n \"Note that it is preferable that the predetermined area be larger than or equal to 1 cm2 and smaller than or equal to 8 cm2, and it is particularly preferable that the predetermined area be larger than or equal to 3 cm2 and smaller than or equal to 5 cm2.In a fourth step, the barycentric coordinates of the figure whose area is larger than the predetermined area are determined (T4 in FIG.\",\n \"16B).\",\n \"In a fifth step, whether “tap”, “flick”, or the like is performed in a region in which barycentric coordinates are not determined in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) is checked (see T5 in FIG.\",\n \"16A).\",\n \"In a sixth step, the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 which overlaps with the third region is generated based on the barycentric coordinates and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed confirmed in the fifth step (T6 in FIG.\",\n \"16B).\",\n \"In a seventh step, the program is terminated (see T7 in FIG.\",\n \"16B).\",\n \"Individual processes executed by the arithmetic portion with the use of the program are described below.\",\n \"Note that these processes cannot be clearly distinguished and one process also serves as another process or include part of another process in some cases.\",\n \"<> Hereinafter, a method for determining the area of the first figure and the area of the second figure using the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2), respectively, is described.\",\n \"A method for determining the center of gravity of a figure is also described.\",\n \"Specifically, labeling processing for determining the area of a figure is described.\",\n \"Note that although description is given of an example in which an imaging element is used as the proximity sensor, a capacitor or the like may be used as the proximity sensor.\",\n \"Assume that a value acquired by an imaging pixel with coordinates (x, y) is f(x, y).\",\n \"It is preferable that a value obtained by subtracting a background value from a value sensed by the imaging pixel be used as f(x, y) because noise can be removed.\",\n \"<> In the case where one imaging pixel and an adjacent imaging pixel in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) each acquire a value f(x, y) exceeding a predetermined threshold value, the region where the region occupied by these imaging pixels is regarded as one figure.\",\n \"Note that when f(x, y) can be 256, for example, it is preferable that the predetermined threshold value be greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 150, and it is particularly preferable that the predetermined threshold value be greater than or equal to 0 and less than or equal to 50.The above processing is performed on all of the imaging pixels in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), and imaging of the results is carried out to give the regions in which adjacent imaging pixels each exceeds the predetermined threshold value as shown in FIGS.\",\n \"14A2 and 14B2.The figure having the largest area among figures in the first region 140(1) is the first figure.\",\n \"The figure having the largest area among figures in the second region 140(2) is the second figure.\",\n \"<> The area of the first figure and that of the second figure are compared, the larger one is selected, and the center of gravity is calculated.\",\n \"Coordinates C(X, Y) of the center of gravity can be calculated using Formula (2) below.\",\n \"C ( X , Y ) = ( 1 n ∑ i = 0 n - 1 x i , 1 n ∑ i = 0 n - 1 y i ) [ Formula 2 ] In Equation (2), (x, y) represents the coordinates of n imaging pixels forming one figure.\",\n \"The area of the second figure is larger than that of the first figure; thus, the barycentric coordinates C of the second figure are determined.\",\n \"<> The barycentric coordinates C can be associated with the position of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar), the movable range of the thumb, or the like.\",\n \"In this manner, image data that facilitates operation of the data processing device 100 can be generated in accordance with the barycentric coordinates C. In the case where an operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which the center of gravity C is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), it can be determined that a user operates the data processing device 100 by both hands, and the image data VIDEO which is different from above can be displayed.\",\n \"In the case where an operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which the center of gravity C is not calculated in the first region 140 (1) and the second region 140 (2), operations other than the display of the image data VIDEO may be performed.\",\n \"For example, execution of a predetermined program, display or non-display of images or turning on or off a power source may be performed.\",\n \"In the case where the position input portion 140 is provided on the front surface and the back surface of the data processing device 100, the position input portion 140 of the front surface and the back surface are tapped at the same time, whereby execution of the predetermined program, display or non-display of images, or turning on or off a power source may be performed, for example (see FIG.\",\n \"19A).\",\n \"In addition, portions of the position input portion 140 of the front surface and the back surface are “flicked” at the same time, whereby execution of the predetermined program, display or non-display of images, turning on or off a power source may be performed, for example (see FIG.\",\n \"19B).\",\n \"Therefore, unexpected malfunctions can be prevented.\",\n \"This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.\",\n \"Embodiment 4 In this embodiment, a structure of a data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"15A and 15B illustrate a state where the data processing device 100B of one embodiment of the present invention is held by a user.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"15A illustrates the data processing device 100B in a folded state held by a user, and FIG.\",\n \"15B illustrates the ranges of a palm and fingers sensed by the data processing device 100B in the state illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"15A.\",\n \"Note that the ranges of the palm and fingers are illustrated together with the unfolded position input portion 140B.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"20 is a flow chart showing the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 of the data processing device 100B of one embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"21A to 21C illustrate an example of an image displayed on the display portion 130 of the data processing device 100B of one embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"22 is a flow chart showing the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 of the data processing device 100B of one embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \" In a data processing device described here, the first region 140B(1) of the position input portion 140B supplies the first positional data L-INF(1), and the second region 140B(2) supplies the second positional data L-INF(2) (see FIG.\",\n \"15B).\",\n \"The sensor portion 150 supplies the sensing data SENS including folding data; and the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 is generated by the arithmetic portion 111 in accordance with the sensing data SENS including the folding data and results of a comparison between the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2) (see FIG.\",\n \"11, FIGS.\",\n \"12A to 12C, and FIGS.\",\n \"15A and 15B).\",\n \"Individual components included in the data processing device 100B are described below.\",\n \"Note that these units can not be clearly distinguished and one unit also serves as another unit or include part of another unit in some cases.\",\n \"For example, a touch panel in which a touch sensor overlaps with a display portion is provided in the position input portion 140B as well as in the display portion 130.The data processing device 100B is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 2 in that the first region 140B(1) of the position input portion 140B supplies the first positional data and the second region 140B(2) of the position input portion 140B supplies the second positional data, and that an image to be displayed on the display portion 130 is generated in accordance with results of a comparison between the first positional data and the second positional data.\",\n \"Different structures will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar structures.\",\n \"<> The position input portion 140B is flexible to unfolded or folded such that the first region 140B(1), the second region 140B(2) facing the first region 140B(1), and the third region 140B(3) provided between the first region 140B(1) and the second region 140B(2) and overlapping with the display portion 130B are formed (see FIGS.\",\n \"12A to 12C).\",\n \"The first region 140B(1) and the second region 140B(2) which the user's palm and the user's fingers are proximate to or touch sense part of the user's palm and part of the user's fingers.\",\n \"For example, the first region 140B(1) supplies the first positional data L-INF(1) including data on contact positions of part of the index finger, the middle finger, and the ring finger, and the second region 140B(2) supplies the second positional data L-INF(2) including data on a contact position of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar).\",\n \"Note that the third region 140B(3) supplies data on a contact position of the thumb.\",\n \"<> The display portion 130 and the third region 140B(3) overlap with each other (see FIGS.\",\n \"15A and 15B).\",\n \"The display portion 130 is supplied with the image data VIDEO and can display an image used for operation of the data processing device 100B, for example.\",\n \"A user of the data processing device 100B can input positional data for selecting the image, by making his/her thumb touch the third region 140B(3) overlapping with the image.\",\n \"<> The arithmetic portion 111 is supplied with the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2) and generates the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 in accordance with results of a comparison between the first positional data L-INF(1) and the second positional data L-INF(2).\",\n \" The data processing device described here is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 2 or that described above in that the memory portion stores a program in accordance with which the arithmetic portion 111 executes the following nine steps (see FIG.\",\n \"20).\",\n \"Different processes will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar processes.\",\n \"<> In a first step, the length of the first line segment is determined using the first positional data supplied by the first region (U1 in FIG.\",\n \"20).\",\n \"In a second step, the length of the second line segment is determined using the second positional data supplied by the second region (U2 in FIG.\",\n \"20).\",\n \"In a third step, the length of the first line segment and the length of the second line segment are compared with the predetermined length.\",\n \"The program proceeds to a fourth step when only one of the lengths of the first and second line segments is longer than the predetermined length.\",\n \"The program proceeds to the first step in other cases (U3 in FIG.\",\n \"20).\",\n \"Note that it is preferable that the predetermined length be longer than or equal to 2 cm and shorter than or equal to 15 cm, and it is particularly preferable that the predetermined length be longer than or equal to 5 cm and shorter than or equal to 10 cm.\",\n \"In the fourth step, the coordinates of the midpoint of the line segment longer than the predetermined length are determined (U4 in FIG.\",\n \"20).\",\n \"In a fifth step, whether or not the operation such as “tap” or “flick” is performed in a region in which the coordinates of the midpoint are not determined in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) is checked (see U5 in FIG.\",\n \"20A).\",\n \"In a sixth step, the folding data of the data processing device 100B is acquired.\",\n \"The program proceeds to a seventh step when the folding data indicates the folded state (U6 in FIG.\",\n \"20).\",\n \"In the seventh step, the first image data to be displayed on the display portion 130 with which the third region overlaps is generated in accordance with the coordinates of the midpoint and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed which is confirmed in the fifth step (U7 in FIG.\",\n \"20).\",\n \"In the sixth step, the folding data of the data processing device 100B is acquired.\",\n \"The program proceeds to an eighth step when the folding data indicates the folded state (U5 in FIG.\",\n \"20).\",\n \"In the eighth step, the second image data to be displayed on the display portion with which the third region overlaps is generated in accordance with the coordinates of the midpoint and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed which is confirmed in the fifth step (U8 in FIG.\",\n \"20).\",\n \"In the ninth step, the program is terminated (see U9 in FIG.\",\n \"20).\",\n \"The data processing device 100B described here includes the flexible position input portion 140B capable of sensing proximity or touch of an object and supplying the positional data L-INF; the sensor portion 150 including the folding sensor 151 that can determine whether the flexible position input portion 140B is in a folded state or an unfolded state; and the arithmetic portion 111 (see FIG.\",\n \"11).\",\n \"The flexible position input portion 140B can be bent such that the first region 140B(1), the second region 140B(2) facing the first region 140B(1) in the folded state, and the third region 140B(3) positioned between the first region 140B(1) and the second region 140B(2) and overlapping with the display portion 130 are formed.\",\n \"The arithmetic portion 111 can compare the first positional data L-INF(1) supplied by the first region 140B(1) with the second positional data L-INF(2) supplied by the second region 140B(2) and generate the image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 in accordance with the folded state.\",\n \"With this structure, whether or not a palm or a finger is proximate to or touches the first region 140B(1) or the second region 140B(2) can be determined, furthermore, whether data processing device is operated with one hand or with both hands can be determined, and the image data VIDEO including a first image positioned for easy operation in the folded state of the position input portion 140B (e.g., the first image in which an image used for operation is positioned) or a second image positioned for easy operation in the unfolded state of the position input portion 140B can be generated.\",\n \"As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"In the data processing device 100B described here, a step in which the predetermined image data VIDEO is generated by the arithmetic portion 111 and displayed by the display portion 130 may be included before the first step.\",\n \"In that case, the predetermined image data VIDEO can be displayed when both the length of the first line segment and that of the second line segment are longer or shorter than the predetermined length in the third step.\",\n \"Individual processes executed by the arithmetic portion with the use of the program are described below.\",\n \"Note that these processes cannot be clearly distinguished and one process also serves as another process or include part of another process in some cases.\",\n \"The program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 of the data processing device 100B is different from the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion of the data processing device in Embodiment 3 in that in the fifth step, the process is branched in accordance with the folded state of the position input portion 140B.\",\n \"Different processes will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar processes.\",\n \"<> When the acquired folding data indicates the folded state, the arithmetic portion 111 generates the first image data.\",\n \"For example, in a manner similar to that of the fifth step of the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 of the data processing device 100 in Embodiment 3, first image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 with which the third region 140B(3) in the folded state overlaps is generated in accordance with the coordinates of the midpoint and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed which is confirmed in the fifth step.\",\n \"The coordinates of the midpoint M can be associated with the position of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar), the movable range of the thumb, or the like.\",\n \"In the case where an operation such as “tap” or “flick” is not detected in the region in which the midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), it can be determined that a user operates the data processing device 100 with one hand, and image data that facilitates the operation of the data processing device 100B in the folded state can be generated in accordance with the coordinates of the midpoint M. For example, it is possible to generate the first image data VIDEO for one-hand operation that includes an image used for operation positioned in the display portion 130 with which the third region 140B(3) in the movable range of the thumb overlaps.\",\n \"Specifically, images used for operation (denoted by circles) can be positioned on a circular arc whose center is in the vicinity of the midpoint M (see FIG.\",\n \"21A).\",\n \"Among images used for operation, images that are used frequently may be positioned on a circular arc and images that are used less frequently may be positioned inside or outside the circular arc.\",\n \"As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided in the data processing device 100B in the folded state.\",\n \"Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"In the case where an operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which the midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), it can be judged that the data processing device 100 is operated with both hands, so that the first image data VIDEO for two-hand operation can be displayed.\",\n \"Note that the first image data VIDEO for one-hand operation and the first image data VIDEO for two-hand operation can be the same.\",\n \"In the case where operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), operations other than the display of the imaged data VIDEO may be performed.\",\n \"For example, execution of the predetermined program, display or non-display of images or turning on or off a power source may be performed.\",\n \"<> When the acquired folding data indicates the unfolded state, the arithmetic portion 111 generates the second image data.\",\n \"For example, in a manner similar to that of the fifth step of the program to be executed by the arithmetic portion 111 of the data processing device 100 in Embodiment 3, first image data VIDEO to be displayed on the display portion 130 with which the third region 140B(3) in the folded state overlaps is generated in accordance with the coordinates of the midpoint and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed which is confirmed in the fifth step.\",\n \"The coordinates of the midpoint M can be associated with the position of the thumb joint portion (the vicinity of the thenar), the movable range of the thumb, or the like.\",\n \"For example, it is possible to generate second image data VIDEO that includes an image used for operation not positioned in an area with which the movable range of the thumb overlaps.\",\n \"For example, in the case where an operation such as “tap” or “flick” is not detected in the region in which midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), it can be determined that a user operates the data processing device 100 with one hand, and images used for operation (denoted by circles) can be positioned outside a circular arc whose center is in the vicinity of the midpoint M (see FIGS.\",\n \"21A to 21C).\",\n \"The position input portion 140B may be driven such that the position input portion 140B supplies positional data in response to sensing of an object that is proximate to or touches the circular arc or a region outside the circular arc.\",\n \"The user can support the data processing device 100B by holding the circular arc or a region inside the circular arc in the position input portion 140B in the unfolded state with one hand.\",\n \"The image used for operation and displayed outside the circular arc can be operated with the other hand.\",\n \"As a result, a human interface with high operability can be provided in the data processing device 100B in the unfolded state.\",\n \"Furthermore, a novel data processing device with high operability can be provided.\",\n \"In the case where an operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) (see FIGS.\",\n \"21A and 21B), it can be judged that the data processing device 100 is operated with both hands, so that the second image data VIDEO for two-hand operation can be displayed.\",\n \"Note that the first image data VIDEO for one-hand operation and the second image data VIDEO for two-hand operation can be the same.\",\n \"In the case where the operations such as “tap” or “flick” are detected in the region in which midpoint M is not calculated in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2), operations other than the display of the image data VIDEO may be performed.\",\n \"For example, execution of the predetermined program, display or non-display of images or turning on or off a power source may be performed.\",\n \" The data processing device described here is different from the data processing device described in Embodiment 2 or that described above in that the memory portion stores a program in accordance with which the arithmetic portion 111 executes the following seven steps, in which the area of the first figure and the area of the second figure are used instead of the length of the first line segment and the length of the second line segment (see FIG.\",\n \"22).\",\n \"Different processes will be described in detail below, and the above description is referred to for the other similar processes.\",\n \"<> In a first step, the area of the first figure is determined using the first positional data supplied by the first region 140B(1) (see V1 in FIG.\",\n \"22).\",\n \"In a second step, the area of the second figure is determined using the second positional data supplied by the second region 140B(2) (see V2 in FIG.\",\n \"22).\",\n \"In a third step, the area of the first figure and the area of the second figure are compared with the predetermined area.\",\n \"The program proceeds to a fourth step when only one of the area of the first figure and the area of the second figure is larger than the predetermined area.\",\n \"The program proceeds to the first step in other cases (see V3 in FIG.\",\n \"22).\",\n \"Note that it is preferable that the predetermined area be larger than or equal to 1 cm2 and smaller than or equal to 8 cm2, and it is particularly preferable that the predetermined area be larger than or equal to 3 cm2 and smaller than or equal to 5 cm2.In a fourth step, the barycentric coordinates of the area which is larger than the predetermined area are determined (see V4 in FIG.\",\n \"22).\",\n \"In a fifth step, the folding data of the data processing device 100B is acquired.\",\n \"The program proceeds to the sixth step when the folding data indicates the folded state (see V5 in FIG.\",\n \"22).\",\n \"In a sixth step, whether operations of “tap”, “flick”, or the like are performed in a region in which the coordinates of the midpoint are not determined in the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) is checked (see V6 in FIG.\",\n \"22).\",\n \"In a seventh step, the first image data to be displayed on the display portion 130 which overlaps with the third region is generated in accordance with the barycentric coordinates and whether the operation of “tap” or “flick” has been performed confirmed in the sixth step (see V7 in FIG.\",\n \"22).\",\n \"In a fifth step, the folding data of the data processing device 100B is acquired.\",\n \"The program proceeds to the eighth step when the folding data indicates the folded state (see V5 in FIG.\",\n \"22).\",\n \"In an eighth step, the second image data to be displayed on the display portion with which the third region overlaps is generated in accordance with the barycentric coordinates (see V8 in FIG.\",\n \"22).\",\n \"The program is terminated in a ninth step (see V9 in FIG.\",\n \"22).\",\n \"This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.\",\n \"Embodiment 5 In this embodiment, an operation example that can be used for the data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to drawings.\",\n \"In the case where the data processing device 100 is held by a user, a specific region of the position input portion 140 is touched for a long time.\",\n \"In the display portion 130, display on a region overlapping with the region touched or rewriting data in the region overlapping with the region touched is not performed, whereby power consumption of the data processing device 100 can be suppressed.\",\n \"Since a region touched is a blind spot, visibility of the display image is not decreased when the display in the region overlapping with the region touched is stopped.\",\n \"Here, the region in which the display is stopped may be smaller than the region touched, for example.\",\n \"In that case, display appears to be performed even if a hand holding the data processing device moves a little.\",\n \"In the display portion 130, there may be a region in which display is not performed or a region in which a rewriting operation is not performed may be provided in a region other than touched region.\",\n \"For example, when the data processing device 100 is held by a user, there might be a region in which a user cannot view the display images near the region touched even though the region is not touched.\",\n \"A region in which display is not performed or a region in which a rewriting operation is not performed may be provided even in such a region.\",\n \"As an example of such a case, the case of contacting the display portion 130 with a palm can be given.\",\n \"When a palm contacts the display portion 130, the entire palm does not necessary contact the display portion.\",\n \"Even in a region with which palm is not in contact, however, the palm prevents a user from viewing the region in some cases.\",\n \"Thus, display or a rewriting operation is not necessarily performed in such a region.\",\n \"Here, the terms “display is not performed” and “rewriting operation is not performed” refer to not supplying a new image signal or charge to pixels in the display portion 130.Furthermore, the terms indicate that light is not supplied from the lighting device such as a backlight or a frontlight.\",\n \"For example, in the case of using a light-emitting element for the pixel, black display is performed in the region that is not supplied with an image signal in some cases.\",\n \"In addition, in the case where a display element that is not a light emitting element (e.g., a liquid crystal element) is used for the pixel, black display or white display is performed depending on a pixel configuration.\",\n \"Moreover, in the case of using a liquid crystal element as the pixel, an image which is displayed just before the supply of an image signal is stopped might be continuously displayed.\",\n \"For example, in the case of using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor in a channel portion, the same image may be continuously displayed because the off-state current of the transistor is extremely small.\",\n \"Furthermore, in the case of using a liquid crystal element for the pixel, black display may be performed in the region to which illumination light from the backlight is not supplied.\",\n \"In the case where a user holds the data processing device 100 with a hand and the like, the region held by the hand can be determined by various methods.\",\n \"For example, as described in the above embodiments, the edge detection processing is performed based on the first positional data L-INF (1) sensed by the first region 140(1) of the position input portion 140 and a second positional data L-INF (2) sensed by a second region 140(2), and when the arithmetic portion 111 determines that the area or the barycentric coordinates of the region surrounded by the edge is not changed for a certain period or longer, a portion of the display of the display portion 130 overlapping with the region is stopped.\",\n \"Alternatively, the display image rewriting of a portion of the display portion 130 that overlaps with the region is stopped.\",\n \"A similar processing may be performed using a third positional data L-INF (3) sensed by the third region 140(3).\",\n \"In the case where the data processing device 100 includes a fourth region 140(4) and a fifth region 140(5), for example, a similar processing may be performed based on fourth positional data L-INF (4) sensed by the fourth region 140(4) and a fifth positional data L-INF (5) sensed by the fifth region 140(5), for example.\",\n \"Alternatively, all the touched regions are simply detected, and the regions which are determined to be touched for a certain period or longer may be determined to be a region which is held by a hand or the like.\",\n \"Alternatively, the regions may be determined by using another sensor such as an acceleration sensor, an optical sensor, and an infrared ray sensor.\",\n \"In such a manner, the regions that are held by a hand can be determined by using and combining various methods.\",\n \"For example, as shown in FIG.\",\n \"32(A), a region A which is touched for a certain period or longer by a hand or the like does not react.\",\n \"In addition, a region B does not react because the region B is not in contact with anything.\",\n \"Next, as shown in FIG.\",\n \"32(B), when a finger or the like touches the region B, the region B reacts but the region A does not react.\",\n \"It is possible to operate the data processing device 100 by such a method.\",\n \"<> An example of a program for making the arithmetic portion 111 execute the processing by which display is not performed in the region overlapping with the region touched for a certain period will be described with reference to FIG.\",\n \"23.The data processing device described here has a memory portion storing a program for making the arithmetic portion 111 execute the following eight steps.\",\n \"Note that the data processing device described in the above embodiments can be appropriately used as the data processing device.\",\n \"In a first step, a region a1 that is touched over the position input portion 140 is identified based on the first positional data L-INF (1) to the fourth positional data L-INF (4), and the like (see R1 in FIG.\",\n \"23).\",\n \"In a second step, the area and the barycentric coordinates of the region a1 are calculated (R2 in FIG.\",\n \"23).\",\n \"In a third step, the data processing device stands by for a certain period (R3 in FIG.\",\n \"23).\",\n \"Note that the stand-by time is preferably 1 second or longer and shorter than 30 seconds, and more preferably 1 second or longer and shorter than 15 seconds.\",\n \"When the stand-by time is too long, the display quality of the data processing device 100 is likely to decrease because the display in the display portion 130 overlapping with the region a1 might not be performed even after the holding position changed or holding is stopped.\",\n \"In a fourth step, a region a2 over the position input portion 140 which is touched is identified based on the first positional data L-INF (1) to the fourth positional data L-INF (4), or the like (R4 in FIG.\",\n \"23).\",\n \"In a fifth step, the area and the barycentric coordinates of the region a2 are calculated (R5 in FIG.\",\n \"23).\",\n \"In a sixth step, whether there are big differences in the areas and the barycentric coordinates between the region a1 and the region a2 is determined (R6 in FIG.\",\n \"23).\",\n \"In the case where there is no great difference in at least one of the areas and the barycentric coordinates between the region a1 and the region a2, a seventh step is performed (R7 in FIG.\",\n \"23).\",\n \"In the seventh step, display of the display portion 130 overlapping with the region a1 is stopped.\",\n \"Alternatively, display image rewriting of the display portion 130 overlapping with the region a1 is stopped.\",\n \"After that, the operation returns to the third step, and the data processing device stands by for a certain period.\",\n \"In the sixth step, in the case where there is a great difference in at least one of the areas and the barycentric coordinates between the region a1 and the region a2, the execution of the program is terminated in an eighth step.\",\n \"In such a manner, power consumption of the data processing device 100 can be suppressed.\",\n \"Note that although the display or the display image rewriting of the display portion 130 overlapping with the region a1 is stopped in the seventh step, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.\",\n \"For example, in the seventh step, when the display or the display image rewriting of the display portion 130 is stopped, it is also stopped not only in the region touched for a certain period but also in the vicinity thereof.\",\n \"Alternatively, the display or the display image rewriting of the display portion 130 is stopped in a region which is a slightly smaller than the region touched for a certain period.\",\n \"In the case of FIGS.\",\n \"2C, 2D, and 2E, for example, when the region touched for a certain period exists in any part of the fourth region 140(4), the display of a region of the display portion 130 that overlaps with the entire part of the first region 140(4) is stopped, or the display image rewriting is stopped.\",\n \"Similarly, for example, in the case where a region touched for a certain period exists in any part of the first region 140(1), the display of a region of the display portion 130 that overlaps with the entire part of the first region 140 (1) is stopped, or the display image rewriting is stopped.\",\n \"For example, since the fourth region 140(4) corresponds to the back surface of the data processing device 100, the fourth region 140(4) is a place which is hardly viewed by a user when the data processing device is held.\",\n \"Accordingly, when the display portion 130 may be not viewed from a user, the display or the display image rewriting is temporarily stopped in the entire part of such a region.\",\n \"However, when the third region 140(3) is not touched for a certain period, the display is restored, for example.\",\n \"Thus, the display can be performed only when a user is viewing, which results in reducing the power consumption.\",\n \"In the case where a user views the fourth region 140(4), the third region 140(3) substantially corresponds to the back surface of the data processing device 100.Thus, for example, in such a case, in a manner similar to the case of the fourth region 140(4), the display or the display image rewriting of the display portion 130 is stopped in the entire part of the third region 140(3).\",\n \"At least one of the region determining whether the region is touched for a long time; the region determining whether the region is touched for holding the data processing device by a user; the region in which the display of the display portion 130 is stopped; and the region in which the display image rewriting of the display portion 130 may be set to be a part of a region of the display portion 130.Furthermore, the position of the region, a judgment operation or a display operation performed in the region, and the like may be changed according to the situation.\",\n \"In addition, they may be set and changed by a user.\",\n \"For example, whether a region is touched for a long time or is touched for holding the device is not necessarily determined in the region corresponding to the front surface of the data processing device 100, such as in the third region 140(3).\",\n \"Furthermore, in such a region, the display or the display image rewriting of the display portion 130 is not necessarily stopped.\",\n \"In this manner, a user can view a display image even when the user rapidly changes the holding state of the data processing device 100.Furthermore, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic sensor, or the like may be used for determining whether a user is viewing the back surface or the front surface of the data processing device 100.By utilizing data of these sensors, circumstances can be precisely judged.\",\n \"In the case where the data processing device 100 is held by a user, when the region held by a user is included in the region determining touch action, touch action cannot be accurately determined, which causes malfunction or decrease in operability.\",\n \"In addition, there is a risk of dropping the data processing device 100 when a user holds a region of the data processing device 100 except for the region determining touch action.\",\n \"Hence, for example, a region touched by a user unintentionally is excluded from the region determining touch action in the position input portion 140.Furthermore, for example, a region of the position input portion 140 touched by a user for holding the data processing device 100 is excluded from the region determining touch action.\",\n \"Alternatively, for example, a region which cannot be touched even if a user intends to is excluded from the region determining touch action.\",\n \"For example, a region touched for a certain period is excluded from a region determining touch action in the position input portion 140.Thus, detection accuracy of touch action can be improved.\",\n \"Furthermore, favorable operability of the data processing device 100 can be obtained.\",\n \"As an example of a region which cannot be touched even if a user intends to, a region in contact with a palm can be given.\",\n \"In the case where a palm touches the region, the entire palm is not necessarily in contact with the region.\",\n \"Even if the region is not touched by a palm, the palm prevents the other hand from touching the region.\",\n \"As an example of a region which cannot be touched even if a user intends to touch, small spaces between fingers at the time of touching with a plurality of fingers can be given.\",\n \"The spaces cannot be touched with another hand.\",\n \"In this manner, a region which cannot be touched even if a user intends to touch may be excluded from the region determining touch action.\",\n \"In the case where the data processing device 100 is held by a hand or the like, the region held by a hand can be judged by various methods.\",\n \"For example, as described in the above embodiments, the edge detection process is performed based on the first positional data L-INF (1) sensed by the first region 140 (1) of the position input portion 140 and the second positional data L-INF (2) sensed by the second region 140 (2), and when the arithmetic portion 111 judges that the area or the barycentric coordinates of a region surrounded by the edge is not changed for a certain period or longer, the region is excluded from the region determining touch action.\",\n \"The similar processing may be performed using the third positional data L-INF (3) sensed by the third region 140 (3).\",\n \"In the case where the data processing device 100 includes the fourth region 140(4), the fifth region 140(5), and the like, the same processing may be performed based on the results of the fourth positional data L-INF (4) sensed by the fourth region 140(4) and the fifth positional data L-INF (5) sensed by the fifth region 140(5), and the like.\",\n \"Alternatively, all the touched regions are simply detected, and the region which is determined to be touched for a certain period or longer may be determined to be a region which is held by a hand, or the like.\",\n \"Alternatively, the regions may be determined by using another sensor such as an acceleration sensor, an optical sensor, and an infrared ray sensor.\",\n \"In such a manner, the regions that are held with a hand can be determined by using and combining various methods.\",\n \"<> An example of a program for making the arithmetic portion 111 execute the processing by which a region touched for a certain period is excluded from the region determining touch action will be described with reference to FIG.\",\n \"24.The data-processing device described here has the memory portion storing a program for making the arithmetic portion 111 execute the following eight steps.\",\n \"Note that, the data processing device described in the above embodiments can be appropriately used as the data processing device.\",\n \"In a first step, a region a1 that is touched over the position input portion 140 is identified based on the first positional data L-INF (1) to the fourth positional data L-INF (4), and the like (see W1 in FIG.\",\n \"24).\",\n \"In a second step, the area and the barycentric coordinates of the region a1 are calculated (see W2 in FIG.\",\n \"24).\",\n \"In a third step, the data processing device stands by for a certain period (see W3 in FIG.\",\n \"24).\",\n \"The stand by time is preferably 1 second or longer and shorter than 30 seconds, and more preferably 1 second or longer and shorter than 15 seconds.\",\n \"When the stand-by time is too long, display quality of the data processing device 100 is likely to decrease because the display in the display portion 130 that overlaps with a region a1 is not performed in some cases even after the holding position changed or holding is stopped.\",\n \"In a fourth step, a region a2 that is touched over the position input portion 140 is identified based on the first positional data L-INF (1) to the fourth positional data L-INF (4), and the like (see W4 in FIG.\",\n \"24).\",\n \"In a fifth step, the area and the barycentric coordinates of a region a2 are calculated (see W5 in FIG.\",\n \"24).\",\n \"In a sixth step, whether there are big differences in the area and the barycentric coordinates between region a1 and the region a2 is judged (see W6 in FIG.\",\n \"24).\",\n \"In the case where there is no great difference in at least one of the areas and the barycentric coordinates between the region a1 and the region a2, a seventh step is performed (see W7 in FIG.\",\n \"24).\",\n \"In the seventh step, a region touched for a certain period is excluded from the region determining the touching action in the position input portion 140.In the sixth step, in the case where there is a great difference in at least one of the areas and the barycentric coordinates of the region a1 and the region a2, the execution of the program is terminated in an eighth step.\",\n \"In such a manner, detection accuracy of touch action of the data processing device 100 can be improved.\",\n \"Furthermore, favorable operability of the data processing device 100 can be obtained.\",\n \"Since a user does not need to be careful not to touch the region determining touch action, the data processing device 100 can be easily held.\",\n \"Since it becomes easy for a user to operate the data processing device 100 by one hand while holding the data processing device 100 by the other hand, the user can easily operate the data processing device 100 by both hands.\",\n \"Note that, although the region touched for a certain period is excluded from the region determining the touching action in the position input portion 140 in the seventh step, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.\",\n \"For example, in the seventh step, when the region touched for a certain period is excluded from the region determining the touch action in the position input portion 140, the vicinity of the region touched for a certain period can also be excluded from the region determining touch action.\",\n \"In the case of FIGS.\",\n \"2A and 2B, for example, when a region touched for a certain period exists in any part of the second region 140(2), the entire part of the second region 140(2) is excluded from the region determining touch action.\",\n \"Similarly, for example, when a region touched for a certain period exists in any part of the first region 140(1), the entire part of the first region 140(1) is excluded from the region determining touch action.\",\n \"Since the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) correspond to the side surfaces of the data processing device 100, the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) are regions that are easily touched.\",\n \"Thus, such regions may be temporarily excluded from the regions determining touch action.\",\n \"Note that, when the first region 140(1) and the second region 140(2) are not touched for a certain period, the regions are returned to the regions determining touch action.\",\n \"Accordingly, touch action can be utilized only when a user intends to perform operations.\",\n \"At least one of the region determining whether the region is touched for a long time, the region determining whether the region is touched by a user for holding the data processing device, and the region determining touch action may be set to be a part of the region of the display portion 130.Furthermore, the position of the region, a judgment operation or a display operation performed in the region, and the like may be changed according to the situation.\",\n \"In addition, they may be set and changed by a user.\",\n \"For example, whether a region is touched for a long time or is touched for holding the data processing device is not necessarily judged in the region corresponding to the front surface of the data processing device 100 such as the third region 140 (3).\",\n \"In addition, such a region is not necessarily excluded from the region determining touch action.\",\n \"Thus, a user can use the data processing device 100 smoothly in some cases.\",\n \"Note that instead of determining whether a region is touched for a certain period, a user may set a specific region which is excluded from the region determining touch action.\",\n \"For example, in a normal use, only a front surface such as the third region 140 (3) may be set to be the region determining touch action.\",\n \"Then, the other regions are excluded from the region determining touch action.\",\n \"The settings are changed according the usage of the data processing device.\",\n \"Thus, a user can easily operate the data processing device 100.Furthermore, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic sensor, or the like can be used for determining whether a user is viewing the back surface or the front surface of the data processing device 100.By utilizing the data of these sensors, circumstances can be precisely determined.\",\n \"The program described above is not only used in the data processing device 100 but also used in data processing devices in other embodiments.\",\n \"In FIG.\",\n \"25, a data processing device 100B which is unfolded is held by a left hand, and touch action is performed on the position input portion 140 overlapping with the display portion 130 by a right hand.\",\n \"With the use of the program described above in the data processing device 100B, the display of the region held by a left hand is stopped, which results in reducing the power consumption.\",\n \"Alternatively, with use of the program described above in the data processing device 100B, the region held by a left hand is excluded from the region determining touch action, whereby the detection accuracy of touch action of the data processing device 100B can be improved.\",\n \"Alternatively, favorable operability of the data processing device 100B can be obtained.\",\n \"When the data processing device 100 is held by a user, in a region of the display portion 130 overlapping with the region touched, an operation of not performing the display of the region or an operation of not performing rewriting operation of the region, and an operation of excluding the region from the region determining touch action can be carried out in combination.\",\n \"For example, display is not performed and touch action is not judged in the region touched by a user for holding the data processing device 100.This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.\",\n \"Embodiment 6 In this embodiment, the structure of a display panel that can be used for a position input portion and a display device of the data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.\",\n \"26A to 26C.\",\n \"Note that the display panel described in this embodiment includes a touch sensor (a contact sensor device) that overlaps with a display portion; thus, the display panel can be called a touch panel (an input/output device).\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"26A is a top view illustrating the structure of a display panel that can be used for a position input portion and a display device of the data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"26B is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-B and line C-D in FIG.\",\n \"26A.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"26C is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-F in FIG.\",\n \"26A.\",\n \" An input/output device 300 described as an example in this embodiment includes a display portion 301 (see FIG.\",\n \"26A).\",\n \"The display portion 301 includes a plurality of pixels 302 and a plurality of imaging pixels 308.The imaging pixels 308 can sense a touch of a finger or the like on the display portion 301.Thus, a touch sensor can be formed using the imaging pixels 308.Each of the pixels 302 includes a plurality of sub-pixels (e.g., a sub-pixel 302R).\",\n \"In addition, in the sub-pixels, light-emitting elements and pixel circuits that can supply electric power for driving the light-emitting elements are provided.\",\n \"The pixel circuits are electrically connected to wirings through which selection signals are supplied and wirings through which image signals are supplied.\",\n \"Furthermore, the input/output device 300 is provided with a scan line driver circuit 303g(1) that can supply selection signals to the pixels 302 and an image signal line driver circuit 303s(1) that can supply image signals to the pixels 302.Note that when the image signal line driver circuit 303s(1) is placed in a portion other than a bendable portion, malfunction can be inhibited.\",\n \"The imaging pixels 308 include photoelectric conversion elements and imaging pixel circuits that drive the photoelectric conversion elements.\",\n \"The imaging pixel circuits are electrically connected to wirings through which control signals are supplied and wirings through which power supply potentials are supplied.\",\n \"Examples of the control signals include a signal for selecting an imaging pixel circuit from which a recorded imaging signal is read, a signal for initializing an imaging pixel circuit, and a signal for determining the time it takes for an imaging pixel circuit to detect light.\",\n \"The input/output device 300 is provided with an imaging pixel driver circuit 303g(2) that can supply control signals to the imaging pixels 308 and an imaging signal line driver circuit 303s(2) that reads out imaging signals.\",\n \"Note that when the imaging signal line driver circuit 303s(2) is placed in a portion other than a bendable portion, malfunction can be inhibited.\",\n \" The input/output device 300 includes a substrate 310 and a counter substrate 370 that faces the substrate 310 (see FIG.\",\n \"26B).\",\n \"The substrate 310 is a stacked body in which a flexible substrate 310b, a barrier film 310a that prevents diffusion of unintentional impurities to the light-emitting elements, and an adhesive layer 310c that attaches the barrier film 310a to the substrate 310b are stacked.\",\n \"The counter substrate 370 is a stacked body including a flexible substrate 370b, a barrier film 370a that prevents diffusion of unintentional impurities to the light-emitting elements, and an adhesive layer 370c that attaches the barrier film 370a to the substrate 370b (see FIG.\",\n \"26B).\",\n \"A sealant 360 attaches the counter substrate 370 to the substrate 310.The sealant 360 also serving as an optical adhesive layer has a refractive index higher than that of air.\",\n \"The pixel circuits and the light-emitting elements (e.g., a first light-emitting element 350R) and the imaging pixel circuits and photoelectric conversion elements (e.g., a photoelectric conversion element 308p) are provided between the substrate 310 and the counter substrate 370.<> Each of the pixels 302 includes a sub-pixel 302R, a sub-pixel 302G, and a sub-pixel 302B (see FIG.\",\n \"26C).\",\n \"The sub-pixel 302R includes a light-emitting module 380R, the sub-pixel 302G includes a light-emitting module 380G, and the sub-pixel 302B includes a light-emitting module 380B.\",\n \"For example, the sub-pixel 302R includes the first light-emitting element 350R and the pixel circuit that can supply electric power to the first light-emitting element 350R and includes a transistor 302t (see FIG.\",\n \"26B).\",\n \"Furthermore, the light-emitting module 380R includes the first light-emitting element 350R and an optical element (e.g., a coloring layer 367R).\",\n \"The transistor 302t includes a semiconductor layer.\",\n \"As the semiconductor layer, any layer which is semiconductive can be used.\",\n \"For example, a semiconductor such as silicon and germanium, a compound semiconductor such as gallium arsenide, an oxide semiconductor such as indium oxide, zinc oxide, indium gallium zinc oxide, and an organic semiconductor can be used.\",\n \"Furthermore, the semiconductor layer may have crystallinity such as a single crystal, a polycrystal, a microcrystal, and the like.\",\n \"Furthermore, the semiconductor layer may be amorphous.\",\n \"The characteristics of the oxide semiconductor are less likely to change even when a change in shape such as bending is given to the oxide semiconductor.\",\n \"Thus, an oxide semiconductor is preferably used for a semiconductor layer of a transistor to be formed over a flexible substrate.\",\n \"Although a channel-etched transistor that is a type of bottom-gate transistor is illustrated as the transistor 302t in this embodiment, a channel-protective transistor can be used.\",\n \"In addition, the transistor 302t may be a top-gate transistor.\",\n \"The transistor 302t may have a single gate structure including one channel formation region in a semiconductor layer, a double gate structure including two channel formation regions in a semiconductor layer, or a triple gate structure including three channel formation regions in a semiconductor layer.\",\n \"The transistor 302t may include a back gate electrode, with which the threshold value of the transistor 302t may be controlled.\",\n \"The light-emitting element 350R includes a first lower electrode 351R, an upper electrode 352, and a layer 353 containing a light-emitting organic compound between the first lower electrode 351R and the upper electrode 352 (see FIG.\",\n \"26C).\",\n \"The layer 353 containing a light-emitting organic compound includes a light-emitting unit 353a, a light-emitting unit 353b, and an intermediate layer 354 between the light-emitting units 353a and 353b.\",\n \"The light-emitting module 380R includes the first coloring layer 367R on the counter substrate 370.The coloring layer transmits light of a particular wavelength and is, for example, a layer that selectively transmits light of red, green, or blue color.\",\n \"A region that transmits light emitted from the light-emitting element as it is may be provided as well.\",\n \"The light-emitting module 380R, for example, includes the sealant 360 that is in contact with the first light-emitting element 350R and the first coloring layer 367R.\",\n \"The first coloring layer 367R is positioned in a region overlapping with the first light-emitting element 350R.\",\n \"Accordingly, part of light emitted from the first light-emitting element 350R passes through the sealant 360 that also serves as an optical adhesive layer and through the first coloring layer 367R and is emitted to the outside of the light-emitting module 380R as indicated by arrows in FIGS.\",\n \"26B and 26C.\",\n \"<> The input/output device 300 includes a light-blocking layer 367BM on the counter substrate 370.The light-blocking layer 367BM is provided so as to surround the coloring layer (e.g., the first coloring layer 367R).\",\n \"The input/output device 300 includes an anti-reflective layer 367p positioned in a region overlapping with the display portion 301.As the anti-reflective layer 367p, a circular polarizing plate can be used, for example.\",\n \"The input/output device 300 includes an insulating film 321.The insulating film 321 covers the transistor 302t.\",\n \"Note that the insulating film 321 can be used as a layer for planarizing unevenness caused by the pixel circuits.\",\n \"An insulating film on which a layer that can prevent diffusion of impurities to the transistor 302t and the like is stacked can be used as the insulating film 321.The input/output device 300 includes the light-emitting elements (e.g., the first light-emitting element 350R) over the insulating film 321.The input/output unit 300 includes, over the insulating film 321, a partition wall 328 that overlaps with an end portion of the first lower electrode 351R (see FIG.\",\n \"26C).\",\n \"In addition, a spacer 329 that controls the distance between the substrate 310 and the counter substrate 370 is provided on the partition wall 328.<> The image signal line driver circuit 303s (1) includes a transistor 303t and a capacitor 303c.\",\n \"Note that the image signal line driver circuit 303s(1) can be formed in the same process and over the same substrate as those of the pixel circuits.\",\n \"The transistor 303t has a structure similar to that of the transistor 302t.\",\n \"Note that the transistor 303t may have a structure different from that of the transistor 302t.\",\n \"<> The imaging pixels 308 each include a photoelectric conversion element 308p and an imaging pixel circuit for sensing light received by the photoelectric conversion element 308p.\",\n \"The imaging pixel circuit includes a transistor 308t.\",\n \"The transistor 308t has a structure similar to that of the transistor 302t.\",\n \"Note that the transistor 308t may have a structure different from that of the transistor 302t.\",\n \"For example, a PIN photodiode can be used as the photoelectric conversion element 308p.\",\n \"<> The input/output device 300 includes a wiring 311 through which a signal can be supplied.\",\n \"The wiring 311 is provided with a terminal 319.Note that an FPC 309(1) through which a signal such as an image signal or a synchronization signal can be supplied is electrically connected to the terminal 319.The FPC 309(1) is preferably placed in a portion other than a bendable portion of the input/output unit 300.Moreover, the FPC 309(1) is preferably placed at almost the center of one side of a region surrounding the display portion 301, especially a side which is folded (a longer side in FIG.\",\n \"26A).\",\n \"Accordingly, the distance between an external circuit for driving the input/output unit 300 and the input/output unit 300 can be made short, resulting in easy connection.\",\n \"Furthermore, the center of gravity of the external circuit can be made almost the same as that of the input/output unit 300.As a result, the data processing device can be treated easily and mistakes such as dropping can be prevented.\",\n \"Note that a printed wiring board (PWB) may be attached to the FPC 309(1).\",\n \"Note that although the case where the light-emitting element is used as a display element is illustrated, one embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.\",\n \"For example, in this specification and the like, a display element, a display device which is a device including a display element, a light-emitting element, and a light-emitting device which is a device including a light-emitting element can employ a variety of modes or can include a variety of elements.\",\n \"Examples of a display element, a display device, a light-emitting element, or a light-emitting device include a display medium whose contrast, luminance, reflectance, transmittance, or the like is changed by electromagnetic action, such as an electroluminescence (EL) element (e.g., an EL element including organic and inorganic materials, an organic EL element, or an inorganic EL element), an LED (e.g., a white LED, a red LED, a green LED, or a blue LED), a transistor (a transistor that emits light depending on current), an electron emitter, a liquid crystal element, electronic ink, an electrophoretic element, a grating light valve (GLV), a plasma display panel (PDP), a display element using micro electro mechanical system (MEMS), a digital micromirror device (DMD), a digital micro shutter (DMS), MIRASOL (registered trademark), an interferometric modulator display (IMOD) element, a MEMS shutter display element, an optical-interference-type MEMS display element, an electrowetting element, a piezoelectric ceramic display, or a carbon nanotube.\",\n \"Note that examples of display devices having EL elements include an EL display.\",\n \"Examples of display devices including electron emitters are a field emission display (FED) and an SED-type flat panel display (SED: surface-conduction electron-emitter display).\",\n \"Examples of display devices including liquid crystal elements include a liquid crystal display (e.g., a transmissive liquid crystal display, a transflective liquid crystal display, a reflective liquid crystal display, a direct-view liquid crystal display, or a projection liquid crystal display).\",\n \"An example of a display device including electronic ink or electrophoretic elements is electronic paper.\",\n \"In the case of a transflective liquid crystal display or a reflective liquid crystal display, some of or all of pixel electrodes function as reflective electrodes.\",\n \"For example, some or all of pixel electrodes are formed to contain aluminum, silver, or the like.\",\n \"In such a case, a memory circuit such as an SRAM can be provided under the reflective electrodes.\",\n \"Accordingly, power consumption can be further reduced.\",\n \"In this specification and the like, for example, transistors with a variety of structures can be used as a transistor, without limitation to a certain type.\",\n \"For example, a transistor including a single-crystal silicon, or a transistor including a non-single-crystal semiconductor film typified by amorphous silicon, polycrystalline silicon, microcrystalline (also referred to as microcrystal, nanocrystal, or semi-amorphous) silicon, or the like can be used as a transistor.\",\n \"A thin film transistor (TFT) obtained by thinning such a semiconductor can be used.\",\n \"In the case of using the TFT, there are various advantages.\",\n \"For example, since the TFT can be formed at temperature lower than that of the case of using single-crystal silicon, manufacturing cost can be reduced or a manufacturing apparatus can be made larger.\",\n \"Since the manufacturing apparatus is made larger, the TFT can be formed using a large substrate.\",\n \"Therefore, many display devices can be formed at the same time at low cost.\",\n \"In addition, a substrate having low heat resistance can be used because of low manufacturing temperature.\",\n \"Therefore, the transistor can be formed using a light-transmitting substrate.\",\n \"Alternatively, transmission of light in a display element can be controlled by using the transistor formed using the light-transmitting substrate.\",\n \"Alternatively, part of a film included in the transistor can transmit light because the thickness of the transistor is small.\",\n \"Therefore, the aperture ratio can be improved.\",\n \"Note that when a catalyst (e.g., nickel) is used in the case of forming polycrystalline silicon, crystallinity can be further improved and a transistor having excellent electric characteristics can be formed.\",\n \"Accordingly, a gate driver circuit (e.g., a scan line driver circuit), a source driver circuit (e.g., a signal line driver circuit), and a signal processing circuit (e.g., a signal generation circuit, a gamma correction circuit, or a DA converter circuit) can be formed using the same substrate as a pixel portion.\",\n \"Note that when a catalyst (e.g., nickel) is used in the case of forming microcrystalline silicon, crystallinity can be further improved and a transistor having excellent electric characteristics can be formed.\",\n \"In this case, crystallinity can be improved by just performing heat treatment without performing laser irradiation.\",\n \"Accordingly, a gate driver circuit (e.g., a scan line driver circuit) and part of a source driver circuit (e.g., an analog switch) can be formed over the same substrate.\",\n \"Note that when laser irradiation for crystallization is not performed, unevenness in crystallinity of silicon can be suppressed.\",\n \"Therefore, high-quality images can be displayed.\",\n \"Note that it is possible to manufacture polycrystalline silicon or microcrystalline silicon without a catalyst (e.g., nickel).\",\n \"Note that although preferably, crystallinity of silicon is improved to polycrystal, microcrystal, or the like in the whole panel, the present invention is not limited to this.\",\n \"Crystallinity of silicon may be improved only in part of the panel.\",\n \"Selective increase in crystallinity can be achieved by selective laser irradiation or the like.\",\n \"For example, only a peripheral driver circuit region excluding pixels may be irradiated with laser light.\",\n \"Alternatively, only a region of a gate driver circuit, a source driver circuit, or the like may be irradiated with laser light.\",\n \"Alternatively, only part of a source driver circuit (e.g., an analog switch) may be irradiated with laser light.\",\n \"Accordingly, crystallinity of silicon can be improved only in a region in which a circuit needs to be operated at high speed.\",\n \"Since a pixel region is not particularly needed to be operated at high speed, even if crystallinity is not improved, the pixel circuit can be operated without problems.\",\n \"Thus, a region whose crystallinity is improved is small, so that manufacturing steps can be decreased.\",\n \"Thus, throughput can be increased and manufacturing cost can be reduced.\",\n \"Alternatively, since the number of necessary manufacturing apparatus is small, manufacturing cost can be reduced.\",\n \"Note that for example, a transistor including a compound semiconductor (e.g., SiGe, GaAs, and the like), an oxide semiconductor (e.g., ZnO, InGaZnO, IZO (indium zinc oxide) (registered trademark), ITO (indium tin oxide), SnO, TiO, and AlZnSnO (AZTO)), ITZO (In—Sn—Zn—O) (registered trademark), or the like; a thin film transistor obtained by thinning such a compound semiconductor or an oxide semiconductor; or the like can be used as a transistor.\",\n \"A thin film transistor obtained by thinning such a compound semiconductor or an oxide semiconductor, or the like can be used.\",\n \"Since manufacturing temperature can be lowered, such a transistor can be formed at room temperature, for example.\",\n \"Accordingly, the transistor can be formed directly on a substrate having low heat resistance, such as a plastic substrate or a film substrate.\",\n \"Note that such a compound semiconductor or an oxide semiconductor can be used not only for a channel portion of the transistor but also for other applications.\",\n \"For example, such a compound semiconductor or an oxide semiconductor can be used for a wiring, a resistor, a pixel electrode, a light-transmitting electrode, or the like.\",\n \"Since such an element can be formed at the same time as the transistor, cost can be reduced.\",\n \"Note that for example, a transistor or the like formed by an inkjet method or a printing method can be used as a transistor.\",\n \"Accordingly, a transistor can be formed at room temperature, can be formed at a low vacuum, or can be formed using a large substrate.\",\n \"Therefore, the transistor can be formed without use of a mask (reticle), so that the layout of the transistor can be easily changed.\",\n \"Alternatively, since the transistor can be formed without use of a resist, material cost is reduced and the number of steps can be reduced.\",\n \"Further, since a film can be formed where needed, a material is not wasted as compared to a manufacturing method by which etching is performed after the film is formed over the entire surface; thus, costs can be reduced.\",\n \"Note that for example, a transistor or the like including an organic semiconductor or a carbon nanotube can be used as a transistor.\",\n \"Accordingly, such a transistor can be formed using a substrate which can be bent.\",\n \"A device including a transistor which includes an organic semiconductor or a carbon nanotube can resist a shock.\",\n \"Note that transistors with a variety of different structures can be used as a transistor.\",\n \"For example, a MOS transistor, a junction transistor, a bipolar transistor, or the like can be used as a transistor.\",\n \"By using a MOS transistor as a transistor, the size of the transistor can be reduced.\",\n \"Thus, a large number of transistors can be mounted.\",\n \"With use of a bipolar transistor as the transistor, large current can flow.\",\n \"Thus, a circuit can be operated at high speed.\",\n \"Note that a MOS transistor and a bipolar transistor may be formed over one substrate.\",\n \"Thus, reduction in power consumption, reduction in size, high speed operation, and the like can be realized.\",\n \"Note that in this specification and the like, for example, a transistor with a multi-gate structure having two or more gate electrodes can be used as a transistor.\",\n \"With the multi-gate structure, a structure where a plurality of transistors are connected in series is provided because channel regions are connected in series.\",\n \"Thus, with the multi-gate structure, the amount of off-state current can be reduced and the withstand voltage of the transistor can be increased (the reliability can be improved).\",\n \"Alternatively, with the multi-gate structure, drain-source current does not change much even if drain-source voltage changes when the transistor operates in a saturation region, so that a flat slope of voltage-current characteristics can be obtained.\",\n \"By utilizing the flat slope of the voltage-current characteristics, an ideal current source circuit or an active load having an extremely large resistance can be realized.\",\n \"Accordingly, a differential circuit, a current mirror circuit, or the like having excellent properties can be realized.\",\n \"Note that a transistor with a structure where gate electrodes are formed above and below a channel can be used, for example.\",\n \"With the structure where the gate electrodes are formed above and below the channel, a circuit structure where a plurality of transistors are connected in parallel is provided.\",\n \"Thus, a channel region is increased, so that the amount of current can be increased.\",\n \"Alternatively, by using the structure where gate electrodes are formed above and below the channel, a depletion layer can be easily formed, so that subthreshold swing can be improved.\",\n \"Note that as a transistor, for example, it is possible to use a transistor with a structure where a gate electrode is formed above a channel region, a structure where a gate electrode is formed below a channel region, a staggered structure, an inverted staggered structure, a structure where a channel region is divided into a plurality of regions, a structure where channel regions are connected in parallel or in series, or the like.\",\n \"A transistor with any of a variety of structures such as a planar type, a FIN-type, a Tri-Gate type, a top-gate type, a bottom-gate type, a double-gate type (with gates above and below a channel), and the like can be used.\",\n \"Note that in this specification and the like, a transistor can be formed using any of a variety of substrates, for example.\",\n \"The type of a substrate is not limited to a certain type.\",\n \"As the substrate, a semiconductor substrate (e.g., a single crystal substrate or a silicon substrate), an SOI substrate, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a plastic substrate, a metal substrate, a stainless steel substrate, a substrate including stainless steel foil, a tungsten substrate, a substrate including tungsten foil, a flexible substrate, an attachment film, paper including a fibrous material, a base material film, or the like can be used, for example.\",\n \"As an example of a glass substrate, a barium borosilicate glass substrate, an aluminoborosilicate glass substrate, a soda lime glass substrate, or the like can be given.\",\n \"Examples of a flexible substrate, a flexible substrate, an attachment film, a base film, or the like are as follows: a plastic typified by polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and polyether sulfone (PES); a synthetic resin such as acrylic; polypropylene; polyester; polyvinyl fluoride; polyvinyl chloride; polyester; polyamide; polyimide; aramid; epoxy; an inorganic vapor deposition film; and paper.\",\n \"Specifically, the use of semiconductor substrates, single crystal substrates, SOI substrates, or the like enables the manufacture of small-sized transistors with a small variation in characteristics, size, shape, or the like and with high current capability.\",\n \"A circuit using such transistors achieves lower power consumption of the circuit or higher integration of the circuit.\",\n \"Note that a transistor may be formed using one substrate, and then the transistor may be transferred to another substrate.\",\n \"Examples of a substrate to which a transistor is transferred include, in addition to the above-described substrates over which transistors can be formed, a paper substrate, a cellophane substrate, an aramid film substrate, a polyimide film substrate, a stone substrate, a wood substrate, a cloth substrate (including a natural fiber (e.g., silk, cotton, or hemp), a synthetic fiber (e.g., nylon, polyurethane, or polyester), a regenerated fiber (e.g., acetate, cupra, rayon, or regenerated polyester), or the like), a leather substrate, a rubber substrate, and the like.\",\n \"When such a substrate is used, a transistor with excellent properties or a transistor with low power consumption can be formed, a device with high durability, high heat resistance can be provided, or reduction in weight or thickness can be achieved.\",\n \"Note that all the circuits needed to realize a predetermined function can be formed over the same substrate (e.g., a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, a single crystal substrate, or an SOI substrate).\",\n \"Thus, costs can be reduced by reduction in the number of components, or the reliability can be improved by reduction in the number of connections to circuit components.\",\n \"Note that it is possible to form not all the circuits needed to realize the predetermined function over the same substrate.\",\n \"That is, a part of the circuits needed to realize the predetermined function can be formed over a substrate and another part of the circuits needed to realize the predetermined function can be formed over another substrate.\",\n \"For example, a part of the circuits needed to realize the predetermined function can be formed over a glass substrate and a part of the circuits needed to realize the predetermined function can be formed over a single crystal substrate (or an SOI substrate).\",\n \"Then, a single crystal substrate over which a part of the circuits needed to realize the predetermined function (such a substrate is also referred to as an IC chip) can be connected to a glass substrate by COG (chip on glass), and an IC chip can be provided on the glass substrate.\",\n \"Alternatively, an IC chip can be connected to a glass substrate using TAB (tape automated bonding), COF (chip on film), SMT (surface mount technology), a printed circuit board, or the like.\",\n \"When some of the circuits are formed using the same substrate as a pixel portion in this manner, cost can be reduced by reduction in the number of components or reliability can be improved by reduction in the number of connections to circuit components.\",\n \"In particular, a circuit with high driving voltage, a circuit with high driving frequency, or the like consumes a large amount of power in many cases.\",\n \"In order to deal with it, such a circuit is formed over a substrate (e.g., a single crystal substrate) which is different from a substrate where the pixel portion is formed, so that an IC chip is formed.\",\n \"By the use of this IC chip, an increase in power consumption can be prevented.\",\n \"For example, in this specification and the like, an active matrix method in which an active element is included in a pixel or a passive matrix method in which an active element is not included in a pixel can be used.\",\n \"In an active matrix method, as an active element (a non-linear element), not only a transistor but also various active elements (non-linear elements) can be used.\",\n \"For example, an MIM (metal insulator metal), a TFD (thin film diode), or the like can also be used.\",\n \"Since such an element has few numbers of manufacturing steps, manufacturing cost can be reduced or yield can be improved.\",\n \"Alternatively, since the size of the element is small, the aperture ratio can be improved, so that power consumption can be reduced or higher luminance can be achieved.\",\n \"As a method other than the active matrix method, the passive matrix method in which an active element (a non-linear element) is not used can also be used.\",\n \"Since an active element (a non-linear element) is not used, the number of manufacturing steps is small, so that manufacturing cost can be reduced or yield can be improved.\",\n \"Alternatively, since an active element (a non-linear element) is not used, the aperture ratio can be improved, so that power consumption can be reduced or higher luminance can be achieved, for example.\",\n \"This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.\",\n \"Embodiment 7 In this embodiment, the structure of a display panel that can be used for a position input portion and a display device of the data processing device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.\",\n \"27A and 27B and FIG.\",\n \"28.Note that the display panel described in this embodiment includes a touch sensor (a contact sensor device) that overlaps with a display portion; thus, the display panel can be called a touch panel (an input/output device).\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"27A is a schematic perspective view of a touch panel 500 described as an example in this embodiment.\",\n \"Note that FIGS.\",\n \"27A and 27B illustrate only main components for simplicity.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"27B is a developed view of the schematic perspective view of the touch panel 500.FIG.\",\n \"28 is a cross-sectional view of the touch panel 500 taken along line X1-X2 in FIG.\",\n \"27A.\",\n \"The touch panel 500 includes a display unit 501 and a touch sensor 595 (see FIG.\",\n \"27B).\",\n \"Furthermore, the touch panel 500 includes a substrate 510, a substrate 570, and a substrate 590.Note that the substrate 510, the substrate 570, and the substrate 590 each have flexibility, for example.\",\n \"Note that in this specification and the like, a transistor can be formed using any of a variety of substrates, for example.\",\n \"The type of a substrate is not limited to a certain type.\",\n \"As the substrate, a semiconductor substrate (e.g., a single crystal substrate or a silicon substrate), an SOI substrate, a glass substrate, a quartz substrate, a plastic substrate, a metal substrate, a stainless steel substrate, a substrate including stainless steel foil, a tungsten substrate, a substrate including tungsten foil, a flexible substrate, an attachment film, paper including a fibrous material, a base material film, or the like can be used, for example.\",\n \"As an example of a glass substrate, a barium borosilicate glass substrate, an aluminoborosilicate glass substrate, a soda lime glass substrate, or the like can be given.\",\n \"Examples of a flexible substrate include a flexible synthetic resin such as plastics typified by polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and polyether sulfone (PES), and acrylic.\",\n \"Examples of an attachment film are attachment films formed using polypropylene, polyester, polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinyl chloride, and the like.\",\n \"Examples of the material for the base film include polyester, polyamide, polyimide, inorganic vapor deposition film, and paper.\",\n \"Specifically, the use of semiconductor substrates, single crystal substrates, SOI substrates, or the like enables the manufacture of small-sized transistors with a small variation in characteristics, size, shape, or the like and with high current capability.\",\n \"A circuit using such transistors achieves lower power consumption of the circuit or higher integration of the circuit.\",\n \"The display portion 501 includes the substrate 510, a plurality of pixels over the substrate 510, and a plurality of wirings 511 through which signals are supplied to the pixels.\",\n \"The plurality of wirings 511 is led to a peripheral portion of the substrate 510, and part of the plurality of wirings 511 forms a terminal 519.The terminal 519 is electrically connected to an FPC 509(1).\",\n \" The substrate 590 includes the touch sensor 595 and a plurality of wirings 598 electrically connected to the touch sensor 595.The plurality of wirings 598 is led to a peripheral portion of the substrate 590, and part of the plurality of wirings 598 forms a terminal for electrical connection to an FPC 509(2).\",\n \"Note that in FIG.\",\n \"27B, electrodes, wirings, and the like of the touch sensor 595 provided on the back side of the substrate 590 (on the back side of the diagram) are indicated by solid lines for clarity.\",\n \"As a touch sensor used as the touch sensor 595, a capacitive touch sensor is preferably used.\",\n \"Examples of the capacitive touch sensor are a surface capacitive touch sensor and a projected capacitive touch sensor.\",\n \"Examples of the projected capacitive touch sensor are a self capacitive touch sensor and a mutual capacitive touch sensor, which differ mainly in the driving method.\",\n \"The use of a mutual capacitive type is preferable because multiple points can be sensed simultaneously.\",\n \"An example of using a projected capacitive touch sensor is described below with reference to FIG.\",\n \"27B.\",\n \"Note that a variety of sensors that can sense the closeness or the contact of a sensing target such as a finger, can be used.\",\n \"The projected capacitive touch sensor 595 includes electrodes 591 and electrodes 592.The electrodes 591 are electrically connected to any of the plurality of wirings 598, and the electrodes 592 are electrically connected to any of the other wirings 598.The electrode 592 is in the form of a series of quadrangles arranged in one direction as illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"27A and 27B.\",\n \"Each of the electrodes 591 is in the form of a quadrangle.\",\n \"A wiring 594 electrically connects two electrodes 591 arranged in a direction intersecting with the direction in which the electrode 592 extends.\",\n \"The intersecting area of the electrode 592 and the wiring 594 is preferably as small as possible.\",\n \"Such a structure allows a reduction in the area of a region where the electrodes are not provided, reducing unevenness in transmittance.\",\n \"As a result, unevenness in luminance of light from the touch sensor 595 can be reduced.\",\n \"Note that the shapes of the electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592 are not limited to the above-mentioned shapes and can be any of a variety of shapes.\",\n \"For example, the plurality of electrodes 591 may be provided so that space between the electrodes 591 are reduced as much as possible, and a plurality of electrodes 592 may be provided with an insulating layer sandwiched between the electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592 and may be spaced apart from each other to form a region not overlapping with the electrodes 591.In that case, between two adjacent electrodes 592, it is preferable to provide a dummy electrode which is electrically insulated from these electrodes, whereby the area of a region having a different transmittance can be reduced.\",\n \"The structure of the touch panel 500 is described with reference to FIG.\",\n \"28.The touch sensor 595 includes the substrate 590, the electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592 provided in a staggered arrangement on the substrate 590, an insulating layer 593 covering the electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592, and the wiring 594 that electrically connects the adjacent electrodes 591 to each other.\",\n \"An adhesive layer 597 attaches the substrate 590 to the substrate 570 so that the touch sensor 595 overlaps with the display portion 501.The electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592 are formed using a light-transmitting conductive material.\",\n \"As a light-transmitting conductive material, a conductive oxide such as indium oxide, indium tin oxide, indium zinc oxide, zinc oxide, or zinc oxide to which gallium is added can be used.\",\n \"The electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592 may be formed by depositing a light-transmitting conductive material on the substrate 590 by a sputtering method and then removing an unnecessary portion by any of various patterning techniques such as photolithography.\",\n \"The insulating layer 593 covers the electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592.Examples of a material for the insulating layer 593 are a resin such as acrylic or epoxy resin, a resin having a siloxane bond, and an inorganic insulating material such as silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, or aluminum oxide.\",\n \"Furthermore, openings reaching the electrodes 591 are formed in the insulating layer 593, and the wiring 594 electrically connects the adjacent electrodes 591.The wiring 594 is preferably formed using a light-transmitting conductive material, in which case the aperture ratio of the touch panel can be increased.\",\n \"Moreover, the wiring 594 is preferably formed using a material that has higher conductivity than those of the electrodes 591 and the electrodes 592.One electrode 592 extends in one direction, and a plurality of electrodes 592 is provided in the form of stripes.\",\n \"The wiring 594 intersects with the electrode 592.Adjacent electrodes 591 are provided with one electrode 592 provided therebetween and are electrically connected by the wiring 594.Note that the plurality of electrodes 591 is not necessarily arranged in the direction orthogonal to one electrode 592 and may be arranged to intersect with one electrode 592 at an angle of less than 90 degrees.\",\n \"One wiring 598 is electrically connected to any of the electrodes 591 and 592.Part of the wiring 598 serves as a terminal.\",\n \"For the wiring 598, a metal material such as aluminum, gold, platinum, silver, nickel, titanium, tungsten, chromium, molybdenum, iron, cobalt, copper, or palladium or an alloy material containing any of these metal materials can be used.\",\n \"Note that an insulating layer that covers the insulating layer 593 and the wiring 594 may be provided to protect the touch sensor 595.Furthermore, a connection layer 599 electrically connects the wiring 598 to the FPC 509(2).\",\n \"As the connection layer 599, any of various anisotropic conductive films (ACF), anisotropic conductive pastes (ACP), or the like can be used.\",\n \"The adhesive layer 597 has a light-transmitting property.\",\n \"For example, a thermosetting resin or an ultraviolet curable resin can be used; specifically, a resin such as an acrylic resin, a urethane resin, an epoxy resin, or a resin having a siloxane bond can be used.\",\n \"Display Portion The touch panel 500 includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix.\",\n \"Each of the pixels includes a display element and a pixel circuit for driving the display element.\",\n \"In this embodiment, an example of using an organic electroluminescent element that emits white light as a display element will be described; however, the display element is not limited to such element.\",\n \"As the display element, for example, other than organic electroluminescent elements, any of a variety of display elements such as display elements (electronic ink) that perform display by an electrophoretic method, an electronic liquid powder method, or the like; MEMS shutter display elements; optical interference type MEMS display elements; and liquid crystal elements can be used.\",\n \"Note that a structure suitable for employed display elements can be selected from among a variety of structures of pixel circuits.\",\n \"The substrate 510 is a stacked body in which a flexible substrate 510b, a barrier film 510a that prevents diffusion of unintentional impurities to light-emitting elements, and an adhesive layer 510c that attaches the barrier film 510a to the substrate 510b are stacked.\",\n \"The substrate 570 is a stacked body in which a flexible substrate 570b, a barrier film 570a that prevents diffusion of unintentional impurities to the light-emitting elements, and an adhesive layer 570c that attaches the barrier film 570a to the substrate 570b are stacked.\",\n \"A sealant 560 attaches the substrate 570 to the substrate 510.The sealant 560, also serving as an optical adhesive layer, has a refractive index higher than that of air.\",\n \"The pixel circuits and the light-emitting elements (e.g., a first light-emitting element 550R) are provided between the substrate 510 and the substrate 570.<> A pixel includes a sub-pixel 502R, and the sub-pixel 502R includes a light-emitting module 580R.\",\n \"The sub-pixel 502R includes the first light-emitting element 550R and the pixel circuit that can supply electric power to the first light-emitting element 550R and includes a transistor 502t.\",\n \"Furthermore, the light-emitting module 580R includes the first light-emitting element 550R and an optical element (e.g., a coloring layer 567R).\",\n \"The first light-emitting element 550R includes a lower electrode, an upper electrode, and a layer containing a light-emitting organic compound between the lower electrode and the upper electrode.\",\n \"The light-emitting module 580R includes the first coloring layer 567R on the substrate 570.The coloring layer transmits light of a particular wavelength and is, for example, a layer that selectively transmits light of red, green, or blue color.\",\n \"A region that transmits light emitted from the light-emitting element as it is may be provided as well.\",\n \"The light-emitting module 580R includes the sealant 560 that is in contact with the first light-emitting element 550R and the first coloring layer 567R.\",\n \"The first coloring layer 567R is positioned in a region overlapping with the first light-emitting element 550R.\",\n \"Accordingly, part of light emitted from the first light-emitting element 550R passes through the sealant 560 that also serves as an optical adhesive layer and through the first coloring layer 567R and is emitted to the outside of the light-emitting module 580R as indicated by arrows in FIG.\",\n \"28.<> The display portion 501 includes a light-blocking layer 567BM on the substrate 570.The light-blocking layer 567BM is provided so as to surround the coloring layer (e.g., the first coloring layer 567R).\",\n \"The display portion 501 includes an anti-reflective layer 567p positioned in a region overlapping with pixels.\",\n \"As the anti-reflective layer 567p, a circular polarizing plate can be used, for example.\",\n \"The display portion 501 includes an insulating film 521.The insulating film 521 covers the transistor 502t.\",\n \"Note that the insulating film 521 can be used as a layer for planarizing unevenness due to the pixel circuit.\",\n \"An insulating film on which a layer that can prevent diffusion of impurities to the transistor 502t and the like is stacked can be used as the insulating film 521.The display portion 501 includes the light-emitting elements (e.g., the first light-emitting element 550R) over the insulating film 521.The display portion 501 includes, over the insulating film 521, a partition wall 528 that overlaps with an end portion of the first lower electrode.\",\n \"In addition, a spacer that controls the distance between the substrate 510 and the substrate 570 is provided on the partition wall 528.<> The image signal line driver circuit 503s(1) includes a transistor 503t and a capacitor 503c.\",\n \"Note that the image signal line driver circuit 503s(1) can be formed in the same process and over the same substrate as those of the pixel circuits.\",\n \"<> The display portion 501 includes the wirings 511 through which signals can be supplied.\",\n \"The wirings 511 are provided with the terminal 519.Note that the FPC 509(1) through which a signal such as an image signal or a synchronization signal can be supplied is electrically connected to the terminal 519.Note that a printed wiring board (PWB) may be attached to the FPC 509(1).\",\n \"This embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments in this specification as appropriate.\",\n \"Embodiment 8 In this embodiment, a method for manufacturing a foldable device that can be used for the data processing device or an electronic device of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.\",\n \"29A to 29D, FIGS.\",\n \"30A to 30D, and FIGS.\",\n \"31A to 31D.\",\n \"As examples of the foldable device, a display device, a light-emitting device, an input device, and the like can be given.\",\n \"As examples of the input device, a touch sensor, a touch panel, and the like can be given.\",\n \"As examples of the light-emitting device, an organic EL panel, a lighting device, and the like can be given.\",\n \"As examples of the display device, a light-emitting device, an organic EL panel, a liquid crystal display device, and the like can be given.\",\n \"Note that functions of an input device such as a touch sensor and the like are provided in the display device and or the light-emitting device in some cases.\",\n \"For example, a counter substrate (e.g., a substrate not provided with a transistor) included in the display device or the light-emitting device is provided with a touch sensor in some cases.\",\n \"Alternatively, an element substrate (e.g., a substrate provided with a transistor) included in the display device or the light-emitting device is provided with a touch sensor in some cases.\",\n \"Alternatively, the counter substrate included in the display device or the light-emitting device and the element substrate included in the display device or the light-emitting device are provided with touch sensors in some cases.\",\n \"First, a separation layer 703 is formed over a formation substrate 701, and a layer 705 to be separated is formed over the separation layer 703 (FIG.\",\n \"29A).\",\n \"Furthermore, a separation layer 723 is formed over a formation substrate 721, and a layer 725 to be separated is formed over the separation layer 723 (FIG.\",\n \"29B).\",\n \"Furthermore, in the case of using a tungsten film as a separation layer, a tungsten oxide film can be formed on a surface of the tungsten film by any of the following methods: performing a plasma treatment over the surface of the tungsten film using a gas containing oxygen such as N2O, annealing the tungsten film in a gas atmosphere containing oxygen.\",\n \"Alternatively, a tungsten oxide film can be formed by method such as sputtering in gas atmosphere containing oxygen.\",\n \"In this manner, the oxide tungsten film may be formed between a separation layer and a layer to be separated.\",\n \"In a separating and transferring process of the tungsten oxide film, it is preferable that the tungsten oxide film be mainly WOx whose x is smaller than 3.In the case where WOx is WnO(3n−1) or WnO(3n−2), which is a homologous series, shear is easily caused by heating because there is a crystal optical shear plane therein.\",\n \"The tungsten oxide film is formed, so that separation of the layer to be separated from a substrate can be performed with small force.\",\n \"Alternatively, it is also possible that a tungsten film is not formed and only the tungsten oxide film is formed as the separation layer.\",\n \"For example, the tungsten oxide film may be formed by the following methods: performing a plasma treatment using a gas containing oxygen with respect to a sufficiently thin tungsten film, annealing the sufficiently thin tungsten film in a gas atmosphere containing oxygen.\",\n \"Alternatively, the tungsten oxide film may be formed by a method such as a sputtering method in a gas atmosphere containing oxygen.\",\n \"Here, when the tungsten oxide film is separated at the interface with the layer to be separated, the tungsten oxide film remains on the layer to be separated side in some cases.\",\n \"When the tungsten oxide film remains, the characteristics of the transistor are adversely affected in some cases.\",\n \"Thus, after a step of separating the separation layer and the layer to be separated, the step of removing the tungsten oxide film is preferably included.\",\n \"In the above method of separating from the substrate, N2O plasma treatment is not necessarily performed, and the step of removing the tungsten oxide film can be omitted.\",\n \"In that case, the device can be manufactured more easily.\",\n \"Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, a tungsten film with a thickness of greater than or equal to 0.1 nm and less than 200 nm is formed over the substrate.\",\n \"As the separation layer, a film containing molybdenum, titanium, vanadium, tantalum, silicon, aluminum, or an alloy thereof can be used, besides a tungsten film.\",\n \"Furthermore, it is also possible to use a stack of such a film and an oxide film.\",\n \"The separation layer is not limited to an inorganic film, and an organic film such as polyimide may be used.\",\n \"In the case of using an organic resin for the separation layer, a process temperature needs to be lower than or equal to 350° C. when polysilicon is used as an active layer of the transistor.\",\n \"Thus, dehydrogenation baking for silicon crystallization, hydrogenation for termination of defects in silicon, or activation of a doped region cannot be performed sufficiently, so that the performance of the transistor is limited.\",\n \"On the other hand, in the case of using an inorganic film, the process temperature can be higher than 350° C., and excellent characteristics of a transistor can be obtained.\",\n \"In the case of using the organic resin for the separation layer, the organic resin or a functional element is damaged by laser irradiation at the time of crystallization; thus, it is preferable to use an inorganic film for the separation layer because such a problem is not caused.\",\n \"Furthermore, in the case of using the organic resin for the separation layer, the organic resin shrinks by laser irradiation for separating the resin and contact failure is caused in the contact portion of the terminal of an FPC or the like, which makes it difficult for functional elements with many terminals a high-definition display of FPC, or the like to separate and transpose with high yield.\",\n \"In the case of using an inorganic film for the separation layer, there is no such limitation, and functional elements with many terminals of high-definition display and the like, or the like can be separated and transferred with high yield.\",\n \"In the method for separating and transferring the functional element from the substrate of one embodiment of the present invention, an insulating film and a transistor can be formed over the formation substrate at a temperature of lower than or equal to 600° C. In that case, a high-temperature polysilicon or CG silicon (registered trademark) can be used for a semiconductor layer.\",\n \"With use of a conventional production line for high-temperature polysilicon or CG silicon (registered trademark), a semiconductor device with a high operation speed, a high gas barrier property, and high reliability can be mass-produced.\",\n \"In that case, with use of the insulating layer and the transistor formed through the process at the temperature of lower than or equal to 600° C., insulating layers having an excellent gas barrier property formed at the temperature of lower than or equal to 600° C. can be provided above and below an organic EL element.\",\n \"Accordingly, entry of impurities such as moisture into the organic EL element or the semiconductor layer can be suppressed, whereby an extraordinarily reliable light-emitting device can be obtained as compared with the case of using the organic resin or the like as the separation layer.\",\n \"Alternatively, the insulating layer and the transistor can be formed over the formation substrate at 500° C. or lower.\",\n \"In that case, low-temperature polysilicon or an oxide semiconductor can be used for the semiconductor layer, and mass production is possible with use of a conventional production line for low temperature polysilicon.\",\n \"Also in that case, with use of the insulating layer and the transistor formed through the process at the temperature of lower than or equal to 500° C., insulating layers having an excellent gas barrier property formed at the temperature of lower than or equal to 500° C. can be provided above and below the organic EL element.\",\n \"Accordingly, the entry of impurities such as moisture into the inorganic EL element or the semiconductor layer is suppressed, whereby a highly reliable light-emitting device can be obtained as compared with the case of using the organic resin as the separation layer.\",\n \"Alternatively, the insulating layer and the transistor can be formed over the formation substrate at 400° C. or lower.\",\n \"In that case, amorphous silicon or the oxide semiconductor can be used for the semiconductor layer, and mass production is possible with use of a conventional production line for amorphous silicon.\",\n \"Also in that case, with use of the insulating layer and the transistor formed through the process at the temperature of 400° C. or lower, the insulating layers having an excellent gas barrier property formed at the temperature of 400° C. or lower can be provided above and below the organic EL element.\",\n \"Accordingly, entry of impurities such as moisture into the organic EL element or the semiconductor layer is suppressed, whereby a highly reliable light emitting device can be obtained as compared with a case of using the organic resin and the like as the separation layer.\",\n \"Next, the formation substrate 701 and the formation substrate 721 are attached to each other by using a bonding layer 707 and a frame-shaped bonding layer 711 so that the surfaces over which the layers to be separated are formed face each other, and then, the bonding layer 707 and the frame-shaped bonding layer 711 are cured (FIG.\",\n \"29C).\",\n \"Here, the frame-shaped bonding layer 711 and the bonding layer 707 in a region surrounded by the frame-shaped bonding layer 711 are provided over the layer 725 to be separated and after that, the formation substrate 701 and the formation substrate 721 face each other and are attached to each other.\",\n \"Note that the formation substrate 701 and the formation substrate 721 are preferably attached to each other in a reduced-pressure atmosphere.\",\n \"Note that although FIG.\",\n \"29C illustrates the case where the separation layer 703 and the separation layer 723 are different in size, separation layers of the same size as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"29D may be used.\",\n \"The bonding layer 707 is provided to overlap with the separation layer 703, the layer 705 to be separated, the layer 725 to be separated, and the separation layer 723.Then, an end portion of the bonding layer 707 is preferably positioned on an inner side of at least an end portion of either the separation layer 703 or the separation layer 723 (the separation layer which is desirably separated from the substrate first).\",\n \"Accordingly, strong adhesion between the formation substrate 701 and the formation substrate 721 can be suppressed; thus, a decrease in the yield of a subsequent separation process can be suppressed.\",\n \"Next, a first separation trigger 741 from the substrate is formed by laser light irradiation (FIGS.\",\n \"30A and 30B).\",\n \"Either the formation substrate 701 or the formation substrate 721 may be separated first.\",\n \"In the case where the separation layers differ in size, a substrate over which a larger separation layer is formed may be separated first or a substrate over which a smaller separation layer is formed may be separated first.\",\n \"In the case where an element such as a semiconductor element, a light-emitting element, or a display element is formed only over one of the substrates, the substrate on the side where the element is formed may be separated first or the other substrate may be separated first.\",\n \"Here, an example in which the formation substrate 701 is separated first is described.\",\n \"A region where the bonding layer 707 in a cured state or the frame-shaped bonding layer 711 in a cured state, the layer 705 to be separated, and the separation layer 703 overlap with one another is irradiated with laser light.\",\n \"Here, the bonding layer 707 is in a cured state and the frame-shaped bonding layer 711 is not in a cured state, and the bonding layer 707 in a cured state is irradiated with laser light (see an arrow P3 in FIG.\",\n \"30A).\",\n \"The first separation trigger 741 (see a region surrounded by a dashed line in FIG.\",\n \"30B) can be formed by cracking (causing break or crack) at least the first layer (a layer provided between the layer 705 to be separated and the separation layer 703, e.g., a tungsten oxide film).\",\n \"At this time, not only the first layer but also the separation layer 703, the bonding layer 707, or another layer included in the layer 705 to be separated may be partly removed.\",\n \"It is preferable that laser light irradiation be performed from the substrate side provided with the separation layer that is desirably separated.\",\n \"In the case where a region where the separation layer 703 and the separation layer 723 overlap with each other is irradiated with laser light, the formation substrate 701 and the separation layer 703 can be selectively separated by cracking only the layer 705 to be separated between the layer 705 to be separated and the layer 725 to be separated (see a region surrounded by a dotted line in FIG.\",\n \"30B).\",\n \"When the separation trigger from the substrate is formed in both the layer 705 to be separated on the separation layer 703 side and the layer 725 to be separated on the separation layer 723 side in the case where the region where the separation layer 703 and the separation layer 723 overlap with each other is irradiated with laser light, it might be difficult to selectively separate one of the formation substrates.\",\n \"Therefore, laser light irradiation conditions might be restricted so that only one of the layers to be separated is cracked.\",\n \"The first separation trigger 741 from the substrate may be formed by a sharp knife such as a cutter, without limitation to the laser light irradiation, or the like.\",\n \"Then, the layer 705 to be separated and the formation substrate 701 are separated from each other from the formed first separation trigger 741 (FIGS.\",\n \"30C and 30D).\",\n \"Accordingly, the layer 705 to be separated can be transferred from the formation substrate 701 to the formation substrate 721.The layer 705 which is separated from the formation substrate 701 in the step in FIG.\",\n \"30D is attached to a substrate 731 with a bonding layer 733, and the bonding layer 733 is cured (FIG.\",\n \"31A).\",\n \"Next, a second separation trigger 743 from the substrate is formed by a sharp knife such as a cutter (FIGS.\",\n \"31B and 31C).\",\n \"The second separation trigger 743 from the substrate is formed by the laser light irradiation, without limitation to the sharp knife such as a cutter, or the like.\",\n \"In the case where the substrate 731 on the side where the separation layer 723 is not provided can be cut by a knife or the like, a cut may be made in the substrate 731, the bonding layer 733, and the layer 725 to be separated (see arrows P5 in FIG.\",\n \"31B).\",\n \"Accordingly, part of the first layer can be removed; thus, the second separation trigger 743 from the substrate can be formed (see a region surrounded by a dashed line in FIG.\",\n \"31C).\",\n \"As illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"31B and 31C, in the case where the formation substrate 721 and the substrate 731 are attached to each other using the bonding layer 733 in a region not overlapping with the separation layer 723, yield of a process for separation from the substrate might be decreased depending on a degree of adhesion between the formation substrate 721 side and the substrate 731 side.\",\n \"Therefore, it is preferable to make a cut in a frame shape in a region where the bonding layer 733 in a cured state and the separation layer 723 overlap with each other to form the second separation trigger 743 from the substrate in a form of a solid line.\",\n \"Accordingly, the yield of a process for separation from the substrate can be improved.\",\n \"Then, the layer 725 to be separated and the formation substrate 721 are separated from each other from the formed second separation trigger 743 from the substrate (FIG.\",\n \"31D).\",\n \"Accordingly, the layer 725 to be separated can be transferred from the formation substrate 721 to the substrate 731.For example, in the case where the tungsten oxide film, which is tightly anchored by N2O plasma or the like is formed on an inorganic film such as a tungsten film, adhesion can be relatively high in deposition.\",\n \"After that, when a separation trigger is formed, cleavage occurs therefrom, whereby a layer to be separated is easily separated from the formation surface and transferred to another substrate.\",\n \"The formation substrate 721 and the layer 725 to be separated may be separated by filling the interface between the separation layer 723 and the layer 725 to be separated with a liquid such as water.\",\n \"A portion between the separation layer 723 and the layer 725 to be separated absorbs a liquid through capillarity action, whereby an adverse effect (e.g., a phenomenon in which a semiconductor element is damaged by static electricity) on the functional element such as an FET included in the layer 725 to be separated due to static electricity caused at the time of separation from the substrate can be suppressed.\",\n \"When a bond of M-O—W (M represents a given element) is divided by application of physical force, a liquid is absorbed in the separation portion, whereby the bond becomes a bond of M-OH HO—W and the separation is promoted.\",\n \"Note that a liquid may be sprayed in an atomized form or in a vaporized form.\",\n \"As the liquid, pure water, an organic solvent, or the like can be used; a neutral, alkaline, or acid aqueous solution, an aqueous solution in which salt is dissolved, and the like may be used.\",\n \"The temperature of the liquid and the substrate at the time of dynamic separation is set in the range from room temperature to 120° C., and preferably set to 60° C. to 90° C. In the method for separation from the substrate of one embodiment of the present invention described above, separation of the formation substrate is performed in such a manner that the second separation trigger 743 from the substrate is formed by a sharp knife or the like so that the separation layer and the layer to be separated are made in a state where separating can be easily performed.\",\n \"Accordingly, the yield of the process for separation from substrate can be improved.\",\n \"In addition, bonding of a substrate with which a device is to be formed can be performed after the following procedure: a pair of formation substrates each provided with the layer to be separated are attached to each other and then, separating each formation substrate is performed.\",\n \"This means that formation substrates having low flexibility can be attached to each other when the layers to be separated are attached to each other.\",\n \"Accordingly, alignment accuracy at the time of attachment can be improved as compared to the case where flexible substrates are attached to each other.\",\n \"Note that this embodiment can be combined with any of the other embodiments and examples described in this specification as appropriate.\",\n \"EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE 100: data processing device, 101: housing, 110: arithmetic unit, 111: arithmetic portion, 112: memory portion, 114: transmission path, 115: input/output interface, 120: input/output unit, 130: display portion, 131: keyboard, 140: position input portion, 141: substrate, 142: proximity sensor, 145: input/output portion, 150: sensor portion, 151: sensor, 152: arrow, 159: sign, 160: communication portion, 300: input/output unit, 301: display portion, 302: pixel, 308: imaging pixel, 309: FPC, 310: substrate, 311: wiring, 319: terminal, 321: insulating film, 328: partition wall, 329: spacer, 352: upper electrode, 353: layer, 354: intermediate layer, 360: sealant, 370: counter substrate, 500: touch panel, 501: display portion, 509: FPC, 510: substrate, 511: wiring, 519: terminal, 521: insulating film, 528: partition wall, 560: sealant, 570: substrate, 590: substrate, 591: electrode, 592: electrode, 593: insulating layer, 594: wiring, 595: touch sensor, 597: adhesive layer, 598: wiring, 599: connection layer, 100B: data processing device, 120B: input/output unit, 130B: display portion, 13a: connecting member, 13b: connecting member, 140 (1): region, 140 (2): region, 140 (3): region, 140 (4): region, 140 (5): region, 140B: position input portion, 140B (1): region, 140B (2): region, 140B (3): region, 15a: supporting member, 15b: supporting member, 302B: sub-pixel, 302G: sub-pixel, 302R: sub-pixel, 302t: transistor, 303c: capacitor, 303g (1): scan line driver circuit, 303g (2): imaging pixel driver circuit, 303s (1): image signal line driver circuit, 303s (2): imaging signal line driver circuit, 303t: transistor, 308p: photoelectric conversion element, 308t: transistor, 310a: barrier film, 310b: substrate, 310c: adhesive layer, 350R: light-emitting element, 351R: lower electrode, 353a: light-emitting unit, 353b: light-emitting unit, 367BM: light-blocking layer, 367p: anti-reflective layer, 367R: coloring layer, 370a: barrier film, 370b: substrate, 370c: adhesive layer, 380B: light-emitting module, 380G: light-emitting module, 380R: light-emitting module, 502R: sub-pixel, 502t: transistor, 503c: capacitor, 503s: image signal line driver circuit, 503t: transistor, 510a: barrier film, 510b: substrate, 510c: adhesive layer, 550R: light-emitting element, 567BM: light-blocking layer, 567p: anti-reflective layer, 567R: coloring layer, 570a: barrier film, 570b: substrate; 570c: adhesive layer, 580R: light-emitting module, 701: formation substrate, 703: separation layer, 705: layer to be separated, 707: bonding layer, 711: frame-shaped bonding layer, 721: formation substrate, 723: separation layer, 725: layer to be separated; 731: substrate, 733: bonding layer, 741: first separation trigger, and 743: second separation trigger.\",\n \"This application is based on Japanese Patent Application serial no.\",\n \"2013-248392 filed with Japan Patent Office on Nov. 29, 2013, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.\"\n ]\n]"},"source":{"kind":"string","value":"Patent_15874279"}}},{"rowIdx":4494559,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"list like","value":[["SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES","Methods for fabricating a ceramic matrix composite are disclosed.","A fiber preform may be placed in a mold.","An aqueous solution may be added to the fiber preform.","The aqueous solution may include water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder.","The preform may be frozen.","Freezing the preform may cause the water to expand and separate fibers in the fiber preform.","The carbon nanotubes may bond to the fibers.","The preform may be freeze dried to remove the water.","The preform may then be processed according to standard CMC process."],["1.A ceramic matrix composite formed by a process comprising: inserting a fiber tow in a mold; introducing an aqueous solution comprising water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder into the mold; freezing the aqueous solution, wherein the freezing the aqueous solution separates fibers within the fiber tow; freeze drying the aqueous solution, wherein the freeze drying removes the water from the mold; and processing the mold via at least one of slurry casting, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.","2.The ceramic matrix composite of claim 1, wherein the process further comprises converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.","3.The ceramic matrix composite of claim 1, wherein the process further comprises converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.","4.The ceramic matrix composite of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes are bonded to fibers.","5.The ceramic matrix composite of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes form an interfacial region surrounding the fibers."],[" BACKGROUND Fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites (“CMCs”) can exhibit exceptional high temperature properties such as high strength, modulus, and toughness.","These properties result from the incorporation of high strength fibers into a stable atrix.","The high strength fibers may have a coating which creates a weak interface between the fibers and the matrix material.","The fibers are typically incorporated into the composite in fiber tows, which are bundles of individual fiber filaments.","Each fiber tow may remain as a discrete entity during CMC processing as opposed to having the individual fiber filaments being distributed uniformly throughout the composite.","The weak interface between the fibers and the matrix material enables debonding of the fibers from the matrix, allowing for crack deflection, bridging and enhanced material strength and toughness."],[" SUMMARY A method for fabricating a composite material may comprise adding a slurry to a fiber preform comprising a plurality of fiber tows.","The slurry may be intermixed with carbon nanotubes.","The method may comprise freezing the fiber preform.","The method may comprise freeze drying the fiber preform.","In various embodiments, the freezing the fiber preform may separate fibers in the plurality of fiber tows.","The slurry may comprise a binder.","The method may comprise heat treating the fiber preform.","The heat treating may comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.","The heat treating may comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.","The carbon nanotubes may bond to fibers in the fiber tows.","The method may comprise processing the fiber preform via at least one of slurry casting, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.","A method of manufacturing an aircraft component may comprise inserting a fiber tow in a mold.","An aqueous solution comprising water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder may be introduced into the mold.","The aqueous solution may be frozen.","Freezing the aqueous solution may separate fibers within the fiber tow.","The aqueous solution may be freeze dried.","The freeze drying may remove the water from the mold.","The mold may be processed via at least one of slurry casting, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.","In various embodiments, the carbon nanotubes may form an interfacial region surrounding the fibers.","The method may further comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.","The method may further comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.","The freezing may comprise at least one of inserting the mold in a freezer, cooling the mold with liquid nitrogen, or cooling the mold with dry ice.","The carbon nanotubes and the fiber tow may form a rigid preform.","The method may further comprise pyrolyzing the binder to carbon and converting the carbon to at least one of silicon carbide or boron carbide.","A ceramic matrix composite may be formed by a process comprising inserting a fiber tow in a mold.","An aqueous solution comprising water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder may be introduced into the mold.","The aqueous solution may be frozen.","Freezing the aqueous solution may separate fibers within the fiber tow.","The aqueous solution may be freeze dried.","The freeze drying may remove the water from the mold.","The mold may be processed via at least one of slurry cast, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.","In various embodiments, the process may comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.","The process may further comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.","The carbon nanotubes may be bonded to the fibers.","The carbon nanotubes may form an interfacial region surrounding the fibers.","The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated otherwise.","These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings.","It should be understood, however, the following description and drawings are intended to be exemplary in nature and non-limiting."],["CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser.","No.","14/838,856, filed Aug. 28, 2015, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES,” which claims priority to, and the benefit of U.S.","Provisional Application No.","62/046,368, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES,” filed on Sep. 5, 2014.The entire content of each of these applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.","FIELD The disclosure relates generally to composite materials, and more specifically to methods for forming ceramic matrix composites.","BACKGROUND Fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites (“CMCs”) can exhibit exceptional high temperature properties such as high strength, modulus, and toughness.","These properties result from the incorporation of high strength fibers into a stable atrix.","The high strength fibers may have a coating which creates a weak interface between the fibers and the matrix material.","The fibers are typically incorporated into the composite in fiber tows, which are bundles of individual fiber filaments.","Each fiber tow may remain as a discrete entity during CMC processing as opposed to having the individual fiber filaments being distributed uniformly throughout the composite.","The weak interface between the fibers and the matrix material enables debonding of the fibers from the matrix, allowing for crack deflection, bridging and enhanced material strength and toughness.","SUMMARY A method for fabricating a composite material may comprise adding a slurry to a fiber preform comprising a plurality of fiber tows.","The slurry may be intermixed with carbon nanotubes.","The method may comprise freezing the fiber preform.","The method may comprise freeze drying the fiber preform.","In various embodiments, the freezing the fiber preform may separate fibers in the plurality of fiber tows.","The slurry may comprise a binder.","The method may comprise heat treating the fiber preform.","The heat treating may comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.","The heat treating may comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.","The carbon nanotubes may bond to fibers in the fiber tows.","The method may comprise processing the fiber preform via at least one of slurry casting, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.","A method of manufacturing an aircraft component may comprise inserting a fiber tow in a mold.","An aqueous solution comprising water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder may be introduced into the mold.","The aqueous solution may be frozen.","Freezing the aqueous solution may separate fibers within the fiber tow.","The aqueous solution may be freeze dried.","The freeze drying may remove the water from the mold.","The mold may be processed via at least one of slurry casting, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.","In various embodiments, the carbon nanotubes may form an interfacial region surrounding the fibers.","The method may further comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.","The method may further comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.","The freezing may comprise at least one of inserting the mold in a freezer, cooling the mold with liquid nitrogen, or cooling the mold with dry ice.","The carbon nanotubes and the fiber tow may form a rigid preform.","The method may further comprise pyrolyzing the binder to carbon and converting the carbon to at least one of silicon carbide or boron carbide.","A ceramic matrix composite may be formed by a process comprising inserting a fiber tow in a mold.","An aqueous solution comprising water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder may be introduced into the mold.","The aqueous solution may be frozen.","Freezing the aqueous solution may separate fibers within the fiber tow.","The aqueous solution may be freeze dried.","The freeze drying may remove the water from the mold.","The mold may be processed via at least one of slurry cast, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.","In various embodiments, the process may comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.","The process may further comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.","The carbon nanotubes may be bonded to the fibers.","The carbon nanotubes may form an interfacial region surrounding the fibers.","The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated otherwise.","These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings.","It should be understood, however, the following description and drawings are intended to be exemplary in nature and non-limiting.","BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification.","A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may best be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the drawing figures.","FIG.","1 illustrates a fiber preform in accordance with various embodiments; FIG.","2 illustrates a fiber preform in a slurry in accordance with various embodiments; FIG.","3 illustrates a fiber tow in a slurry in accordance with various embodiments; FIG.","4 illustrates a fiber tow in a frozen slurry in accordance with various embodiments; FIG.","5 illustrates a freeze dried fiber tow in accordance with various embodiments; and FIG.","6 illustrates a flowchart of a process for fabricating a ceramic matrix composite in accordance with various embodiments.","DETAILED DESCRIPTION The detailed description of various embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show various embodiments by way of illustration.","While these various embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical, chemical, and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.","Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation.","For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented.","Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component or step may include a singular embodiment or step.","Also, any reference to attached, fixed, connected, or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full, and/or any other possible attachment option.","Additionally, any reference to without contact (or similar phrases) may also include reduced contact or minimal contact.","Methods for forming ceramic matrix composites (“CMCs”) with enhanced fiber distribution are disclosed herein.","The CMCs may comprise increased uniformity of fiber distribution throughout the CMC.","A fiber preform may be provided.","The fiber preform may comprise a plurality of fiber tows.","An aqueous solution may be introduced into the fiber preform.","The aqueous solution may be intermixed with carbon nanotubes.","The aqueous solution may freeze, spreading apart the individual fibers in the fiber tows by virtue of expansion associated with freezing.","The water in the aqueous solution may be removed via a freeze drying process.","After the removal of water, the carbon nanotubes may remain in place.","The carbon nanotubes may be converted to boron carbide, boron nitride, or silicon carbide nanotubes via heat treatment in the presence of a precursor, such as a boron-bearing precursor.","Standard CMC processing methods may be used to finish the CMC fabrication.","Referring to FIG.","1, a fiber preform 100 is illustrated according to various embodiments.","A plurality of fiber tows 110 may be placed in a mold 120.In various embodiments, the fiber tows 110 may be aligned in a tape, and layers of tape may be stacked in order to fill the mold 120.Each fiber tow 110 may comprise a plurality of individual fibers.","The fibers may comprise any material typically used in CMC processing, such as polyacrylonitrile (“PAN”) fibers, carbon, alumina, silicon carbide, zirconia, boron carbide, glass, or mullite.","In various embodiments, the fibers may comprise a weak interface coating, which allows the fibers to slide with respect to a matrix material.","However, in various embodiments the fibers may be bare fibers, wherein the fibers do not comprise a weak interface coating or any interface coating.","Referring to FIG.","2, the fiber preform 100 is illustrated with a slurry 230 introduced to the mold 120 and surrounding fiber tows 110.The slurry may comprise an aqueous solution comprising water, carbon nanotubes, binders, or any other suitable organic or inorganic additives.","Binders may include polyvinyl alcohol (“PVA”), polyvinylpyrrolidone (“PVP”), polyethylenimine (“PEI”), cellulosic binders, phenolic resins, acrylics, or any other suitable binders.","Referring to FIG.","3, an enlarged view of a fiber tow 110 in the slurry 230 is illustrated according to various embodiments.","The carbon nanotubes 310 in the slurry 230 may be distributed throughout the slurry and between the individual fibers 312 in the fiber tow 110.The binders in the slurry may bond the carbon nanotubes 310 to the fibers 312.The fiber preform may be frozen, and the slurry 230 and carbon nanotubes 310 may freeze in place.","The fiber preform may be frozen by a variety of methods, including being placed in a freezer, or being chilled by liquid nitrogen or dry ice.","Referring to FIG.","4, an enlarged view of a fiber tow 110 in the frozen slurry 230 is illustrated according to various embodiments.","During the freezing process, the water in the slurry 230 may expand.","This expansion may spread apart the individual fibers 312.The spreading of the fibers 312 may more uniformly distribute the fibers 312 throughout the mold.","This may improve the properties of the final component, as the fibers 312 will provide strength more uniformly throughout the composite, as opposed to having regions in between tows comprising primarily matrix material.","The mold may be freeze dried in order to remove the water from the mold.","Referring to FIG.","5, an enlarged view of a fiber tow 110 after freeze drying is illustrated according to various embodiments.","The freeze drying may remove the water.","However, the carbon nanotubes 310 may remain coupled to the fibers 312.The carbon nanotubes 310 may form an entangled network of nanotubes throughout the fiber tow 110.The carbon nanotubes 310 may form a rigid structure which prevents the fibers 312 from moving back together.","The carbon nanotubes 310 and fiber tows 110 may form a rigidized preform.","Additionally, as the carbon nanotubes 310 are distributed in multiple orientations, the carbon nanotubes 310 may provide multi-directional strength to the final composite structure.","In various embodiments, the fibers may comprise an interface coating.","A rigidized preform may be processed via standard CMC processing methods, such as a slurry cast method, chemical vapor infiltration, melt infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or combinations thereof, with the carbon nanotubes 310 providing and enhanced interfacial region.","However, in various embodiments, the carbon nanotubes 310 may be further processed to create an interfacial zone surrounding the fibers 312 which creates a weak bond with the matrix material.","The rigidized preform may be heated to a temperature of between 1230° C.-1800° C. (2240° F.-3300° F.) under vacuum or inert atmosphere in a furnace containing a silicon oxide bearing precursor.","The carbon nanotubes 310 may react with the silicon oxide bearing precursor and be converted to silicon carbide nanotubes.","In various embodiments, the rigidized preform may be heated to a temperature of between 1300° C.-1800° C. (2400° F.-3300° F.) in the presence of a boron-bearing precursor under a nitrogen-containing or combined vacuum and nitrogen-containing atmosphere.","The carbon nanotubes 310 may be converted to boron carbide, silicon carbide, or boron nitride nanotubes.","In either heat treating process, the organic or inorganic binders or additives may be converted to a more desirable composition.","For example, the organic binders may be pyrolzyed to carbon and converted to silicon carbide or boron carbide.","After the heat treatment, the rigidized preform may be processed using standard CMC processes.","Referring to FIG.","6, a flowchart of a process 600 for fabricating a CMC is illustrated according to various embodiments.","A fiber preform comprising a plurality of fiber tows may be inserted in a mold (step 610).","A slurry comprising an aqueous solution and carbon nanotubes may be inserted in the mold (step 620).","The fiber preform may be frozen (step 630).","Freezing the fiber preform may spread apart the individual fibers in the fiber tows.","The fiber preform may be freeze dried (step 640).","Freeze drying the fiber preform may remove the liquid from the fiber preform.","The carbon nanotubes may be fixed in place and coupled to the individual fibers.","The fiber preform may be heat treated in the presence of a boron-bearing precursor or a silicon oxide bearing precursor (step 650).","In various embodiments, the carbon nanotubes may be converted to boron carbide, silicon carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.","In various embodiments, the carbon nanotubes may be converted to silicon carbide nanotubes.","The rigidized preform may be processed according to standard CMC processes to form the CMC (step 660).","In various embodiments, standard CMC processes may include at least one of slurry casting, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.","The CMCs described herein may be particularly well-suited to high temperature applications.","For example, a CMC component may be used in an aircraft, such as for a turbine blade, a turbine vane, a blade outer air seal, a combustor liner, or a brake disk.","Although primarily described with reference to CMCs, the processes and products disclosed herein are also compatible with organic matrix composites (“OMCs”).","Carbon nanotubes and other nanofibers may benefit the out-of-plane properties of OMCs.","Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments.","Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements.","It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system.","However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of the disclosure.","The scope of the disclosure is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” Moreover, where a phrase similar to “at least one of A, B, or C” is used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of the elements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C. or A and B and C. Different cross-hatching is used throughout the figures to denote different parts but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials.","Systems, methods and apparatus are provided herein.","In the detailed description herein, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “various embodiments”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic.","Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment.","Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.","After reading the description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosure in alternative embodiments.","Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims.","No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C.","112(f) unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus."]],"string":"[\n [\n \"SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES\",\n \"Methods for fabricating a ceramic matrix composite are disclosed.\",\n \"A fiber preform may be placed in a mold.\",\n \"An aqueous solution may be added to the fiber preform.\",\n \"The aqueous solution may include water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder.\",\n \"The preform may be frozen.\",\n \"Freezing the preform may cause the water to expand and separate fibers in the fiber preform.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes may bond to the fibers.\",\n \"The preform may be freeze dried to remove the water.\",\n \"The preform may then be processed according to standard CMC process.\"\n ],\n [\n \"1.A ceramic matrix composite formed by a process comprising: inserting a fiber tow in a mold; introducing an aqueous solution comprising water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder into the mold; freezing the aqueous solution, wherein the freezing the aqueous solution separates fibers within the fiber tow; freeze drying the aqueous solution, wherein the freeze drying removes the water from the mold; and processing the mold via at least one of slurry casting, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.\",\n \"2.The ceramic matrix composite of claim 1, wherein the process further comprises converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.\",\n \"3.The ceramic matrix composite of claim 1, wherein the process further comprises converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.\",\n \"4.The ceramic matrix composite of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes are bonded to fibers.\",\n \"5.The ceramic matrix composite of claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotubes form an interfacial region surrounding the fibers.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BACKGROUND Fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites (“CMCs”) can exhibit exceptional high temperature properties such as high strength, modulus, and toughness.\",\n \"These properties result from the incorporation of high strength fibers into a stable atrix.\",\n \"The high strength fibers may have a coating which creates a weak interface between the fibers and the matrix material.\",\n \"The fibers are typically incorporated into the composite in fiber tows, which are bundles of individual fiber filaments.\",\n \"Each fiber tow may remain as a discrete entity during CMC processing as opposed to having the individual fiber filaments being distributed uniformly throughout the composite.\",\n \"The weak interface between the fibers and the matrix material enables debonding of the fibers from the matrix, allowing for crack deflection, bridging and enhanced material strength and toughness.\"\n ],\n [\n \" SUMMARY A method for fabricating a composite material may comprise adding a slurry to a fiber preform comprising a plurality of fiber tows.\",\n \"The slurry may be intermixed with carbon nanotubes.\",\n \"The method may comprise freezing the fiber preform.\",\n \"The method may comprise freeze drying the fiber preform.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the freezing the fiber preform may separate fibers in the plurality of fiber tows.\",\n \"The slurry may comprise a binder.\",\n \"The method may comprise heat treating the fiber preform.\",\n \"The heat treating may comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.\",\n \"The heat treating may comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes may bond to fibers in the fiber tows.\",\n \"The method may comprise processing the fiber preform via at least one of slurry casting, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.\",\n \"A method of manufacturing an aircraft component may comprise inserting a fiber tow in a mold.\",\n \"An aqueous solution comprising water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder may be introduced into the mold.\",\n \"The aqueous solution may be frozen.\",\n \"Freezing the aqueous solution may separate fibers within the fiber tow.\",\n \"The aqueous solution may be freeze dried.\",\n \"The freeze drying may remove the water from the mold.\",\n \"The mold may be processed via at least one of slurry casting, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the carbon nanotubes may form an interfacial region surrounding the fibers.\",\n \"The method may further comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.\",\n \"The method may further comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.\",\n \"The freezing may comprise at least one of inserting the mold in a freezer, cooling the mold with liquid nitrogen, or cooling the mold with dry ice.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes and the fiber tow may form a rigid preform.\",\n \"The method may further comprise pyrolyzing the binder to carbon and converting the carbon to at least one of silicon carbide or boron carbide.\",\n \"A ceramic matrix composite may be formed by a process comprising inserting a fiber tow in a mold.\",\n \"An aqueous solution comprising water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder may be introduced into the mold.\",\n \"The aqueous solution may be frozen.\",\n \"Freezing the aqueous solution may separate fibers within the fiber tow.\",\n \"The aqueous solution may be freeze dried.\",\n \"The freeze drying may remove the water from the mold.\",\n \"The mold may be processed via at least one of slurry cast, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the process may comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.\",\n \"The process may further comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes may be bonded to the fibers.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes may form an interfacial region surrounding the fibers.\",\n \"The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated otherwise.\",\n \"These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings.\",\n \"It should be understood, however, the following description and drawings are intended to be exemplary in nature and non-limiting.\"\n ],\n [\n \"CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"14/838,856, filed Aug. 28, 2015, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES,” which claims priority to, and the benefit of U.S.\",\n \"Provisional Application No.\",\n \"62/046,368, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITES,” filed on Sep. 5, 2014.The entire content of each of these applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.\",\n \"FIELD The disclosure relates generally to composite materials, and more specifically to methods for forming ceramic matrix composites.\",\n \"BACKGROUND Fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites (“CMCs”) can exhibit exceptional high temperature properties such as high strength, modulus, and toughness.\",\n \"These properties result from the incorporation of high strength fibers into a stable atrix.\",\n \"The high strength fibers may have a coating which creates a weak interface between the fibers and the matrix material.\",\n \"The fibers are typically incorporated into the composite in fiber tows, which are bundles of individual fiber filaments.\",\n \"Each fiber tow may remain as a discrete entity during CMC processing as opposed to having the individual fiber filaments being distributed uniformly throughout the composite.\",\n \"The weak interface between the fibers and the matrix material enables debonding of the fibers from the matrix, allowing for crack deflection, bridging and enhanced material strength and toughness.\",\n \"SUMMARY A method for fabricating a composite material may comprise adding a slurry to a fiber preform comprising a plurality of fiber tows.\",\n \"The slurry may be intermixed with carbon nanotubes.\",\n \"The method may comprise freezing the fiber preform.\",\n \"The method may comprise freeze drying the fiber preform.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the freezing the fiber preform may separate fibers in the plurality of fiber tows.\",\n \"The slurry may comprise a binder.\",\n \"The method may comprise heat treating the fiber preform.\",\n \"The heat treating may comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.\",\n \"The heat treating may comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes may bond to fibers in the fiber tows.\",\n \"The method may comprise processing the fiber preform via at least one of slurry casting, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.\",\n \"A method of manufacturing an aircraft component may comprise inserting a fiber tow in a mold.\",\n \"An aqueous solution comprising water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder may be introduced into the mold.\",\n \"The aqueous solution may be frozen.\",\n \"Freezing the aqueous solution may separate fibers within the fiber tow.\",\n \"The aqueous solution may be freeze dried.\",\n \"The freeze drying may remove the water from the mold.\",\n \"The mold may be processed via at least one of slurry casting, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the carbon nanotubes may form an interfacial region surrounding the fibers.\",\n \"The method may further comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.\",\n \"The method may further comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.\",\n \"The freezing may comprise at least one of inserting the mold in a freezer, cooling the mold with liquid nitrogen, or cooling the mold with dry ice.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes and the fiber tow may form a rigid preform.\",\n \"The method may further comprise pyrolyzing the binder to carbon and converting the carbon to at least one of silicon carbide or boron carbide.\",\n \"A ceramic matrix composite may be formed by a process comprising inserting a fiber tow in a mold.\",\n \"An aqueous solution comprising water, carbon nanotubes, and a binder may be introduced into the mold.\",\n \"The aqueous solution may be frozen.\",\n \"Freezing the aqueous solution may separate fibers within the fiber tow.\",\n \"The aqueous solution may be freeze dried.\",\n \"The freeze drying may remove the water from the mold.\",\n \"The mold may be processed via at least one of slurry cast, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the process may comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to at least one of boron carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.\",\n \"The process may further comprise converting the carbon nanotubes to silicon carbide nanotubes.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes may be bonded to the fibers.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes may form an interfacial region surrounding the fibers.\",\n \"The foregoing features and elements may be combined in various combinations without exclusivity, unless expressly indicated otherwise.\",\n \"These features and elements as well as the operation thereof will become more apparent in light of the following description and the accompanying drawings.\",\n \"It should be understood, however, the following description and drawings are intended to be exemplary in nature and non-limiting.\",\n \"BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification.\",\n \"A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, however, may best be obtained by referring to the detailed description and claims when considered in connection with the drawing figures.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"1 illustrates a fiber preform in accordance with various embodiments; FIG.\",\n \"2 illustrates a fiber preform in a slurry in accordance with various embodiments; FIG.\",\n \"3 illustrates a fiber tow in a slurry in accordance with various embodiments; FIG.\",\n \"4 illustrates a fiber tow in a frozen slurry in accordance with various embodiments; FIG.\",\n \"5 illustrates a freeze dried fiber tow in accordance with various embodiments; and FIG.\",\n \"6 illustrates a flowchart of a process for fabricating a ceramic matrix composite in accordance with various embodiments.\",\n \"DETAILED DESCRIPTION The detailed description of various embodiments herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings, which show various embodiments by way of illustration.\",\n \"While these various embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, it should be understood that other embodiments may be realized and that logical, chemical, and mechanical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.\",\n \"Thus, the detailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustration only and not of limitation.\",\n \"For example, the steps recited in any of the method or process descriptions may be executed in any order and are not necessarily limited to the order presented.\",\n \"Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural embodiments, and any reference to more than one component or step may include a singular embodiment or step.\",\n \"Also, any reference to attached, fixed, connected, or the like may include permanent, removable, temporary, partial, full, and/or any other possible attachment option.\",\n \"Additionally, any reference to without contact (or similar phrases) may also include reduced contact or minimal contact.\",\n \"Methods for forming ceramic matrix composites (“CMCs”) with enhanced fiber distribution are disclosed herein.\",\n \"The CMCs may comprise increased uniformity of fiber distribution throughout the CMC.\",\n \"A fiber preform may be provided.\",\n \"The fiber preform may comprise a plurality of fiber tows.\",\n \"An aqueous solution may be introduced into the fiber preform.\",\n \"The aqueous solution may be intermixed with carbon nanotubes.\",\n \"The aqueous solution may freeze, spreading apart the individual fibers in the fiber tows by virtue of expansion associated with freezing.\",\n \"The water in the aqueous solution may be removed via a freeze drying process.\",\n \"After the removal of water, the carbon nanotubes may remain in place.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes may be converted to boron carbide, boron nitride, or silicon carbide nanotubes via heat treatment in the presence of a precursor, such as a boron-bearing precursor.\",\n \"Standard CMC processing methods may be used to finish the CMC fabrication.\",\n \"Referring to FIG.\",\n \"1, a fiber preform 100 is illustrated according to various embodiments.\",\n \"A plurality of fiber tows 110 may be placed in a mold 120.In various embodiments, the fiber tows 110 may be aligned in a tape, and layers of tape may be stacked in order to fill the mold 120.Each fiber tow 110 may comprise a plurality of individual fibers.\",\n \"The fibers may comprise any material typically used in CMC processing, such as polyacrylonitrile (“PAN”) fibers, carbon, alumina, silicon carbide, zirconia, boron carbide, glass, or mullite.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the fibers may comprise a weak interface coating, which allows the fibers to slide with respect to a matrix material.\",\n \"However, in various embodiments the fibers may be bare fibers, wherein the fibers do not comprise a weak interface coating or any interface coating.\",\n \"Referring to FIG.\",\n \"2, the fiber preform 100 is illustrated with a slurry 230 introduced to the mold 120 and surrounding fiber tows 110.The slurry may comprise an aqueous solution comprising water, carbon nanotubes, binders, or any other suitable organic or inorganic additives.\",\n \"Binders may include polyvinyl alcohol (“PVA”), polyvinylpyrrolidone (“PVP”), polyethylenimine (“PEI”), cellulosic binders, phenolic resins, acrylics, or any other suitable binders.\",\n \"Referring to FIG.\",\n \"3, an enlarged view of a fiber tow 110 in the slurry 230 is illustrated according to various embodiments.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes 310 in the slurry 230 may be distributed throughout the slurry and between the individual fibers 312 in the fiber tow 110.The binders in the slurry may bond the carbon nanotubes 310 to the fibers 312.The fiber preform may be frozen, and the slurry 230 and carbon nanotubes 310 may freeze in place.\",\n \"The fiber preform may be frozen by a variety of methods, including being placed in a freezer, or being chilled by liquid nitrogen or dry ice.\",\n \"Referring to FIG.\",\n \"4, an enlarged view of a fiber tow 110 in the frozen slurry 230 is illustrated according to various embodiments.\",\n \"During the freezing process, the water in the slurry 230 may expand.\",\n \"This expansion may spread apart the individual fibers 312.The spreading of the fibers 312 may more uniformly distribute the fibers 312 throughout the mold.\",\n \"This may improve the properties of the final component, as the fibers 312 will provide strength more uniformly throughout the composite, as opposed to having regions in between tows comprising primarily matrix material.\",\n \"The mold may be freeze dried in order to remove the water from the mold.\",\n \"Referring to FIG.\",\n \"5, an enlarged view of a fiber tow 110 after freeze drying is illustrated according to various embodiments.\",\n \"The freeze drying may remove the water.\",\n \"However, the carbon nanotubes 310 may remain coupled to the fibers 312.The carbon nanotubes 310 may form an entangled network of nanotubes throughout the fiber tow 110.The carbon nanotubes 310 may form a rigid structure which prevents the fibers 312 from moving back together.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes 310 and fiber tows 110 may form a rigidized preform.\",\n \"Additionally, as the carbon nanotubes 310 are distributed in multiple orientations, the carbon nanotubes 310 may provide multi-directional strength to the final composite structure.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the fibers may comprise an interface coating.\",\n \"A rigidized preform may be processed via standard CMC processing methods, such as a slurry cast method, chemical vapor infiltration, melt infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or combinations thereof, with the carbon nanotubes 310 providing and enhanced interfacial region.\",\n \"However, in various embodiments, the carbon nanotubes 310 may be further processed to create an interfacial zone surrounding the fibers 312 which creates a weak bond with the matrix material.\",\n \"The rigidized preform may be heated to a temperature of between 1230° C.-1800° C. (2240° F.-3300° F.) under vacuum or inert atmosphere in a furnace containing a silicon oxide bearing precursor.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes 310 may react with the silicon oxide bearing precursor and be converted to silicon carbide nanotubes.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the rigidized preform may be heated to a temperature of between 1300° C.-1800° C. (2400° F.-3300° F.) in the presence of a boron-bearing precursor under a nitrogen-containing or combined vacuum and nitrogen-containing atmosphere.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes 310 may be converted to boron carbide, silicon carbide, or boron nitride nanotubes.\",\n \"In either heat treating process, the organic or inorganic binders or additives may be converted to a more desirable composition.\",\n \"For example, the organic binders may be pyrolzyed to carbon and converted to silicon carbide or boron carbide.\",\n \"After the heat treatment, the rigidized preform may be processed using standard CMC processes.\",\n \"Referring to FIG.\",\n \"6, a flowchart of a process 600 for fabricating a CMC is illustrated according to various embodiments.\",\n \"A fiber preform comprising a plurality of fiber tows may be inserted in a mold (step 610).\",\n \"A slurry comprising an aqueous solution and carbon nanotubes may be inserted in the mold (step 620).\",\n \"The fiber preform may be frozen (step 630).\",\n \"Freezing the fiber preform may spread apart the individual fibers in the fiber tows.\",\n \"The fiber preform may be freeze dried (step 640).\",\n \"Freeze drying the fiber preform may remove the liquid from the fiber preform.\",\n \"The carbon nanotubes may be fixed in place and coupled to the individual fibers.\",\n \"The fiber preform may be heat treated in the presence of a boron-bearing precursor or a silicon oxide bearing precursor (step 650).\",\n \"In various embodiments, the carbon nanotubes may be converted to boron carbide, silicon carbide or boron nitride nanotubes.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the carbon nanotubes may be converted to silicon carbide nanotubes.\",\n \"The rigidized preform may be processed according to standard CMC processes to form the CMC (step 660).\",\n \"In various embodiments, standard CMC processes may include at least one of slurry casting, chemical vapor infiltration, polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, or melt infiltration.\",\n \"The CMCs described herein may be particularly well-suited to high temperature applications.\",\n \"For example, a CMC component may be used in an aircraft, such as for a turbine blade, a turbine vane, a blade outer air seal, a combustor liner, or a brake disk.\",\n \"Although primarily described with reference to CMCs, the processes and products disclosed herein are also compatible with organic matrix composites (“OMCs”).\",\n \"Carbon nanotubes and other nanofibers may benefit the out-of-plane properties of OMCs.\",\n \"Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described herein with regard to specific embodiments.\",\n \"Furthermore, the connecting lines shown in the various figures contained herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between the various elements.\",\n \"It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical connections may be present in a practical system.\",\n \"However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of the disclosure.\",\n \"The scope of the disclosure is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” Moreover, where a phrase similar to “at least one of A, B, or C” is used in the claims, it is intended that the phrase be interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in an embodiment, B alone may be present in an embodiment, C alone may be present in an embodiment, or that any combination of the elements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example, A and B, A and C, B and C. or A and B and C. Different cross-hatching is used throughout the figures to denote different parts but not necessarily to denote the same or different materials.\",\n \"Systems, methods and apparatus are provided herein.\",\n \"In the detailed description herein, references to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “various embodiments”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic.\",\n \"Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment.\",\n \"Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.\",\n \"After reading the description, it will be apparent to one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosure in alternative embodiments.\",\n \"Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims.\",\n \"No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C.\",\n \"112(f) unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” As used herein, the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.\"\n ]\n]"},"source":{"kind":"string","value":"Patent_15874284"}}},{"rowIdx":4494560,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"list like","value":[["COLD PRESSURE FIX TONER COMPOSITIONS BASED ON SMALL MOLECULE CRYSTALLINE AND AMORPHOUS ORGANIC COMPOUND MIXTURES","A cold pressure fix toner composition includes at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. A method of cold pressure fix toner application includes providing the cold pressure fix toner composition, disposing the cold pressure fix toner composition on a substrate and applying pressure to the disposed composition on the substrate under cold pressure fixing conditions.","The cold pressure fix toner compositions can be formed into latexes."],["1.A latex formed from a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising: at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C.; and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. 2.The latex of claim 1, wherein the at least one crystalline organic material comprises a polyester, or a small molecule ester selected from a phenyl ester or a benzyl ester.","3.The latex of claim 1, wherein the at least one crystalline organic material comprises a small molecule ester selected from the group consisting of and mixtures thereof.","4.The latex of claim 1, wherein the small molecule ester is selected from the group consisting of and mixtures thereof.","5.The latex of claim 1, wherein the number average molecular weight Mn of the crystalline organic material is from about 300 to about 1200, and a weight average molecular weight Mw is from about 300 to about 2,000.6.The latex of claim 1, wherein the at least one amorphous organic material is an optionally hydrogenated rosin ester or a modified rosin ester.","7.The latex of claim 6, wherein the optionally hydrogenated rosin ester or the modified rosin ester comprises a mono-, di-, or tri-tetra-ester.","8.The latex of claim 1, wherein the at least one amorphous material is selected from the group consisting of styrenated terpenes, polyterpenes, terpene phenolics, and mixtures thereof.","9.The latex of claim 1, wherein the at least one amorphous material is an optionally hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin based on aliphatic C5 monomers or aromatic C9 monomers.","10.The latex of claim 1, wherein the number average molecular weight Mn of the amorphous organic material is from about 300 to about 1200, and the weight average molecular weight Mw is from about 300 to about 2,000.11.The latex of claim 1, wherein the amorphous organic material having an acid number of about 0 to about 300.12.The latex of claim 1, further comprising an acid functionality on the at least one crystalline organic material, and/or the at least one amorphous organic material.","13.The latex of claim 9, wherein the acid functionality is incorporated as a monoester of a diacid.","14.The latex of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the crystalline organic material to the amorphous organic material is from about 50:50 to about 95:5.15.The latex of claim 1, wherein the temperature required to lower viscosity to 104 Pa-s of the cold pressure fix toner at a pressure of 100 kgf/cm2 is from about 15° C. to about 70° C. 16.The latex of claim 1, wherein the temperature required to lower viscosity of the cold pressure fix toner to about 104 Pa-s at a pressure of 10 kgf/cm2 is from about 50° C. to 90° C. 17.The latex of claim 1, wherein the temperature shift from 10 to 100 kgf/cm2 of the cold pressure fix toner to lower the viscosity to 104 Pa-s is in a range from about 10° C. to about 60° C. 18.The latex of claim 1, prepared by phase inversion emulsification.","19.A latex formed from a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising: a crystalline organic material comprising: (1) a polyester; or (2) a small molecule ester selected from a phenyl ester, or a benzyl ester; wherein the crystalline organic material has a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C.; and an amorphous organic material comprising: (a) a rosin ester; (b) styrenated terpenes, polyterpenes, or terpene phenolics; or (c) a hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin derive from a 5 carbon aliphatic monomer or 9 carbon aromatic monomer; wherein the amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C., and the number average molecular weight Mn of the amorphous organic material is from about 300 to about 1200, and the weight average molecular weight Mw is from about 300 to about 2,000.20.A latex formed from a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising: a crystalline organic material comprising: (1) a polyester; or (2) a small molecule ester selected from a distearyl terephthalate (DST), a phenyl ester, or a benzyl ester; wherein the crystalline organic material has a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C.; and an amorphous organic material comprising: (a) a rosin ester; (b) styrenated terpenes, polyterpenes, or terpene phenolics; or (c) a hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin derive from a 5 carbon aliphatic monomer or 9 carbon aromatic monomer; wherein the amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C., and the number average molecular weight Mn of the amorphous organic material is from about 300 to about 1200, and the weight average molecular weight Mw is from about 300 to about 2,000; further wherein the temperature required to lower viscosity to 104 Pa-s of the cold pressure fix toner at a pressure of 100 kgf/cm2 is from about 15° C. to about 70° C., and wherein the temperature required to lower viscosity of the cold pressure fix toner to about 104 Pa-s at a pressure of 10 kgf/cm2 is from about 50° C. to 90° C., and wherein the temperature shift from 10 to 100 kgf/cm2 of the cold pressure fix toner to lower the viscosity to 104 Pa-s is in a range from about 10° C. to about 60° C."],[" BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates to toner compositions for use in xerography.","In particular, the present disclosure relates to cold pressure fix toner compositions.","Cold pressure fix toners normally operate in a system employing a pair of high-pressure rollers to fix toner to paper without heating.","Among the advantages of such systems are the use of low power and little paper heating.","One example of a cold pressure fix toner comprises predominantly wax an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer with softening point of 99° C., and a 120° C. softening point polyamide thermoplastic polymer.","An example of this approach is shown in U.S. Pat.","No.","4,935,324, which is incorporated herein by reference.","Another example of a cold pressure fix toner is comprised of a copolymer of styrene with 1-tertiary-butyl-2-ethenyl benzene and a polyolefin wax exemplified for example as Xerox 4060 cold pressure fix toner.","Other cold fix toners have been based on a long chain acrylate core produced by suspension polymerization, such as lauryl acrylate.","Examples of such compositions are disclosed in U.S. Pat.","Nos.","5,013,630 and 5,023,159 which are incorporated herein by reference.","Such systems are designed to have a core with a T g less than room temperature.","A hard shell, such as polyurethane prepared by an interfacial polymerization, is disposed about the core in order to keep the liquid content in the core in the toner particle.","Performance issues in designs with high wax content include that they work only at high pressure, such as about 2000 psi or even 4000 psi, which are respectively, 140 kgf/cm 2 and 280 kgf/cm 2 and even then image robustness can be poor.","In the case of long chain acrylate core designs the shell needs to be very thin to break under pressure, but it can be very challenging to prevent the capsules from leaking because the core is typically a liquid at room temperature."],[" SUMMARY In some aspects, embodiments herein relate to cold pressure fix toner compositions comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. In other aspects, embodiments herein relate to methods of cold pressure fix toner application comprising providing a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material ester having a Tg of from about 0° C. to about 60° C., disposing the cold pressure fix toner composition on a substrate and applying pressure to the disposed composition on the substrate under cold pressure fixing conditions.","In still further aspects, embodiment herein relate to latexes formed from a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline amorphous material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C.; and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous rosin ester having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 60° C."],["CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a divisional application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser.","No.","14/802,949, filed Jul.","17, 2015, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.","BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates to toner compositions for use in xerography.","In particular, the present disclosure relates to cold pressure fix toner compositions.","Cold pressure fix toners normally operate in a system employing a pair of high-pressure rollers to fix toner to paper without heating.","Among the advantages of such systems are the use of low power and little paper heating.","One example of a cold pressure fix toner comprises predominantly wax an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer with softening point of 99° C., and a 120° C. softening point polyamide thermoplastic polymer.","An example of this approach is shown in U.S. Pat.","No.","4,935,324, which is incorporated herein by reference.","Another example of a cold pressure fix toner is comprised of a copolymer of styrene with 1-tertiary-butyl-2-ethenyl benzene and a polyolefin wax exemplified for example as Xerox 4060 cold pressure fix toner.","Other cold fix toners have been based on a long chain acrylate core produced by suspension polymerization, such as lauryl acrylate.","Examples of such compositions are disclosed in U.S. Pat.","Nos.","5,013,630 and 5,023,159 which are incorporated herein by reference.","Such systems are designed to have a core with a Tg less than room temperature.","A hard shell, such as polyurethane prepared by an interfacial polymerization, is disposed about the core in order to keep the liquid content in the core in the toner particle.","Performance issues in designs with high wax content include that they work only at high pressure, such as about 2000 psi or even 4000 psi, which are respectively, 140 kgf/cm2 and 280 kgf/cm2 and even then image robustness can be poor.","In the case of long chain acrylate core designs the shell needs to be very thin to break under pressure, but it can be very challenging to prevent the capsules from leaking because the core is typically a liquid at room temperature.","SUMMARY In some aspects, embodiments herein relate to cold pressure fix toner compositions comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. In other aspects, embodiments herein relate to methods of cold pressure fix toner application comprising providing a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material ester having a Tg of from about 0° C. to about 60° C., disposing the cold pressure fix toner composition on a substrate and applying pressure to the disposed composition on the substrate under cold pressure fixing conditions.","In still further aspects, embodiment herein relate to latexes formed from a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline amorphous material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C.; and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous rosin ester having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 60° C. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described herein below with reference to the figures wherein: FIG.","1 shows the Shimadzu flow tester viscosity with temperature plot for an exemplary mixture of a crystalline ester distearyl terephthalate and an amorphous polyterpene resin SYLVARES™ TR A25 in a 79/21 wt % ratio for cold pressure fix application.","At low pressure of 10 kgf/cm2 the transition temperature to reach a viscosity of 104 Pa-s is 77° C., while at a high pressure of 100 kgf/cm2 the transition temperature to reach a viscosity of 104 Pa-s is 38° C. The shift in the transition temperature to reach a viscosity of 104 Pa-s is 39° C. between a pressure of 10 kgf/cm2 and 100 kgf/cm2 FIG.","2A shows the Shimadzu flow tester transition temperatures for an exemplary mixture of a crystalline ester distearyl terephthalate with varying amorphous Tg for different amorphous small molecule organic materials at a 79/21 wt % ratio.","Shown are transitions temperatures to reach 104 Pa-s at 10 kgf/cm2, at 100 kgf/cm2 and the difference in the transition temperatures to reach 104 Pa-s at 10 kgf/cm2 minus that at 100 kgf/cm2.FIG.","2B shows a plot with the same materials as FIG.","2A and transition temperatures as in FIG.","1, but showing the effect of different Ts of the different amorphous small molecules.","FIG.","3 shows the Shimadzu results for an exemplary mixture of a crystalline polyester polymer with an amorphous small molecule polyterpene resin SYLVARES™TR A25 in 79/21 wt % ratio.","DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments herein provide cold pressure fix toners that comprise at least one crystalline organic compound which may be a small molecule or organic polymer, either of which is coupled with at least one amorphous organic small molecule or organic oligomeric resin.","The crystalline and amorphous components are mixed together to provide a material that undergoes a phase change from solid to liquid at modest temperature, such as about 20° C. to about 70° C. at a pressure as low as 25 kgf/cm2 to about 100 kgf/cm2 to about 400 kgf/cm2.In embodiments there are provided cold pressure fix toners that comprise at least one crystalline small molecule, such as a crystalline small molecule ester for example, and at least one amorphous organic molecule or resin composition, or in embodiments at least one amorphous organic small molecule or organic oligomeric resin composition.","The crystalline and amorphous small molecules are mixed together to provide a material that undergoes a phase change from solid to liquid at modest temperature, such as about 20° C. to about 70° C. at a pressure as low as 25 kgf/cm2 to about 100 kgf/cm2 to about 400 kgf/cm2.In some embodiments, the cold pressure fix toners may comprise a solid ink design employed in solid inkjet printing.","While solid inkjet inks typically operate by heating above 100° C., it has been surprisingly found that under pressure these materials exhibit desirable flow near room temperature, and thus are ideal for cold pressure fix toner applications.","In embodiments there are provided cold pressure fix toners that comprise at least one crystalline polyester resin and at least one amorphous organic small molecule or organic oligomeric resin composition.","The crystalline polyester resin and amorphous small molecules are mixed together to provide a material that undergoes a phase change from solid to liquid at modest temperature, such as about 20° C. to about 70° C. at a pressure as low as 25 kgf/cm2 to about 100 kgf/cm2 to about 400 kgf/cm2.As used herein, a “small molecule” or oligomeric resin has less than about 80 carbon atoms and less than about 100 carbon and oxygen atoms combined.","In embodiments, there are provided cold pressure fix toner compositions comprising at least one crystalline organic material, such as a crystalline ester or crystalline polyester, having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous small molecule or oligomeric resin having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. In embodiments, there are provided cold pressure fix toner compositions comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material, such as a crystalline ester, having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one amorphous molecule or resin having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C., or in embodiments at least one C16 to C80 amorphous small molecule or oligomeric resin having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. As used herein, “small molecule” refers to an organic compound, i.e., one containing at least carbon and hydrogen atoms, and having a molecule weight less than 2,000 daltons, or less than 1,500 daltons, or less than 1,000 daltons, or less than 500 daltons.","As used herein, “cold pressure fix toner” or “CPF toner” refers to a toner material designed for application to a substrate and which is affixed to the substrate primarily by application of pressure.","While heating may be optionally employed to assist in fixing a CPF toner, one benefit of the compositions disclosed herein is the ability to used reduced heating, or in embodiments, no applied heating.","Affixing by application of pressure may be achieved in a broad range of pressures, such as from about 50 kgf/cm2 to about 100 kgf/cm2 to about 200 kgf/cm2.If necessary it is possible to use higher pressures up to about 400 kgf/cm2, however, generally such higher pressures are undesirable, causing calendaring and even wrinkling of the paper which distorts the look and feel of the paper, and requires more robust pressure fix rolls and spring assemblies.","In embodiments, the CPF toner comprises at least one crystalline ester.","In some such embodiments, the CPF toner comprises a crystalline diester.","In embodiments, the at least one crystalline ester comprises an optionally substituted phenyl or benzyl ester.","In embodiments, the at least one crystalline ester comprises distearyl terephthalate (DST).","In embodiments, suitable crystalline esters may be diesters from about C16 to C80, with melting points in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C., such as those shown in the examples below in Table 1.In embodiments, it may be desirable to incorporate one or more acid groups, such as carboxylate or sulfonate, in these materials to provide negative charge to enhance toner performance.","These acid groups may also be useful so the materials may be employed in the emulsion/aggregation toner processing.","In embodiments, the acid moiety may be disposed in any position on the aromatic residues of the compounds in Table 1.In other embodiments, the acid may be provided by including some amount of monoester in place of the diester so that one end of the molecule bears an acid moiety.","TABLE 1 Tmelt Tcrys Tg Structure (° C.) (° C.) (° C.) 94 47 n/a 115 62 n/a 74 ~50 n/a 102 51 n/a 86 34 n/a 35 n/a n/a 127 75 n/a 59 20-26 n/a 100 62 n/a 56 −5 n/a 119 ~75 n/a 80 18 n/a 80, 83 63 n/a 71 21 n/a 87 ~50 n/a 69 42 n/a 58 3 n/a 88 79 n/a 95 82 n/a 110 83 n/a In embodiments, the crystalline compound is a di-ester compounds made from Scheme 1 below.","wherein R is a saturated or ethylenically unsaturated aliphatic group in one embodiment with at least about 6 carbon atoms, and in another embodiment with at least about 8 carbon atoms, and in one embodiment with no more than about 100 carbon atoms, in another embodiment with no more than about 80 carbon atoms, and in yet another embodiment with no more than about 60 carbon atoms, although the number of carbon atoms can be outside of these ranges, In a specific embodiment, the crystalline compound is derived from natural fatty alcohols such as octanol, stearyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, capric alcohol, linoleyl alcohol, and the like.","The above reaction may be conducted by combining dimethyl terepthalate and alcohol in the melt in the presence of a tin catalyst, such as, dibutyl tin dilaurate (Fascat 4202), dibutyl tin oxide (Fascat 4100); a zinc catalyst, such as Bi cat Z; or a bismuth catalyst, such as Bi cat 8124; Bi cat 8108, a titanium catalyst such as titanium dioxide.","Only trace quantities of catalyst are required for the process.","In embodiments, the catalyst is present in an amount of about 0.01 weight percent to 2 weight percent or of about 0.05 weight percent to about 1 weight percent of the total product.","The reaction can be carried out at an elevated temperature of about 150° C. to about 250° C. or from about 160° C. to about 210° C. The solvent-free process is environmentally sustainable and eliminates problems with byproducts and also means higher reactor throughput.","In embodiments, the crystalline component may have a structure of Formula A: wherein p1 is from about 1 to about 40, and q1 is from about 1 to about 40.In certain embodiments, p1 is from about 8 to about 26, from about 14 to about 20, or from about 16 to about 18.In certain embodiments, q1 is from about 8 to about 26, from about 14 to about 20, or from about 16 to about 18.In certain embodiments, p1 is the same as q1.In embodiments, the crystalline component is present in an amount of from about 50 percent to about 95 percent by weight, from about 60 percent to about 95 percent by weight, or from about 65 percent to about 95 percent by weight, or from about 70 percent to about 90 percent by weight of the total weight of the CPF toner composition.","Typically, the weight ratio of the crystalline component to the amorphous component is from about 50:50 to about 95:5, or is from about 60:40 to about 95:5, or is from about 70:30 to about 90:10.In embodiments, the crystalline component is a polyester resin.","Crystalline polyester resins can be prepared from a diacid and a diol.","Examples of organic diols selected for the preparation of crystalline polyester resins include aliphatic diols with from about 2 to about 36 carbon atoms, such as 1,2-ethanediol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,7-heptanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 1,9-nonanediol, 1,10-decanediol, 1,12-dodecanediol, and the like; alkali sulfo-aliphatic diols such as sodio 2-sulfo-1,2-ethanediol, lithio 2-sulfo-1,2-ethanediol, potassio 2-sulfo-1,2-ethanediol, sodio 2-sulfo-1,3-propanediol, lithio 2-sulfo-1,3-propanediol, potassio 2-sulfo-1,3-propanediol, mixture thereof, and the like.","The aliphatic diol is, for example, selected in an amount of from about 45 to about 50 mole percent of the resin, and the alkali sulfo-aliphatic diol can be selected in an amount of from about 1 to about 10 mole percent of the resin.","Examples of organic diacids or diesters selected for the preparation of the crystalline polyester resins include oxalic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, napthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, naphthalene-2,7-dicarboxylic acid, cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, malonic acid and mesaconic acid, a diester or anhydride thereof; and an alkali sulfo-organic diacid such as the sodio, lithio or potassium salt of dimethyl-5-sulfo-isophthalate, dialkyl-5-sulfo-isophthalate-4-sulfo-1,8-naphthalic anhydride, 4-sulfo-phthalic acid, dimethyl-4-sulfo-phthalate, dialkyl-4-sulfo-phthalate, 4-sulfophenyl-3,5-dicarbomethoxybenzene, 6-sulfo-2-naphthyl-3,5-dicarbometh-oxybenzene, sulfo-terephthalic acid, dimethyl-sulfo-terephthalate, 5-sulfo-isophthalic acid, dialkyl-sulfo-terephthalate, sulfo-p-hydroxybenzoic acid, N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-amino ethane sulfonate, or mixtures thereof.","The organic diacid may be selected in an amount of, for example, from about 40 to about 50 mole percent of the resin, and the alkali sulfoaliphatic diacid can be selected in an amount of from about 1 to about 10 mole percent of the resin.","As an example, crystalline resins 1,12-dodecanedioic acid has been prepared with diols from C3 (1,3-propylene glycol), to C12, (1,12-dodecanediol), to yield crystalline polyesters with a Tm from about 60° C. to about 90° C. The properties of crystalline polyesters used in connection with embodiments herein are shown in Table 2 below.","TABLE 2 Tm GPC AV (° C.) g/m × 1000 Resin ID Acid:Diol Mg KOH/g 1st Mw Mn A C12:C9 10.3 71.0 24.2 6.8 B C12:C6 14.5 72.3 14.3 6.1 C C12:C3 17 66.1 13.4 6.6 Toners for cold pressure fix comprised of a mixture of a crystalline polyester resin with a melting point of about 30° C. to about 90° C., and at least one amorphous mono-, di-, tri- and tetra-ester, including rosin esters, based on glycercol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tartaric acid, citric acid or pentaerythritol, or a terpene oligomer, with from about 16 to about 80 carbons, and with a Tg of from about 0° C. to about 40° C. In embodiments, the crystalline polyester may have an acid value of about 6 to about 30, an Mn of about 1,000 to about 10,000, and an Mw of about 2,000 to about 30,000.Toners could be prepared by any means, including conventional extrusion and grinding, suspension, SPSS, incorporated in an N-Cap toner, incorporated in an EA toner, optionally with a shell.","Latexes can be prepared, by, but are not limited to, solvent flash or phase inversion emulsification, including by solvent free methods.","In embodiments, the cold pressure fix toner composition comprises at least one rosinated or rosin ester which may be a mono-, di-, tri-tetra-ester based on an alcohol such as methanol, glycercol (1,2,3-trihydroxypropane), diethylene glycol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, menthol, neopentylglycol, pentaerythritol (2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)1,3-propanediol), phenol, tertiary butyl phenol, and an acid such as tartaric acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, dodecanedioic acid, and sebacic acid.","Suitable rosinated esters, without limitation, include those with about 16 to about 80 carbon atoms, including those with an number average molecular weight Mn of about 300 to about 1200, and a weight average molecular weight Mw of about 300 to about 2000.Suitable rosinated esters, without limitation, have an acid number of about 0 to about 300.Optionally monoesters, including monoesters with some acid functionality can be incorporated, including rosin acids, with an acid value of about 30 to about 400.As used herein, a “rosinated ester” or “rosin ester” synonymously refers to rosin acids that have been esterified.","Such rosin acids may include naturally occurring resinous acids exuded by various species of trees, primarily pine and other conifers.","The rosin may be separated from the essential oil spirit of turpentine by distillation.","Tall oil rosin is produced during the distillation of crude tall oil, a by-product of the kraft paper making process.","Additionally, the “stump waste” from pine trees can be distilled or extracted with solvent to separate out rosin, which is called wood rosin.","The rosin utilized in the rosin ester may be partially or totally hydrogenated to remove some or essentially all the double bonds in the rosin, which results in a lighter color and significantly improved stability or the rosin and rosin ester.","As an example abietic acid can be partially dehyrogenated to form dihydroabietic acid, or full dehydrogenated to form tetrahydroabietic acid.","Again, it may be desirable to incorporate some acid groups in the cold fix toner materials in the amorphous component to provide a negative charge for toner performance and emulsion/aggregation toner processing.","For such purposes some amount of the amorphous material that had a free acid end, rather than terminated by an ester, can be used.","Alternatively, some of the ester groups might be replaced by ester groups that further include acid functionality.","Suitable rosin esters that are available commercially include ABALYN® a rosin methyl ester, PENTALYN® A a rosin pentaerythritol ester, PEXALYN® 9085 a rosin glycerol ester, PEXALYN® T a rosin pentaerythritol ester, PINOVA® Ester Gum 8BG a rosin glycerol ester, FORAL® 85 a hyrogentated rosin glycerol ester, FORAL® 105 a pentaerythritol ester of hydroabietic (rosin) acid, FORAL® 3085 a hydrogenated rosin glycerol ester, HERCOLYN® D a hydrogenated rosin methyl ester, PENTALYN® H a rosin pentaerythritol ester, all available commercially from Pinova; ARAKAWA® Ester Gum G, ARAKAWA® Ester Gum AA-L, ARAKAWA® Ester Gum AAV ARAKAWA® Ester Gum AT rosin esters commercially available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd.; ARAKAWA® Ester Gum HP, ARAKAWA® Ester Gum H, ARAKAWA® Ester Gum HT hydrogenated rosin esters commercially available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd.; ARAKAWA® S-80, ARAKAWA® S-100, ARAKAWA® S-115, ARAKAWA® A-75, ARAKAWA® A-100, ARAKAWA® A-115, ARAKAWA® A-125, ARAKAWA® L, ARAKAWA-18 stabilized rosin esters commercially available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd.; ARAKAWA® KE-311 and KE-100 resins, triglycerides of hydrogenated abietic (rosin) acid commercially available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd.; ARAKAWA® KE-359 a hydrogenated rosin ester and ARAKAWA® D-6011 a disproportionated rosin ester commercially available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd.; and SYLVALITE® RE 10L, SYLVALITE® RE 80HP, SYLVALITE® RE 85L, SYLVALITE® RE 100XL, SYLVALITE® RE 100L, SYLVALITE® RE 105L, SYLVALITE® RE 110L.","SYLVATAC® RE 25, SYLVATAC® RE 40, SYLVATAC® RE 85, SYLVATAC® RE 98 all available from Arizona Chemical; and PERMALYN™ 5095 a rosin glycerol ester, PERMALYN™ 5095-C a rosin glycerol ester, PERMALYN™ 5110 a rosin pentaerythritol ester, PERMALYN™ 5110-C, a rosin pentaerythritol ester, PERMALYN™ 6110 a rosin pentaerythritol ester, PERMALYN™ 6110-M a rosin pentaerythritol ester, PERMALYN™ 8120 a rosin pentaerythritol ester, STAYBELITE™ Ester 3-E a partially hydrogenated rosin ester, STAYBELITE™ Ester 5-E a partially hydrogenated rosin ester, and STAYBELITE™ Ester 10-E a partially hydrogenated rosin ester all available from Eastman Kodak; and ARAKAWA® ESTER E-720 and SUPER ESTER E-730-55 rosin ester latexes commercially available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd. Table 3 below shows examples of other amorphous esters suitable for cold pressure fix toners disclosed herein.","TABLE 3 Tmelt Tcrys Structure (° C.) (° C.) Tg (° C.) n/a n/a 6 n/a n/a 11-16 n/a n/a 5 Other suitable small molecule amorphous materials include other modified rosins, and are not limited to rosin esters.","Examples of other suitable small molecule amorphous modified rosins include UNI-TAC® 70 available commercially from Arizona Chemicals, and ABITOL™ E a Hydroabietyl alcohol available commercially from Eastman Kodak; and POLY-PALE™ a dimerized rosin available commercially from Eastman Kodak.","Other suitable small molecule amorphous materials include terpene resins, such as resins from α-pinene, including PICCOLYTE® A25, PICCOLYTE® A115, and PICCOLYTE® A125 from Pinova; and resins from β-pinene, PICCOLYTE®S25, PICCOLYTE® S85, PICCOLYTE® S115, and PICCOLYTE® S125 from Pinova; and resins from d-limonene, including PICCOLYTE® C85, PICCOLYTE® C105, PICCOLYTE® C115, PICCOLYTE® C115, PICCOLYTE® D115 from Pinova; and resins from mixed terpenes, such as PICCOLYTE® F105 IG and PICCOLYTE® F115 IG from Pinova; and other terpene based resins including SYLVARES® TR A25, SYLVARES® TR B115, SYLVARES® TR 7115, SYLVARES® TR 7125, SYLVAGUM® TR 90, SYLVAGUM® TR 105, ZONATAC® NG 98 a styrene modified terpene resin from Arizona Chemicals; and synthetic polyterpene resins such as NEVTAC® 2300, NEVTAC® 100, and NEVTAC® 80 commercially available from Neville Chemical Company; and PICCOLYTE® HM106 Ultra a styrenated polyterpene resin of d-limonene from Pinova; and hydrogenated terpene resins such as CLEARON® P115, CLEARON® P105, CLEARON® P85 from Yasuhara Chemical Co., Ltd.; Hydrogenated Aromatic Modified Terpene Resin such as CLEARON®M115, CLEARON® M105, CLEARON® K100, CLEARON® K4100, Aromatic Modified Terpene Polymer YS Resin TO115, YS Resin TO105, YS Resin TO85, YS Resin TR105 from Yasuhara Chemical Co., Ltd.; and Terpene phenolic resins, including YS Polyster U130, YS Polyster U115, YS Polyster T115, YS Polyster T100, YS Polyster T80 all from Yasuhara Chemical Co., Ltd., and SYLVARES® TP 96, SYLVARES® TP 300, SYLVARES® TP 2040, SYLVARES® TP 2019, SYLVARES® TP 2040HM, SYLVARES® TP 105, SYLVARES® TP 115 from Arizona chemicals.","Other suitable small molecule amorphous materials include rosin acids, including but not limited to FORAL® AX a thermoplastic, acidic resin produced by hydrogenating wood rosin and FORAL® NC synthetic resin is the partial sodium resinate of the highly hydrogenated wood rosin, FORAL® AX, both available commercially from Pinova; and ARAKAWA® KE-604, ARAKAWA® KE-604B, ARAKAWA® KR-610, ARAKAWA® KR-612, and ARAKAWA® KR-614 hydrogenated rosins available commercially from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd. Other suitable small molecule amorphous materials include the class of materials known as tackifiers, in which category many of the amorphous materials herein are typically included.","Other tackifiers are also known, and may be suitable as the small molecule amorphous material used herein, or may be added in effective amounts of up to about 40%.","Examples of other potentially effective tackifiers include aliphatic C5 monomer resin, PICCOTAC™ 1095, hydrogenated C5 monomer resin EASTOTAC™ H-100R, EASTOTAC™ H-100L Resin, EASTOTAC™ H-100W Resin, C9 monomer resins KRISTALEX™ 1120, PICCOTEX™ 75, PICCOTEX™ LC, PICCOTEX™ 100 Hydrocarbon Resin, styrenic C8 monomers resins PICCOLASTIC™ A5, PICCOLASTIC™ A75, hydrogenated, C9 aromatic monomer resins REGALITE™ S1100, partially hydrogenated, C9 aromatic monomer resins REGALITE™ S5100, REGALITE™ S7125, REGALITE™ R1100, REGALITE™ R7100, REGALITE™ R1090, REGALITE™ R1125, REGALITE™ R9100, mixed C5 aliphatic and C9 aromatic monomer resins PICCOTAC™ 8095, PICCOTAC™ 9095, PICCOTAC™ 7050, aromatic hydrocarbon resins, REGALREZ™ 1094, hydrogenated C9 monomer aromatic hydrocarbon resins, REGALREZ™ 1085, partially hydrogenated, C9 aromatic monomer resin REGALREZ™ all from Eastman; Aliphatic C5 modified petroleum resin WINGTACK® 10, WINGTACK® 95, WINGTACK® 98, WINGTACK® 86, aromatically modified petroleum resin WINGTACK® ET and aromatically modified petroleum resin WINGTACK® STS all from Cray Valley.","In the cold pressure fix toner composition, an acid functionality may be present on the at least one crystalline ester, the at least one amorphous rosinated ester, or both.","In some such embodiments, the acid functionality is incorporated as a monoester of a diacid.","In other embodiments, the acid functionality is incorporated as a separate functional group present on the at least one crystalline ester.","In yet other embodiments, the acid functionality is incorporated as a separate functional group present on the at least one amorphous rosinated ester.","In embodiments, an amorphous small molecule component may have an acid value of about 0 to about 30.In embodiments the temperature for the viscosity of the material to be reduced to a value of about 10,000 Pa-s at about 100 kgf/cm2 applied pressure, is from about 0° C. to about 50° C., in other embodiments about 10° C. to about 40° C., in further embodiments from about 0° C. to about 30° C. In other embodiments the applied pressure for toner materials flow is from about 25 to about 400 kgf/cm2, and in further embodiments from about 50 to about 200 kgf/cm2.For cold pressure fixable toner it may be desirable to have the toner material flow near room temperature under the applied pressure of the cold pressure fixing system, to enable the toner to flow over the substrate surface and into pores or fibers in the substrate, as well as to enable the toner particles to flow into each other, thus providing a smooth continuous toner layer that is effectively adhered to the substrate.","It may be desirable that the pressure applied be relatively low compared to the prior art, such as about 100 kgf/cm2.However, in embodiments the pressure can be higher, up to about 400 kgf/cm2, or lower, as little as 25 kgf/cm2, provided that the above described conditions for onset of toner flow and flow viscosity can be met.","In embodiments, some heat may be applied to preheat the toner or the paper prior to entry to the cold pressure fixing system, which can enable cold pressure fix for temperatures somewhat above room temperature.","In embodiments, it may be desirable for cold pressure fix that under low pressures, such as about 10 kgf/cm2 applied pressure the cold pressure fix toner does not flow significantly such that the toner particles stick together, for example in the toner cartridge, or in the printer, including in the developer housing, or on the imaging surfaces such as the photoreceptor, or in embodiments the intermediate transfer belt.","In shipping or in the printer the temperature may rise to as much as 50° C., thus in embodiments it may be desirable that the toner does not flow significantly to allow the particles stick together up to 50° C. at about 10 kgf/cm2.Thus, in embodiments the temperature for the viscosity of the material to be reduced to a value of about 10,000 Pa-s, for the cold pressure fix toner at a lower pressure of about 10 kgf/cm2 applied pressure, is from about 50° C. to about 70° C., in embodiments about 55° C. to about 70° C., in embodiments about 60° C. to about 90° C., or in further embodiments at about 20 kgf/cm2 to about 40 kgf/cm2.Thus it may be desirable to have a high temperature for material flow at low pressures representative of storage and usage in the printer, and a low temperature for material at the desired higher cold pressure fix pressure.","In embodiments there is a temperature shift calculated in the range from about 10° C. to about 60° C. where the flow viscosity of the cold pressure fix composition equal to about 10,000 pascal-seconds, when the applied pressure on the cold pressure fix composition is increased from 10 to 100 Kgf/cm2.In such embodiments, the temperature shift can be calculated as, ΔTη=0000=Tη=10000(10 Kgf/Cm2)−Tη=10000(100 Kgf/Cm2) where Tη=10000(10 kgf/cm2) is the temperature for flow viscosity n of 10000 Pa-s at 10 kgf/cm2 applied pressure and Tη=10000(100 kgf/cm2) is the temperature for flow viscosity η of 10000 Pa-s at 100 kgf/cm2.In other embodiments the low pressure for storage and printer usage applied can be in the range of about 10 kgf/cm2 to about 40 kgf/cm2, and the high pressure for applied for cold pressure fix can be in the range of about 25 kgf/cm2 to about 400 kgf/cm2.In embodiments, there are provided methods of cold pressure fix toner application comprising providing a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising: at least one crystalline material and one small molecule amorphous material C16 to C80 crystalline ester having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one amorphous ester having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C., disposing the cold pressure fix toner composition on a substrate, and applying pressure to the disposed composition on the substrate under cold pressure fixing conditions.","In some embodiments, the applied pressure is in a range from about 25 kgf/cm2 to about 400 kgf/cm2.In embodiments, cold pressure fix is accomplished by applying pressure in the aforementioned range between two fixing rolls that may be selected from known fixing rolls, such as in U.S. Pat.","No.","8,541,153 herein incorporated by reference.","Examples of the fixing rolls are cylindrical metal rolls, which optionally may be coated with fluorine containing resins such as TEFLON® PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene resins, TEFLON® PFA perfluoroalkoxy resins, TEFLON® FEP a fluorinated ethylene propylene, DUPONT™ TEFLON® AF amorphous fluoroplastic resins, and silicon resins, or a combination of the different resins.","The two fixing rolls may be made of the same materials or may be different.","In embodiments the fixing step is cold pressure fix without any direct application of heat in the fixing step.","However, due to the heat from the printer components, frictional heating between the rolls, the temperature may be elevated above room temperature in the fusing nip.","In addition, the paper and or toner layer on the paper in embodiments may be heated for example with a heat lamp prior to the cold pressure fix apparatus.","In embodiments, there are provided latexes formed from a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising at least one C16 to C60 crystalline ester having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous rosinated ester having a Tg of from about 0° C. to about 60° C. Toners can be prepared from the cold press toner compositions disclosed herein by any means, including conventional extrusion and grinding, suspension, SPSS (Spherical Polyester Toner by Suspension of Polymer/Pigment Solution and Solvent Removal Method, as described in Journal of the Imaging Society of Japan, Vol.","43, 1, 48-53, 2004), incorporated in an N-Cap toner, (encapsulated toner, as described for example in U.S. Pat.","No.","5,283,153 and incorporated in an emulsion aggregation toner, optionally with a shell.","Where needed for toner applications, latexes can be made incorporating the crystalline and/or amorphous mixtures, prepared by solvent flash, by phase inversion emulsification, including by solvent free methods.","Other additives may be present in the CPF toners disclosed here.","The CPF toner compositions of the present embodiments may further optionally include one or more conventional additives to take advantage of the known functionality associated with such conventional additives.","Such additives may include, for example, colorants, antioxidants, defoamer, slip and leveling agents, clarifier, viscosity modifier, adhesive, plasticizer and the like.","When present, the optional additives may each, or in combination, be present in the CPF toner in any desired or effective amount, such as from about 1% to about 10%, from about 5% to about 10%, or from about 3% to about 5% by weight of the CPF toner.","In a typical CPF toner composition antioxidants are added for preventing discoloration of the small molecule composition.","In embodiments, the antioxidant material can include IRGANOX® 1010; and NAUGARD® 76, NAUGARD® 445, NAUGARD® 512, and NAUGARD® 524.In embodiments, the antioxidant is NAUGARD® 445.In other embodiments the antioxidant material can include MAYZO® BNX® 1425 a calcium salt of phosphonic acid, and MAYZO® BNX® 358 a thiophenol both available commercially from MAYZO®, and ETHANOX® 323A a nonylphenol disulfide available commercially from SI Group.","In embodiments, CPF toners disclosed herein may further comprise a plasticizer.","Exemplary plasticizers may include Uniplex 250 (commercially available from Unitex), the phthalate ester plasticizers commercially available from Ferro under the trade name SANTICIZER®, such as dioctyl phthalate, diundecyl phthalate, alkylbenzyl phthalate (SANTICIZER® 278), triphenyl phosphate (commercially available from Ferro), KP-140, a tributoxyethyl phosphate (commercially available from Great Lakes Chemical Corporation), MORFLEX® 150, a dicyclohexyl phthalate (commercially available from Morflex Chemical Company Inc.), trioctyl trimellitate (commercially available from Sigma Aldrich Co.), and the like.","Plasticizers may be present in an amount from about 0.01 to about 30 percent, from about 0.1 to about 25 percent, from about 1 to about 20 percent by weight of the CPF toner.","In embodiments, the cold pressure fix toner compositions described herein also include a colorant.","Any desired or effective colorant can be employed in the cold pressure fix toner compositions, including dyes, pigments, mixtures thereof.","Any dye or pigment may be chosen, provided that it is capable of being dispersed or dissolved in the CPF toner and is compatible with the other CPF toner components.","Any conventional cold pressure fix toner colorant materials, such as Color Index (C.I.)","Solvent Dyes, Disperse Dyes, modified Acid and Direct Dyes, Basic Dyes, Sulphur Dyes, Vat Dyes, fluorescent dyes and the like.","Examples of suitable dyes include NEOZAPON® Red 492 (BASF); ORASOL® Red G (Pylam Products); Direct Brilliant Pink B (Oriental Giant Dyes); Direct Red 3BL (Classic Dyestuffs); SUPRANOL® Brilliant Red 3BW (Bayer AG); Lemon Yellow 6G (United Chemie); Light Fast Yellow 3G (Shaanxi); Aizen Spilon Yellow C-GNH (Hodogaya Chemical); Bemachrome Yellow GD Sub (Classic Dyestuffs); CARTASOL® Brilliant Yellow 4GF (Clariant); Cibanone Yellow 2G (Classic Dyestuffs); ORASOL® Black RLI (BASF); ORASOL® Black CN (Pylam Products); Savinyl Black RLSN (Clariant); Pyrazol Black BG (Clariant); MORFAST® Black 101 (Rohm & Haas); Diaazol Black RN (ICI); THERMOPLAST® Blue 670 (BASF); ORASOL® Blue GN (Pylam Products); Savinyl Blue GLS (Clariant); LUXOL® Fast Blue MBSN (Pylam Products); Sevron Blue 5GMF (Classic Dyestuffs); BASACID® Blue 750 (BASF); KEYPLAST® Blue (Keystone Aniline Corporation); NEOZAPON® Black X51 (BASF); Classic Solvent Black 7 (Classic Dyestuffs); SUDAN® Blue 670 (C.I.","61554) (BASF); SUDAN® Yellow 146 (C.I.","12700) (BASF); SUDAN® Red 462 (C.I.","26050) (BASF); C.I.","Disperse Yellow 238; Neptune Red Base NB543 (BASF, C.I.","Solvent Red 49); Neopen Blue FF-4012 (BASF); Fatsol Black BR (C.I.","Solvent Black 35) (Chemische Fabriek Triade BV); Morton Morplas Magenta 36 (C.I.","Solvent Red 172); metal phthalocyanine colorants such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat.","No.","6,221,137, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, and the like.","Polymeric dyes can also be used, such as those disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat.","No.","5,621,022 and U.S. Pat.","No.","5,231,135, the disclosures of each of which are herein entirely incorporated herein by reference, and commercially available from, for example, Milliken & Company as Milliken Ink Yellow 869, Milliken Ink Blue 92, Milliken Ink Red 357, Milliken Ink Yellow 1800, Milliken Ink Black 8915-67, uncut Reactint Orange X-38, uncut Reactint Blue X-17, Solvent Yellow 162, Acid Red 52, Solvent Blue 44, and uncut Reactint Violet X-80.Pigments are also suitable colorants for the cold pressure fix toners.","Examples of suitable pigments include PALIOGEN® Violet 5100 (BASF); PALIOGEN® Violet 5890 (BASF); HELIOGEN® Green L8730 (BASF); LITHOL® Scarlet D3700 (BASE); SUNFAST® Blue 15:4 (Sun Chemical); HOSTAPERM® Blue B2G-D (Clariant); HOSTAPERM® Blue B4G (Clariant); Permanent Red P-F7RK; HOSTAPERM® Violet BL (Clariant); LITHOL® Scarlet 4440 (BASF); Bon Red C (Dominion Color Company); ORACET® Pink RF (BASF); PALIOGEN® Red 3871 K (BASF); SUNFAST® Blue 15:3 (Sun Chemical); PALIOGEN® Red 3340 (BASF); SUNFAST® Carbazole Violet 23 (Sun Chemical); LITHOL® Fast Scarlet L4300 (BASF); SUNBRITE® Yellow 17 (Sun Chemical); HELIOGEN® Blue L6900, L7020 (BASF); SUNBRITE® Yellow 74 (Sun Chemical); SPECTRA PAC C Orange 16 (Sun Chemical); HELIOGEN® Blue K6902, K6910 (BASF); SUNFAST® Magenta 122 (Sun Chemical); HELIOGEN® Blue D6840, D7080 (BASF); SUDAN® Blue OS (BASF); NEOPEN Blue FF4012 (BASF); PV Fast Blue B2GO1 (Clariant); IRGALITE Blue GLO (BASF); PALIOGEN® Blue 6470 (BASF); SUDAN® Orange G (Aldrich); SUDAN® Orange 220 (BASF); PALIOGEN® Orange 3040 (BASF); PALIOGEN® Yellow 152, 1560 (BASF); LITHOL® Fast Yellow 0991 K (BASF); PALIOTOL Yellow 1840 (BASF); NOVOPERM Yellow FGL (Clariant); Ink Jet Yellow 4G VP2532 (Clariant); Toner Yellow HG (Clariant); Lumogen Yellow D0790 (BASF); Suco-Yellow L1250 (BASF); Suco-Yellow D1355 (BASF); Suco Fast Yellow D1355, D1351 (BASF); HOSTAPERM Pink E 02 (Clariant); Hansa Brilliant Yellow 5GX03 (Clariant); Permanent Yellow GRL 02 (Clariant); Permanent Rubine L6B 05 (Clariant); FANAL Pink D4830 (BASF); CINQUASIA® Magenta (DU PONT); PALIOGEN® Black L0084 (BASF); Pigment Black K801 (BASF); and carbon blacks such as REGAL 330™ (Cabot), Nipex 150 (Evonik) Carbon Black 5250 and Carbon Black 5750 (Columbia Chemical), and the like, as well as mixtures thereof.","Pigment dispersions in the CPF toner may be stabilized by synergists and dispersants.","Generally, suitable pigments may be organic materials or inorganic.","Magnetic material-based pigments are also suitable, for example, for the fabrication of robust Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) inks.","Magnetic pigments include magnetic nanoparticles, such as for example, ferromagnetic nanoparticles.","Also suitable are the colorants disclosed in U.S. Pat.","No.","6,472,523, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,726,755, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,476,219, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,576,747, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,713,614, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,663,703, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,755,902, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,590,082, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,696,552, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,576,748, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,646,111, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,673,139, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,958,406, U.S. Pat.","No.","6,821,327, U.S. Pat.","No.","7,053,227, U.S. Pat.","No.","7,381,831 and U.S. Pat.","No.","7,427,323, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.","In embodiments, solvent dyes are employed.","An example of a solvent dye suitable for use herein may include spirit soluble dyes because of their compatibility with the CPF toner carriers disclosed herein.","Examples of suitable spirit solvent dyes include NEOZAPON® Red 492 (BASF); ORASOL® Red G (Pylam Products); Direct Brilliant Pink B (Global Colors); Aizen Spilon Red C-BH (Hodogaya Chemical); Kayanol Red 3BL (Nippon Kayaku); Spirit Fast Yellow 3G; Aizen Spilon Yellow C-GNH (Hodogaya Chemical); CARTASOL® Brilliant Yellow 4GF (Clariant); PERGASOL® Yellow 5RA EX (Classic Dyestuffs); ORASOL® Black RLI (BASF); ORASOL® Blue GN (Pylam Products); Savinyl Black RLS (Clariant); MORFAST® Black 101 (Rohm and Haas); THERMOPLAST® Blue 670 (BASF); Savinyl Blue GLS (Sandoz); LUXOL® Fast Blue MBSN (Pylam); Sevron Blue 5GMF (Classic Dyestuffs); BASACID® Blue 750 (BASF); KEYPLAST® Blue (Keystone Aniline Corporation); NEOZAPON® Black X51 (C.I.","Solvent Black, C.I.","12195) (BASF); SUDAN® Blue 670 (C.I.","61554) (BASF); SUDAN® Yellow 146 (C.I.","12700) (BASF); SUDAN® Red 462 (C.I.","260501) (BASF), mixtures thereof and the like.","The colorant may be present in the cold pressure fix toner in any desired or effective amount to obtain the desired color or hue such as, for example, at least from about 0.1 percent by weight of the CPF toner to about 50 percent by weight of the CPF toner, at least from about 0.2 percent by weight of the CPF toner to about 20 percent by weight of the CPF toner, and at least from about 0.5 percent by weight of the CPF toner to about 10 percent by weight of the CPF toner.","The colorant may be included in the CPF toner in an amount of from, for example, about 0.1 to about 15% by weight of the CPF toner, or from about 0.5 to about 6% by weight of the CPF toner.","The following Examples are being submitted to illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure.","These Examples are intended to be illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.","Also, parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.","As used herein, “room temperature” refers to a temperature of from about 20° C. to about 25° C. EXAMPLES Example 1-C16 to C80 Crystalline Organic Material This example describes testing of exemplary cold pressure fix toners in accordance with embodiments herein.","Shimadzu flow tester evaluation of cold pressure fix capability: In order to test the ability of materials to flow under pressure, as required by cold pressure fix, a Shimadzu Flow tester also known as a Capillary Rheometer (available from Shimadzu Scientific Instruments) was used.","Solid samples were either scalloped away or cracked into pieces with a rubber mallet.","Samples were neither dried nor ground.","All materials were pressed into a slug with 5000 pounds of pressure and a 10 second hold.","The samples were run on a Shimadzu CFT 500/100 tester.","All samples were extruded through a 1.0×1.0 mm cone die using a piston with a cross sectional area of 1 cm2.Typical sample weights were between about 1.5 g and 2.5 grams.","The process conditions were: about 23 to 26° C. to begin, 10 Kg or 100 Kg, 180 second pre-heat and a ramp rate of 3° C./minute.","Thus, the two pressures tested were 10 kgf/cm2 as a control at low pressure, and 100 Kgf/cm2 as a high pressure, the latter high pressure representative of the target pressure for cold pressure fix.","Table 4 below shows the compositions and Shimadzu results for two control toners.","TABLE 4 Transition Temperature (° C., 104 Pa-s) ΔT (° C.) Sample Polymer formulation 100 kgf/cm2 10 kgf/cm2 10-100 kgf/cm2 Control 1 50:50 copolymer of styrene 113 123 10 And 1-t-butyl-2-ethenyl benzene Control 2 46:46:8 ratio of 100 100 0 amorphous resin A:amorphous resin B:crystalline resin C Control 1 is an example of a cold pressure fix toner which is comprised of a copolymer of styrene withl-tertiary-butyl-2-ethenyl benzene and a polyolefin wax, the Xerox 4060 cold pressure fix toner.","Table 4 shows that the Control 1 toner cold pressure fix toner flow, the transition from high to low viscosity at about 104 Pa-s, occurs about 10° C. lower at high pressure than at low pressure, and even at high pressure has a flow transition temperature of over 100° C. Note Control 1 is designed to fix at about 300 kgf/cm2, about 3× higher than applied here.","But clearly is not suitable for cold pressure fix at 100 kgf/cm2.Control 2 is a black emulsion/aggregation toner of particle size of about 5.7 μm comprised of a core of about 25% each of polyester A and polyester B, about 8% of crystalline polyester C, about 10% polyethylene wax, about 6% carbon black and 1% cyan pigment, and a shell of about 14% each of polyester A and polyester B, where polyester A has an average molecular weight (Mw) of about 86,000, a number average molecular weight (Mn) of about 5,600, and an onset glass transition temperature (Tg onset) of about 56° C., where polyester B has a Mw of about 19,400, an Mn of about 5,000, a Tg onset of about 60° C., and where the crystalline polyester resin C has an Mw of about 23,300, an Mn of about 10,500, and a melting temperature (Tm) of about 71° C., wherein the polyethylene wax has a Tm of about 90° C. Both amorphous resins were of the formula wherein m is from about 5 to about 1000.The crystalline resin was of the formula wherein n is from about 5 to about 2000.As shown in Table 4 Control 2 toner, which is a mixture of crystalline and amorphous polymer resins, has no difference in rheology with pressure at all, and also has a very high transition temperature of 100° C. to low viscosity, thus is not itself a candidate for cold pressure fix at this pressure.","Table 5 shows the compositions and results for samples with small molecule amorphous and crystalline materials.","TABLE 5 Transition Crystalline small Amorphous small Temperature ΔT molecule molecule Amorphous properties (° C., 104 Pa-s) (° C.) Sample Structure wt % Structure wt % Tg (° C.) Ts (° C.) Mn Mw AV 100 kgf/cm2 10 kgf/cm2 10 − 100 kgf/cm2 1 Distearyl 100 none NA NA NA NA NA 78 83 5 terephthalate 2 Ester (II) 70 Benzoate ester 30 NA NA NA NA NA 54 69 15 mixture (III) 3 Distearyl 79 SYLVATAC ® 21 5 35 850 1275 14 45 75 30 terephthalate RE40 rosin ester 4 Distearyl 79 SYLVARES ™ 21 −20 25 330 462 0 38 77 39 terephthalate TR A25 polyterpene 5 Distearyl 79 SYLVALITE ® 21 39 85 810 1053 10 60 80 20 terephthalate RE 85L rosin ester 6 Distearyl 79 SYLVARES ™ 21 47 95 520 676 0 63 78 15 terephthalate TP 96 polyterpene phenolic 7 Distearyl 79 Uni-Tac 70 21 45 80 315 756 140 61 78 17 terephthalate modified rosin 8 Distearyl 79 Arakawa Ester 21 34 68 no no 10 55 79 24 terephthalate Gum H data data hydrogenated rosin ester 9 Distearyl 70 SYLVARES ™ 30 −20 25 330 462 0 30 65 35 10 terephthalate 60 TR A25 40 −20 25 330 462 0 27 59 32 polyterpene 11 Distearyl 79 SYLVALITE□ 21 −20 liquid 680 748 10 35 81 46 12 terephthalate 70 RE 10L rosin 30 −20 liquid 680 748 10 26 73 47 13 60 ester 40 −20 liquid 680 748 10 26 77 51 Sample 1 is comprised of distearyl terephthalate, or DST, the diester (I): Sample 2 is comprised primarily of a 70:30 weight ratio of a crystalline diester (II) with an amorphous short chain oligomer mixture comprised of an amide and an ester in the main chain, terminated as benzoate esters (Ill).","Sample 3 has a 79:21 ratio of the crystalline distearyl terephthalate (DST; compound (I)) and SYLVATAC® RE40 an amorphous mixture of rosinated esters (IV), the main component a diester of diethylene glycol, and minor components of a monoester of diethylene glycol, and di-, tri- and tetra-esters of pentaerythritol.","The Standard cold press fix toner (Control 1 in Table 4) has a transition temperature for 104 Pa-s at about 113° C. which is too high in temperature to be useful for cold pressure fix, and a shift of 10° C. with high pressure.","The resin-based toner (Control 2) with crystalline and amorphous polyester resins has no temperature shift with pressure and thus is not suitable as major components for cold pressure fix.","The designs using crystalline/amorphous mixtures of small molecule esters, such as Sample 2 solid ink and in particular Sample 3 solid ink (Table 5) are suitable cold press fix materials.","Sample 3, in particular, has a larger shift with pressure as the Standard cold press fix toner (Control 1), but with a much lower transition temperature that is approaching room temperature.","Thus, Samples 1 and 3 represent an advantage over currently employed cold press fix toners.","Example 2-Crystalline Polyester Flow tester evaluation of cold pressure fix capability: To test the ability of the materials to flow under pressure for cold pressure fix (CPF), a Shimadzu flow tester was used.","Solid samples were either scalloped away or cracked into pieces with a rubber mallet.","All materials were pressed into a slug with 5,000 pounds of pressure and a 10 second hold.","The samples were run on a Shimadzu CFT 500/100 tester.","All samples were extruded through a 1.0×1.0 mm cone die using a piston with a cross sectional area of 1 cm2.The process conditions were: 27.7° C. to begin, either 10 Kg or 100 Kg, 180 second pre-heat and a ramp rate of 3° C./minute.","Thus, the two pressures tested were 10 kgf/cm2 and 100 kgf/cm2.The latter is a particularly useful target pressure for CPF.","Results are tabulated in Table 6.Useful designs generally have a transition temperature to reach a viscosity of 104 Pa-s, of about 0° C. to 50° C. at 100 kgf/cm2 to enable room temperature fusing, and a of about 55° C. to 70° C. at low pressure, for good toner blocking.","Example 1 uses a crystalline small molecule, distearyl terephthalate, and an amorphous small molecule, SYLVARES™ TR A25, a small molecule oligomeric alpha-pinene.","The high pressure onset temperature of this material in Example 1 was about 38° C., just above room temperature, while the transition at low pressure is still high enough at about 73° C. to potentially provide reasonable blocking.","By contrast, in the present Example which is a mixture of crystalline C12:C9 diacid:diol (CPE) resin and amorphous resins, instead of crystalline and amorphous small molecules, there was no perceived shift with pressure, and thus there is a very high transition temperature at high pressure.","The CPE polyester resin alone also does not show any shift with pressure and thus has a very high transition temperature at high pressure.","Also note that the CPE low pressure transition temperature is about 73° C., close to the CPE melt point, but when an amorphous resin with Tg of about 55° C. to 60° C. is added, the transition temperature actually increases.","Thus, unexpectedly a CPF toner based on a mixture of these amorphous and crystalline polyester resins is not suitable for CPF.","It was therefore very surprising that the same C12:C9 CPE resin mixed with the SYLVARES™ TR A25 (a small molecule oligomeric alpha pinene resin) shifted the transition temperature to lower temperature of about 54° C. at high pressure, a temperature shift of 15° C. The CPE with diol chain lengths of C3 and C6 also has a similar high pressure transition of about 54° C. The low pressure transition was in all cases very close to the melt point of the CPE.","So in all cases at low pressure these would all pass blocking criterion, while providing a much lower transition at high pressure than the control material.","TABLE 6 Phase Change Transition Crystalline Temperature, Tpc (° C.) Material Properties @1 × 104 Pa-s Melt point Tpc Tpc ΔTpc Sample Comment (° C.) Mw Mn @100 kgf/cm2 @10 kgf/cm2 (10 kgf/cm2 − 100 kgf/cm2) 1 79% DST/21% 72.5 15.7 6.5 38 73 35 SYLVARES ™ TR A25 (from Example 1) 2 46:46:8 wt % ratio of 7 22.9 10.4 100 100 0 amorphous resin A:amorphous resin B:crystalline resin C C12:C9 qcid; diol CPE (from Example 1) 3 C12:C9 acid:diol 71 22.9 10.4 73 73 0 CPE 4 79:21 63 13.4 6.6 54 63 9 C12:C3/SYLVARES ™ TR A25 5 79:21 72 14.3 6.1 53 70 17 C12:C6/SYLVARES ™ TR A25 6 79:21 71 22.9 10.4 54 69 15 C12:C9/SYLVARES ™ TR A25 7 70:30 72 15.7 6.5 45 70 25 C12:C6/SYLVARES ™ TR A25 8 60:40 72 15.7 6.5 37 70 33 C12:C6/SYLVARES ™ TR A25 9 50:50 72 15.7 6.5 29 64 35 C12:C6/SYLVARES ™ TR A25 10 70:30 72.6 16.9 7.6 45 62 17 C12:C6/SYLVATAC ® RE 25 11 70:30 72.6 16.9 7.6 40 63 23 C12:C6/SYLVALITE□ RE 10L 12 70:30 72.7 17.0 7.5 26 57 31 C12:C6/SYLVALITE ® RE 10L As shown in samples 7 to sample 12 increasing the amount of amorphous small molecule lowers the high pressure transition temperature further.","The low pressure transition is not greatly affected by the addition of amorphous resin, the transition temperature at low pressure remains close to the CPE melt-point, so it is possible to reduce the high pressure transition temperature, while leaving the low pressure temperature high enough for good blocking.","There are some important advantages to using the CPE resin for the CPF toner, rather than a small molecule crystalline material.","Because CPE is a polymer, compared to the DST small molecule, there is an increased toughness and elasticity, which could be very important to produce a robust toner particle.","Moreover, because CPE resins have been previously designed for emulsion aggregation (EA) toner control the acid number to get the required acid value is well known.","Adjusting the acid value of a small molecule crystalline material is not as straightforward.","Since the DST is a small molecule putting an acid group in every molecule would make the acid value much too high to make toner.","So only a small number of the DST molecules for example could potentially have an acid group, to enable making a functional EA toner—acid number affects both toner making and toner performance in charging.","Also, one of the easiest ways to add an acid group to the DST small molecule for example is to have only one stearate group and have the other functional group of the terephalate as a free acid group.","However, this would change the melt and baroplastic behavior of those monostearyl terephalate acid molecules compared to those with DST.","Another small molecule could be added with acid groups, but again this could impact baroplastic performance.","These issues do not arise with the polymeric CPE.","Example 3-Toner Production Latex Preparation: A latex of 190 nm size was prepared by co-emulsification of a 79/21 ratio of C10/C6 CPE (AV=10.2) and SYLVARES™TR A25 (AV=0).","79 grams of C10/C6 CPE resin and 21 g of SYLVARES™TR A25 were measured into a 2 liter beaker containing about 1000 grams of ethyl acetate.","The mixture was stirred at about 300 revolutions per minute at 65° C. to dissolve the resin and CCA in the ethyl acetate.","6.38 grams of Dowfax (47 wt %) was measured into a 4 liter glass beaker containing about 1000 grams of deionized water.","Homogenization of said water solution in said 4 liter glass beaker was commenced with an IKA Ultra Turrax T50 homogenizer at 4,000 revolutions per minute.","The resin mixture solution was then slowly poured into the water solution as the mixture continues to be homogenized, the homogenizer speed is increased to 8,000 revolutions per minute and homogenization is carried out at these conditions for about 30 minutes.","Upon completion of homogenization, the glass flask reactor and its contents are placed in a heating mantle and connected to a distillation device.","The mixture is stirred at about 250 revolutions per minute and the temperature of said mixture is increased to 80° C. at about 1° C. per minute to distill off the ethyl acetate from the mixture.","Stirring of the said mixture is continued at 80° C. for about 120 minutes followed by cooling at about 2° C. per minute to room temperature.","The product is screened through a 25 micron sieve.","The resulting resin emulsion is comprised of about 13.84 percent by weight solids in water, and has a volume average diameter of about 196.2 nanometers as measured with a HONEYWELL MICROTRAC® UPA150 particle size analyzer.","Two further latexes were also prepared in a similar manner, except that 70 grams of C10/C6 CPE resin with 30 g of SYLVARES™TR A25 were used to prepare latex with 183.1 nm size at 17.52 wt % solid content, and 70 grams of C10/C6 CPE resin with 30 g of SYLVATAC□RE25 were used to prepare another latex of 139.6 nm size at 17.44 wt % solid content.","Toner Preparation A: Into a 2 liter glass reactor equipped with an overhead stirrer was added 33.95 g PB15:3 dispersion (17.89 wt %), and 726.26 g above latex with 79 grams of C10/C6 CPE resin and 21 g of SYLVARES™TR A25.Above mixture had a pH of 3.71, then 20.17 grams of Al2(SO4)3 solution (1 wt %) was added as flocculent under homogenization.","The temperature of mixture increased to 55° C. at 250 rpm.","The particle size was monitored with a Coulter Counter until the core particles reached a volume average particle size of 7.42 μm.","Thereafter, the pH of the reaction slurry was increased to 9.5 using 15.81 g EDTA (39 wt %) and NaOH (4 wt %) to freeze the toner growth.","After freezing, the reaction mixture was heated to 70° C. The toner was quenched after coalescence, and it had a final particle size of 9.64 microns.","The toner slurry was then cooled to room temperature, separated by sieving (25 μm), filtration, followed by washing and freeze dried.","Toner preparation B: Into a 2 liter glass reactor equipped with an overhead stirrer was added 34.18 g PB15:3 dispersion (17.89 wt %), and 577.61 g (17.52 wt %) latex with C10/C6 CPE to SYLVARES™TR A25 at a ratio of 70 to 30.Above mixture had a pH of 3.70, then 56.15 grams of Al2(SO4)3 solution (1 wt %) was added as flocculent under homogenization.","The temperature of mixture was increased to 60.5° C. at 250 rpm.","The particle size was monitored with a Coulter Counter until the core particles reached a volume average particle size of 6.48 μm.","Thereafter, the pH of the reaction slurry was increased to 9.5 using 13.08 g EDTA (39 wt %) and NaOH (4 wt %) to freeze the toner growth.","After freezing, the reaction mixture was heated to 67.9° C. The toner was quenched after coalescence, and it had a final particle size of 8.24 microns.","The toner slurry was then cooled to room temperature, separated by sieving (25 μm), filtration, followed by washing and freeze dried.","Toner preparation C: Into a 2 liter glass reactor equipped with an overhead stirrer was added 38.70 g PB15:3 dispersion (16.00 wt %), and 571.97 g latex with C10/C6 CPE to SYLVATAC® RE25.Above mixture had a pH of 4.07, then 61.71 grams of Al2(SO4)3 solution (1 wt %) was added as flocculent under homogenization.","The temperature of mixture was increased to 60.8° C. at 250 rpm.","The particle size was monitored with a Coulter Counter until the core particles reached a volume average particle size of 6.75 μm.","Thereafter, the pH of the reaction slurry was increased to 9.01 using NaOH (4 wt %) to freeze the toner growth.","After freezing, the reaction mixture was heated to 68° C. The toner was quenched after coalescence, and it had a final particle size of 7.90 microns.","The toner slurry was then cooled to room temperature, separated by sieving (25 μm), filtration, followed by washing and freeze dried.","Table 7 shows the Shimadzu phase change transition temperature difference is not as large in the toner samples as it is in the simple mixtures of the CPE and small amorphous molecule in Table 6.For example in Table 6 the Sample 5 mixture with 79/21 ratio of CPE C10:C6/SYLVARES™ TR A25 had a shift with pressure of 17° C. to transition temperature of 53° C. at 100 kgf/cm2, compared to toner sample A with a shift with pressure of 3° C. to transition temperature of 68° C. at 100 kgf/cm2.Also in Table 6 the Sample 1 mixture with 70/30 ratio of CPE C10:C6/SYLVARES™ TR A25 had a shift with pressure of 25° C. to transition temperature of 45° C. at 100 kgf/cm2, compared to toner sample B with a shift with pressure of 4° C. to transition temperature of 68° C. at 100 Kgf/cm2, Also in Table 6 the Sample 10 mixture with 70/30 ratio of CPE C10:C6/SYLVATAC® RE40 had a shift with pressure of 17° C. to transition temperature of 45° C. at 100 kgf/cm2, compared to toner sample C with the same formulation with a shift with pressure of 7° C. to transition temperature of 62° C. at 100 kgf/cm2, As shown in Table 7 reduction in the phase transition temperature and the increase in the shift with pressure can be achieved with further increase in amorphous content.","TABLE 7 Phase ChangeTransition CPE Properties Temperature ΔT Toner Mn Mw Mp (° C., 104 Pa-s) (° C.) Sample Material ID (k) (k) (° C.) 100 kgf/cm2 10 kgf/cm2 10 − 100 kgf/cm2 A 79/21 25.6 10.7 75.5 68 71 3 C12:C6/ SYLVARES ™ TR A25 B 70/30 25.6 10.7 75.5 65 69 4 C12:C6/ SYLVARES ™ TR A25 C 70/30 16.9 7.6 72.6 62 69 7 C12:C6/ SYLVATAC ® RE25"]],"string":"[\n [\n \"COLD PRESSURE FIX TONER COMPOSITIONS BASED ON SMALL MOLECULE CRYSTALLINE AND AMORPHOUS ORGANIC COMPOUND MIXTURES\",\n \"A cold pressure fix toner composition includes at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. A method of cold pressure fix toner application includes providing the cold pressure fix toner composition, disposing the cold pressure fix toner composition on a substrate and applying pressure to the disposed composition on the substrate under cold pressure fixing conditions.\",\n \"The cold pressure fix toner compositions can be formed into latexes.\"\n ],\n [\n \"1.A latex formed from a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising: at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C.; and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. 2.The latex of claim 1, wherein the at least one crystalline organic material comprises a polyester, or a small molecule ester selected from a phenyl ester or a benzyl ester.\",\n \"3.The latex of claim 1, wherein the at least one crystalline organic material comprises a small molecule ester selected from the group consisting of and mixtures thereof.\",\n \"4.The latex of claim 1, wherein the small molecule ester is selected from the group consisting of and mixtures thereof.\",\n \"5.The latex of claim 1, wherein the number average molecular weight Mn of the crystalline organic material is from about 300 to about 1200, and a weight average molecular weight Mw is from about 300 to about 2,000.6.The latex of claim 1, wherein the at least one amorphous organic material is an optionally hydrogenated rosin ester or a modified rosin ester.\",\n \"7.The latex of claim 6, wherein the optionally hydrogenated rosin ester or the modified rosin ester comprises a mono-, di-, or tri-tetra-ester.\",\n \"8.The latex of claim 1, wherein the at least one amorphous material is selected from the group consisting of styrenated terpenes, polyterpenes, terpene phenolics, and mixtures thereof.\",\n \"9.The latex of claim 1, wherein the at least one amorphous material is an optionally hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin based on aliphatic C5 monomers or aromatic C9 monomers.\",\n \"10.The latex of claim 1, wherein the number average molecular weight Mn of the amorphous organic material is from about 300 to about 1200, and the weight average molecular weight Mw is from about 300 to about 2,000.11.The latex of claim 1, wherein the amorphous organic material having an acid number of about 0 to about 300.12.The latex of claim 1, further comprising an acid functionality on the at least one crystalline organic material, and/or the at least one amorphous organic material.\",\n \"13.The latex of claim 9, wherein the acid functionality is incorporated as a monoester of a diacid.\",\n \"14.The latex of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the crystalline organic material to the amorphous organic material is from about 50:50 to about 95:5.15.The latex of claim 1, wherein the temperature required to lower viscosity to 104 Pa-s of the cold pressure fix toner at a pressure of 100 kgf/cm2 is from about 15° C. to about 70° C. 16.The latex of claim 1, wherein the temperature required to lower viscosity of the cold pressure fix toner to about 104 Pa-s at a pressure of 10 kgf/cm2 is from about 50° C. to 90° C. 17.The latex of claim 1, wherein the temperature shift from 10 to 100 kgf/cm2 of the cold pressure fix toner to lower the viscosity to 104 Pa-s is in a range from about 10° C. to about 60° C. 18.The latex of claim 1, prepared by phase inversion emulsification.\",\n \"19.A latex formed from a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising: a crystalline organic material comprising: (1) a polyester; or (2) a small molecule ester selected from a phenyl ester, or a benzyl ester; wherein the crystalline organic material has a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C.; and an amorphous organic material comprising: (a) a rosin ester; (b) styrenated terpenes, polyterpenes, or terpene phenolics; or (c) a hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin derive from a 5 carbon aliphatic monomer or 9 carbon aromatic monomer; wherein the amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C., and the number average molecular weight Mn of the amorphous organic material is from about 300 to about 1200, and the weight average molecular weight Mw is from about 300 to about 2,000.20.A latex formed from a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising: a crystalline organic material comprising: (1) a polyester; or (2) a small molecule ester selected from a distearyl terephthalate (DST), a phenyl ester, or a benzyl ester; wherein the crystalline organic material has a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C.; and an amorphous organic material comprising: (a) a rosin ester; (b) styrenated terpenes, polyterpenes, or terpene phenolics; or (c) a hydrogenated hydrocarbon resin derive from a 5 carbon aliphatic monomer or 9 carbon aromatic monomer; wherein the amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C., and the number average molecular weight Mn of the amorphous organic material is from about 300 to about 1200, and the weight average molecular weight Mw is from about 300 to about 2,000; further wherein the temperature required to lower viscosity to 104 Pa-s of the cold pressure fix toner at a pressure of 100 kgf/cm2 is from about 15° C. to about 70° C., and wherein the temperature required to lower viscosity of the cold pressure fix toner to about 104 Pa-s at a pressure of 10 kgf/cm2 is from about 50° C. to 90° C., and wherein the temperature shift from 10 to 100 kgf/cm2 of the cold pressure fix toner to lower the viscosity to 104 Pa-s is in a range from about 10° C. to about 60° C.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates to toner compositions for use in xerography.\",\n \"In particular, the present disclosure relates to cold pressure fix toner compositions.\",\n \"Cold pressure fix toners normally operate in a system employing a pair of high-pressure rollers to fix toner to paper without heating.\",\n \"Among the advantages of such systems are the use of low power and little paper heating.\",\n \"One example of a cold pressure fix toner comprises predominantly wax an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer with softening point of 99° C., and a 120° C. softening point polyamide thermoplastic polymer.\",\n \"An example of this approach is shown in U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"4,935,324, which is incorporated herein by reference.\",\n \"Another example of a cold pressure fix toner is comprised of a copolymer of styrene with 1-tertiary-butyl-2-ethenyl benzene and a polyolefin wax exemplified for example as Xerox 4060 cold pressure fix toner.\",\n \"Other cold fix toners have been based on a long chain acrylate core produced by suspension polymerization, such as lauryl acrylate.\",\n \"Examples of such compositions are disclosed in U.S. Pat.\",\n \"Nos.\",\n \"5,013,630 and 5,023,159 which are incorporated herein by reference.\",\n \"Such systems are designed to have a core with a T g less than room temperature.\",\n \"A hard shell, such as polyurethane prepared by an interfacial polymerization, is disposed about the core in order to keep the liquid content in the core in the toner particle.\",\n \"Performance issues in designs with high wax content include that they work only at high pressure, such as about 2000 psi or even 4000 psi, which are respectively, 140 kgf/cm 2 and 280 kgf/cm 2 and even then image robustness can be poor.\",\n \"In the case of long chain acrylate core designs the shell needs to be very thin to break under pressure, but it can be very challenging to prevent the capsules from leaking because the core is typically a liquid at room temperature.\"\n ],\n [\n \" SUMMARY In some aspects, embodiments herein relate to cold pressure fix toner compositions comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. In other aspects, embodiments herein relate to methods of cold pressure fix toner application comprising providing a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material ester having a Tg of from about 0° C. to about 60° C., disposing the cold pressure fix toner composition on a substrate and applying pressure to the disposed composition on the substrate under cold pressure fixing conditions.\",\n \"In still further aspects, embodiment herein relate to latexes formed from a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline amorphous material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C.; and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous rosin ester having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 60° C.\"\n ],\n [\n \"CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a divisional application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"14/802,949, filed Jul.\",\n \"17, 2015, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.\",\n \"BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates to toner compositions for use in xerography.\",\n \"In particular, the present disclosure relates to cold pressure fix toner compositions.\",\n \"Cold pressure fix toners normally operate in a system employing a pair of high-pressure rollers to fix toner to paper without heating.\",\n \"Among the advantages of such systems are the use of low power and little paper heating.\",\n \"One example of a cold pressure fix toner comprises predominantly wax an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer with softening point of 99° C., and a 120° C. softening point polyamide thermoplastic polymer.\",\n \"An example of this approach is shown in U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"4,935,324, which is incorporated herein by reference.\",\n \"Another example of a cold pressure fix toner is comprised of a copolymer of styrene with 1-tertiary-butyl-2-ethenyl benzene and a polyolefin wax exemplified for example as Xerox 4060 cold pressure fix toner.\",\n \"Other cold fix toners have been based on a long chain acrylate core produced by suspension polymerization, such as lauryl acrylate.\",\n \"Examples of such compositions are disclosed in U.S. Pat.\",\n \"Nos.\",\n \"5,013,630 and 5,023,159 which are incorporated herein by reference.\",\n \"Such systems are designed to have a core with a Tg less than room temperature.\",\n \"A hard shell, such as polyurethane prepared by an interfacial polymerization, is disposed about the core in order to keep the liquid content in the core in the toner particle.\",\n \"Performance issues in designs with high wax content include that they work only at high pressure, such as about 2000 psi or even 4000 psi, which are respectively, 140 kgf/cm2 and 280 kgf/cm2 and even then image robustness can be poor.\",\n \"In the case of long chain acrylate core designs the shell needs to be very thin to break under pressure, but it can be very challenging to prevent the capsules from leaking because the core is typically a liquid at room temperature.\",\n \"SUMMARY In some aspects, embodiments herein relate to cold pressure fix toner compositions comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. In other aspects, embodiments herein relate to methods of cold pressure fix toner application comprising providing a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous organic material ester having a Tg of from about 0° C. to about 60° C., disposing the cold pressure fix toner composition on a substrate and applying pressure to the disposed composition on the substrate under cold pressure fixing conditions.\",\n \"In still further aspects, embodiment herein relate to latexes formed from a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline amorphous material having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C.; and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous rosin ester having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 60° C. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Various embodiments of the present disclosure will be described herein below with reference to the figures wherein: FIG.\",\n \"1 shows the Shimadzu flow tester viscosity with temperature plot for an exemplary mixture of a crystalline ester distearyl terephthalate and an amorphous polyterpene resin SYLVARES™ TR A25 in a 79/21 wt % ratio for cold pressure fix application.\",\n \"At low pressure of 10 kgf/cm2 the transition temperature to reach a viscosity of 104 Pa-s is 77° C., while at a high pressure of 100 kgf/cm2 the transition temperature to reach a viscosity of 104 Pa-s is 38° C. The shift in the transition temperature to reach a viscosity of 104 Pa-s is 39° C. between a pressure of 10 kgf/cm2 and 100 kgf/cm2 FIG.\",\n \"2A shows the Shimadzu flow tester transition temperatures for an exemplary mixture of a crystalline ester distearyl terephthalate with varying amorphous Tg for different amorphous small molecule organic materials at a 79/21 wt % ratio.\",\n \"Shown are transitions temperatures to reach 104 Pa-s at 10 kgf/cm2, at 100 kgf/cm2 and the difference in the transition temperatures to reach 104 Pa-s at 10 kgf/cm2 minus that at 100 kgf/cm2.FIG.\",\n \"2B shows a plot with the same materials as FIG.\",\n \"2A and transition temperatures as in FIG.\",\n \"1, but showing the effect of different Ts of the different amorphous small molecules.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"3 shows the Shimadzu results for an exemplary mixture of a crystalline polyester polymer with an amorphous small molecule polyterpene resin SYLVARES™TR A25 in 79/21 wt % ratio.\",\n \"DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments herein provide cold pressure fix toners that comprise at least one crystalline organic compound which may be a small molecule or organic polymer, either of which is coupled with at least one amorphous organic small molecule or organic oligomeric resin.\",\n \"The crystalline and amorphous components are mixed together to provide a material that undergoes a phase change from solid to liquid at modest temperature, such as about 20° C. to about 70° C. at a pressure as low as 25 kgf/cm2 to about 100 kgf/cm2 to about 400 kgf/cm2.In embodiments there are provided cold pressure fix toners that comprise at least one crystalline small molecule, such as a crystalline small molecule ester for example, and at least one amorphous organic molecule or resin composition, or in embodiments at least one amorphous organic small molecule or organic oligomeric resin composition.\",\n \"The crystalline and amorphous small molecules are mixed together to provide a material that undergoes a phase change from solid to liquid at modest temperature, such as about 20° C. to about 70° C. at a pressure as low as 25 kgf/cm2 to about 100 kgf/cm2 to about 400 kgf/cm2.In some embodiments, the cold pressure fix toners may comprise a solid ink design employed in solid inkjet printing.\",\n \"While solid inkjet inks typically operate by heating above 100° C., it has been surprisingly found that under pressure these materials exhibit desirable flow near room temperature, and thus are ideal for cold pressure fix toner applications.\",\n \"In embodiments there are provided cold pressure fix toners that comprise at least one crystalline polyester resin and at least one amorphous organic small molecule or organic oligomeric resin composition.\",\n \"The crystalline polyester resin and amorphous small molecules are mixed together to provide a material that undergoes a phase change from solid to liquid at modest temperature, such as about 20° C. to about 70° C. at a pressure as low as 25 kgf/cm2 to about 100 kgf/cm2 to about 400 kgf/cm2.As used herein, a “small molecule” or oligomeric resin has less than about 80 carbon atoms and less than about 100 carbon and oxygen atoms combined.\",\n \"In embodiments, there are provided cold pressure fix toner compositions comprising at least one crystalline organic material, such as a crystalline ester or crystalline polyester, having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous small molecule or oligomeric resin having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. In embodiments, there are provided cold pressure fix toner compositions comprising at least one C16 to C80 crystalline organic material, such as a crystalline ester, having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one amorphous molecule or resin having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C., or in embodiments at least one C16 to C80 amorphous small molecule or oligomeric resin having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C. As used herein, “small molecule” refers to an organic compound, i.e., one containing at least carbon and hydrogen atoms, and having a molecule weight less than 2,000 daltons, or less than 1,500 daltons, or less than 1,000 daltons, or less than 500 daltons.\",\n \"As used herein, “cold pressure fix toner” or “CPF toner” refers to a toner material designed for application to a substrate and which is affixed to the substrate primarily by application of pressure.\",\n \"While heating may be optionally employed to assist in fixing a CPF toner, one benefit of the compositions disclosed herein is the ability to used reduced heating, or in embodiments, no applied heating.\",\n \"Affixing by application of pressure may be achieved in a broad range of pressures, such as from about 50 kgf/cm2 to about 100 kgf/cm2 to about 200 kgf/cm2.If necessary it is possible to use higher pressures up to about 400 kgf/cm2, however, generally such higher pressures are undesirable, causing calendaring and even wrinkling of the paper which distorts the look and feel of the paper, and requires more robust pressure fix rolls and spring assemblies.\",\n \"In embodiments, the CPF toner comprises at least one crystalline ester.\",\n \"In some such embodiments, the CPF toner comprises a crystalline diester.\",\n \"In embodiments, the at least one crystalline ester comprises an optionally substituted phenyl or benzyl ester.\",\n \"In embodiments, the at least one crystalline ester comprises distearyl terephthalate (DST).\",\n \"In embodiments, suitable crystalline esters may be diesters from about C16 to C80, with melting points in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C., such as those shown in the examples below in Table 1.In embodiments, it may be desirable to incorporate one or more acid groups, such as carboxylate or sulfonate, in these materials to provide negative charge to enhance toner performance.\",\n \"These acid groups may also be useful so the materials may be employed in the emulsion/aggregation toner processing.\",\n \"In embodiments, the acid moiety may be disposed in any position on the aromatic residues of the compounds in Table 1.In other embodiments, the acid may be provided by including some amount of monoester in place of the diester so that one end of the molecule bears an acid moiety.\",\n \"TABLE 1 Tmelt Tcrys Tg Structure (° C.) (° C.) (° C.) 94 47 n/a 115 62 n/a 74 ~50 n/a 102 51 n/a 86 34 n/a 35 n/a n/a 127 75 n/a 59 20-26 n/a 100 62 n/a 56 −5 n/a 119 ~75 n/a 80 18 n/a 80, 83 63 n/a 71 21 n/a 87 ~50 n/a 69 42 n/a 58 3 n/a 88 79 n/a 95 82 n/a 110 83 n/a In embodiments, the crystalline compound is a di-ester compounds made from Scheme 1 below.\",\n \"wherein R is a saturated or ethylenically unsaturated aliphatic group in one embodiment with at least about 6 carbon atoms, and in another embodiment with at least about 8 carbon atoms, and in one embodiment with no more than about 100 carbon atoms, in another embodiment with no more than about 80 carbon atoms, and in yet another embodiment with no more than about 60 carbon atoms, although the number of carbon atoms can be outside of these ranges, In a specific embodiment, the crystalline compound is derived from natural fatty alcohols such as octanol, stearyl alcohol, lauryl alcohol, behenyl alcohol, myristyl alcohol, capric alcohol, linoleyl alcohol, and the like.\",\n \"The above reaction may be conducted by combining dimethyl terepthalate and alcohol in the melt in the presence of a tin catalyst, such as, dibutyl tin dilaurate (Fascat 4202), dibutyl tin oxide (Fascat 4100); a zinc catalyst, such as Bi cat Z; or a bismuth catalyst, such as Bi cat 8124; Bi cat 8108, a titanium catalyst such as titanium dioxide.\",\n \"Only trace quantities of catalyst are required for the process.\",\n \"In embodiments, the catalyst is present in an amount of about 0.01 weight percent to 2 weight percent or of about 0.05 weight percent to about 1 weight percent of the total product.\",\n \"The reaction can be carried out at an elevated temperature of about 150° C. to about 250° C. or from about 160° C. to about 210° C. The solvent-free process is environmentally sustainable and eliminates problems with byproducts and also means higher reactor throughput.\",\n \"In embodiments, the crystalline component may have a structure of Formula A: wherein p1 is from about 1 to about 40, and q1 is from about 1 to about 40.In certain embodiments, p1 is from about 8 to about 26, from about 14 to about 20, or from about 16 to about 18.In certain embodiments, q1 is from about 8 to about 26, from about 14 to about 20, or from about 16 to about 18.In certain embodiments, p1 is the same as q1.In embodiments, the crystalline component is present in an amount of from about 50 percent to about 95 percent by weight, from about 60 percent to about 95 percent by weight, or from about 65 percent to about 95 percent by weight, or from about 70 percent to about 90 percent by weight of the total weight of the CPF toner composition.\",\n \"Typically, the weight ratio of the crystalline component to the amorphous component is from about 50:50 to about 95:5, or is from about 60:40 to about 95:5, or is from about 70:30 to about 90:10.In embodiments, the crystalline component is a polyester resin.\",\n \"Crystalline polyester resins can be prepared from a diacid and a diol.\",\n \"Examples of organic diols selected for the preparation of crystalline polyester resins include aliphatic diols with from about 2 to about 36 carbon atoms, such as 1,2-ethanediol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,7-heptanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 1,9-nonanediol, 1,10-decanediol, 1,12-dodecanediol, and the like; alkali sulfo-aliphatic diols such as sodio 2-sulfo-1,2-ethanediol, lithio 2-sulfo-1,2-ethanediol, potassio 2-sulfo-1,2-ethanediol, sodio 2-sulfo-1,3-propanediol, lithio 2-sulfo-1,3-propanediol, potassio 2-sulfo-1,3-propanediol, mixture thereof, and the like.\",\n \"The aliphatic diol is, for example, selected in an amount of from about 45 to about 50 mole percent of the resin, and the alkali sulfo-aliphatic diol can be selected in an amount of from about 1 to about 10 mole percent of the resin.\",\n \"Examples of organic diacids or diesters selected for the preparation of the crystalline polyester resins include oxalic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, napthalene-2,6-dicarboxylic acid, naphthalene-2,7-dicarboxylic acid, cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid, malonic acid and mesaconic acid, a diester or anhydride thereof; and an alkali sulfo-organic diacid such as the sodio, lithio or potassium salt of dimethyl-5-sulfo-isophthalate, dialkyl-5-sulfo-isophthalate-4-sulfo-1,8-naphthalic anhydride, 4-sulfo-phthalic acid, dimethyl-4-sulfo-phthalate, dialkyl-4-sulfo-phthalate, 4-sulfophenyl-3,5-dicarbomethoxybenzene, 6-sulfo-2-naphthyl-3,5-dicarbometh-oxybenzene, sulfo-terephthalic acid, dimethyl-sulfo-terephthalate, 5-sulfo-isophthalic acid, dialkyl-sulfo-terephthalate, sulfo-p-hydroxybenzoic acid, N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-2-amino ethane sulfonate, or mixtures thereof.\",\n \"The organic diacid may be selected in an amount of, for example, from about 40 to about 50 mole percent of the resin, and the alkali sulfoaliphatic diacid can be selected in an amount of from about 1 to about 10 mole percent of the resin.\",\n \"As an example, crystalline resins 1,12-dodecanedioic acid has been prepared with diols from C3 (1,3-propylene glycol), to C12, (1,12-dodecanediol), to yield crystalline polyesters with a Tm from about 60° C. to about 90° C. The properties of crystalline polyesters used in connection with embodiments herein are shown in Table 2 below.\",\n \"TABLE 2 Tm GPC AV (° C.) g/m × 1000 Resin ID Acid:Diol Mg KOH/g 1st Mw Mn A C12:C9 10.3 71.0 24.2 6.8 B C12:C6 14.5 72.3 14.3 6.1 C C12:C3 17 66.1 13.4 6.6 Toners for cold pressure fix comprised of a mixture of a crystalline polyester resin with a melting point of about 30° C. to about 90° C., and at least one amorphous mono-, di-, tri- and tetra-ester, including rosin esters, based on glycercol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, tartaric acid, citric acid or pentaerythritol, or a terpene oligomer, with from about 16 to about 80 carbons, and with a Tg of from about 0° C. to about 40° C. In embodiments, the crystalline polyester may have an acid value of about 6 to about 30, an Mn of about 1,000 to about 10,000, and an Mw of about 2,000 to about 30,000.Toners could be prepared by any means, including conventional extrusion and grinding, suspension, SPSS, incorporated in an N-Cap toner, incorporated in an EA toner, optionally with a shell.\",\n \"Latexes can be prepared, by, but are not limited to, solvent flash or phase inversion emulsification, including by solvent free methods.\",\n \"In embodiments, the cold pressure fix toner composition comprises at least one rosinated or rosin ester which may be a mono-, di-, tri-tetra-ester based on an alcohol such as methanol, glycercol (1,2,3-trihydroxypropane), diethylene glycol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, menthol, neopentylglycol, pentaerythritol (2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)1,3-propanediol), phenol, tertiary butyl phenol, and an acid such as tartaric acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, suberic acid, azelaic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, dodecanedioic acid, and sebacic acid.\",\n \"Suitable rosinated esters, without limitation, include those with about 16 to about 80 carbon atoms, including those with an number average molecular weight Mn of about 300 to about 1200, and a weight average molecular weight Mw of about 300 to about 2000.Suitable rosinated esters, without limitation, have an acid number of about 0 to about 300.Optionally monoesters, including monoesters with some acid functionality can be incorporated, including rosin acids, with an acid value of about 30 to about 400.As used herein, a “rosinated ester” or “rosin ester” synonymously refers to rosin acids that have been esterified.\",\n \"Such rosin acids may include naturally occurring resinous acids exuded by various species of trees, primarily pine and other conifers.\",\n \"The rosin may be separated from the essential oil spirit of turpentine by distillation.\",\n \"Tall oil rosin is produced during the distillation of crude tall oil, a by-product of the kraft paper making process.\",\n \"Additionally, the “stump waste” from pine trees can be distilled or extracted with solvent to separate out rosin, which is called wood rosin.\",\n \"The rosin utilized in the rosin ester may be partially or totally hydrogenated to remove some or essentially all the double bonds in the rosin, which results in a lighter color and significantly improved stability or the rosin and rosin ester.\",\n \"As an example abietic acid can be partially dehyrogenated to form dihydroabietic acid, or full dehydrogenated to form tetrahydroabietic acid.\",\n \"Again, it may be desirable to incorporate some acid groups in the cold fix toner materials in the amorphous component to provide a negative charge for toner performance and emulsion/aggregation toner processing.\",\n \"For such purposes some amount of the amorphous material that had a free acid end, rather than terminated by an ester, can be used.\",\n \"Alternatively, some of the ester groups might be replaced by ester groups that further include acid functionality.\",\n \"Suitable rosin esters that are available commercially include ABALYN® a rosin methyl ester, PENTALYN® A a rosin pentaerythritol ester, PEXALYN® 9085 a rosin glycerol ester, PEXALYN® T a rosin pentaerythritol ester, PINOVA® Ester Gum 8BG a rosin glycerol ester, FORAL® 85 a hyrogentated rosin glycerol ester, FORAL® 105 a pentaerythritol ester of hydroabietic (rosin) acid, FORAL® 3085 a hydrogenated rosin glycerol ester, HERCOLYN® D a hydrogenated rosin methyl ester, PENTALYN® H a rosin pentaerythritol ester, all available commercially from Pinova; ARAKAWA® Ester Gum G, ARAKAWA® Ester Gum AA-L, ARAKAWA® Ester Gum AAV ARAKAWA® Ester Gum AT rosin esters commercially available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd.; ARAKAWA® Ester Gum HP, ARAKAWA® Ester Gum H, ARAKAWA® Ester Gum HT hydrogenated rosin esters commercially available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd.; ARAKAWA® S-80, ARAKAWA® S-100, ARAKAWA® S-115, ARAKAWA® A-75, ARAKAWA® A-100, ARAKAWA® A-115, ARAKAWA® A-125, ARAKAWA® L, ARAKAWA-18 stabilized rosin esters commercially available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd.; ARAKAWA® KE-311 and KE-100 resins, triglycerides of hydrogenated abietic (rosin) acid commercially available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd.; ARAKAWA® KE-359 a hydrogenated rosin ester and ARAKAWA® D-6011 a disproportionated rosin ester commercially available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd.; and SYLVALITE® RE 10L, SYLVALITE® RE 80HP, SYLVALITE® RE 85L, SYLVALITE® RE 100XL, SYLVALITE® RE 100L, SYLVALITE® RE 105L, SYLVALITE® RE 110L.\",\n \"SYLVATAC® RE 25, SYLVATAC® RE 40, SYLVATAC® RE 85, SYLVATAC® RE 98 all available from Arizona Chemical; and PERMALYN™ 5095 a rosin glycerol ester, PERMALYN™ 5095-C a rosin glycerol ester, PERMALYN™ 5110 a rosin pentaerythritol ester, PERMALYN™ 5110-C, a rosin pentaerythritol ester, PERMALYN™ 6110 a rosin pentaerythritol ester, PERMALYN™ 6110-M a rosin pentaerythritol ester, PERMALYN™ 8120 a rosin pentaerythritol ester, STAYBELITE™ Ester 3-E a partially hydrogenated rosin ester, STAYBELITE™ Ester 5-E a partially hydrogenated rosin ester, and STAYBELITE™ Ester 10-E a partially hydrogenated rosin ester all available from Eastman Kodak; and ARAKAWA® ESTER E-720 and SUPER ESTER E-730-55 rosin ester latexes commercially available from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd. Table 3 below shows examples of other amorphous esters suitable for cold pressure fix toners disclosed herein.\",\n \"TABLE 3 Tmelt Tcrys Structure (° C.) (° C.) Tg (° C.) n/a n/a 6 n/a n/a 11-16 n/a n/a 5 Other suitable small molecule amorphous materials include other modified rosins, and are not limited to rosin esters.\",\n \"Examples of other suitable small molecule amorphous modified rosins include UNI-TAC® 70 available commercially from Arizona Chemicals, and ABITOL™ E a Hydroabietyl alcohol available commercially from Eastman Kodak; and POLY-PALE™ a dimerized rosin available commercially from Eastman Kodak.\",\n \"Other suitable small molecule amorphous materials include terpene resins, such as resins from α-pinene, including PICCOLYTE® A25, PICCOLYTE® A115, and PICCOLYTE® A125 from Pinova; and resins from β-pinene, PICCOLYTE®S25, PICCOLYTE® S85, PICCOLYTE® S115, and PICCOLYTE® S125 from Pinova; and resins from d-limonene, including PICCOLYTE® C85, PICCOLYTE® C105, PICCOLYTE® C115, PICCOLYTE® C115, PICCOLYTE® D115 from Pinova; and resins from mixed terpenes, such as PICCOLYTE® F105 IG and PICCOLYTE® F115 IG from Pinova; and other terpene based resins including SYLVARES® TR A25, SYLVARES® TR B115, SYLVARES® TR 7115, SYLVARES® TR 7125, SYLVAGUM® TR 90, SYLVAGUM® TR 105, ZONATAC® NG 98 a styrene modified terpene resin from Arizona Chemicals; and synthetic polyterpene resins such as NEVTAC® 2300, NEVTAC® 100, and NEVTAC® 80 commercially available from Neville Chemical Company; and PICCOLYTE® HM106 Ultra a styrenated polyterpene resin of d-limonene from Pinova; and hydrogenated terpene resins such as CLEARON® P115, CLEARON® P105, CLEARON® P85 from Yasuhara Chemical Co., Ltd.; Hydrogenated Aromatic Modified Terpene Resin such as CLEARON®M115, CLEARON® M105, CLEARON® K100, CLEARON® K4100, Aromatic Modified Terpene Polymer YS Resin TO115, YS Resin TO105, YS Resin TO85, YS Resin TR105 from Yasuhara Chemical Co., Ltd.; and Terpene phenolic resins, including YS Polyster U130, YS Polyster U115, YS Polyster T115, YS Polyster T100, YS Polyster T80 all from Yasuhara Chemical Co., Ltd., and SYLVARES® TP 96, SYLVARES® TP 300, SYLVARES® TP 2040, SYLVARES® TP 2019, SYLVARES® TP 2040HM, SYLVARES® TP 105, SYLVARES® TP 115 from Arizona chemicals.\",\n \"Other suitable small molecule amorphous materials include rosin acids, including but not limited to FORAL® AX a thermoplastic, acidic resin produced by hydrogenating wood rosin and FORAL® NC synthetic resin is the partial sodium resinate of the highly hydrogenated wood rosin, FORAL® AX, both available commercially from Pinova; and ARAKAWA® KE-604, ARAKAWA® KE-604B, ARAKAWA® KR-610, ARAKAWA® KR-612, and ARAKAWA® KR-614 hydrogenated rosins available commercially from Arakawa Chemical Industries, Ltd. Other suitable small molecule amorphous materials include the class of materials known as tackifiers, in which category many of the amorphous materials herein are typically included.\",\n \"Other tackifiers are also known, and may be suitable as the small molecule amorphous material used herein, or may be added in effective amounts of up to about 40%.\",\n \"Examples of other potentially effective tackifiers include aliphatic C5 monomer resin, PICCOTAC™ 1095, hydrogenated C5 monomer resin EASTOTAC™ H-100R, EASTOTAC™ H-100L Resin, EASTOTAC™ H-100W Resin, C9 monomer resins KRISTALEX™ 1120, PICCOTEX™ 75, PICCOTEX™ LC, PICCOTEX™ 100 Hydrocarbon Resin, styrenic C8 monomers resins PICCOLASTIC™ A5, PICCOLASTIC™ A75, hydrogenated, C9 aromatic monomer resins REGALITE™ S1100, partially hydrogenated, C9 aromatic monomer resins REGALITE™ S5100, REGALITE™ S7125, REGALITE™ R1100, REGALITE™ R7100, REGALITE™ R1090, REGALITE™ R1125, REGALITE™ R9100, mixed C5 aliphatic and C9 aromatic monomer resins PICCOTAC™ 8095, PICCOTAC™ 9095, PICCOTAC™ 7050, aromatic hydrocarbon resins, REGALREZ™ 1094, hydrogenated C9 monomer aromatic hydrocarbon resins, REGALREZ™ 1085, partially hydrogenated, C9 aromatic monomer resin REGALREZ™ all from Eastman; Aliphatic C5 modified petroleum resin WINGTACK® 10, WINGTACK® 95, WINGTACK® 98, WINGTACK® 86, aromatically modified petroleum resin WINGTACK® ET and aromatically modified petroleum resin WINGTACK® STS all from Cray Valley.\",\n \"In the cold pressure fix toner composition, an acid functionality may be present on the at least one crystalline ester, the at least one amorphous rosinated ester, or both.\",\n \"In some such embodiments, the acid functionality is incorporated as a monoester of a diacid.\",\n \"In other embodiments, the acid functionality is incorporated as a separate functional group present on the at least one crystalline ester.\",\n \"In yet other embodiments, the acid functionality is incorporated as a separate functional group present on the at least one amorphous rosinated ester.\",\n \"In embodiments, an amorphous small molecule component may have an acid value of about 0 to about 30.In embodiments the temperature for the viscosity of the material to be reduced to a value of about 10,000 Pa-s at about 100 kgf/cm2 applied pressure, is from about 0° C. to about 50° C., in other embodiments about 10° C. to about 40° C., in further embodiments from about 0° C. to about 30° C. In other embodiments the applied pressure for toner materials flow is from about 25 to about 400 kgf/cm2, and in further embodiments from about 50 to about 200 kgf/cm2.For cold pressure fixable toner it may be desirable to have the toner material flow near room temperature under the applied pressure of the cold pressure fixing system, to enable the toner to flow over the substrate surface and into pores or fibers in the substrate, as well as to enable the toner particles to flow into each other, thus providing a smooth continuous toner layer that is effectively adhered to the substrate.\",\n \"It may be desirable that the pressure applied be relatively low compared to the prior art, such as about 100 kgf/cm2.However, in embodiments the pressure can be higher, up to about 400 kgf/cm2, or lower, as little as 25 kgf/cm2, provided that the above described conditions for onset of toner flow and flow viscosity can be met.\",\n \"In embodiments, some heat may be applied to preheat the toner or the paper prior to entry to the cold pressure fixing system, which can enable cold pressure fix for temperatures somewhat above room temperature.\",\n \"In embodiments, it may be desirable for cold pressure fix that under low pressures, such as about 10 kgf/cm2 applied pressure the cold pressure fix toner does not flow significantly such that the toner particles stick together, for example in the toner cartridge, or in the printer, including in the developer housing, or on the imaging surfaces such as the photoreceptor, or in embodiments the intermediate transfer belt.\",\n \"In shipping or in the printer the temperature may rise to as much as 50° C., thus in embodiments it may be desirable that the toner does not flow significantly to allow the particles stick together up to 50° C. at about 10 kgf/cm2.Thus, in embodiments the temperature for the viscosity of the material to be reduced to a value of about 10,000 Pa-s, for the cold pressure fix toner at a lower pressure of about 10 kgf/cm2 applied pressure, is from about 50° C. to about 70° C., in embodiments about 55° C. to about 70° C., in embodiments about 60° C. to about 90° C., or in further embodiments at about 20 kgf/cm2 to about 40 kgf/cm2.Thus it may be desirable to have a high temperature for material flow at low pressures representative of storage and usage in the printer, and a low temperature for material at the desired higher cold pressure fix pressure.\",\n \"In embodiments there is a temperature shift calculated in the range from about 10° C. to about 60° C. where the flow viscosity of the cold pressure fix composition equal to about 10,000 pascal-seconds, when the applied pressure on the cold pressure fix composition is increased from 10 to 100 Kgf/cm2.In such embodiments, the temperature shift can be calculated as, ΔTη=0000=Tη=10000(10 Kgf/Cm2)−Tη=10000(100 Kgf/Cm2) where Tη=10000(10 kgf/cm2) is the temperature for flow viscosity n of 10000 Pa-s at 10 kgf/cm2 applied pressure and Tη=10000(100 kgf/cm2) is the temperature for flow viscosity η of 10000 Pa-s at 100 kgf/cm2.In other embodiments the low pressure for storage and printer usage applied can be in the range of about 10 kgf/cm2 to about 40 kgf/cm2, and the high pressure for applied for cold pressure fix can be in the range of about 25 kgf/cm2 to about 400 kgf/cm2.In embodiments, there are provided methods of cold pressure fix toner application comprising providing a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising: at least one crystalline material and one small molecule amorphous material C16 to C80 crystalline ester having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one amorphous ester having a Tg of from about −30° C. to about 70° C., disposing the cold pressure fix toner composition on a substrate, and applying pressure to the disposed composition on the substrate under cold pressure fixing conditions.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the applied pressure is in a range from about 25 kgf/cm2 to about 400 kgf/cm2.In embodiments, cold pressure fix is accomplished by applying pressure in the aforementioned range between two fixing rolls that may be selected from known fixing rolls, such as in U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"8,541,153 herein incorporated by reference.\",\n \"Examples of the fixing rolls are cylindrical metal rolls, which optionally may be coated with fluorine containing resins such as TEFLON® PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene resins, TEFLON® PFA perfluoroalkoxy resins, TEFLON® FEP a fluorinated ethylene propylene, DUPONT™ TEFLON® AF amorphous fluoroplastic resins, and silicon resins, or a combination of the different resins.\",\n \"The two fixing rolls may be made of the same materials or may be different.\",\n \"In embodiments the fixing step is cold pressure fix without any direct application of heat in the fixing step.\",\n \"However, due to the heat from the printer components, frictional heating between the rolls, the temperature may be elevated above room temperature in the fusing nip.\",\n \"In addition, the paper and or toner layer on the paper in embodiments may be heated for example with a heat lamp prior to the cold pressure fix apparatus.\",\n \"In embodiments, there are provided latexes formed from a cold pressure fix toner composition comprising at least one C16 to C60 crystalline ester having a melting point in a range from about 30° C. to about 130° C. and at least one C16 to C80 amorphous rosinated ester having a Tg of from about 0° C. to about 60° C. Toners can be prepared from the cold press toner compositions disclosed herein by any means, including conventional extrusion and grinding, suspension, SPSS (Spherical Polyester Toner by Suspension of Polymer/Pigment Solution and Solvent Removal Method, as described in Journal of the Imaging Society of Japan, Vol.\",\n \"43, 1, 48-53, 2004), incorporated in an N-Cap toner, (encapsulated toner, as described for example in U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"5,283,153 and incorporated in an emulsion aggregation toner, optionally with a shell.\",\n \"Where needed for toner applications, latexes can be made incorporating the crystalline and/or amorphous mixtures, prepared by solvent flash, by phase inversion emulsification, including by solvent free methods.\",\n \"Other additives may be present in the CPF toners disclosed here.\",\n \"The CPF toner compositions of the present embodiments may further optionally include one or more conventional additives to take advantage of the known functionality associated with such conventional additives.\",\n \"Such additives may include, for example, colorants, antioxidants, defoamer, slip and leveling agents, clarifier, viscosity modifier, adhesive, plasticizer and the like.\",\n \"When present, the optional additives may each, or in combination, be present in the CPF toner in any desired or effective amount, such as from about 1% to about 10%, from about 5% to about 10%, or from about 3% to about 5% by weight of the CPF toner.\",\n \"In a typical CPF toner composition antioxidants are added for preventing discoloration of the small molecule composition.\",\n \"In embodiments, the antioxidant material can include IRGANOX® 1010; and NAUGARD® 76, NAUGARD® 445, NAUGARD® 512, and NAUGARD® 524.In embodiments, the antioxidant is NAUGARD® 445.In other embodiments the antioxidant material can include MAYZO® BNX® 1425 a calcium salt of phosphonic acid, and MAYZO® BNX® 358 a thiophenol both available commercially from MAYZO®, and ETHANOX® 323A a nonylphenol disulfide available commercially from SI Group.\",\n \"In embodiments, CPF toners disclosed herein may further comprise a plasticizer.\",\n \"Exemplary plasticizers may include Uniplex 250 (commercially available from Unitex), the phthalate ester plasticizers commercially available from Ferro under the trade name SANTICIZER®, such as dioctyl phthalate, diundecyl phthalate, alkylbenzyl phthalate (SANTICIZER® 278), triphenyl phosphate (commercially available from Ferro), KP-140, a tributoxyethyl phosphate (commercially available from Great Lakes Chemical Corporation), MORFLEX® 150, a dicyclohexyl phthalate (commercially available from Morflex Chemical Company Inc.), trioctyl trimellitate (commercially available from Sigma Aldrich Co.), and the like.\",\n \"Plasticizers may be present in an amount from about 0.01 to about 30 percent, from about 0.1 to about 25 percent, from about 1 to about 20 percent by weight of the CPF toner.\",\n \"In embodiments, the cold pressure fix toner compositions described herein also include a colorant.\",\n \"Any desired or effective colorant can be employed in the cold pressure fix toner compositions, including dyes, pigments, mixtures thereof.\",\n \"Any dye or pigment may be chosen, provided that it is capable of being dispersed or dissolved in the CPF toner and is compatible with the other CPF toner components.\",\n \"Any conventional cold pressure fix toner colorant materials, such as Color Index (C.I.)\",\n \"Solvent Dyes, Disperse Dyes, modified Acid and Direct Dyes, Basic Dyes, Sulphur Dyes, Vat Dyes, fluorescent dyes and the like.\",\n \"Examples of suitable dyes include NEOZAPON® Red 492 (BASF); ORASOL® Red G (Pylam Products); Direct Brilliant Pink B (Oriental Giant Dyes); Direct Red 3BL (Classic Dyestuffs); SUPRANOL® Brilliant Red 3BW (Bayer AG); Lemon Yellow 6G (United Chemie); Light Fast Yellow 3G (Shaanxi); Aizen Spilon Yellow C-GNH (Hodogaya Chemical); Bemachrome Yellow GD Sub (Classic Dyestuffs); CARTASOL® Brilliant Yellow 4GF (Clariant); Cibanone Yellow 2G (Classic Dyestuffs); ORASOL® Black RLI (BASF); ORASOL® Black CN (Pylam Products); Savinyl Black RLSN (Clariant); Pyrazol Black BG (Clariant); MORFAST® Black 101 (Rohm & Haas); Diaazol Black RN (ICI); THERMOPLAST® Blue 670 (BASF); ORASOL® Blue GN (Pylam Products); Savinyl Blue GLS (Clariant); LUXOL® Fast Blue MBSN (Pylam Products); Sevron Blue 5GMF (Classic Dyestuffs); BASACID® Blue 750 (BASF); KEYPLAST® Blue (Keystone Aniline Corporation); NEOZAPON® Black X51 (BASF); Classic Solvent Black 7 (Classic Dyestuffs); SUDAN® Blue 670 (C.I.\",\n \"61554) (BASF); SUDAN® Yellow 146 (C.I.\",\n \"12700) (BASF); SUDAN® Red 462 (C.I.\",\n \"26050) (BASF); C.I.\",\n \"Disperse Yellow 238; Neptune Red Base NB543 (BASF, C.I.\",\n \"Solvent Red 49); Neopen Blue FF-4012 (BASF); Fatsol Black BR (C.I.\",\n \"Solvent Black 35) (Chemische Fabriek Triade BV); Morton Morplas Magenta 36 (C.I.\",\n \"Solvent Red 172); metal phthalocyanine colorants such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,221,137, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference, and the like.\",\n \"Polymeric dyes can also be used, such as those disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"5,621,022 and U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"5,231,135, the disclosures of each of which are herein entirely incorporated herein by reference, and commercially available from, for example, Milliken & Company as Milliken Ink Yellow 869, Milliken Ink Blue 92, Milliken Ink Red 357, Milliken Ink Yellow 1800, Milliken Ink Black 8915-67, uncut Reactint Orange X-38, uncut Reactint Blue X-17, Solvent Yellow 162, Acid Red 52, Solvent Blue 44, and uncut Reactint Violet X-80.Pigments are also suitable colorants for the cold pressure fix toners.\",\n \"Examples of suitable pigments include PALIOGEN® Violet 5100 (BASF); PALIOGEN® Violet 5890 (BASF); HELIOGEN® Green L8730 (BASF); LITHOL® Scarlet D3700 (BASE); SUNFAST® Blue 15:4 (Sun Chemical); HOSTAPERM® Blue B2G-D (Clariant); HOSTAPERM® Blue B4G (Clariant); Permanent Red P-F7RK; HOSTAPERM® Violet BL (Clariant); LITHOL® Scarlet 4440 (BASF); Bon Red C (Dominion Color Company); ORACET® Pink RF (BASF); PALIOGEN® Red 3871 K (BASF); SUNFAST® Blue 15:3 (Sun Chemical); PALIOGEN® Red 3340 (BASF); SUNFAST® Carbazole Violet 23 (Sun Chemical); LITHOL® Fast Scarlet L4300 (BASF); SUNBRITE® Yellow 17 (Sun Chemical); HELIOGEN® Blue L6900, L7020 (BASF); SUNBRITE® Yellow 74 (Sun Chemical); SPECTRA PAC C Orange 16 (Sun Chemical); HELIOGEN® Blue K6902, K6910 (BASF); SUNFAST® Magenta 122 (Sun Chemical); HELIOGEN® Blue D6840, D7080 (BASF); SUDAN® Blue OS (BASF); NEOPEN Blue FF4012 (BASF); PV Fast Blue B2GO1 (Clariant); IRGALITE Blue GLO (BASF); PALIOGEN® Blue 6470 (BASF); SUDAN® Orange G (Aldrich); SUDAN® Orange 220 (BASF); PALIOGEN® Orange 3040 (BASF); PALIOGEN® Yellow 152, 1560 (BASF); LITHOL® Fast Yellow 0991 K (BASF); PALIOTOL Yellow 1840 (BASF); NOVOPERM Yellow FGL (Clariant); Ink Jet Yellow 4G VP2532 (Clariant); Toner Yellow HG (Clariant); Lumogen Yellow D0790 (BASF); Suco-Yellow L1250 (BASF); Suco-Yellow D1355 (BASF); Suco Fast Yellow D1355, D1351 (BASF); HOSTAPERM Pink E 02 (Clariant); Hansa Brilliant Yellow 5GX03 (Clariant); Permanent Yellow GRL 02 (Clariant); Permanent Rubine L6B 05 (Clariant); FANAL Pink D4830 (BASF); CINQUASIA® Magenta (DU PONT); PALIOGEN® Black L0084 (BASF); Pigment Black K801 (BASF); and carbon blacks such as REGAL 330™ (Cabot), Nipex 150 (Evonik) Carbon Black 5250 and Carbon Black 5750 (Columbia Chemical), and the like, as well as mixtures thereof.\",\n \"Pigment dispersions in the CPF toner may be stabilized by synergists and dispersants.\",\n \"Generally, suitable pigments may be organic materials or inorganic.\",\n \"Magnetic material-based pigments are also suitable, for example, for the fabrication of robust Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) inks.\",\n \"Magnetic pigments include magnetic nanoparticles, such as for example, ferromagnetic nanoparticles.\",\n \"Also suitable are the colorants disclosed in U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,472,523, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,726,755, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,476,219, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,576,747, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,713,614, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,663,703, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,755,902, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,590,082, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,696,552, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,576,748, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,646,111, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,673,139, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,958,406, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"6,821,327, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"7,053,227, U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"7,381,831 and U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"7,427,323, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.\",\n \"In embodiments, solvent dyes are employed.\",\n \"An example of a solvent dye suitable for use herein may include spirit soluble dyes because of their compatibility with the CPF toner carriers disclosed herein.\",\n \"Examples of suitable spirit solvent dyes include NEOZAPON® Red 492 (BASF); ORASOL® Red G (Pylam Products); Direct Brilliant Pink B (Global Colors); Aizen Spilon Red C-BH (Hodogaya Chemical); Kayanol Red 3BL (Nippon Kayaku); Spirit Fast Yellow 3G; Aizen Spilon Yellow C-GNH (Hodogaya Chemical); CARTASOL® Brilliant Yellow 4GF (Clariant); PERGASOL® Yellow 5RA EX (Classic Dyestuffs); ORASOL® Black RLI (BASF); ORASOL® Blue GN (Pylam Products); Savinyl Black RLS (Clariant); MORFAST® Black 101 (Rohm and Haas); THERMOPLAST® Blue 670 (BASF); Savinyl Blue GLS (Sandoz); LUXOL® Fast Blue MBSN (Pylam); Sevron Blue 5GMF (Classic Dyestuffs); BASACID® Blue 750 (BASF); KEYPLAST® Blue (Keystone Aniline Corporation); NEOZAPON® Black X51 (C.I.\",\n \"Solvent Black, C.I.\",\n \"12195) (BASF); SUDAN® Blue 670 (C.I.\",\n \"61554) (BASF); SUDAN® Yellow 146 (C.I.\",\n \"12700) (BASF); SUDAN® Red 462 (C.I.\",\n \"260501) (BASF), mixtures thereof and the like.\",\n \"The colorant may be present in the cold pressure fix toner in any desired or effective amount to obtain the desired color or hue such as, for example, at least from about 0.1 percent by weight of the CPF toner to about 50 percent by weight of the CPF toner, at least from about 0.2 percent by weight of the CPF toner to about 20 percent by weight of the CPF toner, and at least from about 0.5 percent by weight of the CPF toner to about 10 percent by weight of the CPF toner.\",\n \"The colorant may be included in the CPF toner in an amount of from, for example, about 0.1 to about 15% by weight of the CPF toner, or from about 0.5 to about 6% by weight of the CPF toner.\",\n \"The following Examples are being submitted to illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure.\",\n \"These Examples are intended to be illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.\",\n \"Also, parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.\",\n \"As used herein, “room temperature” refers to a temperature of from about 20° C. to about 25° C. EXAMPLES Example 1-C16 to C80 Crystalline Organic Material This example describes testing of exemplary cold pressure fix toners in accordance with embodiments herein.\",\n \"Shimadzu flow tester evaluation of cold pressure fix capability: In order to test the ability of materials to flow under pressure, as required by cold pressure fix, a Shimadzu Flow tester also known as a Capillary Rheometer (available from Shimadzu Scientific Instruments) was used.\",\n \"Solid samples were either scalloped away or cracked into pieces with a rubber mallet.\",\n \"Samples were neither dried nor ground.\",\n \"All materials were pressed into a slug with 5000 pounds of pressure and a 10 second hold.\",\n \"The samples were run on a Shimadzu CFT 500/100 tester.\",\n \"All samples were extruded through a 1.0×1.0 mm cone die using a piston with a cross sectional area of 1 cm2.Typical sample weights were between about 1.5 g and 2.5 grams.\",\n \"The process conditions were: about 23 to 26° C. to begin, 10 Kg or 100 Kg, 180 second pre-heat and a ramp rate of 3° C./minute.\",\n \"Thus, the two pressures tested were 10 kgf/cm2 as a control at low pressure, and 100 Kgf/cm2 as a high pressure, the latter high pressure representative of the target pressure for cold pressure fix.\",\n \"Table 4 below shows the compositions and Shimadzu results for two control toners.\",\n \"TABLE 4 Transition Temperature (° C., 104 Pa-s) ΔT (° C.) Sample Polymer formulation 100 kgf/cm2 10 kgf/cm2 10-100 kgf/cm2 Control 1 50:50 copolymer of styrene 113 123 10 And 1-t-butyl-2-ethenyl benzene Control 2 46:46:8 ratio of 100 100 0 amorphous resin A:amorphous resin B:crystalline resin C Control 1 is an example of a cold pressure fix toner which is comprised of a copolymer of styrene withl-tertiary-butyl-2-ethenyl benzene and a polyolefin wax, the Xerox 4060 cold pressure fix toner.\",\n \"Table 4 shows that the Control 1 toner cold pressure fix toner flow, the transition from high to low viscosity at about 104 Pa-s, occurs about 10° C. lower at high pressure than at low pressure, and even at high pressure has a flow transition temperature of over 100° C. Note Control 1 is designed to fix at about 300 kgf/cm2, about 3× higher than applied here.\",\n \"But clearly is not suitable for cold pressure fix at 100 kgf/cm2.Control 2 is a black emulsion/aggregation toner of particle size of about 5.7 μm comprised of a core of about 25% each of polyester A and polyester B, about 8% of crystalline polyester C, about 10% polyethylene wax, about 6% carbon black and 1% cyan pigment, and a shell of about 14% each of polyester A and polyester B, where polyester A has an average molecular weight (Mw) of about 86,000, a number average molecular weight (Mn) of about 5,600, and an onset glass transition temperature (Tg onset) of about 56° C., where polyester B has a Mw of about 19,400, an Mn of about 5,000, a Tg onset of about 60° C., and where the crystalline polyester resin C has an Mw of about 23,300, an Mn of about 10,500, and a melting temperature (Tm) of about 71° C., wherein the polyethylene wax has a Tm of about 90° C. Both amorphous resins were of the formula wherein m is from about 5 to about 1000.The crystalline resin was of the formula wherein n is from about 5 to about 2000.As shown in Table 4 Control 2 toner, which is a mixture of crystalline and amorphous polymer resins, has no difference in rheology with pressure at all, and also has a very high transition temperature of 100° C. to low viscosity, thus is not itself a candidate for cold pressure fix at this pressure.\",\n \"Table 5 shows the compositions and results for samples with small molecule amorphous and crystalline materials.\",\n \"TABLE 5 Transition Crystalline small Amorphous small Temperature ΔT molecule molecule Amorphous properties (° C., 104 Pa-s) (° C.) Sample Structure wt % Structure wt % Tg (° C.) Ts (° C.) Mn Mw AV 100 kgf/cm2 10 kgf/cm2 10 − 100 kgf/cm2 1 Distearyl 100 none NA NA NA NA NA 78 83 5 terephthalate 2 Ester (II) 70 Benzoate ester 30 NA NA NA NA NA 54 69 15 mixture (III) 3 Distearyl 79 SYLVATAC ® 21 5 35 850 1275 14 45 75 30 terephthalate RE40 rosin ester 4 Distearyl 79 SYLVARES ™ 21 −20 25 330 462 0 38 77 39 terephthalate TR A25 polyterpene 5 Distearyl 79 SYLVALITE ® 21 39 85 810 1053 10 60 80 20 terephthalate RE 85L rosin ester 6 Distearyl 79 SYLVARES ™ 21 47 95 520 676 0 63 78 15 terephthalate TP 96 polyterpene phenolic 7 Distearyl 79 Uni-Tac 70 21 45 80 315 756 140 61 78 17 terephthalate modified rosin 8 Distearyl 79 Arakawa Ester 21 34 68 no no 10 55 79 24 terephthalate Gum H data data hydrogenated rosin ester 9 Distearyl 70 SYLVARES ™ 30 −20 25 330 462 0 30 65 35 10 terephthalate 60 TR A25 40 −20 25 330 462 0 27 59 32 polyterpene 11 Distearyl 79 SYLVALITE□ 21 −20 liquid 680 748 10 35 81 46 12 terephthalate 70 RE 10L rosin 30 −20 liquid 680 748 10 26 73 47 13 60 ester 40 −20 liquid 680 748 10 26 77 51 Sample 1 is comprised of distearyl terephthalate, or DST, the diester (I): Sample 2 is comprised primarily of a 70:30 weight ratio of a crystalline diester (II) with an amorphous short chain oligomer mixture comprised of an amide and an ester in the main chain, terminated as benzoate esters (Ill).\",\n \"Sample 3 has a 79:21 ratio of the crystalline distearyl terephthalate (DST; compound (I)) and SYLVATAC® RE40 an amorphous mixture of rosinated esters (IV), the main component a diester of diethylene glycol, and minor components of a monoester of diethylene glycol, and di-, tri- and tetra-esters of pentaerythritol.\",\n \"The Standard cold press fix toner (Control 1 in Table 4) has a transition temperature for 104 Pa-s at about 113° C. which is too high in temperature to be useful for cold pressure fix, and a shift of 10° C. with high pressure.\",\n \"The resin-based toner (Control 2) with crystalline and amorphous polyester resins has no temperature shift with pressure and thus is not suitable as major components for cold pressure fix.\",\n \"The designs using crystalline/amorphous mixtures of small molecule esters, such as Sample 2 solid ink and in particular Sample 3 solid ink (Table 5) are suitable cold press fix materials.\",\n \"Sample 3, in particular, has a larger shift with pressure as the Standard cold press fix toner (Control 1), but with a much lower transition temperature that is approaching room temperature.\",\n \"Thus, Samples 1 and 3 represent an advantage over currently employed cold press fix toners.\",\n \"Example 2-Crystalline Polyester Flow tester evaluation of cold pressure fix capability: To test the ability of the materials to flow under pressure for cold pressure fix (CPF), a Shimadzu flow tester was used.\",\n \"Solid samples were either scalloped away or cracked into pieces with a rubber mallet.\",\n \"All materials were pressed into a slug with 5,000 pounds of pressure and a 10 second hold.\",\n \"The samples were run on a Shimadzu CFT 500/100 tester.\",\n \"All samples were extruded through a 1.0×1.0 mm cone die using a piston with a cross sectional area of 1 cm2.The process conditions were: 27.7° C. to begin, either 10 Kg or 100 Kg, 180 second pre-heat and a ramp rate of 3° C./minute.\",\n \"Thus, the two pressures tested were 10 kgf/cm2 and 100 kgf/cm2.The latter is a particularly useful target pressure for CPF.\",\n \"Results are tabulated in Table 6.Useful designs generally have a transition temperature to reach a viscosity of 104 Pa-s, of about 0° C. to 50° C. at 100 kgf/cm2 to enable room temperature fusing, and a of about 55° C. to 70° C. at low pressure, for good toner blocking.\",\n \"Example 1 uses a crystalline small molecule, distearyl terephthalate, and an amorphous small molecule, SYLVARES™ TR A25, a small molecule oligomeric alpha-pinene.\",\n \"The high pressure onset temperature of this material in Example 1 was about 38° C., just above room temperature, while the transition at low pressure is still high enough at about 73° C. to potentially provide reasonable blocking.\",\n \"By contrast, in the present Example which is a mixture of crystalline C12:C9 diacid:diol (CPE) resin and amorphous resins, instead of crystalline and amorphous small molecules, there was no perceived shift with pressure, and thus there is a very high transition temperature at high pressure.\",\n \"The CPE polyester resin alone also does not show any shift with pressure and thus has a very high transition temperature at high pressure.\",\n \"Also note that the CPE low pressure transition temperature is about 73° C., close to the CPE melt point, but when an amorphous resin with Tg of about 55° C. to 60° C. is added, the transition temperature actually increases.\",\n \"Thus, unexpectedly a CPF toner based on a mixture of these amorphous and crystalline polyester resins is not suitable for CPF.\",\n \"It was therefore very surprising that the same C12:C9 CPE resin mixed with the SYLVARES™ TR A25 (a small molecule oligomeric alpha pinene resin) shifted the transition temperature to lower temperature of about 54° C. at high pressure, a temperature shift of 15° C. The CPE with diol chain lengths of C3 and C6 also has a similar high pressure transition of about 54° C. The low pressure transition was in all cases very close to the melt point of the CPE.\",\n \"So in all cases at low pressure these would all pass blocking criterion, while providing a much lower transition at high pressure than the control material.\",\n \"TABLE 6 Phase Change Transition Crystalline Temperature, Tpc (° C.) Material Properties @1 × 104 Pa-s Melt point Tpc Tpc ΔTpc Sample Comment (° C.) Mw Mn @100 kgf/cm2 @10 kgf/cm2 (10 kgf/cm2 − 100 kgf/cm2) 1 79% DST/21% 72.5 15.7 6.5 38 73 35 SYLVARES ™ TR A25 (from Example 1) 2 46:46:8 wt % ratio of 7 22.9 10.4 100 100 0 amorphous resin A:amorphous resin B:crystalline resin C C12:C9 qcid; diol CPE (from Example 1) 3 C12:C9 acid:diol 71 22.9 10.4 73 73 0 CPE 4 79:21 63 13.4 6.6 54 63 9 C12:C3/SYLVARES ™ TR A25 5 79:21 72 14.3 6.1 53 70 17 C12:C6/SYLVARES ™ TR A25 6 79:21 71 22.9 10.4 54 69 15 C12:C9/SYLVARES ™ TR A25 7 70:30 72 15.7 6.5 45 70 25 C12:C6/SYLVARES ™ TR A25 8 60:40 72 15.7 6.5 37 70 33 C12:C6/SYLVARES ™ TR A25 9 50:50 72 15.7 6.5 29 64 35 C12:C6/SYLVARES ™ TR A25 10 70:30 72.6 16.9 7.6 45 62 17 C12:C6/SYLVATAC ® RE 25 11 70:30 72.6 16.9 7.6 40 63 23 C12:C6/SYLVALITE□ RE 10L 12 70:30 72.7 17.0 7.5 26 57 31 C12:C6/SYLVALITE ® RE 10L As shown in samples 7 to sample 12 increasing the amount of amorphous small molecule lowers the high pressure transition temperature further.\",\n \"The low pressure transition is not greatly affected by the addition of amorphous resin, the transition temperature at low pressure remains close to the CPE melt-point, so it is possible to reduce the high pressure transition temperature, while leaving the low pressure temperature high enough for good blocking.\",\n \"There are some important advantages to using the CPE resin for the CPF toner, rather than a small molecule crystalline material.\",\n \"Because CPE is a polymer, compared to the DST small molecule, there is an increased toughness and elasticity, which could be very important to produce a robust toner particle.\",\n \"Moreover, because CPE resins have been previously designed for emulsion aggregation (EA) toner control the acid number to get the required acid value is well known.\",\n \"Adjusting the acid value of a small molecule crystalline material is not as straightforward.\",\n \"Since the DST is a small molecule putting an acid group in every molecule would make the acid value much too high to make toner.\",\n \"So only a small number of the DST molecules for example could potentially have an acid group, to enable making a functional EA toner—acid number affects both toner making and toner performance in charging.\",\n \"Also, one of the easiest ways to add an acid group to the DST small molecule for example is to have only one stearate group and have the other functional group of the terephalate as a free acid group.\",\n \"However, this would change the melt and baroplastic behavior of those monostearyl terephalate acid molecules compared to those with DST.\",\n \"Another small molecule could be added with acid groups, but again this could impact baroplastic performance.\",\n \"These issues do not arise with the polymeric CPE.\",\n \"Example 3-Toner Production Latex Preparation: A latex of 190 nm size was prepared by co-emulsification of a 79/21 ratio of C10/C6 CPE (AV=10.2) and SYLVARES™TR A25 (AV=0).\",\n \"79 grams of C10/C6 CPE resin and 21 g of SYLVARES™TR A25 were measured into a 2 liter beaker containing about 1000 grams of ethyl acetate.\",\n \"The mixture was stirred at about 300 revolutions per minute at 65° C. to dissolve the resin and CCA in the ethyl acetate.\",\n \"6.38 grams of Dowfax (47 wt %) was measured into a 4 liter glass beaker containing about 1000 grams of deionized water.\",\n \"Homogenization of said water solution in said 4 liter glass beaker was commenced with an IKA Ultra Turrax T50 homogenizer at 4,000 revolutions per minute.\",\n \"The resin mixture solution was then slowly poured into the water solution as the mixture continues to be homogenized, the homogenizer speed is increased to 8,000 revolutions per minute and homogenization is carried out at these conditions for about 30 minutes.\",\n \"Upon completion of homogenization, the glass flask reactor and its contents are placed in a heating mantle and connected to a distillation device.\",\n \"The mixture is stirred at about 250 revolutions per minute and the temperature of said mixture is increased to 80° C. at about 1° C. per minute to distill off the ethyl acetate from the mixture.\",\n \"Stirring of the said mixture is continued at 80° C. for about 120 minutes followed by cooling at about 2° C. per minute to room temperature.\",\n \"The product is screened through a 25 micron sieve.\",\n \"The resulting resin emulsion is comprised of about 13.84 percent by weight solids in water, and has a volume average diameter of about 196.2 nanometers as measured with a HONEYWELL MICROTRAC® UPA150 particle size analyzer.\",\n \"Two further latexes were also prepared in a similar manner, except that 70 grams of C10/C6 CPE resin with 30 g of SYLVARES™TR A25 were used to prepare latex with 183.1 nm size at 17.52 wt % solid content, and 70 grams of C10/C6 CPE resin with 30 g of SYLVATAC□RE25 were used to prepare another latex of 139.6 nm size at 17.44 wt % solid content.\",\n \"Toner Preparation A: Into a 2 liter glass reactor equipped with an overhead stirrer was added 33.95 g PB15:3 dispersion (17.89 wt %), and 726.26 g above latex with 79 grams of C10/C6 CPE resin and 21 g of SYLVARES™TR A25.Above mixture had a pH of 3.71, then 20.17 grams of Al2(SO4)3 solution (1 wt %) was added as flocculent under homogenization.\",\n \"The temperature of mixture increased to 55° C. at 250 rpm.\",\n \"The particle size was monitored with a Coulter Counter until the core particles reached a volume average particle size of 7.42 μm.\",\n \"Thereafter, the pH of the reaction slurry was increased to 9.5 using 15.81 g EDTA (39 wt %) and NaOH (4 wt %) to freeze the toner growth.\",\n \"After freezing, the reaction mixture was heated to 70° C. The toner was quenched after coalescence, and it had a final particle size of 9.64 microns.\",\n \"The toner slurry was then cooled to room temperature, separated by sieving (25 μm), filtration, followed by washing and freeze dried.\",\n \"Toner preparation B: Into a 2 liter glass reactor equipped with an overhead stirrer was added 34.18 g PB15:3 dispersion (17.89 wt %), and 577.61 g (17.52 wt %) latex with C10/C6 CPE to SYLVARES™TR A25 at a ratio of 70 to 30.Above mixture had a pH of 3.70, then 56.15 grams of Al2(SO4)3 solution (1 wt %) was added as flocculent under homogenization.\",\n \"The temperature of mixture was increased to 60.5° C. at 250 rpm.\",\n \"The particle size was monitored with a Coulter Counter until the core particles reached a volume average particle size of 6.48 μm.\",\n \"Thereafter, the pH of the reaction slurry was increased to 9.5 using 13.08 g EDTA (39 wt %) and NaOH (4 wt %) to freeze the toner growth.\",\n \"After freezing, the reaction mixture was heated to 67.9° C. The toner was quenched after coalescence, and it had a final particle size of 8.24 microns.\",\n \"The toner slurry was then cooled to room temperature, separated by sieving (25 μm), filtration, followed by washing and freeze dried.\",\n \"Toner preparation C: Into a 2 liter glass reactor equipped with an overhead stirrer was added 38.70 g PB15:3 dispersion (16.00 wt %), and 571.97 g latex with C10/C6 CPE to SYLVATAC® RE25.Above mixture had a pH of 4.07, then 61.71 grams of Al2(SO4)3 solution (1 wt %) was added as flocculent under homogenization.\",\n \"The temperature of mixture was increased to 60.8° C. at 250 rpm.\",\n \"The particle size was monitored with a Coulter Counter until the core particles reached a volume average particle size of 6.75 μm.\",\n \"Thereafter, the pH of the reaction slurry was increased to 9.01 using NaOH (4 wt %) to freeze the toner growth.\",\n \"After freezing, the reaction mixture was heated to 68° C. The toner was quenched after coalescence, and it had a final particle size of 7.90 microns.\",\n \"The toner slurry was then cooled to room temperature, separated by sieving (25 μm), filtration, followed by washing and freeze dried.\",\n \"Table 7 shows the Shimadzu phase change transition temperature difference is not as large in the toner samples as it is in the simple mixtures of the CPE and small amorphous molecule in Table 6.For example in Table 6 the Sample 5 mixture with 79/21 ratio of CPE C10:C6/SYLVARES™ TR A25 had a shift with pressure of 17° C. to transition temperature of 53° C. at 100 kgf/cm2, compared to toner sample A with a shift with pressure of 3° C. to transition temperature of 68° C. at 100 kgf/cm2.Also in Table 6 the Sample 1 mixture with 70/30 ratio of CPE C10:C6/SYLVARES™ TR A25 had a shift with pressure of 25° C. to transition temperature of 45° C. at 100 kgf/cm2, compared to toner sample B with a shift with pressure of 4° C. to transition temperature of 68° C. at 100 Kgf/cm2, Also in Table 6 the Sample 10 mixture with 70/30 ratio of CPE C10:C6/SYLVATAC® RE40 had a shift with pressure of 17° C. to transition temperature of 45° C. at 100 kgf/cm2, compared to toner sample C with the same formulation with a shift with pressure of 7° C. to transition temperature of 62° C. at 100 kgf/cm2, As shown in Table 7 reduction in the phase transition temperature and the increase in the shift with pressure can be achieved with further increase in amorphous content.\",\n \"TABLE 7 Phase ChangeTransition CPE Properties Temperature ΔT Toner Mn Mw Mp (° C., 104 Pa-s) (° C.) Sample Material ID (k) (k) (° C.) 100 kgf/cm2 10 kgf/cm2 10 − 100 kgf/cm2 A 79/21 25.6 10.7 75.5 68 71 3 C12:C6/ SYLVARES ™ TR A25 B 70/30 25.6 10.7 75.5 65 69 4 C12:C6/ SYLVARES ™ TR A25 C 70/30 16.9 7.6 72.6 62 69 7 C12:C6/ SYLVATAC ® RE25\"\n ]\n]"},"source":{"kind":"string","value":"Patent_15874292"}}},{"rowIdx":4494561,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"list like","value":[["SYSTEM AND COMPUTER-BASED METHOD FOR SIMULATING A HUMAN-LIKE CONTROL BEHAVIOUR IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT","A computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context, comprising: capturing environmental data with at least one sensor, realising a computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of high dimensional data by compressing the data into a lower-dimensional map, if environmental data are captured during a learning phase of a computer-based model, evaluate the map of compressed data by determining the quality of the map by how well it separates data with different properties, the captured data corresponding to known pre-recorded data that have been pre-evaluated, if environmental data are captured after the learning phase, add new point to the compressed data and generate a signal indicating which human-like decision to use to correspond to the state of the operator."],["1.A computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of high dimensional data by compressing the data into a lower dimensional map, the method comprising a reception of data with a first dimension greater than one captured and transmitted by at least one sensor and a compression of the data or attributes derived from the data into compressed data with a second dimension lower than the first dimension, wherein, for two metric spaces X=(x,μx) and Y=(y,μy) with x a first space which dimension is greater or equal than the dimension of a second space y, μx a first metric on the first space x, μy a second metric on the second space y, the compression is realized by mapping pairs of points formed between a first set of n points P belonging to the first space x and a second set of n points Q belonging to the second space y, each point of the second set of n points Q being paired with a point of the first set of points P through the following equation: Q=argmintϵynd(A1(μx(P)),A2(μy(t))) (Equation 1) where μx(P) is a first symmetric distance matrix between points in P, μx(Q) is a second symmetric distance matrix between points in Q, and d(.,.)","is a symmetric distance function on the space of square matrices, while A1 and A2 are any two functions holding the following properties: A:R+→[0, 1], A(0)=1, limx→∞A(z)=0, A(z1)>A(z2) if and only if z1 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a computer-based method for simulating a human-like control behaviour in an environmental context, and in particular such a system and method including a computer-based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data.","Today, assisting systems are used for many applications in almost any kind of industry.","Especially the automotive industry or the aviation industry as well as in computational industry assisting systems are commonly used to facilitate for a user the operating systems.","In automotive industry, well known systems like ESC (Electronic Stability Control) for improving the safety of the vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing of the skidding, or EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) to ensure maximum braking power in emergency situations by interpreting the speed and the force at which a brake pedal is pushed are widely-used.","In aviation industry active autopilots or so called fly-by-wire systems are commonly used in modern civil as well as military aircrafts, where electronic interfaces replace the manual flight control by converting the movements of the flight controls into electronic signal and initiate flight control without human interference.","Additionally, the number of sensors and actuators integrated in the systems, like vehicles or aircrafts, increases rapidly with the aim to watch over and/or control almost each and every component in these systems electronically.","One problem arising from the increased number of sensors and actuators is the amount of data to be handled and/or analysed for recognising a specific situation or operational status of the systems.","It is an intention of modern assisting systems to provide a robust, sensitive and real-time monitoring of human intention while operating a machine in a dynamically changing environment.","Such modern assisting systems enable efficient and safe operation of a machine, optimized to actual human intended operation.","Such machine may be any kind of system to be operated by a human, like e.g.","a vehicle, an aircraft, a ship, a machine etc.","as well as computational systems like, e.g.","a computer game, or the like.","In the following, the term “system” should be understood as any kind of these.","Assisting systems generally use virtual development methods.","Such methods are quickly gaining importance in the vehicle development process to cope with important business challenges; shortening time-to-market, optimising product quality, performance & value, reducing production & development costs, dealing with ever stricter emission & safety regulations.","For example, a particular challenge in the Engine and Powertrain field is the upcoming European “Real Driving Emissions” (RDE) regulation.","RDE compliance requires control of vehicle exhaust emissions over a wide area of operating conditions.","This heavily impacts the engine calibration process which was traditionally based on a fixed driving cycle.","Virtualising part of the calibration process allows evaluating the vehicle & engine behaviour under various real-life driving conditions by running a physical or grey-box vehicle model over a virtual driving environment, operated by a virtual Driver Model.","Perceptual/cognitive architectures with an artificial (i.e.","implemented on a machine, or in or as a computer or in or as a tool) memory system are used as such assisting systems.","They are particularly suited for understanding and controlling the dynamic behaviours of a tool in response to the human operator, especially for actual and safe interactions of operator and tool in real-time in a dynamically variable environment.","Document WO 2014 009031 relates to a method or system or architecture, in particular a perceptual/cognitive architecture with an artificial memory system, comprising: at least one first node being adapted to store and recall (e.g.","long) input sequences, such (e.g.","long) input sequences being modelled as an event; at least one second node being adapted to extract and save prototypes from raw data, each prototype being representative of data chunks, characterizing real world operation (of a tool within its environment) with features which are similar.","In the architecture disclosed in this document, the second node provides the input for the first node.","The raw data is typically data obtained from sensors, e.g.","sensors that sense the activity of actuators or control elements of a machine or tool.","An artificial memory system is generally composed of several nodes each of them solving a specific task like for example, one of the following ones: spatial pooling, signal quantization, temporal and forced temporal pooling, event and forced event pooling.","The functionality of the whole system is achieved by connecting these nodes with different kind of oriented connections, like: Feed Forward (FF) input/output, Feed Back (FB) input/output, State Consistency Check, and so on.","The Memory Prediction Framework (MPF) described in this document is in a particular embodiment an “artificial memory recalling system” inspired by the functioning of the mammalian neocortex, able to identify, store, recognize spatial/temporal patterns of sensed parameters, able of classifying the events being exposed to, and predicting over time.","An MPF network is composed of a hierarchical set of nodes that can contain a neural gas-like adaptive memory system, able to analyse different spatial-temporal inputs in parallel and then communicate throughout the hierarchy in order to discover higher level behaviours and properties.","The three main purposes of a node, which has an input and an output, are to learn and recognize peculiar input patterns, associate them to a number of external (possibly unknown) causes or events, and finally predict the next input pattern(s).","To these aims two different phases are usually distinguished: the training phase, or learning phase, used to learn input patterns, which affects the internal “memory” of a node, and the inference phase which is the actual operational phase for a node during which input patterns are compared against memorized ones and FF and FB outputs are generated.","Actually nothing prevents a node to operate in a “continuous learning” way in which training and inference are performed together.","Another possibility is to have a very short initial training phase, used to overcome the “cold start” problem, followed by a continuous learning phase.","In any case, the purpose for the inference phase is to evaluate the current input pattern in order to associate it to one or more, learned causes.","This results in the generation of a FF output signal which represent the likelihood for the current input pattern to belong to one of the learned causes.","This process is usually affected also by the FB input signal which represents a prediction for the current FF output signal provided by a parent node.","This last feature is intended to permit a node to disambiguate among different causes which might share common input patterns: this is usually referred to as “focus of attention”, After the generation of the FF output a node should also generate a prediction for its next input pattern to be signalled to child nodes via its FB output: this might require to wait for all the network to finish the FF update in order to propagate prediction from top to bottom nodes.","It is evident that the inter-nodes exchange of information by means of FF and FB connections is at the core of the memory prediction framework (MPF) such as disclosed in WO 2014009031 mentioned here above.","Thus, the efficiency of communication between nodes impacts the whole system both in terms of the number of bits than can be exchanged, and the computational effort within the node.","Indeed, the greater the efficiency is the more bits can be exchanged between two nodes and the less computational effort within a node is needed to process a same amount of data.","Bi-directional mapping is a technique to perform dimensionality reduction avoiding the typical drawbacks of common techniques such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and manifold learning algorithms in general.","In particular, avoid linearity, which is a constraint on the learned manifolds shape which results in maps with low accuracy, and avoid directionality, which contributes in the impossibility to recover original high dimensional points from their low dimensional representation.","In the article entitled “Visualizing Data using t-SNE” by Laurens van der Maaten and Geoffrey Hinton and published in the Journal of Machine Learning Research, volume 1 (2008) pages 1-48, is disclosed a well-known computer based method named t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbour Embedding (t-SNE).","The t-SNE method allows visualizing high-dimensional datasets exploiting a dimensionality reduction which preserves proximity without any possible inference on the visualisations."],[" OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention aims to improve a memory prediction framework global efficiency by performing an invertible dimensionality reduction on the inter-node communication which allows a data-dependent bi-directional mapping between high- and low-dimensional spaces.","This goal is reached thanks to a computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data by compressing high dimensional data into a lower dimensional map, e.g.","a two- or three-dimensional map, the method comprising a reception of data with a first dimension greater than one, for example data captured and transmitted by at least one sensor, and a compression of said data or attributes derived from said data, such as segments of GPS data or segments of data of the on-board electronic control unit of a vehicle, into compressed data with a second dimension lower than the first dimension.","According to a general feature of this computer based method, for two metric spaces X=(x,μ x ) and Y=(y,μ y ) with x a first space which dimension is greater or equal than the dimension of a second space y, μ x a first metric on said first space x, μ y a metric on said second space y, and P being a first set of n points belonging to said first space x, a point being an element of a space, the compression is realized by finding a second set of n points Q belonging to said second space y such that: in-line-formulae description=\"In-line Formulae\" end=\"lead\"?","Q =argmin tϵy n d ( A 1 (μ x ( P )), A 2 ( t ))) (Equation 1) in-line-formulae description=\"In-line Formulae\" end=\"tail\"?","where d(.,.)","is a symmetric distance function on the space of square matrices, while A 1 and A 2 are any two functions holding the following properties, A being any of A 1 or A 2 functions: A: R 4→ [0, 1], A(0)=1, lim x→∞ A(z)=0, A(z 1 )>A(z 2 ) if and only if z 1 0, or A ( z ) = e - ( z s ) 2 , with s>0, or A ( z ) = 1 1 + ( z s ) 2 with s>0, or A ( z ) = 1 1 + ( z s ) with s>0.Once equation 1 is solved for each of the n points of the first set of n points P, correspondence between points, referenced as BiMap, of the two set of n points P and Q, ice, BiMap=(P,Q), can be used as a translation atlas to transform points of said first space x into points of said second space y and vice-versa by means of equations 2 and equation 3 which follow.","First and second spaces x and y are general spaces where dimension of y is smaller than dimension of x.","The computer-based method creates a correspondence between points in x and points in y.","Thus the compression is achieved by having the points of y in a smaller dimension than the points of x.","This compression method is defined so as to be bi-directional as it allows both compression and decompression of data, in contrast to the other manifold learning algorithms which allow only compression and not decompression of data.","The two main difference between this computer based method and the t-SNE computer based method consists in the possibility given here to both add new point to a map without the need to re-compute the whole map, and create an inverse correspondence from matrix y to matrix x to recover a higher dimensional point from its lower dimensional representation.","Indeed, t-SNE does not create any mapping and any addition of a new point constrains to re-compute all the data to visualize ft.","The second difference with t-SNE is also the main difference with the standard manifold learning computer based methods as disclosed in the article entitled “Iterative non-linear dimensionality reduction with manifold sculpting” from Gashler et. al.","and published in NIPS (2007), volume 8, pages 513-520, and in the article entitled “Diffusion maps” from Coffman et al and published in the magazine Applied and computational harmonic analysis, volume 21, issue 1, July 2006, pages 5-30.Moreover, depending on the choice of functions A 1 and A 2 the computer based method can accurately transport the proximity relation from P to Q, and/or can show self-clustering features, and/or help to highlight hidden patterns in data.","For example if A1 and A2 are the same function then the proximity relation is accurately transported, while whenever A2 has a fatter tails than A1, then points which are not so close on x will be spread away on the projection over y, thus highlighting the neighborhood structure, i.e.","the clustering, of the original points in x.","In a first aspect of this computer based method, it further comprises an extraction of attributes from at least one data before initiating said bi-directional compression.","The extraction of attributes from each data enables to already sort out the elements of each data considered as relevant for future operations and thus already realise a first compression of used data by only keeping the relevant parts, i.e.","attributes, for the bi-directional compression into two- or three-dimensional maps.","Moreover, the extraction of attributes such as spatiotemporal attributes helps simplifying the training of a computer-based model using the bi-directional mapping compression.","In a second aspect of this computer based method, said compression method comprises a compression of a new point m belonging to matrix x on matrix y by solving the following equation: in-line-formulae description=\"In-line Formulae\" end=\"lead\"?","{tilde over ( y )}=argmin tϵy n d ( A 1 (μ x ( P,m )), A 2 (μ y ( Q,t ))) (Equation 2) in-line-formulae description=\"In-line Formulae\" end=\"tail\"?","and a decompression of a new point t belonging to matrix y on matrix x by solving the following equation: in-line-formulae description=\"In-line Formulae\" end=\"lead\"?","{tilde over ( x )}=argmin mϵx n d ( A 1 (μ x ( P,m )), A 2 (μ y ( Q,t ))) (Equation 3) in-line-formulae description=\"In-line Formulae\" end=\"tail\"?","where μ x (P,m) and μ y (Q,t) are the distance vectors between the points of BiMap and the new points in the corresponding respective spaces, BiMap is a correspondence between points of x and points of y given by Equation 2 (compressing) and equation (3) decompressing.","Moreover A 1 (μ x (P,m)) or A 2 (μ y (Q,t)) can be used to assess an objective Map Distortion Index (MDI) when a new point m or t needs to be mapped in Y or X respectively.","Indeed, the mapping accuracy obtained by this computer-based method depends on the closeness with respect to the points in the atlas BiMap=(P,Q).","The dependence is expressed by searching the point which has minimum activation distortion from the learned ones, i.e.","solving equation 2 or equation 3.The possibility to assess an MDI leads to both a point section scheme in the X space in order to have more accurate atlas and to an intrinsic anomaly detection mechanism to support or to implement the context check within the MPF.","Another object of the invention is to provide a computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context.","The method comprises the following steps: capturing environmental data with at least one sensor, realising a computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data by compressing high dimensional environmental data into a lower dimensional map as defined above, if environmental data are captured during a learning phase of a computer-based model, evaluating the map of compressed data by determining the quality of the map by how well it separates data with different properties, said captured data corresponding to known pre-recorded data that have been pre-evaluated, if environmental data are captured after said learning phase, add new points to said compressed data and generate a signal indicating which human-like decision to use to correspond to the state of the operator.","Depending on the environmental context and the use of the method, the human-like decisions simulated can be human judgements about their environments taking into consideration some first type of environmental data like sounds for example, or human-like control behaviour control for example to predict what kind of action a human, a driver e.g., is going to take knowing some second type of environmental data like the position, the speed and the gear of the car, or other kinds of human-like decisions.","Thus, in an architecture comprising a memory prediction framework, this computer-based method can act in three different ways: First as an input data pre-processing, second as an internode feedforward and feedback data compression, and third as a node output classifier.","In the first configuration, i.e.","the input data pre-processing, the role played by the bi-directional mapping computer-based compression method is to let the network process data from a domain with less dimensions, thus saving both memory and computational power.","In the second configuration, i.e.","the internode feedforward and feedback data compression, the bi-directional mapping computer-based compression method is used to compress feedforward outputting from the lowest level node and decompress the feedback outputting from the highest level one.","In the third configuration, i.e.","the node output classifier, the bi-directional mapping computer-based compression method helps to visualize the learning dynamics within a node, thus to help the human qualitative interpretation of the information stored in it.","In this case the compression method acts as a clustering based classifier.","In the second configuration, during inference tasks which happen after the end of the learning phase, according to WO 2014 009031 an MPF node computes the distance, with respect to a defined metric, between the current input and all its stored coincidences, hence it outputs the feedforward signal consisting in a distance related probability distribution of the input being a sample of the known stored coincidences.","The space of coincidence, within a node, is coupled with a metric implying both that the coincidences have a naturally defined spatial notion within the node input space and that the feedforward signal is a codification of the input in terms of its position within the input space by using the coincidences as reference points.","In other words, for any new input M the output of an MPF node N is the vector A N (μ N (C,m)), with A N (.)","the activation function of the node N, μ N (.)","its metric, and C the set of its coincidences.","Thus the output of any node is the first half of equation 2 and symmetrically a feedback output is the second part of equation 3.In particular, the dimensionality of the output of each node increases with the memory size of the node itself.","During real-world usage of the MPF, i.e.","during inference phase, it is possible to have nodes with output dimensionality of hundreds or thousands of probabilities.","The need for dimensionality reduction is important when stacking nodes in a hierarchy, like the MPF, since the nodes in the above levels must learn from the output of the nodes in the lower ones.","In particular a smaller dimension input means reduced computational power needed to perform all the MPF capabilities.","This problem is even more relevant when a higher level node receives as input the output of several lower level ones, then the dimension of its input space grows accordingly to the sum of the number of coincidences of its input nodes.","The need of back projection in feedback connections clearly follows, since it is mandatory for many MPF features.","Moreover, whenever the order of C exceeds by at least one the number of dimension of the input space N, there is a one to one correspondence between the position of the input m within the node input space and the space of the feedforward signals in output, meaning that any further correspondence add redundancy to A N (μ N (C,m)) which can be cleared out by said compression method.","Nowadays, the sound quality of a car is a very important aspect considered by a consumer, for example when buying a new car.","Since the sound quality is mostly a subjective aspect, there are no reliable ways to objectively evaluate the quality.","Therefore the evaluation step during the car development usually relies on judgments given by experts, often on a relative scale between different cars.","Thus, this aspect of this computer-based method enables to objectify the subjective judgments of car sounds, in other words it enables to objectify the process of evaluating car sounds.","In a first aspect of the computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context, said computer-based method comprises pre-processing said environmental data with at least one filter before realising the computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data, said computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data receiving as input filtered environmental data.","This additional step enables, especially in an application to car audio sound treatment, the environmental data to go through a series of filters, such as band-pass filters, and pre-processing steps which helps increasing and diversifying the amount of information treated.","For instance, in an application to car audio sound treatment, pre-processing steps can include denoising, convolution or any possible audio processing.","In general it can be any kind of data operation or feature extraction.","An MPF architecture is mostly un-supervised and data-driven.","Therefore, filtering out data may help in excluding useless or misleading information, helping MPF to focus on more important features.","In a second aspect of the computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context, the environmental data comprise at least one sample of raw sound recorded inside a car's cockpit with a noise sensor, and said method further comprises inputting said environmental data into auditory models before pre-processing with at least one filter the data outputted by said auditory models to deliver a plurality of different versions of the environmental data, said pre-processing being realized over every version of the environmental data.","Thus, this aspect of this computer-based method enables to objectify the subjective judgments of car sounds, in other words it enables to objectify the process of evaluating car sounds.","The raw sound can be recorded by using high fidelity microphones synchronized with the CAN bus data, i.e.","the controller area network.","Auditory models are bio-inspired techniques to transform acoustic data into psycho-acoustic data.","The correspondences between physical sound properties and human perception are complicated and far from being linear.","Several operations are performed such as integration, temporal and frequency masking.","From a computational point of view, an auditory model can be seen as a bank of filters whose task is to reproduce the operations performed by the human ear.","This approach is widely used in speech recognition, but rarely considered in the automotive field.","The raw recorded sound is processed using the auditory models presented in scientific literature.","The output of this step is the amount of energy in a set of determined frequency bands, considering the effects of the different auditory models, such as frequency selection, frequency and temporal masking.","A set of different Auditory Models are used to generate a plurality of “psychoacoustic versions” of the same raw sound to be processed in the following steps.","Another object of the invention is to propose a system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context comprising at least one sensor to capture environmental data, and an architecture with a memory for interacting with dynamic behaviours of a tool and an operator.","According to a general feature of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, the architecture are configured to process the steps of said computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context defined here above.","Moreover, all the features in application WO 2014 009031 are integrated in the present specification.","In a first aspect of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, the memory of the architecture is an artificial memory, the architecture being a first neural network having structures and mechanisms for abstraction, generalisation and learning, the first neural network implementation comprising an artificial hierarchical memory system, comprising a receiving port configured to receive data generated by sensors (on the tool), one or more first nodes configured to learn and recognize frequently occurring input attributes and sequences received from the receiving port, said one or more first nodes forming a second neural network comprising neurons as components and edges connecting two or more of said neurons in a graph, and an output port configured to output data constructed by the architecture and associated with the behaviours, whereby each of the one or more or essentially all of said first nodes is adapted for time series analysis, and comprises components connected in a topological graph or temporal graph.","In a second aspect of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, it comprises a pre-processing filter to apply a set of different filters to the environmental data captured by the at least one sensor.","In a third aspect of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, the environmental data comprise at least one sample of raw sound recorded inside a cares cockpit with a noise sensor, and said system further comprises auditory models configured to be applied to said recorded environmental data before the filtering pre-processing to output a plurality of different versions of the environmental data, said filtering pre-processing being realized over every version of the environmental data.","Another object of the invention is to propose an automotive vehicle comprising an electronic control unit including a system for simulating a humanlike behaviour in an environmental context."],["BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a computer-based method for simulating a human-like control behaviour in an environmental context, and in particular such a system and method including a computer-based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data.","Today, assisting systems are used for many applications in almost any kind of industry.","Especially the automotive industry or the aviation industry as well as in computational industry assisting systems are commonly used to facilitate for a user the operating systems.","In automotive industry, well known systems like ESC (Electronic Stability Control) for improving the safety of the vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing of the skidding, or EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) to ensure maximum braking power in emergency situations by interpreting the speed and the force at which a brake pedal is pushed are widely-used.","In aviation industry active autopilots or so called fly-by-wire systems are commonly used in modern civil as well as military aircrafts, where electronic interfaces replace the manual flight control by converting the movements of the flight controls into electronic signal and initiate flight control without human interference.","Additionally, the number of sensors and actuators integrated in the systems, like vehicles or aircrafts, increases rapidly with the aim to watch over and/or control almost each and every component in these systems electronically.","One problem arising from the increased number of sensors and actuators is the amount of data to be handled and/or analysed for recognising a specific situation or operational status of the systems.","It is an intention of modern assisting systems to provide a robust, sensitive and real-time monitoring of human intention while operating a machine in a dynamically changing environment.","Such modern assisting systems enable efficient and safe operation of a machine, optimized to actual human intended operation.","Such machine may be any kind of system to be operated by a human, like e.g.","a vehicle, an aircraft, a ship, a machine etc.","as well as computational systems like, e.g.","a computer game, or the like.","In the following, the term “system” should be understood as any kind of these.","Assisting systems generally use virtual development methods.","Such methods are quickly gaining importance in the vehicle development process to cope with important business challenges; shortening time-to-market, optimising product quality, performance & value, reducing production & development costs, dealing with ever stricter emission & safety regulations.","For example, a particular challenge in the Engine and Powertrain field is the upcoming European “Real Driving Emissions” (RDE) regulation.","RDE compliance requires control of vehicle exhaust emissions over a wide area of operating conditions.","This heavily impacts the engine calibration process which was traditionally based on a fixed driving cycle.","Virtualising part of the calibration process allows evaluating the vehicle & engine behaviour under various real-life driving conditions by running a physical or grey-box vehicle model over a virtual driving environment, operated by a virtual Driver Model.","Perceptual/cognitive architectures with an artificial (i.e.","implemented on a machine, or in or as a computer or in or as a tool) memory system are used as such assisting systems.","They are particularly suited for understanding and controlling the dynamic behaviours of a tool in response to the human operator, especially for actual and safe interactions of operator and tool in real-time in a dynamically variable environment.","Document WO 2014 009031 relates to a method or system or architecture, in particular a perceptual/cognitive architecture with an artificial memory system, comprising: at least one first node being adapted to store and recall (e.g.","long) input sequences, such (e.g.","long) input sequences being modelled as an event; at least one second node being adapted to extract and save prototypes from raw data, each prototype being representative of data chunks, characterizing real world operation (of a tool within its environment) with features which are similar.","In the architecture disclosed in this document, the second node provides the input for the first node.","The raw data is typically data obtained from sensors, e.g.","sensors that sense the activity of actuators or control elements of a machine or tool.","An artificial memory system is generally composed of several nodes each of them solving a specific task like for example, one of the following ones: spatial pooling, signal quantization, temporal and forced temporal pooling, event and forced event pooling.","The functionality of the whole system is achieved by connecting these nodes with different kind of oriented connections, like: Feed Forward (FF) input/output, Feed Back (FB) input/output, State Consistency Check, and so on.","The Memory Prediction Framework (MPF) described in this document is in a particular embodiment an “artificial memory recalling system” inspired by the functioning of the mammalian neocortex, able to identify, store, recognize spatial/temporal patterns of sensed parameters, able of classifying the events being exposed to, and predicting over time.","An MPF network is composed of a hierarchical set of nodes that can contain a neural gas-like adaptive memory system, able to analyse different spatial-temporal inputs in parallel and then communicate throughout the hierarchy in order to discover higher level behaviours and properties.","The three main purposes of a node, which has an input and an output, are to learn and recognize peculiar input patterns, associate them to a number of external (possibly unknown) causes or events, and finally predict the next input pattern(s).","To these aims two different phases are usually distinguished: the training phase, or learning phase, used to learn input patterns, which affects the internal “memory” of a node, and the inference phase which is the actual operational phase for a node during which input patterns are compared against memorized ones and FF and FB outputs are generated.","Actually nothing prevents a node to operate in a “continuous learning” way in which training and inference are performed together.","Another possibility is to have a very short initial training phase, used to overcome the “cold start” problem, followed by a continuous learning phase.","In any case, the purpose for the inference phase is to evaluate the current input pattern in order to associate it to one or more, learned causes.","This results in the generation of a FF output signal which represent the likelihood for the current input pattern to belong to one of the learned causes.","This process is usually affected also by the FB input signal which represents a prediction for the current FF output signal provided by a parent node.","This last feature is intended to permit a node to disambiguate among different causes which might share common input patterns: this is usually referred to as “focus of attention”, After the generation of the FF output a node should also generate a prediction for its next input pattern to be signalled to child nodes via its FB output: this might require to wait for all the network to finish the FF update in order to propagate prediction from top to bottom nodes.","It is evident that the inter-nodes exchange of information by means of FF and FB connections is at the core of the memory prediction framework (MPF) such as disclosed in WO 2014009031 mentioned here above.","Thus, the efficiency of communication between nodes impacts the whole system both in terms of the number of bits than can be exchanged, and the computational effort within the node.","Indeed, the greater the efficiency is the more bits can be exchanged between two nodes and the less computational effort within a node is needed to process a same amount of data.","Bi-directional mapping is a technique to perform dimensionality reduction avoiding the typical drawbacks of common techniques such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and manifold learning algorithms in general.","In particular, avoid linearity, which is a constraint on the learned manifolds shape which results in maps with low accuracy, and avoid directionality, which contributes in the impossibility to recover original high dimensional points from their low dimensional representation.","In the article entitled “Visualizing Data using t-SNE” by Laurens van der Maaten and Geoffrey Hinton and published in the Journal of Machine Learning Research, volume 1 (2008) pages 1-48, is disclosed a well-known computer based method named t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbour Embedding (t-SNE).","The t-SNE method allows visualizing high-dimensional datasets exploiting a dimensionality reduction which preserves proximity without any possible inference on the visualisations.","OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention aims to improve a memory prediction framework global efficiency by performing an invertible dimensionality reduction on the inter-node communication which allows a data-dependent bi-directional mapping between high- and low-dimensional spaces.","This goal is reached thanks to a computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data by compressing high dimensional data into a lower dimensional map, e.g.","a two- or three-dimensional map, the method comprising a reception of data with a first dimension greater than one, for example data captured and transmitted by at least one sensor, and a compression of said data or attributes derived from said data, such as segments of GPS data or segments of data of the on-board electronic control unit of a vehicle, into compressed data with a second dimension lower than the first dimension.","According to a general feature of this computer based method, for two metric spaces X=(x,μx) and Y=(y,μy) with x a first space which dimension is greater or equal than the dimension of a second space y, μx a first metric on said first space x, μy a metric on said second space y, and P being a first set of n points belonging to said first space x, a point being an element of a space, the compression is realized by finding a second set of n points Q belonging to said second space y such that: Q=argmintϵynd(A1(μx(P)),A2(t))) (Equation 1) where d(.,.)","is a symmetric distance function on the space of square matrices, while A1 and A2 are any two functions holding the following properties, A being any of A1 or A2 functions: A: R4→[0, 1], A(0)=1, limx→∞A(z)=0, A(z1)>A(z2) if and only if z10, or A ( z ) = e - ( z s ) 2 , with s>0, or A ( z ) = 1 1 + ( z s ) 2 with s>0, or A ( z ) = 1 1 + ( z s ) with s>0.Once equation 1 is solved for each of the n points of the first set of n points P, correspondence between points, referenced as BiMap, of the two set of n points P and Q, ice, BiMap=(P,Q), can be used as a translation atlas to transform points of said first space x into points of said second space y and vice-versa by means of equations 2 and equation 3 which follow.","First and second spaces x and y are general spaces where dimension of y is smaller than dimension of x.","The computer-based method creates a correspondence between points in x and points in y.","Thus the compression is achieved by having the points of y in a smaller dimension than the points of x.","This compression method is defined so as to be bi-directional as it allows both compression and decompression of data, in contrast to the other manifold learning algorithms which allow only compression and not decompression of data.","The two main difference between this computer based method and the t-SNE computer based method consists in the possibility given here to both add new point to a map without the need to re-compute the whole map, and create an inverse correspondence from matrix y to matrix x to recover a higher dimensional point from its lower dimensional representation.","Indeed, t-SNE does not create any mapping and any addition of a new point constrains to re-compute all the data to visualize ft.","The second difference with t-SNE is also the main difference with the standard manifold learning computer based methods as disclosed in the article entitled “Iterative non-linear dimensionality reduction with manifold sculpting” from Gashler et. al.","and published in NIPS (2007), volume 8, pages 513-520, and in the article entitled “Diffusion maps” from Coffman et al and published in the magazine Applied and computational harmonic analysis, volume 21, issue 1, July 2006, pages 5-30.Moreover, depending on the choice of functions A1 and A2 the computer based method can accurately transport the proximity relation from P to Q, and/or can show self-clustering features, and/or help to highlight hidden patterns in data.","For example if A1 and A2 are the same function then the proximity relation is accurately transported, while whenever A2 has a fatter tails than A1, then points which are not so close on x will be spread away on the projection over y, thus highlighting the neighborhood structure, i.e.","the clustering, of the original points in x.","In a first aspect of this computer based method, it further comprises an extraction of attributes from at least one data before initiating said bi-directional compression.","The extraction of attributes from each data enables to already sort out the elements of each data considered as relevant for future operations and thus already realise a first compression of used data by only keeping the relevant parts, i.e.","attributes, for the bi-directional compression into two- or three-dimensional maps.","Moreover, the extraction of attributes such as spatiotemporal attributes helps simplifying the training of a computer-based model using the bi-directional mapping compression.","In a second aspect of this computer based method, said compression method comprises a compression of a new point m belonging to matrix x on matrix y by solving the following equation: {tilde over (y)}=argmintϵynd(A1(μx(P,m)),A2(μy(Q,t))) (Equation 2) and a decompression of a new point t belonging to matrix y on matrix x by solving the following equation: {tilde over (x)}=argminmϵxnd(A1(μx(P,m)),A2(μy(Q,t))) (Equation 3) where μx(P,m) and μy(Q,t) are the distance vectors between the points of BiMap and the new points in the corresponding respective spaces, BiMap is a correspondence between points of x and points of y given by Equation 2 (compressing) and equation (3) decompressing.","Moreover A1(μx(P,m)) or A2(μy(Q,t)) can be used to assess an objective Map Distortion Index (MDI) when a new point m or t needs to be mapped in Y or X respectively.","Indeed, the mapping accuracy obtained by this computer-based method depends on the closeness with respect to the points in the atlas BiMap=(P,Q).","The dependence is expressed by searching the point which has minimum activation distortion from the learned ones, i.e.","solving equation 2 or equation 3.The possibility to assess an MDI leads to both a point section scheme in the X space in order to have more accurate atlas and to an intrinsic anomaly detection mechanism to support or to implement the context check within the MPF.","Another object of the invention is to provide a computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context.","The method comprises the following steps: capturing environmental data with at least one sensor, realising a computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data by compressing high dimensional environmental data into a lower dimensional map as defined above, if environmental data are captured during a learning phase of a computer-based model, evaluating the map of compressed data by determining the quality of the map by how well it separates data with different properties, said captured data corresponding to known pre-recorded data that have been pre-evaluated, if environmental data are captured after said learning phase, add new points to said compressed data and generate a signal indicating which human-like decision to use to correspond to the state of the operator.","Depending on the environmental context and the use of the method, the human-like decisions simulated can be human judgements about their environments taking into consideration some first type of environmental data like sounds for example, or human-like control behaviour control for example to predict what kind of action a human, a driver e.g., is going to take knowing some second type of environmental data like the position, the speed and the gear of the car, or other kinds of human-like decisions.","Thus, in an architecture comprising a memory prediction framework, this computer-based method can act in three different ways: First as an input data pre-processing, second as an internode feedforward and feedback data compression, and third as a node output classifier.","In the first configuration, i.e.","the input data pre-processing, the role played by the bi-directional mapping computer-based compression method is to let the network process data from a domain with less dimensions, thus saving both memory and computational power.","In the second configuration, i.e.","the internode feedforward and feedback data compression, the bi-directional mapping computer-based compression method is used to compress feedforward outputting from the lowest level node and decompress the feedback outputting from the highest level one.","In the third configuration, i.e.","the node output classifier, the bi-directional mapping computer-based compression method helps to visualize the learning dynamics within a node, thus to help the human qualitative interpretation of the information stored in it.","In this case the compression method acts as a clustering based classifier.","In the second configuration, during inference tasks which happen after the end of the learning phase, according to WO 2014 009031 an MPF node computes the distance, with respect to a defined metric, between the current input and all its stored coincidences, hence it outputs the feedforward signal consisting in a distance related probability distribution of the input being a sample of the known stored coincidences.","The space of coincidence, within a node, is coupled with a metric implying both that the coincidences have a naturally defined spatial notion within the node input space and that the feedforward signal is a codification of the input in terms of its position within the input space by using the coincidences as reference points.","In other words, for any new input M the output of an MPF node N is the vector AN(μN(C,m)), with AN(.)","the activation function of the node N, μN(.)","its metric, and C the set of its coincidences.","Thus the output of any node is the first half of equation 2 and symmetrically a feedback output is the second part of equation 3.In particular, the dimensionality of the output of each node increases with the memory size of the node itself.","During real-world usage of the MPF, i.e.","during inference phase, it is possible to have nodes with output dimensionality of hundreds or thousands of probabilities.","The need for dimensionality reduction is important when stacking nodes in a hierarchy, like the MPF, since the nodes in the above levels must learn from the output of the nodes in the lower ones.","In particular a smaller dimension input means reduced computational power needed to perform all the MPF capabilities.","This problem is even more relevant when a higher level node receives as input the output of several lower level ones, then the dimension of its input space grows accordingly to the sum of the number of coincidences of its input nodes.","The need of back projection in feedback connections clearly follows, since it is mandatory for many MPF features.","Moreover, whenever the order of C exceeds by at least one the number of dimension of the input space N, there is a one to one correspondence between the position of the input m within the node input space and the space of the feedforward signals in output, meaning that any further correspondence add redundancy to AN(μN(C,m)) which can be cleared out by said compression method.","Nowadays, the sound quality of a car is a very important aspect considered by a consumer, for example when buying a new car.","Since the sound quality is mostly a subjective aspect, there are no reliable ways to objectively evaluate the quality.","Therefore the evaluation step during the car development usually relies on judgments given by experts, often on a relative scale between different cars.","Thus, this aspect of this computer-based method enables to objectify the subjective judgments of car sounds, in other words it enables to objectify the process of evaluating car sounds.","In a first aspect of the computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context, said computer-based method comprises pre-processing said environmental data with at least one filter before realising the computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data, said computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data receiving as input filtered environmental data.","This additional step enables, especially in an application to car audio sound treatment, the environmental data to go through a series of filters, such as band-pass filters, and pre-processing steps which helps increasing and diversifying the amount of information treated.","For instance, in an application to car audio sound treatment, pre-processing steps can include denoising, convolution or any possible audio processing.","In general it can be any kind of data operation or feature extraction.","An MPF architecture is mostly un-supervised and data-driven.","Therefore, filtering out data may help in excluding useless or misleading information, helping MPF to focus on more important features.","In a second aspect of the computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context, the environmental data comprise at least one sample of raw sound recorded inside a car's cockpit with a noise sensor, and said method further comprises inputting said environmental data into auditory models before pre-processing with at least one filter the data outputted by said auditory models to deliver a plurality of different versions of the environmental data, said pre-processing being realized over every version of the environmental data.","Thus, this aspect of this computer-based method enables to objectify the subjective judgments of car sounds, in other words it enables to objectify the process of evaluating car sounds.","The raw sound can be recorded by using high fidelity microphones synchronized with the CAN bus data, i.e.","the controller area network.","Auditory models are bio-inspired techniques to transform acoustic data into psycho-acoustic data.","The correspondences between physical sound properties and human perception are complicated and far from being linear.","Several operations are performed such as integration, temporal and frequency masking.","From a computational point of view, an auditory model can be seen as a bank of filters whose task is to reproduce the operations performed by the human ear.","This approach is widely used in speech recognition, but rarely considered in the automotive field.","The raw recorded sound is processed using the auditory models presented in scientific literature.","The output of this step is the amount of energy in a set of determined frequency bands, considering the effects of the different auditory models, such as frequency selection, frequency and temporal masking.","A set of different Auditory Models are used to generate a plurality of “psychoacoustic versions” of the same raw sound to be processed in the following steps.","Another object of the invention is to propose a system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context comprising at least one sensor to capture environmental data, and an architecture with a memory for interacting with dynamic behaviours of a tool and an operator.","According to a general feature of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, the architecture are configured to process the steps of said computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context defined here above.","Moreover, all the features in application WO 2014 009031 are integrated in the present specification.","In a first aspect of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, the memory of the architecture is an artificial memory, the architecture being a first neural network having structures and mechanisms for abstraction, generalisation and learning, the first neural network implementation comprising an artificial hierarchical memory system, comprising a receiving port configured to receive data generated by sensors (on the tool), one or more first nodes configured to learn and recognize frequently occurring input attributes and sequences received from the receiving port, said one or more first nodes forming a second neural network comprising neurons as components and edges connecting two or more of said neurons in a graph, and an output port configured to output data constructed by the architecture and associated with the behaviours, whereby each of the one or more or essentially all of said first nodes is adapted for time series analysis, and comprises components connected in a topological graph or temporal graph.","In a second aspect of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, it comprises a pre-processing filter to apply a set of different filters to the environmental data captured by the at least one sensor.","In a third aspect of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, the environmental data comprise at least one sample of raw sound recorded inside a cares cockpit with a noise sensor, and said system further comprises auditory models configured to be applied to said recorded environmental data before the filtering pre-processing to output a plurality of different versions of the environmental data, said filtering pre-processing being realized over every version of the environmental data.","Another object of the invention is to propose an automotive vehicle comprising an electronic control unit including a system for simulating a humanlike behaviour in an environmental context.","BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood by reading here after, as examples and in a non-limitative way, in reference to the enclosed drawings on which: FIG.","1 shows schematically an artificial memory system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.","2 shows a diagram of a computer-based method for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context.","DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE, EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims.","The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting.","In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes.","Where the term “comprising” is used in the present description and claims, it does not exclude other elements or steps.","Where an indefinite or definite article is used when referring to a singular noun e.g.","“a” or “an”, “the”, this includes a plural of that noun unless something else is specifically stated.","The term “comprising”, used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps.","Thus, the scope of the expression “a device comprising means A and B” should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B.","It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B.","Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order.","It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.","In FIG.","1 is schematically presented a system 100 for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context according to an embodiment of the invention.","The simulation system 100 comprises two sensors 110 configured to capture environmental data.","In this embodiment, the sensors 110 are two high fidelity microphones placed in two different locations inside a cockpit of a car.","The simulation system further comprises an architecture with an artificial memory system 120 configured to interact with dynamic behaviours of a tool and an operator.","The architecture with an artificial memory system 120 is made of a first neural network having structures and mechanisms for abstraction, generalisation and learning.","The first neural network implementation comprises an artificial hierarchical memory system 130 comprising a receiving port configured to receive data generated by the microphones 110, one or more first nodes 140 configured to learn and recognize frequently occurring input attributes and sequences received from the receiving port, and one or more second nodes 150.The one or more first nodes 140 form a second neural network comprising neurons as components and edges connecting two or more of said neurons in a graph, and an output port configured to output data constructed by the architecture and associated with the behaviours, whereby each of the one or more or essentially all of said first nodes is adapted for time series analysis, and comprises components connected in a topological graph or temporal graph.","In embodiments of the present invention a human operator is mentioned such as a driver, captain, pilot, gamer.","Such a person can be “autonomous”.","For example the operator commands can be given a priori, in the form of commands stored on a suitable storage medium that can be read by the system.","For example if the operator is a driver and the tool is a vehicle such as an automobile, the commands might be destinations, expected times of arrival, expected fuel consumption, whether to drive aggressively, sportily, calmly etc.","The actual human driver can also intentionally switch on the system and a command can be provided to drive the driver to the destination in such a way that accelerations, braking force, speed, fuel consumption etc.","are according to the driver's normal behaviour or other behaviour.","Also the system can take over in case of lack of commands.","For example if it is detected that the driver is asleep the system brings the vehicle safely to a stand-still.","Whether the driver has fallen asleep can be detected by an Awareness Check.","Embodiments of the present invention are based on the Memory Prediction Framework (MPF) and include an artificial hierarchical memory system.","The artificial hierarchical memory system can be enhanced Hierarchical Temporal Memory (HIM) with improved capabilities for scene recognition/“classification” and/or a pre-processing stage.","The system and method have been adapted to be able among others, to provide a number such as 10-15 samples or any suitable number of samples required, for e.g.","more or less than half a second depending on the sampling frequency, a prediction about input operator commands due to the introduction of temporal events management as well as the above-mentioned pre-processing stage.","The architecture of the embodiment of FIG.","1 corresponds to the architecture described in document WO 2014 009031 comprising an enhanced hierarchical memory.","The Memory Prediction Framework is appropriate as a fundamental model, as it foresees nearly all the structures and mechanisms necessary for good learning, abstraction and generalization, e.g.","feed-forward and feed-back signal flows within the network, their correspondence as measure of the degree of understanding of the situation, which is a prerequisite for assessing the generalization capabilities of the network.","The MPF computational approach and its learning algorithms have been proven to deal well with diverse sensory channels, although sensory-specific pre-processing or tuning is still required.","Once setup, i.e.","adapted to a particular sensor modality no pre-processing is in principle required.","However, it may from time to time be applied with advantage, for example as previously mentioned so-called primitives.","Embodiments of the present invention may be seen as instantiations of suitable parts of the MPF.","FIG.","2 schematically presents a computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context.","This simulation method is realised by the nodes 140 and 150 inside the artificial hierarchical memory 130 of the simulation system 100.In this example, the human-like decision is a behaviour of a driver of a car and the environmental context taken into account corresponds to the sounds surrounding him.","In a first step 10 of the simulation method, several high fidelity microphones synchronized with the CAN bus data record raw sounds inside the cockpit of the car.","The raw sounds recorded are in a high dimensional configuration, for example a three dimension configuration.","In a second step 12 of the simulation method, the electronic signals corresponding to the recorded raw sounds are sent to the architecture with said artificial memory system 120 and are pre-processed through a set of auditory models to generate a plurality of “psychoacoustic versions” of each recorded raw sound which will be inputted into the artificial memory system 120 after a filtering step.","In a third step 14 of the simulation method, the electronic signals corresponding to the multiple psychoacoustic versions of each recorded raw sound are pre-processed through a set of band-pass filters.","In a following step 16 of the simulation method, the filtered sounds are sent to nodes to be processed by using a computer-based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data by compressing said filtered data into a two-dimensional map.","In step 18, a following step of the simulation method and first step of the compression method, the filtered sounds are received by other nodes or the same nodes.","In a second step 20 of the compression method, the nodes operate an extraction of attributes from each filtered raw sound in order to sort out the elements of each data considered as relevant for the method for simulating a human-like control behaviour.","The attributes extracted are e.g.","spatiotemporal attributes in order to simplify the training of the computer-based method for simulating a human-like control behaviour.","In a third step 22 of the compression method, the nodes operate a compression of the attributes extracted from the filtered raw sounds.","The compression is realized by finding a set of n points Q belonging to a matrix y such that: Q=arginintϵynd(A1(μx(P)),A2(μy(t))) (Equation 1) X=(x,μx) and Y=(y,μy) being a two metric spaces with x a first space which dimension is greater or equal than the dimension of a second space y, μx a first metric on space x, μy a second metric on space y, and P being a first set of n points belonging to said first space x, and d(.,.)","being a symmetric distance function on the space of square matrices, while A1 and A2 are any two functions holding the following properties: A:R30 →[0, 1], i.e.","A being a function defined for all positive real numbers and generating a value between 0 and 1, 0 and 1 being included; A(0)=1, i.e.","A being a function for which argument 0 will generate the value 1, limx→∞A(z)=0, i.e.","A being a function which has 0 for a limit as the argument approaches grows, A(z1)>A(z2) if and only if z1A(z2) if and only if z1 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a computer-based method for simulating a human-like control behaviour in an environmental context, and in particular such a system and method including a computer-based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data.\",\n \"Today, assisting systems are used for many applications in almost any kind of industry.\",\n \"Especially the automotive industry or the aviation industry as well as in computational industry assisting systems are commonly used to facilitate for a user the operating systems.\",\n \"In automotive industry, well known systems like ESC (Electronic Stability Control) for improving the safety of the vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing of the skidding, or EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) to ensure maximum braking power in emergency situations by interpreting the speed and the force at which a brake pedal is pushed are widely-used.\",\n \"In aviation industry active autopilots or so called fly-by-wire systems are commonly used in modern civil as well as military aircrafts, where electronic interfaces replace the manual flight control by converting the movements of the flight controls into electronic signal and initiate flight control without human interference.\",\n \"Additionally, the number of sensors and actuators integrated in the systems, like vehicles or aircrafts, increases rapidly with the aim to watch over and/or control almost each and every component in these systems electronically.\",\n \"One problem arising from the increased number of sensors and actuators is the amount of data to be handled and/or analysed for recognising a specific situation or operational status of the systems.\",\n \"It is an intention of modern assisting systems to provide a robust, sensitive and real-time monitoring of human intention while operating a machine in a dynamically changing environment.\",\n \"Such modern assisting systems enable efficient and safe operation of a machine, optimized to actual human intended operation.\",\n \"Such machine may be any kind of system to be operated by a human, like e.g.\",\n \"a vehicle, an aircraft, a ship, a machine etc.\",\n \"as well as computational systems like, e.g.\",\n \"a computer game, or the like.\",\n \"In the following, the term “system” should be understood as any kind of these.\",\n \"Assisting systems generally use virtual development methods.\",\n \"Such methods are quickly gaining importance in the vehicle development process to cope with important business challenges; shortening time-to-market, optimising product quality, performance & value, reducing production & development costs, dealing with ever stricter emission & safety regulations.\",\n \"For example, a particular challenge in the Engine and Powertrain field is the upcoming European “Real Driving Emissions” (RDE) regulation.\",\n \"RDE compliance requires control of vehicle exhaust emissions over a wide area of operating conditions.\",\n \"This heavily impacts the engine calibration process which was traditionally based on a fixed driving cycle.\",\n \"Virtualising part of the calibration process allows evaluating the vehicle & engine behaviour under various real-life driving conditions by running a physical or grey-box vehicle model over a virtual driving environment, operated by a virtual Driver Model.\",\n \"Perceptual/cognitive architectures with an artificial (i.e.\",\n \"implemented on a machine, or in or as a computer or in or as a tool) memory system are used as such assisting systems.\",\n \"They are particularly suited for understanding and controlling the dynamic behaviours of a tool in response to the human operator, especially for actual and safe interactions of operator and tool in real-time in a dynamically variable environment.\",\n \"Document WO 2014 009031 relates to a method or system or architecture, in particular a perceptual/cognitive architecture with an artificial memory system, comprising: at least one first node being adapted to store and recall (e.g.\",\n \"long) input sequences, such (e.g.\",\n \"long) input sequences being modelled as an event; at least one second node being adapted to extract and save prototypes from raw data, each prototype being representative of data chunks, characterizing real world operation (of a tool within its environment) with features which are similar.\",\n \"In the architecture disclosed in this document, the second node provides the input for the first node.\",\n \"The raw data is typically data obtained from sensors, e.g.\",\n \"sensors that sense the activity of actuators or control elements of a machine or tool.\",\n \"An artificial memory system is generally composed of several nodes each of them solving a specific task like for example, one of the following ones: spatial pooling, signal quantization, temporal and forced temporal pooling, event and forced event pooling.\",\n \"The functionality of the whole system is achieved by connecting these nodes with different kind of oriented connections, like: Feed Forward (FF) input/output, Feed Back (FB) input/output, State Consistency Check, and so on.\",\n \"The Memory Prediction Framework (MPF) described in this document is in a particular embodiment an “artificial memory recalling system” inspired by the functioning of the mammalian neocortex, able to identify, store, recognize spatial/temporal patterns of sensed parameters, able of classifying the events being exposed to, and predicting over time.\",\n \"An MPF network is composed of a hierarchical set of nodes that can contain a neural gas-like adaptive memory system, able to analyse different spatial-temporal inputs in parallel and then communicate throughout the hierarchy in order to discover higher level behaviours and properties.\",\n \"The three main purposes of a node, which has an input and an output, are to learn and recognize peculiar input patterns, associate them to a number of external (possibly unknown) causes or events, and finally predict the next input pattern(s).\",\n \"To these aims two different phases are usually distinguished: the training phase, or learning phase, used to learn input patterns, which affects the internal “memory” of a node, and the inference phase which is the actual operational phase for a node during which input patterns are compared against memorized ones and FF and FB outputs are generated.\",\n \"Actually nothing prevents a node to operate in a “continuous learning” way in which training and inference are performed together.\",\n \"Another possibility is to have a very short initial training phase, used to overcome the “cold start” problem, followed by a continuous learning phase.\",\n \"In any case, the purpose for the inference phase is to evaluate the current input pattern in order to associate it to one or more, learned causes.\",\n \"This results in the generation of a FF output signal which represent the likelihood for the current input pattern to belong to one of the learned causes.\",\n \"This process is usually affected also by the FB input signal which represents a prediction for the current FF output signal provided by a parent node.\",\n \"This last feature is intended to permit a node to disambiguate among different causes which might share common input patterns: this is usually referred to as “focus of attention”, After the generation of the FF output a node should also generate a prediction for its next input pattern to be signalled to child nodes via its FB output: this might require to wait for all the network to finish the FF update in order to propagate prediction from top to bottom nodes.\",\n \"It is evident that the inter-nodes exchange of information by means of FF and FB connections is at the core of the memory prediction framework (MPF) such as disclosed in WO 2014009031 mentioned here above.\",\n \"Thus, the efficiency of communication between nodes impacts the whole system both in terms of the number of bits than can be exchanged, and the computational effort within the node.\",\n \"Indeed, the greater the efficiency is the more bits can be exchanged between two nodes and the less computational effort within a node is needed to process a same amount of data.\",\n \"Bi-directional mapping is a technique to perform dimensionality reduction avoiding the typical drawbacks of common techniques such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and manifold learning algorithms in general.\",\n \"In particular, avoid linearity, which is a constraint on the learned manifolds shape which results in maps with low accuracy, and avoid directionality, which contributes in the impossibility to recover original high dimensional points from their low dimensional representation.\",\n \"In the article entitled “Visualizing Data using t-SNE” by Laurens van der Maaten and Geoffrey Hinton and published in the Journal of Machine Learning Research, volume 1 (2008) pages 1-48, is disclosed a well-known computer based method named t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbour Embedding (t-SNE).\",\n \"The t-SNE method allows visualizing high-dimensional datasets exploiting a dimensionality reduction which preserves proximity without any possible inference on the visualisations.\"\n ],\n [\n \" OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention aims to improve a memory prediction framework global efficiency by performing an invertible dimensionality reduction on the inter-node communication which allows a data-dependent bi-directional mapping between high- and low-dimensional spaces.\",\n \"This goal is reached thanks to a computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data by compressing high dimensional data into a lower dimensional map, e.g.\",\n \"a two- or three-dimensional map, the method comprising a reception of data with a first dimension greater than one, for example data captured and transmitted by at least one sensor, and a compression of said data or attributes derived from said data, such as segments of GPS data or segments of data of the on-board electronic control unit of a vehicle, into compressed data with a second dimension lower than the first dimension.\",\n \"According to a general feature of this computer based method, for two metric spaces X=(x,μ x ) and Y=(y,μ y ) with x a first space which dimension is greater or equal than the dimension of a second space y, μ x a first metric on said first space x, μ y a metric on said second space y, and P being a first set of n points belonging to said first space x, a point being an element of a space, the compression is realized by finding a second set of n points Q belonging to said second space y such that: in-line-formulae description=\\\"In-line Formulae\\\" end=\\\"lead\\\"?\",\n \"Q =argmin tϵy n d ( A 1 (μ x ( P )), A 2 ( t ))) (Equation 1) in-line-formulae description=\\\"In-line Formulae\\\" end=\\\"tail\\\"?\",\n \"where d(.,.)\",\n \"is a symmetric distance function on the space of square matrices, while A 1 and A 2 are any two functions holding the following properties, A being any of A 1 or A 2 functions: A: R 4→ [0, 1], A(0)=1, lim x→∞ A(z)=0, A(z 1 )>A(z 2 ) if and only if z 1 0, or A ( z ) = e - ( z s ) 2 , with s>0, or A ( z ) = 1 1 + ( z s ) 2 with s>0, or A ( z ) = 1 1 + ( z s ) with s>0.Once equation 1 is solved for each of the n points of the first set of n points P, correspondence between points, referenced as BiMap, of the two set of n points P and Q, ice, BiMap=(P,Q), can be used as a translation atlas to transform points of said first space x into points of said second space y and vice-versa by means of equations 2 and equation 3 which follow.\",\n \"First and second spaces x and y are general spaces where dimension of y is smaller than dimension of x.\",\n \"The computer-based method creates a correspondence between points in x and points in y.\",\n \"Thus the compression is achieved by having the points of y in a smaller dimension than the points of x.\",\n \"This compression method is defined so as to be bi-directional as it allows both compression and decompression of data, in contrast to the other manifold learning algorithms which allow only compression and not decompression of data.\",\n \"The two main difference between this computer based method and the t-SNE computer based method consists in the possibility given here to both add new point to a map without the need to re-compute the whole map, and create an inverse correspondence from matrix y to matrix x to recover a higher dimensional point from its lower dimensional representation.\",\n \"Indeed, t-SNE does not create any mapping and any addition of a new point constrains to re-compute all the data to visualize ft.\",\n \"The second difference with t-SNE is also the main difference with the standard manifold learning computer based methods as disclosed in the article entitled “Iterative non-linear dimensionality reduction with manifold sculpting” from Gashler et. al.\",\n \"and published in NIPS (2007), volume 8, pages 513-520, and in the article entitled “Diffusion maps” from Coffman et al and published in the magazine Applied and computational harmonic analysis, volume 21, issue 1, July 2006, pages 5-30.Moreover, depending on the choice of functions A 1 and A 2 the computer based method can accurately transport the proximity relation from P to Q, and/or can show self-clustering features, and/or help to highlight hidden patterns in data.\",\n \"For example if A1 and A2 are the same function then the proximity relation is accurately transported, while whenever A2 has a fatter tails than A1, then points which are not so close on x will be spread away on the projection over y, thus highlighting the neighborhood structure, i.e.\",\n \"the clustering, of the original points in x.\",\n \"In a first aspect of this computer based method, it further comprises an extraction of attributes from at least one data before initiating said bi-directional compression.\",\n \"The extraction of attributes from each data enables to already sort out the elements of each data considered as relevant for future operations and thus already realise a first compression of used data by only keeping the relevant parts, i.e.\",\n \"attributes, for the bi-directional compression into two- or three-dimensional maps.\",\n \"Moreover, the extraction of attributes such as spatiotemporal attributes helps simplifying the training of a computer-based model using the bi-directional mapping compression.\",\n \"In a second aspect of this computer based method, said compression method comprises a compression of a new point m belonging to matrix x on matrix y by solving the following equation: in-line-formulae description=\\\"In-line Formulae\\\" end=\\\"lead\\\"?\",\n \"{tilde over ( y )}=argmin tϵy n d ( A 1 (μ x ( P,m )), A 2 (μ y ( Q,t ))) (Equation 2) in-line-formulae description=\\\"In-line Formulae\\\" end=\\\"tail\\\"?\",\n \"and a decompression of a new point t belonging to matrix y on matrix x by solving the following equation: in-line-formulae description=\\\"In-line Formulae\\\" end=\\\"lead\\\"?\",\n \"{tilde over ( x )}=argmin mϵx n d ( A 1 (μ x ( P,m )), A 2 (μ y ( Q,t ))) (Equation 3) in-line-formulae description=\\\"In-line Formulae\\\" end=\\\"tail\\\"?\",\n \"where μ x (P,m) and μ y (Q,t) are the distance vectors between the points of BiMap and the new points in the corresponding respective spaces, BiMap is a correspondence between points of x and points of y given by Equation 2 (compressing) and equation (3) decompressing.\",\n \"Moreover A 1 (μ x (P,m)) or A 2 (μ y (Q,t)) can be used to assess an objective Map Distortion Index (MDI) when a new point m or t needs to be mapped in Y or X respectively.\",\n \"Indeed, the mapping accuracy obtained by this computer-based method depends on the closeness with respect to the points in the atlas BiMap=(P,Q).\",\n \"The dependence is expressed by searching the point which has minimum activation distortion from the learned ones, i.e.\",\n \"solving equation 2 or equation 3.The possibility to assess an MDI leads to both a point section scheme in the X space in order to have more accurate atlas and to an intrinsic anomaly detection mechanism to support or to implement the context check within the MPF.\",\n \"Another object of the invention is to provide a computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context.\",\n \"The method comprises the following steps: capturing environmental data with at least one sensor, realising a computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data by compressing high dimensional environmental data into a lower dimensional map as defined above, if environmental data are captured during a learning phase of a computer-based model, evaluating the map of compressed data by determining the quality of the map by how well it separates data with different properties, said captured data corresponding to known pre-recorded data that have been pre-evaluated, if environmental data are captured after said learning phase, add new points to said compressed data and generate a signal indicating which human-like decision to use to correspond to the state of the operator.\",\n \"Depending on the environmental context and the use of the method, the human-like decisions simulated can be human judgements about their environments taking into consideration some first type of environmental data like sounds for example, or human-like control behaviour control for example to predict what kind of action a human, a driver e.g., is going to take knowing some second type of environmental data like the position, the speed and the gear of the car, or other kinds of human-like decisions.\",\n \"Thus, in an architecture comprising a memory prediction framework, this computer-based method can act in three different ways: First as an input data pre-processing, second as an internode feedforward and feedback data compression, and third as a node output classifier.\",\n \"In the first configuration, i.e.\",\n \"the input data pre-processing, the role played by the bi-directional mapping computer-based compression method is to let the network process data from a domain with less dimensions, thus saving both memory and computational power.\",\n \"In the second configuration, i.e.\",\n \"the internode feedforward and feedback data compression, the bi-directional mapping computer-based compression method is used to compress feedforward outputting from the lowest level node and decompress the feedback outputting from the highest level one.\",\n \"In the third configuration, i.e.\",\n \"the node output classifier, the bi-directional mapping computer-based compression method helps to visualize the learning dynamics within a node, thus to help the human qualitative interpretation of the information stored in it.\",\n \"In this case the compression method acts as a clustering based classifier.\",\n \"In the second configuration, during inference tasks which happen after the end of the learning phase, according to WO 2014 009031 an MPF node computes the distance, with respect to a defined metric, between the current input and all its stored coincidences, hence it outputs the feedforward signal consisting in a distance related probability distribution of the input being a sample of the known stored coincidences.\",\n \"The space of coincidence, within a node, is coupled with a metric implying both that the coincidences have a naturally defined spatial notion within the node input space and that the feedforward signal is a codification of the input in terms of its position within the input space by using the coincidences as reference points.\",\n \"In other words, for any new input M the output of an MPF node N is the vector A N (μ N (C,m)), with A N (.)\",\n \"the activation function of the node N, μ N (.)\",\n \"its metric, and C the set of its coincidences.\",\n \"Thus the output of any node is the first half of equation 2 and symmetrically a feedback output is the second part of equation 3.In particular, the dimensionality of the output of each node increases with the memory size of the node itself.\",\n \"During real-world usage of the MPF, i.e.\",\n \"during inference phase, it is possible to have nodes with output dimensionality of hundreds or thousands of probabilities.\",\n \"The need for dimensionality reduction is important when stacking nodes in a hierarchy, like the MPF, since the nodes in the above levels must learn from the output of the nodes in the lower ones.\",\n \"In particular a smaller dimension input means reduced computational power needed to perform all the MPF capabilities.\",\n \"This problem is even more relevant when a higher level node receives as input the output of several lower level ones, then the dimension of its input space grows accordingly to the sum of the number of coincidences of its input nodes.\",\n \"The need of back projection in feedback connections clearly follows, since it is mandatory for many MPF features.\",\n \"Moreover, whenever the order of C exceeds by at least one the number of dimension of the input space N, there is a one to one correspondence between the position of the input m within the node input space and the space of the feedforward signals in output, meaning that any further correspondence add redundancy to A N (μ N (C,m)) which can be cleared out by said compression method.\",\n \"Nowadays, the sound quality of a car is a very important aspect considered by a consumer, for example when buying a new car.\",\n \"Since the sound quality is mostly a subjective aspect, there are no reliable ways to objectively evaluate the quality.\",\n \"Therefore the evaluation step during the car development usually relies on judgments given by experts, often on a relative scale between different cars.\",\n \"Thus, this aspect of this computer-based method enables to objectify the subjective judgments of car sounds, in other words it enables to objectify the process of evaluating car sounds.\",\n \"In a first aspect of the computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context, said computer-based method comprises pre-processing said environmental data with at least one filter before realising the computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data, said computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data receiving as input filtered environmental data.\",\n \"This additional step enables, especially in an application to car audio sound treatment, the environmental data to go through a series of filters, such as band-pass filters, and pre-processing steps which helps increasing and diversifying the amount of information treated.\",\n \"For instance, in an application to car audio sound treatment, pre-processing steps can include denoising, convolution or any possible audio processing.\",\n \"In general it can be any kind of data operation or feature extraction.\",\n \"An MPF architecture is mostly un-supervised and data-driven.\",\n \"Therefore, filtering out data may help in excluding useless or misleading information, helping MPF to focus on more important features.\",\n \"In a second aspect of the computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context, the environmental data comprise at least one sample of raw sound recorded inside a car's cockpit with a noise sensor, and said method further comprises inputting said environmental data into auditory models before pre-processing with at least one filter the data outputted by said auditory models to deliver a plurality of different versions of the environmental data, said pre-processing being realized over every version of the environmental data.\",\n \"Thus, this aspect of this computer-based method enables to objectify the subjective judgments of car sounds, in other words it enables to objectify the process of evaluating car sounds.\",\n \"The raw sound can be recorded by using high fidelity microphones synchronized with the CAN bus data, i.e.\",\n \"the controller area network.\",\n \"Auditory models are bio-inspired techniques to transform acoustic data into psycho-acoustic data.\",\n \"The correspondences between physical sound properties and human perception are complicated and far from being linear.\",\n \"Several operations are performed such as integration, temporal and frequency masking.\",\n \"From a computational point of view, an auditory model can be seen as a bank of filters whose task is to reproduce the operations performed by the human ear.\",\n \"This approach is widely used in speech recognition, but rarely considered in the automotive field.\",\n \"The raw recorded sound is processed using the auditory models presented in scientific literature.\",\n \"The output of this step is the amount of energy in a set of determined frequency bands, considering the effects of the different auditory models, such as frequency selection, frequency and temporal masking.\",\n \"A set of different Auditory Models are used to generate a plurality of “psychoacoustic versions” of the same raw sound to be processed in the following steps.\",\n \"Another object of the invention is to propose a system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context comprising at least one sensor to capture environmental data, and an architecture with a memory for interacting with dynamic behaviours of a tool and an operator.\",\n \"According to a general feature of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, the architecture are configured to process the steps of said computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context defined here above.\",\n \"Moreover, all the features in application WO 2014 009031 are integrated in the present specification.\",\n \"In a first aspect of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, the memory of the architecture is an artificial memory, the architecture being a first neural network having structures and mechanisms for abstraction, generalisation and learning, the first neural network implementation comprising an artificial hierarchical memory system, comprising a receiving port configured to receive data generated by sensors (on the tool), one or more first nodes configured to learn and recognize frequently occurring input attributes and sequences received from the receiving port, said one or more first nodes forming a second neural network comprising neurons as components and edges connecting two or more of said neurons in a graph, and an output port configured to output data constructed by the architecture and associated with the behaviours, whereby each of the one or more or essentially all of said first nodes is adapted for time series analysis, and comprises components connected in a topological graph or temporal graph.\",\n \"In a second aspect of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, it comprises a pre-processing filter to apply a set of different filters to the environmental data captured by the at least one sensor.\",\n \"In a third aspect of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, the environmental data comprise at least one sample of raw sound recorded inside a cares cockpit with a noise sensor, and said system further comprises auditory models configured to be applied to said recorded environmental data before the filtering pre-processing to output a plurality of different versions of the environmental data, said filtering pre-processing being realized over every version of the environmental data.\",\n \"Another object of the invention is to propose an automotive vehicle comprising an electronic control unit including a system for simulating a humanlike behaviour in an environmental context.\"\n ],\n [\n \"BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a computer-based method for simulating a human-like control behaviour in an environmental context, and in particular such a system and method including a computer-based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data.\",\n \"Today, assisting systems are used for many applications in almost any kind of industry.\",\n \"Especially the automotive industry or the aviation industry as well as in computational industry assisting systems are commonly used to facilitate for a user the operating systems.\",\n \"In automotive industry, well known systems like ESC (Electronic Stability Control) for improving the safety of the vehicle's stability by detecting and minimizing of the skidding, or EBA (Emergency Brake Assist) to ensure maximum braking power in emergency situations by interpreting the speed and the force at which a brake pedal is pushed are widely-used.\",\n \"In aviation industry active autopilots or so called fly-by-wire systems are commonly used in modern civil as well as military aircrafts, where electronic interfaces replace the manual flight control by converting the movements of the flight controls into electronic signal and initiate flight control without human interference.\",\n \"Additionally, the number of sensors and actuators integrated in the systems, like vehicles or aircrafts, increases rapidly with the aim to watch over and/or control almost each and every component in these systems electronically.\",\n \"One problem arising from the increased number of sensors and actuators is the amount of data to be handled and/or analysed for recognising a specific situation or operational status of the systems.\",\n \"It is an intention of modern assisting systems to provide a robust, sensitive and real-time monitoring of human intention while operating a machine in a dynamically changing environment.\",\n \"Such modern assisting systems enable efficient and safe operation of a machine, optimized to actual human intended operation.\",\n \"Such machine may be any kind of system to be operated by a human, like e.g.\",\n \"a vehicle, an aircraft, a ship, a machine etc.\",\n \"as well as computational systems like, e.g.\",\n \"a computer game, or the like.\",\n \"In the following, the term “system” should be understood as any kind of these.\",\n \"Assisting systems generally use virtual development methods.\",\n \"Such methods are quickly gaining importance in the vehicle development process to cope with important business challenges; shortening time-to-market, optimising product quality, performance & value, reducing production & development costs, dealing with ever stricter emission & safety regulations.\",\n \"For example, a particular challenge in the Engine and Powertrain field is the upcoming European “Real Driving Emissions” (RDE) regulation.\",\n \"RDE compliance requires control of vehicle exhaust emissions over a wide area of operating conditions.\",\n \"This heavily impacts the engine calibration process which was traditionally based on a fixed driving cycle.\",\n \"Virtualising part of the calibration process allows evaluating the vehicle & engine behaviour under various real-life driving conditions by running a physical or grey-box vehicle model over a virtual driving environment, operated by a virtual Driver Model.\",\n \"Perceptual/cognitive architectures with an artificial (i.e.\",\n \"implemented on a machine, or in or as a computer or in or as a tool) memory system are used as such assisting systems.\",\n \"They are particularly suited for understanding and controlling the dynamic behaviours of a tool in response to the human operator, especially for actual and safe interactions of operator and tool in real-time in a dynamically variable environment.\",\n \"Document WO 2014 009031 relates to a method or system or architecture, in particular a perceptual/cognitive architecture with an artificial memory system, comprising: at least one first node being adapted to store and recall (e.g.\",\n \"long) input sequences, such (e.g.\",\n \"long) input sequences being modelled as an event; at least one second node being adapted to extract and save prototypes from raw data, each prototype being representative of data chunks, characterizing real world operation (of a tool within its environment) with features which are similar.\",\n \"In the architecture disclosed in this document, the second node provides the input for the first node.\",\n \"The raw data is typically data obtained from sensors, e.g.\",\n \"sensors that sense the activity of actuators or control elements of a machine or tool.\",\n \"An artificial memory system is generally composed of several nodes each of them solving a specific task like for example, one of the following ones: spatial pooling, signal quantization, temporal and forced temporal pooling, event and forced event pooling.\",\n \"The functionality of the whole system is achieved by connecting these nodes with different kind of oriented connections, like: Feed Forward (FF) input/output, Feed Back (FB) input/output, State Consistency Check, and so on.\",\n \"The Memory Prediction Framework (MPF) described in this document is in a particular embodiment an “artificial memory recalling system” inspired by the functioning of the mammalian neocortex, able to identify, store, recognize spatial/temporal patterns of sensed parameters, able of classifying the events being exposed to, and predicting over time.\",\n \"An MPF network is composed of a hierarchical set of nodes that can contain a neural gas-like adaptive memory system, able to analyse different spatial-temporal inputs in parallel and then communicate throughout the hierarchy in order to discover higher level behaviours and properties.\",\n \"The three main purposes of a node, which has an input and an output, are to learn and recognize peculiar input patterns, associate them to a number of external (possibly unknown) causes or events, and finally predict the next input pattern(s).\",\n \"To these aims two different phases are usually distinguished: the training phase, or learning phase, used to learn input patterns, which affects the internal “memory” of a node, and the inference phase which is the actual operational phase for a node during which input patterns are compared against memorized ones and FF and FB outputs are generated.\",\n \"Actually nothing prevents a node to operate in a “continuous learning” way in which training and inference are performed together.\",\n \"Another possibility is to have a very short initial training phase, used to overcome the “cold start” problem, followed by a continuous learning phase.\",\n \"In any case, the purpose for the inference phase is to evaluate the current input pattern in order to associate it to one or more, learned causes.\",\n \"This results in the generation of a FF output signal which represent the likelihood for the current input pattern to belong to one of the learned causes.\",\n \"This process is usually affected also by the FB input signal which represents a prediction for the current FF output signal provided by a parent node.\",\n \"This last feature is intended to permit a node to disambiguate among different causes which might share common input patterns: this is usually referred to as “focus of attention”, After the generation of the FF output a node should also generate a prediction for its next input pattern to be signalled to child nodes via its FB output: this might require to wait for all the network to finish the FF update in order to propagate prediction from top to bottom nodes.\",\n \"It is evident that the inter-nodes exchange of information by means of FF and FB connections is at the core of the memory prediction framework (MPF) such as disclosed in WO 2014009031 mentioned here above.\",\n \"Thus, the efficiency of communication between nodes impacts the whole system both in terms of the number of bits than can be exchanged, and the computational effort within the node.\",\n \"Indeed, the greater the efficiency is the more bits can be exchanged between two nodes and the less computational effort within a node is needed to process a same amount of data.\",\n \"Bi-directional mapping is a technique to perform dimensionality reduction avoiding the typical drawbacks of common techniques such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and manifold learning algorithms in general.\",\n \"In particular, avoid linearity, which is a constraint on the learned manifolds shape which results in maps with low accuracy, and avoid directionality, which contributes in the impossibility to recover original high dimensional points from their low dimensional representation.\",\n \"In the article entitled “Visualizing Data using t-SNE” by Laurens van der Maaten and Geoffrey Hinton and published in the Journal of Machine Learning Research, volume 1 (2008) pages 1-48, is disclosed a well-known computer based method named t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbour Embedding (t-SNE).\",\n \"The t-SNE method allows visualizing high-dimensional datasets exploiting a dimensionality reduction which preserves proximity without any possible inference on the visualisations.\",\n \"OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention aims to improve a memory prediction framework global efficiency by performing an invertible dimensionality reduction on the inter-node communication which allows a data-dependent bi-directional mapping between high- and low-dimensional spaces.\",\n \"This goal is reached thanks to a computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data by compressing high dimensional data into a lower dimensional map, e.g.\",\n \"a two- or three-dimensional map, the method comprising a reception of data with a first dimension greater than one, for example data captured and transmitted by at least one sensor, and a compression of said data or attributes derived from said data, such as segments of GPS data or segments of data of the on-board electronic control unit of a vehicle, into compressed data with a second dimension lower than the first dimension.\",\n \"According to a general feature of this computer based method, for two metric spaces X=(x,μx) and Y=(y,μy) with x a first space which dimension is greater or equal than the dimension of a second space y, μx a first metric on said first space x, μy a metric on said second space y, and P being a first set of n points belonging to said first space x, a point being an element of a space, the compression is realized by finding a second set of n points Q belonging to said second space y such that: Q=argmintϵynd(A1(μx(P)),A2(t))) (Equation 1) where d(.,.)\",\n \"is a symmetric distance function on the space of square matrices, while A1 and A2 are any two functions holding the following properties, A being any of A1 or A2 functions: A: R4→[0, 1], A(0)=1, limx→∞A(z)=0, A(z1)>A(z2) if and only if z10, or A ( z ) = e - ( z s ) 2 , with s>0, or A ( z ) = 1 1 + ( z s ) 2 with s>0, or A ( z ) = 1 1 + ( z s ) with s>0.Once equation 1 is solved for each of the n points of the first set of n points P, correspondence between points, referenced as BiMap, of the two set of n points P and Q, ice, BiMap=(P,Q), can be used as a translation atlas to transform points of said first space x into points of said second space y and vice-versa by means of equations 2 and equation 3 which follow.\",\n \"First and second spaces x and y are general spaces where dimension of y is smaller than dimension of x.\",\n \"The computer-based method creates a correspondence between points in x and points in y.\",\n \"Thus the compression is achieved by having the points of y in a smaller dimension than the points of x.\",\n \"This compression method is defined so as to be bi-directional as it allows both compression and decompression of data, in contrast to the other manifold learning algorithms which allow only compression and not decompression of data.\",\n \"The two main difference between this computer based method and the t-SNE computer based method consists in the possibility given here to both add new point to a map without the need to re-compute the whole map, and create an inverse correspondence from matrix y to matrix x to recover a higher dimensional point from its lower dimensional representation.\",\n \"Indeed, t-SNE does not create any mapping and any addition of a new point constrains to re-compute all the data to visualize ft.\",\n \"The second difference with t-SNE is also the main difference with the standard manifold learning computer based methods as disclosed in the article entitled “Iterative non-linear dimensionality reduction with manifold sculpting” from Gashler et. al.\",\n \"and published in NIPS (2007), volume 8, pages 513-520, and in the article entitled “Diffusion maps” from Coffman et al and published in the magazine Applied and computational harmonic analysis, volume 21, issue 1, July 2006, pages 5-30.Moreover, depending on the choice of functions A1 and A2 the computer based method can accurately transport the proximity relation from P to Q, and/or can show self-clustering features, and/or help to highlight hidden patterns in data.\",\n \"For example if A1 and A2 are the same function then the proximity relation is accurately transported, while whenever A2 has a fatter tails than A1, then points which are not so close on x will be spread away on the projection over y, thus highlighting the neighborhood structure, i.e.\",\n \"the clustering, of the original points in x.\",\n \"In a first aspect of this computer based method, it further comprises an extraction of attributes from at least one data before initiating said bi-directional compression.\",\n \"The extraction of attributes from each data enables to already sort out the elements of each data considered as relevant for future operations and thus already realise a first compression of used data by only keeping the relevant parts, i.e.\",\n \"attributes, for the bi-directional compression into two- or three-dimensional maps.\",\n \"Moreover, the extraction of attributes such as spatiotemporal attributes helps simplifying the training of a computer-based model using the bi-directional mapping compression.\",\n \"In a second aspect of this computer based method, said compression method comprises a compression of a new point m belonging to matrix x on matrix y by solving the following equation: {tilde over (y)}=argmintϵynd(A1(μx(P,m)),A2(μy(Q,t))) (Equation 2) and a decompression of a new point t belonging to matrix y on matrix x by solving the following equation: {tilde over (x)}=argminmϵxnd(A1(μx(P,m)),A2(μy(Q,t))) (Equation 3) where μx(P,m) and μy(Q,t) are the distance vectors between the points of BiMap and the new points in the corresponding respective spaces, BiMap is a correspondence between points of x and points of y given by Equation 2 (compressing) and equation (3) decompressing.\",\n \"Moreover A1(μx(P,m)) or A2(μy(Q,t)) can be used to assess an objective Map Distortion Index (MDI) when a new point m or t needs to be mapped in Y or X respectively.\",\n \"Indeed, the mapping accuracy obtained by this computer-based method depends on the closeness with respect to the points in the atlas BiMap=(P,Q).\",\n \"The dependence is expressed by searching the point which has minimum activation distortion from the learned ones, i.e.\",\n \"solving equation 2 or equation 3.The possibility to assess an MDI leads to both a point section scheme in the X space in order to have more accurate atlas and to an intrinsic anomaly detection mechanism to support or to implement the context check within the MPF.\",\n \"Another object of the invention is to provide a computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context.\",\n \"The method comprises the following steps: capturing environmental data with at least one sensor, realising a computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data by compressing high dimensional environmental data into a lower dimensional map as defined above, if environmental data are captured during a learning phase of a computer-based model, evaluating the map of compressed data by determining the quality of the map by how well it separates data with different properties, said captured data corresponding to known pre-recorded data that have been pre-evaluated, if environmental data are captured after said learning phase, add new points to said compressed data and generate a signal indicating which human-like decision to use to correspond to the state of the operator.\",\n \"Depending on the environmental context and the use of the method, the human-like decisions simulated can be human judgements about their environments taking into consideration some first type of environmental data like sounds for example, or human-like control behaviour control for example to predict what kind of action a human, a driver e.g., is going to take knowing some second type of environmental data like the position, the speed and the gear of the car, or other kinds of human-like decisions.\",\n \"Thus, in an architecture comprising a memory prediction framework, this computer-based method can act in three different ways: First as an input data pre-processing, second as an internode feedforward and feedback data compression, and third as a node output classifier.\",\n \"In the first configuration, i.e.\",\n \"the input data pre-processing, the role played by the bi-directional mapping computer-based compression method is to let the network process data from a domain with less dimensions, thus saving both memory and computational power.\",\n \"In the second configuration, i.e.\",\n \"the internode feedforward and feedback data compression, the bi-directional mapping computer-based compression method is used to compress feedforward outputting from the lowest level node and decompress the feedback outputting from the highest level one.\",\n \"In the third configuration, i.e.\",\n \"the node output classifier, the bi-directional mapping computer-based compression method helps to visualize the learning dynamics within a node, thus to help the human qualitative interpretation of the information stored in it.\",\n \"In this case the compression method acts as a clustering based classifier.\",\n \"In the second configuration, during inference tasks which happen after the end of the learning phase, according to WO 2014 009031 an MPF node computes the distance, with respect to a defined metric, between the current input and all its stored coincidences, hence it outputs the feedforward signal consisting in a distance related probability distribution of the input being a sample of the known stored coincidences.\",\n \"The space of coincidence, within a node, is coupled with a metric implying both that the coincidences have a naturally defined spatial notion within the node input space and that the feedforward signal is a codification of the input in terms of its position within the input space by using the coincidences as reference points.\",\n \"In other words, for any new input M the output of an MPF node N is the vector AN(μN(C,m)), with AN(.)\",\n \"the activation function of the node N, μN(.)\",\n \"its metric, and C the set of its coincidences.\",\n \"Thus the output of any node is the first half of equation 2 and symmetrically a feedback output is the second part of equation 3.In particular, the dimensionality of the output of each node increases with the memory size of the node itself.\",\n \"During real-world usage of the MPF, i.e.\",\n \"during inference phase, it is possible to have nodes with output dimensionality of hundreds or thousands of probabilities.\",\n \"The need for dimensionality reduction is important when stacking nodes in a hierarchy, like the MPF, since the nodes in the above levels must learn from the output of the nodes in the lower ones.\",\n \"In particular a smaller dimension input means reduced computational power needed to perform all the MPF capabilities.\",\n \"This problem is even more relevant when a higher level node receives as input the output of several lower level ones, then the dimension of its input space grows accordingly to the sum of the number of coincidences of its input nodes.\",\n \"The need of back projection in feedback connections clearly follows, since it is mandatory for many MPF features.\",\n \"Moreover, whenever the order of C exceeds by at least one the number of dimension of the input space N, there is a one to one correspondence between the position of the input m within the node input space and the space of the feedforward signals in output, meaning that any further correspondence add redundancy to AN(μN(C,m)) which can be cleared out by said compression method.\",\n \"Nowadays, the sound quality of a car is a very important aspect considered by a consumer, for example when buying a new car.\",\n \"Since the sound quality is mostly a subjective aspect, there are no reliable ways to objectively evaluate the quality.\",\n \"Therefore the evaluation step during the car development usually relies on judgments given by experts, often on a relative scale between different cars.\",\n \"Thus, this aspect of this computer-based method enables to objectify the subjective judgments of car sounds, in other words it enables to objectify the process of evaluating car sounds.\",\n \"In a first aspect of the computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context, said computer-based method comprises pre-processing said environmental data with at least one filter before realising the computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data, said computer based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data receiving as input filtered environmental data.\",\n \"This additional step enables, especially in an application to car audio sound treatment, the environmental data to go through a series of filters, such as band-pass filters, and pre-processing steps which helps increasing and diversifying the amount of information treated.\",\n \"For instance, in an application to car audio sound treatment, pre-processing steps can include denoising, convolution or any possible audio processing.\",\n \"In general it can be any kind of data operation or feature extraction.\",\n \"An MPF architecture is mostly un-supervised and data-driven.\",\n \"Therefore, filtering out data may help in excluding useless or misleading information, helping MPF to focus on more important features.\",\n \"In a second aspect of the computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context, the environmental data comprise at least one sample of raw sound recorded inside a car's cockpit with a noise sensor, and said method further comprises inputting said environmental data into auditory models before pre-processing with at least one filter the data outputted by said auditory models to deliver a plurality of different versions of the environmental data, said pre-processing being realized over every version of the environmental data.\",\n \"Thus, this aspect of this computer-based method enables to objectify the subjective judgments of car sounds, in other words it enables to objectify the process of evaluating car sounds.\",\n \"The raw sound can be recorded by using high fidelity microphones synchronized with the CAN bus data, i.e.\",\n \"the controller area network.\",\n \"Auditory models are bio-inspired techniques to transform acoustic data into psycho-acoustic data.\",\n \"The correspondences between physical sound properties and human perception are complicated and far from being linear.\",\n \"Several operations are performed such as integration, temporal and frequency masking.\",\n \"From a computational point of view, an auditory model can be seen as a bank of filters whose task is to reproduce the operations performed by the human ear.\",\n \"This approach is widely used in speech recognition, but rarely considered in the automotive field.\",\n \"The raw recorded sound is processed using the auditory models presented in scientific literature.\",\n \"The output of this step is the amount of energy in a set of determined frequency bands, considering the effects of the different auditory models, such as frequency selection, frequency and temporal masking.\",\n \"A set of different Auditory Models are used to generate a plurality of “psychoacoustic versions” of the same raw sound to be processed in the following steps.\",\n \"Another object of the invention is to propose a system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context comprising at least one sensor to capture environmental data, and an architecture with a memory for interacting with dynamic behaviours of a tool and an operator.\",\n \"According to a general feature of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, the architecture are configured to process the steps of said computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context defined here above.\",\n \"Moreover, all the features in application WO 2014 009031 are integrated in the present specification.\",\n \"In a first aspect of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, the memory of the architecture is an artificial memory, the architecture being a first neural network having structures and mechanisms for abstraction, generalisation and learning, the first neural network implementation comprising an artificial hierarchical memory system, comprising a receiving port configured to receive data generated by sensors (on the tool), one or more first nodes configured to learn and recognize frequently occurring input attributes and sequences received from the receiving port, said one or more first nodes forming a second neural network comprising neurons as components and edges connecting two or more of said neurons in a graph, and an output port configured to output data constructed by the architecture and associated with the behaviours, whereby each of the one or more or essentially all of said first nodes is adapted for time series analysis, and comprises components connected in a topological graph or temporal graph.\",\n \"In a second aspect of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, it comprises a pre-processing filter to apply a set of different filters to the environmental data captured by the at least one sensor.\",\n \"In a third aspect of the system for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context, the environmental data comprise at least one sample of raw sound recorded inside a cares cockpit with a noise sensor, and said system further comprises auditory models configured to be applied to said recorded environmental data before the filtering pre-processing to output a plurality of different versions of the environmental data, said filtering pre-processing being realized over every version of the environmental data.\",\n \"Another object of the invention is to propose an automotive vehicle comprising an electronic control unit including a system for simulating a humanlike behaviour in an environmental context.\",\n \"BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood by reading here after, as examples and in a non-limitative way, in reference to the enclosed drawings on which: FIG.\",\n \"1 shows schematically an artificial memory system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"2 shows a diagram of a computer-based method for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context.\",\n \"DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE, EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described with respect to particular embodiments and with reference to certain drawings but the invention is not limited thereto but only by the claims.\",\n \"The drawings described are only schematic and are non-limiting.\",\n \"In the drawings, the size of some of the elements may be exaggerated and not drawn on scale for illustrative purposes.\",\n \"Where the term “comprising” is used in the present description and claims, it does not exclude other elements or steps.\",\n \"Where an indefinite or definite article is used when referring to a singular noun e.g.\",\n \"“a” or “an”, “the”, this includes a plural of that noun unless something else is specifically stated.\",\n \"The term “comprising”, used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being restricted to the means listed thereafter; it does not exclude other elements or steps.\",\n \"Thus, the scope of the expression “a device comprising means A and B” should not be limited to devices consisting only of components A and B.\",\n \"It means that with respect to the present invention, the only relevant components of the device are A and B.\",\n \"Furthermore, the terms first, second, third and the like in the description and in the claims, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequential or chronological order.\",\n \"It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments of the invention described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.\",\n \"In FIG.\",\n \"1 is schematically presented a system 100 for simulating a human-like behaviour in an environmental context according to an embodiment of the invention.\",\n \"The simulation system 100 comprises two sensors 110 configured to capture environmental data.\",\n \"In this embodiment, the sensors 110 are two high fidelity microphones placed in two different locations inside a cockpit of a car.\",\n \"The simulation system further comprises an architecture with an artificial memory system 120 configured to interact with dynamic behaviours of a tool and an operator.\",\n \"The architecture with an artificial memory system 120 is made of a first neural network having structures and mechanisms for abstraction, generalisation and learning.\",\n \"The first neural network implementation comprises an artificial hierarchical memory system 130 comprising a receiving port configured to receive data generated by the microphones 110, one or more first nodes 140 configured to learn and recognize frequently occurring input attributes and sequences received from the receiving port, and one or more second nodes 150.The one or more first nodes 140 form a second neural network comprising neurons as components and edges connecting two or more of said neurons in a graph, and an output port configured to output data constructed by the architecture and associated with the behaviours, whereby each of the one or more or essentially all of said first nodes is adapted for time series analysis, and comprises components connected in a topological graph or temporal graph.\",\n \"In embodiments of the present invention a human operator is mentioned such as a driver, captain, pilot, gamer.\",\n \"Such a person can be “autonomous”.\",\n \"For example the operator commands can be given a priori, in the form of commands stored on a suitable storage medium that can be read by the system.\",\n \"For example if the operator is a driver and the tool is a vehicle such as an automobile, the commands might be destinations, expected times of arrival, expected fuel consumption, whether to drive aggressively, sportily, calmly etc.\",\n \"The actual human driver can also intentionally switch on the system and a command can be provided to drive the driver to the destination in such a way that accelerations, braking force, speed, fuel consumption etc.\",\n \"are according to the driver's normal behaviour or other behaviour.\",\n \"Also the system can take over in case of lack of commands.\",\n \"For example if it is detected that the driver is asleep the system brings the vehicle safely to a stand-still.\",\n \"Whether the driver has fallen asleep can be detected by an Awareness Check.\",\n \"Embodiments of the present invention are based on the Memory Prediction Framework (MPF) and include an artificial hierarchical memory system.\",\n \"The artificial hierarchical memory system can be enhanced Hierarchical Temporal Memory (HIM) with improved capabilities for scene recognition/“classification” and/or a pre-processing stage.\",\n \"The system and method have been adapted to be able among others, to provide a number such as 10-15 samples or any suitable number of samples required, for e.g.\",\n \"more or less than half a second depending on the sampling frequency, a prediction about input operator commands due to the introduction of temporal events management as well as the above-mentioned pre-processing stage.\",\n \"The architecture of the embodiment of FIG.\",\n \"1 corresponds to the architecture described in document WO 2014 009031 comprising an enhanced hierarchical memory.\",\n \"The Memory Prediction Framework is appropriate as a fundamental model, as it foresees nearly all the structures and mechanisms necessary for good learning, abstraction and generalization, e.g.\",\n \"feed-forward and feed-back signal flows within the network, their correspondence as measure of the degree of understanding of the situation, which is a prerequisite for assessing the generalization capabilities of the network.\",\n \"The MPF computational approach and its learning algorithms have been proven to deal well with diverse sensory channels, although sensory-specific pre-processing or tuning is still required.\",\n \"Once setup, i.e.\",\n \"adapted to a particular sensor modality no pre-processing is in principle required.\",\n \"However, it may from time to time be applied with advantage, for example as previously mentioned so-called primitives.\",\n \"Embodiments of the present invention may be seen as instantiations of suitable parts of the MPF.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"2 schematically presents a computer-based method for simulating a human-like decision in an environmental context.\",\n \"This simulation method is realised by the nodes 140 and 150 inside the artificial hierarchical memory 130 of the simulation system 100.In this example, the human-like decision is a behaviour of a driver of a car and the environmental context taken into account corresponds to the sounds surrounding him.\",\n \"In a first step 10 of the simulation method, several high fidelity microphones synchronized with the CAN bus data record raw sounds inside the cockpit of the car.\",\n \"The raw sounds recorded are in a high dimensional configuration, for example a three dimension configuration.\",\n \"In a second step 12 of the simulation method, the electronic signals corresponding to the recorded raw sounds are sent to the architecture with said artificial memory system 120 and are pre-processed through a set of auditory models to generate a plurality of “psychoacoustic versions” of each recorded raw sound which will be inputted into the artificial memory system 120 after a filtering step.\",\n \"In a third step 14 of the simulation method, the electronic signals corresponding to the multiple psychoacoustic versions of each recorded raw sound are pre-processed through a set of band-pass filters.\",\n \"In a following step 16 of the simulation method, the filtered sounds are sent to nodes to be processed by using a computer-based method for realising a bi-directional compression of data by compressing said filtered data into a two-dimensional map.\",\n \"In step 18, a following step of the simulation method and first step of the compression method, the filtered sounds are received by other nodes or the same nodes.\",\n \"In a second step 20 of the compression method, the nodes operate an extraction of attributes from each filtered raw sound in order to sort out the elements of each data considered as relevant for the method for simulating a human-like control behaviour.\",\n \"The attributes extracted are e.g.\",\n \"spatiotemporal attributes in order to simplify the training of the computer-based method for simulating a human-like control behaviour.\",\n \"In a third step 22 of the compression method, the nodes operate a compression of the attributes extracted from the filtered raw sounds.\",\n \"The compression is realized by finding a set of n points Q belonging to a matrix y such that: Q=arginintϵynd(A1(μx(P)),A2(μy(t))) (Equation 1) X=(x,μx) and Y=(y,μy) being a two metric spaces with x a first space which dimension is greater or equal than the dimension of a second space y, μx a first metric on space x, μy a second metric on space y, and P being a first set of n points belonging to said first space x, and d(.,.)\",\n \"being a symmetric distance function on the space of square matrices, while A1 and A2 are any two functions holding the following properties: A:R30 →[0, 1], i.e.\",\n \"A being a function defined for all positive real numbers and generating a value between 0 and 1, 0 and 1 being included; A(0)=1, i.e.\",\n \"A being a function for which argument 0 will generate the value 1, limx→∞A(z)=0, i.e.\",\n \"A being a function which has 0 for a limit as the argument approaches grows, A(z1)>A(z2) if and only if z1 direction orthogonal to the surface of the buried oxide layer and a side surface extending in a <111> direction parallel to a surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing an oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel in the <111> direction to define at least one seed area; causing a growth of a III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel from the at least one seed area in the <110> and <112> directions and in the <111> direction; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a faster growth rate of the III-V material in the <110> direction and a slower growth rate in the <111> direction; processing the (110) silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate stack over the formed fin.","2.The method of claim 1, wherein causing a growth of a III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel from the at least one seed area in the <110> direction and in the <111> direction comprises depositing the III-V material on the at least one seed area at a preselected temperature and pressure.","3.The method of claim 1, wherein after growth of the III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel, the III-V is substantially defect-free.","4.The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the mandrel after disposing the gate stack over the formed fin, the removing of the mandrel being by subjecting the mandrel to a selective wet-etch or dry-etch technique.","5.The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a source region and a drain region in the buried oxide layer proximate opposing ends of the gate stack.","6.The method of claim 5, wherein forming a source region and a drain region in the buried oxide layer comprises forming n+ source and drain regions via epitaxially grown n+ III-V material.","7.The method of claim 5, wherein forming a source region and a drain region in the buried oxide layer comprises forming n+ source and drain regions via ion implantation into the III-V material.","8.The method of claim 1, wherein processing the (110) silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin comprises disposing a field oxide layer over the silicon material and the III-V material and planarizing the field oxide layer and the III-V material.","9.The method of claim 8, further comprising removing the field oxide layer by applying a wet-etch technique to the planarized field oxide layer.","10.The method of claim 1, wherein the III-V material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of gallium arsenide (GaAs), aluminum arsenide (AlAs), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), indium phosphide (InP), gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium nitride (GaN), gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP), gallium indium arsenide antimony phosphide (GaInAsSbP), aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs), aluminum gallium indium arsenide (AlGaInAs), indium arsenide (InAs), indium gallium phosphide (InGaP), indium arsenide antimony phosphide (InAsSbP), indium gallium aluminum phosphide (InGaAlP), and combinations of the foregoing."],[" BACKGROUND The exemplary embodiments of this invention relate generally to semiconductor devices and techniques for the fabrication thereof and, more specifically, to the fabrication of fin-type transistor devices having channels of III-V materials.","Semiconductors and integrated circuit chips have become widely used in many products due to their decreasing cost and size.","In the microelectronics industry there is a continued desire to reduce the size of structural features and microelectronic devices in order to provide a greater amount of circuitry on a given chip.","Doing so generally allows for increased performance (more processing per clock cycle and less heat generated) at lower power levels and lower cost.","However, the present technology is at or approaching atomic level scaling of certain micro-devices.","One type of microelectronic device that is continually being reduced in size is a field effect transistor (FET), which is generally defined by a source, a gate, and a drain.","The action of the FET depends on the flow of majority carriers along a channel that runs past the gate and between the source and drain.","Current through the channel between the source and drain may be controlled by a transverse electric field under the gate.","The size of a FET can be reduced by forming the channel in the shape of a fin.","A FET employing such a channel structure may be referred to as a finFET.","The fin-shaped channels (or “fins”) may be fabricated of, for example, germanium or III-V materials.","Such fins may be fabricated on silicon substrates.","The fabrication of defect-free III-V fins on a silicon substrate, however, may be difficult.","Current III-V heterogeneous epitaxy techniques (such as aspect ratio trapping and graded buffer growth) and other deposition techniques generally utilize relatively thick buffers of III-V materials (e.g., more than several hundreds of nanometers) and tend to result in the fabricated fins having large numbers of defects."],[" BRIEF SUMMARY In one exemplary aspect, a method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in a sidewall of the structure defined by the silicon material; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material in directions along a surface of the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material in a direction laterally from the surface of the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; and processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin.","In another exemplary aspect, a method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate, the structure having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer and a top surface parallel to the surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing a discontinuous oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the structure to define at least one seed area at at least one discontinuity in the oxide mask; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in the at least one seed area; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material along the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material lateral to the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate over the formed fin.","In another exemplary aspect, a method comprises forming a mandrel on a buried oxide layer on a silicon substrate, the forming of the mandrel being by a facet-selective wet etch of a (110) silicon material, the mandrel having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer, the sidewall having a top surface extending in a <110> direction orthogonal to the surface of the buried oxide layer and a side surface extending in a <111> direction parallel to a surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing an oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel in the <111> direction to define at least one seed area; causing a growth of a III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel from the at least one seed area in the <110> and <112> directions and in the <111> direction; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a faster growth rate of the III-V material in the <110> and <112> directions and a slower growth rate in the <111> direction; processing the (110) silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate stack over the formed fin."],["CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This patent application is a divisional application of copending U.S. Patent Application Ser.","No.","14/876,986, filed on Oct. 7, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.","BACKGROUND The exemplary embodiments of this invention relate generally to semiconductor devices and techniques for the fabrication thereof and, more specifically, to the fabrication of fin-type transistor devices having channels of III-V materials.","Semiconductors and integrated circuit chips have become widely used in many products due to their decreasing cost and size.","In the microelectronics industry there is a continued desire to reduce the size of structural features and microelectronic devices in order to provide a greater amount of circuitry on a given chip.","Doing so generally allows for increased performance (more processing per clock cycle and less heat generated) at lower power levels and lower cost.","However, the present technology is at or approaching atomic level scaling of certain micro-devices.","One type of microelectronic device that is continually being reduced in size is a field effect transistor (FET), which is generally defined by a source, a gate, and a drain.","The action of the FET depends on the flow of majority carriers along a channel that runs past the gate and between the source and drain.","Current through the channel between the source and drain may be controlled by a transverse electric field under the gate.","The size of a FET can be reduced by forming the channel in the shape of a fin.","A FET employing such a channel structure may be referred to as a finFET.","The fin-shaped channels (or “fins”) may be fabricated of, for example, germanium or III-V materials.","Such fins may be fabricated on silicon substrates.","The fabrication of defect-free III-V fins on a silicon substrate, however, may be difficult.","Current III-V heterogeneous epitaxy techniques (such as aspect ratio trapping and graded buffer growth) and other deposition techniques generally utilize relatively thick buffers of III-V materials (e.g., more than several hundreds of nanometers) and tend to result in the fabricated fins having large numbers of defects.","BRIEF SUMMARY In one exemplary aspect, a method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in a sidewall of the structure defined by the silicon material; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material in directions along a surface of the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material in a direction laterally from the surface of the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; and processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin.","In another exemplary aspect, a method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate, the structure having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer and a top surface parallel to the surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing a discontinuous oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the structure to define at least one seed area at at least one discontinuity in the oxide mask; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in the at least one seed area; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material along the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material lateral to the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate over the formed fin.","In another exemplary aspect, a method comprises forming a mandrel on a buried oxide layer on a silicon substrate, the forming of the mandrel being by a facet-selective wet etch of a (110) silicon material, the mandrel having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer, the sidewall having a top surface extending in a <110> direction orthogonal to the surface of the buried oxide layer and a side surface extending in a <111> direction parallel to a surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing an oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel in the <111> direction to define at least one seed area; causing a growth of a III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel from the at least one seed area in the <110> and <112> directions and in the <111> direction; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a faster growth rate of the III-V material in the <110> and <112> directions and a slower growth rate in the <111> direction; processing the (110) silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate stack over the formed fin.","BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other aspects of exemplary embodiments are made more evident in the following Detailed Description, when read in conjunction with the attached Drawing Figures, wherein: FIG.","1 is a perspective schematic representation of a portion of a silicon mandrel on which fins may be grown; FIG.","2 is a perspective schematic representation of the silicon mandrel of FIG.","1 disposed on a handle wafer comprising an insulating base substrate and an overlying buried oxide layer; FIG.","3 is a top view of the schematic representation of FIG.","2; FIGS.","4 and 5 are perspective schematic representations of another exemplary embodiment of a silicon mandrel disposed on a handle substrate; FIGS.","6-9 are perspective schematic representations of other exemplary embodiments of a silicon mandrel disposed on a handle substrate; FIG.","10 is perspective schematic representation of the silicon mandrel of FIG.","2 having fins laterally grown on opposing sidewalls; FIG.","11 is a top view of the schematic representation of FIG.","10; FIG.","12 is a perspective schematic representation of the mandrel and fins of FIG.","10 covered by a field oxide layer; FIG.","13 is a perspective schematic representation of the mandrel, fins, and field oxide layer of FIG.","12 polished down to an upper surface of a stop layer on the mandrel; FIG.","14 is a perspective schematic representation of a mandrel/fin arrangement having gate stacks disposed thereon; FIG.","15 is a top view of the schematic representation of FIG.","14; FIG.","16 is a perspective schematic representation of the mandrel/fin arrangement and gate stacks of FIG.","14 having source/drain regions disposed thereon; FIG.","17 is a top view of the schematic representation of FIG.","16; FIG.","18 is a perspective schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of fins and gate stacks without a mandrel; FIG.","19 is a top view of the schematic representation of FIG.","18; FIG.","20 is a top view of the schematic representation of FIG.","18 having source/drain regions disposed on the fins; FIG.","21 is a block diagram of various electronic devices and apparatuses that may be suitable for use in forming the structures described herein; and FIG.","22 is a logic flow diagram that illustrates the operation of an exemplary method, and a result of execution of computer program instructions embodied on a computer readable memory, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the manufacture of structures described herein.","DETAILED DESCRIPTION The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.","All of the embodiments described in this Detailed Description are exemplary embodiments provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims.","As used herein, the term “III-V” refers to inorganic crystalline compound semiconductors having at least one Group III element and at least one Group V element.","Exemplary III-V materials for use in the structures and methods described herein include, but are not limited to, gallium arsenide (GaAs), aluminum arsenide (AlAs), gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium nitride (GaN), gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP), gallium indium arsenide antimony phosphide (GaInAsSbP), aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs), aluminum gallium indium arsenide (AlGaInAs), indium arsenide (InAs), indium gallium phosphide (InGaP), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), indium arsenide antimony phosphide (InAsSbP), indium gallium aluminum phosphide (InGaAlP), and combinations of the foregoing.","As shown in FIG.","1, one exemplary embodiment of a structure for use in fabricating a finFET or a fin-type transistor device having active areas (such as channels) formed by III-V material(s) is designated generally by the reference number 100.The structure comprises a mandrel and is hereinafter referred to as “mandrel 100.” The mandrel 100 can comprise silicon or other insulative material.","In some embodiments illustrated herein, the mandrel 100 is a silicon substrate of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) material or bulk material having a (110) crystal configuration.","Because of the (110) configuration of the silicon forming the mandrel.","100, the silicon of the mandrel 100 would have a top surface 105 having crystal orientations of {110} and sidewalls 110 having crystal orientations of {111}.","Referring to FIGS.","2-22, exemplary embodiments of methods of fabricating a finFET or a fin-type device having one or more fins using the mandrel and comprising a III-V material are shown.","As shown in FIGS.","2 and 3, the mandrel 100 may be disposed on a handle wafer 115 comprising an insulating silicon base substrate 120 having an overlying buried oxide (BOX) layer 125, with the mandrel 100 being disposed directly on the BOX layer 125.The mandrel 100 may comprise the silicon having the (110) configuration with a silicon etch mask/chemical mechanical polish (CMP) stop layer 130 (hereinafter “stop layer 130”) disposed on the top surface 105 (in the <110> direction) and one or more sidewall oxide masks 135 (or a discontinuous sidewall oxide mask 135) disposed on portions of the opposing sidewalls in the <111> directions.","The stop layer 130 can comprise a silicon nitride (SiNx) such as, for example, SiN, Si3N4, or the like, or SiO2, or Al2O3.The sidewall oxide masks 135 can comprise any suitable oxide such as, for example, SiO2, as well as other materials such as silicon nitrides, and are deposited on the sidewall by any suitable deposition technique or by thermal oxidation.","The mandrel 100 may be formed by facet-selective wet etch on a (110) crystalline configuration of the SOI material or the bulk material such that the opposing sidewalls of the mandrel 100 are <111> faceted sidewalls that are perpendicular to an upper surface 140 of the BOX layer 125.The BOX layer 125 may be formed by implantation of oxide ions.","A seed area 145 is defined on each sidewall of the mandrel 100 by a gap, break, or discontinuity between sidewall oxide masks 135.If only one sidewall oxide mask 135 is employed, the seed area 145 may be defined by an opening in the sidewall oxide mask 135 or a through hole extending through the material of the sidewall oxide mask 135 down to the sidewall of the mandrel 100.The seed area 145 allows for the generation of nucleations in the III-V material forming the fin in a controlled manner (and without a buffer region between the III-V material and the material of the mandrel 100).","In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIGS.","4 and 5, a (112) oriented silicon surface wafer can be used to form the <111> direction sidewall.","As shown in FIG.","4, the insulating silicon base substrate 120 having the BOX layer 125 may be provided with an overlying layer of (112) silicon 127 on the BOX layer 125 to form the mandrel 100 of (112) silicon.","The stop layer 130 may be disposed on the overlying layer of (112) silicon 127.The stop layer 130 can comprise a silicon nitride (SiNx) such as, for example, SiN, Si3N4, or the like, or SiO2, or Al2O3.The overlying layer of (112) silicon 127 may be patterned and masked.","As shown in FIG.","5, mandrels 100 that are parallel to the <112> direction may be formed by a dry-etch technique (e.g., XeF2) or an anisotropic wet-etching of the silicon using tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH).","In such an embodiment, the silicon mandrel 100 is formed with a vertical sidewall that is normal to the <111> direction and that has an atomically flat surface due to the nature of facet-selective etching.","Another exemplary embodiment is shown in FIGS.","6-9.As shown in FIG.","6, the mandrel 100 may be formed using (110) or (112) silicon directly on the silicon base substrate 120 using any suitable anisotropic wet-etch technique (e.g., using TMAH or KOH).","As shown in FIG.","7, SiO2 is deposited around the mandrel 100 to form a bottom oxide layer 131a and over the mandrel 100 and the bottom oxide layer 131a to form a top oxide layer 131b.","As shown in FIG.","8, the top oxide layer 131b is planarized down to the stop layer 130 and the bottom oxide layer 131a.","As shown in FIG.","9, the bottom oxide layer 131a below the stop layer 130 is etched to expose the sidewalls of the mandrel 100.Sidewall oxide masks 135 may be disposed on the sidewalls to form the seed areas 145.Referring now to FIGS.","10 and 11, the III-V material is laterally grown from the seed areas 145 on the sides of the mandrel 100 to form the active areas.","Although the III-V material may be grown from any of the seed areas 145 described above, FIGS.","10 and 11 are depicted to show lateral growth from the seed areas 145 of the mandrel 100 and handle wafer 115 of FIG.","2.Since only a small portion of the silicon of the sidewall of the mandrel 100 is exposed to the III-V material in the seed area 145, growth of the III-V material can be from a single nucleus of III-V material deposited on the (110) configuration of the SOI material or the bulk material at a preselected temperature and pressure to initiate the growth, thereby allowing for high quality growth to be achieved due to the substantial absence of defects that can be generated when two growth fronts merge.","Conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure, and the like) are selected and adjusted such that a growth rate of the III-V material in the <110> direction is faster than a growth rate in the <111> direction, which results in a structure on each side of the mandrel 100 to define fins 150, such fins 150 having a height h (FIG.","10) that is substantially greater than a thickness t (FIG.","11).","As shown in FIG.","12, upon growth of the fins 150, a field oxide layer 155 (or equivalent material for CMP) can be disposed on the BOX layer 125 and over the fins 150 and mandrels 100.The field oxide layer 155 can comprise any suitable oxide material (e.g., silicon dioxide, spin-on-glass, or any dielectric material that can be selectively polished to the dielectric on the mandrels 100) for passivating and protecting the surfaces of the BOX layer 125, the fins 150, and the mandrels 100.As shown in FIG.","13, a CMP process can be carried out on the field oxide layer 155 to planarize the field oxide and the fins 150 down to the surface of the stop layer 130 on the mandrel 100.As shown in FIGS.","14 and 15, the portions of the field oxide layer 155 disposed on the BOX layer 125 and below the stop layer 130 (and not removed by the CMP process) can be removed by a wet-etch technique such as acid wash with hydrofluoric acid (HF).","Also, portions of the sidewall oxide mask 135 may be also removed.","After removal of the field oxide layer 155, one or more gate stacks 160 are formed over the fins 150 and the mandrel 100.In embodiments in which the gate stack 160 is formed as a replacement metal gate (RMG), a dummy gate structure is formed from hardmask material and sacrificial gate material, the dummy gate structure being used as a placeholder which is subsequently removed (e.g., by reactive ion etching) and replaced with a metal gate structure (e.g., using any suitable metal deposition process).","In embodiments in which the gate stack 160 is formed for gate-first flow, both metal gate material and polysilicon gate material may be deposited, and the polysilicon gate material and portions of the metal gate material are subtractively etched.","In either embodiment of formation of the gate stack 160, the gate stack 160 is aligned with the laterally grown III-V material of the fins 150.The gate stack 160 may be deposited over the III-V material defining the fins 150 on the sides of the mandrel 100 as well as over the top surface of the planarized stop layer 130 such that the gate stack 160 is defined by lower gate portions 162 extending from the sides of the fins 150 as well as an upper gate portion 164 extending from upper surfaces of the lower gate portions 162 and across the III-V material and the stop layer 130 on the mandrel 100.As shown in FIGS.","16 and 17, n+ source and drain regions 170 may be formed on the sides of the III-V material of the fins 150.The source and drain regions 170 may be formed via epitaxially grown n-type doped III-V material or doping from ion implantation into the III-V material.","As can be seen in FIG.","17, the III-V material may be continuous in the <112> direction along the sides of the mandrel 100, whereas the source and drain regions 170 may be discontinuous in the <112> directions along the sides of the III-V material of the fins 150 and separated by the lower gate portions 162.As shown in FIGS.","18 and 19, in another exemplary embodiment, the mandrel 100 can be removed prior to the formation of the gate stack 160 over the fins 150.In such an embodiment, the mandrel 100 may be removed by subjecting the mandrel 100 to an anisotropic selective wet-etch technique (e.g., TMAH, KOH, ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), or the like) or a dry-etch technique (e.g., XeF2 or the like).","Upon removal of the mandrel 100, the gate stack 160 is formed laterally over and between the parallel fins 150 previously formed on each opposing side of the mandrel 100.In this embodiment, lower gate portions 162 are not only formed to extend outward from the fins 150, but also between the fins 150.Also, the upper gate portion 164 may be comprised of two portions.","As shown in FIG.","20, n+ source and drain regions 170 may be formed on both sides of the III-V material of the fins 150.The source and drain regions 170 may be formed via an epitaxy process or by ion implantation.","As can be seen in FIG.","20, the III-V material may be continuous in the <112> direction under the upper gate portions 164, whereas the source and drain regions 170 may be discontinuous in the <112> directions along the sides of the III-V material of the fins 150 and separated by the lower gate portions 162.Referring now to FIG.","21, a simplified block diagram of various electronic devices and apparatuses that are suitable for use in practicing the exemplary embodiments described herein is shown.","For example, a computer 1510 may be used to control one or more of the processes as described above.","The computer 1510 includes a controller, such as a computer or a data processor (DP) 1514 and a computer-readable memory medium embodied as a memory (MEM) 1516 that stores a program of computer instructions (PROG) 1518.The PROG 1518 includes program instructions that, when executed by the associated DP 1514, enable the various electronic devices and apparatuses to operate in accordance with exemplary embodiments.","That is, various exemplary embodiments may be implemented at least in part by computer software executable by the DP 1514 of the computer 1510, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware (and firmware).","The computer 1510 may also include dedicated processors, for example a processor 1515 that controls the conditions for growth of the III-V material from the seed areas 145.The computer readable MEM 1516 may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor based memory devices, flash memory, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and removable memory.","The DP 1514 may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment, and may include one or more of general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), and processors based on a multicore processor architecture, as non-limiting examples.","The exemplary embodiments, as discussed herein and as particularly described with respect to exemplary methods, may be implemented in conjunction with a program storage device (e.g., at least one memory) readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions (e.g., a program or computer program) executable by the machine for performing operations.","The operations comprise utilizing the exemplary embodiments of the method.","Based on the foregoing, it should be apparent that various exemplary embodiments provide methods to generate fins by substantially lateral growth on a silicon sidewall.","FIG.","22 is a logic flow diagram that illustrates the operation of one exemplary embodiment of a method 1600 (and a result of an execution of computer program instructions (such as PROG 1518)), in accordance with the exemplary embodiments.","In accordance with these exemplary embodiments, at block 1610, a mandrel of (110) silicon is disposed on a handle wafer.","At block 1620, a stop layer of SiNx is disposed on the silicon of the top of the mandrel (in the <110> direction), and an oxide mask is disposed on portions of the sidewalls of the mandrel (in the <111> directions).","At block 1630, III-V material is grown from portions of the sidewalls not covered by the oxide mask, the grown material forming fins.","Growth of the fins occurs in both the <110> and <111> directions from nucleation sites.","At block 1640, the fins and the mandrel are covered with a field oxide layer.","Processing of the field oxide layer using CMP is carried out at block 1650 to planarize the field oxide layer and the fins down to the stop layer.","At block 1660, the remaining field oxide layer and portions of the sidewall oxide mask are removed.","At 1665, a decision is made as to whether the mandrel is desired in the final finFET or fin-type device.","If the mandrel is not desired, the mandrel is removed at block 1670, and control passes to block 1680 to form a gate stack over the fins.","If the mandrel is desired at 1665, control passes directly to block 1680.At block 1690, source/drain regions are formed adjacent to the fins.","The various blocks shown in FIG.","16 may be viewed as method steps, and/or as operations that result from operation of computer program code, and/or as a plurality of coupled logic circuit elements constructed to carry out the associated function(s).","In one exemplary embodiment, a method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in a sidewall of the structure defined by the silicon material; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material in directions along a surface of the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material in a direction laterally from the surface of the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; and processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin.","The method may further comprise forming a source region and a drain region on opposing sides of the fin and forming a gate extending across the fin between the source region and the drain region.","Forming a source region and a drain region may comprise doping using one or more of an epitaxy process and an ion implantation process.","Processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin may comprise disposing an oxide layer over the structure defined by a silicon material and the buried oxide layer, planarizing the oxide layer and the fin, and removing excess oxide layer using a wet-etch technique (e.g., an acid wash).","The method may further comprise removing the structure defined by a silicon material.","The silicon material may be either a (110) silicon material or a (112) silicon material.","In another exemplary embodiment, a method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate, the structure having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer and a top surface parallel to the surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing a discontinuous oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the structure to define at least one seed area at at least one discontinuity in the oxide mask; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in the at least one seed area; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material along the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material lateral to the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate over the formed fin.","Providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate may comprise forming a mandrel by a facet-selective wet etch of the silicon material.","The method may further comprise forming the buried oxide layer by ion implantation.","Causing a nucleation of a III-V material in the at least one seed area may comprise depositing the III-V material on the seed area at a preselected temperature and pressure to initiate growth of III-V material.","The method may further comprise forming a source region and a drain region in the buried oxide layer proximate opposing ends of the gate.","Forming a source region and a drain region in the buried oxide layer may comprise forming n+ source and drain regions via epitaxially grown n+ III-V material and/or by ion implantation into the III-V material.","Processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin may comprise disposing a field oxide layer over the silicon material and the III-V material and planarizing the field oxide layer and the III-V material down to a stop layer of a silicon nitride on the top surface of the sidewall of the structure.","The method may further comprise removing the structure defined by the silicon material after forming the gate over the formed fin.","The silicon material may be either a (110) silicon material or a (112) silicon material.","In another exemplary embodiment, a method comprises forming a mandrel on a buried oxide layer on a silicon substrate, the forming of the mandrel being by a facet-selective wet etch of a (110) silicon material, the mandrel having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer, the sidewall having a top surface extending in a <110> direction orthogonal to the surface of the buried oxide layer and a side surface extending in a <111> direction parallel to a surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing an oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel in the <111> direction to define at least one seed area; causing a growth of a III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel from the at least one seed area in the <110> and <112> directions and in the <111> direction; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a faster growth rate of the III-V material in the <110> and <112> directions and a slower growth rate in the <111> direction; processing the (110) silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate stack over the formed fin.","Causing a growth of a III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel from the at least one seed area in the <110> direction and in the <111> direction may comprise depositing the III-V material on the at least one seed area at a preselected temperature and pressure.","After growth of the III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel, the III-V may be substantially defect-free.","The method may further comprise removing the mandrel after disposing the gate stack over the formed fin, the removing of the mandrel being by subjecting the mandrel to a selective wet-etch or dry-etch technique.","The III-V material may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of gallium arsenide (GaAs), aluminum arsenide (AlAs), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), indium phosphide (InP), gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium nitride (GaN), gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP), gallium indium arsenide antimony phosphide (GaInAsSbP), aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs), aluminum gallium indium arsenide (AlGaInAs), indium arsenide (InAs), indium gallium phosphide (InGaP), indium arsenide antimony phosphide (InAsSbP), indium gallium aluminum phosphide (InGaAlP), and combinations of the foregoing.","The foregoing description has provided by way of exemplary and non-limiting examples a full and informative description of the best method and apparatus presently contemplated by the inventors for carrying out various exemplary embodiments.","However, various modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.","However, all such and similar modifications will still fall within the scope of the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.","Furthermore, some of the features of the preferred embodiments could be used to advantage without the corresponding use of other features.","As such, the foregoing description should be considered as merely illustrative of the principles, and not in limitation thereof."]],"string":"[\n [\n \"III-V FIN Generation By Lateral Growth On Silicon Sidewall\",\n \"A method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in a sidewall of the structure defined by the silicon material; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material in directions along a surface of the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material in a direction laterally from the surface of the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; and processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin.\"\n ],\n [\n \"1.A method, comprising: forming a mandrel on a buried oxide layer on a silicon substrate, the forming of the mandrel being by a facet-selective wet etch of a (110) silicon material, the mandrel having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer, the sidewall having a top surface extending in a <110> direction orthogonal to the surface of the buried oxide layer and a side surface extending in a <111> direction parallel to a surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing an oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel in the <111> direction to define at least one seed area; causing a growth of a III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel from the at least one seed area in the <110> and <112> directions and in the <111> direction; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a faster growth rate of the III-V material in the <110> direction and a slower growth rate in the <111> direction; processing the (110) silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate stack over the formed fin.\",\n \"2.The method of claim 1, wherein causing a growth of a III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel from the at least one seed area in the <110> direction and in the <111> direction comprises depositing the III-V material on the at least one seed area at a preselected temperature and pressure.\",\n \"3.The method of claim 1, wherein after growth of the III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel, the III-V is substantially defect-free.\",\n \"4.The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the mandrel after disposing the gate stack over the formed fin, the removing of the mandrel being by subjecting the mandrel to a selective wet-etch or dry-etch technique.\",\n \"5.The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a source region and a drain region in the buried oxide layer proximate opposing ends of the gate stack.\",\n \"6.The method of claim 5, wherein forming a source region and a drain region in the buried oxide layer comprises forming n+ source and drain regions via epitaxially grown n+ III-V material.\",\n \"7.The method of claim 5, wherein forming a source region and a drain region in the buried oxide layer comprises forming n+ source and drain regions via ion implantation into the III-V material.\",\n \"8.The method of claim 1, wherein processing the (110) silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin comprises disposing a field oxide layer over the silicon material and the III-V material and planarizing the field oxide layer and the III-V material.\",\n \"9.The method of claim 8, further comprising removing the field oxide layer by applying a wet-etch technique to the planarized field oxide layer.\",\n \"10.The method of claim 1, wherein the III-V material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of gallium arsenide (GaAs), aluminum arsenide (AlAs), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), indium phosphide (InP), gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium nitride (GaN), gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP), gallium indium arsenide antimony phosphide (GaInAsSbP), aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs), aluminum gallium indium arsenide (AlGaInAs), indium arsenide (InAs), indium gallium phosphide (InGaP), indium arsenide antimony phosphide (InAsSbP), indium gallium aluminum phosphide (InGaAlP), and combinations of the foregoing.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BACKGROUND The exemplary embodiments of this invention relate generally to semiconductor devices and techniques for the fabrication thereof and, more specifically, to the fabrication of fin-type transistor devices having channels of III-V materials.\",\n \"Semiconductors and integrated circuit chips have become widely used in many products due to their decreasing cost and size.\",\n \"In the microelectronics industry there is a continued desire to reduce the size of structural features and microelectronic devices in order to provide a greater amount of circuitry on a given chip.\",\n \"Doing so generally allows for increased performance (more processing per clock cycle and less heat generated) at lower power levels and lower cost.\",\n \"However, the present technology is at or approaching atomic level scaling of certain micro-devices.\",\n \"One type of microelectronic device that is continually being reduced in size is a field effect transistor (FET), which is generally defined by a source, a gate, and a drain.\",\n \"The action of the FET depends on the flow of majority carriers along a channel that runs past the gate and between the source and drain.\",\n \"Current through the channel between the source and drain may be controlled by a transverse electric field under the gate.\",\n \"The size of a FET can be reduced by forming the channel in the shape of a fin.\",\n \"A FET employing such a channel structure may be referred to as a finFET.\",\n \"The fin-shaped channels (or “fins”) may be fabricated of, for example, germanium or III-V materials.\",\n \"Such fins may be fabricated on silicon substrates.\",\n \"The fabrication of defect-free III-V fins on a silicon substrate, however, may be difficult.\",\n \"Current III-V heterogeneous epitaxy techniques (such as aspect ratio trapping and graded buffer growth) and other deposition techniques generally utilize relatively thick buffers of III-V materials (e.g., more than several hundreds of nanometers) and tend to result in the fabricated fins having large numbers of defects.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BRIEF SUMMARY In one exemplary aspect, a method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in a sidewall of the structure defined by the silicon material; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material in directions along a surface of the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material in a direction laterally from the surface of the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; and processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin.\",\n \"In another exemplary aspect, a method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate, the structure having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer and a top surface parallel to the surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing a discontinuous oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the structure to define at least one seed area at at least one discontinuity in the oxide mask; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in the at least one seed area; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material along the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material lateral to the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate over the formed fin.\",\n \"In another exemplary aspect, a method comprises forming a mandrel on a buried oxide layer on a silicon substrate, the forming of the mandrel being by a facet-selective wet etch of a (110) silicon material, the mandrel having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer, the sidewall having a top surface extending in a <110> direction orthogonal to the surface of the buried oxide layer and a side surface extending in a <111> direction parallel to a surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing an oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel in the <111> direction to define at least one seed area; causing a growth of a III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel from the at least one seed area in the <110> and <112> directions and in the <111> direction; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a faster growth rate of the III-V material in the <110> and <112> directions and a slower growth rate in the <111> direction; processing the (110) silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate stack over the formed fin.\"\n ],\n [\n \"CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This patent application is a divisional application of copending U.S. Patent Application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"14/876,986, filed on Oct. 7, 2015, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.\",\n \"BACKGROUND The exemplary embodiments of this invention relate generally to semiconductor devices and techniques for the fabrication thereof and, more specifically, to the fabrication of fin-type transistor devices having channels of III-V materials.\",\n \"Semiconductors and integrated circuit chips have become widely used in many products due to their decreasing cost and size.\",\n \"In the microelectronics industry there is a continued desire to reduce the size of structural features and microelectronic devices in order to provide a greater amount of circuitry on a given chip.\",\n \"Doing so generally allows for increased performance (more processing per clock cycle and less heat generated) at lower power levels and lower cost.\",\n \"However, the present technology is at or approaching atomic level scaling of certain micro-devices.\",\n \"One type of microelectronic device that is continually being reduced in size is a field effect transistor (FET), which is generally defined by a source, a gate, and a drain.\",\n \"The action of the FET depends on the flow of majority carriers along a channel that runs past the gate and between the source and drain.\",\n \"Current through the channel between the source and drain may be controlled by a transverse electric field under the gate.\",\n \"The size of a FET can be reduced by forming the channel in the shape of a fin.\",\n \"A FET employing such a channel structure may be referred to as a finFET.\",\n \"The fin-shaped channels (or “fins”) may be fabricated of, for example, germanium or III-V materials.\",\n \"Such fins may be fabricated on silicon substrates.\",\n \"The fabrication of defect-free III-V fins on a silicon substrate, however, may be difficult.\",\n \"Current III-V heterogeneous epitaxy techniques (such as aspect ratio trapping and graded buffer growth) and other deposition techniques generally utilize relatively thick buffers of III-V materials (e.g., more than several hundreds of nanometers) and tend to result in the fabricated fins having large numbers of defects.\",\n \"BRIEF SUMMARY In one exemplary aspect, a method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in a sidewall of the structure defined by the silicon material; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material in directions along a surface of the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material in a direction laterally from the surface of the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; and processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin.\",\n \"In another exemplary aspect, a method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate, the structure having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer and a top surface parallel to the surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing a discontinuous oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the structure to define at least one seed area at at least one discontinuity in the oxide mask; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in the at least one seed area; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material along the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material lateral to the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate over the formed fin.\",\n \"In another exemplary aspect, a method comprises forming a mandrel on a buried oxide layer on a silicon substrate, the forming of the mandrel being by a facet-selective wet etch of a (110) silicon material, the mandrel having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer, the sidewall having a top surface extending in a <110> direction orthogonal to the surface of the buried oxide layer and a side surface extending in a <111> direction parallel to a surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing an oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel in the <111> direction to define at least one seed area; causing a growth of a III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel from the at least one seed area in the <110> and <112> directions and in the <111> direction; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a faster growth rate of the III-V material in the <110> and <112> directions and a slower growth rate in the <111> direction; processing the (110) silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate stack over the formed fin.\",\n \"BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other aspects of exemplary embodiments are made more evident in the following Detailed Description, when read in conjunction with the attached Drawing Figures, wherein: FIG.\",\n \"1 is a perspective schematic representation of a portion of a silicon mandrel on which fins may be grown; FIG.\",\n \"2 is a perspective schematic representation of the silicon mandrel of FIG.\",\n \"1 disposed on a handle wafer comprising an insulating base substrate and an overlying buried oxide layer; FIG.\",\n \"3 is a top view of the schematic representation of FIG.\",\n \"2; FIGS.\",\n \"4 and 5 are perspective schematic representations of another exemplary embodiment of a silicon mandrel disposed on a handle substrate; FIGS.\",\n \"6-9 are perspective schematic representations of other exemplary embodiments of a silicon mandrel disposed on a handle substrate; FIG.\",\n \"10 is perspective schematic representation of the silicon mandrel of FIG.\",\n \"2 having fins laterally grown on opposing sidewalls; FIG.\",\n \"11 is a top view of the schematic representation of FIG.\",\n \"10; FIG.\",\n \"12 is a perspective schematic representation of the mandrel and fins of FIG.\",\n \"10 covered by a field oxide layer; FIG.\",\n \"13 is a perspective schematic representation of the mandrel, fins, and field oxide layer of FIG.\",\n \"12 polished down to an upper surface of a stop layer on the mandrel; FIG.\",\n \"14 is a perspective schematic representation of a mandrel/fin arrangement having gate stacks disposed thereon; FIG.\",\n \"15 is a top view of the schematic representation of FIG.\",\n \"14; FIG.\",\n \"16 is a perspective schematic representation of the mandrel/fin arrangement and gate stacks of FIG.\",\n \"14 having source/drain regions disposed thereon; FIG.\",\n \"17 is a top view of the schematic representation of FIG.\",\n \"16; FIG.\",\n \"18 is a perspective schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of fins and gate stacks without a mandrel; FIG.\",\n \"19 is a top view of the schematic representation of FIG.\",\n \"18; FIG.\",\n \"20 is a top view of the schematic representation of FIG.\",\n \"18 having source/drain regions disposed on the fins; FIG.\",\n \"21 is a block diagram of various electronic devices and apparatuses that may be suitable for use in forming the structures described herein; and FIG.\",\n \"22 is a logic flow diagram that illustrates the operation of an exemplary method, and a result of execution of computer program instructions embodied on a computer readable memory, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the manufacture of structures described herein.\",\n \"DETAILED DESCRIPTION The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.\",\n \"All of the embodiments described in this Detailed Description are exemplary embodiments provided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention which is defined by the claims.\",\n \"As used herein, the term “III-V” refers to inorganic crystalline compound semiconductors having at least one Group III element and at least one Group V element.\",\n \"Exemplary III-V materials for use in the structures and methods described herein include, but are not limited to, gallium arsenide (GaAs), aluminum arsenide (AlAs), gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium nitride (GaN), gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP), gallium indium arsenide antimony phosphide (GaInAsSbP), aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs), aluminum gallium indium arsenide (AlGaInAs), indium arsenide (InAs), indium gallium phosphide (InGaP), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), indium arsenide antimony phosphide (InAsSbP), indium gallium aluminum phosphide (InGaAlP), and combinations of the foregoing.\",\n \"As shown in FIG.\",\n \"1, one exemplary embodiment of a structure for use in fabricating a finFET or a fin-type transistor device having active areas (such as channels) formed by III-V material(s) is designated generally by the reference number 100.The structure comprises a mandrel and is hereinafter referred to as “mandrel 100.” The mandrel 100 can comprise silicon or other insulative material.\",\n \"In some embodiments illustrated herein, the mandrel 100 is a silicon substrate of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) material or bulk material having a (110) crystal configuration.\",\n \"Because of the (110) configuration of the silicon forming the mandrel.\",\n \"100, the silicon of the mandrel 100 would have a top surface 105 having crystal orientations of {110} and sidewalls 110 having crystal orientations of {111}.\",\n \"Referring to FIGS.\",\n \"2-22, exemplary embodiments of methods of fabricating a finFET or a fin-type device having one or more fins using the mandrel and comprising a III-V material are shown.\",\n \"As shown in FIGS.\",\n \"2 and 3, the mandrel 100 may be disposed on a handle wafer 115 comprising an insulating silicon base substrate 120 having an overlying buried oxide (BOX) layer 125, with the mandrel 100 being disposed directly on the BOX layer 125.The mandrel 100 may comprise the silicon having the (110) configuration with a silicon etch mask/chemical mechanical polish (CMP) stop layer 130 (hereinafter “stop layer 130”) disposed on the top surface 105 (in the <110> direction) and one or more sidewall oxide masks 135 (or a discontinuous sidewall oxide mask 135) disposed on portions of the opposing sidewalls in the <111> directions.\",\n \"The stop layer 130 can comprise a silicon nitride (SiNx) such as, for example, SiN, Si3N4, or the like, or SiO2, or Al2O3.The sidewall oxide masks 135 can comprise any suitable oxide such as, for example, SiO2, as well as other materials such as silicon nitrides, and are deposited on the sidewall by any suitable deposition technique or by thermal oxidation.\",\n \"The mandrel 100 may be formed by facet-selective wet etch on a (110) crystalline configuration of the SOI material or the bulk material such that the opposing sidewalls of the mandrel 100 are <111> faceted sidewalls that are perpendicular to an upper surface 140 of the BOX layer 125.The BOX layer 125 may be formed by implantation of oxide ions.\",\n \"A seed area 145 is defined on each sidewall of the mandrel 100 by a gap, break, or discontinuity between sidewall oxide masks 135.If only one sidewall oxide mask 135 is employed, the seed area 145 may be defined by an opening in the sidewall oxide mask 135 or a through hole extending through the material of the sidewall oxide mask 135 down to the sidewall of the mandrel 100.The seed area 145 allows for the generation of nucleations in the III-V material forming the fin in a controlled manner (and without a buffer region between the III-V material and the material of the mandrel 100).\",\n \"In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIGS.\",\n \"4 and 5, a (112) oriented silicon surface wafer can be used to form the <111> direction sidewall.\",\n \"As shown in FIG.\",\n \"4, the insulating silicon base substrate 120 having the BOX layer 125 may be provided with an overlying layer of (112) silicon 127 on the BOX layer 125 to form the mandrel 100 of (112) silicon.\",\n \"The stop layer 130 may be disposed on the overlying layer of (112) silicon 127.The stop layer 130 can comprise a silicon nitride (SiNx) such as, for example, SiN, Si3N4, or the like, or SiO2, or Al2O3.The overlying layer of (112) silicon 127 may be patterned and masked.\",\n \"As shown in FIG.\",\n \"5, mandrels 100 that are parallel to the <112> direction may be formed by a dry-etch technique (e.g., XeF2) or an anisotropic wet-etching of the silicon using tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH).\",\n \"In such an embodiment, the silicon mandrel 100 is formed with a vertical sidewall that is normal to the <111> direction and that has an atomically flat surface due to the nature of facet-selective etching.\",\n \"Another exemplary embodiment is shown in FIGS.\",\n \"6-9.As shown in FIG.\",\n \"6, the mandrel 100 may be formed using (110) or (112) silicon directly on the silicon base substrate 120 using any suitable anisotropic wet-etch technique (e.g., using TMAH or KOH).\",\n \"As shown in FIG.\",\n \"7, SiO2 is deposited around the mandrel 100 to form a bottom oxide layer 131a and over the mandrel 100 and the bottom oxide layer 131a to form a top oxide layer 131b.\",\n \"As shown in FIG.\",\n \"8, the top oxide layer 131b is planarized down to the stop layer 130 and the bottom oxide layer 131a.\",\n \"As shown in FIG.\",\n \"9, the bottom oxide layer 131a below the stop layer 130 is etched to expose the sidewalls of the mandrel 100.Sidewall oxide masks 135 may be disposed on the sidewalls to form the seed areas 145.Referring now to FIGS.\",\n \"10 and 11, the III-V material is laterally grown from the seed areas 145 on the sides of the mandrel 100 to form the active areas.\",\n \"Although the III-V material may be grown from any of the seed areas 145 described above, FIGS.\",\n \"10 and 11 are depicted to show lateral growth from the seed areas 145 of the mandrel 100 and handle wafer 115 of FIG.\",\n \"2.Since only a small portion of the silicon of the sidewall of the mandrel 100 is exposed to the III-V material in the seed area 145, growth of the III-V material can be from a single nucleus of III-V material deposited on the (110) configuration of the SOI material or the bulk material at a preselected temperature and pressure to initiate the growth, thereby allowing for high quality growth to be achieved due to the substantial absence of defects that can be generated when two growth fronts merge.\",\n \"Conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure, and the like) are selected and adjusted such that a growth rate of the III-V material in the <110> direction is faster than a growth rate in the <111> direction, which results in a structure on each side of the mandrel 100 to define fins 150, such fins 150 having a height h (FIG.\",\n \"10) that is substantially greater than a thickness t (FIG.\",\n \"11).\",\n \"As shown in FIG.\",\n \"12, upon growth of the fins 150, a field oxide layer 155 (or equivalent material for CMP) can be disposed on the BOX layer 125 and over the fins 150 and mandrels 100.The field oxide layer 155 can comprise any suitable oxide material (e.g., silicon dioxide, spin-on-glass, or any dielectric material that can be selectively polished to the dielectric on the mandrels 100) for passivating and protecting the surfaces of the BOX layer 125, the fins 150, and the mandrels 100.As shown in FIG.\",\n \"13, a CMP process can be carried out on the field oxide layer 155 to planarize the field oxide and the fins 150 down to the surface of the stop layer 130 on the mandrel 100.As shown in FIGS.\",\n \"14 and 15, the portions of the field oxide layer 155 disposed on the BOX layer 125 and below the stop layer 130 (and not removed by the CMP process) can be removed by a wet-etch technique such as acid wash with hydrofluoric acid (HF).\",\n \"Also, portions of the sidewall oxide mask 135 may be also removed.\",\n \"After removal of the field oxide layer 155, one or more gate stacks 160 are formed over the fins 150 and the mandrel 100.In embodiments in which the gate stack 160 is formed as a replacement metal gate (RMG), a dummy gate structure is formed from hardmask material and sacrificial gate material, the dummy gate structure being used as a placeholder which is subsequently removed (e.g., by reactive ion etching) and replaced with a metal gate structure (e.g., using any suitable metal deposition process).\",\n \"In embodiments in which the gate stack 160 is formed for gate-first flow, both metal gate material and polysilicon gate material may be deposited, and the polysilicon gate material and portions of the metal gate material are subtractively etched.\",\n \"In either embodiment of formation of the gate stack 160, the gate stack 160 is aligned with the laterally grown III-V material of the fins 150.The gate stack 160 may be deposited over the III-V material defining the fins 150 on the sides of the mandrel 100 as well as over the top surface of the planarized stop layer 130 such that the gate stack 160 is defined by lower gate portions 162 extending from the sides of the fins 150 as well as an upper gate portion 164 extending from upper surfaces of the lower gate portions 162 and across the III-V material and the stop layer 130 on the mandrel 100.As shown in FIGS.\",\n \"16 and 17, n+ source and drain regions 170 may be formed on the sides of the III-V material of the fins 150.The source and drain regions 170 may be formed via epitaxially grown n-type doped III-V material or doping from ion implantation into the III-V material.\",\n \"As can be seen in FIG.\",\n \"17, the III-V material may be continuous in the <112> direction along the sides of the mandrel 100, whereas the source and drain regions 170 may be discontinuous in the <112> directions along the sides of the III-V material of the fins 150 and separated by the lower gate portions 162.As shown in FIGS.\",\n \"18 and 19, in another exemplary embodiment, the mandrel 100 can be removed prior to the formation of the gate stack 160 over the fins 150.In such an embodiment, the mandrel 100 may be removed by subjecting the mandrel 100 to an anisotropic selective wet-etch technique (e.g., TMAH, KOH, ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), or the like) or a dry-etch technique (e.g., XeF2 or the like).\",\n \"Upon removal of the mandrel 100, the gate stack 160 is formed laterally over and between the parallel fins 150 previously formed on each opposing side of the mandrel 100.In this embodiment, lower gate portions 162 are not only formed to extend outward from the fins 150, but also between the fins 150.Also, the upper gate portion 164 may be comprised of two portions.\",\n \"As shown in FIG.\",\n \"20, n+ source and drain regions 170 may be formed on both sides of the III-V material of the fins 150.The source and drain regions 170 may be formed via an epitaxy process or by ion implantation.\",\n \"As can be seen in FIG.\",\n \"20, the III-V material may be continuous in the <112> direction under the upper gate portions 164, whereas the source and drain regions 170 may be discontinuous in the <112> directions along the sides of the III-V material of the fins 150 and separated by the lower gate portions 162.Referring now to FIG.\",\n \"21, a simplified block diagram of various electronic devices and apparatuses that are suitable for use in practicing the exemplary embodiments described herein is shown.\",\n \"For example, a computer 1510 may be used to control one or more of the processes as described above.\",\n \"The computer 1510 includes a controller, such as a computer or a data processor (DP) 1514 and a computer-readable memory medium embodied as a memory (MEM) 1516 that stores a program of computer instructions (PROG) 1518.The PROG 1518 includes program instructions that, when executed by the associated DP 1514, enable the various electronic devices and apparatuses to operate in accordance with exemplary embodiments.\",\n \"That is, various exemplary embodiments may be implemented at least in part by computer software executable by the DP 1514 of the computer 1510, or by hardware, or by a combination of software and hardware (and firmware).\",\n \"The computer 1510 may also include dedicated processors, for example a processor 1515 that controls the conditions for growth of the III-V material from the seed areas 145.The computer readable MEM 1516 may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment and may be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor based memory devices, flash memory, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and removable memory.\",\n \"The DP 1514 may be of any type suitable to the local technical environment, and may include one or more of general purpose computers, special purpose computers, microprocessors, digital signal processors (DSPs), and processors based on a multicore processor architecture, as non-limiting examples.\",\n \"The exemplary embodiments, as discussed herein and as particularly described with respect to exemplary methods, may be implemented in conjunction with a program storage device (e.g., at least one memory) readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions (e.g., a program or computer program) executable by the machine for performing operations.\",\n \"The operations comprise utilizing the exemplary embodiments of the method.\",\n \"Based on the foregoing, it should be apparent that various exemplary embodiments provide methods to generate fins by substantially lateral growth on a silicon sidewall.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"22 is a logic flow diagram that illustrates the operation of one exemplary embodiment of a method 1600 (and a result of an execution of computer program instructions (such as PROG 1518)), in accordance with the exemplary embodiments.\",\n \"In accordance with these exemplary embodiments, at block 1610, a mandrel of (110) silicon is disposed on a handle wafer.\",\n \"At block 1620, a stop layer of SiNx is disposed on the silicon of the top of the mandrel (in the <110> direction), and an oxide mask is disposed on portions of the sidewalls of the mandrel (in the <111> directions).\",\n \"At block 1630, III-V material is grown from portions of the sidewalls not covered by the oxide mask, the grown material forming fins.\",\n \"Growth of the fins occurs in both the <110> and <111> directions from nucleation sites.\",\n \"At block 1640, the fins and the mandrel are covered with a field oxide layer.\",\n \"Processing of the field oxide layer using CMP is carried out at block 1650 to planarize the field oxide layer and the fins down to the stop layer.\",\n \"At block 1660, the remaining field oxide layer and portions of the sidewall oxide mask are removed.\",\n \"At 1665, a decision is made as to whether the mandrel is desired in the final finFET or fin-type device.\",\n \"If the mandrel is not desired, the mandrel is removed at block 1670, and control passes to block 1680 to form a gate stack over the fins.\",\n \"If the mandrel is desired at 1665, control passes directly to block 1680.At block 1690, source/drain regions are formed adjacent to the fins.\",\n \"The various blocks shown in FIG.\",\n \"16 may be viewed as method steps, and/or as operations that result from operation of computer program code, and/or as a plurality of coupled logic circuit elements constructed to carry out the associated function(s).\",\n \"In one exemplary embodiment, a method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in a sidewall of the structure defined by the silicon material; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material in directions along a surface of the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material in a direction laterally from the surface of the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; and processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin.\",\n \"The method may further comprise forming a source region and a drain region on opposing sides of the fin and forming a gate extending across the fin between the source region and the drain region.\",\n \"Forming a source region and a drain region may comprise doping using one or more of an epitaxy process and an ion implantation process.\",\n \"Processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin may comprise disposing an oxide layer over the structure defined by a silicon material and the buried oxide layer, planarizing the oxide layer and the fin, and removing excess oxide layer using a wet-etch technique (e.g., an acid wash).\",\n \"The method may further comprise removing the structure defined by a silicon material.\",\n \"The silicon material may be either a (110) silicon material or a (112) silicon material.\",\n \"In another exemplary embodiment, a method comprises providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate, the structure having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer and a top surface parallel to the surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing a discontinuous oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the structure to define at least one seed area at at least one discontinuity in the oxide mask; causing a nucleation of a III-V material in the at least one seed area; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a first growth rate of the III-V material along the sidewall and a second growth rate of the III-V material lateral to the sidewall, wherein the second growth rate is less than the first growth rate; processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate over the formed fin.\",\n \"Providing a structure defined by a silicon material on a buried oxide layer of a substrate may comprise forming a mandrel by a facet-selective wet etch of the silicon material.\",\n \"The method may further comprise forming the buried oxide layer by ion implantation.\",\n \"Causing a nucleation of a III-V material in the at least one seed area may comprise depositing the III-V material on the seed area at a preselected temperature and pressure to initiate growth of III-V material.\",\n \"The method may further comprise forming a source region and a drain region in the buried oxide layer proximate opposing ends of the gate.\",\n \"Forming a source region and a drain region in the buried oxide layer may comprise forming n+ source and drain regions via epitaxially grown n+ III-V material and/or by ion implantation into the III-V material.\",\n \"Processing the silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin may comprise disposing a field oxide layer over the silicon material and the III-V material and planarizing the field oxide layer and the III-V material down to a stop layer of a silicon nitride on the top surface of the sidewall of the structure.\",\n \"The method may further comprise removing the structure defined by the silicon material after forming the gate over the formed fin.\",\n \"The silicon material may be either a (110) silicon material or a (112) silicon material.\",\n \"In another exemplary embodiment, a method comprises forming a mandrel on a buried oxide layer on a silicon substrate, the forming of the mandrel being by a facet-selective wet etch of a (110) silicon material, the mandrel having at least one sidewall perpendicular to a surface of the buried oxide layer, the sidewall having a top surface extending in a <110> direction orthogonal to the surface of the buried oxide layer and a side surface extending in a <111> direction parallel to a surface of the buried oxide layer; disposing an oxide mask on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel in the <111> direction to define at least one seed area; causing a growth of a III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel from the at least one seed area in the <110> and <112> directions and in the <111> direction; adjusting a growth condition to facilitate a faster growth rate of the III-V material in the <110> and <112> directions and a slower growth rate in the <111> direction; processing the (110) silicon material and the III-V material to form a fin; and disposing a gate stack over the formed fin.\",\n \"Causing a growth of a III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel from the at least one seed area in the <110> direction and in the <111> direction may comprise depositing the III-V material on the at least one seed area at a preselected temperature and pressure.\",\n \"After growth of the III-V material on the at least one sidewall of the mandrel, the III-V may be substantially defect-free.\",\n \"The method may further comprise removing the mandrel after disposing the gate stack over the formed fin, the removing of the mandrel being by subjecting the mandrel to a selective wet-etch or dry-etch technique.\",\n \"The III-V material may comprise a material selected from the group consisting of gallium arsenide (GaAs), aluminum arsenide (AlAs), indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs), indium phosphide (InP), gallium phosphide (GaP), gallium nitride (GaN), gallium arsenide phosphide (GaAsP), gallium indium arsenide antimony phosphide (GaInAsSbP), aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs), aluminum gallium indium arsenide (AlGaInAs), indium arsenide (InAs), indium gallium phosphide (InGaP), indium arsenide antimony phosphide (InAsSbP), indium gallium aluminum phosphide (InGaAlP), and combinations of the foregoing.\",\n \"The foregoing description has provided by way of exemplary and non-limiting examples a full and informative description of the best method and apparatus presently contemplated by the inventors for carrying out various exemplary embodiments.\",\n \"However, various modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.\",\n \"However, all such and similar modifications will still fall within the scope of the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.\",\n \"Furthermore, some of the features of the preferred embodiments could be used to advantage without the corresponding use of other features.\",\n \"As such, the foregoing description should be considered as merely illustrative of the principles, and not in limitation thereof.\"\n ]\n]"},"source":{"kind":"string","value":"Patent_15874294"}}},{"rowIdx":4494563,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"list like","value":[["METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SELECTIVE PAGING OF WIRELESS DEVICES USING A CELLULAR BROADCAST SERVICE","Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining a request to transfer data to a group of wireless communication devices within an area.","Wireless base stations of a wireless mobility network are identified, responsive to the request, wherein the wireless base stations provide wireless communication services within the area, including a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service.","A wireless transmission is facilitated of a first broadcast message by the wireless base stations, wherein the first broadcast message identifies the group of wireless communication devices.","The broadcast message is transmitted by way of the MBMS service of the wireless communication services.","The first broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for a plurality of wireless communication devices of the group of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state.","Other embodiments are disclosed."],["1.A method comprising: identifying, by a processing system including a processor, a plurality of wireless base stations that provide wireless communication services within a geographical region, wherein the wireless communication services comprise a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service; and facilitating, by the processing system, a transmission of a broadcast message and a subsequent data transfer by the plurality of wireless base stations via the MBMS service to a plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the broadcast message identifies the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for a group of wireless communication devices of the plurality of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state at a time of the transmission of the broadcast message, wherein the plurality of wireless communication devices receive the data transfer without responding to the broadcast message, wherein, in accordance with receiving the broadcast message, a first wireless communication device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a first delay period and a second wireless communication device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a second delay period different from the first delay period.","2.The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting, by the processing system, a request to perform the data transfer; and determining, by the processing system, the geographical region based on the request.","3.The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting, by the processing system, the MBMS service to perform the data transfer.","4.The method of claim 1, wherein each device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a delay period uniquely associated with that device.","5.The method of claim 1, wherein the group of wireless communication devices comprises a plurality of subgroups of wireless communication devices, and wherein each device of a given subgroup of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a delay period associated with that subgroup.","6.The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication device determines the first delay period.","7.The method of claim 6, wherein the broadcast message includes information used by the first wireless communication device to determine the first delay period.","8.The method of claim 6, wherein the first wireless communication device updates the first delay period in accordance with receiving the broadcast message, the first wireless communication device thereby transitioning to the active state in accordance with a subsequent broadcast message after an updated first delay period different from the first delay period.","9.The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission of the broadcast message is repeated according to a schedule.","10.The method of claim 1, wherein a wireless communication device of the plurality of wireless communication devices located outside the geographical region during the transmission of the broadcast message receives the broadcast message upon returning to the geographical region.","11.A device comprising: a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations comprising: detecting a data transfer request to transfer data to a plurality of wireless communication devices located in a geographical region; identifying a plurality of wireless base stations that provide wireless communication services within the geographical region, wherein the wireless communication services comprise a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service; facilitating a transmission of a broadcast message by the plurality of wireless base stations via the MBMS service to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the broadcast message identifies the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for a group of wireless communication devices of the plurality of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state at a time of the transmission of the broadcast message, wherein, in accordance with receiving the broadcast message, a first wireless communication device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a first delay period and a second wireless communication device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a second delay period different from the first delay period; and facilitating the data transfer by the plurality of wireless base stations via the MBMS service to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the plurality of wireless communication devices receive the data transfer without responding to the broadcast message.","12.The device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise determining the geographical region based on the request.","13.The device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise selecting the MBMS service to perform the data transfer.","14.The device of claim 11, wherein each device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a delay period uniquely associated with that device.","15.The device of claim 11, wherein the group of wireless communication devices comprises a plurality of subgroups of wireless communication devices, and wherein each device of a given subgroup of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a delay period associated with that subgroup.","16.A machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising: detecting a data transfer request to transfer data to a plurality of wireless communication devices located in a geographical region; identifying a plurality of wireless base stations that provide wireless communication services within the geographical region; facilitating a transmission of a broadcast message by the plurality of wireless base stations to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the broadcast message identifies the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for a group of wireless communication devices of the plurality of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state at a time of the transmission of the broadcast message, wherein, in accordance with receiving the broadcast message, at least one wireless communication device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a delay period; and facilitating the data transfer by the plurality of wireless base stations to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the wireless communication devices receive the data transfer without responding to the broadcast message.","17.The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication services comprise a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service, and wherein the transmission of the broadcast message and the data transfer are performed via the MBMS service.","18.The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein each device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a delay period uniquely associated with that device.","19.The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the at least one wireless communication device determines the delay period.","20.The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the broadcast message includes information used by the at least one wireless communication device to determine the delay period."],[" BACKGROUND A Long Term Evolution (LTE) capable, mobile communication device establishes connections and receives high-speed mobility services by a process that includes attachment to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) of an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) portion of a wireless mobility network.","In a Connected state, the mobile device sends and/or receives data by way of a radio bearer established through a base station of the mobility network.","While not engaged in an active exchange of data packets, the mobile device generally reverts to an idle state.","Namely, the mobile device is released when an inactivity timer has been exceeded.","For mobile devices in the idle state, a Serving Gateway (SGW) of the EPC terminates the downlink data path to the mobile device.","The SGW also triggers a downlink data notification towards the MME that results in the MME paging of a given mobile device in response to a reception of downlink data directed to the idle mobile device.","In traditional paging, the MME individually pages the idle mobile device to indicate a presence of pending downlink data traffic.","The paging message triggers the mobile device to reply with a service request.","Processing of the service request transitions the mobile device to a connected state, allowing the mobile device to receive the user data via a unicast packet flow."],[" BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: FIG.","1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a broadcast paging system; FIG.","2 depicts an illustrative embodiment of an LTE broadcast paging system; FIG.","3 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a process used in portions of the system described in FIGS.","1 and 2 ; FIG.","4 depicts an illustrative embodiment of another process used in portions of the system described in FIGS.","1 and 2 ; FIG.","5 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a web portal for interacting with the communication systems of FIGS.","1 and 2 ; FIG.","6 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication device; and FIG.","7 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of a computer system within which a set of instructions, when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods described herein.","detailed-description description=\"Detailed Description\" end=\"lead\"?"],["CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.","No.","14/963,468, filed Dec. 9, 2015, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.","FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The subject disclosure relates to a method and system for selective paging of wireless devices using a cellular broadcast service.","BACKGROUND A Long Term Evolution (LTE) capable, mobile communication device establishes connections and receives high-speed mobility services by a process that includes attachment to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) of an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) portion of a wireless mobility network.","In a Connected state, the mobile device sends and/or receives data by way of a radio bearer established through a base station of the mobility network.","While not engaged in an active exchange of data packets, the mobile device generally reverts to an idle state.","Namely, the mobile device is released when an inactivity timer has been exceeded.","For mobile devices in the idle state, a Serving Gateway (SGW) of the EPC terminates the downlink data path to the mobile device.","The SGW also triggers a downlink data notification towards the MME that results in the MME paging of a given mobile device in response to a reception of downlink data directed to the idle mobile device.","In traditional paging, the MME individually pages the idle mobile device to indicate a presence of pending downlink data traffic.","The paging message triggers the mobile device to reply with a service request.","Processing of the service request transitions the mobile device to a connected state, allowing the mobile device to receive the user data via a unicast packet flow.","BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: FIG.","1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a broadcast paging system; FIG.","2 depicts an illustrative embodiment of an LTE broadcast paging system; FIG.","3 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a process used in portions of the system described in FIGS.","1 and 2; FIG.","4 depicts an illustrative embodiment of another process used in portions of the system described in FIGS.","1 and 2; FIG.","5 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a web portal for interacting with the communication systems of FIGS.","1 and 2; FIG.","6 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication device; and FIG.","7 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of a computer system within which a set of instructions, when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods described herein.","DETAILED DESCRIPTION Traditional unicast paging methodology is not practical when downlink data is intended for large numbers of mobile devices in an idle mode.","This is precisely the scenario envisioned for Machine-to-Machine (M2M) environments, such as the Internet of Things (IoT).","Application of the unicast paging approach for such large numbers of devices would be expensive and result in an inefficient utilization of core network resources due to the paging of each device individually and associated signaling network management load.","The signaling load becomes even greater when any of the paged devices are temporarily unavailable.","In these circumstances, the paging cycle, which can take several seconds per device, is repeated independently for each unavailable device.","The subject disclosure describes, among other things, illustrative embodiments for a selective paging broadcast that utilizes a broadcast core network, e.g., a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) network, or an evolved MBMS (eMBMS) network for LTE applications, as an intelligent and efficient means of delivering paging by providing data to large volumes and groups of wireless communication devices, including devices in an idle state or mode configuration.","Other embodiments are described in the subject disclosure.","One or more aspects of the subject disclosure include a process that includes detecting a data transfer request to wirelessly transfer data to a class of wireless communication devices.","A geographical region associated with the data transfer request is determined.","Responsive to the data transfer request and based on the geographical region, a number of wireless base stations of a wireless mobility network are identified that provide wireless communication services within the geographical region, comprising a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service.","A wireless transmission is facilitated of a broadcast message by the plurality of wireless base stations, wherein the broadcast message identifies the class of wireless communication devices.","The broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for wireless communication devices of the class of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state at a time of the wireless transmission of the broadcast message.","One or more aspects of the subject disclosure includes a device including a processor and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations.","The operations include identifying a request to transfer pending data to a class of wireless communication devices within a geographical region.","The operations further include identifying a number of wireless base stations of a wireless mobility network, responsive to the request, wherein the plurality of wireless base stations provide wireless communication services comprising a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service within the geographical region.","A wireless transmission is facilitated of a first broadcast message by the number of wireless base stations, wherein the first broadcast message identifies the class of wireless communication devices.","The first broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for a plurality of wireless communication devices of the class of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state.","One or more aspects of the subject disclosure include a machine-readable storage medium, that includes executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations.","The operations include determining a request to transfer data to a group of wireless communication devices within an area.","Wireless base stations of a wireless mobility network are identified, responsive to the request, wherein the wireless base stations provide wireless communication services within the area, including a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service.","A wireless transmission is facilitated of a first broadcast message by the wireless base stations, wherein the first broadcast message identifies the group of wireless communication devices.","The first broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for a plurality of wireless communication devices of the group of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state.","FIG.","1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a broadcast paging system 100 that includes a wireless mobility network 102 providing wireless services to wireless communication devices 110 within a wireless coverage region.","In some embodiments, the wireless mobility network 102 includes a group communications service network architecture.","The group communications service architecture provides a one-to-many communications capability that supports a sharing of resources, including a sharing of radio resources, such as radio spectrum.","In some embodiments, the wireless mobility network 102 can transmit data wirelessly over a multicast-broadcast single frequency network.","Multimedia broadcasting, such as network television, cable programs, and/or sporting events, can be broadcast over the mobile communication system 102 using broadcasting and/or multicasting.","Application service providers, such as equipment manufacturers, suppliers, maintainers, operators, and the like, can broadcast data, including instructions, software, software updates, features, configuration changes, and the like, over the wireless mobility network 102 using broadcasting and/or multicasting.","The use of broadcasting and/or multicasting can provide the bandwidth and system efficiencies that are achieved by broadcasting via other channels, such as cable, satellite, and (to a lesser extent) the Internet.","MBMS technology can provide live content, as well as popular file download delivery, to users of mobile communication devices 110 over the wireless mobility network 102.In more detail, the example wireless mobility network 102 can be based at least in part on standards developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) initiative, with information available at www.3gpp.org.","By way of non-limiting example, some 3GPP standards that address group communications system architecture using LTE broadcast (LTE-B) include: 3GPP TS 23.468, entitled “Group Communication System Enablers for LTE (GCSE_LTE)”; 3GPP TS 25.324, entitled “Broadcast/Multicast Control BMC”; 3GPP TS 23.041, entitled “Technical Realization of Cell Broadcast Service (CBS)” and 3GPP TS 22.246, entitled “MBMS User Services,” all incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.","In one embodiment, the wireless mobility network 102 includes a radio access network portion 105 and a core network portion 104, e.g., an Enhanced Packet Core (EPC) or common back bone that can communicate with one or more external networks, sometimes referred to as packet data networks or peer entities.","It is envisioned, that the wireless mobility network 102 can include, without limitation, other configurations, such as those associated with General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), generally understood to serve the 2G and/or 3G cellular system.","The radio access network portion 105, without limitation, can include an LTE network architecture sometimes referred to as Evolved Universal mobile Telecommunication system Terrestrial Radio Access (E UTRA) and evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN).","Broadly, the radio access network portion 105 can include one or more wireless mobile terminals or communication devices, sometimes referred to as user equipment (UE), and one or more wireless access nodes, or base transceiver stations.","The base station 106, such as an evolved Node B (e-NodeB) in EUTRAN, communicates with the UE 110 over the air and wirelessly.","The UEs 110 can include, without limitation, any device including a wireless communication capability, sometimes referred to generally as wireless devices, e.g., satellite communication systems, portable digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, tablet devices, other mobile devices.","More generally, the wireless devices include any wireless network accessible device (e.g., cellular telephones, machines or “things,” such as smart appliances, and so on).","Although reference is made to user equipment, it is generally understood that the UE 110 can include network accessible devices that can operate without user intervention or control, e.g., as in Machine-to-Machine (M2M) scenarios, such as the Internet of Things (IoT).","Such UEs 110 can connect to the eNBs 110 when the UE 110 is within range according to a corresponding wireless communication technology.","In some embodiments, the UE 110 executes application specific instructions that may or may not execute in association with an operating system.","The instructions can include an operating system that can include one or more applications that engage in a transfer of data between the UE 110 and one or more of the external networks 121.Such data transfers can include downlink packet transfers from the external network 121 to the UE 110, uplink packet transfers from the UE 110 to the external network 121 or combinations of uplink and downlink packet transfers.","Applications can include, without limitation, web browsing, VoIP, streaming media, file transfers, software updates, security, operation and/or control, application specific programs, and the like.","In some embodiments, the data transfer includes streaming media, including one or more of audio, video, audio and video, text, still images, graphics, commands, video gaming content, and the like.","Each data transfer can have an associated Quality of Service (QoS), such as a QoS imposed by an associated application.","Different packet transfers can be served by different bearers within the core network 104, e.g., according to parameters, such as the QoS.","The core network 104 can use a concept of bearers, e.g., enhanced packet service (EPS) bearers, to route packets, e.g., IP traffic, between a particular gateway in the core network 104 and the UE 110.A bearer refers generally to an IP packet flow with a defined QoS between the particular gateway and the UE 110.The access network 102, e.g., E-UTRAN, and the core network 104 together set up and release bearers as required by the various applications.","The core network 104 includes various network entities, such as a Mobility Management Entity (MME) 126, a Serving Gateway (SGW) 130 and a PDN gateway (PGW) 132.In some embodiments, the MME 126 includes a control node that performs a control signaling between various equipment and devices in the radio access network 105 and the core network 104.In one or more embodiments, the mobility network 104 can include one or more broadcast multicast service centers (BMSC) 122, or content servers 122, and one or more MBMS Gateway (MBMS-GW) devices 124, or broadcast media gateways 124.The content servers 122 can be capable of selecting, access, and/or receiving data, including messages, software, updates, and the like.","The content servers 190 can receive data from data networks, content source providers (e.g., equipment manufacturers, operators, maintainers, television networks or production companies, or sporting leagues), satellite feeds, and/or cable networks.","The mobility network 104 can direct a content server 190 to select a particular data item or set of data items for broadcast to user devices 110 via the mobility network 104 and radio access network 105.In one or more embodiments, the mobility network 104 can include one or more MBMS-GWs 124.Each broadcast/multicast media gateway 124 manages data paths for transfer of data, including transmission of media, from a content server, referred to generally as a Content Data Network (CDN) 134 to one or more end user devices 110.In one embodiment, a MBMS-GW 124 can initiate multicast groups, which can allow end user devices 110 to receive multicast content at eNodeB nodes 106.The MBMS-GW 124 can associate each multicast group under its control with unique Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and can offer access to broadcast content that is associated with the multicast group to the end user devices 110 via one or more eNodeB nodes 106.In one embodiment, end user devices 110 can join an offered multicast group by sending a session initiation protocol (SIP) JOIN message to the offering MBMS-GW 124.In one or more embodiments, the MBMS-GW 124 can manage the initiation and maintenance of bearer paths for transmitting broadcast data to the user devices 110.In one or more embodiments, the MBMS-GW 124 can initiate MBMS sessions with bearer path contexts that are associated with each end user device 100 that has joined each multicast group.","The bearer path allows the end user device 110 to receive multicast and/or broadcast data from the MBMS network 130.The MBMS-GW 124 can store MBMS session attributes for each bearer context.","When a bearer path has been initiated, the MBMS-GW 124 can initiate tunnels for user data traffic to particular eNodeB nodes 106 that service end user devices 110 in a particular serving area.","In one or more embodiments, the CDN 134 can transmit media content to BMSC that could send the data to one or more MBMS-GW 124 as a unicast data transfer, including a message, a data file, an image, audio, and/or a media stream.","In one example, the content server 134 can transmit a direct, unicast stream and/or broadcast message and/or data item to each MBMS-GW 124.In one or more embodiments, the MBMS-GW 124 can generate a multicast and/or broadcast data stream from a received unicast data stream.","The MBMS-GW 124 can transmit the multicast and/or broadcast data stream via the bearer path, and the multicast IP address for multicast applications.","End user devices 110 that are members of the multicast group for the broadcast media can receive the multicast data transfer from the eNodeB 106 using the multicast IP address.","In one or more embodiments, the mobility network 104 can include a pool of MBMS-GW devices 124 that are deployed in a distributed architecture (i.e., not centralized) in data centers spread across a geographic region that is served by an LTE broadcast service area.","In one embodiment, an LTE broadcast service area can be coincident with a geographic region.","A series of BMSC groups 122 can, for example, be spread across an LTE broadcast service area to provide multicast-broadcast content to user equipment devices 110 in the broadcast service area.","For illustration purposes only, the MME 126, the SGW 124, the PGW 132, the BMSC 122 and the MBMS-GW 124 network elements or nodes, and so on, can be server devices, but may be referred to in the subject disclosure without the word “server.” It is also understood that any form of such servers can operate in a device, system, component, or other form of centralized or distributed hardware and software, including virtual machines, e.g., in relation to software defined networks.","It is further noted that these terms and other terms such as bearer paths and/or interfaces are terms that can include features, methodologies, and/or fields that may be described in whole or in part by standards bodies such as the 3GPP and IETF.","It is further noted that some or all embodiments of the subject disclosure may in whole or in part modify, supplement, or otherwise supersede final or proposed standards published and promulgated by 3GPP/IETF.","The PGW 132 can provide connectivity between the UE 110 and one or more of the external networks, referred to generally as a content data network (CDN) 134.In the illustrative network architecture 100, the PGW 132 can be responsible for IP address allocation for the UE 110, as well as one or more of QoS enforcement and flow-based charging, e.g., according to rules from a policy and charging runes (PCRF) (not shown).","The PGW 132 is also typically responsible for filtering downlink user IP packets into the different QoS-based bearers.","In at least some embodiments, such filtering can be performed based on traffic flow templates.","The PGW 132 can also perform QoS enforcement, e.g., for guaranteed bit rate bearers.","The PGW 132 can also serves as a mobility anchor for interworking with non-3GPP technologies such as CDMA2000 and WiFi.","With increasing numbers of users/devices receiving the same services, efficient information distribution is essential.","To this end, group communications, such as broadcast and/or multicast techniques are provided to decrease the amount of data within the network 100 and a sharing of limited radio spectrum, resulting in a more efficient use of network resources.","In particular, broadcast and multicast are techniques for transmitting data-grams from a single source, such as a selective paging application server 118, e.g., that facilitates a selective paging function, and or the CDN 134 to several destinations, e.g., point-to multipoint.","The selective paging application server 118 and/or a group communication server of the CDN 134 can support exchanging signaling, e.g., signaling (including GCS session and group management aspects) with UEs 110, in some instances, receiving uplink data from UEs 110, delivering data to all UEs 110 belonging to a group, e.g., using unicast and or MBMS delivery, transporting application level session information, and supporting service continuity procedures, e.g., for a UE 110 to switch between unicast/MBMS delivery.","Generally speaking, a multimedia broadcast/multicast service refers to a unidirectional point-to-multipoint service in which data is transmitted from a single source entity to a group of users in a specific area.","In at least some embodiments, the MBMS services transmit content over a multicast-broadcast single frequency network.","The broadcast/multicast service has two possible modes: Broadcast mode and Multicast mode.","A broadcast session includes a continuous and time-bounded reception of a broadcast service by the UE 110.Likewise, a multicast session is a continuous and time-bounded reception of a multicast service by the UE 110.A broadcast service can be defined as a unidirectional, point-to-multipoint service in which data is efficiently transmitted from a single source to multiple UEs 110 in an associated broadcast service area.","Broadcast services may be received by UE 110 configured to access broadcast service locally, and who are in the broadcast area defined for the service.","Likewise, a multicast service can be defined as a unidirectional point-to-multipoint service in which data is efficiently transmitted from a single source to multiple UEs 110 in an associated multicast service area.","It is generally understood that a multicast service is directed to a multicast subscription group.","For example, UE access to a multicast service requires a subscription associates the UE 110 with the service.","Broadcast and/or multicast services may be received by all UEs 110 configured to receive broadcast and/or multicast service(s), and fall within an associated broadcast/multicast area defined for the service.","For example, the broadcast/multicast service area can be determined according to wireless coverage maps of base transceiver stations 106, e.g., sectors, regions and so on, that provide broadcast/multicast service.","The UEs 110 can be configured to monitor one or more broadcast channels for such broadcast/multicast messages.","The UEs 110 can be configured to monitor a selective paging channel, such as a broadcast channel, whether the UE 110 is in an idle state or an active state.","The UE 110 does not need to be attached to any particular eNB 106 while monitoring the broadcast channel.","The broadcast-multicast service area can represent a geographical area, such as a region, a state, county, town, an area defined by a geometric shape, such as a polygon, circle, ellipse, a piecewise continuous closed shape or some combination thereof in reference to a geographical region, e.g., as defined by a map.","In some applications the broadcast area can be defined individually per broadcast service application, per broadcast service subscriber, and the like.","For example, an emergency broadcast message can have a broadcast area associated with a content of the message, a subscription of the service.","Consider an emergency broadcast message directed to an area affected by a natural event, such as a hurricane, a flash flood or a forest fire, an Amber Alert, and the like.","In some embodiments, the group communication service area is identified by a requesting entity, such as a news station, a government entity, and so on.","For group communications services, the example network architectures 100 include an interface 140 or reference point by which the MBMS services of the mobility network can be accessed.","For example, in LTE applications, the selective paging application server 118 can be implemented by a Group Communication Service Application Server (GCS-AS), in which instances the interface or reference point 140 can include features of an MB2 interface.","This represents one possible implementation option.","The MB2 interface 140 can include a signaling or control plane interface, e.g., MB2-C, and a data or user plane interface, e.g., MB2-U.","As illustrated, the MB2 interface 140 can exist between the BMSC 124 and the selective paging application server 118, or more generally between the BMSC 124 and a Group Communication Service Application Server (GCS-AS).","It is understood that the particular network elements of the example network architecture 100 are representative.","Although the MB2 reference point 140 is disclosed in certain industry standards, it is understood that any reference to MB2 herein can include features of applicable industry standards, with or without additions, deletions and modifications to any applicable standardized features.","In at least some embodiments, the MB2 interface 140 or reference point provides an ability for applications to request an allocation and/or de-allocation of a set of TMGIs, a request to activate, deactivate and modify an MBMS bearer, and for allowing the BMSC 122 to notify an application of the status of an MBMS bearer.","In at least some embodiments, the MB2 reference point 140 can include one or more other features disclosed herein, such as supporting a selection of a particular network element and/or network configuration in relation to an establishment and/or maintenance of any MBMS bearer services.","In establishing a new group communication service, e.g., in response to a request from the selective paging application server 118, the BMSC 122 can initiate a group communication service session request directed to the MBMS-GW 124.The MBMS-GW 124 responds to the BMSC 122 with session response.","The MBMS-GW 124 then sends a session start request to the MME 126, which sends it to the eNB 106, e.g., on an M3 Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) based interface.","In response, the eNB 106 sends a session start response to the MME 126, which sends it to the MBMS-GW 124.Upon successful establishment of the session and radio resource allocation, the eNB 106 can join the transport network IP multicast address to receive the user data from MBMS-GW 124.An example broadcast and/or multicast bearer path 141 is illustrated between the selective paging application server 118 and the UE 110.Other network elements along the broadcast and/or multicast bearer path 141, include the BMSC 122, the MBMS-GW 124 and the eNB 106.In some embodiments, the broadcast and/or multicast path extends from another data source, such as the content data network 134.Thus, the selective paging application server 118 can request a broadcast and/or multicast service based on data item(s) from another source, such as the CDN 134.It is understood that, in some instances, broadcast and/or multicast datagrams can be routed to more than one UE 110 attached to the same eNB 106.Alternatively or in addition, broadcast and/or multicast datagrams can be routed to more than one UE 110 attached to different eNBs 106.Without limitation, reference to various interfaces, such as S1, S5, S11, M1, and M3 refer to EPS interfaces.","In some instances, such interface designations are combined with a suffix, e.g., a “U” or a “C” to signify whether the interface relates to a “User plane” or a “Control plane.” In addition, the core network 104 can include various signaling bearer paths/interfaces, e.g., control plane paths/interfaces.","The bearer paths and signaling bearer paths are only illustrated as examples and it should be noted that additional bearer paths and signaling bearer paths may exist that are not illustrated.","FIG.","2 depicts an illustrative example of an LTE broadcast paging system 200 that includes a RAN portion 205 and a core network portion 204.The RAN portion 205 includes three base station terminals 206a, 206b, 206c, generally 206.The first base station terminal 206a provides wireless services within a first wireless coverage region 208a, e.g., a location in California.","Likewise, the second and third base station terminals 206b, 206c, provide wireless services within second and third wireless coverage regions 208b, 208c, e.g., non-overlapping regions in New York.","In the illustrative example, the wireless communication devices include a vehicle 210, and or an equipment item or subsystem of the vehicle, such as an on-board computer, a vehicle maintenance tracking system, a vehicle emergency communication system, a surveillance system and/or a navigation system.","Subsequent references to the vehicle 210 should be understood to include one or more of the aforementioned subsystems.","During network operations, at least one base station 206 can generally communicate with the vehicle 210, while the vehicle is within a corresponding wireless coverage region of the base station 206.It is understood that there may be circumstances in which the vehicle 210, despite being within the coverage region, is unable to communicate with the base station 206.By way of non-limiting example, such circumstances include radio frequency (RF) interference, RF blockage or weak signal, power on/off status of the vehicle 210/on-board device or system, and so on.","For example, in the illustrative example, a first facility 211a, such as an office building, or apartment complex includes an underground parking facility 212a.","Likewise, second and third facilities 211b, 211c include underground parking facilities 212b, 212c.","Each of the facilities 211a, 211b, 211c, generally 211, includes a vehicle 210a′, 210b′, 210c′, generally 210′, within the underground parking facility 212a, 212b, 212c, generally 212.Each of the facilities 211 also reflects the same vehicle 210a″, 211b″, 210c″, generally 210″, e.g., at a different time, along an above-ground surface 214.It is understood that the vehicles 210′ may not be able to communicate with the base stations 206 while inside the garage 212 due to RF blockage.","It is also understood that the vehicles 210″ would generally be available to communicate with the base stations, while not inside the garage 212, presuming the vehicles 210″ are within the wireless range of a broadcasting base station 206.Thus, any attempts by the network 204 and base stations 206 to page vehicles 210′ while inside the garage 212 will likely be unsuccessful due to the RF blockage.","In some embodiments, a paging message can be repeated according to a schedule.","The schedule can include one or more of a total number of pages, a paging duration including a time period within which a paging message is repeated, a paging frequency, paging times, and so on.","Repeating the same page to the same group of vehicles 210 within the same targeted paging area 208, over an extended time period allows for vehicles 210′ that may have been unavailable for an initial page, e.g., in the garage, to receive a subsequent page that occurs during the paging period, while the vehicle 210″ is out of the garage.","In an illustrative example, each of the vehicles 210 listens to a broadcast channel of the mobility network 200, whether the vehicle 210 is in idle mode or an active mode, including unconnected and connected modes.","A data transfer entity, such as an equipment manufacturer, a supplier, a maintainer, an insurer of the vehicle 210, or onboard system, intends to perform certain actions to a class or group of vehicles, and/or onboard systems, within a target geographical region, e.g., New York, by way of the mobility network 200.A selective paging broadcast function, e.g., by way of a selective paging broadcast server 218, queries or otherwise accesses a cell-site records, e.g., by way of a RAN cell-site database 220, to identify any cell sites providing wireless services within the target geographical region.","The selective paging broadcast server 218 creates a short broadcast message including indicia of the targeted class or group of vehicles 210 and/or vehicular subsystems.","The indicia can include a manufacturer, make, model, serial number range, lot number, product identification code, vehicular identification code, a signature, an owner (e.g., a fleet owner or operator), a user, an operator, and the like.","The selective paging broadcast server 218 sends the short broadcast message to the core network 204 for forwarding to the identified cell sites of the target geographical area.","In the illustrative example, the message is sent to the cell sites 208b, 208c in New York, without being sent to other cell sites, such as cell sites 208a in other states, e.g., California.","The core network 204, in turn, initiates a broadcast of the short broadcast message through the identified base stations 208b, 208c of the target geographical area, without sending the short message, or otherwise initiating a broadcast through cell sites 208a outside of the target region.","The vehicles 210 in the coverage area, whether in idle or connected mode, listen to a broadcast channel of the mobility network 202.Any broadcast messages are evaluated by the vehicles 210 to identify the class/group indicator, e.g., a unique value, symbol, code or signature.","Broadcast messages having a unique value that is not associated with the vehicle 210 are ignored by the vehicle 210 or subsystem.","Broadcast messages having a unique value that is associated with the vehicle 210 are processed further, e.g., as indicated below.","Any vehicles 210′ in the coverage area, but unable to receive a particular broadcast message, e.g., due to blockage, continue to monitor the broadcast and/or paging channel When any such blockage or interference is removed, e.g., when the vehicle 210″ emerges from the garage 212, the continuous monitoring of the broadcast and/or paging channel allows the vehicle 210″ to receive a subsequent page of a repeating paging schedule.","Once the short broadcast message is received and the unique value or signature matched to the vehicle 210″, the vehicle 210″ recognizes the broadcast feed and performs a related action.","Actions can include, without limitation, interpreting data contained in the broadcast message itself.","For example, in some embodiments, the short broadcast message can include a payload portion.","The payload portion can include data, such as value or code providing an instruction that can be interpreted by the targeted vehicle 210″.","For example, the targeted vehicle 210″ can include pre-programmed instructions that enact one or more predetermined procedures based on the data value.","In some instances, the instruction can provide an indication that further data is available by way of another message.","The other message can include download data packets, such as a packet stream, that is broadcast to the target devices, e.g., through the identified base stations 206, by way of a separate MBMS service.","Thus, a broadcast paging message provided on one broadcast/paging channel, can announce services on the same and/or a different broadcast channel The different broadcast channel can be distinguished by one or more of a time slot, frequency, and code of a code division multiplexed configuration, and the like.","The MBMS service can include a broadcast service, by which data content is distributed according to a broadcast.","A broadcast service, e.g., announced by the short broadcast message, can be accessed by the targeted vehicles 210″ that receive the message.","Namely, the targeted vehicles 210″ can tune or otherwise access the broadcast stream.","Alternatively or in addition, the MBMS service can include a multicast service, by which data content is distributed according to a multicast stream.","A multicast service, e.g., announced by the short broadcast message, can be accessed by the targeted vehicles 210″ that receive the message.","For example, the targeted vehicles 210″ can join or otherwise access the multicast stream.","In at least some embodiments, the short broadcast message can include a multicast IP address that can be used by the targeted vehicles 210″ to join the multicast stream being served by the base stations that have joined the specific MBMS GW nodes.","Although the examples provide herein refer to vehicles and/or on-board devices or systems as the wireless communication devices, the disclosure should be understood to apply to wireless communication devices more generally.","This can include wireless mobile devices, such as vehicles, smart phones, tablet processors and laptop computers.","Other wireless communication devices are not mobile, such as smart meters, e.g., home/building utility meters—gas, water, electricity and so on.","Wireless devices can include medical devices, such as biomedical devices including, without limitation, implantable devices, wearable devices, hospital and/or home medical monitoring devices, the like.","Medical devices can include diagnostic devices, e.g., heart monitors, blood glucose monitors, drug delivery devices, biological pumps, controllers and so on.","As for vehicular devices, they can include the vehicles, e.g., automobiles, themselves, equipment in the vehicle, e.g., updated map software for a navigation system, diagnostic monitoring systems, e.g., mileage, fluids, tire pressures, engine performance, etc.","Vehicles can include, without limitation, trucks, busses, trains fleets of vehicles, e.g., trucking company, self-driving vehicles, equipment on such vehicles.","Air vehicles can include, without limitation, aircraft, drones, military equipment and ordnance.","Other applications include manufacturing, e.g., robots, machines, processors, and the like.","Still other applications include business applications, such as retail outlets, e.g., gas stations tracking supplies/sales, supermarkets, wholesale facilities, e.g., tracking warehouse inventories, shelf lives, etc.","Durable goods, e.g., home appliances and the like.","In general, wireless communication devices can include any device, mobile or stationary, that can communicate with the wireless mobility network via the radio access network.","The short broadcast messages can be used by data transfer entities in the tracking of performance and/or status, in updating software, e.g., in providing software patches, fixes, updates, and the like.","In at least some embodiments, the short broadcast messages can be used by the data transfer entities to deliver, revise or otherwise modify operational or business rules of the wireless communication device, or another device in communication therewith.","To that end, it is envisioned that the wireless communication devices can be part of other systems, such as the vehicles, the processors, devices, and appliances.","Namely, a wireless communication device, e.g., operating according to a wireless protocol, such as LTE, can be in communication with an associated device.","Thus, data can be exchanged between the associated device and a remote entity by way of the wireless communication device.","In this capacity, data content received by way of the broadcast messages can be used by the wireless communication device, the associated device, or both.","It should be understood that the group communication service messages, e.g., MBMS/eMBMS messages disclosed herein, can include a type of service (broadcast/multicast), an associated radio frequency channel(s), timing/schedule, authorization/encryption/key info, multicast IP addresses, and the like.","FIG.","3 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a process 300 used by the systems 100, 200 of FIGS.","1 and 2.The process includes detecting a broadcast data request to access target class/group of wireless devices at 302.The request can include a message received from another entity, such as the data transfer entities 216a, 216b, 216c, generally 216, indicating that download data is available for the target class/group of wireless communication devices.","These entities can include, without limitation, equipment manufacturers, service providers, e.g., network service providers, owners, operators, maintainers, business organizations, enterprises, governmental organizations, educational institutions, and the like.","In at least some embodiments, the broadcast data request includes a field that identifies the target class/group.","For example, a request from an auto manufacturer BMW® to access an onboard system of the “Series 3” automobiles.","It is envisioned identification of such a target class/group can include further details, such as year or range of years, model options/features, and the like.","In some instances, a field identifying the target class/group includes a unique value, such as an alphanumeric value or signature.","Such signature values would allow a rather complex description of a particular device, i.e., “BMW, 320i, 2015, sedan, manual transmission, .",".",".","” can be reduced to a shorter numeric value, e.g., “BM32SM15.” In some instances the unique signature values can include a product code, such as a vehicle identification number, or range of numbers.","In some embodiments, hashes and/or other algorithms can be used to generate and/or interpret such identifying codes.","Translations can be performed by the data transfer entities 216, by the selective paging broadcast server 218, or by another server, such as the server 240.For example, the other server 240 can be operated by a third party, any of the data transfer entities, or the network service provider.","However the target class/group is identified in the message, the mobile communication devices 210 include features, e.g., machine-readable instructions 144, that allow the device 210 to properly identify when a paging broadcast message is directed to it as a member of the targeted class/group.","In some embodiment, the request message also includes a geographic region.","The geographic region, e.g., can be used by a data transfer entity to download data in an orderly manner.","Alternatively or in addition, another entity, such as the network operator, can specify the target region.","Consider an auto manufacturer that needs to roll out new software to all diesel vehicles in North America.","The manufacturer, as a data transfer entity can identify North America as a target region in its request—it is understood that in some instances, a request may not include a region, in which case the region can include all cell sites of one mobility network, cell sites of another mobility network, another country, region, etc.","In some embodiments, a network service provider can apply analytics to the request to determine a strategic rollout of the software in a staged manner that takes into consideration any of various factors, such as network capacity, network congestion, network costs, estimates of numbers of wireless communication devices, and the like.","Thus, a request made during a busy hour can be deferred to quieter times, such as early morning, weekend, etc.","A target geographical region is determined at 304.In some embodiments, the target geographical region can be determined directly from the request, e.g., “New York.” Alternatively or in addition the target geographical region can be determined from a processing of the request in view of network analytics, among other factors.","Thus, a large area, such as North America, can be broken into regions, such as states, territories, counties, bounded regions of a map, and combinations thereof.","Wireless base stations are identified at 306 based on target region.","Once the target geographical region has been identified, it can be used in combination with cellular coverage maps to identify one or more base stations that provide coverage to the target geographical region.","In some embodiments, the base stations provide full coverage spanning the entire target geographical region.","Alternative, the base stations may provide a partial coverage, as coverage may not be available in certain portions of the geographical region.","Nevertheless, a suitable number of base stations are identified based on the target geographical region.","A target class/group is identified at 308.As indicated above, the target class/group can be determined from the request itself.","It is understood, however, that in at least some instances, the request may generate from a reception of downlink data at a network node, such as the SGW 130.The downlink data can include an address, e.g., and IP address, that can be mapped or otherwise associated with the target class/group of devices.","In such scenarios, the network service provider can seek an identity of the target class/group.","This can be accomplished by storing or otherwise accessing an association of a data IP address and a corresponding class/group of devices.","In some instances, the network service provider can query the data transfer entity associated with the data and or a third party, such as the server 140 providing a coordinating service.","Broadcast paging to the target class/group in the target region is facilitated at 310 by way of the identified wireless base stations.","For example, the selective paging application server 118, e.g., facilitating a selective paging function, forwards a request to the BMSC 122 to broadcast a broadcast message in each of the identified base stations.","The broadcast message can include indicia of the target class/group of devices, as well as one or more of a message that invokes a corresponding action at wireless communication devices of the targeted class/group.","For example, the message can inform the wireless device that a broadcast message will commence at a particular time, e.g., and on a particular broadcast channel.","This can include identification of one or more of a frequency and a time slot.","In some embodiments, the request prompts a selection between a broadcast, a multicast and/or a unicast service for paging the target class/group of devices.","For example, such a selection can be based on set of attributes.","In some instances, a mobile operator decides which service based on one or more of the identified base station(s), the identity of the target class/group, the target region, and so forth.","Network analytics can be applied in a determination, e.g., based on a number of wireless devices per base station and/or sector coverage area, the type and/or quantity of data to be transferred, a priority, network charges, subscriptions, and the like.","An estimate of a number of wireless devices can be based on one or more of device/product registration data, historical communication records, population, number of households, income and/or other demographics, or any other means of estimating.","For example, historical records can be created and/or updated by devices periodically connect to network to complete status reporting and/or scheduled/on-demand data transfers based on combination of triggers received from device/network and application service providers.","It is also envisioned that learning can be applied based on a network analytics function that includes cell site data, targeted coverage area, device type, priority access, etc.","In at least some embodiments, a response to a selective broadcast page, e.g., including a transfer data (e.g., message and/or content) to UE, is accomplished for UE that are not in the connected state on the MME 126.A transfer of data, e.g., data arriving at the SGW 130, can be facilitated to the UE 110, including UE 110 in an idle state or mode, without requiring the UE 110 to initiate a service request and/or otherwise attach to the mobility network 104.In at least some applications data transfer to a group of UE 110 is initiated for UE 110 in an idle state or mode, without reliance on traditional, e.g., unicast paging.","In at least some embodiments, any target devices 110 temporarily out of coverage during a selective paging broadcast message, receive the broadcast message upon returning into coverage of selected eNBs.","There is no need for UE to provide location information in association with accessing broadcast content disclosed herein.","Likewise, there is no need for a notification server to repeatedly invoke unicast updates when devices are temporarily unreachable.","In at least some applications, particularly for M2M and IoT applications, the paging and any subsequent actions undertaken by the wireless device and/or the network can occur without requiring the devices to respond to paging.","This avoids any necessity for the devices to attach to the network, etc., to avoid corresponding network congestion that might otherwise be created.","In general, an idle mode is considered to include a wireless device (UE) that is powered on but does not have a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection to the radio network.","In the idle mode, a UE can perform: PLMN selection; cell search & selection; cell reselection; Tracking Area (TA) update; and periodic paging monitoring.","In response to monitoring a page that identifies the device, the device can transition to an active mode, in which the device may change one or more of a power status, processing capacity, and the like, without necessarily attaching to the wireless mobility network.","For example, in the active mode, the device can receive a broadcast message at a predetermined time and channel, without requiring any special action on the part of the mobility network.","In some embodiments, the wireless device transitions to an active mode upon receipt of the page message.","The transition can be immediate, or after some processing delay, e.g., time to allow the device to detect the page message and to determine that the device has been targeted.","A transition from idle to active states can be referred to generally as a service request.","It is conceivable that in some applications, a large number of targeted devices residing within a single cell or region may receive and respond to the same page message.","In at least some instances, concurrent service requests from multiple targeted devices can result in network traffic and possibly interference.","In at least some embodiments, a delay can be introduced, to avoid network congestion of multiple service requests from the multiple devices.","For example, each of the wireless devices can have an associated delay value.","A unique delay value can be provided for every device, e.g., stored within the device, such that a number of devices that receive the same page message will transition to active mode, or submit a service request, at a uniquely different time based the unique delay values.","Alternatively, a set of delay values can be assigned to the devices, such that not every device, but groups of devices have different delay values.","It is understood that in at least some embodiments, a delay value can be determined by the wireless devices.","For example, each wireless device can include functionality that determines a device delay value that can be implemented for every page message targeting the device.","Alternatively or in addition, each wireless device can include functionality that determines an updated, different delay value for each page message.","Delay values can be determined according to an algorithm and/or based on a random number generator.","In some embodiments, the page message can include information that can be used to determine delay values, e.g., providing a seed value that can be used by a delay determining algorithm of the wireless device.","Beneficially, the broadcast paging and data transfer techniques disclosed herein avoid any need for a notification server to repeatedly invoke unicast updates when devices are temporarily unreachable.","As indicated, the MBMS messages can be repeated according to a schedule and for a duration.","The duration might extend for hours, days, weeks, months or longer.","The schedule might include the broadcast to be provided once per day or longer, e.g., at the same hour each day, or at a different hour each day.","Beneficially, there is no need for the wireless communication devices to provide location information to the system.","They just have to be in a target geographical area and in a sector served by a base station of the mobility network during an occasion of the MBMS/eMBMS message.","This allows targeted devices to receive data downloads, instructions, etc., without a need to independently page the wireless communication devices.","In some embodiments, the wireless communication devices can be configured to always listen to a network broadcast channel in idle and connected modes.","To this end, a device that happens to be in a connected mode will still receive the MBMS/eMBMS service message.","The network can be presented with an option to transfer data by way of an existing connection for any connected devices.","Alternatively or in addition, the network can provide the corresponding data/instruction to all devices in the same manner, e.g., by broadcast message.","FIG.","4 depicts an illustrative embodiment of another process used by the systems 100, 200 of FIGS.","1 and 2.A request to transfer data to target group of devices is received at step 402.Without limitation, the request can be received by the selective paging application server 118, e.g., from the data transfer entity 216 and/or by downlink data arriving at a node of the mobility network, such as the SGW 124, as disclosed herein.","A determination is made at 406 as to whether the pending request is authorized.","To the extent that the pending request is not authorized, it is terminated at 408.To the extent that the pending request is authorized, a geographical region associated with request is determined at 410.The region can be identified by the request itself, by the mobility network, by a third party service provider, or by any other suitable means of identifying a region that relates to the request.","A determination is made at 412 as to whether the pending request is authorized for the associated geographical region.","To the extent that the pending request is not authorized, it is terminated at 408.To the extent that the pending request is authorized, one or more wireless base station(s) are identified at 414, based on the target region.","The identified base stations provide coverage within the target region.","In some embodiments, the base stations provide coverage to the entire region, whereas in others such coverage is not possible.","In the latter situation, the base stations are identified to provide the best coverage possible.","The determination can be performed by the selective paging application server, by the network service provider, or by a third party service provider.","In some embodiments a subsequent determination is made at 416 as to whether any paging will be accomplished by an MBMS service and/or a Unicast service at 416.It is understood that the MBMS/unicast determination can be determined globally for all identified base stations, or individually for each of the identified base station or sub-groups of base stations.","To the extent that MBMS service is selected, an MBMS paging message is generated at 418, identifying the target group 418.An MBMS service is initiated at 420 and the paging message is distributed by way of the MBMS service.","To the extent that additional data is associated with the paging message, an MBMS transfer of the pending data is initiated at 422.It is understood that an MBMS service for the paging service and the MBMS service for the subsequent data can be the same or different.","For example, one can be provided by way of a broadcast message, whereas, the other can be accomplished by way of a multicast message.","To the extent that unicast service is selected, one or more unicast paging messages are generated at 424, identifying members of the target group.","A unicast service is initiated at 426 and the paging message is distributed by way of the unicast service.","To the extent that additional data is associated with the paging message via MME 126, a unicast transfer of the pending data is initiated at 428.It is understood that the same unicast service or different unicast services can be used for each of the paging message and the subsequent data transfer.","While for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the respective processes are shown and described as a series of blocks in FIGS.","3 and 4, it is to be understood and appreciated that the claimed subject matter is not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from what is depicted and described herein.","Moreover, not all illustrated blocks may be required to implement the methods described herein.","The UE 110, 210, and selective paging application server 118, 218 can utilize tethered communication technologies (such as coaxial, powerline or phone line wiring) or can operate over a wireless access protocol such as Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Bluetooth®, Zigbee®, or other present or next generation local or personal area wireless network technologies.","By way of these interfaces, unicast communications can also be invoked between the core network 104, 204, or other infrastructure services.","The subject disclosure can apply to other present or next generation over-the-air and/or in combination with landline media content services system.","Some of the network elements of the system 100, 200 can be coupled to one or more computing devices 140, a portion of which can operate as a web server for providing web portal services over the wireless mobility network 100 to wireless communication devices 110.Multiple forms of media services can be offered to wireless communication devices 110, 210 by way of the wireless access base station 106, 206 operating according to common wireless access protocols such as Global System for Mobile or GSM, Code Division Multiple Access or CDMA, Time Division Multiple Access or TDMA, Universal Mobile Telecommunications or UMTS, World interoperability for Microwave or WiMAX, Software Defined Radio or SDR, Long Term Evolution or LTE, and so on.","Other present and next generation wide area wireless access network technologies can be used in one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.","The cellular access base station 106, 206 can operate according to common wireless access protocols such as GSM, CDMA, TDMA, UMTS, WiMax, SDR, LTE, and so on.","Other present and next generation wireless network technologies can be used by one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.","Accordingly, in at least some embodiments, multiple wireline and/or wireless communication technologies can be used by the UEs 110, 210.The server 140 can be operably coupled to the communication system 100, 200 for purposes similar to those described above.","The server 140 can perform function 146 and thereby provide selective broadcast paging of wireless device services to the wireless communication devices 110.The wireless communication devices 110 can be adapted with software to perform function 144 to utilize the selective broadcast paging of wireless device services.","The selective paging application server 118 can be adapted with software to perform function 142 to utilize the selective broadcast paging of wireless device services.","For example, the selective paging application server 118 can receive one or more of an identification of a geographical area, a type or class of wireless communication device or other device or system associated with the wireless communication device, priorities of one or more of the device, the message, a class of service, and the like.","A priority can be used, for example, to selectively page higher priority over lower priority, to set paging cycles, counts, frequency, etc.).","Likewise, in at least some embodiments, one or more elements of the core network 104 can be adapted with software to perform functions 141 to utilize the selective broadcast paging of wireless device services.","FIG.","5 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a web portal 502 of a communication of the communication systems 100, 200 of FIGS.","1 and/or 2.The web portal 502 can be used for managing services of systems 100, 200 of FIGS.","1 and/or 2.In at least some embodiments, the web portal 502 can be used for managing services of the wireless communication devices 110, 210 of systems 100, 200 of FIGS.","1 and/or 2.A web page of the web portal 502 can be accessed by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) with an Internet browser using an Internet-capable communication device such as those described in FIGS.","1 and/or 2.The web portal 502 can be configured, for example, to access a media processor selective paging application server 118 and services managed thereby such as a content delivery services, e.g., including software updates, data transfers, media access, and the like.","The web portal 502 can also be used for provisioning M2M services, provisioning Internet services, provisioning wireless services, and so on.","The web portal 502 can further be utilized to manage and provision software applications 242-246 to adapt these applications as may be desired by subscribers and/or service providers of the systems 100, 200 of FIGS.","1 and/or 2.For instance, users of the services provided by the selective paging application server 118, 218 and/or server 140, 240 can log into their on-line accounts and provision one or more of the servers 118, 218, 140, 230 with a feature that a user may want to program such.","For example, data transfer entities, such as device manufacturers, maintainers, and the like can use the web portal 502 to enter or otherwise modify requests for selective IoT paging broadcasts.","Information can be entered in various manners, such as providing inputs to fields of a form, such as requestor identity or account, authorization information, indicia of a group or class of devices targeted by the broadcast paging message, a target area, such as a geographical region, data content and/or pointers or references to data content to be provided to the UEs 110, 210.At least some of the information can be provided by user profiles that can be created, reviewed, modified, and so on by the web portal 502.Alternatively or in addition, service providers can use the web portal 502 to log onto an administrator account to provision, monitor and/or maintain the systems 100, 200 of FIGS.","1 and/or 2.FIG.","6 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication device 600.Communication device 600 can serve in whole or in part as an illustrative embodiment of the devices depicted in FIGS.","1 and/or 2 and can be configured to perform portions of processes 300, 400 of FIGS.","3 and/or 4.The communication device 600 can include a wireline and/or wireless transceiver 602 (herein transceiver 602), a user interface (UI) 604, a power supply 614, a location receiver 616, a motion sensor 618, an orientation sensor 620, and a controller 606 for managing operations thereof.","The transceiver 602 can support short-range or long-range wireless access technologies such as Bluetooth®, ZigBee®, WiFi, DECT, or cellular communication technologies, just to mention a few (Bluetooth® and ZigBee® are trademarks registered by the Bluetooth® Special Interest Group and the ZigBee® Alliance, respectively).","Cellular technologies can include, for example, CDMA-1X, UMTS/HSDPA, GSM/GPRS, TDMA/EDGE, EV/DO, WiMAX, SDR, LTE, as well as other next generation wireless communication technologies as they arise.","The transceiver 602 can also be adapted to support circuit-switched wireline access technologies (such as PSTN), packet-switched wireline access technologies (such as TCP/IP, VoIP, etc.","), and combinations thereof.","The UI 604 can include a depressible or touch-sensitive keypad 608 with a navigation mechanism such as a roller ball, a joystick, a mouse, or a navigation disk for manipulating operations of the communication device 600.The keypad 608 can be an integral part of a housing assembly of the communication device 600 or an independent device operably coupled thereto by a tethered wireline interface (such as a USB cable) or a wireless interface supporting for example Bluetooth®.","The keypad 608 can represent a numeric keypad commonly used by phones, and/or a QWERTY keypad with alphanumeric keys.","The UI 604 can further include a display 610 such as monochrome or color LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) or other suitable display technology for conveying images to an end user of the communication device 600.In an embodiment where the display 610 is touch-sensitive, a portion or all of the keypad 608 can be presented by way of the display 610 with navigation features.","The display 610 can use touch screen technology to also serve as a user interface for detecting user input.","As a touch screen display, the communication device 600 can be adapted to present a user interface with graphical user interface (GUI) elements that can be selected by a user with a touch of a finger.","The touch screen display 610 can be equipped with capacitive, resistive or other forms of sensing technology to detect how much surface area of a user's finger has been placed on a portion of the touch screen display.","This sensing information can be used to control the manipulation of the GUI elements or other functions of the user interface.","The display 610 can be an integral part of the housing assembly of the communication device 700 or an independent device communicatively coupled thereto by a tethered wireline interface (such as a cable) or a wireless interface.","The UI 604 can also include an audio system 612 that utilizes audio technology for conveying low volume audio (such as audio heard in proximity of a human ear) and high volume audio (such as speakerphone for hands free operation).","The audio system 612 can further include a microphone for receiving audible signals of an end user.","The audio system 612 can also be used for voice recognition applications.","The UI 604 can further include an image sensor 613 such as a charged coupled device (CCD) camera for capturing still or moving images.","The power supply 614 can utilize common power management technologies such as replaceable and rechargeable batteries, supply regulation technologies, and/or charging system technologies for supplying energy to the components of the communication device 600 to facilitate long-range or short-range portable applications.","Alternatively, or in combination, the charging system can utilize external power sources such as DC power supplied over a physical interface such as a USB port or other suitable tethering technologies.","The location receiver 616 can utilize location technology such as a global positioning system (GPS) receiver capable of assisted GPS for identifying a location of the communication device 600 based on signals generated by a constellation of GPS satellites, which can be used for facilitating location services such as navigation.","The motion sensor 618 can utilize motion sensing technology such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or other suitable motion sensing technology to detect motion of the communication device 600 in three-dimensional space.","The orientation sensor 620 can utilize orientation sensing technology such as a magnetometer to detect the orientation of the communication device 600 (north, south, west, and east, as well as combined orientations in degrees, minutes, or other suitable orientation metrics).","The communication device 600 can use the transceiver 602 to also determine a proximity to a cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth®, or other wireless access points by sensing techniques such as utilizing a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and/or signal time of arrival (TOA) or time of flight (TOF) measurements.","The controller 606 can utilize computing technologies such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), programmable gate arrays, application specific integrated circuits, and/or a video processor with associated storage memory such as Flash, ROM, RAM, SRAM, DRAM or other storage technologies for executing computer instructions, controlling, and processing data supplied by the aforementioned components of the communication device 600.Other components not shown in FIG.","6 can be used in one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.","For instance, the communication device 600 can include a reset button (not shown).","The reset button can be used to reset the controller 606 of the communication device 600.In yet another embodiment, the communication device 600 can also include a factory default setting button positioned, for example, below a small hole in a housing assembly of the communication device 600 to force the communication device 600 to re-establish factory settings.","In this embodiment, a user can use a protruding object such as a pen or paper clip tip to reach into the hole and depress the default setting button.","The communication device 600 can also include a slot for adding or removing an identity module such as a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card.","SIM cards can be used for identifying subscriber services, executing programs, storing subscriber data, and so forth.","The communication device 600 as described herein can operate with more or less of the circuit components shown in FIG.","6.These variant embodiments can be used in one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.","The communication device 600 can be adapted to perform the functions of devices 110, 210 of FIGS.","1 and/or 2.It will be appreciated that the communication device 600 can also represent other devices that can operate in systems 100, 200 of FIGS.","1 and/or 2, such as a gaming console and a media player.","In addition, the controller 606 can be adapted in various embodiments to perform one or more of the functions 242-246, respectively.","Upon reviewing the aforementioned embodiments, it would be evident to an artisan with ordinary skill in the art that said embodiments can be modified, reduced, or enhanced without departing from the scope of the claims described below.","For example, the data transfer entity can be a wireless mobile device, wherein the downlink data and/or a related request can be transported over wireless mobility network to the selective paging application server 118 and/or the other server 140.Other embodiments can be used in the subject disclosure.","It should be understood that devices described in the exemplary embodiments can be in communication with each other via various wireless and/or wired methodologies.","The methodologies can be links that are described as coupled, connected and so forth, which can include unidirectional and/or bidirectional communication over wireless paths and/or wired paths that utilize one or more of various protocols or methodologies, where the coupling and/or connection can be direct (e.g., no intervening processing device) and/or indirect (e.g., an intermediary processing device such as a router).","FIG.","7 depicts an exemplary diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of a computer system 700 within which a set of instructions, when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods described above.","One or more instances of the machine can operate, for example, as the selective paging application server 118, 218, the RAN cell-site database 120, 220, the base transceiver stations 106, 206, the wireless communication devices, 110, 210, the server 140, 240, the BMSC 122, 222, the MBMS-GW 124, 224, and any of the network nodes, such as the MME 226, the SGW 230, the PGW or equipment of the content data network 234 and other devices of FIGS.","1-2.In some embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., using a network 726) to other machines.","In a networked deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client user machine in a server-client user network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment.","The machine may comprise a server computer, a client user computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a control system, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine.","It will be understood that a communication device of the subject disclosure includes broadly any electronic device that provides voice, video or data communication.","Further, while a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methods discussed herein.","The computer system 700 may include a processor (or controller) 702 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)), a graphics processing unit (GPU, or both), a main memory 704 and a static memory 706, which communicate with each other via a bus 708.The computer system 700 may further include a display unit 710 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a flat panel, or a solid state display).","The computer system 700 may include an input device 712 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 714 (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit 716, a signal generation device 718 (e.g., a speaker or remote control) and a network interface device 720.In distributed environments, the embodiments described in the subject disclosure can be adapted to utilize multiple display units 710 controlled by two or more computer systems 700.In this configuration, presentations described by the subject disclosure may in part be shown in a first of the display units 710, while the remaining portion is presented in a second of the display units 710.The disk drive unit 716 may include a tangible computer-readable storage medium 722 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software 724) embodying any one or more of the methods or functions described herein, including those methods illustrated above.","The instructions 724 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 704, the static memory 706, and/or within the processor 702 during execution thereof by the computer system 700.The main memory 704 and the processor 702 also may constitute tangible computer-readable storage media.","Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to, application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement the methods described herein.","Application specific integrated circuits and programmable logic array can use downloadable instructions for executing state machines and/or circuit configurations to implement embodiments of the subject disclosure.","Applications that may include the apparatus and systems of various embodiments broadly include a variety of electronic and computer systems.","Some embodiments implement functions in two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and data signals communicated between and through the modules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit.","Thus, the example system is applicable to software, firmware, and hardware implementations.","In accordance with various embodiments of the subject disclosure, the operations or methods described herein are intended for operation as software programs or instructions running on or executed by a computer processor or other computing device, and which may include other forms of instructions manifested as a state machine implemented with logic components in an application specific integrated circuit or field programmable gate array.","Furthermore, software implementations (e.g., software programs, instructions, etc.)","including, but not limited to, distributed processing or component/object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtual machine processing can also be constructed to implement the methods described herein.","It is further noted that a computing device such as a processor, a controller, a state machine or other suitable device for executing instructions to perform operations or methods may perform such operations directly or indirectly by way of one or more intermediate devices directed by the computing device.","While the tangible computer-readable storage medium 722 is shown in an example embodiment to be a single medium, the term “tangible computer-readable storage medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions.","The term “tangible computer-readable storage medium” shall also be taken to include any non-transitory medium that is capable of storing or encoding a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods of the subject disclosure.","The term “non-transitory” as in a non-transitory computer-readable storage includes without limitation memories, drives, devices and anything tangible but not a signal per se.","The term “tangible computer-readable storage medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to: solid-state memories such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more read-only (non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or other re-writable (volatile) memories, a magneto-optical or optical medium such as a disk or tape, or other tangible media which can be used to store information.","Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more of a tangible computer-readable storage medium, as listed herein and including art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which the software implementations herein are stored.","Although the present specification describes components and functions implemented in the embodiments with reference to particular standards and protocols, the disclosure is not limited to such standards and protocols.","Each of the standards for Internet and other packet switched network transmission (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTML, HTTP) represent examples of the state of the art.","Such standards are from time-to-time superseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentially the same functions.","Wireless standards for device detection (e.g., RFID), short-range communications (e.g., Bluetooth®, WiFi, Zigbee®), and long-range communications (e.g., WiMAX, GSM, CDMA, LTE) can be used by computer system 700.In one or more embodiments, information regarding use of services can be generated including services being accessed, media consumption history, user preferences, and so forth.","This information can be obtained by various methods including user input, detecting types of communications (e.g., video content vs. audio content), analysis of content streams, and so forth.","The generating of this information can be responsive to an authorization provided by the user.","The illustrations of embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments, and they are not intended to serve as a complete description of all the elements and features of apparatus and systems that might make use of the structures described herein.","Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.","The exemplary embodiments can include combinations of features and/or steps from multiple embodiments.","Other embodiments may be utilized and derived therefrom, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure.","Figures are also merely representational and may not be drawn to scale.","Certain proportions thereof may be exaggerated, while others may be minimized Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.","Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement which achieves the same or similar purpose may be substituted for the embodiments described or shown by the subject disclosure.","The subject disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments.","Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, can be used in the subject disclosure.","For instance, one or more features from one or more embodiments can be combined with one or more features of one or more other embodiments.","In one or more embodiments, features that are positively recited can also be negatively recited and excluded from the embodiment with or without replacement by another structural and/or functional feature.","The steps or functions described with respect to the embodiments of the subject disclosure can be performed in any order.","The steps or functions described with respect to the embodiments of the subject disclosure can be performed alone or in combination with other steps or functions of the subject disclosure, as well as from other embodiments or from other steps that have not been described in the subject disclosure.","Further, more than or less than all of the features described with respect to an embodiment can also be utilized.","Less than all of the steps or functions described with respect to the exemplary processes or methods can also be performed in one or more of the exemplary embodiments.","Further, the use of numerical terms to describe a device, component, step or function, such as first, second, third, and so forth, is not intended to describe an order or function unless expressly stated so.","The use of the terms first, second, third and so forth, is generally to distinguish between devices, components, steps or functions unless expressly stated otherwise.","Additionally, one or more devices or components described with respect to the exemplary embodiments can facilitate one or more functions, where the facilitating (e.g., facilitating access or facilitating establishing a connection) can include less than every step needed to perform the function or can include all of the steps needed to perform the function.","In one or more embodiments, a processor (which can include a controller or circuit) has been described that performs various functions.","It should be understood that the processor can be multiple processors, which can include distributed processors or parallel processors in a single machine or multiple machines.","The processor can be used in supporting a virtual processing environment.","The virtual processing environment may support one or more virtual machines representing computers, servers, or other computing devices.","In such virtual machines, components such as microprocessors and storage devices may be virtualized or logically represented.","The processor can include a state machine, application specific integrated circuit, and/or programmable gate array including a Field PGA.","In one or more embodiments, when a processor executes instructions to perform “operations”, this can include the processor performing the operations directly and/or facilitating, directing, or cooperating with another device or component to perform the operations.","The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.","In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure.","This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim.","Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment.","Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter."]],"string":"[\n [\n \"METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SELECTIVE PAGING OF WIRELESS DEVICES USING A CELLULAR BROADCAST SERVICE\",\n \"Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, determining a request to transfer data to a group of wireless communication devices within an area.\",\n \"Wireless base stations of a wireless mobility network are identified, responsive to the request, wherein the wireless base stations provide wireless communication services within the area, including a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service.\",\n \"A wireless transmission is facilitated of a first broadcast message by the wireless base stations, wherein the first broadcast message identifies the group of wireless communication devices.\",\n \"The broadcast message is transmitted by way of the MBMS service of the wireless communication services.\",\n \"The first broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for a plurality of wireless communication devices of the group of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state.\",\n \"Other embodiments are disclosed.\"\n ],\n [\n \"1.A method comprising: identifying, by a processing system including a processor, a plurality of wireless base stations that provide wireless communication services within a geographical region, wherein the wireless communication services comprise a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service; and facilitating, by the processing system, a transmission of a broadcast message and a subsequent data transfer by the plurality of wireless base stations via the MBMS service to a plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the broadcast message identifies the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for a group of wireless communication devices of the plurality of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state at a time of the transmission of the broadcast message, wherein the plurality of wireless communication devices receive the data transfer without responding to the broadcast message, wherein, in accordance with receiving the broadcast message, a first wireless communication device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a first delay period and a second wireless communication device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a second delay period different from the first delay period.\",\n \"2.The method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting, by the processing system, a request to perform the data transfer; and determining, by the processing system, the geographical region based on the request.\",\n \"3.The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting, by the processing system, the MBMS service to perform the data transfer.\",\n \"4.The method of claim 1, wherein each device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a delay period uniquely associated with that device.\",\n \"5.The method of claim 1, wherein the group of wireless communication devices comprises a plurality of subgroups of wireless communication devices, and wherein each device of a given subgroup of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a delay period associated with that subgroup.\",\n \"6.The method of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication device determines the first delay period.\",\n \"7.The method of claim 6, wherein the broadcast message includes information used by the first wireless communication device to determine the first delay period.\",\n \"8.The method of claim 6, wherein the first wireless communication device updates the first delay period in accordance with receiving the broadcast message, the first wireless communication device thereby transitioning to the active state in accordance with a subsequent broadcast message after an updated first delay period different from the first delay period.\",\n \"9.The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission of the broadcast message is repeated according to a schedule.\",\n \"10.The method of claim 1, wherein a wireless communication device of the plurality of wireless communication devices located outside the geographical region during the transmission of the broadcast message receives the broadcast message upon returning to the geographical region.\",\n \"11.A device comprising: a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations comprising: detecting a data transfer request to transfer data to a plurality of wireless communication devices located in a geographical region; identifying a plurality of wireless base stations that provide wireless communication services within the geographical region, wherein the wireless communication services comprise a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service; facilitating a transmission of a broadcast message by the plurality of wireless base stations via the MBMS service to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the broadcast message identifies the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for a group of wireless communication devices of the plurality of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state at a time of the transmission of the broadcast message, wherein, in accordance with receiving the broadcast message, a first wireless communication device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a first delay period and a second wireless communication device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a second delay period different from the first delay period; and facilitating the data transfer by the plurality of wireless base stations via the MBMS service to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the plurality of wireless communication devices receive the data transfer without responding to the broadcast message.\",\n \"12.The device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise determining the geographical region based on the request.\",\n \"13.The device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise selecting the MBMS service to perform the data transfer.\",\n \"14.The device of claim 11, wherein each device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a delay period uniquely associated with that device.\",\n \"15.The device of claim 11, wherein the group of wireless communication devices comprises a plurality of subgroups of wireless communication devices, and wherein each device of a given subgroup of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a delay period associated with that subgroup.\",\n \"16.A machine-readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations comprising: detecting a data transfer request to transfer data to a plurality of wireless communication devices located in a geographical region; identifying a plurality of wireless base stations that provide wireless communication services within the geographical region; facilitating a transmission of a broadcast message by the plurality of wireless base stations to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the broadcast message identifies the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for a group of wireless communication devices of the plurality of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state at a time of the transmission of the broadcast message, wherein, in accordance with receiving the broadcast message, at least one wireless communication device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a delay period; and facilitating the data transfer by the plurality of wireless base stations to the plurality of wireless communication devices, wherein the wireless communication devices receive the data transfer without responding to the broadcast message.\",\n \"17.The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the wireless communication services comprise a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service, and wherein the transmission of the broadcast message and the data transfer are performed via the MBMS service.\",\n \"18.The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein each device of the group of wireless communication devices transitions to the active state after a delay period uniquely associated with that device.\",\n \"19.The machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the at least one wireless communication device determines the delay period.\",\n \"20.The machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the broadcast message includes information used by the at least one wireless communication device to determine the delay period.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BACKGROUND A Long Term Evolution (LTE) capable, mobile communication device establishes connections and receives high-speed mobility services by a process that includes attachment to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) of an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) portion of a wireless mobility network.\",\n \"In a Connected state, the mobile device sends and/or receives data by way of a radio bearer established through a base station of the mobility network.\",\n \"While not engaged in an active exchange of data packets, the mobile device generally reverts to an idle state.\",\n \"Namely, the mobile device is released when an inactivity timer has been exceeded.\",\n \"For mobile devices in the idle state, a Serving Gateway (SGW) of the EPC terminates the downlink data path to the mobile device.\",\n \"The SGW also triggers a downlink data notification towards the MME that results in the MME paging of a given mobile device in response to a reception of downlink data directed to the idle mobile device.\",\n \"In traditional paging, the MME individually pages the idle mobile device to indicate a presence of pending downlink data traffic.\",\n \"The paging message triggers the mobile device to reply with a service request.\",\n \"Processing of the service request transitions the mobile device to a connected state, allowing the mobile device to receive the user data via a unicast packet flow.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: FIG.\",\n \"1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a broadcast paging system; FIG.\",\n \"2 depicts an illustrative embodiment of an LTE broadcast paging system; FIG.\",\n \"3 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a process used in portions of the system described in FIGS.\",\n \"1 and 2 ; FIG.\",\n \"4 depicts an illustrative embodiment of another process used in portions of the system described in FIGS.\",\n \"1 and 2 ; FIG.\",\n \"5 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a web portal for interacting with the communication systems of FIGS.\",\n \"1 and 2 ; FIG.\",\n \"6 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication device; and FIG.\",\n \"7 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of a computer system within which a set of instructions, when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods described herein.\",\n \"detailed-description description=\\\"Detailed Description\\\" end=\\\"lead\\\"?\"\n ],\n [\n \"CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"14/963,468, filed Dec. 9, 2015, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.\",\n \"FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The subject disclosure relates to a method and system for selective paging of wireless devices using a cellular broadcast service.\",\n \"BACKGROUND A Long Term Evolution (LTE) capable, mobile communication device establishes connections and receives high-speed mobility services by a process that includes attachment to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) of an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) portion of a wireless mobility network.\",\n \"In a Connected state, the mobile device sends and/or receives data by way of a radio bearer established through a base station of the mobility network.\",\n \"While not engaged in an active exchange of data packets, the mobile device generally reverts to an idle state.\",\n \"Namely, the mobile device is released when an inactivity timer has been exceeded.\",\n \"For mobile devices in the idle state, a Serving Gateway (SGW) of the EPC terminates the downlink data path to the mobile device.\",\n \"The SGW also triggers a downlink data notification towards the MME that results in the MME paging of a given mobile device in response to a reception of downlink data directed to the idle mobile device.\",\n \"In traditional paging, the MME individually pages the idle mobile device to indicate a presence of pending downlink data traffic.\",\n \"The paging message triggers the mobile device to reply with a service request.\",\n \"Processing of the service request transitions the mobile device to a connected state, allowing the mobile device to receive the user data via a unicast packet flow.\",\n \"BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: FIG.\",\n \"1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a broadcast paging system; FIG.\",\n \"2 depicts an illustrative embodiment of an LTE broadcast paging system; FIG.\",\n \"3 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a process used in portions of the system described in FIGS.\",\n \"1 and 2; FIG.\",\n \"4 depicts an illustrative embodiment of another process used in portions of the system described in FIGS.\",\n \"1 and 2; FIG.\",\n \"5 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a web portal for interacting with the communication systems of FIGS.\",\n \"1 and 2; FIG.\",\n \"6 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication device; and FIG.\",\n \"7 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of a computer system within which a set of instructions, when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods described herein.\",\n \"DETAILED DESCRIPTION Traditional unicast paging methodology is not practical when downlink data is intended for large numbers of mobile devices in an idle mode.\",\n \"This is precisely the scenario envisioned for Machine-to-Machine (M2M) environments, such as the Internet of Things (IoT).\",\n \"Application of the unicast paging approach for such large numbers of devices would be expensive and result in an inefficient utilization of core network resources due to the paging of each device individually and associated signaling network management load.\",\n \"The signaling load becomes even greater when any of the paged devices are temporarily unavailable.\",\n \"In these circumstances, the paging cycle, which can take several seconds per device, is repeated independently for each unavailable device.\",\n \"The subject disclosure describes, among other things, illustrative embodiments for a selective paging broadcast that utilizes a broadcast core network, e.g., a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) network, or an evolved MBMS (eMBMS) network for LTE applications, as an intelligent and efficient means of delivering paging by providing data to large volumes and groups of wireless communication devices, including devices in an idle state or mode configuration.\",\n \"Other embodiments are described in the subject disclosure.\",\n \"One or more aspects of the subject disclosure include a process that includes detecting a data transfer request to wirelessly transfer data to a class of wireless communication devices.\",\n \"A geographical region associated with the data transfer request is determined.\",\n \"Responsive to the data transfer request and based on the geographical region, a number of wireless base stations of a wireless mobility network are identified that provide wireless communication services within the geographical region, comprising a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service.\",\n \"A wireless transmission is facilitated of a broadcast message by the plurality of wireless base stations, wherein the broadcast message identifies the class of wireless communication devices.\",\n \"The broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for wireless communication devices of the class of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state at a time of the wireless transmission of the broadcast message.\",\n \"One or more aspects of the subject disclosure includes a device including a processor and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations.\",\n \"The operations include identifying a request to transfer pending data to a class of wireless communication devices within a geographical region.\",\n \"The operations further include identifying a number of wireless base stations of a wireless mobility network, responsive to the request, wherein the plurality of wireless base stations provide wireless communication services comprising a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service within the geographical region.\",\n \"A wireless transmission is facilitated of a first broadcast message by the number of wireless base stations, wherein the first broadcast message identifies the class of wireless communication devices.\",\n \"The first broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for a plurality of wireless communication devices of the class of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state.\",\n \"One or more aspects of the subject disclosure include a machine-readable storage medium, that includes executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations.\",\n \"The operations include determining a request to transfer data to a group of wireless communication devices within an area.\",\n \"Wireless base stations of a wireless mobility network are identified, responsive to the request, wherein the wireless base stations provide wireless communication services within the area, including a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) service.\",\n \"A wireless transmission is facilitated of a first broadcast message by the wireless base stations, wherein the first broadcast message identifies the group of wireless communication devices.\",\n \"The first broadcast message initiates a state transition to an active state for a plurality of wireless communication devices of the group of wireless communication devices configured in an idle state.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"1 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a broadcast paging system 100 that includes a wireless mobility network 102 providing wireless services to wireless communication devices 110 within a wireless coverage region.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the wireless mobility network 102 includes a group communications service network architecture.\",\n \"The group communications service architecture provides a one-to-many communications capability that supports a sharing of resources, including a sharing of radio resources, such as radio spectrum.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the wireless mobility network 102 can transmit data wirelessly over a multicast-broadcast single frequency network.\",\n \"Multimedia broadcasting, such as network television, cable programs, and/or sporting events, can be broadcast over the mobile communication system 102 using broadcasting and/or multicasting.\",\n \"Application service providers, such as equipment manufacturers, suppliers, maintainers, operators, and the like, can broadcast data, including instructions, software, software updates, features, configuration changes, and the like, over the wireless mobility network 102 using broadcasting and/or multicasting.\",\n \"The use of broadcasting and/or multicasting can provide the bandwidth and system efficiencies that are achieved by broadcasting via other channels, such as cable, satellite, and (to a lesser extent) the Internet.\",\n \"MBMS technology can provide live content, as well as popular file download delivery, to users of mobile communication devices 110 over the wireless mobility network 102.In more detail, the example wireless mobility network 102 can be based at least in part on standards developed by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) initiative, with information available at www.3gpp.org.\",\n \"By way of non-limiting example, some 3GPP standards that address group communications system architecture using LTE broadcast (LTE-B) include: 3GPP TS 23.468, entitled “Group Communication System Enablers for LTE (GCSE_LTE)”; 3GPP TS 25.324, entitled “Broadcast/Multicast Control BMC”; 3GPP TS 23.041, entitled “Technical Realization of Cell Broadcast Service (CBS)” and 3GPP TS 22.246, entitled “MBMS User Services,” all incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.\",\n \"In one embodiment, the wireless mobility network 102 includes a radio access network portion 105 and a core network portion 104, e.g., an Enhanced Packet Core (EPC) or common back bone that can communicate with one or more external networks, sometimes referred to as packet data networks or peer entities.\",\n \"It is envisioned, that the wireless mobility network 102 can include, without limitation, other configurations, such as those associated with General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), generally understood to serve the 2G and/or 3G cellular system.\",\n \"The radio access network portion 105, without limitation, can include an LTE network architecture sometimes referred to as Evolved Universal mobile Telecommunication system Terrestrial Radio Access (E UTRA) and evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN).\",\n \"Broadly, the radio access network portion 105 can include one or more wireless mobile terminals or communication devices, sometimes referred to as user equipment (UE), and one or more wireless access nodes, or base transceiver stations.\",\n \"The base station 106, such as an evolved Node B (e-NodeB) in EUTRAN, communicates with the UE 110 over the air and wirelessly.\",\n \"The UEs 110 can include, without limitation, any device including a wireless communication capability, sometimes referred to generally as wireless devices, e.g., satellite communication systems, portable digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, tablet devices, other mobile devices.\",\n \"More generally, the wireless devices include any wireless network accessible device (e.g., cellular telephones, machines or “things,” such as smart appliances, and so on).\",\n \"Although reference is made to user equipment, it is generally understood that the UE 110 can include network accessible devices that can operate without user intervention or control, e.g., as in Machine-to-Machine (M2M) scenarios, such as the Internet of Things (IoT).\",\n \"Such UEs 110 can connect to the eNBs 110 when the UE 110 is within range according to a corresponding wireless communication technology.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the UE 110 executes application specific instructions that may or may not execute in association with an operating system.\",\n \"The instructions can include an operating system that can include one or more applications that engage in a transfer of data between the UE 110 and one or more of the external networks 121.Such data transfers can include downlink packet transfers from the external network 121 to the UE 110, uplink packet transfers from the UE 110 to the external network 121 or combinations of uplink and downlink packet transfers.\",\n \"Applications can include, without limitation, web browsing, VoIP, streaming media, file transfers, software updates, security, operation and/or control, application specific programs, and the like.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the data transfer includes streaming media, including one or more of audio, video, audio and video, text, still images, graphics, commands, video gaming content, and the like.\",\n \"Each data transfer can have an associated Quality of Service (QoS), such as a QoS imposed by an associated application.\",\n \"Different packet transfers can be served by different bearers within the core network 104, e.g., according to parameters, such as the QoS.\",\n \"The core network 104 can use a concept of bearers, e.g., enhanced packet service (EPS) bearers, to route packets, e.g., IP traffic, between a particular gateway in the core network 104 and the UE 110.A bearer refers generally to an IP packet flow with a defined QoS between the particular gateway and the UE 110.The access network 102, e.g., E-UTRAN, and the core network 104 together set up and release bearers as required by the various applications.\",\n \"The core network 104 includes various network entities, such as a Mobility Management Entity (MME) 126, a Serving Gateway (SGW) 130 and a PDN gateway (PGW) 132.In some embodiments, the MME 126 includes a control node that performs a control signaling between various equipment and devices in the radio access network 105 and the core network 104.In one or more embodiments, the mobility network 104 can include one or more broadcast multicast service centers (BMSC) 122, or content servers 122, and one or more MBMS Gateway (MBMS-GW) devices 124, or broadcast media gateways 124.The content servers 122 can be capable of selecting, access, and/or receiving data, including messages, software, updates, and the like.\",\n \"The content servers 190 can receive data from data networks, content source providers (e.g., equipment manufacturers, operators, maintainers, television networks or production companies, or sporting leagues), satellite feeds, and/or cable networks.\",\n \"The mobility network 104 can direct a content server 190 to select a particular data item or set of data items for broadcast to user devices 110 via the mobility network 104 and radio access network 105.In one or more embodiments, the mobility network 104 can include one or more MBMS-GWs 124.Each broadcast/multicast media gateway 124 manages data paths for transfer of data, including transmission of media, from a content server, referred to generally as a Content Data Network (CDN) 134 to one or more end user devices 110.In one embodiment, a MBMS-GW 124 can initiate multicast groups, which can allow end user devices 110 to receive multicast content at eNodeB nodes 106.The MBMS-GW 124 can associate each multicast group under its control with unique Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and can offer access to broadcast content that is associated with the multicast group to the end user devices 110 via one or more eNodeB nodes 106.In one embodiment, end user devices 110 can join an offered multicast group by sending a session initiation protocol (SIP) JOIN message to the offering MBMS-GW 124.In one or more embodiments, the MBMS-GW 124 can manage the initiation and maintenance of bearer paths for transmitting broadcast data to the user devices 110.In one or more embodiments, the MBMS-GW 124 can initiate MBMS sessions with bearer path contexts that are associated with each end user device 100 that has joined each multicast group.\",\n \"The bearer path allows the end user device 110 to receive multicast and/or broadcast data from the MBMS network 130.The MBMS-GW 124 can store MBMS session attributes for each bearer context.\",\n \"When a bearer path has been initiated, the MBMS-GW 124 can initiate tunnels for user data traffic to particular eNodeB nodes 106 that service end user devices 110 in a particular serving area.\",\n \"In one or more embodiments, the CDN 134 can transmit media content to BMSC that could send the data to one or more MBMS-GW 124 as a unicast data transfer, including a message, a data file, an image, audio, and/or a media stream.\",\n \"In one example, the content server 134 can transmit a direct, unicast stream and/or broadcast message and/or data item to each MBMS-GW 124.In one or more embodiments, the MBMS-GW 124 can generate a multicast and/or broadcast data stream from a received unicast data stream.\",\n \"The MBMS-GW 124 can transmit the multicast and/or broadcast data stream via the bearer path, and the multicast IP address for multicast applications.\",\n \"End user devices 110 that are members of the multicast group for the broadcast media can receive the multicast data transfer from the eNodeB 106 using the multicast IP address.\",\n \"In one or more embodiments, the mobility network 104 can include a pool of MBMS-GW devices 124 that are deployed in a distributed architecture (i.e., not centralized) in data centers spread across a geographic region that is served by an LTE broadcast service area.\",\n \"In one embodiment, an LTE broadcast service area can be coincident with a geographic region.\",\n \"A series of BMSC groups 122 can, for example, be spread across an LTE broadcast service area to provide multicast-broadcast content to user equipment devices 110 in the broadcast service area.\",\n \"For illustration purposes only, the MME 126, the SGW 124, the PGW 132, the BMSC 122 and the MBMS-GW 124 network elements or nodes, and so on, can be server devices, but may be referred to in the subject disclosure without the word “server.” It is also understood that any form of such servers can operate in a device, system, component, or other form of centralized or distributed hardware and software, including virtual machines, e.g., in relation to software defined networks.\",\n \"It is further noted that these terms and other terms such as bearer paths and/or interfaces are terms that can include features, methodologies, and/or fields that may be described in whole or in part by standards bodies such as the 3GPP and IETF.\",\n \"It is further noted that some or all embodiments of the subject disclosure may in whole or in part modify, supplement, or otherwise supersede final or proposed standards published and promulgated by 3GPP/IETF.\",\n \"The PGW 132 can provide connectivity between the UE 110 and one or more of the external networks, referred to generally as a content data network (CDN) 134.In the illustrative network architecture 100, the PGW 132 can be responsible for IP address allocation for the UE 110, as well as one or more of QoS enforcement and flow-based charging, e.g., according to rules from a policy and charging runes (PCRF) (not shown).\",\n \"The PGW 132 is also typically responsible for filtering downlink user IP packets into the different QoS-based bearers.\",\n \"In at least some embodiments, such filtering can be performed based on traffic flow templates.\",\n \"The PGW 132 can also perform QoS enforcement, e.g., for guaranteed bit rate bearers.\",\n \"The PGW 132 can also serves as a mobility anchor for interworking with non-3GPP technologies such as CDMA2000 and WiFi.\",\n \"With increasing numbers of users/devices receiving the same services, efficient information distribution is essential.\",\n \"To this end, group communications, such as broadcast and/or multicast techniques are provided to decrease the amount of data within the network 100 and a sharing of limited radio spectrum, resulting in a more efficient use of network resources.\",\n \"In particular, broadcast and multicast are techniques for transmitting data-grams from a single source, such as a selective paging application server 118, e.g., that facilitates a selective paging function, and or the CDN 134 to several destinations, e.g., point-to multipoint.\",\n \"The selective paging application server 118 and/or a group communication server of the CDN 134 can support exchanging signaling, e.g., signaling (including GCS session and group management aspects) with UEs 110, in some instances, receiving uplink data from UEs 110, delivering data to all UEs 110 belonging to a group, e.g., using unicast and or MBMS delivery, transporting application level session information, and supporting service continuity procedures, e.g., for a UE 110 to switch between unicast/MBMS delivery.\",\n \"Generally speaking, a multimedia broadcast/multicast service refers to a unidirectional point-to-multipoint service in which data is transmitted from a single source entity to a group of users in a specific area.\",\n \"In at least some embodiments, the MBMS services transmit content over a multicast-broadcast single frequency network.\",\n \"The broadcast/multicast service has two possible modes: Broadcast mode and Multicast mode.\",\n \"A broadcast session includes a continuous and time-bounded reception of a broadcast service by the UE 110.Likewise, a multicast session is a continuous and time-bounded reception of a multicast service by the UE 110.A broadcast service can be defined as a unidirectional, point-to-multipoint service in which data is efficiently transmitted from a single source to multiple UEs 110 in an associated broadcast service area.\",\n \"Broadcast services may be received by UE 110 configured to access broadcast service locally, and who are in the broadcast area defined for the service.\",\n \"Likewise, a multicast service can be defined as a unidirectional point-to-multipoint service in which data is efficiently transmitted from a single source to multiple UEs 110 in an associated multicast service area.\",\n \"It is generally understood that a multicast service is directed to a multicast subscription group.\",\n \"For example, UE access to a multicast service requires a subscription associates the UE 110 with the service.\",\n \"Broadcast and/or multicast services may be received by all UEs 110 configured to receive broadcast and/or multicast service(s), and fall within an associated broadcast/multicast area defined for the service.\",\n \"For example, the broadcast/multicast service area can be determined according to wireless coverage maps of base transceiver stations 106, e.g., sectors, regions and so on, that provide broadcast/multicast service.\",\n \"The UEs 110 can be configured to monitor one or more broadcast channels for such broadcast/multicast messages.\",\n \"The UEs 110 can be configured to monitor a selective paging channel, such as a broadcast channel, whether the UE 110 is in an idle state or an active state.\",\n \"The UE 110 does not need to be attached to any particular eNB 106 while monitoring the broadcast channel.\",\n \"The broadcast-multicast service area can represent a geographical area, such as a region, a state, county, town, an area defined by a geometric shape, such as a polygon, circle, ellipse, a piecewise continuous closed shape or some combination thereof in reference to a geographical region, e.g., as defined by a map.\",\n \"In some applications the broadcast area can be defined individually per broadcast service application, per broadcast service subscriber, and the like.\",\n \"For example, an emergency broadcast message can have a broadcast area associated with a content of the message, a subscription of the service.\",\n \"Consider an emergency broadcast message directed to an area affected by a natural event, such as a hurricane, a flash flood or a forest fire, an Amber Alert, and the like.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the group communication service area is identified by a requesting entity, such as a news station, a government entity, and so on.\",\n \"For group communications services, the example network architectures 100 include an interface 140 or reference point by which the MBMS services of the mobility network can be accessed.\",\n \"For example, in LTE applications, the selective paging application server 118 can be implemented by a Group Communication Service Application Server (GCS-AS), in which instances the interface or reference point 140 can include features of an MB2 interface.\",\n \"This represents one possible implementation option.\",\n \"The MB2 interface 140 can include a signaling or control plane interface, e.g., MB2-C, and a data or user plane interface, e.g., MB2-U.\",\n \"As illustrated, the MB2 interface 140 can exist between the BMSC 124 and the selective paging application server 118, or more generally between the BMSC 124 and a Group Communication Service Application Server (GCS-AS).\",\n \"It is understood that the particular network elements of the example network architecture 100 are representative.\",\n \"Although the MB2 reference point 140 is disclosed in certain industry standards, it is understood that any reference to MB2 herein can include features of applicable industry standards, with or without additions, deletions and modifications to any applicable standardized features.\",\n \"In at least some embodiments, the MB2 interface 140 or reference point provides an ability for applications to request an allocation and/or de-allocation of a set of TMGIs, a request to activate, deactivate and modify an MBMS bearer, and for allowing the BMSC 122 to notify an application of the status of an MBMS bearer.\",\n \"In at least some embodiments, the MB2 reference point 140 can include one or more other features disclosed herein, such as supporting a selection of a particular network element and/or network configuration in relation to an establishment and/or maintenance of any MBMS bearer services.\",\n \"In establishing a new group communication service, e.g., in response to a request from the selective paging application server 118, the BMSC 122 can initiate a group communication service session request directed to the MBMS-GW 124.The MBMS-GW 124 responds to the BMSC 122 with session response.\",\n \"The MBMS-GW 124 then sends a session start request to the MME 126, which sends it to the eNB 106, e.g., on an M3 Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) based interface.\",\n \"In response, the eNB 106 sends a session start response to the MME 126, which sends it to the MBMS-GW 124.Upon successful establishment of the session and radio resource allocation, the eNB 106 can join the transport network IP multicast address to receive the user data from MBMS-GW 124.An example broadcast and/or multicast bearer path 141 is illustrated between the selective paging application server 118 and the UE 110.Other network elements along the broadcast and/or multicast bearer path 141, include the BMSC 122, the MBMS-GW 124 and the eNB 106.In some embodiments, the broadcast and/or multicast path extends from another data source, such as the content data network 134.Thus, the selective paging application server 118 can request a broadcast and/or multicast service based on data item(s) from another source, such as the CDN 134.It is understood that, in some instances, broadcast and/or multicast datagrams can be routed to more than one UE 110 attached to the same eNB 106.Alternatively or in addition, broadcast and/or multicast datagrams can be routed to more than one UE 110 attached to different eNBs 106.Without limitation, reference to various interfaces, such as S1, S5, S11, M1, and M3 refer to EPS interfaces.\",\n \"In some instances, such interface designations are combined with a suffix, e.g., a “U” or a “C” to signify whether the interface relates to a “User plane” or a “Control plane.” In addition, the core network 104 can include various signaling bearer paths/interfaces, e.g., control plane paths/interfaces.\",\n \"The bearer paths and signaling bearer paths are only illustrated as examples and it should be noted that additional bearer paths and signaling bearer paths may exist that are not illustrated.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"2 depicts an illustrative example of an LTE broadcast paging system 200 that includes a RAN portion 205 and a core network portion 204.The RAN portion 205 includes three base station terminals 206a, 206b, 206c, generally 206.The first base station terminal 206a provides wireless services within a first wireless coverage region 208a, e.g., a location in California.\",\n \"Likewise, the second and third base station terminals 206b, 206c, provide wireless services within second and third wireless coverage regions 208b, 208c, e.g., non-overlapping regions in New York.\",\n \"In the illustrative example, the wireless communication devices include a vehicle 210, and or an equipment item or subsystem of the vehicle, such as an on-board computer, a vehicle maintenance tracking system, a vehicle emergency communication system, a surveillance system and/or a navigation system.\",\n \"Subsequent references to the vehicle 210 should be understood to include one or more of the aforementioned subsystems.\",\n \"During network operations, at least one base station 206 can generally communicate with the vehicle 210, while the vehicle is within a corresponding wireless coverage region of the base station 206.It is understood that there may be circumstances in which the vehicle 210, despite being within the coverage region, is unable to communicate with the base station 206.By way of non-limiting example, such circumstances include radio frequency (RF) interference, RF blockage or weak signal, power on/off status of the vehicle 210/on-board device or system, and so on.\",\n \"For example, in the illustrative example, a first facility 211a, such as an office building, or apartment complex includes an underground parking facility 212a.\",\n \"Likewise, second and third facilities 211b, 211c include underground parking facilities 212b, 212c.\",\n \"Each of the facilities 211a, 211b, 211c, generally 211, includes a vehicle 210a′, 210b′, 210c′, generally 210′, within the underground parking facility 212a, 212b, 212c, generally 212.Each of the facilities 211 also reflects the same vehicle 210a″, 211b″, 210c″, generally 210″, e.g., at a different time, along an above-ground surface 214.It is understood that the vehicles 210′ may not be able to communicate with the base stations 206 while inside the garage 212 due to RF blockage.\",\n \"It is also understood that the vehicles 210″ would generally be available to communicate with the base stations, while not inside the garage 212, presuming the vehicles 210″ are within the wireless range of a broadcasting base station 206.Thus, any attempts by the network 204 and base stations 206 to page vehicles 210′ while inside the garage 212 will likely be unsuccessful due to the RF blockage.\",\n \"In some embodiments, a paging message can be repeated according to a schedule.\",\n \"The schedule can include one or more of a total number of pages, a paging duration including a time period within which a paging message is repeated, a paging frequency, paging times, and so on.\",\n \"Repeating the same page to the same group of vehicles 210 within the same targeted paging area 208, over an extended time period allows for vehicles 210′ that may have been unavailable for an initial page, e.g., in the garage, to receive a subsequent page that occurs during the paging period, while the vehicle 210″ is out of the garage.\",\n \"In an illustrative example, each of the vehicles 210 listens to a broadcast channel of the mobility network 200, whether the vehicle 210 is in idle mode or an active mode, including unconnected and connected modes.\",\n \"A data transfer entity, such as an equipment manufacturer, a supplier, a maintainer, an insurer of the vehicle 210, or onboard system, intends to perform certain actions to a class or group of vehicles, and/or onboard systems, within a target geographical region, e.g., New York, by way of the mobility network 200.A selective paging broadcast function, e.g., by way of a selective paging broadcast server 218, queries or otherwise accesses a cell-site records, e.g., by way of a RAN cell-site database 220, to identify any cell sites providing wireless services within the target geographical region.\",\n \"The selective paging broadcast server 218 creates a short broadcast message including indicia of the targeted class or group of vehicles 210 and/or vehicular subsystems.\",\n \"The indicia can include a manufacturer, make, model, serial number range, lot number, product identification code, vehicular identification code, a signature, an owner (e.g., a fleet owner or operator), a user, an operator, and the like.\",\n \"The selective paging broadcast server 218 sends the short broadcast message to the core network 204 for forwarding to the identified cell sites of the target geographical area.\",\n \"In the illustrative example, the message is sent to the cell sites 208b, 208c in New York, without being sent to other cell sites, such as cell sites 208a in other states, e.g., California.\",\n \"The core network 204, in turn, initiates a broadcast of the short broadcast message through the identified base stations 208b, 208c of the target geographical area, without sending the short message, or otherwise initiating a broadcast through cell sites 208a outside of the target region.\",\n \"The vehicles 210 in the coverage area, whether in idle or connected mode, listen to a broadcast channel of the mobility network 202.Any broadcast messages are evaluated by the vehicles 210 to identify the class/group indicator, e.g., a unique value, symbol, code or signature.\",\n \"Broadcast messages having a unique value that is not associated with the vehicle 210 are ignored by the vehicle 210 or subsystem.\",\n \"Broadcast messages having a unique value that is associated with the vehicle 210 are processed further, e.g., as indicated below.\",\n \"Any vehicles 210′ in the coverage area, but unable to receive a particular broadcast message, e.g., due to blockage, continue to monitor the broadcast and/or paging channel When any such blockage or interference is removed, e.g., when the vehicle 210″ emerges from the garage 212, the continuous monitoring of the broadcast and/or paging channel allows the vehicle 210″ to receive a subsequent page of a repeating paging schedule.\",\n \"Once the short broadcast message is received and the unique value or signature matched to the vehicle 210″, the vehicle 210″ recognizes the broadcast feed and performs a related action.\",\n \"Actions can include, without limitation, interpreting data contained in the broadcast message itself.\",\n \"For example, in some embodiments, the short broadcast message can include a payload portion.\",\n \"The payload portion can include data, such as value or code providing an instruction that can be interpreted by the targeted vehicle 210″.\",\n \"For example, the targeted vehicle 210″ can include pre-programmed instructions that enact one or more predetermined procedures based on the data value.\",\n \"In some instances, the instruction can provide an indication that further data is available by way of another message.\",\n \"The other message can include download data packets, such as a packet stream, that is broadcast to the target devices, e.g., through the identified base stations 206, by way of a separate MBMS service.\",\n \"Thus, a broadcast paging message provided on one broadcast/paging channel, can announce services on the same and/or a different broadcast channel The different broadcast channel can be distinguished by one or more of a time slot, frequency, and code of a code division multiplexed configuration, and the like.\",\n \"The MBMS service can include a broadcast service, by which data content is distributed according to a broadcast.\",\n \"A broadcast service, e.g., announced by the short broadcast message, can be accessed by the targeted vehicles 210″ that receive the message.\",\n \"Namely, the targeted vehicles 210″ can tune or otherwise access the broadcast stream.\",\n \"Alternatively or in addition, the MBMS service can include a multicast service, by which data content is distributed according to a multicast stream.\",\n \"A multicast service, e.g., announced by the short broadcast message, can be accessed by the targeted vehicles 210″ that receive the message.\",\n \"For example, the targeted vehicles 210″ can join or otherwise access the multicast stream.\",\n \"In at least some embodiments, the short broadcast message can include a multicast IP address that can be used by the targeted vehicles 210″ to join the multicast stream being served by the base stations that have joined the specific MBMS GW nodes.\",\n \"Although the examples provide herein refer to vehicles and/or on-board devices or systems as the wireless communication devices, the disclosure should be understood to apply to wireless communication devices more generally.\",\n \"This can include wireless mobile devices, such as vehicles, smart phones, tablet processors and laptop computers.\",\n \"Other wireless communication devices are not mobile, such as smart meters, e.g., home/building utility meters—gas, water, electricity and so on.\",\n \"Wireless devices can include medical devices, such as biomedical devices including, without limitation, implantable devices, wearable devices, hospital and/or home medical monitoring devices, the like.\",\n \"Medical devices can include diagnostic devices, e.g., heart monitors, blood glucose monitors, drug delivery devices, biological pumps, controllers and so on.\",\n \"As for vehicular devices, they can include the vehicles, e.g., automobiles, themselves, equipment in the vehicle, e.g., updated map software for a navigation system, diagnostic monitoring systems, e.g., mileage, fluids, tire pressures, engine performance, etc.\",\n \"Vehicles can include, without limitation, trucks, busses, trains fleets of vehicles, e.g., trucking company, self-driving vehicles, equipment on such vehicles.\",\n \"Air vehicles can include, without limitation, aircraft, drones, military equipment and ordnance.\",\n \"Other applications include manufacturing, e.g., robots, machines, processors, and the like.\",\n \"Still other applications include business applications, such as retail outlets, e.g., gas stations tracking supplies/sales, supermarkets, wholesale facilities, e.g., tracking warehouse inventories, shelf lives, etc.\",\n \"Durable goods, e.g., home appliances and the like.\",\n \"In general, wireless communication devices can include any device, mobile or stationary, that can communicate with the wireless mobility network via the radio access network.\",\n \"The short broadcast messages can be used by data transfer entities in the tracking of performance and/or status, in updating software, e.g., in providing software patches, fixes, updates, and the like.\",\n \"In at least some embodiments, the short broadcast messages can be used by the data transfer entities to deliver, revise or otherwise modify operational or business rules of the wireless communication device, or another device in communication therewith.\",\n \"To that end, it is envisioned that the wireless communication devices can be part of other systems, such as the vehicles, the processors, devices, and appliances.\",\n \"Namely, a wireless communication device, e.g., operating according to a wireless protocol, such as LTE, can be in communication with an associated device.\",\n \"Thus, data can be exchanged between the associated device and a remote entity by way of the wireless communication device.\",\n \"In this capacity, data content received by way of the broadcast messages can be used by the wireless communication device, the associated device, or both.\",\n \"It should be understood that the group communication service messages, e.g., MBMS/eMBMS messages disclosed herein, can include a type of service (broadcast/multicast), an associated radio frequency channel(s), timing/schedule, authorization/encryption/key info, multicast IP addresses, and the like.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"3 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a process 300 used by the systems 100, 200 of FIGS.\",\n \"1 and 2.The process includes detecting a broadcast data request to access target class/group of wireless devices at 302.The request can include a message received from another entity, such as the data transfer entities 216a, 216b, 216c, generally 216, indicating that download data is available for the target class/group of wireless communication devices.\",\n \"These entities can include, without limitation, equipment manufacturers, service providers, e.g., network service providers, owners, operators, maintainers, business organizations, enterprises, governmental organizations, educational institutions, and the like.\",\n \"In at least some embodiments, the broadcast data request includes a field that identifies the target class/group.\",\n \"For example, a request from an auto manufacturer BMW® to access an onboard system of the “Series 3” automobiles.\",\n \"It is envisioned identification of such a target class/group can include further details, such as year or range of years, model options/features, and the like.\",\n \"In some instances, a field identifying the target class/group includes a unique value, such as an alphanumeric value or signature.\",\n \"Such signature values would allow a rather complex description of a particular device, i.e., “BMW, 320i, 2015, sedan, manual transmission, .\",\n \".\",\n \".\",\n \"” can be reduced to a shorter numeric value, e.g., “BM32SM15.” In some instances the unique signature values can include a product code, such as a vehicle identification number, or range of numbers.\",\n \"In some embodiments, hashes and/or other algorithms can be used to generate and/or interpret such identifying codes.\",\n \"Translations can be performed by the data transfer entities 216, by the selective paging broadcast server 218, or by another server, such as the server 240.For example, the other server 240 can be operated by a third party, any of the data transfer entities, or the network service provider.\",\n \"However the target class/group is identified in the message, the mobile communication devices 210 include features, e.g., machine-readable instructions 144, that allow the device 210 to properly identify when a paging broadcast message is directed to it as a member of the targeted class/group.\",\n \"In some embodiment, the request message also includes a geographic region.\",\n \"The geographic region, e.g., can be used by a data transfer entity to download data in an orderly manner.\",\n \"Alternatively or in addition, another entity, such as the network operator, can specify the target region.\",\n \"Consider an auto manufacturer that needs to roll out new software to all diesel vehicles in North America.\",\n \"The manufacturer, as a data transfer entity can identify North America as a target region in its request—it is understood that in some instances, a request may not include a region, in which case the region can include all cell sites of one mobility network, cell sites of another mobility network, another country, region, etc.\",\n \"In some embodiments, a network service provider can apply analytics to the request to determine a strategic rollout of the software in a staged manner that takes into consideration any of various factors, such as network capacity, network congestion, network costs, estimates of numbers of wireless communication devices, and the like.\",\n \"Thus, a request made during a busy hour can be deferred to quieter times, such as early morning, weekend, etc.\",\n \"A target geographical region is determined at 304.In some embodiments, the target geographical region can be determined directly from the request, e.g., “New York.” Alternatively or in addition the target geographical region can be determined from a processing of the request in view of network analytics, among other factors.\",\n \"Thus, a large area, such as North America, can be broken into regions, such as states, territories, counties, bounded regions of a map, and combinations thereof.\",\n \"Wireless base stations are identified at 306 based on target region.\",\n \"Once the target geographical region has been identified, it can be used in combination with cellular coverage maps to identify one or more base stations that provide coverage to the target geographical region.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the base stations provide full coverage spanning the entire target geographical region.\",\n \"Alternative, the base stations may provide a partial coverage, as coverage may not be available in certain portions of the geographical region.\",\n \"Nevertheless, a suitable number of base stations are identified based on the target geographical region.\",\n \"A target class/group is identified at 308.As indicated above, the target class/group can be determined from the request itself.\",\n \"It is understood, however, that in at least some instances, the request may generate from a reception of downlink data at a network node, such as the SGW 130.The downlink data can include an address, e.g., and IP address, that can be mapped or otherwise associated with the target class/group of devices.\",\n \"In such scenarios, the network service provider can seek an identity of the target class/group.\",\n \"This can be accomplished by storing or otherwise accessing an association of a data IP address and a corresponding class/group of devices.\",\n \"In some instances, the network service provider can query the data transfer entity associated with the data and or a third party, such as the server 140 providing a coordinating service.\",\n \"Broadcast paging to the target class/group in the target region is facilitated at 310 by way of the identified wireless base stations.\",\n \"For example, the selective paging application server 118, e.g., facilitating a selective paging function, forwards a request to the BMSC 122 to broadcast a broadcast message in each of the identified base stations.\",\n \"The broadcast message can include indicia of the target class/group of devices, as well as one or more of a message that invokes a corresponding action at wireless communication devices of the targeted class/group.\",\n \"For example, the message can inform the wireless device that a broadcast message will commence at a particular time, e.g., and on a particular broadcast channel.\",\n \"This can include identification of one or more of a frequency and a time slot.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the request prompts a selection between a broadcast, a multicast and/or a unicast service for paging the target class/group of devices.\",\n \"For example, such a selection can be based on set of attributes.\",\n \"In some instances, a mobile operator decides which service based on one or more of the identified base station(s), the identity of the target class/group, the target region, and so forth.\",\n \"Network analytics can be applied in a determination, e.g., based on a number of wireless devices per base station and/or sector coverage area, the type and/or quantity of data to be transferred, a priority, network charges, subscriptions, and the like.\",\n \"An estimate of a number of wireless devices can be based on one or more of device/product registration data, historical communication records, population, number of households, income and/or other demographics, or any other means of estimating.\",\n \"For example, historical records can be created and/or updated by devices periodically connect to network to complete status reporting and/or scheduled/on-demand data transfers based on combination of triggers received from device/network and application service providers.\",\n \"It is also envisioned that learning can be applied based on a network analytics function that includes cell site data, targeted coverage area, device type, priority access, etc.\",\n \"In at least some embodiments, a response to a selective broadcast page, e.g., including a transfer data (e.g., message and/or content) to UE, is accomplished for UE that are not in the connected state on the MME 126.A transfer of data, e.g., data arriving at the SGW 130, can be facilitated to the UE 110, including UE 110 in an idle state or mode, without requiring the UE 110 to initiate a service request and/or otherwise attach to the mobility network 104.In at least some applications data transfer to a group of UE 110 is initiated for UE 110 in an idle state or mode, without reliance on traditional, e.g., unicast paging.\",\n \"In at least some embodiments, any target devices 110 temporarily out of coverage during a selective paging broadcast message, receive the broadcast message upon returning into coverage of selected eNBs.\",\n \"There is no need for UE to provide location information in association with accessing broadcast content disclosed herein.\",\n \"Likewise, there is no need for a notification server to repeatedly invoke unicast updates when devices are temporarily unreachable.\",\n \"In at least some applications, particularly for M2M and IoT applications, the paging and any subsequent actions undertaken by the wireless device and/or the network can occur without requiring the devices to respond to paging.\",\n \"This avoids any necessity for the devices to attach to the network, etc., to avoid corresponding network congestion that might otherwise be created.\",\n \"In general, an idle mode is considered to include a wireless device (UE) that is powered on but does not have a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection to the radio network.\",\n \"In the idle mode, a UE can perform: PLMN selection; cell search & selection; cell reselection; Tracking Area (TA) update; and periodic paging monitoring.\",\n \"In response to monitoring a page that identifies the device, the device can transition to an active mode, in which the device may change one or more of a power status, processing capacity, and the like, without necessarily attaching to the wireless mobility network.\",\n \"For example, in the active mode, the device can receive a broadcast message at a predetermined time and channel, without requiring any special action on the part of the mobility network.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the wireless device transitions to an active mode upon receipt of the page message.\",\n \"The transition can be immediate, or after some processing delay, e.g., time to allow the device to detect the page message and to determine that the device has been targeted.\",\n \"A transition from idle to active states can be referred to generally as a service request.\",\n \"It is conceivable that in some applications, a large number of targeted devices residing within a single cell or region may receive and respond to the same page message.\",\n \"In at least some instances, concurrent service requests from multiple targeted devices can result in network traffic and possibly interference.\",\n \"In at least some embodiments, a delay can be introduced, to avoid network congestion of multiple service requests from the multiple devices.\",\n \"For example, each of the wireless devices can have an associated delay value.\",\n \"A unique delay value can be provided for every device, e.g., stored within the device, such that a number of devices that receive the same page message will transition to active mode, or submit a service request, at a uniquely different time based the unique delay values.\",\n \"Alternatively, a set of delay values can be assigned to the devices, such that not every device, but groups of devices have different delay values.\",\n \"It is understood that in at least some embodiments, a delay value can be determined by the wireless devices.\",\n \"For example, each wireless device can include functionality that determines a device delay value that can be implemented for every page message targeting the device.\",\n \"Alternatively or in addition, each wireless device can include functionality that determines an updated, different delay value for each page message.\",\n \"Delay values can be determined according to an algorithm and/or based on a random number generator.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the page message can include information that can be used to determine delay values, e.g., providing a seed value that can be used by a delay determining algorithm of the wireless device.\",\n \"Beneficially, the broadcast paging and data transfer techniques disclosed herein avoid any need for a notification server to repeatedly invoke unicast updates when devices are temporarily unreachable.\",\n \"As indicated, the MBMS messages can be repeated according to a schedule and for a duration.\",\n \"The duration might extend for hours, days, weeks, months or longer.\",\n \"The schedule might include the broadcast to be provided once per day or longer, e.g., at the same hour each day, or at a different hour each day.\",\n \"Beneficially, there is no need for the wireless communication devices to provide location information to the system.\",\n \"They just have to be in a target geographical area and in a sector served by a base station of the mobility network during an occasion of the MBMS/eMBMS message.\",\n \"This allows targeted devices to receive data downloads, instructions, etc., without a need to independently page the wireless communication devices.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the wireless communication devices can be configured to always listen to a network broadcast channel in idle and connected modes.\",\n \"To this end, a device that happens to be in a connected mode will still receive the MBMS/eMBMS service message.\",\n \"The network can be presented with an option to transfer data by way of an existing connection for any connected devices.\",\n \"Alternatively or in addition, the network can provide the corresponding data/instruction to all devices in the same manner, e.g., by broadcast message.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"4 depicts an illustrative embodiment of another process used by the systems 100, 200 of FIGS.\",\n \"1 and 2.A request to transfer data to target group of devices is received at step 402.Without limitation, the request can be received by the selective paging application server 118, e.g., from the data transfer entity 216 and/or by downlink data arriving at a node of the mobility network, such as the SGW 124, as disclosed herein.\",\n \"A determination is made at 406 as to whether the pending request is authorized.\",\n \"To the extent that the pending request is not authorized, it is terminated at 408.To the extent that the pending request is authorized, a geographical region associated with request is determined at 410.The region can be identified by the request itself, by the mobility network, by a third party service provider, or by any other suitable means of identifying a region that relates to the request.\",\n \"A determination is made at 412 as to whether the pending request is authorized for the associated geographical region.\",\n \"To the extent that the pending request is not authorized, it is terminated at 408.To the extent that the pending request is authorized, one or more wireless base station(s) are identified at 414, based on the target region.\",\n \"The identified base stations provide coverage within the target region.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the base stations provide coverage to the entire region, whereas in others such coverage is not possible.\",\n \"In the latter situation, the base stations are identified to provide the best coverage possible.\",\n \"The determination can be performed by the selective paging application server, by the network service provider, or by a third party service provider.\",\n \"In some embodiments a subsequent determination is made at 416 as to whether any paging will be accomplished by an MBMS service and/or a Unicast service at 416.It is understood that the MBMS/unicast determination can be determined globally for all identified base stations, or individually for each of the identified base station or sub-groups of base stations.\",\n \"To the extent that MBMS service is selected, an MBMS paging message is generated at 418, identifying the target group 418.An MBMS service is initiated at 420 and the paging message is distributed by way of the MBMS service.\",\n \"To the extent that additional data is associated with the paging message, an MBMS transfer of the pending data is initiated at 422.It is understood that an MBMS service for the paging service and the MBMS service for the subsequent data can be the same or different.\",\n \"For example, one can be provided by way of a broadcast message, whereas, the other can be accomplished by way of a multicast message.\",\n \"To the extent that unicast service is selected, one or more unicast paging messages are generated at 424, identifying members of the target group.\",\n \"A unicast service is initiated at 426 and the paging message is distributed by way of the unicast service.\",\n \"To the extent that additional data is associated with the paging message via MME 126, a unicast transfer of the pending data is initiated at 428.It is understood that the same unicast service or different unicast services can be used for each of the paging message and the subsequent data transfer.\",\n \"While for purposes of simplicity of explanation, the respective processes are shown and described as a series of blocks in FIGS.\",\n \"3 and 4, it is to be understood and appreciated that the claimed subject matter is not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from what is depicted and described herein.\",\n \"Moreover, not all illustrated blocks may be required to implement the methods described herein.\",\n \"The UE 110, 210, and selective paging application server 118, 218 can utilize tethered communication technologies (such as coaxial, powerline or phone line wiring) or can operate over a wireless access protocol such as Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Bluetooth®, Zigbee®, or other present or next generation local or personal area wireless network technologies.\",\n \"By way of these interfaces, unicast communications can also be invoked between the core network 104, 204, or other infrastructure services.\",\n \"The subject disclosure can apply to other present or next generation over-the-air and/or in combination with landline media content services system.\",\n \"Some of the network elements of the system 100, 200 can be coupled to one or more computing devices 140, a portion of which can operate as a web server for providing web portal services over the wireless mobility network 100 to wireless communication devices 110.Multiple forms of media services can be offered to wireless communication devices 110, 210 by way of the wireless access base station 106, 206 operating according to common wireless access protocols such as Global System for Mobile or GSM, Code Division Multiple Access or CDMA, Time Division Multiple Access or TDMA, Universal Mobile Telecommunications or UMTS, World interoperability for Microwave or WiMAX, Software Defined Radio or SDR, Long Term Evolution or LTE, and so on.\",\n \"Other present and next generation wide area wireless access network technologies can be used in one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.\",\n \"The cellular access base station 106, 206 can operate according to common wireless access protocols such as GSM, CDMA, TDMA, UMTS, WiMax, SDR, LTE, and so on.\",\n \"Other present and next generation wireless network technologies can be used by one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.\",\n \"Accordingly, in at least some embodiments, multiple wireline and/or wireless communication technologies can be used by the UEs 110, 210.The server 140 can be operably coupled to the communication system 100, 200 for purposes similar to those described above.\",\n \"The server 140 can perform function 146 and thereby provide selective broadcast paging of wireless device services to the wireless communication devices 110.The wireless communication devices 110 can be adapted with software to perform function 144 to utilize the selective broadcast paging of wireless device services.\",\n \"The selective paging application server 118 can be adapted with software to perform function 142 to utilize the selective broadcast paging of wireless device services.\",\n \"For example, the selective paging application server 118 can receive one or more of an identification of a geographical area, a type or class of wireless communication device or other device or system associated with the wireless communication device, priorities of one or more of the device, the message, a class of service, and the like.\",\n \"A priority can be used, for example, to selectively page higher priority over lower priority, to set paging cycles, counts, frequency, etc.).\",\n \"Likewise, in at least some embodiments, one or more elements of the core network 104 can be adapted with software to perform functions 141 to utilize the selective broadcast paging of wireless device services.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a web portal 502 of a communication of the communication systems 100, 200 of FIGS.\",\n \"1 and/or 2.The web portal 502 can be used for managing services of systems 100, 200 of FIGS.\",\n \"1 and/or 2.In at least some embodiments, the web portal 502 can be used for managing services of the wireless communication devices 110, 210 of systems 100, 200 of FIGS.\",\n \"1 and/or 2.A web page of the web portal 502 can be accessed by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) with an Internet browser using an Internet-capable communication device such as those described in FIGS.\",\n \"1 and/or 2.The web portal 502 can be configured, for example, to access a media processor selective paging application server 118 and services managed thereby such as a content delivery services, e.g., including software updates, data transfers, media access, and the like.\",\n \"The web portal 502 can also be used for provisioning M2M services, provisioning Internet services, provisioning wireless services, and so on.\",\n \"The web portal 502 can further be utilized to manage and provision software applications 242-246 to adapt these applications as may be desired by subscribers and/or service providers of the systems 100, 200 of FIGS.\",\n \"1 and/or 2.For instance, users of the services provided by the selective paging application server 118, 218 and/or server 140, 240 can log into their on-line accounts and provision one or more of the servers 118, 218, 140, 230 with a feature that a user may want to program such.\",\n \"For example, data transfer entities, such as device manufacturers, maintainers, and the like can use the web portal 502 to enter or otherwise modify requests for selective IoT paging broadcasts.\",\n \"Information can be entered in various manners, such as providing inputs to fields of a form, such as requestor identity or account, authorization information, indicia of a group or class of devices targeted by the broadcast paging message, a target area, such as a geographical region, data content and/or pointers or references to data content to be provided to the UEs 110, 210.At least some of the information can be provided by user profiles that can be created, reviewed, modified, and so on by the web portal 502.Alternatively or in addition, service providers can use the web portal 502 to log onto an administrator account to provision, monitor and/or maintain the systems 100, 200 of FIGS.\",\n \"1 and/or 2.FIG.\",\n \"6 depicts an illustrative embodiment of a communication device 600.Communication device 600 can serve in whole or in part as an illustrative embodiment of the devices depicted in FIGS.\",\n \"1 and/or 2 and can be configured to perform portions of processes 300, 400 of FIGS.\",\n \"3 and/or 4.The communication device 600 can include a wireline and/or wireless transceiver 602 (herein transceiver 602), a user interface (UI) 604, a power supply 614, a location receiver 616, a motion sensor 618, an orientation sensor 620, and a controller 606 for managing operations thereof.\",\n \"The transceiver 602 can support short-range or long-range wireless access technologies such as Bluetooth®, ZigBee®, WiFi, DECT, or cellular communication technologies, just to mention a few (Bluetooth® and ZigBee® are trademarks registered by the Bluetooth® Special Interest Group and the ZigBee® Alliance, respectively).\",\n \"Cellular technologies can include, for example, CDMA-1X, UMTS/HSDPA, GSM/GPRS, TDMA/EDGE, EV/DO, WiMAX, SDR, LTE, as well as other next generation wireless communication technologies as they arise.\",\n \"The transceiver 602 can also be adapted to support circuit-switched wireline access technologies (such as PSTN), packet-switched wireline access technologies (such as TCP/IP, VoIP, etc.\",\n \"), and combinations thereof.\",\n \"The UI 604 can include a depressible or touch-sensitive keypad 608 with a navigation mechanism such as a roller ball, a joystick, a mouse, or a navigation disk for manipulating operations of the communication device 600.The keypad 608 can be an integral part of a housing assembly of the communication device 600 or an independent device operably coupled thereto by a tethered wireline interface (such as a USB cable) or a wireless interface supporting for example Bluetooth®.\",\n \"The keypad 608 can represent a numeric keypad commonly used by phones, and/or a QWERTY keypad with alphanumeric keys.\",\n \"The UI 604 can further include a display 610 such as monochrome or color LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) or other suitable display technology for conveying images to an end user of the communication device 600.In an embodiment where the display 610 is touch-sensitive, a portion or all of the keypad 608 can be presented by way of the display 610 with navigation features.\",\n \"The display 610 can use touch screen technology to also serve as a user interface for detecting user input.\",\n \"As a touch screen display, the communication device 600 can be adapted to present a user interface with graphical user interface (GUI) elements that can be selected by a user with a touch of a finger.\",\n \"The touch screen display 610 can be equipped with capacitive, resistive or other forms of sensing technology to detect how much surface area of a user's finger has been placed on a portion of the touch screen display.\",\n \"This sensing information can be used to control the manipulation of the GUI elements or other functions of the user interface.\",\n \"The display 610 can be an integral part of the housing assembly of the communication device 700 or an independent device communicatively coupled thereto by a tethered wireline interface (such as a cable) or a wireless interface.\",\n \"The UI 604 can also include an audio system 612 that utilizes audio technology for conveying low volume audio (such as audio heard in proximity of a human ear) and high volume audio (such as speakerphone for hands free operation).\",\n \"The audio system 612 can further include a microphone for receiving audible signals of an end user.\",\n \"The audio system 612 can also be used for voice recognition applications.\",\n \"The UI 604 can further include an image sensor 613 such as a charged coupled device (CCD) camera for capturing still or moving images.\",\n \"The power supply 614 can utilize common power management technologies such as replaceable and rechargeable batteries, supply regulation technologies, and/or charging system technologies for supplying energy to the components of the communication device 600 to facilitate long-range or short-range portable applications.\",\n \"Alternatively, or in combination, the charging system can utilize external power sources such as DC power supplied over a physical interface such as a USB port or other suitable tethering technologies.\",\n \"The location receiver 616 can utilize location technology such as a global positioning system (GPS) receiver capable of assisted GPS for identifying a location of the communication device 600 based on signals generated by a constellation of GPS satellites, which can be used for facilitating location services such as navigation.\",\n \"The motion sensor 618 can utilize motion sensing technology such as an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or other suitable motion sensing technology to detect motion of the communication device 600 in three-dimensional space.\",\n \"The orientation sensor 620 can utilize orientation sensing technology such as a magnetometer to detect the orientation of the communication device 600 (north, south, west, and east, as well as combined orientations in degrees, minutes, or other suitable orientation metrics).\",\n \"The communication device 600 can use the transceiver 602 to also determine a proximity to a cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth®, or other wireless access points by sensing techniques such as utilizing a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) and/or signal time of arrival (TOA) or time of flight (TOF) measurements.\",\n \"The controller 606 can utilize computing technologies such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), programmable gate arrays, application specific integrated circuits, and/or a video processor with associated storage memory such as Flash, ROM, RAM, SRAM, DRAM or other storage technologies for executing computer instructions, controlling, and processing data supplied by the aforementioned components of the communication device 600.Other components not shown in FIG.\",\n \"6 can be used in one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.\",\n \"For instance, the communication device 600 can include a reset button (not shown).\",\n \"The reset button can be used to reset the controller 606 of the communication device 600.In yet another embodiment, the communication device 600 can also include a factory default setting button positioned, for example, below a small hole in a housing assembly of the communication device 600 to force the communication device 600 to re-establish factory settings.\",\n \"In this embodiment, a user can use a protruding object such as a pen or paper clip tip to reach into the hole and depress the default setting button.\",\n \"The communication device 600 can also include a slot for adding or removing an identity module such as a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card.\",\n \"SIM cards can be used for identifying subscriber services, executing programs, storing subscriber data, and so forth.\",\n \"The communication device 600 as described herein can operate with more or less of the circuit components shown in FIG.\",\n \"6.These variant embodiments can be used in one or more embodiments of the subject disclosure.\",\n \"The communication device 600 can be adapted to perform the functions of devices 110, 210 of FIGS.\",\n \"1 and/or 2.It will be appreciated that the communication device 600 can also represent other devices that can operate in systems 100, 200 of FIGS.\",\n \"1 and/or 2, such as a gaming console and a media player.\",\n \"In addition, the controller 606 can be adapted in various embodiments to perform one or more of the functions 242-246, respectively.\",\n \"Upon reviewing the aforementioned embodiments, it would be evident to an artisan with ordinary skill in the art that said embodiments can be modified, reduced, or enhanced without departing from the scope of the claims described below.\",\n \"For example, the data transfer entity can be a wireless mobile device, wherein the downlink data and/or a related request can be transported over wireless mobility network to the selective paging application server 118 and/or the other server 140.Other embodiments can be used in the subject disclosure.\",\n \"It should be understood that devices described in the exemplary embodiments can be in communication with each other via various wireless and/or wired methodologies.\",\n \"The methodologies can be links that are described as coupled, connected and so forth, which can include unidirectional and/or bidirectional communication over wireless paths and/or wired paths that utilize one or more of various protocols or methodologies, where the coupling and/or connection can be direct (e.g., no intervening processing device) and/or indirect (e.g., an intermediary processing device such as a router).\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7 depicts an exemplary diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of a computer system 700 within which a set of instructions, when executed, may cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods described above.\",\n \"One or more instances of the machine can operate, for example, as the selective paging application server 118, 218, the RAN cell-site database 120, 220, the base transceiver stations 106, 206, the wireless communication devices, 110, 210, the server 140, 240, the BMSC 122, 222, the MBMS-GW 124, 224, and any of the network nodes, such as the MME 226, the SGW 230, the PGW or equipment of the content data network 234 and other devices of FIGS.\",\n \"1-2.In some embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., using a network 726) to other machines.\",\n \"In a networked deployment, the machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client user machine in a server-client user network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment.\",\n \"The machine may comprise a server computer, a client user computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet, a smart phone, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a control system, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine.\",\n \"It will be understood that a communication device of the subject disclosure includes broadly any electronic device that provides voice, video or data communication.\",\n \"Further, while a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methods discussed herein.\",\n \"The computer system 700 may include a processor (or controller) 702 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)), a graphics processing unit (GPU, or both), a main memory 704 and a static memory 706, which communicate with each other via a bus 708.The computer system 700 may further include a display unit 710 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD), a flat panel, or a solid state display).\",\n \"The computer system 700 may include an input device 712 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 714 (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit 716, a signal generation device 718 (e.g., a speaker or remote control) and a network interface device 720.In distributed environments, the embodiments described in the subject disclosure can be adapted to utilize multiple display units 710 controlled by two or more computer systems 700.In this configuration, presentations described by the subject disclosure may in part be shown in a first of the display units 710, while the remaining portion is presented in a second of the display units 710.The disk drive unit 716 may include a tangible computer-readable storage medium 722 on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software 724) embodying any one or more of the methods or functions described herein, including those methods illustrated above.\",\n \"The instructions 724 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory 704, the static memory 706, and/or within the processor 702 during execution thereof by the computer system 700.The main memory 704 and the processor 702 also may constitute tangible computer-readable storage media.\",\n \"Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to, application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement the methods described herein.\",\n \"Application specific integrated circuits and programmable logic array can use downloadable instructions for executing state machines and/or circuit configurations to implement embodiments of the subject disclosure.\",\n \"Applications that may include the apparatus and systems of various embodiments broadly include a variety of electronic and computer systems.\",\n \"Some embodiments implement functions in two or more specific interconnected hardware modules or devices with related control and data signals communicated between and through the modules, or as portions of an application-specific integrated circuit.\",\n \"Thus, the example system is applicable to software, firmware, and hardware implementations.\",\n \"In accordance with various embodiments of the subject disclosure, the operations or methods described herein are intended for operation as software programs or instructions running on or executed by a computer processor or other computing device, and which may include other forms of instructions manifested as a state machine implemented with logic components in an application specific integrated circuit or field programmable gate array.\",\n \"Furthermore, software implementations (e.g., software programs, instructions, etc.)\",\n \"including, but not limited to, distributed processing or component/object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtual machine processing can also be constructed to implement the methods described herein.\",\n \"It is further noted that a computing device such as a processor, a controller, a state machine or other suitable device for executing instructions to perform operations or methods may perform such operations directly or indirectly by way of one or more intermediate devices directed by the computing device.\",\n \"While the tangible computer-readable storage medium 722 is shown in an example embodiment to be a single medium, the term “tangible computer-readable storage medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions.\",\n \"The term “tangible computer-readable storage medium” shall also be taken to include any non-transitory medium that is capable of storing or encoding a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methods of the subject disclosure.\",\n \"The term “non-transitory” as in a non-transitory computer-readable storage includes without limitation memories, drives, devices and anything tangible but not a signal per se.\",\n \"The term “tangible computer-readable storage medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to: solid-state memories such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more read-only (non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or other re-writable (volatile) memories, a magneto-optical or optical medium such as a disk or tape, or other tangible media which can be used to store information.\",\n \"Accordingly, the disclosure is considered to include any one or more of a tangible computer-readable storage medium, as listed herein and including art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which the software implementations herein are stored.\",\n \"Although the present specification describes components and functions implemented in the embodiments with reference to particular standards and protocols, the disclosure is not limited to such standards and protocols.\",\n \"Each of the standards for Internet and other packet switched network transmission (e.g., TCP/IP, UDP/IP, HTML, HTTP) represent examples of the state of the art.\",\n \"Such standards are from time-to-time superseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentially the same functions.\",\n \"Wireless standards for device detection (e.g., RFID), short-range communications (e.g., Bluetooth®, WiFi, Zigbee®), and long-range communications (e.g., WiMAX, GSM, CDMA, LTE) can be used by computer system 700.In one or more embodiments, information regarding use of services can be generated including services being accessed, media consumption history, user preferences, and so forth.\",\n \"This information can be obtained by various methods including user input, detecting types of communications (e.g., video content vs. audio content), analysis of content streams, and so forth.\",\n \"The generating of this information can be responsive to an authorization provided by the user.\",\n \"The illustrations of embodiments described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of various embodiments, and they are not intended to serve as a complete description of all the elements and features of apparatus and systems that might make use of the structures described herein.\",\n \"Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.\",\n \"The exemplary embodiments can include combinations of features and/or steps from multiple embodiments.\",\n \"Other embodiments may be utilized and derived therefrom, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure.\",\n \"Figures are also merely representational and may not be drawn to scale.\",\n \"Certain proportions thereof may be exaggerated, while others may be minimized Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.\",\n \"Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement which achieves the same or similar purpose may be substituted for the embodiments described or shown by the subject disclosure.\",\n \"The subject disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations or variations of various embodiments.\",\n \"Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments not specifically described herein, can be used in the subject disclosure.\",\n \"For instance, one or more features from one or more embodiments can be combined with one or more features of one or more other embodiments.\",\n \"In one or more embodiments, features that are positively recited can also be negatively recited and excluded from the embodiment with or without replacement by another structural and/or functional feature.\",\n \"The steps or functions described with respect to the embodiments of the subject disclosure can be performed in any order.\",\n \"The steps or functions described with respect to the embodiments of the subject disclosure can be performed alone or in combination with other steps or functions of the subject disclosure, as well as from other embodiments or from other steps that have not been described in the subject disclosure.\",\n \"Further, more than or less than all of the features described with respect to an embodiment can also be utilized.\",\n \"Less than all of the steps or functions described with respect to the exemplary processes or methods can also be performed in one or more of the exemplary embodiments.\",\n \"Further, the use of numerical terms to describe a device, component, step or function, such as first, second, third, and so forth, is not intended to describe an order or function unless expressly stated so.\",\n \"The use of the terms first, second, third and so forth, is generally to distinguish between devices, components, steps or functions unless expressly stated otherwise.\",\n \"Additionally, one or more devices or components described with respect to the exemplary embodiments can facilitate one or more functions, where the facilitating (e.g., facilitating access or facilitating establishing a connection) can include less than every step needed to perform the function or can include all of the steps needed to perform the function.\",\n \"In one or more embodiments, a processor (which can include a controller or circuit) has been described that performs various functions.\",\n \"It should be understood that the processor can be multiple processors, which can include distributed processors or parallel processors in a single machine or multiple machines.\",\n \"The processor can be used in supporting a virtual processing environment.\",\n \"The virtual processing environment may support one or more virtual machines representing computers, servers, or other computing devices.\",\n \"In such virtual machines, components such as microprocessors and storage devices may be virtualized or logically represented.\",\n \"The processor can include a state machine, application specific integrated circuit, and/or programmable gate array including a Field PGA.\",\n \"In one or more embodiments, when a processor executes instructions to perform “operations”, this can include the processor performing the operations directly and/or facilitating, directing, or cooperating with another device or component to perform the operations.\",\n \"The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.\",\n \"In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure.\",\n \"This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim.\",\n \"Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment.\",\n \"Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.\"\n ]\n]"},"source":{"kind":"string","value":"Patent_15874297"}}},{"rowIdx":4494564,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"list like","value":[["ACCESS TO NETWORK CONTENT","A method and system for improving access to search results are provided in the disclosure herein.","Aspects of this disclosure minimize the delay in accessing network content by priming certain regularly viewed content (e.g., a web search home page or a search results page) in an invisible browser instance.","As the user accesses the content prerendered in the invisible browser instance, a new instance of the prerendered content is created to facilitate future accesses to the network content (e.g., future search queries)."],["1.","(canceled) 2.A method for accessing network content, comprising: receiving a request to navigate to a network address; receiving content from the network address and a tag associated with the content from the network address, the tag indicating another network address; controlling, by one or more processors, display of the content associated with the network address in a browser instance; in response to receiving the tag, the one or more processors prefetching resources necessary for prerendering content from the another network address; prerendering, by the one or more processors, content associated with the another network address based on the resources; and storing the prerendered content of the another network address in a hidden browser instance.","3.The method of claim 2, wherein the content from the network address is search result content and the content from the another network address is content indicated by the search result content.","4.The method of claim 2, wherein the resources include at least one of executable code, scripting language, multimedia files, or interactive objects.","5.The method of claim 2, wherein the content of the another network address includes a request to redirect to content from a third network address and the method further comprises: prerendering the content from the third network address to generate prerendered content of the third network address; and storing the prerendered content of the third network address in the hidden browser instance in place of the prerendered content of the another network address.","6.The method of claim 2, wherein when the hidden browser instance is not accessed within a predetermined time period, the method further comprises discarding the prerendered content of the another network address.","7.The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined time period is indicated by the tag.","8.The method of claim 2, further comprising interfacing with the hidden browser instance through an application programming interface (API).","9.An apparatus for accessing network content, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor; wherein the at least one processor is configured to control execution of a browser application in accordance with instructions stored in the at least one memory, and the browser application is operable to receive a request to navigate to a network address; receive content from the network address and a tag associated with the content from the network address, the tag indicating another network address; control display of the content associated with the network address in a browser instance; in response to receiving the tag, prefetch resources necessary for prerendering content from the another network address; prerender content associated with the another network address based on the resources to generate prerendered content of the another network address; and store the prerendered content of the another network address in a hidden browser instance.","10.The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a display for displaying the content associated with the network address and the content associated with the another network address.","11.The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the content from the network address is search result content and the content from the another network address is content indicated by the search result content.","12.The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the resources include at least one of executable code, scripting language, multimedia files, or interactive objects.","13.The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the content of the another network address includes a request to redirect to content from a third network address, and the browser application prerenders the content from the third network address to generate prerendered content of the third network address and stores the prerendered content of the third network address in the hidden browser instance in place of the prerendered content of the another network address.","14.The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the browser application is further operable to discard the prerendered content of the another network address when the hidden browser instance is not accessed within a predetermined time period.","15.The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the predetermined time period is indicated by the tag.","16.The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the browser application is further operable to interface with the hidden browser instance through an application programming interface (API).","17.A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method for accessing network content, the method comprising: receiving a request to navigate to a network address; receiving content from the network address and a tag associated with the content from the network address, the tag indicating another network address; controlling, by the one or more processors, display of the content associated with the network address in a browser instance; in response to receiving the tag, the one or more processors prefetching resources necessary for prerendering content from the another network address; prerendering, by the one or more processors, content associated with the another network address based on the resources to generate prerendered content of the another network address; and storing the prerendered content of the another network address in a hidden browser instance.","18.The medium of claim 17, wherein the content from the network address is search result content and the content from the another network address is content indicated by the search result content.","19.The medium of claim 17 wherein the resources include at least one of executable code, scripting language, multimedia files, or interactive objects.","20.The medium of claim 17, wherein the content of the another network address includes a request to redirect to content from a third network address and the method further comprises: prerendering the content from the third network address to generate prerendered content of the third network address: and storing the prerendered content of the third network address in the hidden browser instance in place of the prerendered content of the another network address.","21.The medium of claim 17 wherein when the hidden browser instance is not accessed within a predetermined time period, the method further comprises discarding the prerendered content of the another network address."],[" BACKGROUND The advent of the World Wide Web has placed more information at the fingertips of today's users than ever before.","Various websites cater to nearly every need and interest, providing access to reference information, business and financial documents, social networking, and more.","Widespread broadband Internet access provides faster access to these sites than ever before.","However, as fast as current high-speed Internet services are, the act of browsing the web is not instantaneous.","When a user selects a link on a page or enters a uniform resource locator (URL) in a text field, there is a delay while data is requested from the host, sent to the client, and rendered in the browser.","The user is typically idle while waiting for their requested site to load.","While high-speed Internet access may limit this delay to a few seconds, even this short delay can add up to thousands of man-hours of lost productivity each year."],[" BRIEF SUMMARY A method and system for improving access to network content are provided in the disclosure herein.","Aspects of this disclosure minimize the delay in accessing network content by prerendering elements of a content page.","The network content, such a web search results page or a web search home page, may be prerendered in a hidden browser instance when the browser is executed.","Aspects of the disclosure may provide a search query to the network content via an application programming interface (API) such as a search API.","The prerendered network content may be made visible in response to a selection operation indicating that the user wishes to access the prerendered network content (e.g., selection of web search home page by entering the web search home page's address, selection of a home page button where the home page of the browser is set to web search home pages, or entry of a search query), thus allowing for immediate display of the network content.","After the user accesses the prerendered network content, a new instance of the network content may be prerendered.","For example, when the user performs a search query, a new instance of a search page may be prerendered after the original prerendered search page is merged with the visible browser instance to prepare for a future search query.","Aspects of the disclosure describe a computer-implemented method for improving access to network content.","The method may include prerendering, using a processor, a set of network content in a hidden browser instance, monitoring user input in a browser for a selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, detecting the selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, in response to a detection of the selection operation, merging, with the processor, the set of network content into an active browser instance, and creating a new instance of the set of network content in a new hidden browser instance for use in another selection operation associated with the set of network content.","The set of network content may be a search results page and the selection operation may be at least one of entry of a search query in a text entry field or selection of a suggested search query.","The set of network content may be a web search home page and the selection operation may indicate that the user wishes to access the web search home page.","Prerendering the set of network content may include requesting the set of network content from a remote server.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created by copying the set of network content received from the remote server without contacting the remote server a second time.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created at a particular time interval after the selection operation.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created based on a parameter received from a remote server that provided the network content.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created immediately after the set of network content is merged with the active browser instance.","The method may include notifying the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance of the selection operation using an application programming interface.","The set of network content may be determined by at least one of a user preference, a user navigation history, or a default search engine.","Aspects of the disclosure may provide a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method.","The method performed by the processor may include prerendering, using a processor, a set of network content in a hidden browser instance, monitoring user input in a browser for a selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, detecting the selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, in response to a detection of the selection operation, merging the set of network content into an active browser instance, and creating a new instance of the set of network content in a new hidden browser instance for use in another selection operation associated with the set of network content.","The set of network content may be a search engine web page and the selection operation may be at least one of entry of a search query in a text entry field or selection of a suggested search query.","The set of network content may be a web search home page and the selection operation indicates that the user wishes to access the web search home page.","Prerendering the set of network content may include requesting the set of network content from a remote server.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created by copying the set of network content received from the remote server without contacting the remote server a second time.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created at a particular time interval after the selection operation.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created based on a parameter received from a remote server that provided the network content.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created immediately after the set of network content is merged with the active browser instance.","The method may include notifying the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance of the selection operation using an application programming interface.","The set of network content may be determined by at least one of a user preference, a user navigation history, or a default search engine.","Aspects of the disclosure may provide a processing system for improving access to search results.","The processing system may include at least one processor, and a memory coupled to the at least one processor.","The processor may be configured to execute a browser application, prerender a set of network content in a hidden instance of the browser application, such that at least some portion of the network content is rendered, monitor user input in the browser for a selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, detect the selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, in response to a detection of the selection operation, merge the set of network content into an active browser instance, and create a new instance of the set of network content in a new hidden browser instance for use in another selection operation associated with the set of network content.","The set of network content may be at least one of a web search home page or a search results page.","The selection operation may be at least one of entry of a search query in a text field or selection of a suggested search query."],["CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.","No.","13/472,019, filed on May 15, 2012, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.","BACKGROUND The advent of the World Wide Web has placed more information at the fingertips of today's users than ever before.","Various websites cater to nearly every need and interest, providing access to reference information, business and financial documents, social networking, and more.","Widespread broadband Internet access provides faster access to these sites than ever before.","However, as fast as current high-speed Internet services are, the act of browsing the web is not instantaneous.","When a user selects a link on a page or enters a uniform resource locator (URL) in a text field, there is a delay while data is requested from the host, sent to the client, and rendered in the browser.","The user is typically idle while waiting for their requested site to load.","While high-speed Internet access may limit this delay to a few seconds, even this short delay can add up to thousands of man-hours of lost productivity each year.","BRIEF SUMMARY A method and system for improving access to network content are provided in the disclosure herein.","Aspects of this disclosure minimize the delay in accessing network content by prerendering elements of a content page.","The network content, such a web search results page or a web search home page, may be prerendered in a hidden browser instance when the browser is executed.","Aspects of the disclosure may provide a search query to the network content via an application programming interface (API) such as a search API.","The prerendered network content may be made visible in response to a selection operation indicating that the user wishes to access the prerendered network content (e.g., selection of web search home page by entering the web search home page's address, selection of a home page button where the home page of the browser is set to web search home pages, or entry of a search query), thus allowing for immediate display of the network content.","After the user accesses the prerendered network content, a new instance of the network content may be prerendered.","For example, when the user performs a search query, a new instance of a search page may be prerendered after the original prerendered search page is merged with the visible browser instance to prepare for a future search query.","Aspects of the disclosure describe a computer-implemented method for improving access to network content.","The method may include prerendering, using a processor, a set of network content in a hidden browser instance, monitoring user input in a browser for a selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, detecting the selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, in response to a detection of the selection operation, merging, with the processor, the set of network content into an active browser instance, and creating a new instance of the set of network content in a new hidden browser instance for use in another selection operation associated with the set of network content.","The set of network content may be a search results page and the selection operation may be at least one of entry of a search query in a text entry field or selection of a suggested search query.","The set of network content may be a web search home page and the selection operation may indicate that the user wishes to access the web search home page.","Prerendering the set of network content may include requesting the set of network content from a remote server.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created by copying the set of network content received from the remote server without contacting the remote server a second time.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created at a particular time interval after the selection operation.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created based on a parameter received from a remote server that provided the network content.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created immediately after the set of network content is merged with the active browser instance.","The method may include notifying the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance of the selection operation using an application programming interface.","The set of network content may be determined by at least one of a user preference, a user navigation history, or a default search engine.","Aspects of the disclosure may provide a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method.","The method performed by the processor may include prerendering, using a processor, a set of network content in a hidden browser instance, monitoring user input in a browser for a selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, detecting the selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, in response to a detection of the selection operation, merging the set of network content into an active browser instance, and creating a new instance of the set of network content in a new hidden browser instance for use in another selection operation associated with the set of network content.","The set of network content may be a search engine web page and the selection operation may be at least one of entry of a search query in a text entry field or selection of a suggested search query.","The set of network content may be a web search home page and the selection operation indicates that the user wishes to access the web search home page.","Prerendering the set of network content may include requesting the set of network content from a remote server.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created by copying the set of network content received from the remote server without contacting the remote server a second time.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created at a particular time interval after the selection operation.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created based on a parameter received from a remote server that provided the network content.","The new instance of the set of network content may be created immediately after the set of network content is merged with the active browser instance.","The method may include notifying the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance of the selection operation using an application programming interface.","The set of network content may be determined by at least one of a user preference, a user navigation history, or a default search engine.","Aspects of the disclosure may provide a processing system for improving access to search results.","The processing system may include at least one processor, and a memory coupled to the at least one processor.","The processor may be configured to execute a browser application, prerender a set of network content in a hidden instance of the browser application, such that at least some portion of the network content is rendered, monitor user input in the browser for a selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, detect the selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, in response to a detection of the selection operation, merge the set of network content into an active browser instance, and create a new instance of the set of network content in a new hidden browser instance for use in another selection operation associated with the set of network content.","The set of network content may be at least one of a web search home page or a search results page.","The selection operation may be at least one of entry of a search query in a text field or selection of a suggested search query.","BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.","1 is a system diagram depicting an example of a server in communication with example client devices in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.","FIG.","2 is block diagram depicting an example of a computing device in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.","FIG.","3 is a flow diagram depicting an example method for prerendering network content in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.","FIG.","4 is a flow diagram depicting an example method for priming a hidden browser instance with network content in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.","FIG.","5 is a screen capture of an example of a browser window showing the use of a text entry field for entering a search query or an address in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.","FIG.","6 is a screen capture of an example of a search page in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.","FIG.","7 is a flow diagram depicting an example of a method for prerendering a search page to improve access to search results in accordance with aspects of the invention.","DETAILED DESCRIPTION A method and system for improving access to search results are provided in the disclosure herein.","Aspects of this disclosure minimize the delay in accessing network content by “priming” certain regularly viewed content (e.g., a web search home page or a search results page) in an invisible browser instance.","As the user accesses the content prerendered in the invisible browser instance, a new instance of the prerendered content is created to facilitate future accesses to the network content (e.g., future search queries).","Aspects of the disclosure may provide a search query to a preloaded search page via a search application programming interface.","The preloaded search web page may be made visible in response to the search query such that the user does not need to wait for rendering of the web page (e.g., fetching and rendering of page formatting, logos, scripts, and the like), thus allowing for immediate display of search results as soon as the results are received.","Various methods for performing the prerendering operation, configuring the prerendering operation, and managing the prerendering operation are described.","For the purposes of this application, the term “prerendering” generally refers to the act of requesting all resources (e.g., any executable code, scripting language, files, and/or interactive objects) necessary to load the content of a web address, and loading the content in a web browser instance.","As shown in FIG.","1, an example system 102 in accordance with one aspect includes a server 104 in communication with one or more client devices 106, 108, 110 displaying web browser interfaces 114, 116, 118.The user of the client device 106 may browse to a web page located at “www.a.com” as displayed on the web browser interface 114.That page includes content selectable by the user.","The client devices may be any device capable of managing data requests via a network 112.Examples of such client devices include a personal computer (PC) 108, a mobile device 110, or a server 106.The client devices 106, 108, 110 are operable to perform prerendering operations during the execution of a web browser application.","In some aspects, the client devices 106, 108, 110 predict a search event by identifying cursor placement, text entry, or interface focus.","The prerender operation may also be determined dynamically by, for example, a JAVASCRIPT code.","While the concepts described herein are generally described with respect to a web browser interface 114, 116, 118 executing on a client device 106, 108, 110, aspects of the disclosure can also be applied to any computing node capable of managing navigation events over a network, including a server 104.The client devices 106, 108, 110 may also comprise personal computers, personal digital assistants (“PDA”): tablet PCs, netbooks, laptops, mobile phones, etc.","Indeed, client devices in accordance with the systems and methods described herein may comprise any device operative to process instructions and transmit data to and from humans and other computers including general purpose computers, network computers lacking local storage capability, etc.","The client devices 106, 108, 110 may be operable to predict search operations to assist in data access on the network 112.For example, the client devices may predict a search operation to facilitate prerendering of a search page in order to decrease delay in the display of network content, thus improving the user's browsing experience.","In some aspects, the server 104 provides navigation data which may be used by the client devices 106, 108, 110 to predict a search operation.","In some aspects, the client devices 106, 108, 110 predict a search operation using local data.","The network 112, and the intervening nodes between the server 104 and the client devices 106, 108, 110, may comprise various configurations and use various protocols including the Internet, World Wide Web, intranets, virtual private networks, local Ethernet networks, private networks using communication protocols proprietary to one or more companies, cellular and wireless networks (e.g., Wi-Fi), instant messaging, hypertext transfer protocol (“HTTP”) and simple mail transfer protocol (“SMTP”), and various combinations of the foregoing.","It should be appreciated that a typical system may include a large number of connected computers.","Although certain advantages are obtained when information is transmitted or received as noted above, other aspects of the system and method are not limited to any particular manner of transmission of information.","For example, in some aspects, information may be sent via a medium such as an optical disk or portable drive.","In other aspects, the information may be transmitted in a non-electronic format and manually entered into the system.","Although some functions are indicated as taking place on the server 104 and other functions are indicated as taking place on the client devices 106, 108, 110, various aspects of the system and method may be implemented by a single computer having a single processor.","It should be appreciated that aspects of the system and method described with respect to the client may be implemented on the server, and vice-versa.","FIG.","2 is a block diagram depicting an example of a computing device 200, such as one of the client devices 106, 108, 110 described with respect to FIG.","1.The computing device 200 may include a processor 204, a memory 202 and other components typically present in general purpose computers.","The memory 202 may store instructions 206 and data 208 that are accessible by the processor 204.The processor 204 may execute the instructions 206 and access the data 208 to control the operations of the computing device 200.The memory 202 may be any type of tangible memory operative to store information accessible by the processor 204, including a computer-readable medium, or other medium that stores data that may be read with the aid of an electronic device, such as a hard-drive, memory card, read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), digital versatile disc (“DVD”) or other optical disks, as well as other write-capable and read-only memories.","The system and method may include different combinations of the foregoing, whereby different portions of the instructions and data are stored on different types of media.","The instructions 206 may be any set of instructions to be executed directly (such as machine code) or indirectly (such as scripts) by the processor 204.For example, the instructions may be stored as computer code on a computer-readable medium.","In that regard, the terms “instructions” and “programs” may be used interchangeably herein.","The instructions 206 may be stored in object code format for direct processing by the processor 204, or in any other computer language including scripts or collections of independent source code modules that are interpreted on demand or compiled in advance.","Functions, methods and routines of the instructions 206 are explained in more detail below (see FIGS.","3-7).","The data 208 may be retrieved, stored or modified by the processor 204 in accordance with the instructions 206.For instance, although the architecture is not limited by any particular data structure, the data 208 may be stored in computer registers, in a relational database as a table having a plurality of different fields and records, Extensible Markup Language (“XML”) documents or flat files.","The data may also be formatted in any computer readable format such as, but not limited to, binary values or Unicode.","By further way of example only, image data may be stored as bitmaps comprised of grids of pixels that are stored in accordance with formats that are compressed or uncompressed, lossless (e.g., BMP) or lossy (e.g., JPEG), and bitmap or vector-based (e.g., SVG), as well as computer instructions for drawing graphics.","The data 208 may comprise any information sufficient to identify the relevant information, such as numbers, descriptive text, proprietary codes, references to data stored in other areas of the same memory or different memories (including other network locations) or information that is used by a function to calculate the relevant data.","The processor 204 may be any suitable processor, such as various commercially available general purpose processors.","Alternatively, the processor 204 may be a dedicated controller such as an application-specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”).","Although FIG.","2 functionally illustrates the processor and memory as being within a single block, it should be understood that the processor 204 and memory 202 may actually comprise multiple processors and memories that may or may not be stored within the same physical housing.","Accordingly, references to a processor, computer or memory will be understood to include references to a collection of processors, computers or memories that may or may not operate in parallel.","The computing device 200 may be at one node of a network and be operative to directly and indirectly communicates with other nodes of the network.","For example, the computing device 200 may comprise a web server that is operative to communicate with client devices via the network such that the computing device 200 uses the network to transmit and display information to a user on a display of the client device.","The system can provide privacy protections for the client data including, for example, anonymization of personally identifiable information, aggregation of data, filtering of sensitive information, encryption, hashing or filtering of sensitive information to remove personal attributes, time limitations on storage of information, and/or limitations on data use or sharing.","Data can be anonymized and aggregated such that individual client data is not revealed.","A user may also be provided with an opportunity to opt in/out to enable the collection of sharing of data.","In order to facilitate the prerendering and search operations of the computing device 200, the memory 202 may further comprise a browser 2102.Although the browser 210 is identified as a discrete module in connection with FIG.","2, the functionality of this module may overlap and/or exist in a fewer or greater number of modules than what is shown, with such modules residing at one or more processing devices, which may be geographically dispersed.","The browser 210 provides for the display of network content, such as a web page, to a user of the client device via a visible browser instance 212 by sending and receiving data across a computer network.","The network content may be received in response to a network request, such as a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) GET request.","The network content may be provided in a markup language, such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).","The network content may also include various scripts, data, forms, and the like viewable and/or executed in the visible browser instance 212, including interactive and/or executable content such as ADOBE FLASH content, JAVASCRIPT content, and the like.","The browser 210 may further comprise a hidden browser instance 214.The hidden browser instance 214 provides a browser instance within which network content identified by a prerender controller 218 may be loaded.","The network content identified by the prerender controller 218 may take the form of content that the user is likely to access during a browser session, such as a web page for initiating a search query or displaying search results, a user webmail page, or any other content that a user is likely to return to one or more times during the browsing session.","The hidden browser instance 214 may include a start page for a search engine wherein non-search-result data (e.g., page formatting, logos, images, style sheets, scripts, and the like) has been requested and rendered by the prerender module 210.The preloaded search page may be stored such that the preloaded search page is not visible to a user until the user provides a search query.","The hidden rendering environment refers to any representation that does not have an immediately apparent interface for the user.","For example, the preloaded search page may be stored within a browser “tab” that does not have an associated selection control in a web browser tab interface.","The hidden browser instance 214 may be accessible via a menu or interface command, and in response to the selection of this interface command an interface for the prerendered content is generated, such as by adding a selection control for the prerendered content to the browser tab interface.","The hidden rendering environment may also be provided by a variety of other methods suitable to receive and render the page environment while avoiding distraction of the user with potentially irrelevant content.","The network content loaded in the hidden browser instance 214 may be stored in a completely executed and rendered format.","For example, any executable code, scripting language, multimedia files, and/or interactive objects may be fully requested and loaded in the prerendering environment provided by the hidden browser instance.","Where the hidden browser instance 214 stores a preloaded search page, if the user enters a search query, the browser 210 may execute the search query using the preloaded search page, and merge the preloaded search page with the visible browser instance 212.Search results responsive to the search query may thus be provided without the need to request the search engine page or wait for the search engine page to render.","Throughout this process the preloaded search page may issue the query over the network to the search engine, receive data providing results for the search query, blend the results into the preloaded search page, and make itself visible.","The prerender controller 218 may control preloading and prerendering operations performed within the web browser.","For example, after a preloaded search page is merged with the visible browser instance 212, the prerender controller 218 may reprime the hidden browser instance 214 with a new instance of the preloaded search page to prepare for a new search query.","The prerender controller 218 may perform these operations at particular intervals, such as on a timer (e.g., every 30 seconds), instantly upon merging the hidden browser instance with the visible browser instance, in response to network traffic, or in response to an indication from the server hosting the network content.","The prerender controller 218 may also be configured by prerender configuration settings 220.These prerender configuration settings 220 may control when and how the prerender controller performs prerender operations.","For example, the prerender configuration settings 220 may specify a particular set of network content (e.g., a URL) to be preloaded in the hidden browser instance 214, such as a web search home page, a user webmail access page, or a search results page.","The prerender configuration settings 220 may also specify a frequency with which to prerender (e.g., a time interval to reprime the hidden browser instance after merging with the visible browser instance), a system resource level to perform preloading, or any other setting to assist the user with adjusting the prerendering operations to meet a particular set of needs or preferences.","The web browser 210 may further comprise a search application programming interface (API) 216.Although the specific example described herein relates to the use of a search API for interfacing with a preloaded search page loaded in the hidden browser instance 214, the same concepts may apply to the use of other page APIs, such as a user homepage or webmail page configured to accept commands or instructions via other APIs.","The search API 216 allows for a scripted interface with the content loaded in the hidden browser instance 214.When the browser 210210 detects a search query (e.g., entered into a text field provided by the browser), the browser 210 may pass the search query to the preloaded search page using the search API 216.For example, the search query may be passed to the preloaded search page using an asynchronous JavaScript and extensible markup language (AJAX) protocol.","The network content stored within the hidden browser instance 214 may be specifically configured to communicate in this manner, allowing the client computing device 200 to interface with the network content without the need to navigate to a new URL to perform the action (e.g., to provide a search query to a preloaded search page).","The search API 216 may be configurable within the browser 210.For example, a user may specify a particular search engine for use in search operations performed by the browser.","FIG.","3 is a flow diagram depicting an example method 300 for prerendering a web page, such as network content executed stored within the hidden browser instance 214, in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.","Aspects of the method 300 operate to minimize load times for network content by requesting the network content prior to the user navigating to said network content.","The method 300 may be performed by a computing device, such as the computing device 200, to eliminate delays in the user search experience by prerendering a search page in a hidden browser instance prior to the user entering a search query.","For example, the method 300 may be performed by elements of the browser 210.While aspects of the method 300 are described with respect to the computing device 200, the method 300 may also be performed by the server 104, or any device with hardware and/or software designed to accept instructions.","At stage 302, the computing device 200 determines a next navigation event, such as a search operation, within a web browser.","The next navigation event may be received from a navigation prediction element, or the next navigation event may be embedded within the web page displaying within the web browser.","For example, a search engine may embed a tag within a set of search results to indicate that a particular link associated with the most relevant result should be prerendered by the web browser.","A method for embedding prerendering tags within a web page is described below (see FIG.","4).","At stage 304, the computing device 200 requests the content associated with the navigation event or search page identified at stage 302.The request may comprise a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) GET request, a file transfer protocol (FTP) request, or any other network data access request as known in the art.","A first set of web content may be provided in response to a HTTP GET request, which may then lead to additional HTTP GET requests in accordance with the first set of web content.","For example, a HTTP GET request may result in a base search page being sent to the web browser, which may trigger other page loading operations, such as additional GET requests.","The base search page may have multiple embedded images, which are then fetched and rendered using HTTP GET requests for each image.","The prerendering process as described may request the full search page, including associated scripts, and then execute those scripts.","At stage 306, the computing device 200 renders content associated with the navigation event determined at stage 302.The content may be rendered in an alternate instance of the web browser that is hidden from the user.","For example, the content may be rendered by an alternate process or in a hidden web browser tab.","In some aspects, the rendered content may include a redirection operation.","An example of a redirection operation is when the act of loading a first page, for instance, www.a.com, causes the browser to load a second page, such as www.b.com.","Redirection may occur in response to a HTML tag, a JAVASCRIPT navigation command, or the like.","In the case a prerendered page requests a redirection operation, said redirection operation would also occur in the alternate instance.","In some aspects, a first redirection operation may lead to subsequent redirections.","For example, www.a.com may lead to www.b.com, which leads to www.c.com.","Aspects of the system and method may account for this fact, such as by storing a history of redirection operations and prerendering the last page in a series in response to a first page being identified to prerender.","In some aspects, the method 300 may short-circuit redirection operations by not prerendering intermediate pages when the destination result page (i.e.","the page at the end of the redirection operations) is known, and only prerendering the final page in the series.","At stage 308, the computing device 200 may determine whether the user has selected the link identified at stage 302 or performed a search operation within a particular time period.","For example, the method 300 may wait for 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, one minute, 5 minutes, or any other time frame.","In some aspects, the time frame may be configurable within an options menu associated with the web browser.","The time frame may also be specified by the server 104.For example, the server 104 may embed a timeout value within a prerender tag, indicating the length of time the content associated with the tag should be held before being discarded.","If the user has selected the link within the time period, the method 300 proceeds to stage 312.Otherwise, the method 300 proceeds to stage 310.At stage 310, the computing device 200 discards the prerendered content.","The prerendered content is allowed to expire in this manner in order to free up system resources associated with the prerender operation and prevent the user from being presented with stale data.","In some aspects, a different expiration period may be specified for different types of data.","For example, data that is likely to rapidly change, such as breaking news articles, stock quotes, syndication feeds, and the like, is more likely to grow stale quickly, and might be associated with a shorter expiration timer, such as 10 seconds, 20 seconds, or one minute.","Data that is less likely to change, such as reference articles, archives, box scores, and the like, might be associated with a longer expiration timer, such as an hour, 6 hours, 24 hours, a week, or the like.","In some aspects, the wait time is based on a page type.","For example, if the user is viewing a lengthy news article, a longer wait time may be specified when prerendering a next page of the article to provide the user time to read the current page of the article before selecting the next page.","In some aspects, the wait time is determined by a time-to-live (TTL) parameter embedded within the page.","In some aspects, the wait time is hard coded within the browser.","The method 300 then ends after the prerendered content is discarded, though in some aspects the method 300 may repeat indefinitely as the user browses web content.","At stage 312, the computing device 200 merges the alternate instance containing the prerendered content into the visible user instance, in response to the user performing a search operation.","In this manner, the computing device 200 displays the content associated with the navigation event instantly, without a delay while the page data is requested from and received from the host server.","Search results may be merged into the search page as the results are received from a server.","In some aspects, the user may select the navigation event prior to the prerendering operation completing.","In such cases, the partially loaded page would be merged into the current user instance.","The partially loaded page would then continue to load in the current user instance as normal.","The method 300 then ends after making the prerendered content available to the user.","FIG.","4 is a flow diagram depicting an example method 400 for priming a hidden browser instance with network content in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.","By preloading regularly accessed content in a hidden browser instance, the method ensures that users experience a minimum of wait time when performing commonly operations such as Internet searches or visits to a web search home page.","Such commonly viewed content may be “primed” when the browser is first executed to prepare for such access.","The content that is primed and the manner in which it is accessed may be determined by various methods, including particular configuration settings or preferences.","At stage 402, the hidden browser instance is primed with the network content.","As described above, the network content may be associated with commonly performed user activities, such as initiation of a search request, a return to the web search home page, or accessing the user's primary webmail account.","The content that is primed in this manner may be determined in a variety of methods including allowing the user to specify an address or uniform resource locator (URL) in configuration settings, analysis of user navigation history to predict a most frequently visited page, or specification of a default search engine for priming.","This initial priming stage may occur when the browser is initially executed.","At stage 404, an indication that the user wishes to access the network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance is received.","For example, if the network content is a web search home page, the user may select a “home” interface control.","If the network content is a search results page, the user may enter a search query in a text entry field or select a suggested search query, such as provided via an “Omnibox” (see FIG.","5).","As another example, the user may also indicate a desire to access the network content by typing a URL associated with the content in a browser address bar.","In response to the selection operation received at stage 404, the hidden browser instance containing the network content is merged into the active browser instance at stage 406.The network content thus becomes accessible to the user as soon as the merge occurs, without the need to request the content from a host server.","At stage 408, the network content is reprimed (e.g., rendered again) in a hidden browser instance again.","A new hidden browser instance may be established, or the same hidden instance that previously held the network content may be used for the new content.","The network content may be requested again over the network, or it may be rendered again using previously requested data.","In this manner, the network content is prepared for a new user interaction, such as a new search query or a new return to the web search home page.","The network content may be reprimed after a particular length of time after the initial set of network content is used, for example, a search page may be reprimed 30 seconds after each search query.","The network content may be reprimed based on other factors as well, such as immediately after use of the initial network content, based upon an access model derived from previous user navigation habits, based on a level of available system resources, or based on an indication from the server hosting for the network content.","For example, the server may specify a particular “Time to Wait” or “Time to Live” before the network content is reprimed in order to manage the amount of network traffic flowing to the server from preload operations.","The method 400 may end after the network content has been reprimed for use in another network access operation.","The repriming operation may be performed in various manners, including copying the preloaded network content before merging the content into the active browser, or requesting a new copy of the network content from a host server.","FIG.","5 is a screen capture of an example of a browser window 500 showing the use of a text entry field 402 for entering a search query or an address in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.","The text entry field 502 shown may function as an “Omnibox”, allowing the user to type in a search query or a website URL.","If the user enters a website URL, the browser may navigate to the URL.","If the user does not enter a URL, the browser may present a list of search results associated with the entered text.","FIG.","6 is a screen capture of an example of a search page 600 in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.","The search page 600 is made up of interface controls, images, and formatting data, such as the page header 602, and a set of search results 604.In pages configured to accept search queries via a search API, the search results 604 may be received separately from the rest of the page.","This allows formatting data, scripts, logos, headers, style sheets, and the like, such as the page header 602, to be loaded independently from the search results 604.As such, page elements other than the search results may be rendered prior to the entry of a search query, allowing for immediate display of search results as they are received in response to a search query.","Aspects of the disclosure may prerender these page elements in a hidden browser instance to facilitate instant display of search results.","FIG.","7 is a flow diagram depicting an example of a method 700 for preloading a search page to improve access to search results in accordance with aspects of the invention.","The method 700 provides for prerendering of a search engine page in a hidden browser instance.","When a search query is provided, the query is passed to the prerendered search engine via a search API, and the prerendered search engine is merged into an active browser session.","In this manner, search results are provided to the user as soon as the results are received from the search engine, with no delay while the search engine page loads.","As described above, preloaded search pages may be primed to reduce access times to search results, with a new search page preloaded after the previous search page is used to perform a search query (see FIG.","4).","At stage 702, the search engine page is prerendered in a hidden browser instance.","The search engine page may be prerendered in response to user input, or it may be prerendered when the browser is loaded.","For example, the search engine page may be prerendered when a text entry field that accepts search queries receives focus, when the user enters at least one text character in the text entry field, or after at least one “spacebar” character is entered in the text entry field (to distinguish the text entry from a URL).","The prerendering process of the search engine may include requesting any or all of page formatting instructions, images, logos, scripts, style sheets, or any other content that must be received in order to render the web page, aside from the search results responsive to the query.","At stage 704, a search query is received.","The search query may be received in response to the user entering text in the text field, or the query may be identified after the user performs a selection operation, such as pressing the “enter” key after entering text in the text field.","The search query may also be identified via other methods, such as by detecting a “spacebar” character in a text entry field.","In some aspects, the search query is only sent to the search engine after the “enter” key has been pressed and the text string is determined to not be a URL, in order to preserve user privacy (e.g., to avoid sending URLs typed by the user for navigation purposes to the server as search engine queries).","At stage 706, the search query is passed to the prerendered search engine page.","The search query may be communicated to the prerendered search page using a search API, where the query is sent via a scripting interface.","For example, the query may be sent to the search engine via an AJAX interface on the search engine page.","At stage 708, the prerendered search page is merged into the active browser instance to display the search results.","Search results may thus be instantly presented to the user as they are received from the search engine server, as the other content of the search engine page has already been rendered.","The stages of the illustrated methods are not intended to be limiting.","The functionality of the methods can exist in a fewer or greater number of stages than what is shown and, even with the depicted methods, the particular order of events may be different from what is shown in the figures.","The systems and methods described herein advantageously provide for faster display of search results.","Since the non-search-result content of the search engine page is prerendered, delay associated with requesting, downloading, and rendering such content is eliminated.","This allows display of search results as soon as the results are received from the search engine server.","Display of search results in such a manner may save multiple seconds of delay during which the user would otherwise be idle while waiting for the page data to render.","As these and other variations and combinations of the features discussed above can be utilized without departing from the disclosure as defined by the claims, the foregoing description of the embodiments should be taken by way of illustration rather than by way of limitation of the disclosure as defined by the claims.","It will also be understood that the provision of examples of the disclosure (as well as clauses phrased as “such as,” “e.g.”, “including” and the like) should not be interpreted as limiting the disclosure to the specific examples; rather, the examples are intended to illustrate only some of many possible embodiments."]],"string":"[\n [\n \"ACCESS TO NETWORK CONTENT\",\n \"A method and system for improving access to search results are provided in the disclosure herein.\",\n \"Aspects of this disclosure minimize the delay in accessing network content by priming certain regularly viewed content (e.g., a web search home page or a search results page) in an invisible browser instance.\",\n \"As the user accesses the content prerendered in the invisible browser instance, a new instance of the prerendered content is created to facilitate future accesses to the network content (e.g., future search queries).\"\n ],\n [\n \"1.\",\n \"(canceled) 2.A method for accessing network content, comprising: receiving a request to navigate to a network address; receiving content from the network address and a tag associated with the content from the network address, the tag indicating another network address; controlling, by one or more processors, display of the content associated with the network address in a browser instance; in response to receiving the tag, the one or more processors prefetching resources necessary for prerendering content from the another network address; prerendering, by the one or more processors, content associated with the another network address based on the resources; and storing the prerendered content of the another network address in a hidden browser instance.\",\n \"3.The method of claim 2, wherein the content from the network address is search result content and the content from the another network address is content indicated by the search result content.\",\n \"4.The method of claim 2, wherein the resources include at least one of executable code, scripting language, multimedia files, or interactive objects.\",\n \"5.The method of claim 2, wherein the content of the another network address includes a request to redirect to content from a third network address and the method further comprises: prerendering the content from the third network address to generate prerendered content of the third network address; and storing the prerendered content of the third network address in the hidden browser instance in place of the prerendered content of the another network address.\",\n \"6.The method of claim 2, wherein when the hidden browser instance is not accessed within a predetermined time period, the method further comprises discarding the prerendered content of the another network address.\",\n \"7.The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined time period is indicated by the tag.\",\n \"8.The method of claim 2, further comprising interfacing with the hidden browser instance through an application programming interface (API).\",\n \"9.An apparatus for accessing network content, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor; wherein the at least one processor is configured to control execution of a browser application in accordance with instructions stored in the at least one memory, and the browser application is operable to receive a request to navigate to a network address; receive content from the network address and a tag associated with the content from the network address, the tag indicating another network address; control display of the content associated with the network address in a browser instance; in response to receiving the tag, prefetch resources necessary for prerendering content from the another network address; prerender content associated with the another network address based on the resources to generate prerendered content of the another network address; and store the prerendered content of the another network address in a hidden browser instance.\",\n \"10.The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a display for displaying the content associated with the network address and the content associated with the another network address.\",\n \"11.The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the content from the network address is search result content and the content from the another network address is content indicated by the search result content.\",\n \"12.The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the resources include at least one of executable code, scripting language, multimedia files, or interactive objects.\",\n \"13.The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the content of the another network address includes a request to redirect to content from a third network address, and the browser application prerenders the content from the third network address to generate prerendered content of the third network address and stores the prerendered content of the third network address in the hidden browser instance in place of the prerendered content of the another network address.\",\n \"14.The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the browser application is further operable to discard the prerendered content of the another network address when the hidden browser instance is not accessed within a predetermined time period.\",\n \"15.The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the predetermined time period is indicated by the tag.\",\n \"16.The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the browser application is further operable to interface with the hidden browser instance through an application programming interface (API).\",\n \"17.A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement a method for accessing network content, the method comprising: receiving a request to navigate to a network address; receiving content from the network address and a tag associated with the content from the network address, the tag indicating another network address; controlling, by the one or more processors, display of the content associated with the network address in a browser instance; in response to receiving the tag, the one or more processors prefetching resources necessary for prerendering content from the another network address; prerendering, by the one or more processors, content associated with the another network address based on the resources to generate prerendered content of the another network address; and storing the prerendered content of the another network address in a hidden browser instance.\",\n \"18.The medium of claim 17, wherein the content from the network address is search result content and the content from the another network address is content indicated by the search result content.\",\n \"19.The medium of claim 17 wherein the resources include at least one of executable code, scripting language, multimedia files, or interactive objects.\",\n \"20.The medium of claim 17, wherein the content of the another network address includes a request to redirect to content from a third network address and the method further comprises: prerendering the content from the third network address to generate prerendered content of the third network address: and storing the prerendered content of the third network address in the hidden browser instance in place of the prerendered content of the another network address.\",\n \"21.The medium of claim 17 wherein when the hidden browser instance is not accessed within a predetermined time period, the method further comprises discarding the prerendered content of the another network address.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BACKGROUND The advent of the World Wide Web has placed more information at the fingertips of today's users than ever before.\",\n \"Various websites cater to nearly every need and interest, providing access to reference information, business and financial documents, social networking, and more.\",\n \"Widespread broadband Internet access provides faster access to these sites than ever before.\",\n \"However, as fast as current high-speed Internet services are, the act of browsing the web is not instantaneous.\",\n \"When a user selects a link on a page or enters a uniform resource locator (URL) in a text field, there is a delay while data is requested from the host, sent to the client, and rendered in the browser.\",\n \"The user is typically idle while waiting for their requested site to load.\",\n \"While high-speed Internet access may limit this delay to a few seconds, even this short delay can add up to thousands of man-hours of lost productivity each year.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BRIEF SUMMARY A method and system for improving access to network content are provided in the disclosure herein.\",\n \"Aspects of this disclosure minimize the delay in accessing network content by prerendering elements of a content page.\",\n \"The network content, such a web search results page or a web search home page, may be prerendered in a hidden browser instance when the browser is executed.\",\n \"Aspects of the disclosure may provide a search query to the network content via an application programming interface (API) such as a search API.\",\n \"The prerendered network content may be made visible in response to a selection operation indicating that the user wishes to access the prerendered network content (e.g., selection of web search home page by entering the web search home page's address, selection of a home page button where the home page of the browser is set to web search home pages, or entry of a search query), thus allowing for immediate display of the network content.\",\n \"After the user accesses the prerendered network content, a new instance of the network content may be prerendered.\",\n \"For example, when the user performs a search query, a new instance of a search page may be prerendered after the original prerendered search page is merged with the visible browser instance to prepare for a future search query.\",\n \"Aspects of the disclosure describe a computer-implemented method for improving access to network content.\",\n \"The method may include prerendering, using a processor, a set of network content in a hidden browser instance, monitoring user input in a browser for a selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, detecting the selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, in response to a detection of the selection operation, merging, with the processor, the set of network content into an active browser instance, and creating a new instance of the set of network content in a new hidden browser instance for use in another selection operation associated with the set of network content.\",\n \"The set of network content may be a search results page and the selection operation may be at least one of entry of a search query in a text entry field or selection of a suggested search query.\",\n \"The set of network content may be a web search home page and the selection operation may indicate that the user wishes to access the web search home page.\",\n \"Prerendering the set of network content may include requesting the set of network content from a remote server.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created by copying the set of network content received from the remote server without contacting the remote server a second time.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created at a particular time interval after the selection operation.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created based on a parameter received from a remote server that provided the network content.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created immediately after the set of network content is merged with the active browser instance.\",\n \"The method may include notifying the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance of the selection operation using an application programming interface.\",\n \"The set of network content may be determined by at least one of a user preference, a user navigation history, or a default search engine.\",\n \"Aspects of the disclosure may provide a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method.\",\n \"The method performed by the processor may include prerendering, using a processor, a set of network content in a hidden browser instance, monitoring user input in a browser for a selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, detecting the selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, in response to a detection of the selection operation, merging the set of network content into an active browser instance, and creating a new instance of the set of network content in a new hidden browser instance for use in another selection operation associated with the set of network content.\",\n \"The set of network content may be a search engine web page and the selection operation may be at least one of entry of a search query in a text entry field or selection of a suggested search query.\",\n \"The set of network content may be a web search home page and the selection operation indicates that the user wishes to access the web search home page.\",\n \"Prerendering the set of network content may include requesting the set of network content from a remote server.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created by copying the set of network content received from the remote server without contacting the remote server a second time.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created at a particular time interval after the selection operation.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created based on a parameter received from a remote server that provided the network content.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created immediately after the set of network content is merged with the active browser instance.\",\n \"The method may include notifying the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance of the selection operation using an application programming interface.\",\n \"The set of network content may be determined by at least one of a user preference, a user navigation history, or a default search engine.\",\n \"Aspects of the disclosure may provide a processing system for improving access to search results.\",\n \"The processing system may include at least one processor, and a memory coupled to the at least one processor.\",\n \"The processor may be configured to execute a browser application, prerender a set of network content in a hidden instance of the browser application, such that at least some portion of the network content is rendered, monitor user input in the browser for a selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, detect the selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, in response to a detection of the selection operation, merge the set of network content into an active browser instance, and create a new instance of the set of network content in a new hidden browser instance for use in another selection operation associated with the set of network content.\",\n \"The set of network content may be at least one of a web search home page or a search results page.\",\n \"The selection operation may be at least one of entry of a search query in a text field or selection of a suggested search query.\"\n ],\n [\n \"CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"13/472,019, filed on May 15, 2012, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.\",\n \"BACKGROUND The advent of the World Wide Web has placed more information at the fingertips of today's users than ever before.\",\n \"Various websites cater to nearly every need and interest, providing access to reference information, business and financial documents, social networking, and more.\",\n \"Widespread broadband Internet access provides faster access to these sites than ever before.\",\n \"However, as fast as current high-speed Internet services are, the act of browsing the web is not instantaneous.\",\n \"When a user selects a link on a page or enters a uniform resource locator (URL) in a text field, there is a delay while data is requested from the host, sent to the client, and rendered in the browser.\",\n \"The user is typically idle while waiting for their requested site to load.\",\n \"While high-speed Internet access may limit this delay to a few seconds, even this short delay can add up to thousands of man-hours of lost productivity each year.\",\n \"BRIEF SUMMARY A method and system for improving access to network content are provided in the disclosure herein.\",\n \"Aspects of this disclosure minimize the delay in accessing network content by prerendering elements of a content page.\",\n \"The network content, such a web search results page or a web search home page, may be prerendered in a hidden browser instance when the browser is executed.\",\n \"Aspects of the disclosure may provide a search query to the network content via an application programming interface (API) such as a search API.\",\n \"The prerendered network content may be made visible in response to a selection operation indicating that the user wishes to access the prerendered network content (e.g., selection of web search home page by entering the web search home page's address, selection of a home page button where the home page of the browser is set to web search home pages, or entry of a search query), thus allowing for immediate display of the network content.\",\n \"After the user accesses the prerendered network content, a new instance of the network content may be prerendered.\",\n \"For example, when the user performs a search query, a new instance of a search page may be prerendered after the original prerendered search page is merged with the visible browser instance to prepare for a future search query.\",\n \"Aspects of the disclosure describe a computer-implemented method for improving access to network content.\",\n \"The method may include prerendering, using a processor, a set of network content in a hidden browser instance, monitoring user input in a browser for a selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, detecting the selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, in response to a detection of the selection operation, merging, with the processor, the set of network content into an active browser instance, and creating a new instance of the set of network content in a new hidden browser instance for use in another selection operation associated with the set of network content.\",\n \"The set of network content may be a search results page and the selection operation may be at least one of entry of a search query in a text entry field or selection of a suggested search query.\",\n \"The set of network content may be a web search home page and the selection operation may indicate that the user wishes to access the web search home page.\",\n \"Prerendering the set of network content may include requesting the set of network content from a remote server.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created by copying the set of network content received from the remote server without contacting the remote server a second time.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created at a particular time interval after the selection operation.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created based on a parameter received from a remote server that provided the network content.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created immediately after the set of network content is merged with the active browser instance.\",\n \"The method may include notifying the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance of the selection operation using an application programming interface.\",\n \"The set of network content may be determined by at least one of a user preference, a user navigation history, or a default search engine.\",\n \"Aspects of the disclosure may provide a non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method.\",\n \"The method performed by the processor may include prerendering, using a processor, a set of network content in a hidden browser instance, monitoring user input in a browser for a selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, detecting the selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, in response to a detection of the selection operation, merging the set of network content into an active browser instance, and creating a new instance of the set of network content in a new hidden browser instance for use in another selection operation associated with the set of network content.\",\n \"The set of network content may be a search engine web page and the selection operation may be at least one of entry of a search query in a text entry field or selection of a suggested search query.\",\n \"The set of network content may be a web search home page and the selection operation indicates that the user wishes to access the web search home page.\",\n \"Prerendering the set of network content may include requesting the set of network content from a remote server.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created by copying the set of network content received from the remote server without contacting the remote server a second time.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created at a particular time interval after the selection operation.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created based on a parameter received from a remote server that provided the network content.\",\n \"The new instance of the set of network content may be created immediately after the set of network content is merged with the active browser instance.\",\n \"The method may include notifying the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance of the selection operation using an application programming interface.\",\n \"The set of network content may be determined by at least one of a user preference, a user navigation history, or a default search engine.\",\n \"Aspects of the disclosure may provide a processing system for improving access to search results.\",\n \"The processing system may include at least one processor, and a memory coupled to the at least one processor.\",\n \"The processor may be configured to execute a browser application, prerender a set of network content in a hidden instance of the browser application, such that at least some portion of the network content is rendered, monitor user input in the browser for a selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, detect the selection operation associated with the set of network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance, in response to a detection of the selection operation, merge the set of network content into an active browser instance, and create a new instance of the set of network content in a new hidden browser instance for use in another selection operation associated with the set of network content.\",\n \"The set of network content may be at least one of a web search home page or a search results page.\",\n \"The selection operation may be at least one of entry of a search query in a text field or selection of a suggested search query.\",\n \"BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.\",\n \"1 is a system diagram depicting an example of a server in communication with example client devices in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"2 is block diagram depicting an example of a computing device in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"3 is a flow diagram depicting an example method for prerendering network content in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"4 is a flow diagram depicting an example method for priming a hidden browser instance with network content in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5 is a screen capture of an example of a browser window showing the use of a text entry field for entering a search query or an address in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"6 is a screen capture of an example of a search page in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7 is a flow diagram depicting an example of a method for prerendering a search page to improve access to search results in accordance with aspects of the invention.\",\n \"DETAILED DESCRIPTION A method and system for improving access to search results are provided in the disclosure herein.\",\n \"Aspects of this disclosure minimize the delay in accessing network content by “priming” certain regularly viewed content (e.g., a web search home page or a search results page) in an invisible browser instance.\",\n \"As the user accesses the content prerendered in the invisible browser instance, a new instance of the prerendered content is created to facilitate future accesses to the network content (e.g., future search queries).\",\n \"Aspects of the disclosure may provide a search query to a preloaded search page via a search application programming interface.\",\n \"The preloaded search web page may be made visible in response to the search query such that the user does not need to wait for rendering of the web page (e.g., fetching and rendering of page formatting, logos, scripts, and the like), thus allowing for immediate display of search results as soon as the results are received.\",\n \"Various methods for performing the prerendering operation, configuring the prerendering operation, and managing the prerendering operation are described.\",\n \"For the purposes of this application, the term “prerendering” generally refers to the act of requesting all resources (e.g., any executable code, scripting language, files, and/or interactive objects) necessary to load the content of a web address, and loading the content in a web browser instance.\",\n \"As shown in FIG.\",\n \"1, an example system 102 in accordance with one aspect includes a server 104 in communication with one or more client devices 106, 108, 110 displaying web browser interfaces 114, 116, 118.The user of the client device 106 may browse to a web page located at “www.a.com” as displayed on the web browser interface 114.That page includes content selectable by the user.\",\n \"The client devices may be any device capable of managing data requests via a network 112.Examples of such client devices include a personal computer (PC) 108, a mobile device 110, or a server 106.The client devices 106, 108, 110 are operable to perform prerendering operations during the execution of a web browser application.\",\n \"In some aspects, the client devices 106, 108, 110 predict a search event by identifying cursor placement, text entry, or interface focus.\",\n \"The prerender operation may also be determined dynamically by, for example, a JAVASCRIPT code.\",\n \"While the concepts described herein are generally described with respect to a web browser interface 114, 116, 118 executing on a client device 106, 108, 110, aspects of the disclosure can also be applied to any computing node capable of managing navigation events over a network, including a server 104.The client devices 106, 108, 110 may also comprise personal computers, personal digital assistants (“PDA”): tablet PCs, netbooks, laptops, mobile phones, etc.\",\n \"Indeed, client devices in accordance with the systems and methods described herein may comprise any device operative to process instructions and transmit data to and from humans and other computers including general purpose computers, network computers lacking local storage capability, etc.\",\n \"The client devices 106, 108, 110 may be operable to predict search operations to assist in data access on the network 112.For example, the client devices may predict a search operation to facilitate prerendering of a search page in order to decrease delay in the display of network content, thus improving the user's browsing experience.\",\n \"In some aspects, the server 104 provides navigation data which may be used by the client devices 106, 108, 110 to predict a search operation.\",\n \"In some aspects, the client devices 106, 108, 110 predict a search operation using local data.\",\n \"The network 112, and the intervening nodes between the server 104 and the client devices 106, 108, 110, may comprise various configurations and use various protocols including the Internet, World Wide Web, intranets, virtual private networks, local Ethernet networks, private networks using communication protocols proprietary to one or more companies, cellular and wireless networks (e.g., Wi-Fi), instant messaging, hypertext transfer protocol (“HTTP”) and simple mail transfer protocol (“SMTP”), and various combinations of the foregoing.\",\n \"It should be appreciated that a typical system may include a large number of connected computers.\",\n \"Although certain advantages are obtained when information is transmitted or received as noted above, other aspects of the system and method are not limited to any particular manner of transmission of information.\",\n \"For example, in some aspects, information may be sent via a medium such as an optical disk or portable drive.\",\n \"In other aspects, the information may be transmitted in a non-electronic format and manually entered into the system.\",\n \"Although some functions are indicated as taking place on the server 104 and other functions are indicated as taking place on the client devices 106, 108, 110, various aspects of the system and method may be implemented by a single computer having a single processor.\",\n \"It should be appreciated that aspects of the system and method described with respect to the client may be implemented on the server, and vice-versa.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"2 is a block diagram depicting an example of a computing device 200, such as one of the client devices 106, 108, 110 described with respect to FIG.\",\n \"1.The computing device 200 may include a processor 204, a memory 202 and other components typically present in general purpose computers.\",\n \"The memory 202 may store instructions 206 and data 208 that are accessible by the processor 204.The processor 204 may execute the instructions 206 and access the data 208 to control the operations of the computing device 200.The memory 202 may be any type of tangible memory operative to store information accessible by the processor 204, including a computer-readable medium, or other medium that stores data that may be read with the aid of an electronic device, such as a hard-drive, memory card, read-only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), digital versatile disc (“DVD”) or other optical disks, as well as other write-capable and read-only memories.\",\n \"The system and method may include different combinations of the foregoing, whereby different portions of the instructions and data are stored on different types of media.\",\n \"The instructions 206 may be any set of instructions to be executed directly (such as machine code) or indirectly (such as scripts) by the processor 204.For example, the instructions may be stored as computer code on a computer-readable medium.\",\n \"In that regard, the terms “instructions” and “programs” may be used interchangeably herein.\",\n \"The instructions 206 may be stored in object code format for direct processing by the processor 204, or in any other computer language including scripts or collections of independent source code modules that are interpreted on demand or compiled in advance.\",\n \"Functions, methods and routines of the instructions 206 are explained in more detail below (see FIGS.\",\n \"3-7).\",\n \"The data 208 may be retrieved, stored or modified by the processor 204 in accordance with the instructions 206.For instance, although the architecture is not limited by any particular data structure, the data 208 may be stored in computer registers, in a relational database as a table having a plurality of different fields and records, Extensible Markup Language (“XML”) documents or flat files.\",\n \"The data may also be formatted in any computer readable format such as, but not limited to, binary values or Unicode.\",\n \"By further way of example only, image data may be stored as bitmaps comprised of grids of pixels that are stored in accordance with formats that are compressed or uncompressed, lossless (e.g., BMP) or lossy (e.g., JPEG), and bitmap or vector-based (e.g., SVG), as well as computer instructions for drawing graphics.\",\n \"The data 208 may comprise any information sufficient to identify the relevant information, such as numbers, descriptive text, proprietary codes, references to data stored in other areas of the same memory or different memories (including other network locations) or information that is used by a function to calculate the relevant data.\",\n \"The processor 204 may be any suitable processor, such as various commercially available general purpose processors.\",\n \"Alternatively, the processor 204 may be a dedicated controller such as an application-specific integrated circuit (“ASIC”).\",\n \"Although FIG.\",\n \"2 functionally illustrates the processor and memory as being within a single block, it should be understood that the processor 204 and memory 202 may actually comprise multiple processors and memories that may or may not be stored within the same physical housing.\",\n \"Accordingly, references to a processor, computer or memory will be understood to include references to a collection of processors, computers or memories that may or may not operate in parallel.\",\n \"The computing device 200 may be at one node of a network and be operative to directly and indirectly communicates with other nodes of the network.\",\n \"For example, the computing device 200 may comprise a web server that is operative to communicate with client devices via the network such that the computing device 200 uses the network to transmit and display information to a user on a display of the client device.\",\n \"The system can provide privacy protections for the client data including, for example, anonymization of personally identifiable information, aggregation of data, filtering of sensitive information, encryption, hashing or filtering of sensitive information to remove personal attributes, time limitations on storage of information, and/or limitations on data use or sharing.\",\n \"Data can be anonymized and aggregated such that individual client data is not revealed.\",\n \"A user may also be provided with an opportunity to opt in/out to enable the collection of sharing of data.\",\n \"In order to facilitate the prerendering and search operations of the computing device 200, the memory 202 may further comprise a browser 2102.Although the browser 210 is identified as a discrete module in connection with FIG.\",\n \"2, the functionality of this module may overlap and/or exist in a fewer or greater number of modules than what is shown, with such modules residing at one or more processing devices, which may be geographically dispersed.\",\n \"The browser 210 provides for the display of network content, such as a web page, to a user of the client device via a visible browser instance 212 by sending and receiving data across a computer network.\",\n \"The network content may be received in response to a network request, such as a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) GET request.\",\n \"The network content may be provided in a markup language, such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).\",\n \"The network content may also include various scripts, data, forms, and the like viewable and/or executed in the visible browser instance 212, including interactive and/or executable content such as ADOBE FLASH content, JAVASCRIPT content, and the like.\",\n \"The browser 210 may further comprise a hidden browser instance 214.The hidden browser instance 214 provides a browser instance within which network content identified by a prerender controller 218 may be loaded.\",\n \"The network content identified by the prerender controller 218 may take the form of content that the user is likely to access during a browser session, such as a web page for initiating a search query or displaying search results, a user webmail page, or any other content that a user is likely to return to one or more times during the browsing session.\",\n \"The hidden browser instance 214 may include a start page for a search engine wherein non-search-result data (e.g., page formatting, logos, images, style sheets, scripts, and the like) has been requested and rendered by the prerender module 210.The preloaded search page may be stored such that the preloaded search page is not visible to a user until the user provides a search query.\",\n \"The hidden rendering environment refers to any representation that does not have an immediately apparent interface for the user.\",\n \"For example, the preloaded search page may be stored within a browser “tab” that does not have an associated selection control in a web browser tab interface.\",\n \"The hidden browser instance 214 may be accessible via a menu or interface command, and in response to the selection of this interface command an interface for the prerendered content is generated, such as by adding a selection control for the prerendered content to the browser tab interface.\",\n \"The hidden rendering environment may also be provided by a variety of other methods suitable to receive and render the page environment while avoiding distraction of the user with potentially irrelevant content.\",\n \"The network content loaded in the hidden browser instance 214 may be stored in a completely executed and rendered format.\",\n \"For example, any executable code, scripting language, multimedia files, and/or interactive objects may be fully requested and loaded in the prerendering environment provided by the hidden browser instance.\",\n \"Where the hidden browser instance 214 stores a preloaded search page, if the user enters a search query, the browser 210 may execute the search query using the preloaded search page, and merge the preloaded search page with the visible browser instance 212.Search results responsive to the search query may thus be provided without the need to request the search engine page or wait for the search engine page to render.\",\n \"Throughout this process the preloaded search page may issue the query over the network to the search engine, receive data providing results for the search query, blend the results into the preloaded search page, and make itself visible.\",\n \"The prerender controller 218 may control preloading and prerendering operations performed within the web browser.\",\n \"For example, after a preloaded search page is merged with the visible browser instance 212, the prerender controller 218 may reprime the hidden browser instance 214 with a new instance of the preloaded search page to prepare for a new search query.\",\n \"The prerender controller 218 may perform these operations at particular intervals, such as on a timer (e.g., every 30 seconds), instantly upon merging the hidden browser instance with the visible browser instance, in response to network traffic, or in response to an indication from the server hosting the network content.\",\n \"The prerender controller 218 may also be configured by prerender configuration settings 220.These prerender configuration settings 220 may control when and how the prerender controller performs prerender operations.\",\n \"For example, the prerender configuration settings 220 may specify a particular set of network content (e.g., a URL) to be preloaded in the hidden browser instance 214, such as a web search home page, a user webmail access page, or a search results page.\",\n \"The prerender configuration settings 220 may also specify a frequency with which to prerender (e.g., a time interval to reprime the hidden browser instance after merging with the visible browser instance), a system resource level to perform preloading, or any other setting to assist the user with adjusting the prerendering operations to meet a particular set of needs or preferences.\",\n \"The web browser 210 may further comprise a search application programming interface (API) 216.Although the specific example described herein relates to the use of a search API for interfacing with a preloaded search page loaded in the hidden browser instance 214, the same concepts may apply to the use of other page APIs, such as a user homepage or webmail page configured to accept commands or instructions via other APIs.\",\n \"The search API 216 allows for a scripted interface with the content loaded in the hidden browser instance 214.When the browser 210210 detects a search query (e.g., entered into a text field provided by the browser), the browser 210 may pass the search query to the preloaded search page using the search API 216.For example, the search query may be passed to the preloaded search page using an asynchronous JavaScript and extensible markup language (AJAX) protocol.\",\n \"The network content stored within the hidden browser instance 214 may be specifically configured to communicate in this manner, allowing the client computing device 200 to interface with the network content without the need to navigate to a new URL to perform the action (e.g., to provide a search query to a preloaded search page).\",\n \"The search API 216 may be configurable within the browser 210.For example, a user may specify a particular search engine for use in search operations performed by the browser.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"3 is a flow diagram depicting an example method 300 for prerendering a web page, such as network content executed stored within the hidden browser instance 214, in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.\",\n \"Aspects of the method 300 operate to minimize load times for network content by requesting the network content prior to the user navigating to said network content.\",\n \"The method 300 may be performed by a computing device, such as the computing device 200, to eliminate delays in the user search experience by prerendering a search page in a hidden browser instance prior to the user entering a search query.\",\n \"For example, the method 300 may be performed by elements of the browser 210.While aspects of the method 300 are described with respect to the computing device 200, the method 300 may also be performed by the server 104, or any device with hardware and/or software designed to accept instructions.\",\n \"At stage 302, the computing device 200 determines a next navigation event, such as a search operation, within a web browser.\",\n \"The next navigation event may be received from a navigation prediction element, or the next navigation event may be embedded within the web page displaying within the web browser.\",\n \"For example, a search engine may embed a tag within a set of search results to indicate that a particular link associated with the most relevant result should be prerendered by the web browser.\",\n \"A method for embedding prerendering tags within a web page is described below (see FIG.\",\n \"4).\",\n \"At stage 304, the computing device 200 requests the content associated with the navigation event or search page identified at stage 302.The request may comprise a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) GET request, a file transfer protocol (FTP) request, or any other network data access request as known in the art.\",\n \"A first set of web content may be provided in response to a HTTP GET request, which may then lead to additional HTTP GET requests in accordance with the first set of web content.\",\n \"For example, a HTTP GET request may result in a base search page being sent to the web browser, which may trigger other page loading operations, such as additional GET requests.\",\n \"The base search page may have multiple embedded images, which are then fetched and rendered using HTTP GET requests for each image.\",\n \"The prerendering process as described may request the full search page, including associated scripts, and then execute those scripts.\",\n \"At stage 306, the computing device 200 renders content associated with the navigation event determined at stage 302.The content may be rendered in an alternate instance of the web browser that is hidden from the user.\",\n \"For example, the content may be rendered by an alternate process or in a hidden web browser tab.\",\n \"In some aspects, the rendered content may include a redirection operation.\",\n \"An example of a redirection operation is when the act of loading a first page, for instance, www.a.com, causes the browser to load a second page, such as www.b.com.\",\n \"Redirection may occur in response to a HTML tag, a JAVASCRIPT navigation command, or the like.\",\n \"In the case a prerendered page requests a redirection operation, said redirection operation would also occur in the alternate instance.\",\n \"In some aspects, a first redirection operation may lead to subsequent redirections.\",\n \"For example, www.a.com may lead to www.b.com, which leads to www.c.com.\",\n \"Aspects of the system and method may account for this fact, such as by storing a history of redirection operations and prerendering the last page in a series in response to a first page being identified to prerender.\",\n \"In some aspects, the method 300 may short-circuit redirection operations by not prerendering intermediate pages when the destination result page (i.e.\",\n \"the page at the end of the redirection operations) is known, and only prerendering the final page in the series.\",\n \"At stage 308, the computing device 200 may determine whether the user has selected the link identified at stage 302 or performed a search operation within a particular time period.\",\n \"For example, the method 300 may wait for 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, one minute, 5 minutes, or any other time frame.\",\n \"In some aspects, the time frame may be configurable within an options menu associated with the web browser.\",\n \"The time frame may also be specified by the server 104.For example, the server 104 may embed a timeout value within a prerender tag, indicating the length of time the content associated with the tag should be held before being discarded.\",\n \"If the user has selected the link within the time period, the method 300 proceeds to stage 312.Otherwise, the method 300 proceeds to stage 310.At stage 310, the computing device 200 discards the prerendered content.\",\n \"The prerendered content is allowed to expire in this manner in order to free up system resources associated with the prerender operation and prevent the user from being presented with stale data.\",\n \"In some aspects, a different expiration period may be specified for different types of data.\",\n \"For example, data that is likely to rapidly change, such as breaking news articles, stock quotes, syndication feeds, and the like, is more likely to grow stale quickly, and might be associated with a shorter expiration timer, such as 10 seconds, 20 seconds, or one minute.\",\n \"Data that is less likely to change, such as reference articles, archives, box scores, and the like, might be associated with a longer expiration timer, such as an hour, 6 hours, 24 hours, a week, or the like.\",\n \"In some aspects, the wait time is based on a page type.\",\n \"For example, if the user is viewing a lengthy news article, a longer wait time may be specified when prerendering a next page of the article to provide the user time to read the current page of the article before selecting the next page.\",\n \"In some aspects, the wait time is determined by a time-to-live (TTL) parameter embedded within the page.\",\n \"In some aspects, the wait time is hard coded within the browser.\",\n \"The method 300 then ends after the prerendered content is discarded, though in some aspects the method 300 may repeat indefinitely as the user browses web content.\",\n \"At stage 312, the computing device 200 merges the alternate instance containing the prerendered content into the visible user instance, in response to the user performing a search operation.\",\n \"In this manner, the computing device 200 displays the content associated with the navigation event instantly, without a delay while the page data is requested from and received from the host server.\",\n \"Search results may be merged into the search page as the results are received from a server.\",\n \"In some aspects, the user may select the navigation event prior to the prerendering operation completing.\",\n \"In such cases, the partially loaded page would be merged into the current user instance.\",\n \"The partially loaded page would then continue to load in the current user instance as normal.\",\n \"The method 300 then ends after making the prerendered content available to the user.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"4 is a flow diagram depicting an example method 400 for priming a hidden browser instance with network content in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.\",\n \"By preloading regularly accessed content in a hidden browser instance, the method ensures that users experience a minimum of wait time when performing commonly operations such as Internet searches or visits to a web search home page.\",\n \"Such commonly viewed content may be “primed” when the browser is first executed to prepare for such access.\",\n \"The content that is primed and the manner in which it is accessed may be determined by various methods, including particular configuration settings or preferences.\",\n \"At stage 402, the hidden browser instance is primed with the network content.\",\n \"As described above, the network content may be associated with commonly performed user activities, such as initiation of a search request, a return to the web search home page, or accessing the user's primary webmail account.\",\n \"The content that is primed in this manner may be determined in a variety of methods including allowing the user to specify an address or uniform resource locator (URL) in configuration settings, analysis of user navigation history to predict a most frequently visited page, or specification of a default search engine for priming.\",\n \"This initial priming stage may occur when the browser is initially executed.\",\n \"At stage 404, an indication that the user wishes to access the network content preloaded in the hidden browser instance is received.\",\n \"For example, if the network content is a web search home page, the user may select a “home” interface control.\",\n \"If the network content is a search results page, the user may enter a search query in a text entry field or select a suggested search query, such as provided via an “Omnibox” (see FIG.\",\n \"5).\",\n \"As another example, the user may also indicate a desire to access the network content by typing a URL associated with the content in a browser address bar.\",\n \"In response to the selection operation received at stage 404, the hidden browser instance containing the network content is merged into the active browser instance at stage 406.The network content thus becomes accessible to the user as soon as the merge occurs, without the need to request the content from a host server.\",\n \"At stage 408, the network content is reprimed (e.g., rendered again) in a hidden browser instance again.\",\n \"A new hidden browser instance may be established, or the same hidden instance that previously held the network content may be used for the new content.\",\n \"The network content may be requested again over the network, or it may be rendered again using previously requested data.\",\n \"In this manner, the network content is prepared for a new user interaction, such as a new search query or a new return to the web search home page.\",\n \"The network content may be reprimed after a particular length of time after the initial set of network content is used, for example, a search page may be reprimed 30 seconds after each search query.\",\n \"The network content may be reprimed based on other factors as well, such as immediately after use of the initial network content, based upon an access model derived from previous user navigation habits, based on a level of available system resources, or based on an indication from the server hosting for the network content.\",\n \"For example, the server may specify a particular “Time to Wait” or “Time to Live” before the network content is reprimed in order to manage the amount of network traffic flowing to the server from preload operations.\",\n \"The method 400 may end after the network content has been reprimed for use in another network access operation.\",\n \"The repriming operation may be performed in various manners, including copying the preloaded network content before merging the content into the active browser, or requesting a new copy of the network content from a host server.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5 is a screen capture of an example of a browser window 500 showing the use of a text entry field 402 for entering a search query or an address in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.\",\n \"The text entry field 502 shown may function as an “Omnibox”, allowing the user to type in a search query or a website URL.\",\n \"If the user enters a website URL, the browser may navigate to the URL.\",\n \"If the user does not enter a URL, the browser may present a list of search results associated with the entered text.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"6 is a screen capture of an example of a search page 600 in accordance with aspects of the disclosure.\",\n \"The search page 600 is made up of interface controls, images, and formatting data, such as the page header 602, and a set of search results 604.In pages configured to accept search queries via a search API, the search results 604 may be received separately from the rest of the page.\",\n \"This allows formatting data, scripts, logos, headers, style sheets, and the like, such as the page header 602, to be loaded independently from the search results 604.As such, page elements other than the search results may be rendered prior to the entry of a search query, allowing for immediate display of search results as they are received in response to a search query.\",\n \"Aspects of the disclosure may prerender these page elements in a hidden browser instance to facilitate instant display of search results.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7 is a flow diagram depicting an example of a method 700 for preloading a search page to improve access to search results in accordance with aspects of the invention.\",\n \"The method 700 provides for prerendering of a search engine page in a hidden browser instance.\",\n \"When a search query is provided, the query is passed to the prerendered search engine via a search API, and the prerendered search engine is merged into an active browser session.\",\n \"In this manner, search results are provided to the user as soon as the results are received from the search engine, with no delay while the search engine page loads.\",\n \"As described above, preloaded search pages may be primed to reduce access times to search results, with a new search page preloaded after the previous search page is used to perform a search query (see FIG.\",\n \"4).\",\n \"At stage 702, the search engine page is prerendered in a hidden browser instance.\",\n \"The search engine page may be prerendered in response to user input, or it may be prerendered when the browser is loaded.\",\n \"For example, the search engine page may be prerendered when a text entry field that accepts search queries receives focus, when the user enters at least one text character in the text entry field, or after at least one “spacebar” character is entered in the text entry field (to distinguish the text entry from a URL).\",\n \"The prerendering process of the search engine may include requesting any or all of page formatting instructions, images, logos, scripts, style sheets, or any other content that must be received in order to render the web page, aside from the search results responsive to the query.\",\n \"At stage 704, a search query is received.\",\n \"The search query may be received in response to the user entering text in the text field, or the query may be identified after the user performs a selection operation, such as pressing the “enter” key after entering text in the text field.\",\n \"The search query may also be identified via other methods, such as by detecting a “spacebar” character in a text entry field.\",\n \"In some aspects, the search query is only sent to the search engine after the “enter” key has been pressed and the text string is determined to not be a URL, in order to preserve user privacy (e.g., to avoid sending URLs typed by the user for navigation purposes to the server as search engine queries).\",\n \"At stage 706, the search query is passed to the prerendered search engine page.\",\n \"The search query may be communicated to the prerendered search page using a search API, where the query is sent via a scripting interface.\",\n \"For example, the query may be sent to the search engine via an AJAX interface on the search engine page.\",\n \"At stage 708, the prerendered search page is merged into the active browser instance to display the search results.\",\n \"Search results may thus be instantly presented to the user as they are received from the search engine server, as the other content of the search engine page has already been rendered.\",\n \"The stages of the illustrated methods are not intended to be limiting.\",\n \"The functionality of the methods can exist in a fewer or greater number of stages than what is shown and, even with the depicted methods, the particular order of events may be different from what is shown in the figures.\",\n \"The systems and methods described herein advantageously provide for faster display of search results.\",\n \"Since the non-search-result content of the search engine page is prerendered, delay associated with requesting, downloading, and rendering such content is eliminated.\",\n \"This allows display of search results as soon as the results are received from the search engine server.\",\n \"Display of search results in such a manner may save multiple seconds of delay during which the user would otherwise be idle while waiting for the page data to render.\",\n \"As these and other variations and combinations of the features discussed above can be utilized without departing from the disclosure as defined by the claims, the foregoing description of the embodiments should be taken by way of illustration rather than by way of limitation of the disclosure as defined by the claims.\",\n \"It will also be understood that the provision of examples of the disclosure (as well as clauses phrased as “such as,” “e.g.”, “including” and the like) should not be interpreted as limiting the disclosure to the specific examples; rather, the examples are intended to illustrate only some of many possible embodiments.\"\n ]\n]"},"source":{"kind":"string","value":"Patent_15874301"}}},{"rowIdx":4494565,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"list like","value":[["IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD","A setting circuit sets a quantization value per input image on the basis of a noise value of the whole input image, and a quantization circuit performs quantization on first image data to generate second image data.","Quantization value based on the noise value the whole input image can realize appropriate denoising depending on the noise level of the whole input image."],["1.An image processing method for denoising of an input image to generate an output image, the method comprising: transforming first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components; calculating a per-block noise value based on the first image data; setting a first quantization value per input image based on a noise value of the whole input image; quantizing the second image data based on the first quantization value to generate third image data with noise in the input image removed; and generating the output image base on the third image data."],[" BACKGROUND "],[" SUMMARY In some embodiments, an image processor performs denoising on an input image to generate an output image.","The image processor includes a transform circuit that transforms first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including multiple frequency components, a quantization circuit that performs quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, an arithmetic circuit that calculates a per-block activity evaluation value based on the first image data, and a quantization value setting circuit that sets a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block activity evaluation value.","In some embodiments, an image processor performs denoising on an input image to generate an output image.","The image processor includes a transform circuit that transforms first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including multiple frequency components, a quantization circuit that performs quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, a first arithmetic circuit that calculates a per-block noise value based on the first image data, and a quantization value setting circuit that sets a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block noise value.","These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings."],["CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation U.S. application Ser.","No.","15/388,959, filed on Dec. 22, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.","No.","14/636,794, filed on Mar.","3, 2015, which is now U.S. Pat.","No.","9,552,628, issued on Jan. 24, 2017, which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application Numbers 2014-049505, 2014-049506, and 2014-049507, each filed on Mar.","12, 2014.The disclosures of the applications referenced above are incorporated herein by reference herein in their entireties.","BACKGROUND Technical Field The present disclosure relates to image processors and image processing methods, and more particularly, to denoising devices and denoising methods for removing noise from an input image to generate an output image.","Related Art Denoising devices in general remove noise from image data of an input image in a spatial region by uniformly applying a spatial filter such as a lowpass filter to remove a high-frequency component on the whole image.","JPH9-233369A describes a denoising device that applies a median filter around boundaries in an input image while applying a mean filter to other portions.","SUMMARY In some embodiments, an image processor performs denoising on an input image to generate an output image.","The image processor includes a transform circuit that transforms first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including multiple frequency components, a quantization circuit that performs quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, an arithmetic circuit that calculates a per-block activity evaluation value based on the first image data, and a quantization value setting circuit that sets a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block activity evaluation value.","In some embodiments, an image processor performs denoising on an input image to generate an output image.","The image processor includes a transform circuit that transforms first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including multiple frequency components, a quantization circuit that performs quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, a first arithmetic circuit that calculates a per-block noise value based on the first image data, and a quantization value setting circuit that sets a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block noise value.","These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.","BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.","1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.","FIG.","2 is a flow chart illustrating the sequence of denoising by the image processor.","FIG.","3 is a diagram for illustrating setting of a quantization value by a setting circuit.","FIG.","4 is a diagram for illustrating setting of a scaling matrix by a setting circuit.","FIG.","5 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.","FIG.","6 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.","FIG.","7 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.","FIG.","8 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.","FIG.","9 is a diagram illustrating overlapping.","FIGS.","10A to 10C are diagrams for illustrating first setting of the quantization value.","FIG.","11 is a diagram for illustrating second setting of the quantization value.","FIG.","12 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processor to realize the second setting of the quantization value.","FIG.","13 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.","FIG.","14 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.","FIG.","15 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.","FIG.","16 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processor according to a first modification.","FIG.","17 is a flow chart illustrating the sequence of denoising by the image processor according to the first modification.","FIG.","18 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processor according to a second modification.","FIG.","19 is a flow chart illustrating the sequence of denoising by the image processor according to the second modification.","DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments.","It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.","In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically illustrated in order to simplify the drawing.","According to the above-described general denoising devices, applying a spatial filter only once to an input image produces only low denoising effect.","Applying a spatial filter multiple times would enhance denoising effect, but then there will be a decrease in resolution, which may cause boundaries to blur, making the whole image rather degraded in image quality.","Furthermore, applying a spatial filter multiple times results in prolonged processing time, and in increased circuit size with the need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values.","The present disclosure is directed to obtaining an image processor and an image processing method that realizes high denoising effect while avoiding image degradation and achieves reduction in processing time and circuit size.","An image processor according to an aspect of the present disclosure is configured to perform denoising on an input image to generate an output image.","The image processor includes a transform circuit configured to transform first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, a quantization circuit configured to perform quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, a first arithmetic circuit configured to calculate a per-block noise value based on the first image data, and a first quantization value setting circuit configured to set a first quantization value per input image for quantization based on a noise value of the whole input image.","In the image processor, the first quantization value setting circuit sets a first quantization value per input image based on a noise value of the whole input image, and the quantization circuit performs quantization on the second image data to generate third image data.","Quantization using the first quantization value based on the noise value of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level of the whole input image.","In consequence, high denoising effect is realized while image degradation is avoided.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","In this aspect, a first correction value setting circuit may set the first correction value per input image based on the second image data of the whole input image, and a correction circuit may perform correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data.","Correction per frequency component using the first correction value based on the second image data of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level per frequency component.","In this aspect, the first arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a pixel value of each pixel and a smoothing value of each pixel, and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in a block as per-block noise value.","Thus the first arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains the per-block noise value.","In this aspect, the first quantization value setting circuit may increase a first quantization value with increase in a noise value.","When the noise value of the whole input image is large, a large first quantization value achieves high denoising effect by quantization.","When the noise value of the whole input image is small, a small first quantization value avoids image degradation due to quantization.","In this aspect, a second quantization value setting circuit may set the per-block second quantization value for quantization based on the first quantization value and a per-block activity evaluation value.","The per-block second quantization value based on the first quantization value based on the noise value of the whole input image and the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate denoising on a per block basis depending on the noise level of the whole input image and the attribute of a block.","In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.","In this aspect, the second arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a block and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in the block to obtain a per-block activity evaluation value.","Thus the second arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains the per-block activity evaluation value.","In this aspect, the second quantization value setting circuit may set the second quantization value to a quantization value larger than the first quantization value for a block having a small activity evaluation value.","In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value where noise is noticeable, a large second quantization value achieves high denoising effect by quantization.","The second quantization value setting circuit may set the second quantization value to a quantization value smaller than the first quantization value for a block having a large activity evaluation value.","In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value, a small second quantization value prevents edge or texture portion from blurring due to quantization, and thus improves image quality.","In this aspect, the second quantization value setting circuit may set the per-block second quantization value for quantization based on the first quantization value and a per-block noise value.","The per-block second quantization value based on the first quantization value based on the noise value of the whole input image and the per-block noise value realizes appropriate denoising on a per block basis depending on the noise level of the whole input image and the per-block noise level.","In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.","In this aspect, the second quantization value setting circuit may increase the second quantization value with increase in a noise value with the first quantization value being an upper limit.","For a block having a large noise value, a large second quantization value achieves high denoising effect by quantization.","For a block having a small noise value, a small second quantization value avoids image degradation due to quantization.","Providing the upper limit at the first quantization value restricts the difference between the maximum and the minimum second quantization value to a certain range, eliminating or reducing “floppiness”, and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.","In this aspect, the first correction value setting circuit may set the first correction value to a transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in the ideal image including no noise.","Such first correction value realizes correction to bring the output image close to the ideal image, and thus improves image quality.","In this aspect, a second correction value setting circuit may set the per-block second correction value for correction based on the first correction value and the per-block activity evaluation value.","The per-macroblock second correction value based on the first correction value based on the second image data of the whole input image and the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate correction on a per block basis depending on the frequency component value of the whole input image and the attribute of a block.","In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.","In this aspect, the second correction value setting circuit may hold a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and perform masking on the first correction value using one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculated by the second arithmetic circuit to set the second correction value.","In consequence, the second correction value depending on the per-block activity evaluation value is obtained simply and appropriately from the first correction value.","In this aspect, the second correction value setting circuit may set the second correction value for a block having a small activity evaluation value to the first correction value for a low-frequency component, while setting the second correction value to substantially zero for middle- and high-frequency components.","In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value where noise is noticeable, masking to cut off middle- and high-frequency components achieves high denoising effect by correction.","The second correction value setting circuit may set the second correction value for a block having a large activity evaluation value to the first correction value for low-, middle-, and high-frequency components.","In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value, masking not to cut off any frequency component realizes correction to sharpen the edge or texture portion, and thus improves image quality.","The second correction value setting circuit may set the second correction value for a block having a medium activity evaluation value to the first correction value for low- and middle-frequency components while setting the second correction value to substantially zero for a high-frequency component.","In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, masking to cut off only a high-frequency component achieves moderate denoising effect by correction.","In this aspect, a determination circuit may determine whether denoising is to be performed on the basis of the noise value of the whole input image and the activity evaluation value of the whole input image.","Thus since denoising is performed on an input image that truly requires denoising while denoising on an input image that requires no denoising is avoided, power consumption is reduced.","In this aspect, the determination circuit may divide the noise value of the whole input image by the activity evaluation value of the whole input image to calculate a noise strength.","Then if the noise strength is lower than a predetermined threshold, denoising may be determined to be unnecessary, while if the noise strength is higher than or equal to the threshold, denoising may be determined to be necessary.","Such determination by the determination circuit achieves highly accurate identification of an input image that truly requires denoising.","In this aspect, the transform circuit and the quantization circuit may sequentially process a plurality of partially-overlapping blocks extracted from the input image.","Partially overlapping blocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.","For a portion of the output image where a plurality of blocks overlap each other, an optimal value obtained from the plurality of overlapping blocks may be output as image data of the portion of the image.","Output of optimal value (for example, average) obtained from a plurality of blocks for overlapping portion realizes high denoising effect while avoiding image degradation.","In this aspect, the transform circuit and the quantization circuit may sequentially process a plurality of partially-overlapping blocks extracted from the input image.","Partially overlapping blocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.","For a portion of the output image where a plurality of blocks overlap each other, output data in processing a current block may be used for input data of the portion of the image in processing a subsequent macroblock.","Denoising of the same portion of the image is performed practically multiple times in sequentially processing multiple blocks, achieving a shorter processing time, in comparison with in comparison with denoising by obtaining an optimal value from output values of multiple blocks overlap each other.","In this aspect, denoising may be individually performed on each color component.","Individual denoising for each color component of the input image achieves optimal denoising effect for each color component.","In this aspect, integrated denoising on a plurality of color components may be performed.","Integrated denoising on multiple color components achieves improved accuracy of noise detection.","Furthermore, since variation in denoising effect among color components is eliminated or reduced, image quality is improved.","An image processing method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is an image processing method for denoising of an input image to generate an output image.","The method includes transforming first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, performing quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, calculating a per-block noise value based on the first image data, and setting a first quantization value per input image for quantization based on a noise value of the whole input image.","In the method, a first quantization value per input image is set on the basis of the noise value of the whole input image, and quantization is performed on second image data to generate third image data.","Quantization using the first quantization value based on the noise value of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level of the whole input image.","In consequence, high denoising effect is realized while image degradation is avoided.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","An image processor according to another aspect of the present disclosure is configured to perform denoising on an input image to generate an output image.","The image processor includes a transform circuit configured to transform first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, a quantization circuit configured to perform quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, an arithmetic circuit configured to calculate a per-block activity evaluation value based on the first image data, and a quantization value setting circuit configured to set a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block activity evaluation value.","In the image processor, the quantization value setting circuit sets a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block activity evaluation value.","The per-block quantization value based on the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate denoising on a per block basis depending on the attribute of a block.","In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","In this aspect, a correction value setting circuit may set a per-block correction value for correction based on the per-block activity evaluation value.","The per-block correction value based on the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate correction on a per block basis depending on the attribute of a block.","In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.","In this aspect, the arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a block and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in the block to obtain a per-block activity evaluation value.","Thus the arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains the per-block activity evaluation value.","In this aspect, the quantization value setting circuit may set a quantization value of a block having a small activity evaluation value to a large value.","In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value where noise is noticeable, a large quantization value achieves high denoising effect by quantization.","The quantization value setting circuit may set a quantization value of a block having a large activity evaluation value to a small value.","In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value, a small quantization value prevents edge or texture portion from blurring due to quantization, and thus improves image quality.","The quantization value setting circuit may set a quantization value of a block having a medium activity evaluation value to a medium value.","In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, a medium quantization value avoids excessive or insufficient denoising effect on the image portion.","An image processor according to another aspect of the present disclosure is configured to perform denoising on an input image to generate an output image.","The image processor includes a transform circuit configured to transform first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, a quantization circuit configured to perform quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, a first arithmetic circuit configured to calculate a per-block noise value based on the first image data, and a quantization value setting circuit configured to set a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block noise value.","In the image processor, the quantization value setting circuit sets a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block noise value.","The per-block quantization value based on the per-block noise value realizes appropriate denoising on a per block basis depending on the noise level per block.","In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","In this aspect, a correction value setting circuit may set a per-block correction value for correction based on the per-block activity evaluation value.","The per-block correction value based on the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate correction on a per block basis depending on the attribute of a block.","In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.","In this aspect, the first arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a pixel value of each pixel and a smoothing value of each pixel, and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in a block as per-block noise value.","Thus the first arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains the per-block noise value.","In this aspect, the quantization value setting circuit may increase the quantization value with increase in a noise value.","For a block having a large noise value, a large quantization value achieves high denoising effect by quantization.","For a block having a small noise value, a small quantization value avoids image degradation due to quantization.","In this aspect, the second arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a block and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in the block to obtain a per-block activity evaluation value.","Thus the second arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains the per-block activity evaluation value.","In this aspect, the correction value setting circuit may hold a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and set the correction value to a multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculate by the second arithmetic circuit.","In consequence the correction value depending on the per-block activity evaluation value is obtained simply and appropriately.","In this aspect, the correction value setting circuit may set the correction value for a block having a small activity evaluation value to one time for a low-frequency component and to substantially zero time for middle- and high-frequency components.","In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value where noise is noticeable, masking to cut off middle- and high-frequency components achieves high denoising effect by correction.","The correction value setting circuit may set the correction value for a block having a large activity evaluation value to one time for low-, middle-, and high-frequency components.","In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value, masking not to cut off any frequency component realizes correction to sharpen the edge or texture portion, and thus improves image quality.","The correction value setting circuit may set the correction value for a block having a medium activity evaluation value to one time for low- and middle-frequency components and to substantially zero time for a high-frequency component.","In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, masking to cut off only a high-frequency component achieves moderate denoising effect by correction.","In this aspect, the determination circuit may determine whether denoising is to be performed on the basis of the noise value of the whole input image and the activity evaluation value of the whole input image.","Thus since denoising is performed on an input image that truly requires denoising while denoising on an input image that requires no denoising is avoided, power consumption is reduced.","In this aspect, the determination circuit may divide the noise value of the whole input image by the activity evaluation value of the whole input image to calculate a noise strength.","Then if the noise strength is lower than a predetermined threshold, denoising may be determined to be unnecessary, while if the noise strength is higher than or equal to the threshold, denoising may be determined to be necessary.","Such determination by the determination circuit achieves highly accurate identification of an input image that truly requires denoising.","In this aspect, the transform circuit and the quantization circuit may sequentially process a plurality of partially-overlapping blocks extracted from the input image.","Partially overlapping blocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.","For a portion of the output image where a plurality of blocks overlap each other, an optimal value obtained from the plurality of overlapping blocks may be output as image data of the portion of the image.","Output of optimal value (for example, average) obtained from a plurality of blocks for overlapping portion realizes high denoising effect while avoiding image degradation.","In this aspect, the transform circuit and the quantization circuit may sequentially process a plurality of partially-overlapping blocks extracted from the input image.","Partially overlapping blocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.","For a portion of the output image where a plurality of blocks overlap each other, output data in processing a current block may be used for input data of the portion of the image in processing a subsequent macroblock.","Denoising of the same portion of the image is performed practically multiple times in sequentially processing multiple blocks, achieving a shorter processing time, in comparison with in comparison with denoising by obtaining an optimal value from output values of multiple blocks overlap each other.","In this aspect, denoising may be individually performed on each color component.","Individual denoising for each color component of the input image achieves optimal denoising effect for each color component.","In this aspect, integrated denoising on a plurality of color components may be performed.","Integrated denoising on multiple color components achieves improved accuracy of noise detection.","Furthermore, since variation in denoising effect among color components is eliminated or reduced, image quality is improved.","An image processing method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is an image processing method for denoising of an input image to generate an output image.","The method includes transforming first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, performing quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, calculating a per-block activity evaluation value based on the first image data, and setting a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block activity evaluation value.","In the method, a per-block quantization value for quantization is set on the basis of a per-block activity evaluation value.","The per-block quantization value based on the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate denoising on a per block basis depending on the attribute of a block.","In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","An image processing method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is an image processing method for denoising of an input image to generate an output image.","The method includes transforming first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, performing quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, calculating a per-block noise value based on the first image data, and setting a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block noise value.","In the method, a per-block quantization value for quantization may be set on the basis of the per-block noise value.","The per-block quantization value based on the per-block noise value realizes appropriate denoising on a per block basis depending on the noise level per block.","In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","An image processor according to another aspect of the present disclosure is configured to perform denoising on an input image to output an output image.","The image processor includes a transform circuit configured to transform first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, a quantization circuit configured to perform quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, a correction circuit configured to perform correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data, and a first correction value setting circuit configured to set a first correction value per input image for correction based on the second image data of the whole input image.","The first correction value setting circuit is configured to set the first correction value to a transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in an ideal image including no noise.","In the image processor, the first correction value setting circuit may set the first correction value per input image based on the second image data of the whole input image, and the correction circuit may perform correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data.","Correction per frequency component using the first correction value based on the second image data of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level per frequency component.","In consequence, high denoising effect is realized while image degradation is avoided.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","The first correction value setting circuit may set the first correction value to the transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in the ideal image including no noise.","Such first correction value realizes correction to bring the output image close to the ideal image, and thus improves image quality.","In this aspect, the second correction value setting circuit may set the per-block second correction value for correction based on the first correction value and the per-block activity evaluation value.","The per-macroblock second correction value based on the first correction value based on the second image data of the whole input image and the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate correction on a per block basis depending on the frequency component value of the whole input image and the attribute of a block.","In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.","In this aspect, the second correction value setting circuit may hold a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and perform masking on the first correction value using one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculated by the arithmetic circuit to set the second correction value.","In consequence, the second correction value depending on the per-block activity evaluation value is obtained simply and appropriately from the first correction value.","In this aspect, the second correction value setting circuit may set the second correction value for a block having a small activity evaluation value to the first correction value for a low-frequency component, while setting the second correction value to substantially zero for middle- and high-frequency components.","In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value where noise is noticeable, masking to cut off middle- and high-frequency components achieves high denoising effect by correction.","The second correction value setting circuit may set the second correction value for a block having a large activity evaluation value to the first correction value for low-, middle-, and high-frequency components.","In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value, masking not to cut off any frequency component realizes correction to sharpen the edge or texture portion, and thus improves image quality.","The second correction value setting circuit may set the second correction value for a block having a medium activity evaluation value to the first correction value for low- and middle-frequency components while setting the second correction value to substantially zero for a high-frequency component.","In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, masking to cut off only a high-frequency component achieves moderate denoising effect by correction.","In this aspect, the arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a block and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in the block to obtain a per-block activity evaluation value.","Thus the arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains the per-block activity evaluation value.","An image processor according to another aspect of the present disclosure is configured to perform denoising on an input image to generate an output image.","The image processor includes a transform circuit configured to transform first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, a quantization circuit configured to perform quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, a correction circuit configured to perform correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data, an arithmetic circuit configured to calculate a per-block activity evaluation value based on the first image data, and a correction value setting circuit configured to set a per-block correction value for correction based on the per-block activity evaluation value.","The correction value setting circuit is configured to hold a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and set the correction value to a multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculated by the arithmetic circuit.","In this aspect, the correction value setting circuit sets a per-block correction value for correction based on the per-block activity evaluation value.","The per-block correction value based on the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate correction on a per block basis depending on the attribute of a block.","In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","The correction value setting circuit holds a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and sets the correction value to a multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculated by the arithmetic circuit.","In consequence the correction value depending on the per-block activity evaluation value is obtained simply and appropriately.","In this aspect, the correction value setting circuit may set the correction value for a block having a small activity evaluation value to one time for a low-frequency component and to substantially zero time for middle- and high-frequency components.","In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value where noise is noticeable, masking to cut off middle- and high-frequency components achieves high denoising effect by correction.","The correction value setting circuit may set the correction value for a block having a large activity evaluation value to one time for low-, middle-, and high-frequency components.","In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value, masking not to cut off any frequency component realizes correction to sharpen the edge or texture portion, and thus improves image quality.","The correction value setting circuit may set the correction value for a block having a medium activity evaluation value to one time for low- and middle-frequency components and to substantially zero time for a high-frequency component.","In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, masking to cut off only a high-frequency component achieves moderate denoising effect by correction.","In this aspect, the arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a block and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in the block to obtain a per-block activity evaluation value.","Thus the arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains per-block activity evaluation value.","In this aspect, the determination circuit may determine whether denoising is to be performed on the basis of the noise value of the whole input image and the activity evaluation value of the whole input image.","Thus since denoising is performed on an input image that truly requires denoising while denoising on an input image that requires no denoising is avoided, power consumption is reduced.","In this aspect, the determination circuit may divide the noise value of the whole input image by the activity evaluation value of the whole input image to calculate a noise strength.","Then if the noise strength is lower than a predetermined threshold, denoising may be determined to be unnecessary, while if the noise strength is higher than or equal to the threshold, denoising may be determined to be necessary.","Such determination by the determination circuit achieves highly accurate identification of an input image that truly requires denoising.","In this aspect, the transform circuit, the quantization circuit, and the correction circuit may sequentially process a plurality of partially-overlapping blocks extracted from the input image.","Partially overlapping blocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.","For a portion of the output image where a plurality of blocks overlap each other, an optimal value obtained from the plurality of overlapping blocks may be output as image data of the portion of the image.","Output of optimal value (for example, average) obtained from a plurality of blocks for overlapping portion realizes high denoising effect while avoiding image degradation.","In this aspect, the transform circuit, the quantization circuit, and the correction circuit may sequentially process a plurality of partially-overlapping blocks extracted from the input image.","Partially overlapping blocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.","For a portion of the output image where a plurality of blocks overlap each other, output data in processing a current block may be used for input data of the portion of the image in processing a subsequent macroblock.","Denoising of the same portion of the image is performed practically multiple times in sequentially processing multiple blocks, achieving a shorter processing time, in comparison with in comparison with denoising by obtaining an optimal value from output values of multiple blocks overlap each other.","In this aspect, denoising may be individually performed on each color component.","Individual denoising for each color component of the input image achieves optimal denoising effect for each color component.","In this aspect, integrated denoising on a plurality of color components may be performed.","Integrated denoising on multiple color components achieves improved accuracy of noise detection.","Furthermore, since variation in denoising effect among color components is eliminated or reduced, image quality is improved.","An image processing method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is an image processing method for denoising of an input image to output an output image.","The method includes transforming first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, performing quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, performing correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data, and setting a first correction value per input image for correction based on the second image data of the whole input image.","The setting of the first correction value includes setting the first correction value to a transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in an ideal image including no noise.","In the image processing method, the setting of the first correction value includes setting the first correction value per input image based on the second image data of the whole input image, and the performing correction on the third image data includes performing correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data.","Correction per frequency component using the first correction value based on the second image data of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level per frequency component.","In consequence, high denoising effect is realized while image degradation is avoided.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","The setting of the first correction value further includes setting the first correction value to a transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in an ideal image including no noise.","Such first correction value realizes correction to bring the output image close to the ideal image, and thus improves image quality.","An image processing method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is an image processing method for denoising of an input image to generate an output image.","The method includes transforming first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, performing quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, performing correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data, calculating a per-block activity evaluation value based on the first image data, and setting a per-block correction value for correction based on the per-block activity evaluation value.","The setting of the correction value includes holding a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and setting the correction value to a multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculate in the calculating of the per-block activity evaluation value.","The image processing method includes setting a per-block correction value for correction based on the per-block activity evaluation value.","The per-block correction value based on the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate correction on a per block basis depending on the attribute of a block.","In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","The method includes holding a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and setting the correction value to a multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculate in the calculating of the per-block activity evaluation value.","In consequence the correction value depending on the per-block activity evaluation value is obtained simply and appropriately.","Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an image processor and an image processing method that realize high denoising effect while avoiding image degradation and achieve reduction in processing time and circuit size.","DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below referring to the drawings.","It should be noted that identical reference numerals throughout the drawings indicate identical or equivalent elements.","FIG.","1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processor 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.","The image processor 1 receives an input image including R, Gr, Gb, and B color components in Bayer array sorted by color components.","The image processor 1 performs denoising individually on the input image of each color component, so as to generate and output an output image.","Color components of the input image are not limited to R, Gr, Gb, and B but may be R, G, and, B, Y, U, and V, or the like.","FIG.","1 illustrates a relation of connection of the image processor 1 including a transform circuit 11, a quantization circuit 12, a correction circuit 13, an inverse quantization circuit 14, an inverse transform circuit 15, a selector 16, a setting circuit 17, a filter circuit 18, arithmetic circuits 19 and 20, and setting circuits 21 to 24.The transform circuit 11 transforms image data D1 of a spatial region extracted from an input image in a unit of a predetermined block (in this example, macroblock by macroblock, each macroblock having 8 rows×8 columns) into image data D2 of a frequency region including multiple frequency components by DCT transform.","The block size is not limited to 8 rows×8 columns but may be, for example, 16 rows×16 columns.","With a bigger block size, the circuit size increases, but the image quality is improved with finer control over frequency components.","The quantization circuit 12 performs quantization on image data D2 to generate image data D3.The correction circuit 13 performs correction per frequency component on the image data D3 to generate image data D4.The inverse quantization circuit 14 performs inverse quantization on the image data D4 to generate image data D5.The inverse transform circuit 15 transforms the image data D5 of a frequency region into image data D6 of a spatial region by inverse DCT transform.","The selector 16 selects and outputs the image data D1 or the image data D6.A CPU 2 determines whether denoising is to be performed, on the basis of a noise value of the whole input image NOISE(PIC) and an activity evaluation value of the whole input image ACT(PIC).","A result of the determination is configured in the setting circuit 17.The setting circuit 17 causes the selector 16 to select the image data D6 if denoising is necessary, while causing the selector 16 to select the image data D1 if denoising is unnecessary.","The filter circuit 18 is an arbitrary smoothing filter (in this example, the Gaussian filter having 3 rows×3 columns), which calculates a weighted mean GAUS (i, j) of each pixel, on the basis of a pixel value of each pixel and pixel values of multiple adjacent pixels (eight pixels for 3 rows×3 columns).","The arithmetic circuit 19 calculates a per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB), on the basis of the image data D1 and the image data D1 processed by the filter circuit 18 with a weighted mean.","The arithmetic circuit 19 also calculates an average of noise values NOISE(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image which serves as a noise value NOISE(PIC).","The noise value NOISE(PIC) may be calculated by inputting a sum of the noise values NOISE(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image from the arithmetic circuit 19 to the CPU 2 and dividing the sum by the number of macroblocks in the CPU 2.The arithmetic circuit 20 calculates a per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB), on the basis of the image data D1 processed by the filter circuit 18 with a weighted mean.","The arithmetic circuit 20 also calculates an average of activity evaluation values ACT(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image which serves as an activity evaluation value ACT(PIC).","The activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) may be calculated by inputting a sum of the activity evaluation values ACT(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image from the arithmetic circuit 20 to the CPU 2 and dividing the sum by the number of macroblocks in the CPU 2.The setting circuit 21 sets a quantization value QP(PIC) per input image for quantization by the quantization circuit 12, on the basis of the noise value NOISE(PIC).","The setting circuit 22 sets a per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) for quantization by the quantization circuit 12, on the basis of an internal parameter of the image processor 1 (for example, the quantization value QP(PIC), the activity evaluation value ACT(MB), and the noise value NOISE(MB)).","The setting circuit 23 sets a scaling matrix SM(PIC) that contains a correction value per input image for correction by the correction circuit 13, on the basis of the image data D2 of the whole input image.","The setting circuit 24 sets a scaling matrix SM(MB) that contains a per-macroblock correction value for correction by the correction circuit 13, on the basis of an internal parameter of the image processor 1 (for example, the scaling matrix SM(PIC), the activity evaluation value ACT(MB), the noise value NOISE(PIC), and the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC)).","FIG.","2 is a flow chart illustrating the sequence of denoising by the image processor 1.Firstly in Step P101, the setting circuit 17 sets the selector 16, in accordance with determination by the CPU 2 as to whether denoising is to be performed.","If denoising is unnecessary, processing ends.","If denoising is necessary, in Step P102, the setting circuit 21 sets the quantization value QP(PIC).","In Step P103, the setting circuit 23 set the scaling matrix SM(PIC).","In Steps P104 to P110, per-macroblock denoising is repeated for all macroblocks in the input image.","In Step P104, the arithmetic circuit 20 calculates the activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","In Step P105, the setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB).","The setting circuit 24 also sets the scaling matrix SM(MB).","In Step P106, the transform circuit 11 transforms the image data D1 into the image data D2.In Step P107, the quantization circuit 12 performs quantization using the quantization value QP(MB) on the image data D2 to generate the image data D3.In Step P108, the correction circuit 13 performs correction using the scaling matrix SM(MB) on the image data D3 to generate the image data D4.In Step P109, the inverse quantization circuit 14 performs inverse quantization on the image data D4 to generate the image data D5.In Step P110, the inverse transform circuit 15 transforms the image data D5 into the image data D6 by inverse DCT transform.","Processing ends with completion of per-macroblock denoising for all macroblocks in the input image.","Description is given of details of processing by each processing unit illustrated in FIG.","1. The filter circuit 18 calculates a weighted mean GAUS (i, j) of each pixel given by Equation 1, where CURR (i, j) is a pixel value of each pixel in a macroblock: Equation 1 GAUS ( i , j ) = CURR ( i , j ) * [ 1 2 1 2 4 2 1 2 1 ] // 16 ( 1 ) The arithmetic circuit 19 calculates a sum of absolute difference between the pixel value CURR (i, j) of each pixel and the weighted mean GAUS (i, j) of each pixel given by Equation 2.Then the arithmetic circuit 19 calculates an average of the sum of absolute difference in the macroblock given by Equation 3, which serves as the per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB).","Equation 2 diff_ 8 × 8 blk = ∑ j - 0 7 ∑ i - 0 7 CURR ( i , j ) - GAUS ( i , j ) ( 2 ) Equation 3 NOISE ( MB ) = diff_ 8 × 8 blk // 64 ( 3 ) FIG.","3 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the quantization value QP(PIC) by the setting circuit 21.The arithmetic circuit 19 calculates an average of noise values NOISE(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image, which serves as the noise value NOISE(PIC).","The setting circuit 21 holds a look-up table containing an optimal quantization value QP(PIC) for each noise value NOISE(PIC).","The setting circuit 21 normalizes the look-up table in the distribution range of the weighted means GAUS (i, j) in the histogram of the weighted means GAUS (i, j) and the number of pixels.","Then the setting circuit 21 uses the normalized look-up table to set the quantization value QP(PIC) of the input image to the quantization value corresponding to the noise value NOISE(PIC).","As illustrated in FIG.","3, the setting circuit 21 increases the quantization value QP(PIC) with increase in the noise value NOISE(PIC)."," FIGS.","4 to 8 are diagrams for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix SM(PIC) by the setting circuit 23.The setting circuit 23 firstly obtains the quantization value QP(PIC) in the same method as the setting circuit 21.The setting circuit 23 then acquires image data D3 on which DCT transform and quantization with the quantization value QP(PIC) have been performed, for all macroblocks in the input image.","Absolute values of frequency component values of all macroblocks are accumulated for each frequency component in the image data D3 to obtain a sum of absolute difference K1 of each frequency component value of the input image.","An example of the sum of absolute difference K1 is illustrated in FIG.","4.The frequency component value at the top-left corner as oriented in the figure corresponds to a DC component, and the frequency component value at the bottom-right corner corresponds to a component having the highest frequency.","The setting circuit 23 acquires the image data D2 on which DCT transform has been performed, for all macroblocks in an ideal image prepared in advance.","The ideal image is an image that includes no noise in which a subject is shot in the same composition as the input image.","For example, when the image processor 1 is used for a security camera, the input image is an image with much noise shot under low illumination such as at nighttime, while the ideal image is an image with little noise shot under high illumination such as at daytime.","The setting circuit 23 accumulates absolute values of frequency component values of all macroblocks for each frequency component in the image data D2 to obtain a sum of absolute difference K2 of each frequency component value of the ideal image.","An example of the sum of absolute difference K2 is illustrated in FIG.","5.The setting circuit 23 then normalizes each frequency component value of the sum of absolute difference K2 to have the frequency component value of the DC component of the sum of absolute difference K2 equal to that of the sum of absolute difference K1, so as to produce a normalized sum of absolute difference K3.An example of the sum of absolute difference K3 is illustrated in FIG.","6.The setting circuit 23 then calculates a transform value (multiplier) for transforming the sum of absolute difference K1 of each frequency component value so that each frequency component value of the sum of absolute difference K1 equals to (or approaches) each frequency component value of the sum of absolute difference K3.In other words, the setting circuit 23 sets the correction value to the transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio of each frequency component value to the DC component in the input image equals to that in the ideal image.","The setting circuit 23 then employs predetermined coefficients for substituting for the multipliers of the frequency components to produce the scaling matrix SM(PIC).","An example of the scaling matrix SM(PIC) is illustrated in FIG.","7.An example of a correspondence between coefficients and multipliers is illustrated in FIG.","8.In the scaling matrix SM(PIC), the coefficient “16” corresponds to the multiplier “1” (that is, passed through) and the coefficient “255” corresponds to the smallest multiplier being substantially zero (that is, cut off).","If the ideal image is not available, the coefficient “16” is employed for all frequency components, so as to produce the scaling matrix SM(PIC) that causes the correction circuit 13 to practically serve as a through filter.","Alternatively, the scaling matrix SM(PIC) for general-purpose use may be prepared in advance, and such scaling matrix SM(PIC) may be used if the ideal image is not available."," In the image processor 1, overlapping of macroblocks is performed on a macroblock having 8 rows×8 columns with a subsequent macroblock extracted from a position shifted by four pixels serving as the image data D1.The number of pixels for the shift is not limited to four, but may be an arbitrary number.","With a shift by fewer pixels, processing time elongates, but the image quality is improved.","FIG.","9 is a diagram illustrating overlapping.","FIG.","9 illustrates the input image having 16 rows×16 columns to facilitate the description.","Firstly a macroblock MB1 is extracted, starting from the top-left corner, as oriented in the figure, of the input image.","Then a macroblock MB2 is extracted, from the position shifted row-wise by four pixels from the macroblock MB1.Then a macroblock MB3 is extracted from the position shifted row-wise by four pixels from the macroblock MB2.Then a macroblock MB4 is extracted from the position shifted column-wise by four pixels from the macroblock MB1.From then on, macroblocks MB5 to MB9 are similarly extracted in sequence.","Thus the transform circuit 11, the quantization circuit 12, the correction circuit 13, the inverse quantization circuit 14, and the inverse transform circuit 15 sequentially process partially-overlapping multiple macroblocks MB1 to MB9 extracted from the input image.","For a portion of the output image where multiple macroblocks overlap each other, an optimal value (in this example, an average) obtained from the overlapping multiple macroblocks is output as image data of this portion.","For example, four macroblocks MB1, MB2, MB4, and MB5 overlap each other in the portion having 4 rows×4 columns of the image colored gray in FIG.","9, and thus image data D6 is obtained for each of these four macroblocks.","Thus the image data D6 of this portion of these four macroblocks are added together, and the value obtained by the addition is divided by four, which is the number of macroblocks overlapping each other, so that an average of the image data D6 of the multiple macroblocks overlapping each other is calculated.","Then the average is output from the image processor 1 as the image data D6 of this portion of the image.","As a first modification of overlapping, the above optimal value may be, instead of the above average, an output value (image data D6) of a macroblock having the smallest noise value NOISE(MB) among multiple macroblocks overlapping each other.","As a second modification of overlapping, for a portion of the image where multiple macroblocks overlap each other, an output value of this portion of the image obtained in processing a current macroblock may be used for an input value of this portion of the image for processing a subsequent macroblock.","For example, regarding the portion having 4 rows×4 columns of the image colored gray in FIG.","9, an output value (image data D6) obtained in processing the macroblock MB1 is used for an input value (image data D1) for processing the macroblock MB2, an output value obtained in processing the macroblock MB2 is used for an input value for processing the macroblock MB4, and an output value obtained in processing the macroblock MB4 is used for an input value for processing the macroblock MB5.In this method, denoising of the same portion of the image is performed practically multiple times in sequentially processing multiple macroblocks, achieving a shorter processing time, in comparison with denoising by obtaining an average of multiple output values."," The arithmetic circuit 20 calculates an average AVE_BLK of weighted means in a macroblock given by Equation 4.Then the arithmetic circuit 20 calculates a sum of absolute difference between the weighted mean GAUS (i, j) of each pixel and the average AVE_BLK in the macroblock given by Equation 5.Then the arithmetic circuit 20 calculates an average of the sum of absolute difference in the macroblock given by Equation 6, which serves as the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","Equation 4 AVE_BLK = ( ∑ j = 0 7 ∑ i = 0 7 GAUS ( i , j ) ) // 64 ( 4 ) Equation 5 vari_ 8 × 8 blk = ∑ j = 0 7 ∑ i = 0 7 GAUS ( i , j ) - AVE_BLK ( 5 ) Equation 6 ACT ( MB ) = vari_ 8 × 8 blk // 64 ( 6 ) FIGS.","10A to 10C are diagrams for illustrating first setting of the quantization value QP(MB) by the setting circuit 22.The setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) on the basis of the quantization value QP(PIC) and the activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","The setting circuit 22 holds a look-up table containing an optimal quantization value QP(MB) for each activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","As illustrated in FIGS.","10A and 10B, the setting circuit 22 normalizes the look-up table in a distribution range of the activity evaluation value ACT(MB), in the histogram of the activity evaluation value ACT(MB) and the number of macroblocks.","As illustrated in FIG.","10B, according to the look-up table, the quantization value QP(MB) decreases with increase in the activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","As illustrated in FIG.","10C, the setting circuit 22 sets an upper-limit quantization value QPH to a value larger than the quantization value QP(PIC) by ΔH and a lower-limit quantization value QPL to a value smaller than the quantization value QP(PIC) by ΔL.","Then the setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock whose quantization value QP(MB) in FIG.","10B exceeds the upper-limit quantization value QPH, which is a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (smaller than value A1), to the upper-limit quantization value QPH.","The quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock whose quantization value QP(MB) in FIG.","10B is smaller than or equal to the upper-limit quantization value QPH and larger than or equal to the lower-limit quantization value QPL, which is a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (larger than or equal to value A1 and smaller than or equal to value A2), is set to the quantization value QP(MB) in FIG.","10B without change.","The quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock whose quantization value QP(MB) in FIG.","10B is smaller than the lower-limit quantization value QPL, which is a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (larger than value A2), is set to the lower-limit quantization value QPL."," FIG.","11 is a diagram for illustrating second setting of the quantization value QP(MB) by the setting circuit 22.The setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) on the basis of the quantization value QP(PIC) and the noise value NOISE(MB).","The setting circuit 22 calculates the quantization value QP(MB) given by Equation 7 on the basis of the noise value NOISE(MB).","As illustrated in FIG.","11, the setting circuit 22 increases the quantization value QP(MB) with increase in the noise value NOISE(MB).","Equation 7 QP(MB)=gain*(6*log 2(NOISE(MB)))+offset (7) The setting circuit 22 uses the quantization value QP(PIC) for the upper limit of the quantization value QP(MB), so that if the quantization value QP(MB) given by Equation 7 exceeds the quantization value QP(PIC), the quantization value QP(MB) is set to the quantization value QP(PIC).","FIG.","12 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processor 1 to realize the second setting of the quantization value QP(MB).","The noise value NOISE(MB) is input from the arithmetic circuit 19 to the setting circuit 22.The quantization value QP(PIC) can be calculated by replacing the noise value NOISE(MB) in Equation 7 by noise value NOISE(PIC).","Thus the setting circuit 21 may set the quantization value QP(PIC) using an operation in accordance with Equation 7, instead of the look-up table illustrated in FIG.","3. FIGS.","13 to 15 are diagrams for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix SM(MB) by the setting circuit 24.The setting circuit 24 sets the scaling matrix SM(MB) on the basis of the scaling matrix SM(PIC) and the activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","Referring to FIG.","13, the setting circuit 24 performs masking on the scaling matrix SM(PIC) with a low-level mask ML for a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (smaller than value A1).","The mask ML has a mask value for passing through a low-frequency component with a multiplier “1” and cutting off middle- and high-frequency components with a multiplier being substantially zero.","Thus the correction value of the scaling matrix SM(MB) for low-frequency components is set to that of the scaling matrix SM(PIC) and the correction value of the scaling matrix SM(MB) for middle- and high-frequency components is set to substantially zero.","Referring to FIG.","14, the setting circuit 24 performs masking on the scaling matrix SM(PIC) with a middle-level mask MM for a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (larger than or equal to value A1 and smaller than or equal to value A2).","The mask MM has a masking value for passing through low- and middle-frequency components with a multiplier “1” and cutting off a high-frequency component with a multiplier being substantially zero.","Thus the correction value of the scaling matrix SM(MB) for low- and middle-frequency components is set to that of the scaling matrix SM(PIC) and the correction value of the scaling matrix SM(MB) for a high-frequency component is set to substantially zero.","Referring to FIG.","15, the setting circuit 24 performs masking on the scaling matrix SM(PIC) with a high-level mask MH for a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (larger than value A2).","The mask MH has a mask value for passing through low-, middle-, and high-frequency components with a multiplier “1”.","Thus the correction value of the scaling matrix SM(MB) for all low-, middle-, and high-frequency components is set to that of the scaling matrix SM(PIC).","Masking of three scales with three masks ML, MM, and MH is described above as an example, while masking of four or more scales (for example, eight scales) may be possible by preparing four or more masks depending on a variable such as the activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","Furthermore, the multiplier of each of the masks ML, MM, and MH illustrated in FIGS.","13 to 15 is only a non-limiting example.","The multiplier of each of the masks ML, MM, and MH can be set to an arbitrary value depending on, for example, an amount of noise."," The arithmetic circuit 19 calculates an average of the noise values NOISE(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image which serves as the noise value NOISE(PIC), and inputs the noise value NOISE(PIC) to the CPU 2.The arithmetic circuit 20 also calculates an average of the activity evaluation values ACT(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image which serves as the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC), and inputs the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) to the CPU 2.The CPU 2 determines whether denoising is to be performed for each input image, on the basis of the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image and the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) of the whole input image.","The CPU 2 divides the noise value NOISE(PIC) by the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) (NOISE(PIC)/ACT(PIC)) to calculate a noise strength.","Then if the noise strength is lower than a predetermined threshold (for example, “1”), denoising is determined to be unnecessary, while if the noise strength is higher than or equal to the threshold, denoising is determined to be necessary.","Thus controlling ON/OFF of denoising in a unit of a picture achieves reduction in power consumption.","If delay time in processing is not a problem, for example, when the input image is a still picture, the CPU 2 can calculate the noise value NOISE(PIC) and the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) of the input image itself, and on the basis of them, determine whether denoising is to be performed.","In contrast, if delay time in processing is a problem, for example, when the input image is a moving picture, the CPU 2 can determine whether denoising is to be performed on a current input image, on the basis of the noise value NOISE(PIC) and the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) of an immediately preceding input image (i.e., image of one frame before)."," In the above embodiment, the quantization value is set on the basis of both the quantization value QP(PIC) and the quantization value QP(MB), and the correction value is set on the basis of both the scaling matrix SM(PIC) and the scaling matrix SM(MB), but the quantization value may be set on the basis of the quantization value QP(PIC) only, and the correction value may be set on the basis of the scaling matrix SM(PIC) only.","FIG.","16 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processor 1 according to the present modification.","The setting circuits 22 and 24 are omitted from the configuration illustrated in FIG.","1.FIG.","17 is a flow chart illustrating the sequence of denoising by the image processor 1 according to the present modification.","Firstly in Step P201, the setting circuit sets the selector 16, in accordance with determination by the CPU 2 as to whether denoising is to be performed.","If denoising is unnecessary, processing ends.","If denoising is necessary, in Step P202, the setting circuit 21 sets the quantization value QP(PIC).","In Step P203, the setting circuit 23 sets the scaling matrix SM(PIC).","In Steps P204 to P208, per-macroblock denoising is repeated for all macroblocks in the input image.","In Step P204, the transform circuit 11 transforms the image data D into the image data D2.In Step P205, the quantization circuit 12 performs quantization using the quantization value QP(PIC) on the image data D2 to generate the image data D3.In Step P206, the correction circuit 13 performs correction using the scaling matrix SM(PIC) on the image data D3 to generate the image data D4.In Step P207, the inverse quantization circuit 14 performs inverse quantization on the image data D4 to generate the image data D5.In Step P208, the inverse transform circuit 15 transforms the image data D5 into the image data D6 by inverse DCT transform.","Processing ends with completion of per-macroblock denoising for all macroblocks in the input image."," In the above embodiment, the quantization value is set on the basis of both the quantization value QP(PIC) and the quantization value QP(MB), and the correction value is set on the basis of both the scaling matrix SM(PIC) and the scaling matrix SM(MB), but the quantization value may be set on the basis of the quantization value QP(MB) only, and the correction value may be set on the basis of the scaling matrix SM(MB) only.","FIG.","18 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processor 1 according to the present modification.","The setting circuits 21 and 23 are omitted from the configuration illustrated in FIG.","1.FIG.","19 is a flow chart illustrating the sequence of denoising by the image processor 1 according to the present modification.","Firstly in Step P301, the setting circuit sets the selector 16, in accordance with determination by the CPU 2 as to whether denoising is to be performed.","If denoising is unnecessary, processing ends.","In Steps P302 to P308, per-macroblock denoising is repeated for all macroblocks in the input image.","In Step P302, the arithmetic circuit 20 calculates the activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","In Step P303, the setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB).","The setting circuit 24 also sets the scaling matrix SM(MB).","In the present modification, the setting circuit 24 uses the low-level mask ML (FIG.","13) as the scaling matrix SM(MB) for a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB)(smaller than value A1).","For a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (larger than or equal to value A1 and smaller than or equal to value A2), the setting circuit 24 uses the middle-level mask MM (FIG.","14) as the scaling matrix SM(MB).","For a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (larger than value A2), the setting circuit 24 uses the high-level mask MH (FIG.","15) as the scaling matrix SM (MB).","In Step P304, the transform circuit 11 transforms the image data D1 into the image data D2.In Step P305, the quantization circuit 12 performs quantization using the quantization value QP(MB) on the image data D2 to generate the image data D3.In Step P306, the correction circuit 13 performs correction on the scaling matrix SM(MB) on the image data D3 to generate the image data D4.In Step P307, the inverse quantization circuit 14 performs inverse quantization on the image data D4 to generate the image data D5.In Step P308, the inverse transform circuit 15 transforms the image data D5 into the image data D6 by inverse DCT transform.","Processing ends with completion of per-macroblock denoising for all macroblocks in the input image."," In the above embodiment, the denoising is individually performed on each color component of the input image, but integrated denoising on all (or part of multiple) color components may be performed.","The arithmetic circuit 19 averages the noise values NOISE(PIC) of each color component to calculate an average noise value NOISE(PIC) of all color components.","The arithmetic circuit 20 averages the activity evaluation values ACT(PIC) of each color component to calculate an average activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) of all color components.","The arithmetic circuit 19 averages the noise values NOISE(MB) of each color component to calculate an average noise value NOISE(MB) of all color components.","The arithmetic circuit 20 averages the activity evaluation values ACT(MB) of each color component to calculate an average activity evaluation value ACT(MB) of all color components.","These average noise values NOISE(PIC) and NOISE(MB) and average activity evaluation values ACT(PIC) and ACT(MB) are used to set common quantization values QP(PIC) and QP(MB) and common scaling matrices SM(PIC) and SM(MB) common to all color components to perform integrated denoising.","Thus integrated denoising performed on all (or part of multiple) color component achieves improved accuracy of noise detection.","Furthermore, since variation in denoising effect among color components is eliminated or reduced, image quality is improved.","On the other hand, individual denoising for each color component of the input image as in the above embodiment achieves optimal denoising effect for each color component.","If the amount of noise significantly differs among color components, such as when the amount of noise of only some of color components is outstanding, the method according to above embodiment is effective."," In the above embodiment, the image processor 1 is configured as hardware such as a dedicated LSI.","Instead of this configuration, a function similar to that of the image processor 1 can be realized by software processing by the CPU 2 that reads and executes a program stored in a recording medium such as a ROM."," In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment and first modification, the setting circuit 21 (first quantization value setting circuit) sets quantization value QP(PIC) (first quantization value) per input image on the basis of the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image, and the quantization circuit 12 performs quantization on the image data D2 (second image data) to generate the image data D3 (third image data).","Quantization using the quantization value QP(PIC) based on the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level of the whole input image.","In consequence, high denoising effect is realized while image degradation is avoided.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment and first modification, the setting circuit 23 (first correction value setting circuit) sets the scaling matrix SM(PIC) (first correction value) per input image on the basis of the image data D2 of the whole input image, and the correction circuit 13 performs correction per frequency component on the image data D3 to generate the image data D4 (fourth image data).","Correction on a per frequency component basis using the scaling matrix SM(PIC) based on the image data D2 of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level per frequency component.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the arithmetic circuit 19 (first arithmetic circuit) calculates a sum of absolute difference between a pixel value of each pixel and a smoothing value (weighted mean in the above example) of each pixel, and calculates an average of the sum of absolute difference in a macroblock to obtain a per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB).","Thus the arithmetic circuit 19 appropriately obtains the noise value NOISE(MB) on a per macroblock basis.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 21 increases the quantization value QP(PIC) with increase in a noise value.","When the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image is large, a large quantization value QP(PIC) achieves high denoising effect by quantization.","When the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image is small, a small quantization value QP(PIC) avoids image degradation due to quantization.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 (second quantization value setting circuit) sets the per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) (second quantization value) for quantization, on the basis of the quantization value QP(PIC) and the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","The per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) based on the quantization value QP(PIC) based on the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image and the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) realizes appropriate denoising on a per macroblock basis depending on the noise level of the whole input image and the attribute of a macroblock.","In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the arithmetic circuit 20 (second arithmetic circuit) calculates a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a macroblock, and calculates an average of the sum of absolute difference in the macroblock to obtain the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","Thus the arithmetic circuit 20 appropriately obtains the activity evaluation value ACT(MB) on a per macroblock basis.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to a quantization value larger than the quantization value QP(PIC).","In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) where noise is noticeable, a large quantization value QP(MB) achieves high denoising effect by quantization.","The setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to a quantization value smaller than the quantization value QP(PIC).","In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB), a small quantization value QP(MB) prevents the edge or texture portion from blurring due to quantization, and thus improves image quality.","The setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to a value similar to the quantization value QP(PIC).","In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, a medium quantization value QP(MB) avoids excessive or insufficient denoising effect on the image portion.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 sets a per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) for quantization, on the basis of the quantization value QP(PIC) and the per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB).","The per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) based on the quantization value QP(PIC) based on the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image and the per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB) realizes appropriate denoising on a per macroblock basis depending on the noise level of the whole input image and the noise level per macroblock.","In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 increases the quantization value QP(MB) with increase in the noise value NOISE(MB) with the quantization value QP(PIC) being an upper limit.","For a macroblock having a large noise value NOISE(MB), a large quantization value QP(MB) achieves high denoising effect by quantization.","For a macroblock having a small noise value NOISE(MB), a small quantization value QP(MB) avoids image degradation due to quantization.","Providing the upper limit at the quantization value QP(PIC) restricts the difference between the maximum and the minimum quantization value to a certain range, eliminating or reducing “floppiness”, and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 23 sets the first correction value to the transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in the ideal image including no noise.","Such first correction value realizes correction to bring the output image close to the ideal image, and thus improves image quality.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 (second correction value setting circuit) sets the per-macroblock scaling matrix SM(MB) (second correction value) for correction, on the basis of the first correction value and the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","The per-macroblock second correction value based on the first correction value based on the image data D2 of the whole input image and the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) realizes appropriate correction on a per macroblock basis depending on the frequency component value of the whole input image and the attribute of a macroblock.","In consequence, denoising effect per macroblock is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 holds multiple types of masks depending on the activity evaluation value ACT(MB), the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and performs masking on the first correction value using one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value ACT(MB) calculated by the arithmetic circuit 20 to set the second correction value.","In consequence, the second correction value depending on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) is obtained simply and appropriately from the first correction value.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 sets the second correction value for a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to the first correction value for a low-frequency component, while setting the second correction value to substantially zero for middle- and high-frequency components.","In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) where noise is noticeable, masking to cut off middle- and high-frequency components achieves high denoising effect by correction.","The setting circuit 24 sets the second correction value for a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to the first correction value for low-, middle-, and high-frequency components.","In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB), masking not to cut off any frequency component realizes correction to sharpen the edge or texture portion, and thus improves image quality.","The setting circuit 24 sets the second correction value for a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to the first correction value for low- and middle-frequency components while setting the second correction value to substantially zero for a high-frequency component.","In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, masking to cut off only a high-frequency component achieves moderate denoising effect by correction.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the CPU 2 (determination circuit) determines whether denoising is to be performed on the basis of the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image and the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) of the whole input image.","Thus since denoising is performed on an input image that truly requires denoising while denoising on an input image that requires no denoising is avoided, power consumption is reduced.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the CPU 2 divides the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image by the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) of the whole input image to calculate a noise strength.","Then if the noise strength is lower than a predetermined threshold, denoising is determined to be unnecessary, while if the noise strength is higher than or equal to the threshold, denoising is determined to be necessary.","Such determination by the CPU 2 achieves highly accurate identification of an input image that truly requires denoising.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the transform circuit 11, the quantization circuit 12, and the correction circuit 13 sequentially process partially-overlapping multiple macroblocks extracted from the input image.","Partially overlapping macroblocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.","For a portion of the output image where multiple macroblocks overlap each other, an optimal value (average, in the above example) obtained from the overlapping macroblocks is output as image data of this portion of the image.","Output of optimal value obtained from multiple macroblocks for overlapping portion realizes high denoising effect while avoiding image degradation.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment and second modification, the setting circuit 22 (quantization value setting circuit) sets the per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) for quantization, on the basis of the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","The per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) based on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) realizes appropriate denoising on a per macroblock basis depending on the attribute of a macroblock.","In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment and second modification, the setting circuit 24 (correction value setting circuit) sets the per-macroblock scaling matrix SM(MB) (correction value) for correction, on the basis of the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","The per-macroblock correction value based on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) realizes appropriate correction on a per macroblock basis depending on the attribute of a macroblock.","In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the arithmetic circuit 20 calculates a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value (weighted mean in the above example) of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a macroblock, and calculates an average of the sum of absolute difference in the macroblock to obtain a per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","Thus the arithmetic circuit 20 appropriately obtains the activity evaluation value ACT(MB) on a per macroblock basis.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to a large value.","In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) where noise is noticeable, a large quantization value QP(MB) achieves high denoising effect by quantization.","The setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to a small value.","In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB), a small quantization value QP(MB) prevents the edge or texture portion from blurring due to quantization, and thus improves image quality.","The setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to a medium value.","In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, a medium quantization value QP(MB) avoids excessive or insufficient denoising effect on the image portion.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 sets the per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) for quantization, on the basis of the per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB).","The per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) based on the per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB) realizes appropriate denoising on a per macroblock basis depending on the noise level per macroblock.","In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 sets the per-macroblock correction value for correction, on the basis of the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","The per-macroblock correction value based on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) realizes appropriate correction on a per macroblock basis depending on the attribute of a macroblock.","In consequence, denoising effect per macroblock is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 increases the quantization value QP(MB) with increase in a noise value.","For a macroblock having a large noise value, a large quantization value QP(MB) achieves high denoising effect by quantization.","For a macroblock having a small noise value, a small quantization value QP(MB) avoids image degradation due to quantization.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 holds multiple types of masks depending on the activity evaluation value ACT(MB), the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and sets the correction value to the multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value ACT(MB) calculated by the arithmetic circuit 20.In consequence, the correction value depending on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) is obtained simply and appropriately.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 sets the correction value for a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to one time for a low-frequency component, while setting the correction value to substantially zero time for middle- and high-frequency components.","In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) where noise is noticeable, masking to cut off middle- and high-frequency components achieves high denoising effect by correction.","The setting circuit 24 sets the correction value for a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to one time for low-, middle-, and high-frequency components.","In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB), masking not to cut off any frequency component realizes correction to sharpen the edge or texture portions, and thus improves image quality.","The setting circuit set the correction value for a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to one time for low- and middle-frequency components, while setting the correction value to substantially zero time for high-frequency components.","In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, masking to cut off only a high-frequency component achieves moderate denoising effect by correction.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 23 (first correction value setting circuit) sets the scaling matrix SM(PIC) (first correction value) per input image on the basis of the image data D2 (second image data) of the whole input image, and the correction circuit 13 performs correction per frequency component on the image data D3 (third image data) to generate the image data D4 (fourth image data).","Correction per frequency component using the first correction value based on the image data D2 of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level per frequency component.","In consequence, high denoising effect is realized while image degradation is avoided.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","the setting circuit 23 sets the first correction value to the transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in the ideal image including no noise.","Such first correction value realizes correction to bring the output image close to the ideal image, and thus improves image quality.","In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 (correction value setting circuit) sets the per-macroblock scaling matrix SM(MB) (correction value) for correction, on the basis of the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).","The per-macroblock correction value based on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) realizes appropriate correction on a per macroblock basis depending on the attribute of a macroblock.","In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.","In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.","The setting circuit 24 holds multiple types of masks depending on the activity evaluation value ACT(MB), the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and sets the correction value to the multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value ACT(MB) calculated by the arithmetic circuit 20.In consequence the correction value depending on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) is obtained simply and appropriately.","While the invention has been described in detail, the foregoing description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive.","It is understood that numerous other modifications and variations can be devised without departing from the scope of the invention."]],"string":"[\n [\n \"IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD\",\n \"A setting circuit sets a quantization value per input image on the basis of a noise value of the whole input image, and a quantization circuit performs quantization on first image data to generate second image data.\",\n \"Quantization value based on the noise value the whole input image can realize appropriate denoising depending on the noise level of the whole input image.\"\n ],\n [\n \"1.An image processing method for denoising of an input image to generate an output image, the method comprising: transforming first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components; calculating a per-block noise value based on the first image data; setting a first quantization value per input image based on a noise value of the whole input image; quantizing the second image data based on the first quantization value to generate third image data with noise in the input image removed; and generating the output image base on the third image data.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BACKGROUND \"\n ],\n [\n \" SUMMARY In some embodiments, an image processor performs denoising on an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"The image processor includes a transform circuit that transforms first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including multiple frequency components, a quantization circuit that performs quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, an arithmetic circuit that calculates a per-block activity evaluation value based on the first image data, and a quantization value setting circuit that sets a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"In some embodiments, an image processor performs denoising on an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"The image processor includes a transform circuit that transforms first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including multiple frequency components, a quantization circuit that performs quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, a first arithmetic circuit that calculates a per-block noise value based on the first image data, and a quantization value setting circuit that sets a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block noise value.\",\n \"These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.\"\n ],\n [\n \"CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation U.S. application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"15/388,959, filed on Dec. 22, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"14/636,794, filed on Mar.\",\n \"3, 2015, which is now U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"9,552,628, issued on Jan. 24, 2017, which claims priority from Japanese Patent Application Numbers 2014-049505, 2014-049506, and 2014-049507, each filed on Mar.\",\n \"12, 2014.The disclosures of the applications referenced above are incorporated herein by reference herein in their entireties.\",\n \"BACKGROUND Technical Field The present disclosure relates to image processors and image processing methods, and more particularly, to denoising devices and denoising methods for removing noise from an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"Related Art Denoising devices in general remove noise from image data of an input image in a spatial region by uniformly applying a spatial filter such as a lowpass filter to remove a high-frequency component on the whole image.\",\n \"JPH9-233369A describes a denoising device that applies a median filter around boundaries in an input image while applying a mean filter to other portions.\",\n \"SUMMARY In some embodiments, an image processor performs denoising on an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"The image processor includes a transform circuit that transforms first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including multiple frequency components, a quantization circuit that performs quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, an arithmetic circuit that calculates a per-block activity evaluation value based on the first image data, and a quantization value setting circuit that sets a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"In some embodiments, an image processor performs denoising on an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"The image processor includes a transform circuit that transforms first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including multiple frequency components, a quantization circuit that performs quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, a first arithmetic circuit that calculates a per-block noise value based on the first image data, and a quantization value setting circuit that sets a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block noise value.\",\n \"These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.\",\n \"BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.\",\n \"1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"2 is a flow chart illustrating the sequence of denoising by the image processor.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"3 is a diagram for illustrating setting of a quantization value by a setting circuit.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"4 is a diagram for illustrating setting of a scaling matrix by a setting circuit.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"6 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"8 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"9 is a diagram illustrating overlapping.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"10A to 10C are diagrams for illustrating first setting of the quantization value.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"11 is a diagram for illustrating second setting of the quantization value.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"12 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processor to realize the second setting of the quantization value.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"13 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"14 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"15 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix by the setting circuit.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"16 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processor according to a first modification.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"17 is a flow chart illustrating the sequence of denoising by the image processor according to the first modification.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"18 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processor according to a second modification.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"19 is a flow chart illustrating the sequence of denoising by the image processor according to the second modification.\",\n \"DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments.\",\n \"It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details.\",\n \"In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically illustrated in order to simplify the drawing.\",\n \"According to the above-described general denoising devices, applying a spatial filter only once to an input image produces only low denoising effect.\",\n \"Applying a spatial filter multiple times would enhance denoising effect, but then there will be a decrease in resolution, which may cause boundaries to blur, making the whole image rather degraded in image quality.\",\n \"Furthermore, applying a spatial filter multiple times results in prolonged processing time, and in increased circuit size with the need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values.\",\n \"The present disclosure is directed to obtaining an image processor and an image processing method that realizes high denoising effect while avoiding image degradation and achieves reduction in processing time and circuit size.\",\n \"An image processor according to an aspect of the present disclosure is configured to perform denoising on an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"The image processor includes a transform circuit configured to transform first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, a quantization circuit configured to perform quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, a first arithmetic circuit configured to calculate a per-block noise value based on the first image data, and a first quantization value setting circuit configured to set a first quantization value per input image for quantization based on a noise value of the whole input image.\",\n \"In the image processor, the first quantization value setting circuit sets a first quantization value per input image based on a noise value of the whole input image, and the quantization circuit performs quantization on the second image data to generate third image data.\",\n \"Quantization using the first quantization value based on the noise value of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level of the whole input image.\",\n \"In consequence, high denoising effect is realized while image degradation is avoided.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"In this aspect, a first correction value setting circuit may set the first correction value per input image based on the second image data of the whole input image, and a correction circuit may perform correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data.\",\n \"Correction per frequency component using the first correction value based on the second image data of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level per frequency component.\",\n \"In this aspect, the first arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a pixel value of each pixel and a smoothing value of each pixel, and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in a block as per-block noise value.\",\n \"Thus the first arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains the per-block noise value.\",\n \"In this aspect, the first quantization value setting circuit may increase a first quantization value with increase in a noise value.\",\n \"When the noise value of the whole input image is large, a large first quantization value achieves high denoising effect by quantization.\",\n \"When the noise value of the whole input image is small, a small first quantization value avoids image degradation due to quantization.\",\n \"In this aspect, a second quantization value setting circuit may set the per-block second quantization value for quantization based on the first quantization value and a per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"The per-block second quantization value based on the first quantization value based on the noise value of the whole input image and the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate denoising on a per block basis depending on the noise level of the whole input image and the attribute of a block.\",\n \"In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In this aspect, the second arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a block and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in the block to obtain a per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"Thus the second arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"In this aspect, the second quantization value setting circuit may set the second quantization value to a quantization value larger than the first quantization value for a block having a small activity evaluation value.\",\n \"In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value where noise is noticeable, a large second quantization value achieves high denoising effect by quantization.\",\n \"The second quantization value setting circuit may set the second quantization value to a quantization value smaller than the first quantization value for a block having a large activity evaluation value.\",\n \"In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value, a small second quantization value prevents edge or texture portion from blurring due to quantization, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"In this aspect, the second quantization value setting circuit may set the per-block second quantization value for quantization based on the first quantization value and a per-block noise value.\",\n \"The per-block second quantization value based on the first quantization value based on the noise value of the whole input image and the per-block noise value realizes appropriate denoising on a per block basis depending on the noise level of the whole input image and the per-block noise level.\",\n \"In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In this aspect, the second quantization value setting circuit may increase the second quantization value with increase in a noise value with the first quantization value being an upper limit.\",\n \"For a block having a large noise value, a large second quantization value achieves high denoising effect by quantization.\",\n \"For a block having a small noise value, a small second quantization value avoids image degradation due to quantization.\",\n \"Providing the upper limit at the first quantization value restricts the difference between the maximum and the minimum second quantization value to a certain range, eliminating or reducing “floppiness”, and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In this aspect, the first correction value setting circuit may set the first correction value to a transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in the ideal image including no noise.\",\n \"Such first correction value realizes correction to bring the output image close to the ideal image, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"In this aspect, a second correction value setting circuit may set the per-block second correction value for correction based on the first correction value and the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"The per-macroblock second correction value based on the first correction value based on the second image data of the whole input image and the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate correction on a per block basis depending on the frequency component value of the whole input image and the attribute of a block.\",\n \"In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In this aspect, the second correction value setting circuit may hold a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and perform masking on the first correction value using one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculated by the second arithmetic circuit to set the second correction value.\",\n \"In consequence, the second correction value depending on the per-block activity evaluation value is obtained simply and appropriately from the first correction value.\",\n \"In this aspect, the second correction value setting circuit may set the second correction value for a block having a small activity evaluation value to the first correction value for a low-frequency component, while setting the second correction value to substantially zero for middle- and high-frequency components.\",\n \"In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value where noise is noticeable, masking to cut off middle- and high-frequency components achieves high denoising effect by correction.\",\n \"The second correction value setting circuit may set the second correction value for a block having a large activity evaluation value to the first correction value for low-, middle-, and high-frequency components.\",\n \"In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value, masking not to cut off any frequency component realizes correction to sharpen the edge or texture portion, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"The second correction value setting circuit may set the second correction value for a block having a medium activity evaluation value to the first correction value for low- and middle-frequency components while setting the second correction value to substantially zero for a high-frequency component.\",\n \"In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, masking to cut off only a high-frequency component achieves moderate denoising effect by correction.\",\n \"In this aspect, a determination circuit may determine whether denoising is to be performed on the basis of the noise value of the whole input image and the activity evaluation value of the whole input image.\",\n \"Thus since denoising is performed on an input image that truly requires denoising while denoising on an input image that requires no denoising is avoided, power consumption is reduced.\",\n \"In this aspect, the determination circuit may divide the noise value of the whole input image by the activity evaluation value of the whole input image to calculate a noise strength.\",\n \"Then if the noise strength is lower than a predetermined threshold, denoising may be determined to be unnecessary, while if the noise strength is higher than or equal to the threshold, denoising may be determined to be necessary.\",\n \"Such determination by the determination circuit achieves highly accurate identification of an input image that truly requires denoising.\",\n \"In this aspect, the transform circuit and the quantization circuit may sequentially process a plurality of partially-overlapping blocks extracted from the input image.\",\n \"Partially overlapping blocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.\",\n \"For a portion of the output image where a plurality of blocks overlap each other, an optimal value obtained from the plurality of overlapping blocks may be output as image data of the portion of the image.\",\n \"Output of optimal value (for example, average) obtained from a plurality of blocks for overlapping portion realizes high denoising effect while avoiding image degradation.\",\n \"In this aspect, the transform circuit and the quantization circuit may sequentially process a plurality of partially-overlapping blocks extracted from the input image.\",\n \"Partially overlapping blocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.\",\n \"For a portion of the output image where a plurality of blocks overlap each other, output data in processing a current block may be used for input data of the portion of the image in processing a subsequent macroblock.\",\n \"Denoising of the same portion of the image is performed practically multiple times in sequentially processing multiple blocks, achieving a shorter processing time, in comparison with in comparison with denoising by obtaining an optimal value from output values of multiple blocks overlap each other.\",\n \"In this aspect, denoising may be individually performed on each color component.\",\n \"Individual denoising for each color component of the input image achieves optimal denoising effect for each color component.\",\n \"In this aspect, integrated denoising on a plurality of color components may be performed.\",\n \"Integrated denoising on multiple color components achieves improved accuracy of noise detection.\",\n \"Furthermore, since variation in denoising effect among color components is eliminated or reduced, image quality is improved.\",\n \"An image processing method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is an image processing method for denoising of an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"The method includes transforming first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, performing quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, calculating a per-block noise value based on the first image data, and setting a first quantization value per input image for quantization based on a noise value of the whole input image.\",\n \"In the method, a first quantization value per input image is set on the basis of the noise value of the whole input image, and quantization is performed on second image data to generate third image data.\",\n \"Quantization using the first quantization value based on the noise value of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level of the whole input image.\",\n \"In consequence, high denoising effect is realized while image degradation is avoided.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"An image processor according to another aspect of the present disclosure is configured to perform denoising on an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"The image processor includes a transform circuit configured to transform first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, a quantization circuit configured to perform quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, an arithmetic circuit configured to calculate a per-block activity evaluation value based on the first image data, and a quantization value setting circuit configured to set a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"In the image processor, the quantization value setting circuit sets a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"The per-block quantization value based on the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate denoising on a per block basis depending on the attribute of a block.\",\n \"In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"In this aspect, a correction value setting circuit may set a per-block correction value for correction based on the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"The per-block correction value based on the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate correction on a per block basis depending on the attribute of a block.\",\n \"In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In this aspect, the arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a block and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in the block to obtain a per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"Thus the arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"In this aspect, the quantization value setting circuit may set a quantization value of a block having a small activity evaluation value to a large value.\",\n \"In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value where noise is noticeable, a large quantization value achieves high denoising effect by quantization.\",\n \"The quantization value setting circuit may set a quantization value of a block having a large activity evaluation value to a small value.\",\n \"In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value, a small quantization value prevents edge or texture portion from blurring due to quantization, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"The quantization value setting circuit may set a quantization value of a block having a medium activity evaluation value to a medium value.\",\n \"In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, a medium quantization value avoids excessive or insufficient denoising effect on the image portion.\",\n \"An image processor according to another aspect of the present disclosure is configured to perform denoising on an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"The image processor includes a transform circuit configured to transform first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, a quantization circuit configured to perform quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, a first arithmetic circuit configured to calculate a per-block noise value based on the first image data, and a quantization value setting circuit configured to set a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block noise value.\",\n \"In the image processor, the quantization value setting circuit sets a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block noise value.\",\n \"The per-block quantization value based on the per-block noise value realizes appropriate denoising on a per block basis depending on the noise level per block.\",\n \"In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"In this aspect, a correction value setting circuit may set a per-block correction value for correction based on the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"The per-block correction value based on the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate correction on a per block basis depending on the attribute of a block.\",\n \"In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In this aspect, the first arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a pixel value of each pixel and a smoothing value of each pixel, and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in a block as per-block noise value.\",\n \"Thus the first arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains the per-block noise value.\",\n \"In this aspect, the quantization value setting circuit may increase the quantization value with increase in a noise value.\",\n \"For a block having a large noise value, a large quantization value achieves high denoising effect by quantization.\",\n \"For a block having a small noise value, a small quantization value avoids image degradation due to quantization.\",\n \"In this aspect, the second arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a block and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in the block to obtain a per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"Thus the second arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"In this aspect, the correction value setting circuit may hold a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and set the correction value to a multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculate by the second arithmetic circuit.\",\n \"In consequence the correction value depending on the per-block activity evaluation value is obtained simply and appropriately.\",\n \"In this aspect, the correction value setting circuit may set the correction value for a block having a small activity evaluation value to one time for a low-frequency component and to substantially zero time for middle- and high-frequency components.\",\n \"In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value where noise is noticeable, masking to cut off middle- and high-frequency components achieves high denoising effect by correction.\",\n \"The correction value setting circuit may set the correction value for a block having a large activity evaluation value to one time for low-, middle-, and high-frequency components.\",\n \"In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value, masking not to cut off any frequency component realizes correction to sharpen the edge or texture portion, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"The correction value setting circuit may set the correction value for a block having a medium activity evaluation value to one time for low- and middle-frequency components and to substantially zero time for a high-frequency component.\",\n \"In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, masking to cut off only a high-frequency component achieves moderate denoising effect by correction.\",\n \"In this aspect, the determination circuit may determine whether denoising is to be performed on the basis of the noise value of the whole input image and the activity evaluation value of the whole input image.\",\n \"Thus since denoising is performed on an input image that truly requires denoising while denoising on an input image that requires no denoising is avoided, power consumption is reduced.\",\n \"In this aspect, the determination circuit may divide the noise value of the whole input image by the activity evaluation value of the whole input image to calculate a noise strength.\",\n \"Then if the noise strength is lower than a predetermined threshold, denoising may be determined to be unnecessary, while if the noise strength is higher than or equal to the threshold, denoising may be determined to be necessary.\",\n \"Such determination by the determination circuit achieves highly accurate identification of an input image that truly requires denoising.\",\n \"In this aspect, the transform circuit and the quantization circuit may sequentially process a plurality of partially-overlapping blocks extracted from the input image.\",\n \"Partially overlapping blocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.\",\n \"For a portion of the output image where a plurality of blocks overlap each other, an optimal value obtained from the plurality of overlapping blocks may be output as image data of the portion of the image.\",\n \"Output of optimal value (for example, average) obtained from a plurality of blocks for overlapping portion realizes high denoising effect while avoiding image degradation.\",\n \"In this aspect, the transform circuit and the quantization circuit may sequentially process a plurality of partially-overlapping blocks extracted from the input image.\",\n \"Partially overlapping blocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.\",\n \"For a portion of the output image where a plurality of blocks overlap each other, output data in processing a current block may be used for input data of the portion of the image in processing a subsequent macroblock.\",\n \"Denoising of the same portion of the image is performed practically multiple times in sequentially processing multiple blocks, achieving a shorter processing time, in comparison with in comparison with denoising by obtaining an optimal value from output values of multiple blocks overlap each other.\",\n \"In this aspect, denoising may be individually performed on each color component.\",\n \"Individual denoising for each color component of the input image achieves optimal denoising effect for each color component.\",\n \"In this aspect, integrated denoising on a plurality of color components may be performed.\",\n \"Integrated denoising on multiple color components achieves improved accuracy of noise detection.\",\n \"Furthermore, since variation in denoising effect among color components is eliminated or reduced, image quality is improved.\",\n \"An image processing method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is an image processing method for denoising of an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"The method includes transforming first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, performing quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, calculating a per-block activity evaluation value based on the first image data, and setting a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"In the method, a per-block quantization value for quantization is set on the basis of a per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"The per-block quantization value based on the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate denoising on a per block basis depending on the attribute of a block.\",\n \"In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"An image processing method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is an image processing method for denoising of an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"The method includes transforming first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, performing quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, calculating a per-block noise value based on the first image data, and setting a per-block quantization value for quantization based on the per-block noise value.\",\n \"In the method, a per-block quantization value for quantization may be set on the basis of the per-block noise value.\",\n \"The per-block quantization value based on the per-block noise value realizes appropriate denoising on a per block basis depending on the noise level per block.\",\n \"In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"An image processor according to another aspect of the present disclosure is configured to perform denoising on an input image to output an output image.\",\n \"The image processor includes a transform circuit configured to transform first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, a quantization circuit configured to perform quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, a correction circuit configured to perform correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data, and a first correction value setting circuit configured to set a first correction value per input image for correction based on the second image data of the whole input image.\",\n \"The first correction value setting circuit is configured to set the first correction value to a transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in an ideal image including no noise.\",\n \"In the image processor, the first correction value setting circuit may set the first correction value per input image based on the second image data of the whole input image, and the correction circuit may perform correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data.\",\n \"Correction per frequency component using the first correction value based on the second image data of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level per frequency component.\",\n \"In consequence, high denoising effect is realized while image degradation is avoided.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"The first correction value setting circuit may set the first correction value to the transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in the ideal image including no noise.\",\n \"Such first correction value realizes correction to bring the output image close to the ideal image, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"In this aspect, the second correction value setting circuit may set the per-block second correction value for correction based on the first correction value and the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"The per-macroblock second correction value based on the first correction value based on the second image data of the whole input image and the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate correction on a per block basis depending on the frequency component value of the whole input image and the attribute of a block.\",\n \"In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In this aspect, the second correction value setting circuit may hold a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and perform masking on the first correction value using one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculated by the arithmetic circuit to set the second correction value.\",\n \"In consequence, the second correction value depending on the per-block activity evaluation value is obtained simply and appropriately from the first correction value.\",\n \"In this aspect, the second correction value setting circuit may set the second correction value for a block having a small activity evaluation value to the first correction value for a low-frequency component, while setting the second correction value to substantially zero for middle- and high-frequency components.\",\n \"In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value where noise is noticeable, masking to cut off middle- and high-frequency components achieves high denoising effect by correction.\",\n \"The second correction value setting circuit may set the second correction value for a block having a large activity evaluation value to the first correction value for low-, middle-, and high-frequency components.\",\n \"In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value, masking not to cut off any frequency component realizes correction to sharpen the edge or texture portion, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"The second correction value setting circuit may set the second correction value for a block having a medium activity evaluation value to the first correction value for low- and middle-frequency components while setting the second correction value to substantially zero for a high-frequency component.\",\n \"In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, masking to cut off only a high-frequency component achieves moderate denoising effect by correction.\",\n \"In this aspect, the arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a block and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in the block to obtain a per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"Thus the arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"An image processor according to another aspect of the present disclosure is configured to perform denoising on an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"The image processor includes a transform circuit configured to transform first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, a quantization circuit configured to perform quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, a correction circuit configured to perform correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data, an arithmetic circuit configured to calculate a per-block activity evaluation value based on the first image data, and a correction value setting circuit configured to set a per-block correction value for correction based on the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"The correction value setting circuit is configured to hold a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and set the correction value to a multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculated by the arithmetic circuit.\",\n \"In this aspect, the correction value setting circuit sets a per-block correction value for correction based on the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"The per-block correction value based on the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate correction on a per block basis depending on the attribute of a block.\",\n \"In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"The correction value setting circuit holds a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and sets the correction value to a multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculated by the arithmetic circuit.\",\n \"In consequence the correction value depending on the per-block activity evaluation value is obtained simply and appropriately.\",\n \"In this aspect, the correction value setting circuit may set the correction value for a block having a small activity evaluation value to one time for a low-frequency component and to substantially zero time for middle- and high-frequency components.\",\n \"In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value where noise is noticeable, masking to cut off middle- and high-frequency components achieves high denoising effect by correction.\",\n \"The correction value setting circuit may set the correction value for a block having a large activity evaluation value to one time for low-, middle-, and high-frequency components.\",\n \"In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value, masking not to cut off any frequency component realizes correction to sharpen the edge or texture portion, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"The correction value setting circuit may set the correction value for a block having a medium activity evaluation value to one time for low- and middle-frequency components and to substantially zero time for a high-frequency component.\",\n \"In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, masking to cut off only a high-frequency component achieves moderate denoising effect by correction.\",\n \"In this aspect, the arithmetic circuit may calculate a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a block and calculate an average of the sum of absolute difference in the block to obtain a per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"Thus the arithmetic circuit appropriately obtains per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"In this aspect, the determination circuit may determine whether denoising is to be performed on the basis of the noise value of the whole input image and the activity evaluation value of the whole input image.\",\n \"Thus since denoising is performed on an input image that truly requires denoising while denoising on an input image that requires no denoising is avoided, power consumption is reduced.\",\n \"In this aspect, the determination circuit may divide the noise value of the whole input image by the activity evaluation value of the whole input image to calculate a noise strength.\",\n \"Then if the noise strength is lower than a predetermined threshold, denoising may be determined to be unnecessary, while if the noise strength is higher than or equal to the threshold, denoising may be determined to be necessary.\",\n \"Such determination by the determination circuit achieves highly accurate identification of an input image that truly requires denoising.\",\n \"In this aspect, the transform circuit, the quantization circuit, and the correction circuit may sequentially process a plurality of partially-overlapping blocks extracted from the input image.\",\n \"Partially overlapping blocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.\",\n \"For a portion of the output image where a plurality of blocks overlap each other, an optimal value obtained from the plurality of overlapping blocks may be output as image data of the portion of the image.\",\n \"Output of optimal value (for example, average) obtained from a plurality of blocks for overlapping portion realizes high denoising effect while avoiding image degradation.\",\n \"In this aspect, the transform circuit, the quantization circuit, and the correction circuit may sequentially process a plurality of partially-overlapping blocks extracted from the input image.\",\n \"Partially overlapping blocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.\",\n \"For a portion of the output image where a plurality of blocks overlap each other, output data in processing a current block may be used for input data of the portion of the image in processing a subsequent macroblock.\",\n \"Denoising of the same portion of the image is performed practically multiple times in sequentially processing multiple blocks, achieving a shorter processing time, in comparison with in comparison with denoising by obtaining an optimal value from output values of multiple blocks overlap each other.\",\n \"In this aspect, denoising may be individually performed on each color component.\",\n \"Individual denoising for each color component of the input image achieves optimal denoising effect for each color component.\",\n \"In this aspect, integrated denoising on a plurality of color components may be performed.\",\n \"Integrated denoising on multiple color components achieves improved accuracy of noise detection.\",\n \"Furthermore, since variation in denoising effect among color components is eliminated or reduced, image quality is improved.\",\n \"An image processing method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is an image processing method for denoising of an input image to output an output image.\",\n \"The method includes transforming first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, performing quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, performing correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data, and setting a first correction value per input image for correction based on the second image data of the whole input image.\",\n \"The setting of the first correction value includes setting the first correction value to a transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in an ideal image including no noise.\",\n \"In the image processing method, the setting of the first correction value includes setting the first correction value per input image based on the second image data of the whole input image, and the performing correction on the third image data includes performing correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data.\",\n \"Correction per frequency component using the first correction value based on the second image data of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level per frequency component.\",\n \"In consequence, high denoising effect is realized while image degradation is avoided.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"The setting of the first correction value further includes setting the first correction value to a transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in an ideal image including no noise.\",\n \"Such first correction value realizes correction to bring the output image close to the ideal image, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"An image processing method according to another aspect of the present disclosure is an image processing method for denoising of an input image to generate an output image.\",\n \"The method includes transforming first image data of a spatial region extracted from the input image in a unit of a predetermined block into second image data of a frequency region including a plurality of frequency components, performing quantization on the second image data to generate third image data, performing correction per frequency component on the third image data to generate fourth image data, calculating a per-block activity evaluation value based on the first image data, and setting a per-block correction value for correction based on the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"The setting of the correction value includes holding a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and setting the correction value to a multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculate in the calculating of the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"The image processing method includes setting a per-block correction value for correction based on the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"The per-block correction value based on the per-block activity evaluation value realizes appropriate correction on a per block basis depending on the attribute of a block.\",\n \"In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"The method includes holding a plurality of different masks depending on the activity evaluation value, the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and setting the correction value to a multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value calculate in the calculating of the per-block activity evaluation value.\",\n \"In consequence the correction value depending on the per-block activity evaluation value is obtained simply and appropriately.\",\n \"Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide an image processor and an image processing method that realize high denoising effect while avoiding image degradation and achieve reduction in processing time and circuit size.\",\n \"DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below referring to the drawings.\",\n \"It should be noted that identical reference numerals throughout the drawings indicate identical or equivalent elements.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image processor 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.\",\n \"The image processor 1 receives an input image including R, Gr, Gb, and B color components in Bayer array sorted by color components.\",\n \"The image processor 1 performs denoising individually on the input image of each color component, so as to generate and output an output image.\",\n \"Color components of the input image are not limited to R, Gr, Gb, and B but may be R, G, and, B, Y, U, and V, or the like.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"1 illustrates a relation of connection of the image processor 1 including a transform circuit 11, a quantization circuit 12, a correction circuit 13, an inverse quantization circuit 14, an inverse transform circuit 15, a selector 16, a setting circuit 17, a filter circuit 18, arithmetic circuits 19 and 20, and setting circuits 21 to 24.The transform circuit 11 transforms image data D1 of a spatial region extracted from an input image in a unit of a predetermined block (in this example, macroblock by macroblock, each macroblock having 8 rows×8 columns) into image data D2 of a frequency region including multiple frequency components by DCT transform.\",\n \"The block size is not limited to 8 rows×8 columns but may be, for example, 16 rows×16 columns.\",\n \"With a bigger block size, the circuit size increases, but the image quality is improved with finer control over frequency components.\",\n \"The quantization circuit 12 performs quantization on image data D2 to generate image data D3.The correction circuit 13 performs correction per frequency component on the image data D3 to generate image data D4.The inverse quantization circuit 14 performs inverse quantization on the image data D4 to generate image data D5.The inverse transform circuit 15 transforms the image data D5 of a frequency region into image data D6 of a spatial region by inverse DCT transform.\",\n \"The selector 16 selects and outputs the image data D1 or the image data D6.A CPU 2 determines whether denoising is to be performed, on the basis of a noise value of the whole input image NOISE(PIC) and an activity evaluation value of the whole input image ACT(PIC).\",\n \"A result of the determination is configured in the setting circuit 17.The setting circuit 17 causes the selector 16 to select the image data D6 if denoising is necessary, while causing the selector 16 to select the image data D1 if denoising is unnecessary.\",\n \"The filter circuit 18 is an arbitrary smoothing filter (in this example, the Gaussian filter having 3 rows×3 columns), which calculates a weighted mean GAUS (i, j) of each pixel, on the basis of a pixel value of each pixel and pixel values of multiple adjacent pixels (eight pixels for 3 rows×3 columns).\",\n \"The arithmetic circuit 19 calculates a per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB), on the basis of the image data D1 and the image data D1 processed by the filter circuit 18 with a weighted mean.\",\n \"The arithmetic circuit 19 also calculates an average of noise values NOISE(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image which serves as a noise value NOISE(PIC).\",\n \"The noise value NOISE(PIC) may be calculated by inputting a sum of the noise values NOISE(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image from the arithmetic circuit 19 to the CPU 2 and dividing the sum by the number of macroblocks in the CPU 2.The arithmetic circuit 20 calculates a per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB), on the basis of the image data D1 processed by the filter circuit 18 with a weighted mean.\",\n \"The arithmetic circuit 20 also calculates an average of activity evaluation values ACT(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image which serves as an activity evaluation value ACT(PIC).\",\n \"The activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) may be calculated by inputting a sum of the activity evaluation values ACT(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image from the arithmetic circuit 20 to the CPU 2 and dividing the sum by the number of macroblocks in the CPU 2.The setting circuit 21 sets a quantization value QP(PIC) per input image for quantization by the quantization circuit 12, on the basis of the noise value NOISE(PIC).\",\n \"The setting circuit 22 sets a per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) for quantization by the quantization circuit 12, on the basis of an internal parameter of the image processor 1 (for example, the quantization value QP(PIC), the activity evaluation value ACT(MB), and the noise value NOISE(MB)).\",\n \"The setting circuit 23 sets a scaling matrix SM(PIC) that contains a correction value per input image for correction by the correction circuit 13, on the basis of the image data D2 of the whole input image.\",\n \"The setting circuit 24 sets a scaling matrix SM(MB) that contains a per-macroblock correction value for correction by the correction circuit 13, on the basis of an internal parameter of the image processor 1 (for example, the scaling matrix SM(PIC), the activity evaluation value ACT(MB), the noise value NOISE(PIC), and the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC)).\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"2 is a flow chart illustrating the sequence of denoising by the image processor 1.Firstly in Step P101, the setting circuit 17 sets the selector 16, in accordance with determination by the CPU 2 as to whether denoising is to be performed.\",\n \"If denoising is unnecessary, processing ends.\",\n \"If denoising is necessary, in Step P102, the setting circuit 21 sets the quantization value QP(PIC).\",\n \"In Step P103, the setting circuit 23 set the scaling matrix SM(PIC).\",\n \"In Steps P104 to P110, per-macroblock denoising is repeated for all macroblocks in the input image.\",\n \"In Step P104, the arithmetic circuit 20 calculates the activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"In Step P105, the setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB).\",\n \"The setting circuit 24 also sets the scaling matrix SM(MB).\",\n \"In Step P106, the transform circuit 11 transforms the image data D1 into the image data D2.In Step P107, the quantization circuit 12 performs quantization using the quantization value QP(MB) on the image data D2 to generate the image data D3.In Step P108, the correction circuit 13 performs correction using the scaling matrix SM(MB) on the image data D3 to generate the image data D4.In Step P109, the inverse quantization circuit 14 performs inverse quantization on the image data D4 to generate the image data D5.In Step P110, the inverse transform circuit 15 transforms the image data D5 into the image data D6 by inverse DCT transform.\",\n \"Processing ends with completion of per-macroblock denoising for all macroblocks in the input image.\",\n \"Description is given of details of processing by each processing unit illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"1. The filter circuit 18 calculates a weighted mean GAUS (i, j) of each pixel given by Equation 1, where CURR (i, j) is a pixel value of each pixel in a macroblock: Equation 1 GAUS ( i , j ) = CURR ( i , j ) * [ 1 2 1 2 4 2 1 2 1 ] // 16 ( 1 ) The arithmetic circuit 19 calculates a sum of absolute difference between the pixel value CURR (i, j) of each pixel and the weighted mean GAUS (i, j) of each pixel given by Equation 2.Then the arithmetic circuit 19 calculates an average of the sum of absolute difference in the macroblock given by Equation 3, which serves as the per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB).\",\n \"Equation 2 diff_ 8 × 8 blk = ∑ j - 0 7 ∑ i - 0 7 CURR ( i , j ) - GAUS ( i , j ) ( 2 ) Equation 3 NOISE ( MB ) = diff_ 8 × 8 blk // 64 ( 3 ) FIG.\",\n \"3 is a diagram for illustrating setting of the quantization value QP(PIC) by the setting circuit 21.The arithmetic circuit 19 calculates an average of noise values NOISE(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image, which serves as the noise value NOISE(PIC).\",\n \"The setting circuit 21 holds a look-up table containing an optimal quantization value QP(PIC) for each noise value NOISE(PIC).\",\n \"The setting circuit 21 normalizes the look-up table in the distribution range of the weighted means GAUS (i, j) in the histogram of the weighted means GAUS (i, j) and the number of pixels.\",\n \"Then the setting circuit 21 uses the normalized look-up table to set the quantization value QP(PIC) of the input image to the quantization value corresponding to the noise value NOISE(PIC).\",\n \"As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"3, the setting circuit 21 increases the quantization value QP(PIC) with increase in the noise value NOISE(PIC).\",\n \" FIGS.\",\n \"4 to 8 are diagrams for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix SM(PIC) by the setting circuit 23.The setting circuit 23 firstly obtains the quantization value QP(PIC) in the same method as the setting circuit 21.The setting circuit 23 then acquires image data D3 on which DCT transform and quantization with the quantization value QP(PIC) have been performed, for all macroblocks in the input image.\",\n \"Absolute values of frequency component values of all macroblocks are accumulated for each frequency component in the image data D3 to obtain a sum of absolute difference K1 of each frequency component value of the input image.\",\n \"An example of the sum of absolute difference K1 is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"4.The frequency component value at the top-left corner as oriented in the figure corresponds to a DC component, and the frequency component value at the bottom-right corner corresponds to a component having the highest frequency.\",\n \"The setting circuit 23 acquires the image data D2 on which DCT transform has been performed, for all macroblocks in an ideal image prepared in advance.\",\n \"The ideal image is an image that includes no noise in which a subject is shot in the same composition as the input image.\",\n \"For example, when the image processor 1 is used for a security camera, the input image is an image with much noise shot under low illumination such as at nighttime, while the ideal image is an image with little noise shot under high illumination such as at daytime.\",\n \"The setting circuit 23 accumulates absolute values of frequency component values of all macroblocks for each frequency component in the image data D2 to obtain a sum of absolute difference K2 of each frequency component value of the ideal image.\",\n \"An example of the sum of absolute difference K2 is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"5.The setting circuit 23 then normalizes each frequency component value of the sum of absolute difference K2 to have the frequency component value of the DC component of the sum of absolute difference K2 equal to that of the sum of absolute difference K1, so as to produce a normalized sum of absolute difference K3.An example of the sum of absolute difference K3 is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"6.The setting circuit 23 then calculates a transform value (multiplier) for transforming the sum of absolute difference K1 of each frequency component value so that each frequency component value of the sum of absolute difference K1 equals to (or approaches) each frequency component value of the sum of absolute difference K3.In other words, the setting circuit 23 sets the correction value to the transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio of each frequency component value to the DC component in the input image equals to that in the ideal image.\",\n \"The setting circuit 23 then employs predetermined coefficients for substituting for the multipliers of the frequency components to produce the scaling matrix SM(PIC).\",\n \"An example of the scaling matrix SM(PIC) is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"7.An example of a correspondence between coefficients and multipliers is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"8.In the scaling matrix SM(PIC), the coefficient “16” corresponds to the multiplier “1” (that is, passed through) and the coefficient “255” corresponds to the smallest multiplier being substantially zero (that is, cut off).\",\n \"If the ideal image is not available, the coefficient “16” is employed for all frequency components, so as to produce the scaling matrix SM(PIC) that causes the correction circuit 13 to practically serve as a through filter.\",\n \"Alternatively, the scaling matrix SM(PIC) for general-purpose use may be prepared in advance, and such scaling matrix SM(PIC) may be used if the ideal image is not available.\",\n \" In the image processor 1, overlapping of macroblocks is performed on a macroblock having 8 rows×8 columns with a subsequent macroblock extracted from a position shifted by four pixels serving as the image data D1.The number of pixels for the shift is not limited to four, but may be an arbitrary number.\",\n \"With a shift by fewer pixels, processing time elongates, but the image quality is improved.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"9 is a diagram illustrating overlapping.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"9 illustrates the input image having 16 rows×16 columns to facilitate the description.\",\n \"Firstly a macroblock MB1 is extracted, starting from the top-left corner, as oriented in the figure, of the input image.\",\n \"Then a macroblock MB2 is extracted, from the position shifted row-wise by four pixels from the macroblock MB1.Then a macroblock MB3 is extracted from the position shifted row-wise by four pixels from the macroblock MB2.Then a macroblock MB4 is extracted from the position shifted column-wise by four pixels from the macroblock MB1.From then on, macroblocks MB5 to MB9 are similarly extracted in sequence.\",\n \"Thus the transform circuit 11, the quantization circuit 12, the correction circuit 13, the inverse quantization circuit 14, and the inverse transform circuit 15 sequentially process partially-overlapping multiple macroblocks MB1 to MB9 extracted from the input image.\",\n \"For a portion of the output image where multiple macroblocks overlap each other, an optimal value (in this example, an average) obtained from the overlapping multiple macroblocks is output as image data of this portion.\",\n \"For example, four macroblocks MB1, MB2, MB4, and MB5 overlap each other in the portion having 4 rows×4 columns of the image colored gray in FIG.\",\n \"9, and thus image data D6 is obtained for each of these four macroblocks.\",\n \"Thus the image data D6 of this portion of these four macroblocks are added together, and the value obtained by the addition is divided by four, which is the number of macroblocks overlapping each other, so that an average of the image data D6 of the multiple macroblocks overlapping each other is calculated.\",\n \"Then the average is output from the image processor 1 as the image data D6 of this portion of the image.\",\n \"As a first modification of overlapping, the above optimal value may be, instead of the above average, an output value (image data D6) of a macroblock having the smallest noise value NOISE(MB) among multiple macroblocks overlapping each other.\",\n \"As a second modification of overlapping, for a portion of the image where multiple macroblocks overlap each other, an output value of this portion of the image obtained in processing a current macroblock may be used for an input value of this portion of the image for processing a subsequent macroblock.\",\n \"For example, regarding the portion having 4 rows×4 columns of the image colored gray in FIG.\",\n \"9, an output value (image data D6) obtained in processing the macroblock MB1 is used for an input value (image data D1) for processing the macroblock MB2, an output value obtained in processing the macroblock MB2 is used for an input value for processing the macroblock MB4, and an output value obtained in processing the macroblock MB4 is used for an input value for processing the macroblock MB5.In this method, denoising of the same portion of the image is performed practically multiple times in sequentially processing multiple macroblocks, achieving a shorter processing time, in comparison with denoising by obtaining an average of multiple output values.\",\n \" The arithmetic circuit 20 calculates an average AVE_BLK of weighted means in a macroblock given by Equation 4.Then the arithmetic circuit 20 calculates a sum of absolute difference between the weighted mean GAUS (i, j) of each pixel and the average AVE_BLK in the macroblock given by Equation 5.Then the arithmetic circuit 20 calculates an average of the sum of absolute difference in the macroblock given by Equation 6, which serves as the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"Equation 4 AVE_BLK = ( ∑ j = 0 7 ∑ i = 0 7 GAUS ( i , j ) ) // 64 ( 4 ) Equation 5 vari_ 8 × 8 blk = ∑ j = 0 7 ∑ i = 0 7 GAUS ( i , j ) - AVE_BLK ( 5 ) Equation 6 ACT ( MB ) = vari_ 8 × 8 blk // 64 ( 6 ) FIGS.\",\n \"10A to 10C are diagrams for illustrating first setting of the quantization value QP(MB) by the setting circuit 22.The setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) on the basis of the quantization value QP(PIC) and the activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"The setting circuit 22 holds a look-up table containing an optimal quantization value QP(MB) for each activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"As illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"10A and 10B, the setting circuit 22 normalizes the look-up table in a distribution range of the activity evaluation value ACT(MB), in the histogram of the activity evaluation value ACT(MB) and the number of macroblocks.\",\n \"As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"10B, according to the look-up table, the quantization value QP(MB) decreases with increase in the activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"10C, the setting circuit 22 sets an upper-limit quantization value QPH to a value larger than the quantization value QP(PIC) by ΔH and a lower-limit quantization value QPL to a value smaller than the quantization value QP(PIC) by ΔL.\",\n \"Then the setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock whose quantization value QP(MB) in FIG.\",\n \"10B exceeds the upper-limit quantization value QPH, which is a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (smaller than value A1), to the upper-limit quantization value QPH.\",\n \"The quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock whose quantization value QP(MB) in FIG.\",\n \"10B is smaller than or equal to the upper-limit quantization value QPH and larger than or equal to the lower-limit quantization value QPL, which is a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (larger than or equal to value A1 and smaller than or equal to value A2), is set to the quantization value QP(MB) in FIG.\",\n \"10B without change.\",\n \"The quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock whose quantization value QP(MB) in FIG.\",\n \"10B is smaller than the lower-limit quantization value QPL, which is a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (larger than value A2), is set to the lower-limit quantization value QPL.\",\n \" FIG.\",\n \"11 is a diagram for illustrating second setting of the quantization value QP(MB) by the setting circuit 22.The setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) on the basis of the quantization value QP(PIC) and the noise value NOISE(MB).\",\n \"The setting circuit 22 calculates the quantization value QP(MB) given by Equation 7 on the basis of the noise value NOISE(MB).\",\n \"As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"11, the setting circuit 22 increases the quantization value QP(MB) with increase in the noise value NOISE(MB).\",\n \"Equation 7 QP(MB)=gain*(6*log 2(NOISE(MB)))+offset (7) The setting circuit 22 uses the quantization value QP(PIC) for the upper limit of the quantization value QP(MB), so that if the quantization value QP(MB) given by Equation 7 exceeds the quantization value QP(PIC), the quantization value QP(MB) is set to the quantization value QP(PIC).\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"12 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processor 1 to realize the second setting of the quantization value QP(MB).\",\n \"The noise value NOISE(MB) is input from the arithmetic circuit 19 to the setting circuit 22.The quantization value QP(PIC) can be calculated by replacing the noise value NOISE(MB) in Equation 7 by noise value NOISE(PIC).\",\n \"Thus the setting circuit 21 may set the quantization value QP(PIC) using an operation in accordance with Equation 7, instead of the look-up table illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"3. FIGS.\",\n \"13 to 15 are diagrams for illustrating setting of the scaling matrix SM(MB) by the setting circuit 24.The setting circuit 24 sets the scaling matrix SM(MB) on the basis of the scaling matrix SM(PIC) and the activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"Referring to FIG.\",\n \"13, the setting circuit 24 performs masking on the scaling matrix SM(PIC) with a low-level mask ML for a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (smaller than value A1).\",\n \"The mask ML has a mask value for passing through a low-frequency component with a multiplier “1” and cutting off middle- and high-frequency components with a multiplier being substantially zero.\",\n \"Thus the correction value of the scaling matrix SM(MB) for low-frequency components is set to that of the scaling matrix SM(PIC) and the correction value of the scaling matrix SM(MB) for middle- and high-frequency components is set to substantially zero.\",\n \"Referring to FIG.\",\n \"14, the setting circuit 24 performs masking on the scaling matrix SM(PIC) with a middle-level mask MM for a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (larger than or equal to value A1 and smaller than or equal to value A2).\",\n \"The mask MM has a masking value for passing through low- and middle-frequency components with a multiplier “1” and cutting off a high-frequency component with a multiplier being substantially zero.\",\n \"Thus the correction value of the scaling matrix SM(MB) for low- and middle-frequency components is set to that of the scaling matrix SM(PIC) and the correction value of the scaling matrix SM(MB) for a high-frequency component is set to substantially zero.\",\n \"Referring to FIG.\",\n \"15, the setting circuit 24 performs masking on the scaling matrix SM(PIC) with a high-level mask MH for a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (larger than value A2).\",\n \"The mask MH has a mask value for passing through low-, middle-, and high-frequency components with a multiplier “1”.\",\n \"Thus the correction value of the scaling matrix SM(MB) for all low-, middle-, and high-frequency components is set to that of the scaling matrix SM(PIC).\",\n \"Masking of three scales with three masks ML, MM, and MH is described above as an example, while masking of four or more scales (for example, eight scales) may be possible by preparing four or more masks depending on a variable such as the activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"Furthermore, the multiplier of each of the masks ML, MM, and MH illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"13 to 15 is only a non-limiting example.\",\n \"The multiplier of each of the masks ML, MM, and MH can be set to an arbitrary value depending on, for example, an amount of noise.\",\n \" The arithmetic circuit 19 calculates an average of the noise values NOISE(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image which serves as the noise value NOISE(PIC), and inputs the noise value NOISE(PIC) to the CPU 2.The arithmetic circuit 20 also calculates an average of the activity evaluation values ACT(MB) of all macroblocks in the input image which serves as the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC), and inputs the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) to the CPU 2.The CPU 2 determines whether denoising is to be performed for each input image, on the basis of the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image and the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) of the whole input image.\",\n \"The CPU 2 divides the noise value NOISE(PIC) by the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) (NOISE(PIC)/ACT(PIC)) to calculate a noise strength.\",\n \"Then if the noise strength is lower than a predetermined threshold (for example, “1”), denoising is determined to be unnecessary, while if the noise strength is higher than or equal to the threshold, denoising is determined to be necessary.\",\n \"Thus controlling ON/OFF of denoising in a unit of a picture achieves reduction in power consumption.\",\n \"If delay time in processing is not a problem, for example, when the input image is a still picture, the CPU 2 can calculate the noise value NOISE(PIC) and the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) of the input image itself, and on the basis of them, determine whether denoising is to be performed.\",\n \"In contrast, if delay time in processing is a problem, for example, when the input image is a moving picture, the CPU 2 can determine whether denoising is to be performed on a current input image, on the basis of the noise value NOISE(PIC) and the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) of an immediately preceding input image (i.e., image of one frame before).\",\n \" In the above embodiment, the quantization value is set on the basis of both the quantization value QP(PIC) and the quantization value QP(MB), and the correction value is set on the basis of both the scaling matrix SM(PIC) and the scaling matrix SM(MB), but the quantization value may be set on the basis of the quantization value QP(PIC) only, and the correction value may be set on the basis of the scaling matrix SM(PIC) only.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"16 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processor 1 according to the present modification.\",\n \"The setting circuits 22 and 24 are omitted from the configuration illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"1.FIG.\",\n \"17 is a flow chart illustrating the sequence of denoising by the image processor 1 according to the present modification.\",\n \"Firstly in Step P201, the setting circuit sets the selector 16, in accordance with determination by the CPU 2 as to whether denoising is to be performed.\",\n \"If denoising is unnecessary, processing ends.\",\n \"If denoising is necessary, in Step P202, the setting circuit 21 sets the quantization value QP(PIC).\",\n \"In Step P203, the setting circuit 23 sets the scaling matrix SM(PIC).\",\n \"In Steps P204 to P208, per-macroblock denoising is repeated for all macroblocks in the input image.\",\n \"In Step P204, the transform circuit 11 transforms the image data D into the image data D2.In Step P205, the quantization circuit 12 performs quantization using the quantization value QP(PIC) on the image data D2 to generate the image data D3.In Step P206, the correction circuit 13 performs correction using the scaling matrix SM(PIC) on the image data D3 to generate the image data D4.In Step P207, the inverse quantization circuit 14 performs inverse quantization on the image data D4 to generate the image data D5.In Step P208, the inverse transform circuit 15 transforms the image data D5 into the image data D6 by inverse DCT transform.\",\n \"Processing ends with completion of per-macroblock denoising for all macroblocks in the input image.\",\n \" In the above embodiment, the quantization value is set on the basis of both the quantization value QP(PIC) and the quantization value QP(MB), and the correction value is set on the basis of both the scaling matrix SM(PIC) and the scaling matrix SM(MB), but the quantization value may be set on the basis of the quantization value QP(MB) only, and the correction value may be set on the basis of the scaling matrix SM(MB) only.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"18 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the image processor 1 according to the present modification.\",\n \"The setting circuits 21 and 23 are omitted from the configuration illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"1.FIG.\",\n \"19 is a flow chart illustrating the sequence of denoising by the image processor 1 according to the present modification.\",\n \"Firstly in Step P301, the setting circuit sets the selector 16, in accordance with determination by the CPU 2 as to whether denoising is to be performed.\",\n \"If denoising is unnecessary, processing ends.\",\n \"In Steps P302 to P308, per-macroblock denoising is repeated for all macroblocks in the input image.\",\n \"In Step P302, the arithmetic circuit 20 calculates the activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"In Step P303, the setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB).\",\n \"The setting circuit 24 also sets the scaling matrix SM(MB).\",\n \"In the present modification, the setting circuit 24 uses the low-level mask ML (FIG.\",\n \"13) as the scaling matrix SM(MB) for a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB)(smaller than value A1).\",\n \"For a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (larger than or equal to value A1 and smaller than or equal to value A2), the setting circuit 24 uses the middle-level mask MM (FIG.\",\n \"14) as the scaling matrix SM(MB).\",\n \"For a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) (larger than value A2), the setting circuit 24 uses the high-level mask MH (FIG.\",\n \"15) as the scaling matrix SM (MB).\",\n \"In Step P304, the transform circuit 11 transforms the image data D1 into the image data D2.In Step P305, the quantization circuit 12 performs quantization using the quantization value QP(MB) on the image data D2 to generate the image data D3.In Step P306, the correction circuit 13 performs correction on the scaling matrix SM(MB) on the image data D3 to generate the image data D4.In Step P307, the inverse quantization circuit 14 performs inverse quantization on the image data D4 to generate the image data D5.In Step P308, the inverse transform circuit 15 transforms the image data D5 into the image data D6 by inverse DCT transform.\",\n \"Processing ends with completion of per-macroblock denoising for all macroblocks in the input image.\",\n \" In the above embodiment, the denoising is individually performed on each color component of the input image, but integrated denoising on all (or part of multiple) color components may be performed.\",\n \"The arithmetic circuit 19 averages the noise values NOISE(PIC) of each color component to calculate an average noise value NOISE(PIC) of all color components.\",\n \"The arithmetic circuit 20 averages the activity evaluation values ACT(PIC) of each color component to calculate an average activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) of all color components.\",\n \"The arithmetic circuit 19 averages the noise values NOISE(MB) of each color component to calculate an average noise value NOISE(MB) of all color components.\",\n \"The arithmetic circuit 20 averages the activity evaluation values ACT(MB) of each color component to calculate an average activity evaluation value ACT(MB) of all color components.\",\n \"These average noise values NOISE(PIC) and NOISE(MB) and average activity evaluation values ACT(PIC) and ACT(MB) are used to set common quantization values QP(PIC) and QP(MB) and common scaling matrices SM(PIC) and SM(MB) common to all color components to perform integrated denoising.\",\n \"Thus integrated denoising performed on all (or part of multiple) color component achieves improved accuracy of noise detection.\",\n \"Furthermore, since variation in denoising effect among color components is eliminated or reduced, image quality is improved.\",\n \"On the other hand, individual denoising for each color component of the input image as in the above embodiment achieves optimal denoising effect for each color component.\",\n \"If the amount of noise significantly differs among color components, such as when the amount of noise of only some of color components is outstanding, the method according to above embodiment is effective.\",\n \" In the above embodiment, the image processor 1 is configured as hardware such as a dedicated LSI.\",\n \"Instead of this configuration, a function similar to that of the image processor 1 can be realized by software processing by the CPU 2 that reads and executes a program stored in a recording medium such as a ROM.\",\n \" In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment and first modification, the setting circuit 21 (first quantization value setting circuit) sets quantization value QP(PIC) (first quantization value) per input image on the basis of the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image, and the quantization circuit 12 performs quantization on the image data D2 (second image data) to generate the image data D3 (third image data).\",\n \"Quantization using the quantization value QP(PIC) based on the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level of the whole input image.\",\n \"In consequence, high denoising effect is realized while image degradation is avoided.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment and first modification, the setting circuit 23 (first correction value setting circuit) sets the scaling matrix SM(PIC) (first correction value) per input image on the basis of the image data D2 of the whole input image, and the correction circuit 13 performs correction per frequency component on the image data D3 to generate the image data D4 (fourth image data).\",\n \"Correction on a per frequency component basis using the scaling matrix SM(PIC) based on the image data D2 of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level per frequency component.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the arithmetic circuit 19 (first arithmetic circuit) calculates a sum of absolute difference between a pixel value of each pixel and a smoothing value (weighted mean in the above example) of each pixel, and calculates an average of the sum of absolute difference in a macroblock to obtain a per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB).\",\n \"Thus the arithmetic circuit 19 appropriately obtains the noise value NOISE(MB) on a per macroblock basis.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 21 increases the quantization value QP(PIC) with increase in a noise value.\",\n \"When the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image is large, a large quantization value QP(PIC) achieves high denoising effect by quantization.\",\n \"When the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image is small, a small quantization value QP(PIC) avoids image degradation due to quantization.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 (second quantization value setting circuit) sets the per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) (second quantization value) for quantization, on the basis of the quantization value QP(PIC) and the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"The per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) based on the quantization value QP(PIC) based on the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image and the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) realizes appropriate denoising on a per macroblock basis depending on the noise level of the whole input image and the attribute of a macroblock.\",\n \"In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the arithmetic circuit 20 (second arithmetic circuit) calculates a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a macroblock, and calculates an average of the sum of absolute difference in the macroblock to obtain the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"Thus the arithmetic circuit 20 appropriately obtains the activity evaluation value ACT(MB) on a per macroblock basis.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to a quantization value larger than the quantization value QP(PIC).\",\n \"In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) where noise is noticeable, a large quantization value QP(MB) achieves high denoising effect by quantization.\",\n \"The setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to a quantization value smaller than the quantization value QP(PIC).\",\n \"In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB), a small quantization value QP(MB) prevents the edge or texture portion from blurring due to quantization, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"The setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to a value similar to the quantization value QP(PIC).\",\n \"In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, a medium quantization value QP(MB) avoids excessive or insufficient denoising effect on the image portion.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 sets a per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) for quantization, on the basis of the quantization value QP(PIC) and the per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB).\",\n \"The per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) based on the quantization value QP(PIC) based on the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image and the per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB) realizes appropriate denoising on a per macroblock basis depending on the noise level of the whole input image and the noise level per macroblock.\",\n \"In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 increases the quantization value QP(MB) with increase in the noise value NOISE(MB) with the quantization value QP(PIC) being an upper limit.\",\n \"For a macroblock having a large noise value NOISE(MB), a large quantization value QP(MB) achieves high denoising effect by quantization.\",\n \"For a macroblock having a small noise value NOISE(MB), a small quantization value QP(MB) avoids image degradation due to quantization.\",\n \"Providing the upper limit at the quantization value QP(PIC) restricts the difference between the maximum and the minimum quantization value to a certain range, eliminating or reducing “floppiness”, and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 23 sets the first correction value to the transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in the ideal image including no noise.\",\n \"Such first correction value realizes correction to bring the output image close to the ideal image, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 (second correction value setting circuit) sets the per-macroblock scaling matrix SM(MB) (second correction value) for correction, on the basis of the first correction value and the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"The per-macroblock second correction value based on the first correction value based on the image data D2 of the whole input image and the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) realizes appropriate correction on a per macroblock basis depending on the frequency component value of the whole input image and the attribute of a macroblock.\",\n \"In consequence, denoising effect per macroblock is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 holds multiple types of masks depending on the activity evaluation value ACT(MB), the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and performs masking on the first correction value using one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value ACT(MB) calculated by the arithmetic circuit 20 to set the second correction value.\",\n \"In consequence, the second correction value depending on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) is obtained simply and appropriately from the first correction value.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 sets the second correction value for a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to the first correction value for a low-frequency component, while setting the second correction value to substantially zero for middle- and high-frequency components.\",\n \"In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) where noise is noticeable, masking to cut off middle- and high-frequency components achieves high denoising effect by correction.\",\n \"The setting circuit 24 sets the second correction value for a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to the first correction value for low-, middle-, and high-frequency components.\",\n \"In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB), masking not to cut off any frequency component realizes correction to sharpen the edge or texture portion, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"The setting circuit 24 sets the second correction value for a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to the first correction value for low- and middle-frequency components while setting the second correction value to substantially zero for a high-frequency component.\",\n \"In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, masking to cut off only a high-frequency component achieves moderate denoising effect by correction.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the CPU 2 (determination circuit) determines whether denoising is to be performed on the basis of the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image and the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) of the whole input image.\",\n \"Thus since denoising is performed on an input image that truly requires denoising while denoising on an input image that requires no denoising is avoided, power consumption is reduced.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the CPU 2 divides the noise value NOISE(PIC) of the whole input image by the activity evaluation value ACT(PIC) of the whole input image to calculate a noise strength.\",\n \"Then if the noise strength is lower than a predetermined threshold, denoising is determined to be unnecessary, while if the noise strength is higher than or equal to the threshold, denoising is determined to be necessary.\",\n \"Such determination by the CPU 2 achieves highly accurate identification of an input image that truly requires denoising.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the transform circuit 11, the quantization circuit 12, and the correction circuit 13 sequentially process partially-overlapping multiple macroblocks extracted from the input image.\",\n \"Partially overlapping macroblocks one another eliminates or reduces block noise.\",\n \"For a portion of the output image where multiple macroblocks overlap each other, an optimal value (average, in the above example) obtained from the overlapping macroblocks is output as image data of this portion of the image.\",\n \"Output of optimal value obtained from multiple macroblocks for overlapping portion realizes high denoising effect while avoiding image degradation.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment and second modification, the setting circuit 22 (quantization value setting circuit) sets the per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) for quantization, on the basis of the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"The per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) based on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) realizes appropriate denoising on a per macroblock basis depending on the attribute of a macroblock.\",\n \"In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment and second modification, the setting circuit 24 (correction value setting circuit) sets the per-macroblock scaling matrix SM(MB) (correction value) for correction, on the basis of the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"The per-macroblock correction value based on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) realizes appropriate correction on a per macroblock basis depending on the attribute of a macroblock.\",\n \"In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the arithmetic circuit 20 calculates a sum of absolute difference between a smoothing value (weighted mean in the above example) of each pixel and an average smoothing value in a macroblock, and calculates an average of the sum of absolute difference in the macroblock to obtain a per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"Thus the arithmetic circuit 20 appropriately obtains the activity evaluation value ACT(MB) on a per macroblock basis.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to a large value.\",\n \"In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) where noise is noticeable, a large quantization value QP(MB) achieves high denoising effect by quantization.\",\n \"The setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to a small value.\",\n \"In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB), a small quantization value QP(MB) prevents the edge or texture portion from blurring due to quantization, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"The setting circuit 22 sets the quantization value QP(MB) of a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to a medium value.\",\n \"In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, a medium quantization value QP(MB) avoids excessive or insufficient denoising effect on the image portion.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 sets the per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) for quantization, on the basis of the per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB).\",\n \"The per-macroblock quantization value QP(MB) based on the per-macroblock noise value NOISE(MB) realizes appropriate denoising on a per macroblock basis depending on the noise level per macroblock.\",\n \"In consequence, since decrease in resolution is effectively avoided, the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 sets the per-macroblock correction value for correction, on the basis of the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"The per-macroblock correction value based on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) realizes appropriate correction on a per macroblock basis depending on the attribute of a macroblock.\",\n \"In consequence, denoising effect per macroblock is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 22 increases the quantization value QP(MB) with increase in a noise value.\",\n \"For a macroblock having a large noise value, a large quantization value QP(MB) achieves high denoising effect by quantization.\",\n \"For a macroblock having a small noise value, a small quantization value QP(MB) avoids image degradation due to quantization.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 holds multiple types of masks depending on the activity evaluation value ACT(MB), the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and sets the correction value to the multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value ACT(MB) calculated by the arithmetic circuit 20.In consequence, the correction value depending on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) is obtained simply and appropriately.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 sets the correction value for a macroblock having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to one time for a low-frequency component, while setting the correction value to substantially zero time for middle- and high-frequency components.\",\n \"In a flat portion having a small activity evaluation value ACT(MB) where noise is noticeable, masking to cut off middle- and high-frequency components achieves high denoising effect by correction.\",\n \"The setting circuit 24 sets the correction value for a macroblock having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to one time for low-, middle-, and high-frequency components.\",\n \"In an edge or texture portion having a large activity evaluation value ACT(MB), masking not to cut off any frequency component realizes correction to sharpen the edge or texture portions, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"The setting circuit set the correction value for a macroblock having a medium activity evaluation value ACT(MB) to one time for low- and middle-frequency components, while setting the correction value to substantially zero time for high-frequency components.\",\n \"In an image portion other than flat, edge, and texture portions, masking to cut off only a high-frequency component achieves moderate denoising effect by correction.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 23 (first correction value setting circuit) sets the scaling matrix SM(PIC) (first correction value) per input image on the basis of the image data D2 (second image data) of the whole input image, and the correction circuit 13 performs correction per frequency component on the image data D3 (third image data) to generate the image data D4 (fourth image data).\",\n \"Correction per frequency component using the first correction value based on the image data D2 of the whole input image realizes appropriate denoising depending on a noise level per frequency component.\",\n \"In consequence, high denoising effect is realized while image degradation is avoided.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"the setting circuit 23 sets the first correction value to the transform value for transforming each frequency component value in the input image so that a ratio among frequency component values in the input image equals to that in the ideal image including no noise.\",\n \"Such first correction value realizes correction to bring the output image close to the ideal image, and thus improves image quality.\",\n \"In the image processor 1 according to the above embodiment, the setting circuit 24 (correction value setting circuit) sets the per-macroblock scaling matrix SM(MB) (correction value) for correction, on the basis of the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB).\",\n \"The per-macroblock correction value based on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) realizes appropriate correction on a per macroblock basis depending on the attribute of a macroblock.\",\n \"In consequence, denoising effect per block is improved and thus the image quality is improved as a whole.\",\n \"In comparison with applying a spatial filter multiple times in an effort to improve denoising effect, processing time is reduced, and with no need for a temporal memory for storing intermediate values, circuit size is also reduced.\",\n \"The setting circuit 24 holds multiple types of masks depending on the activity evaluation value ACT(MB), the masks containing arbitrary multipliers by frequency components, and sets the correction value to the multiplier for one of the masks corresponding to the activity evaluation value ACT(MB) calculated by the arithmetic circuit 20.In consequence the correction value depending on the per-macroblock activity evaluation value ACT(MB) is obtained simply and appropriately.\",\n \"While the invention has been described in detail, the foregoing description is in all aspects illustrative and not restrictive.\",\n \"It is understood that numerous other modifications and variations can be devised without departing from the scope of the invention.\"\n ]\n]"},"source":{"kind":"string","value":"Patent_15874303"}}},{"rowIdx":4494566,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"list like","value":[["COAXIAL CABLE CONNECTOR WITH INTEGRAL RFI PROTECTION","A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal is disclosed.","The connector has a coupler adapted to couple the connector to a terminal, a body assembled with the coupler and a post assembled with the coupler and the body.","The post is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable.","The post has an integral contacting portion that is monolithic with at least a portion of the post.","When assembled the coupler and post provide at least one circuitous path resulting in RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated, such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the terminal."],["1.-20.","(canceled) 21.A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the connector comprising: a coupler configured to couple the connector to the terminal, the coupler comprising a front end, a rear end, a surface defining an inner bore disposed between the front end and the rear end of the coupler, and a lip extending inwardly into the inner bore of the coupler at a rear end of the coupler to define a forward facing surface of the lip; a body assembled with the coupler, the body comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portion extending into the inner bore of the coupler and expanding radially outward in the inner bore of the coupler forward of the lip of the coupler to define a rearward facing annular surface opposing the forward facing surface of the lip of the coupler to limit forward axial movement of the coupler; and a post assembled with the coupler and the body, the post comprising a front end extending into the inner bore of the coupler through the rear end of the coupler, a rear end configured to receive the end of the coaxial cable connector, a flange at the front end of the post, an enlarged shoulder between the flange and the rear end of the post, and a contacting portion that is integral and monolithic with the post and extends from the enlarged shoulder into the inner bore of the coupler into contact with the surface defining the inner bore of the coupler.","22.The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein: the forward portion of the body further comprises a forward facing surface, the enlarged shoulder of the post defines a rearward facing annular surface of the post, and the forward facing surface of the forward portion of the body contacts the rearward facing annular surface of the post with the post in a rearward position.","23.The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein the body further comprises a forward facing annular surface that limits the rearward axial movement of the coupler.","24.The coaxial cable connector of claim 23, wherein: the forward portion of the body further comprises a forward facing surface, the enlarged shoulder of the post defines a rearward facing annular surface of the post, and the forward facing surface of the forward portion of the body contacts the rearward facing annular surface of the post with the post in a rearward position.","25.The coaxial cable connector of claim 23, wherein the forward facing annular surface of the body comprises: a vertical portion expanding radially outward from a middle portion of the body, and a diagonal portion expanding radially outward and rearward from the vertical portion of the forward facing annular surface of the rearward portion of the body.","26.A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the connector comprising: a coupler comprising a front end, a rear end, a surface defining an inner bore disposed between the front end and the rear end, and a lip extending inwardly into the inner bore from the surface defining the inner bore, the lip comprising a forward facing surface and a rearward facing surface, the coupler configured to couple the connector to the terminal; a body assembled with the coupler, the body comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portion of the body extending into the inner bore of the coupler and expanding radially outward in the inner bore of the coupler forward of the lip of the coupler to define a rearward facing annular surface opposing the forward facing surface of the lip of the coupler, the rearward portion of the body expanding radially outward behind the rear end of the coupler to define a forward facing annular surface opposing the rearward facing surface of the lip of the coupler; and a post assembled with the coupler and the body, the post comprising a front end extending into the inner bore of the coupler through the rear end of the coupler, wherein the post is configured to receive an end of a coaxial cable and the post comprises a flange, an outer surface, a contacting portion, an enlarged shoulder, and an inner surface, the outer surface of the post extends between the flange and the contacting portion of the post, the enlarged shoulder expands radially from the inner surface of the post and defines a rearward facing annular surface of the post extending between the inner surface of the post and the outer surface of the post, and the contacting portion of the post extends from the enlarged shoulder of the post over the outer surface of the post between the flange of the post and the enlarged shoulder of the post.","27.A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the connector comprising: a coupler configured to couple the connector to the terminal, the coupler comprising a front end, a rear end, a surface defining an inner bore disposed between the front end and the rear end of the coupler, and a lip extending inwardly into the inner bore of the coupler at a rear end of the coupler to define a forward facing surface of the lip; a body assembled with the coupler, the body comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion and a forward facing annular surface between the forward portion and the rearward portion, the forward portion of the body extending into the inner bore of the coupler and expanding radially outward in the inner bore of the coupler forward of the lip of the coupler to define a forward facing surface and the forward facing annular surface of the body limiting the rearward axial movement of the coupler; and a post assembled with the coupler and the body, the post comprising a front end extending into the inner bore of the coupler through the rear end of the coupler, a rear end configured to receive the end of the coaxial cable connector, a flange at the front end of the post, an enlarged shoulder between the flange and the rear end of the post that defines a rearward facing annular surface of the post, and a contacting portion that is integral and monolithic with the post and extends from the enlarged shoulder into the inner bore of the coupler into contact with the surface defining the inner bore of the coupler, wherein the forward facing surface of the forward portion of the body contacts the rearward facing annular surface of the post with the post in a rearward position.","28.The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz.","29.The coaxial cable connector of claim 28, wherein the RF signals external to the connector comprise RF signals that ingress into the connector.","30.The coaxial cable connector of claim 28, wherein the RF signals external to the connector comprise RF signals that egress out from the connector.","31.The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein a transfer impedance measured from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the terminal through the connector averages less than about 0.24 ohms.","32.The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein a first circuitous path includes a plurality of pairs of electromagnetically coupled faces established by at least one of the lip, the flange, the contacting portion, and the enlarged shoulder, and wherein the first circuitous path attenuates of RF signals external to the connector.","33.The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein the terminal comprises an equipment connection port, and wherein the coupler comprises a threaded portion configured to connect with a threaded portion of an equipment connection port, and wherein at least one thread of the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.","34.The coaxial cable connector of claim 33, wherein the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler is about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.","35.The coaxial cable connector of claim 33, wherein the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler is about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port is about 60 degrees.","36.The coaxial cable connector of claim 33, wherein the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port, establish a second circuitous path that attenuates RF signals external to the connector."],[" BACKGROUND "],[" SUMMARY OF THE DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.","The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.","The coupler is adapted to couple the connector to the equipment connection port.","The coupler and post provide RF shielding provides RF shielding of the assembled coaxial cable connector such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz.","A transfer impedance measured averages about 0.24 ohms.","The integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the equipment connection port.","The RF signals external to the connector may be understood to mean RF signals that ingress into the connector.","The RF signals external to the connector may also be understood to mean RF signals that egress out from the connector.","The coupler may have a step and the post may have a flange, a contacting portion and a shoulder.","A first circuitous path may be established by the a step, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.","The first circuitous path attenuates RF signals external to the connector.","The coupler may have a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port.","At least one thread on the coupler may have a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.","The pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.","The pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port may be about 60 degrees.","The threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port may establish a second circuitous path, and the second circuitous path may attenuate RF signals external to the connector.","In yet another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.","The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.","The post comprises an integral contacting portion.","The contacting portion is monolithic with at least a portion of the post.","When assembled the coupler and post provide at least one circuitous path resulting in RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated, such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the terminal.","RF signals external to the coaxial connector comprise at least one of RF signals that ingress into the connector and RF signals that egress out from the connector.","RF signals are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz and a transfer impedance averages about 0.24 ohms.","The at least one circuitous path comprises a first circuitous path and a second circuitous path.","The coupler comprises a lip and a step, and the post comprises a flange and a shoulder.","The first circuitous path is established by at least one of the step, the lip, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.","The terminal comprises an equipment connection port, and the coupler comprises a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port, and the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port establish a second circuitous path.","At least one thread on the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.","In yet another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.","The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.","The coupler is adapted to couple the connector to the equipment connection port.","The coupler has a step and a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port.","At least one thread on the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.","The body is assembled with the coupler.","The post is assembled with the coupler and the body and is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable.","The post comprises a flange, a contacting portion and a shoulder.","A first circuitous path is established by the a step, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.","A second circuitous path is established by the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port.","The first circuitous path and the second circuitous path provide for RF shielding of the assembled coaxial cable connector wherein RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz, and the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the equipment connection port.","A transfer impedance averages about 0.24 ohms.","Additionally, the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.","As a non-limiting example, the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port is about 60 degrees.","Additional features and advantages are set out in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the embodiments as described herein, including the detailed description, the claims, as well as the appended drawings.","It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary, and are intended to provide an overview or framework to understanding the nature and character of the claims.","The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.","The drawings illustrate one or more embodiment(s), and together with the description serve to explain principles and operation of the various embodiments."],["RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.","No.","15/636,842, filed Jun.","29, 2017, entitled “Coaxial Cable Connector with Integral RFI Protection,” which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.","No.","15/019,498, filed Feb. 9, 2016, entitled “Coaxial Cable Connector With Integral RFI Protection,” which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.","No.","13/653,095, filed Oct. 16, 2012, entitled “Coaxial Cable Connector With Integral RFI Protection,” the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.","This application is related to U.S. application Ser.","No.","13/198,765, filed Aug. 5, 2011, entitled “Coaxial Cable Connector with Radio Frequency Interference and Grounding Shield,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.","This application is also related to U.S. application Ser.","No.","13/652,969, filed Oct. 16, 2012, entitled “Coaxial Cable Connector with Continuity Contacting Portion,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.","BACKGROUND Field of the Disclosure The technology of the disclosure relates to coaxial cable connectors and, in particular, to a coaxial cable connector that provides integral radio frequency interference (RFI) shielding.","Technical Background Coaxial cable connectors, such as type F connectors, are used to attach coaxial cable to another object or appliance, e.g., a television set, DVD player, modem or other electronic communication device having a terminal adapted to engage the connector.","The terminal of the appliance includes an inner conductor and a surrounding outer conductor.","Coaxial cable includes a center conductor for transmitting a signal.","The center conductor is surrounded by a dielectric material, and the dielectric material is surrounded by an outer conductor; this outer conductor may be in the form of a conductive foil and/or braided sheath.","The outer conductor is typically maintained at ground potential to shield the signal transmitted by the center conductor from stray noise, and to maintain a continuous desired impedance over the signal path.","The outer conductor is usually surrounded by a plastic cable jacket that electrically insulates, and mechanically protects, the outer conductor.","Prior to installing a coaxial connector onto an end of the coaxial cable, the end of the coaxial cable is typically prepared by stripping off the end portion of the jacket to expose the end portion of the outer conductor.","Similarly, it is common to strip off a portion of the dielectric to expose the end portion of the center conductor.","Coaxial cable connectors of the type known in the trade as “F connectors” often include a tubular post designed to slide over the dielectric material, and under the outer conductor of the coaxial cable, at the prepared end of the coaxial cable.","If the outer conductor of the cable includes a braided sheath, then the exposed braided sheath is usually folded back over the cable jacket.","The cable jacket and folded-back outer conductor extend generally around the outside of the tubular post and are typically received in an outer body of the connector; this outer body of the connector is often fixedly secured to the tubular post.","A coupler is typically rotatably secured around the tubular post and includes an internally-threaded region for engaging external threads formed on the outer conductor of the appliance terminal.","When connecting the end of a coaxial cable to a terminal of a television set, equipment box, modem, computer or other appliance, it is important to achieve a reliable electrical connection between the outer conductor of the coaxial cable and the outer conductor of the appliance terminal.","Typically, this goal is usually achieved by ensuring that the coupler of the connector is fully tightened over the connection port of the appliance.","When fully tightened, the head of the tubular post of the connector directly engages the edge of the outer conductor of the appliance port, thereby making a direct electrical ground connection between the outer conductor of the appliance port and the tubular post; in turn, the tubular post is engaged with the outer conductor of the coaxial cable.","With the increased use of self-install kits provided to home owners by some CATV system operators has come a rise in customer complaints due to poor picture quality in video systems and/or poor data performance in computer/internet systems.","Additionally, CATV system operators have found upstream data problems induced by entrance of unwanted radio frequency (“RF”) signals into their systems.","Complaints of this nature result in CATV system operators having to send a technician to address the issue.","Often times it is reported by the technician that the cause of the problem is due to a loose F connector fitting, sometimes as a result of inadequate installation of the self-install kit by the homeowner.","An improperly installed or loose connector may result in poor signal transfer because there are discontinuities along the electrical path between the devices, resulting in ingress of undesired RF signals where RF energy from an external source or sources may enter the connector/cable arrangement causing a signal to noise ratio problem resulting in an unacceptable picture or data performance.","In particular, RF signals may enter CATV systems from wireless devices, such as cell phones, computers and the like, especially in the 700-800 MHz transmitting range.","Many of the current state of the art F connectors rely on intimate contact between the F male connector interface and the F female connector interface.","If, for some reason, the connector interfaces are allowed to pull apart from each other, such as in the case of a loose F male coupler, an interface “gap” may result.","If not otherwise protected this gap can be a point of RF ingress as previously described.","A shield that completely surrounds or encloses a structure or device to protect it against RFI is typically referred to as a “Faraday cage.” However, providing such RFI shielding within given structures is complicated when the structure or device comprises moving parts, such as seen in a coaxial connector.","Accordingly, creating a connector to act in a manner similar to a Faraday cage to prevent ingress and egress of RF signals can be especially challenging due to the necessary relative movement between connector components required to couple the connector to a related port.","Relative movement of components due to mechanical clearances between the components can result in an ingress or egress path for unwanted RF signals and, further, can disrupt the electrical and mechanical communication between components necessary to provide a reliable ground path.","The effort to shield and electrically ground a coaxial connector is further complicated when the connector is required to perform when improperly installed, i.e.","not tightened to a corresponding port.","U.S. Pat.","No.","5,761,053 to, teaches that “[e]lectromagnetic interference (EMI) has been defined as undesired conducted or radiated electrical disturbances from an electrical or electronic apparatus, including transients, which can interfere with the operation of other electrical or electronic apparatus.","Such disturbances can occur anywhere in the electromagnetic spectrum.","Radio frequency interference (RFI) is often used interchangeably with electromagnetic interference, although it is more properly restricted to the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, usually defined as between 24 kilohertz (kHz) and 240 gigahertz (GHz).","A shield is defined as a metallic or otherwise electrically conductive configuration inserted between a source of EMI/RFI and a desired area of protection.","Such a shield may be provided to prevent electromagnetic energy from radiating from a source.","Additionally, such a shield may prevent external electromagnetic energy from entering the shielded system.","As a practical matter, such shields normally take the form of an electrically conductive housing which is electrically grounded.","The energy of the EMI/RFI is thereby dissipated harmlessly to ground.","Because EMI/RFI disrupts the operation of electronic components, such as integrated circuit (IC) chips, IC packages, hybrid components, and multi-chip modules, various methods have been used to contain EMI/RFI from electronic components.","The most common method is to electrically ground a “can”, that will cover the electronic components, to a substrate such as a printed wiring board.","As is well known, a can is a shield that may be in the form of a conductive housing, a metallized cover, a small metal box, a perforated conductive case wherein spaces are arranged to minimize radiation over a given frequency band, or any other form of a conductive surface that surrounds electronic components.","When the can is mounted on a substrate such that it completely surrounds and encloses the electronic components, it is often referred to as a Faraday Cage.","Presently, there are two predominant methods to form a Faraday cage around electronic components for shielding use.","A first method is to solder a can to a ground strip that surrounds electronic components on a printed wiring board (PWB).","Although soldering a can provides excellent electrical properties, this method is often labor intensive.","Also, a soldered can is difficult to remove if an electronic component needs to be re-worked.","A second method is to mechanically secure a can, or other enclosure, with a suitable mechanical fastener, such as a plurality of screws or a clamp, for example.","Typically, a conductive gasket material is usually attached to the bottom surface of a can to ensure good electrical contact with the ground strip on the PWB.","Mechanically securing a can facilitates the re-work of electronic components, however, mechanical fasteners are bulky and occupy “valuable” space on a PWB.” Coaxial cable connectors have attempted to address the above problems by incorporating a continuity member into the coaxial cable connector as a separate component.","In this regard, FIG.","1 illustrates a connector 1000 in the prior art having a coupler 2000, a separate post 3000, a separate continuity member 4000, and a body 5000.In connector 1000 the separate continuity member 4000 is captured between post 3000 and body 5000 and contacts at least a portion of coupler 2000.Coupler 2000 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.","Post 3000 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as tin.","Separate conductive member 4000 is preferably made of metal such as phosphor bronze and plated with a conductive material such as tin.","Body 5000 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.","SUMMARY OF THE DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.","The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.","The coupler is adapted to couple the connector to the equipment connection port.","The coupler and post provide RF shielding provides RF shielding of the assembled coaxial cable connector such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz.","A transfer impedance measured averages about 0.24 ohms.","The integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the equipment connection port.","The RF signals external to the connector may be understood to mean RF signals that ingress into the connector.","The RF signals external to the connector may also be understood to mean RF signals that egress out from the connector.","The coupler may have a step and the post may have a flange, a contacting portion and a shoulder.","A first circuitous path may be established by the a step, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.","The first circuitous path attenuates RF signals external to the connector.","The coupler may have a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port.","At least one thread on the coupler may have a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.","The pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.","The pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port may be about 60 degrees.","The threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port may establish a second circuitous path, and the second circuitous path may attenuate RF signals external to the connector.","In yet another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.","The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.","The post comprises an integral contacting portion.","The contacting portion is monolithic with at least a portion of the post.","When assembled the coupler and post provide at least one circuitous path resulting in RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated, such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the terminal.","RF signals external to the coaxial connector comprise at least one of RF signals that ingress into the connector and RF signals that egress out from the connector.","RF signals are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz and a transfer impedance averages about 0.24 ohms.","The at least one circuitous path comprises a first circuitous path and a second circuitous path.","The coupler comprises a lip and a step, and the post comprises a flange and a shoulder.","The first circuitous path is established by at least one of the step, the lip, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.","The terminal comprises an equipment connection port, and the coupler comprises a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port, and the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port establish a second circuitous path.","At least one thread on the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.","In yet another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.","The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.","The coupler is adapted to couple the connector to the equipment connection port.","The coupler has a step and a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port.","At least one thread on the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.","The body is assembled with the coupler.","The post is assembled with the coupler and the body and is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable.","The post comprises a flange, a contacting portion and a shoulder.","A first circuitous path is established by the a step, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.","A second circuitous path is established by the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port.","The first circuitous path and the second circuitous path provide for RF shielding of the assembled coaxial cable connector wherein RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz, and the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the equipment connection port.","A transfer impedance averages about 0.24 ohms.","Additionally, the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.","As a non-limiting example, the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port is about 60 degrees.","Additional features and advantages are set out in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the embodiments as described herein, including the detailed description, the claims, as well as the appended drawings.","It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary, and are intended to provide an overview or framework to understanding the nature and character of the claims.","The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.","The drawings illustrate one or more embodiment(s), and together with the description serve to explain principles and operation of the various embodiments.","BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.","1 is a side cross sectional view of a coaxial cable connector in the prior art; FIG.","2 is a side, cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial connector comprising a post with a contacting portion providing an integral RFI and grounding shield; FIG.","3A is side, cross-sectional view of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.","2 in a state of partial assembly; FIG.","3B is a partial, cross-sectional detail view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.","2 in a state of further assembly than as illustrated in FIG.","3A, and illustrating the contacting portion of the post beginning to form to a contour of the coupler; FIG.","3C is a partial, cross-sectional detail view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.","2 in a state of further assembly than as illustrated in FIGS.","3A and 3B, and illustrating the contacting portion of the post continuing to form to a contour of the coupler; FIG.","3D is a partial, cross-sectional detail view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.","2 in a state of further assembly than as illustrated in FIGS.","3A, 3B and 3C and illustrating the contacting portion of the post forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.","4A is a partial, cross-sectional view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.","2 in which the post is partially inserted into a forming tool; FIG.","4B is a partial, cross-sectional detail view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.","2 in which the post is inserted into the forming tool further than as illustrated in FIG.","4A using a forming tool and illustrating the contacting portion of the post beginning to form to a contour of the forming tool; FIG.","4C is a partial cross-sectional detail view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.","2 in in which the post is inserted into the forming tool further than as illustrated in FIGS.","4A and 4B illustrating the contacting portion of the post continuing to form to the contour of the forming tool; FIG.","4D is a partial cross-sectional detail view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.","2 in which the post is fully inserted into the forming tool and illustrating the contacting portion of the post forming to the contour of the forming tool; FIGS.","5A through 5H are front and side schematic views of exemplary embodiments of the contacting portions of the post; FIG.","6 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector comprising an integral pin, in the state of assembly with body having a contacting portion forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.","6A is a cross-sectional view of the coaxial cable connector illustrated in FIG.","6 in a partial state of assembly illustrating the contacting portion of the body and adapted to form to a contour of the coupler; FIG.","7 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector comprising an integral pin, wherein the coupler rotates about a body instead of a post and the contacting portion is part of a component press fit into the body and forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.","8 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector in a partial state of assembly and comprising an integral pin, wherein the coupler rotates about a body instead of a post and the contacting portion is part of a component press position in the body and forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.","8A is a front and side detail view of the component having the contacting portion of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.","8; FIG.","9 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector comprising a post-less configuration, and a body having a contacting portion forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.","10 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector comprising a hex crimp body and a post having a contacting portion forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.","11 is an isometric, schematic view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.","2 wherein the post has a contacting portion in a formed state; FIG.","12 is an isometric, cross-sectional view of the post and the coupler of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.","2 illustrating the contacting portion of the post forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.","13 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a coupler with a contacting portion forming to a contour of the post; FIG.","14 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a post with a contacting portion forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.","15 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a post with a contacting portion forming to a contour behind a lip in the coupler toward the rear of the coaxial cable connector; FIG.","16 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a post with a contacting portion forming to a contour behind a lip in the coupler toward the rear of the coaxial cable connector; FIG.","17 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a body with a contacting portion forming to a contour behind a lip in the coupler toward the rear of the coaxial cable connector; FIG.","18 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a post with a contacting portion forming to a contour of a coupler with an undercut; FIG.","18A is a partial, cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a post with a contacting portion forming to a contour of a coupler with an undercut having a prepared coaxial cable inserted in the coaxial cable connector; FIG.","19 is a partial, cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a moveable post with a contacting portion wherein the post is in a forward position; FIG.","20 is a partial cross sectional view of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.","19 with the movable post in a rearward position and the contacting portion of the movable post forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.","21 is a side, cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of an assembled coaxial cable connector providing for circuitous electrical paths at the coupler to form an integral Faraday cage for RF protection; FIG.","22 is a partial, cross-sectional detail view of the assembled coaxial cable connector of FIG.","21 illustrating a circuitous path between the coupler, post and body another circuitous path between the coupler and the equipment connection port; FIG.","23 is a partial, cross sectional detail view of the coupler, the post and the body of FIG.","22.FIG.","24 is a partial, cross-sectional detail view of the threads of an equipment connection port and the threads of the coupler of the assembled coaxial cable connector of FIG.","22; and FIG.","25 is a graphic representation of the RF shielding of the coaxial cable connector in FIG.","21 in which the RF shielding is measured in dB over a range of frequency in MHz.","DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments are shown.","Indeed, the concepts may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limiting herein.","Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements.","Whenever possible, like reference numbers will be used to refer to like components or parts.","Coaxial cable connectors are used to couple a prepared end of a coaxial cable to a threaded female equipment connection port of an appliance.","The coaxial cable connector may have a post, a moveable post or be postless.","In each case though, in addition to providing an electrical and mechanical connection between the conductor of the coaxial connector and the conductor of the female equipment connection port, the coaxial cable connector provides a ground path from an outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the equipment connection port.","The outer conductor may be, as examples, a conductive foil or a braided sheath.","Maintaining a stable ground path protects against the ingress of undesired radio frequency (“RF”) signals which may degrade performance of the appliance.","This is especially applicable when the coaxial cable connector is not fully tightened to the equipment connection port, either due to not being tightened upon initial installation or due to becoming loose after installation.","Embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.","The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.","The coupler is adapted to couple the connector to the equipment connection port.","The coupler has a step and a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port.","At least one thread on the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.","The body is assembled with the coupler.","The post is assembled with the coupler and the body and is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable.","The post comprises a flange, a contacting portion and a shoulder.","The contacting portion is integral and monolithic with at least a portion of the post.","A first circuitous path is established by the a step, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.","A second circuitous path is established by the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port.","The first circuitous path and the second circuitous path provide for RF shielding of the assembled coaxial cable connector wherein RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz, and the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the equipment connection port.","A transfer impedance averages about 0.24 ohms.","Additionally, the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.","As a non-limiting example, the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port is about 60 degrees.","For purposes of this description, the term “forward” will be used to refer to a direction toward the portion of the coaxial cable connector that attaches to a terminal, such as an appliance equipment port.","The term “rearward” will be used to refer to a direction that is toward the portion of the coaxial cable connector that receives the coaxial cable.","The term “terminal” will be used to refer to any type of connection medium to which the coaxial cable connector may be coupled, as examples, an appliance equipment port, any other type of connection port, or an intermediate termination device.","Additionally, for purposes herein, electrical continuity shall mean DC contact resistance from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the equipment port of less than about 3000 milliohms.","Accordingly, a DC contact resistance of more than about 3000 milliohms shall be considered as indicating electrical discontinuity or an open in the path between the outer conductor of the coaxial cable and the equipment port.","Referring now to FIG.","2, there is illustrated an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 100.The coaxial cable connector 100 has a front end 105, a back end 195, a coupler 200, a post 300, a body 500, a shell 600 and a gripping member 700.The coupler 200 at least partially comprises a front end 205, a back end 295, a central passage 210, a lip 215 with a forward facing surface 216 and a rearward facing surface 217, a through-bore 220 formed by the lip 215, and a bore 230.Coupler 200 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.","Alternately or additionally, selected surfaces of the coupler 200 may be coated with conductive or non-conductive coatings or lubricants, or a combinations thereof.","Post 300, may be tubular, at least partially comprises a front end 305, a back end 395, and a contacting portion 310.In FIG.","2, Contacting portion 310 is shown as a protrusion integrally formed and monolithic with post 300.Contacting portion 310 may, but does not have to be, radially projecting.","Post 300 may also comprise an enlarged shoulder 340, a collar portion 320, a through-bore 325, a rearward facing annular surface 330, and a barbed portion 335 proximate the back end 395.The post 300 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as tin.","Additionally, the material, in an exemplary embodiment, may have a suitable spring characteristic permitting contacting portion 310 to be flexible, as described below.","Alternately or additionally, selected surfaces of post 300 may be coated with conductive or non-conductive coatings or lubricants or a combination thereof.","Contacting portion 310, as noted above, is monolithic with post 300 and provides for electrical continuity through the connector 100 to an equipment port (not shown in FIG.","2) to which connector 100 may be coupled.","In this manner, post 300 provides for a stable ground path through the connector 100, and, thereby, electromagnetic shielding to protect against the ingress and egress of RF signals.","Body 500 at least partially comprises a front end 505, a back end 595, and a central passage 525.Body 500 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.","Shell 600 at least partially comprises a front end 605, a back end 695, and a central passage 625.Shell 600 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.","Gripping member 700 at least partially comprises a front end 705, a back end 795, and a central passage 725.Gripping member 700 is preferably made of a suitable polymer material such as acetal or nylon.","The resin can be selected from thermoplastics characterized by good fatigue life, low moisture sensitivity, high resistance to solvents and chemicals, and good electrical properties.","In FIG.","2, coaxial cable connector 100 is shown in an unattached, uncompressed state, without a coaxial cable inserted therein.","Coaxial cable connector 100 couples a prepared end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, such as a threaded female equipment appliance connection port (not shown in FIG.","2).","This will be discussed in more detail with reference to FIG.","18A.","Shell 600 slideably attaches to body 500 at back end 595 of body 500.Coupler 200 attaches to coaxial cable connector 100 at back end 295 of coupler 200.Coupler 200 may rotatably attach to front end 305 of post 300 while engaging body 500 by means of a press-fit.","Front end 305 of post 300 positions in central passage 210 of coupler 200 and has a back end 395 which is adapted to extend into a coaxial cable.","Proximate back end 395, post 300 has a barbed portion 335 extending radially outwardly from post 300.An enlarged shoulder 340 at front end 305 extends inside the coupler 200.Enlarged shoulder 340 comprises a collar portion 320 and a rearward facing annular surface 330.Collar portion 320 allows coupler 200 to rotate by means of a clearance fit with through-bore 220 of coupler 200.Rearward facing annular surface 330 limits forward axial movement of the coupler 200 by engaging forward facing surface 216 of lip 215.Coaxial cable connector 100 may also include a sealing ring 800 seated within coupler 200 to form a seal between coupler 200 and body 500.Contacting portion 310 may be monolithic with or a unitized portion of post 300.As such, contacting portion 310 and post 300 or a portion of post 300 may be constructed from a single piece of material.","The contacting portion 310 may contact coupler 200 at a position that is forward of forward facing surface 216 of lip 215.In this way, contacting portion 310 of post 300 provides an electrically conductive path between post 300, coupler 200 and body 500.This enables an electrically conductive path from coaxial cable through coaxial cable connector 100 to terminal providing an electrical ground and a shield against RF ingress and egress.","Contacting portion 310 is formable such that as the coaxial cable connector 100 is assembled, contacting portion 310 may form to a contour of coupler 200.In other words, coupler 200 forms or shapes contacting portion 310 of post 300.The forming and shaping of the contacting portion 310 may have certain elastic/plastic properties based on the material of contacting portion 310.Contacting portion 310 deforms , upon assembly of the components of coaxial cable connector 100, or, alternatively contacting portion 310 of post 300 may be pre-formed, or partially preformed to electrically contactedly fit with coupler 200 as explained in greater detail with reference to FIG.","4A through FIG.","4D, below.","In this manner, post 300 is secured within coaxial cable connector 100, and contacting portion 310 establishes an electrically conductive path between body 500 and coupler 200.Further, the electrically conductive path remains established regardless of the tightness of the coaxial cable connector 100 on the terminal due to the elastic/plastic properties of contacting portion 310.This is due to contacting portion 310 maintaining mechanical and electrical contact between components, in this case, post 300 and coupler 200, notwithstanding the size of any interstice between the components of the coaxial cable connector 100.In other words, contacting portion 310 is integral to and maintains the electrically conductive path established between post 300 and coupler 200 even when the coaxial cable connector 100 is loosened and/or partially disconnected from the terminal, provided there is some contact of coupler 200 with equipment port.","Although coaxial connector 100 in FIG.","2 is an axial-compression type coaxial connector having a post 300, contacting portion 310 may be integral to and monolithic with any type of coaxial cable connector and any other component of a coaxial cable connector, examples of which will be discussed herein with reference to the embodiments.","However, in all such exemplary embodiments, contacting portion 310 provides for electrical continuity from an outer conductor of a coaxial cable received by coaxial cable connector 100 through coaxial cable connector 100 to a terminal, without the need for a separate component.","Additionally, the contacting portion 310 provides for electrical continuity regardless of how tight or loose the coupler is to the terminal.","In other words, contacting portion 310 provides for electrical continuity from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the terminal regardless and/or irrespective of the tightness or adequacy of the coupling of the coaxial cable connector 100 to the terminal.","It is only necessary that the coupler 200 be in contact with the terminal.","Referring now to FIGS.","3A, 3B 3C and 3D, post 300 is illustrated in different states of assembly with coupler 200 and body 500.In FIG.","3A, post 300 is illustrated partially assembled with coupler 200 and body 500 with contacting portion 310 of post 300, shown as a protrusion, outside and forward of coupler 200.Contacting portion 310 may, but does not have to be, radially projecting.","In FIG.","3B, contacting portion 310 has begun to advance into coupler 200 and contacting portion 310 is beginning to form to a contour of coupler 200.As illustrated in FIG.","3B, contacting portion 310 is forming to an arcuate or, at least, a partially arcuate shape.","As post 300 is further advanced into coupler 200 as shown in FIG.","3C, contacting portion 310 continues to form to the contour of coupler 200.When assembled as shown in FIG.","3D, contacting portion 310 is forming to the contour of coupler 200 and is contactedly engaged with bore 230 accommodating tolerance variations with bore 230.In FIG.","3D coupler 200 has a face portion 202 that tapers.","The face portion 202 guides the contacting portion 310 to its formed state during assembly in a manner that does not compromise its structural integrity, and, thereby, its elastic/plastic property.","Face portion 202 may be or have other structural features, as a non-limiting example, a curved edge, to guide the contacting portion 310.The flexible or resilient nature of the contacting portion 310 in the formed state as described above, permits coupler 200 to be easily rotated and yet maintain a reliable electrically conductive path.","It should be understood, that contacting portion 310 is formable and, as such, may exist in an unformed and a formed state based on the elastic/plastic property of the material of contacting portion 310.As the coaxial cable connector 100 assembles contacting portion 310 transition from an unformed state to a formed state.","Referring now to FIGS.","4A, 4B, 4C and 4D the post 300 is illustrated in different states of insertion into a forming tool 900.In FIG.","4A, post 300 is illustrated partially inserted in forming tool 900 with contacting portion 310 of post 300 shown as a protrusion.","Protrusion may, but does not have to be radially projecting.","In FIG.","4B, contacting portion 310 has begun to advance into forming tool 900.As contacting portion 310 is advanced into forming tool 900, contact portion 310 begins flexibly forming to a contour of the interior of forming tool 900.As illustrated in FIG.","4B, contacting portion 310 is forming to an arcuate or, at least, a partially arcuate shape.","As post 300 is further advanced into forming tool 900 as shown in FIG.","4C, contacting portion 310 continues forming to the contour of the interior of forming tool 900.At a final stage of insertion as shown in FIG.","4C contacting portion 310 is fully formed to the contour of forming tool 900, and has experienced deformation in the forming process but retains spring or resilient characteristics based on the elastic/plastic property of the material of contacting portion 310.Upon completion or partial completion of the forming of contacting portion 310, post 300 is removed from forming tool 900 and may be subsequently installed in the connector 100 or other types of coaxial cable connectors.","This manner of forming or shaping contacting portion 310 to the contour of forming tool 900 may be useful to aid in handling of post 300 in subsequent manufacturing processes, such as plating for example.","Additionally, use of this method makes it possible to achieve various configurations of contacting portion 310 formation as illustrated in FIGS.","5A through 5H.","FIG.","5A is a side schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of post 300 where contacting portion 310 is a radially projecting protrusion that completely circumscribes post 300.In this view, contacting portion 310 is formable but has not yet been formed to reflect a contour of coaxial cable connector or forming tool.","FIG.","5B is a front schematic view of the post 300 of FIG.","5.FIG.","5C is a side schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of post 300 where contacting portion 310 has a multi-cornered configuration.","Contacting portion 310 may be a protrusion and may, but does not have to be, radially projecting.","Although in FIG.","5C contacting portion 310 is shown as tri-cornered, contacting portion 310 can have any number of corner configurations, as non-limiting examples, two, three, four, or more.","In FIG.","5C, contacting portion 310 may be formable but has not yet been formed to reflect a contour of coaxial cable connector or forming tool.","FIG.","5D is a front schematic view of post 300 of FIG.","5C.","FIG.","5E is a side schematic view of post 300 where contacting portion 310 has a tri-cornered configuration.","In this view, contacting portion 310 is shown as being formed to a shape in which contacting portion 310 cants or slants toward the front end 305 of post 300.FIG.","5F is a front schematic view of post 300 of FIG.","5E.","FIG.","5G is a side schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of post 300 where contacting portion 310 has a tri-cornered configuration.","In this view contacting portion 310 is formed in a manner differing from FIG.","5E in that indentations 311 in contacting portion 310 result in a segmented or reduced arcuate shape 313.FIG.","5H is a front schematic view of post 300 of FIG.","5G.","It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that contacting portion 310 as illustrated in FIGS.","2-5H may be integral to and monolithic with post 300.Additionally, contacting portion 310 may have or be any shape, including shapes that may be flush or aligned with other portions of post 300, or may have any number of configurations, as non-limiting examples, configurations ranging from completely circular to multi-cornered geometries, and still perform its function of providing electrical continuity.","Further, contacting portion 310 may be formable and formed to any shape or in any direction.","FIG.","6 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 110 comprising an integral pin 805, wherein coupler 200 rotates about body 500 instead of post 300 and contacting portion 510 is a protrusion from, integral to and monolithic with body 500 instead of post 300.In this regard, contacting portion 510 may be a unitized portion of body 500.As such, contacting portion 510 may be constructed with body 500 or a portion of body 500 from a single piece of material.","Coaxial cable connector 110 is configured to accept a coaxial cable.","Contacting portion 510 may be formed to a contour of coupler 200 as coupler 200 is assembled with body 500 as illustrated in FIG.","6A.","FIG.","6A is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 110 in a state of partial assembly.","Contacting portion 510 has not been formed to a contour of the coupler 200.Assembling the coupler 200 with the body 500 forms the contacting portion 510 in a rearward facing manner as opposed to a forward facing manner as is illustrated with the contacting portion 310.However, as with contacting portion 310, the material of contacting portion 510 has certain elastic/plastic property which, as contacting portion 510 is formed provides that contacting portion 510 will press against the contour of the coupler 200 and maintain mechanical and electrical contact with coupler 200.Contacting portion 510 provides for electrical continuity from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the terminal regardless of the tightness or adequacy of the coupling of the coaxial cable connector 100 to the terminal, and regardless of the tightness of the coaxial cable connector 100 on the terminal in the same way as previously described with respect to contacting portion 310.Additionally or alternatively, contacting portion 310 may be cantilevered or attached at only one end of a segment.","FIG.","7 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 111 comprising an integral pin 805, and a conductive component 400.Coupler 200 rotates about body 500 instead of about a post, which is not present in coaxial cable connector 111.Contacting portion 410 is shown as a protrusion and may be integral to, monolithically with and radially projecting from a conductive component 400 which is press fit into body 500.Contacting portion 410 may be a unitized portion of conductive component 400.As such, the contacting portion 410 may be constructed from a single piece of material with conductive component 400 or a portion of conductive component 400.As with contacting portion 310, the material of contacting portion 410 has certain elastic/plastic property which, as contacting portion 410 is formed provides that contacting portion 410 will press against the contour of the coupler 200 and maintain mechanical and electrical contact with coupler 200 as conductive component 400 inserts in coupler 200 when assembling body 500 with coupler 200 as previously described.","FIG.","8 is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of the coaxial cable connector 111 comprising an integral pin 805, and a retaining ring 402.The coupler 200 rotates about body 500 instead of a post.","Contacting portion 410 may be integral with and radially projecting from a retaining ring 402 which fits into a groove formed in body 500.The contacting portion 410 may be a unitized portion of the retaining ring 402.As such, the contacting portion 410 may be constructed from a single piece of material with the retaining ring 402 or a portion of the retaining ring 402.In this regard, FIG.","8A illustrates front and side views of the retaining ring 402.In FIG.","8A, contacting portion 410 is shown as three protrusions integral with and radially projecting from retaining ring 402.As discussed above, the material of contacting portion 410 has certain elastic/plastic property which, as contacting portion 410 is formed provides that contacting portion 410 will press against the contour of the coupler 200 and maintain mechanical and electrical contact with coupler 200 as retaining ring 402 inserts in coupler 200 when assembling body 500 with coupler 200 as previously described.","It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the contacting portion 410 as illustrated in FIGS.","6-8A may be integral to the body 500 or may be attached to or be part of another component 400, 402.Additionally, the contacting portion 410 may have or be any shape, including shapes that may be flush or aligned with other portions of the body 500 and/or another component 400, 402, or may have any number of configurations, as non-limiting examples, configurations ranging from completely circular to multi-cornered geometries.","FIG.","9 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 112 that is a compression type of connector with no post.","In other words, having a post-less configuration.","The coupler 200 rotates about body 500 instead of a post.","The body 500 comprises contacting portion 510.The contacting portion 510 is integral with the body 500.As such, the contacting portion 510 may be constructed from a single piece of material with the body 500 or a portion of the body 500.The contacting portion 510 forms to a contour of the coupler 200 when the coupler 200 is assembled with the body 500.FIG.","10 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 113 that is a hex-crimp type connector.","The coaxial cable connector 113 comprises a coupler 200, a post 300 with a contacting portion 310 and a body 500.The contacting portion 310 is integral to and monolithic with post 300.Contacting portion 310 may be unitized with post 300.As such, contacting portion 310 may be constructed from a single piece of material with post 300 or a portion of post 300.Contacting portion 310 forms to a contour of coupler 200 when coupler 200 is assembled with body 500 and post 300.The coaxial cable connector 113 attaches to a coaxial cable by means radially compressing body 500 with a tool or tools known in the industry.","FIG.","11 is an isometric schematic view of post 300 of coaxial cable connector 100 in FIG.","2 with the contacting portion 310 formed to a position of a contour of a coupler (not shown).","FIG.","12 is an isometric cross sectional view of post 300 and coupler 200 of connector 100 in FIG.","2 illustrated assembled with the post 300.The contacting portion 310 is formed to a contour of the coupler 200.FIG.","13 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 114 comprising a post 300 and a coupler 200 having a contacting portion 210.Contacting portion 210 is shown as an inwardly directed protrusion.","Contacting portion 210 is integral to and monolithic with coupler 200 and forms to a contour of post 300 when post 300 assembles with coupler 200.Contacting portion 210 may be unitizedwith coupler 200.As such, contacting portion 210 may be constructed from a single piece of material with coupler 200 or a portion of coupler 200.Contacting portion 210 provides for electrical continuity from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the terminal regardless of the tightness or adequacy of the coupling of the coaxial cable connector 114 to the terminal, and regardless of the tightness of coaxial cable connector 114 on the terminal.","Contacting portion 210 may have or be any shape, including shapes that may be flush or aligned with other portions of coupler 200, or may have and/or be formed to any number of configurations, as non-limiting examples, configurations ranging from completely circular to multi-cornered geometries.","FIGS.","14, 15 and 16 are cross-sectional views of embodiments of coaxial cable connectors 115 with a post similar to post 300 comprising a contacting portion 310 as described above such that the contacting portion 310 is shown as outwardly radially projecting, which forms to a contour of the coupler 200 at different locations of the coupler 200.Additionally, the contacting portion 310 may contact the coupler 200 rearward of the lip 215, for example as shown in FIGS.","15 and 16, which may be at the rearward facing surface 217 of the lip 215, for example as shown in FIG.","15.FIG.","17 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 116 with a body 500 comprising a contacting portion 310, wherein the contacting portion 310 is shown as an outwardly directed protrusion from body 500 that forms to the coupler 200.FIG.","18 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 117 having a post 300 with an integral contacting portion 310 and a coupler 200 with an undercut 231.The contacting portion 310 is shown as a protrusion that forms to the contours of coupler 200 at the position of undercut 231.FIG.","18A is a cross-sectional view of the coaxial cable connector 117 as shown in FIG.","18 having a prepared coaxial cable inserted in the coaxial cable connector 117.The body 500 and the post 300 receive the coaxial cable (FIG.","18A).","The post 300 at the back end 395 is inserted between an outer conductor and a dielectric layer of the coaxial cable.","FIG.","19 is a partial, cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 118 having a post 301 comprising an integral contacting portion 310.The movable post 301 is shown in a forward position with the contacting portion 310 not formed by a contour of the coupler 200.FIG.","20 is a partial, cross-sectional view of the coaxial cable connector 118 shown in FIG.","19 with the post 301 in a rearward position and the contacting portion 310 forming to a contour of the coupler 200.RFI shielding within given structures may be complicated when the structure or device comprises moving parts, such as a coaxial cable connector.","Providing a coaxial cable connector that acts as a Faraday cage to prevent ingress and egress of RF signals can be especially challenging due to the necessary relative movement between connector components required to couple the connector to an equipment port.","Relative movement of components due to mechanical clearances between the components can result in an ingress or egress path for unwanted RF signal and, further, can disrupt the electrical and mechanical communication between components necessary to provide a reliable ground path.","To overcome this situation the coaxial cable connector may incorporate one or more circuitous paths that allows necessary relative movement between connector components and still inhibit ingress or egress of RF signal.","This path, combined with an integral grounding flange of a component that moveably contacts a coupler acts as a rotatable or moveable Faraday cage within the limited space of a RF coaxial connector creating a connector that both shields against RFI and provides electrical ground even when improperly installed.","In this regard, FIG.","21 illustrates a coaxial cable connector 119 having front end 105, back end 195, coupler 200, post 300, body 500, compression ring 600 and gripping member 700.Coupler 200 is adapted to couple the coaxial cable connector 119 to a terminal, which includes an equipment connection port.","Body 500 is assembled with the coupler 200 and post 300.The post 300 is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable.","Coupler 200 at least partially comprises front end 205, back end 295 central passage 210, lip 215, through-bore 220, bore 230 and bore 235.Coupler 200 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.","Post 300 at least partially comprises front end 305, back end 395, contacting portion 310, enlarged shoulder 340, collar portion 320, through-bore 325, rearward facing annular surface 330, shoulder 345 and barbed portion 335 proximate back end 395.Post 300 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as tin.","Contacting portion 310 is integral and monolithic with post 300.Contacting portion 310 provides a stable ground path and protects against the ingress and egress of RF signals.","Body 500 at least partially comprises front end 505, back end 595, and central passage 525.Body 500 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.","Shell 600 at least partially comprises front end 605, back end 695, and central passage 625.Shell 600 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.","Gripping member 700 at least partially comprises front end 705, back end 795, and central passage 725.Gripping member 700 is preferably made of a polymer material such as acetal.","Although, coaxial cable connector 119 in FIG.","21 is an axial-compression type coaxial connector having post 300, contacting portion 310 may be incorporated in any type of coaxial cable connector.","Coaxial cable connector 119 is shown in its unattached, uncompressed state, without a coaxial cable inserted therein.","Coaxial cable connector 119 couples a prepared end of a coaxial cable to a threaded female equipment connection port (not shown in FIG.","21).","Coaxial cable connector 119 has a first end 105 and a second end 195.Shell 600 slideably attaches to the coaxial cable connector 119 at back end 595 of body 500.Coupler 200 attaches to coaxial cable connector 119 at back end 295.Coupler 200 may rotatably attach to front end 305 of post 300 while engaging body 300 by means of a press-fit.","Contacting portion 310 is of monolithic construction with post 300, being formed or constructed in a unitary fashion from a single piece of material with post 300.Post 300 rotatably engages central passage 210 of coupler 200 lip 215.In this way, contacting portion 310 provides an electrically conductive path between post 300, coupler 200 and body 500.This enables an electrically conductive path from the coaxial cable through the coaxial cable connector 119 to the equipment connection port providing an electrical ground and a shield against RF ingress.","Elimination of separate continuity member 4000 as illustrated in connector 1000 of FIG.","1 improves DC contact resistance by eliminating mechanical and electrical interfaces between components and further improves DC contact resistance by removing a component made from a material having higher electrical resistance properties.","An enlarged shoulder 340 at front end 305 extends inside coupler 200.Enlarged shoulder 340 comprises flange 312, contacting portion 310, collar portion 320, rearward facing annular surface 330 and shoulder 345.Collar portion 320 allows coupler 200 to rotate by means of a clearance fit with through bore 220 of coupler 200.Rearward facing annular surface 330 limits forward axial movement of coupler 200 by engaging lip 215.Contacting portion 310 contacts coupler 200 forward of lip 215.Contacting portion 310 may be formed to contactedly fit with the coupler 200 by utilizing coupler 200 to form contacting portion 310 upon assembly of coaxial cable connector 119 components.","In this manner, contacting portion 310 is secured within coaxial cable connector 119, and establishes mechanical and electrical contact with coupler 200 and, thereby, an electrically conductive path between post 300 and coupler 200.Further, contacting portion 310 remains contactedly fit, in other words in mechanical and electrical contact, with coupler 200 regardless of the tightness of coaxial cable connector 119 on the appliance equipment connection port.","In this manner, contacting portion 310 is integral to the electrically conductive path established between post 300 and coupler 200 even when the coaxial cable connector 119 is loosened and/or disconnected from the appliance equipment connection port.","Post 300 has a front end 305 and a back end 395.Back end 395 is adapted to extend into a coaxial cable.","Proximate back end 395, post 300 has a barbed portion 335 extending radially outwardly from the tubular post 300.With reference to FIG.","22, there are shown two paths 900, 902, which depict potential RF leakage paths.","Coaxial cable connector 119 includes structures to increase the attenuation of RF ingress or egress via paths 900, 902.RF leakage may occur via path 900 through coupler 200 back end 295 at the body 500 and between the lip 215 and post 300.However, as shown in FIG.","23, step 235 and shoulder 345, along with contacting portion 310 and flange 312 form a circuitous path along path 900.The structure of the coupler 200 and post 300 closes off or substantially reduces a potential RF leakage path along path 900, thereby increasing the attenuation of RF ingress or egress signals.","In this way, coupler 200 and post 500 provide RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector 119 are attenuated such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector 119 is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to equipment connection port 904.With reference again to FIG.","22, RF leakage via path 902 may be possible along threaded portion of coupler 200 to equipment connection port 904.This is particularly true when the coaxial cable connector 119 is in a dynamic condition such as during vibration or other type of externally induced motion.","Under these conditions electrical ground can be lost and an RF ingress path opened when the threads 204 of the coupler 200 and the threads 906 of the equipment connection port 904 become coaxially aligned reducing or eliminating physical contact between the coupler 200 and the equipment connection port 904.By modifying the form of the coupler 200 threads 204 the tendency of the coupler 200 to equipment connection port 904 to lose ground contact and open an RF ingress path via path 902 is mitigated, thereby increasing the attenuation of RF ingress or egress signals.","The structure of the threads 204 of the coupler 200 may involve aspects including, but are not limited to, pitch diameter of the thread, major diameter of the thread, minor diameter of the thread, thread pitch angle “θ”, thread pitch depth, and thread crest width and thread root radii.","Typically, the pitch angle “θ” of thread 204 of coupler 200 is designed to match, as much as possible, the pitch angle “θ” of thread 906 of equipment connection port 904.As shown in FIG.","24, pitch angle “θ” may be different than pitch angle “θ” to reduce interfacial gap between thread 204 of coupler 200 and thread 906 of equipment connection port 904.In this way, the threaded portion of the coupler 200 traverses a shorter distance before contacting the threaded portion of the equipment connection port 904 closing off or substantially reducing a potential RF leakage path along path 902.Typically, thread 906 angle “φ” of the equipment connection port 904 is set at 60 degrees.","As a non-limiting example, instead of designing coupler 200 with threads 204 of angle “θ”, angle “θ” may be set at about 62 degrees which may provide the reduced interfacial gap as discussed above.","In this way, coupler 200 and post 500 provide RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector 119 are attenuated such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector 119 is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to equipment connection port 904.Typically, RF signal leakage is measured by the amount of signal loss expressed in decibel (“dB”).","Therefore, “dB” relates to how effectively RF shielding is attenuating RF signals.","In this manner, RF signal ingress into a coaxial cable connector 119 or egress out from a coaxial cable connector 119 may be determined, and, thereby, the ability of the RF shielding of a coaxial cable connector 119 to attenuate RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector 119.Accordingly, the lower the value of “dB” the more effective the attenuation.","As an example, a measurement RF shielding of −20 dB would indicate that the RF shield attenuates the RF signal by 20 dB as compared at the transmission source.","For purposes herein, RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector 119 include either or both of RF signal ingress into a coaxial cable connector 119 or egress out from a coaxial cable connector 119.Referring now to FIG.","25, illustrates comparative RF shielding effectiveness in “dB” of coaxial cable connector 119 over a range of 0-1000 megahertz (“MHz”).","The coupling 200 was finger tightened on the equipment connection port 904 and then loosened two full turns.","As illustrated in FIG.","25, the RF shielding in “dB” for coaxial cable connector 119 for all frequencies tested indicated that the RF signal was attenuated by more than 50 dB.","Additionally, the effectiveness of RF signal shielding may be determined by measuring transfer impedance of the coaxial cable connector.","Transfer impedance is the ratio of the longitudinal voltage developed on the secondary side of a RF shield to the current flowing in the RF shield.","If the shielding effectiveness of a point leakage source is known, the equivalent transfer impedance value can be calculated using the following calculation: SE=20 log Ztotal−45.76 (dB) Accordingly, using this calculation the average equivalent transfer impedance of the coaxial cable connector 119 is about 0.24 ohms.","As discussed above, electrical continuity shall mean DC contact resistance from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the equipment port of less than about 3000 milliohms.","In addition to increasing the attenuation of RF signals by closing off or reducing the RF leakage via paths 900, 902, the DC contact resistance may be substantially reduced.","As a non-limiting example, the DC contact resistance may be less than about 100 milliohms, and preferably less than 50 milliohms, and more preferably less than 30 milliohms, and still more preferably less than 10 milliohms.","It should be understood that while the invention has been described in detail with respect to various exemplary embodiments thereof, it should not be considered limited to such, as numerous modifications are possible without departing from the broad scope of the appended claims.","It is intended that the embodiments cover the modifications and variations of the embodiments provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.","Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation."]],"string":"[\n [\n \"COAXIAL CABLE CONNECTOR WITH INTEGRAL RFI PROTECTION\",\n \"A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal is disclosed.\",\n \"The connector has a coupler adapted to couple the connector to a terminal, a body assembled with the coupler and a post assembled with the coupler and the body.\",\n \"The post is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable.\",\n \"The post has an integral contacting portion that is monolithic with at least a portion of the post.\",\n \"When assembled the coupler and post provide at least one circuitous path resulting in RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated, such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the terminal.\"\n ],\n [\n \"1.-20.\",\n \"(canceled) 21.A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the connector comprising: a coupler configured to couple the connector to the terminal, the coupler comprising a front end, a rear end, a surface defining an inner bore disposed between the front end and the rear end of the coupler, and a lip extending inwardly into the inner bore of the coupler at a rear end of the coupler to define a forward facing surface of the lip; a body assembled with the coupler, the body comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portion extending into the inner bore of the coupler and expanding radially outward in the inner bore of the coupler forward of the lip of the coupler to define a rearward facing annular surface opposing the forward facing surface of the lip of the coupler to limit forward axial movement of the coupler; and a post assembled with the coupler and the body, the post comprising a front end extending into the inner bore of the coupler through the rear end of the coupler, a rear end configured to receive the end of the coaxial cable connector, a flange at the front end of the post, an enlarged shoulder between the flange and the rear end of the post, and a contacting portion that is integral and monolithic with the post and extends from the enlarged shoulder into the inner bore of the coupler into contact with the surface defining the inner bore of the coupler.\",\n \"22.The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein: the forward portion of the body further comprises a forward facing surface, the enlarged shoulder of the post defines a rearward facing annular surface of the post, and the forward facing surface of the forward portion of the body contacts the rearward facing annular surface of the post with the post in a rearward position.\",\n \"23.The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein the body further comprises a forward facing annular surface that limits the rearward axial movement of the coupler.\",\n \"24.The coaxial cable connector of claim 23, wherein: the forward portion of the body further comprises a forward facing surface, the enlarged shoulder of the post defines a rearward facing annular surface of the post, and the forward facing surface of the forward portion of the body contacts the rearward facing annular surface of the post with the post in a rearward position.\",\n \"25.The coaxial cable connector of claim 23, wherein the forward facing annular surface of the body comprises: a vertical portion expanding radially outward from a middle portion of the body, and a diagonal portion expanding radially outward and rearward from the vertical portion of the forward facing annular surface of the rearward portion of the body.\",\n \"26.A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the connector comprising: a coupler comprising a front end, a rear end, a surface defining an inner bore disposed between the front end and the rear end, and a lip extending inwardly into the inner bore from the surface defining the inner bore, the lip comprising a forward facing surface and a rearward facing surface, the coupler configured to couple the connector to the terminal; a body assembled with the coupler, the body comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion, the forward portion of the body extending into the inner bore of the coupler and expanding radially outward in the inner bore of the coupler forward of the lip of the coupler to define a rearward facing annular surface opposing the forward facing surface of the lip of the coupler, the rearward portion of the body expanding radially outward behind the rear end of the coupler to define a forward facing annular surface opposing the rearward facing surface of the lip of the coupler; and a post assembled with the coupler and the body, the post comprising a front end extending into the inner bore of the coupler through the rear end of the coupler, wherein the post is configured to receive an end of a coaxial cable and the post comprises a flange, an outer surface, a contacting portion, an enlarged shoulder, and an inner surface, the outer surface of the post extends between the flange and the contacting portion of the post, the enlarged shoulder expands radially from the inner surface of the post and defines a rearward facing annular surface of the post extending between the inner surface of the post and the outer surface of the post, and the contacting portion of the post extends from the enlarged shoulder of the post over the outer surface of the post between the flange of the post and the enlarged shoulder of the post.\",\n \"27.A coaxial cable connector for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, the coaxial cable comprising an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor, the connector comprising: a coupler configured to couple the connector to the terminal, the coupler comprising a front end, a rear end, a surface defining an inner bore disposed between the front end and the rear end of the coupler, and a lip extending inwardly into the inner bore of the coupler at a rear end of the coupler to define a forward facing surface of the lip; a body assembled with the coupler, the body comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion and a forward facing annular surface between the forward portion and the rearward portion, the forward portion of the body extending into the inner bore of the coupler and expanding radially outward in the inner bore of the coupler forward of the lip of the coupler to define a forward facing surface and the forward facing annular surface of the body limiting the rearward axial movement of the coupler; and a post assembled with the coupler and the body, the post comprising a front end extending into the inner bore of the coupler through the rear end of the coupler, a rear end configured to receive the end of the coaxial cable connector, a flange at the front end of the post, an enlarged shoulder between the flange and the rear end of the post that defines a rearward facing annular surface of the post, and a contacting portion that is integral and monolithic with the post and extends from the enlarged shoulder into the inner bore of the coupler into contact with the surface defining the inner bore of the coupler, wherein the forward facing surface of the forward portion of the body contacts the rearward facing annular surface of the post with the post in a rearward position.\",\n \"28.The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz.\",\n \"29.The coaxial cable connector of claim 28, wherein the RF signals external to the connector comprise RF signals that ingress into the connector.\",\n \"30.The coaxial cable connector of claim 28, wherein the RF signals external to the connector comprise RF signals that egress out from the connector.\",\n \"31.The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein a transfer impedance measured from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the terminal through the connector averages less than about 0.24 ohms.\",\n \"32.The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein a first circuitous path includes a plurality of pairs of electromagnetically coupled faces established by at least one of the lip, the flange, the contacting portion, and the enlarged shoulder, and wherein the first circuitous path attenuates of RF signals external to the connector.\",\n \"33.The coaxial cable connector of claim 21, wherein the terminal comprises an equipment connection port, and wherein the coupler comprises a threaded portion configured to connect with a threaded portion of an equipment connection port, and wherein at least one thread of the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"34.The coaxial cable connector of claim 33, wherein the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler is about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"35.The coaxial cable connector of claim 33, wherein the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler is about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port is about 60 degrees.\",\n \"36.The coaxial cable connector of claim 33, wherein the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port, establish a second circuitous path that attenuates RF signals external to the connector.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BACKGROUND \"\n ],\n [\n \" SUMMARY OF THE DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.\",\n \"The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.\",\n \"The coupler is adapted to couple the connector to the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The coupler and post provide RF shielding provides RF shielding of the assembled coaxial cable connector such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz.\",\n \"A transfer impedance measured averages about 0.24 ohms.\",\n \"The integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The RF signals external to the connector may be understood to mean RF signals that ingress into the connector.\",\n \"The RF signals external to the connector may also be understood to mean RF signals that egress out from the connector.\",\n \"The coupler may have a step and the post may have a flange, a contacting portion and a shoulder.\",\n \"A first circuitous path may be established by the a step, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.\",\n \"The first circuitous path attenuates RF signals external to the connector.\",\n \"The coupler may have a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"At least one thread on the coupler may have a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port may be about 60 degrees.\",\n \"The threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port may establish a second circuitous path, and the second circuitous path may attenuate RF signals external to the connector.\",\n \"In yet another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.\",\n \"The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.\",\n \"The post comprises an integral contacting portion.\",\n \"The contacting portion is monolithic with at least a portion of the post.\",\n \"When assembled the coupler and post provide at least one circuitous path resulting in RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated, such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the terminal.\",\n \"RF signals external to the coaxial connector comprise at least one of RF signals that ingress into the connector and RF signals that egress out from the connector.\",\n \"RF signals are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz and a transfer impedance averages about 0.24 ohms.\",\n \"The at least one circuitous path comprises a first circuitous path and a second circuitous path.\",\n \"The coupler comprises a lip and a step, and the post comprises a flange and a shoulder.\",\n \"The first circuitous path is established by at least one of the step, the lip, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.\",\n \"The terminal comprises an equipment connection port, and the coupler comprises a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port, and the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port establish a second circuitous path.\",\n \"At least one thread on the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"In yet another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.\",\n \"The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.\",\n \"The coupler is adapted to couple the connector to the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The coupler has a step and a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"At least one thread on the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The body is assembled with the coupler.\",\n \"The post is assembled with the coupler and the body and is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable.\",\n \"The post comprises a flange, a contacting portion and a shoulder.\",\n \"A first circuitous path is established by the a step, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.\",\n \"A second circuitous path is established by the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The first circuitous path and the second circuitous path provide for RF shielding of the assembled coaxial cable connector wherein RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz, and the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the equipment connection port.\",\n \"A transfer impedance averages about 0.24 ohms.\",\n \"Additionally, the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"As a non-limiting example, the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port is about 60 degrees.\",\n \"Additional features and advantages are set out in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the embodiments as described herein, including the detailed description, the claims, as well as the appended drawings.\",\n \"It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary, and are intended to provide an overview or framework to understanding the nature and character of the claims.\",\n \"The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.\",\n \"The drawings illustrate one or more embodiment(s), and together with the description serve to explain principles and operation of the various embodiments.\"\n ],\n [\n \"RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"15/636,842, filed Jun.\",\n \"29, 2017, entitled “Coaxial Cable Connector with Integral RFI Protection,” which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"15/019,498, filed Feb. 9, 2016, entitled “Coaxial Cable Connector With Integral RFI Protection,” which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"13/653,095, filed Oct. 16, 2012, entitled “Coaxial Cable Connector With Integral RFI Protection,” the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.\",\n \"This application is related to U.S. application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"13/198,765, filed Aug. 5, 2011, entitled “Coaxial Cable Connector with Radio Frequency Interference and Grounding Shield,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.\",\n \"This application is also related to U.S. application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"13/652,969, filed Oct. 16, 2012, entitled “Coaxial Cable Connector with Continuity Contacting Portion,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.\",\n \"BACKGROUND Field of the Disclosure The technology of the disclosure relates to coaxial cable connectors and, in particular, to a coaxial cable connector that provides integral radio frequency interference (RFI) shielding.\",\n \"Technical Background Coaxial cable connectors, such as type F connectors, are used to attach coaxial cable to another object or appliance, e.g., a television set, DVD player, modem or other electronic communication device having a terminal adapted to engage the connector.\",\n \"The terminal of the appliance includes an inner conductor and a surrounding outer conductor.\",\n \"Coaxial cable includes a center conductor for transmitting a signal.\",\n \"The center conductor is surrounded by a dielectric material, and the dielectric material is surrounded by an outer conductor; this outer conductor may be in the form of a conductive foil and/or braided sheath.\",\n \"The outer conductor is typically maintained at ground potential to shield the signal transmitted by the center conductor from stray noise, and to maintain a continuous desired impedance over the signal path.\",\n \"The outer conductor is usually surrounded by a plastic cable jacket that electrically insulates, and mechanically protects, the outer conductor.\",\n \"Prior to installing a coaxial connector onto an end of the coaxial cable, the end of the coaxial cable is typically prepared by stripping off the end portion of the jacket to expose the end portion of the outer conductor.\",\n \"Similarly, it is common to strip off a portion of the dielectric to expose the end portion of the center conductor.\",\n \"Coaxial cable connectors of the type known in the trade as “F connectors” often include a tubular post designed to slide over the dielectric material, and under the outer conductor of the coaxial cable, at the prepared end of the coaxial cable.\",\n \"If the outer conductor of the cable includes a braided sheath, then the exposed braided sheath is usually folded back over the cable jacket.\",\n \"The cable jacket and folded-back outer conductor extend generally around the outside of the tubular post and are typically received in an outer body of the connector; this outer body of the connector is often fixedly secured to the tubular post.\",\n \"A coupler is typically rotatably secured around the tubular post and includes an internally-threaded region for engaging external threads formed on the outer conductor of the appliance terminal.\",\n \"When connecting the end of a coaxial cable to a terminal of a television set, equipment box, modem, computer or other appliance, it is important to achieve a reliable electrical connection between the outer conductor of the coaxial cable and the outer conductor of the appliance terminal.\",\n \"Typically, this goal is usually achieved by ensuring that the coupler of the connector is fully tightened over the connection port of the appliance.\",\n \"When fully tightened, the head of the tubular post of the connector directly engages the edge of the outer conductor of the appliance port, thereby making a direct electrical ground connection between the outer conductor of the appliance port and the tubular post; in turn, the tubular post is engaged with the outer conductor of the coaxial cable.\",\n \"With the increased use of self-install kits provided to home owners by some CATV system operators has come a rise in customer complaints due to poor picture quality in video systems and/or poor data performance in computer/internet systems.\",\n \"Additionally, CATV system operators have found upstream data problems induced by entrance of unwanted radio frequency (“RF”) signals into their systems.\",\n \"Complaints of this nature result in CATV system operators having to send a technician to address the issue.\",\n \"Often times it is reported by the technician that the cause of the problem is due to a loose F connector fitting, sometimes as a result of inadequate installation of the self-install kit by the homeowner.\",\n \"An improperly installed or loose connector may result in poor signal transfer because there are discontinuities along the electrical path between the devices, resulting in ingress of undesired RF signals where RF energy from an external source or sources may enter the connector/cable arrangement causing a signal to noise ratio problem resulting in an unacceptable picture or data performance.\",\n \"In particular, RF signals may enter CATV systems from wireless devices, such as cell phones, computers and the like, especially in the 700-800 MHz transmitting range.\",\n \"Many of the current state of the art F connectors rely on intimate contact between the F male connector interface and the F female connector interface.\",\n \"If, for some reason, the connector interfaces are allowed to pull apart from each other, such as in the case of a loose F male coupler, an interface “gap” may result.\",\n \"If not otherwise protected this gap can be a point of RF ingress as previously described.\",\n \"A shield that completely surrounds or encloses a structure or device to protect it against RFI is typically referred to as a “Faraday cage.” However, providing such RFI shielding within given structures is complicated when the structure or device comprises moving parts, such as seen in a coaxial connector.\",\n \"Accordingly, creating a connector to act in a manner similar to a Faraday cage to prevent ingress and egress of RF signals can be especially challenging due to the necessary relative movement between connector components required to couple the connector to a related port.\",\n \"Relative movement of components due to mechanical clearances between the components can result in an ingress or egress path for unwanted RF signals and, further, can disrupt the electrical and mechanical communication between components necessary to provide a reliable ground path.\",\n \"The effort to shield and electrically ground a coaxial connector is further complicated when the connector is required to perform when improperly installed, i.e.\",\n \"not tightened to a corresponding port.\",\n \"U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"5,761,053 to, teaches that “[e]lectromagnetic interference (EMI) has been defined as undesired conducted or radiated electrical disturbances from an electrical or electronic apparatus, including transients, which can interfere with the operation of other electrical or electronic apparatus.\",\n \"Such disturbances can occur anywhere in the electromagnetic spectrum.\",\n \"Radio frequency interference (RFI) is often used interchangeably with electromagnetic interference, although it is more properly restricted to the radio frequency portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, usually defined as between 24 kilohertz (kHz) and 240 gigahertz (GHz).\",\n \"A shield is defined as a metallic or otherwise electrically conductive configuration inserted between a source of EMI/RFI and a desired area of protection.\",\n \"Such a shield may be provided to prevent electromagnetic energy from radiating from a source.\",\n \"Additionally, such a shield may prevent external electromagnetic energy from entering the shielded system.\",\n \"As a practical matter, such shields normally take the form of an electrically conductive housing which is electrically grounded.\",\n \"The energy of the EMI/RFI is thereby dissipated harmlessly to ground.\",\n \"Because EMI/RFI disrupts the operation of electronic components, such as integrated circuit (IC) chips, IC packages, hybrid components, and multi-chip modules, various methods have been used to contain EMI/RFI from electronic components.\",\n \"The most common method is to electrically ground a “can”, that will cover the electronic components, to a substrate such as a printed wiring board.\",\n \"As is well known, a can is a shield that may be in the form of a conductive housing, a metallized cover, a small metal box, a perforated conductive case wherein spaces are arranged to minimize radiation over a given frequency band, or any other form of a conductive surface that surrounds electronic components.\",\n \"When the can is mounted on a substrate such that it completely surrounds and encloses the electronic components, it is often referred to as a Faraday Cage.\",\n \"Presently, there are two predominant methods to form a Faraday cage around electronic components for shielding use.\",\n \"A first method is to solder a can to a ground strip that surrounds electronic components on a printed wiring board (PWB).\",\n \"Although soldering a can provides excellent electrical properties, this method is often labor intensive.\",\n \"Also, a soldered can is difficult to remove if an electronic component needs to be re-worked.\",\n \"A second method is to mechanically secure a can, or other enclosure, with a suitable mechanical fastener, such as a plurality of screws or a clamp, for example.\",\n \"Typically, a conductive gasket material is usually attached to the bottom surface of a can to ensure good electrical contact with the ground strip on the PWB.\",\n \"Mechanically securing a can facilitates the re-work of electronic components, however, mechanical fasteners are bulky and occupy “valuable” space on a PWB.” Coaxial cable connectors have attempted to address the above problems by incorporating a continuity member into the coaxial cable connector as a separate component.\",\n \"In this regard, FIG.\",\n \"1 illustrates a connector 1000 in the prior art having a coupler 2000, a separate post 3000, a separate continuity member 4000, and a body 5000.In connector 1000 the separate continuity member 4000 is captured between post 3000 and body 5000 and contacts at least a portion of coupler 2000.Coupler 2000 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.\",\n \"Post 3000 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as tin.\",\n \"Separate conductive member 4000 is preferably made of metal such as phosphor bronze and plated with a conductive material such as tin.\",\n \"Body 5000 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.\",\n \"SUMMARY OF THE DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.\",\n \"The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.\",\n \"The coupler is adapted to couple the connector to the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The coupler and post provide RF shielding provides RF shielding of the assembled coaxial cable connector such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz.\",\n \"A transfer impedance measured averages about 0.24 ohms.\",\n \"The integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The RF signals external to the connector may be understood to mean RF signals that ingress into the connector.\",\n \"The RF signals external to the connector may also be understood to mean RF signals that egress out from the connector.\",\n \"The coupler may have a step and the post may have a flange, a contacting portion and a shoulder.\",\n \"A first circuitous path may be established by the a step, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.\",\n \"The first circuitous path attenuates RF signals external to the connector.\",\n \"The coupler may have a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"At least one thread on the coupler may have a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port may be about 60 degrees.\",\n \"The threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port may establish a second circuitous path, and the second circuitous path may attenuate RF signals external to the connector.\",\n \"In yet another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.\",\n \"The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.\",\n \"The post comprises an integral contacting portion.\",\n \"The contacting portion is monolithic with at least a portion of the post.\",\n \"When assembled the coupler and post provide at least one circuitous path resulting in RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated, such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the terminal.\",\n \"RF signals external to the coaxial connector comprise at least one of RF signals that ingress into the connector and RF signals that egress out from the connector.\",\n \"RF signals are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz and a transfer impedance averages about 0.24 ohms.\",\n \"The at least one circuitous path comprises a first circuitous path and a second circuitous path.\",\n \"The coupler comprises a lip and a step, and the post comprises a flange and a shoulder.\",\n \"The first circuitous path is established by at least one of the step, the lip, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.\",\n \"The terminal comprises an equipment connection port, and the coupler comprises a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port, and the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port establish a second circuitous path.\",\n \"At least one thread on the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"In yet another aspect, embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.\",\n \"The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.\",\n \"The coupler is adapted to couple the connector to the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The coupler has a step and a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"At least one thread on the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The body is assembled with the coupler.\",\n \"The post is assembled with the coupler and the body and is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable.\",\n \"The post comprises a flange, a contacting portion and a shoulder.\",\n \"A first circuitous path is established by the a step, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.\",\n \"A second circuitous path is established by the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The first circuitous path and the second circuitous path provide for RF shielding of the assembled coaxial cable connector wherein RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz, and the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the equipment connection port.\",\n \"A transfer impedance averages about 0.24 ohms.\",\n \"Additionally, the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"As a non-limiting example, the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port is about 60 degrees.\",\n \"Additional features and advantages are set out in the detailed description which follows, and in part will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art from that description or recognized by practicing the embodiments as described herein, including the detailed description, the claims, as well as the appended drawings.\",\n \"It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are merely exemplary, and are intended to provide an overview or framework to understanding the nature and character of the claims.\",\n \"The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification.\",\n \"The drawings illustrate one or more embodiment(s), and together with the description serve to explain principles and operation of the various embodiments.\",\n \"BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.\",\n \"1 is a side cross sectional view of a coaxial cable connector in the prior art; FIG.\",\n \"2 is a side, cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial connector comprising a post with a contacting portion providing an integral RFI and grounding shield; FIG.\",\n \"3A is side, cross-sectional view of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"2 in a state of partial assembly; FIG.\",\n \"3B is a partial, cross-sectional detail view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"2 in a state of further assembly than as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"3A, and illustrating the contacting portion of the post beginning to form to a contour of the coupler; FIG.\",\n \"3C is a partial, cross-sectional detail view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"2 in a state of further assembly than as illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B, and illustrating the contacting portion of the post continuing to form to a contour of the coupler; FIG.\",\n \"3D is a partial, cross-sectional detail view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"2 in a state of further assembly than as illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"3A, 3B and 3C and illustrating the contacting portion of the post forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.\",\n \"4A is a partial, cross-sectional view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"2 in which the post is partially inserted into a forming tool; FIG.\",\n \"4B is a partial, cross-sectional detail view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"2 in which the post is inserted into the forming tool further than as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"4A using a forming tool and illustrating the contacting portion of the post beginning to form to a contour of the forming tool; FIG.\",\n \"4C is a partial cross-sectional detail view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"2 in in which the post is inserted into the forming tool further than as illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"4A and 4B illustrating the contacting portion of the post continuing to form to the contour of the forming tool; FIG.\",\n \"4D is a partial cross-sectional detail view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"2 in which the post is fully inserted into the forming tool and illustrating the contacting portion of the post forming to the contour of the forming tool; FIGS.\",\n \"5A through 5H are front and side schematic views of exemplary embodiments of the contacting portions of the post; FIG.\",\n \"6 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector comprising an integral pin, in the state of assembly with body having a contacting portion forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.\",\n \"6A is a cross-sectional view of the coaxial cable connector illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"6 in a partial state of assembly illustrating the contacting portion of the body and adapted to form to a contour of the coupler; FIG.\",\n \"7 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector comprising an integral pin, wherein the coupler rotates about a body instead of a post and the contacting portion is part of a component press fit into the body and forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.\",\n \"8 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector in a partial state of assembly and comprising an integral pin, wherein the coupler rotates about a body instead of a post and the contacting portion is part of a component press position in the body and forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.\",\n \"8A is a front and side detail view of the component having the contacting portion of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"8; FIG.\",\n \"9 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector comprising a post-less configuration, and a body having a contacting portion forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.\",\n \"10 is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector comprising a hex crimp body and a post having a contacting portion forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.\",\n \"11 is an isometric, schematic view of the post of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"2 wherein the post has a contacting portion in a formed state; FIG.\",\n \"12 is an isometric, cross-sectional view of the post and the coupler of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"2 illustrating the contacting portion of the post forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.\",\n \"13 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a coupler with a contacting portion forming to a contour of the post; FIG.\",\n \"14 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a post with a contacting portion forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.\",\n \"15 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a post with a contacting portion forming to a contour behind a lip in the coupler toward the rear of the coaxial cable connector; FIG.\",\n \"16 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a post with a contacting portion forming to a contour behind a lip in the coupler toward the rear of the coaxial cable connector; FIG.\",\n \"17 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a body with a contacting portion forming to a contour behind a lip in the coupler toward the rear of the coaxial cable connector; FIG.\",\n \"18 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a post with a contacting portion forming to a contour of a coupler with an undercut; FIG.\",\n \"18A is a partial, cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a post with a contacting portion forming to a contour of a coupler with an undercut having a prepared coaxial cable inserted in the coaxial cable connector; FIG.\",\n \"19 is a partial, cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector having a moveable post with a contacting portion wherein the post is in a forward position; FIG.\",\n \"20 is a partial cross sectional view of the coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"19 with the movable post in a rearward position and the contacting portion of the movable post forming to a contour of the coupler; FIG.\",\n \"21 is a side, cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of an assembled coaxial cable connector providing for circuitous electrical paths at the coupler to form an integral Faraday cage for RF protection; FIG.\",\n \"22 is a partial, cross-sectional detail view of the assembled coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"21 illustrating a circuitous path between the coupler, post and body another circuitous path between the coupler and the equipment connection port; FIG.\",\n \"23 is a partial, cross sectional detail view of the coupler, the post and the body of FIG.\",\n \"22.FIG.\",\n \"24 is a partial, cross-sectional detail view of the threads of an equipment connection port and the threads of the coupler of the assembled coaxial cable connector of FIG.\",\n \"22; and FIG.\",\n \"25 is a graphic representation of the RF shielding of the coaxial cable connector in FIG.\",\n \"21 in which the RF shielding is measured in dB over a range of frequency in MHz.\",\n \"DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments are shown.\",\n \"Indeed, the concepts may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limiting herein.\",\n \"Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements.\",\n \"Whenever possible, like reference numbers will be used to refer to like components or parts.\",\n \"Coaxial cable connectors are used to couple a prepared end of a coaxial cable to a threaded female equipment connection port of an appliance.\",\n \"The coaxial cable connector may have a post, a moveable post or be postless.\",\n \"In each case though, in addition to providing an electrical and mechanical connection between the conductor of the coaxial connector and the conductor of the female equipment connection port, the coaxial cable connector provides a ground path from an outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The outer conductor may be, as examples, a conductive foil or a braided sheath.\",\n \"Maintaining a stable ground path protects against the ingress of undesired radio frequency (“RF”) signals which may degrade performance of the appliance.\",\n \"This is especially applicable when the coaxial cable connector is not fully tightened to the equipment connection port, either due to not being tightened upon initial installation or due to becoming loose after installation.\",\n \"Embodiments disclosed herein include a coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor, a dielectric surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the dielectric, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor and used for coupling an end of a coaxial cable to an equipment connection port.\",\n \"The coaxial cable comprises a coupler, a body and a post.\",\n \"The coupler is adapted to couple the connector to the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The coupler has a step and a threaded portion adapted to connect with a threaded portion of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"At least one thread on the coupler has a pitch angle different than a pitch angle of at least one thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The body is assembled with the coupler.\",\n \"The post is assembled with the coupler and the body and is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable.\",\n \"The post comprises a flange, a contacting portion and a shoulder.\",\n \"The contacting portion is integral and monolithic with at least a portion of the post.\",\n \"A first circuitous path is established by the a step, the flange, the contacting portion and the shoulder.\",\n \"A second circuitous path is established by the threaded portion of the coupler and the threaded portion of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"The first circuitous path and the second circuitous path provide for RF shielding of the assembled coaxial cable connector wherein RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector are attenuated by at least about 50 dB in a range up to about 1000 MHz, and the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to the equipment connection port.\",\n \"A transfer impedance averages about 0.24 ohms.\",\n \"Additionally, the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 2 degrees different than the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port.\",\n \"As a non-limiting example, the pitch angle of the thread of the coupler may be about 62 degrees, and the pitch angle of the thread of the equipment connection port is about 60 degrees.\",\n \"For purposes of this description, the term “forward” will be used to refer to a direction toward the portion of the coaxial cable connector that attaches to a terminal, such as an appliance equipment port.\",\n \"The term “rearward” will be used to refer to a direction that is toward the portion of the coaxial cable connector that receives the coaxial cable.\",\n \"The term “terminal” will be used to refer to any type of connection medium to which the coaxial cable connector may be coupled, as examples, an appliance equipment port, any other type of connection port, or an intermediate termination device.\",\n \"Additionally, for purposes herein, electrical continuity shall mean DC contact resistance from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the equipment port of less than about 3000 milliohms.\",\n \"Accordingly, a DC contact resistance of more than about 3000 milliohms shall be considered as indicating electrical discontinuity or an open in the path between the outer conductor of the coaxial cable and the equipment port.\",\n \"Referring now to FIG.\",\n \"2, there is illustrated an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 100.The coaxial cable connector 100 has a front end 105, a back end 195, a coupler 200, a post 300, a body 500, a shell 600 and a gripping member 700.The coupler 200 at least partially comprises a front end 205, a back end 295, a central passage 210, a lip 215 with a forward facing surface 216 and a rearward facing surface 217, a through-bore 220 formed by the lip 215, and a bore 230.Coupler 200 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.\",\n \"Alternately or additionally, selected surfaces of the coupler 200 may be coated with conductive or non-conductive coatings or lubricants, or a combinations thereof.\",\n \"Post 300, may be tubular, at least partially comprises a front end 305, a back end 395, and a contacting portion 310.In FIG.\",\n \"2, Contacting portion 310 is shown as a protrusion integrally formed and monolithic with post 300.Contacting portion 310 may, but does not have to be, radially projecting.\",\n \"Post 300 may also comprise an enlarged shoulder 340, a collar portion 320, a through-bore 325, a rearward facing annular surface 330, and a barbed portion 335 proximate the back end 395.The post 300 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as tin.\",\n \"Additionally, the material, in an exemplary embodiment, may have a suitable spring characteristic permitting contacting portion 310 to be flexible, as described below.\",\n \"Alternately or additionally, selected surfaces of post 300 may be coated with conductive or non-conductive coatings or lubricants or a combination thereof.\",\n \"Contacting portion 310, as noted above, is monolithic with post 300 and provides for electrical continuity through the connector 100 to an equipment port (not shown in FIG.\",\n \"2) to which connector 100 may be coupled.\",\n \"In this manner, post 300 provides for a stable ground path through the connector 100, and, thereby, electromagnetic shielding to protect against the ingress and egress of RF signals.\",\n \"Body 500 at least partially comprises a front end 505, a back end 595, and a central passage 525.Body 500 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.\",\n \"Shell 600 at least partially comprises a front end 605, a back end 695, and a central passage 625.Shell 600 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.\",\n \"Gripping member 700 at least partially comprises a front end 705, a back end 795, and a central passage 725.Gripping member 700 is preferably made of a suitable polymer material such as acetal or nylon.\",\n \"The resin can be selected from thermoplastics characterized by good fatigue life, low moisture sensitivity, high resistance to solvents and chemicals, and good electrical properties.\",\n \"In FIG.\",\n \"2, coaxial cable connector 100 is shown in an unattached, uncompressed state, without a coaxial cable inserted therein.\",\n \"Coaxial cable connector 100 couples a prepared end of a coaxial cable to a terminal, such as a threaded female equipment appliance connection port (not shown in FIG.\",\n \"2).\",\n \"This will be discussed in more detail with reference to FIG.\",\n \"18A.\",\n \"Shell 600 slideably attaches to body 500 at back end 595 of body 500.Coupler 200 attaches to coaxial cable connector 100 at back end 295 of coupler 200.Coupler 200 may rotatably attach to front end 305 of post 300 while engaging body 500 by means of a press-fit.\",\n \"Front end 305 of post 300 positions in central passage 210 of coupler 200 and has a back end 395 which is adapted to extend into a coaxial cable.\",\n \"Proximate back end 395, post 300 has a barbed portion 335 extending radially outwardly from post 300.An enlarged shoulder 340 at front end 305 extends inside the coupler 200.Enlarged shoulder 340 comprises a collar portion 320 and a rearward facing annular surface 330.Collar portion 320 allows coupler 200 to rotate by means of a clearance fit with through-bore 220 of coupler 200.Rearward facing annular surface 330 limits forward axial movement of the coupler 200 by engaging forward facing surface 216 of lip 215.Coaxial cable connector 100 may also include a sealing ring 800 seated within coupler 200 to form a seal between coupler 200 and body 500.Contacting portion 310 may be monolithic with or a unitized portion of post 300.As such, contacting portion 310 and post 300 or a portion of post 300 may be constructed from a single piece of material.\",\n \"The contacting portion 310 may contact coupler 200 at a position that is forward of forward facing surface 216 of lip 215.In this way, contacting portion 310 of post 300 provides an electrically conductive path between post 300, coupler 200 and body 500.This enables an electrically conductive path from coaxial cable through coaxial cable connector 100 to terminal providing an electrical ground and a shield against RF ingress and egress.\",\n \"Contacting portion 310 is formable such that as the coaxial cable connector 100 is assembled, contacting portion 310 may form to a contour of coupler 200.In other words, coupler 200 forms or shapes contacting portion 310 of post 300.The forming and shaping of the contacting portion 310 may have certain elastic/plastic properties based on the material of contacting portion 310.Contacting portion 310 deforms , upon assembly of the components of coaxial cable connector 100, or, alternatively contacting portion 310 of post 300 may be pre-formed, or partially preformed to electrically contactedly fit with coupler 200 as explained in greater detail with reference to FIG.\",\n \"4A through FIG.\",\n \"4D, below.\",\n \"In this manner, post 300 is secured within coaxial cable connector 100, and contacting portion 310 establishes an electrically conductive path between body 500 and coupler 200.Further, the electrically conductive path remains established regardless of the tightness of the coaxial cable connector 100 on the terminal due to the elastic/plastic properties of contacting portion 310.This is due to contacting portion 310 maintaining mechanical and electrical contact between components, in this case, post 300 and coupler 200, notwithstanding the size of any interstice between the components of the coaxial cable connector 100.In other words, contacting portion 310 is integral to and maintains the electrically conductive path established between post 300 and coupler 200 even when the coaxial cable connector 100 is loosened and/or partially disconnected from the terminal, provided there is some contact of coupler 200 with equipment port.\",\n \"Although coaxial connector 100 in FIG.\",\n \"2 is an axial-compression type coaxial connector having a post 300, contacting portion 310 may be integral to and monolithic with any type of coaxial cable connector and any other component of a coaxial cable connector, examples of which will be discussed herein with reference to the embodiments.\",\n \"However, in all such exemplary embodiments, contacting portion 310 provides for electrical continuity from an outer conductor of a coaxial cable received by coaxial cable connector 100 through coaxial cable connector 100 to a terminal, without the need for a separate component.\",\n \"Additionally, the contacting portion 310 provides for electrical continuity regardless of how tight or loose the coupler is to the terminal.\",\n \"In other words, contacting portion 310 provides for electrical continuity from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the terminal regardless and/or irrespective of the tightness or adequacy of the coupling of the coaxial cable connector 100 to the terminal.\",\n \"It is only necessary that the coupler 200 be in contact with the terminal.\",\n \"Referring now to FIGS.\",\n \"3A, 3B 3C and 3D, post 300 is illustrated in different states of assembly with coupler 200 and body 500.In FIG.\",\n \"3A, post 300 is illustrated partially assembled with coupler 200 and body 500 with contacting portion 310 of post 300, shown as a protrusion, outside and forward of coupler 200.Contacting portion 310 may, but does not have to be, radially projecting.\",\n \"In FIG.\",\n \"3B, contacting portion 310 has begun to advance into coupler 200 and contacting portion 310 is beginning to form to a contour of coupler 200.As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"3B, contacting portion 310 is forming to an arcuate or, at least, a partially arcuate shape.\",\n \"As post 300 is further advanced into coupler 200 as shown in FIG.\",\n \"3C, contacting portion 310 continues to form to the contour of coupler 200.When assembled as shown in FIG.\",\n \"3D, contacting portion 310 is forming to the contour of coupler 200 and is contactedly engaged with bore 230 accommodating tolerance variations with bore 230.In FIG.\",\n \"3D coupler 200 has a face portion 202 that tapers.\",\n \"The face portion 202 guides the contacting portion 310 to its formed state during assembly in a manner that does not compromise its structural integrity, and, thereby, its elastic/plastic property.\",\n \"Face portion 202 may be or have other structural features, as a non-limiting example, a curved edge, to guide the contacting portion 310.The flexible or resilient nature of the contacting portion 310 in the formed state as described above, permits coupler 200 to be easily rotated and yet maintain a reliable electrically conductive path.\",\n \"It should be understood, that contacting portion 310 is formable and, as such, may exist in an unformed and a formed state based on the elastic/plastic property of the material of contacting portion 310.As the coaxial cable connector 100 assembles contacting portion 310 transition from an unformed state to a formed state.\",\n \"Referring now to FIGS.\",\n \"4A, 4B, 4C and 4D the post 300 is illustrated in different states of insertion into a forming tool 900.In FIG.\",\n \"4A, post 300 is illustrated partially inserted in forming tool 900 with contacting portion 310 of post 300 shown as a protrusion.\",\n \"Protrusion may, but does not have to be radially projecting.\",\n \"In FIG.\",\n \"4B, contacting portion 310 has begun to advance into forming tool 900.As contacting portion 310 is advanced into forming tool 900, contact portion 310 begins flexibly forming to a contour of the interior of forming tool 900.As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"4B, contacting portion 310 is forming to an arcuate or, at least, a partially arcuate shape.\",\n \"As post 300 is further advanced into forming tool 900 as shown in FIG.\",\n \"4C, contacting portion 310 continues forming to the contour of the interior of forming tool 900.At a final stage of insertion as shown in FIG.\",\n \"4C contacting portion 310 is fully formed to the contour of forming tool 900, and has experienced deformation in the forming process but retains spring or resilient characteristics based on the elastic/plastic property of the material of contacting portion 310.Upon completion or partial completion of the forming of contacting portion 310, post 300 is removed from forming tool 900 and may be subsequently installed in the connector 100 or other types of coaxial cable connectors.\",\n \"This manner of forming or shaping contacting portion 310 to the contour of forming tool 900 may be useful to aid in handling of post 300 in subsequent manufacturing processes, such as plating for example.\",\n \"Additionally, use of this method makes it possible to achieve various configurations of contacting portion 310 formation as illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"5A through 5H.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5A is a side schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of post 300 where contacting portion 310 is a radially projecting protrusion that completely circumscribes post 300.In this view, contacting portion 310 is formable but has not yet been formed to reflect a contour of coaxial cable connector or forming tool.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5B is a front schematic view of the post 300 of FIG.\",\n \"5.FIG.\",\n \"5C is a side schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of post 300 where contacting portion 310 has a multi-cornered configuration.\",\n \"Contacting portion 310 may be a protrusion and may, but does not have to be, radially projecting.\",\n \"Although in FIG.\",\n \"5C contacting portion 310 is shown as tri-cornered, contacting portion 310 can have any number of corner configurations, as non-limiting examples, two, three, four, or more.\",\n \"In FIG.\",\n \"5C, contacting portion 310 may be formable but has not yet been formed to reflect a contour of coaxial cable connector or forming tool.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5D is a front schematic view of post 300 of FIG.\",\n \"5C.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5E is a side schematic view of post 300 where contacting portion 310 has a tri-cornered configuration.\",\n \"In this view, contacting portion 310 is shown as being formed to a shape in which contacting portion 310 cants or slants toward the front end 305 of post 300.FIG.\",\n \"5F is a front schematic view of post 300 of FIG.\",\n \"5E.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5G is a side schematic view of an exemplary embodiment of post 300 where contacting portion 310 has a tri-cornered configuration.\",\n \"In this view contacting portion 310 is formed in a manner differing from FIG.\",\n \"5E in that indentations 311 in contacting portion 310 result in a segmented or reduced arcuate shape 313.FIG.\",\n \"5H is a front schematic view of post 300 of FIG.\",\n \"5G.\",\n \"It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that contacting portion 310 as illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"2-5H may be integral to and monolithic with post 300.Additionally, contacting portion 310 may have or be any shape, including shapes that may be flush or aligned with other portions of post 300, or may have any number of configurations, as non-limiting examples, configurations ranging from completely circular to multi-cornered geometries, and still perform its function of providing electrical continuity.\",\n \"Further, contacting portion 310 may be formable and formed to any shape or in any direction.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"6 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 110 comprising an integral pin 805, wherein coupler 200 rotates about body 500 instead of post 300 and contacting portion 510 is a protrusion from, integral to and monolithic with body 500 instead of post 300.In this regard, contacting portion 510 may be a unitized portion of body 500.As such, contacting portion 510 may be constructed with body 500 or a portion of body 500 from a single piece of material.\",\n \"Coaxial cable connector 110 is configured to accept a coaxial cable.\",\n \"Contacting portion 510 may be formed to a contour of coupler 200 as coupler 200 is assembled with body 500 as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"6A.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"6A is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 110 in a state of partial assembly.\",\n \"Contacting portion 510 has not been formed to a contour of the coupler 200.Assembling the coupler 200 with the body 500 forms the contacting portion 510 in a rearward facing manner as opposed to a forward facing manner as is illustrated with the contacting portion 310.However, as with contacting portion 310, the material of contacting portion 510 has certain elastic/plastic property which, as contacting portion 510 is formed provides that contacting portion 510 will press against the contour of the coupler 200 and maintain mechanical and electrical contact with coupler 200.Contacting portion 510 provides for electrical continuity from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the terminal regardless of the tightness or adequacy of the coupling of the coaxial cable connector 100 to the terminal, and regardless of the tightness of the coaxial cable connector 100 on the terminal in the same way as previously described with respect to contacting portion 310.Additionally or alternatively, contacting portion 310 may be cantilevered or attached at only one end of a segment.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 111 comprising an integral pin 805, and a conductive component 400.Coupler 200 rotates about body 500 instead of about a post, which is not present in coaxial cable connector 111.Contacting portion 410 is shown as a protrusion and may be integral to, monolithically with and radially projecting from a conductive component 400 which is press fit into body 500.Contacting portion 410 may be a unitized portion of conductive component 400.As such, the contacting portion 410 may be constructed from a single piece of material with conductive component 400 or a portion of conductive component 400.As with contacting portion 310, the material of contacting portion 410 has certain elastic/plastic property which, as contacting portion 410 is formed provides that contacting portion 410 will press against the contour of the coupler 200 and maintain mechanical and electrical contact with coupler 200 as conductive component 400 inserts in coupler 200 when assembling body 500 with coupler 200 as previously described.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"8 is a cross-sectional view of another exemplary embodiment of the coaxial cable connector 111 comprising an integral pin 805, and a retaining ring 402.The coupler 200 rotates about body 500 instead of a post.\",\n \"Contacting portion 410 may be integral with and radially projecting from a retaining ring 402 which fits into a groove formed in body 500.The contacting portion 410 may be a unitized portion of the retaining ring 402.As such, the contacting portion 410 may be constructed from a single piece of material with the retaining ring 402 or a portion of the retaining ring 402.In this regard, FIG.\",\n \"8A illustrates front and side views of the retaining ring 402.In FIG.\",\n \"8A, contacting portion 410 is shown as three protrusions integral with and radially projecting from retaining ring 402.As discussed above, the material of contacting portion 410 has certain elastic/plastic property which, as contacting portion 410 is formed provides that contacting portion 410 will press against the contour of the coupler 200 and maintain mechanical and electrical contact with coupler 200 as retaining ring 402 inserts in coupler 200 when assembling body 500 with coupler 200 as previously described.\",\n \"It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the contacting portion 410 as illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"6-8A may be integral to the body 500 or may be attached to or be part of another component 400, 402.Additionally, the contacting portion 410 may have or be any shape, including shapes that may be flush or aligned with other portions of the body 500 and/or another component 400, 402, or may have any number of configurations, as non-limiting examples, configurations ranging from completely circular to multi-cornered geometries.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"9 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 112 that is a compression type of connector with no post.\",\n \"In other words, having a post-less configuration.\",\n \"The coupler 200 rotates about body 500 instead of a post.\",\n \"The body 500 comprises contacting portion 510.The contacting portion 510 is integral with the body 500.As such, the contacting portion 510 may be constructed from a single piece of material with the body 500 or a portion of the body 500.The contacting portion 510 forms to a contour of the coupler 200 when the coupler 200 is assembled with the body 500.FIG.\",\n \"10 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 113 that is a hex-crimp type connector.\",\n \"The coaxial cable connector 113 comprises a coupler 200, a post 300 with a contacting portion 310 and a body 500.The contacting portion 310 is integral to and monolithic with post 300.Contacting portion 310 may be unitized with post 300.As such, contacting portion 310 may be constructed from a single piece of material with post 300 or a portion of post 300.Contacting portion 310 forms to a contour of coupler 200 when coupler 200 is assembled with body 500 and post 300.The coaxial cable connector 113 attaches to a coaxial cable by means radially compressing body 500 with a tool or tools known in the industry.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"11 is an isometric schematic view of post 300 of coaxial cable connector 100 in FIG.\",\n \"2 with the contacting portion 310 formed to a position of a contour of a coupler (not shown).\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"12 is an isometric cross sectional view of post 300 and coupler 200 of connector 100 in FIG.\",\n \"2 illustrated assembled with the post 300.The contacting portion 310 is formed to a contour of the coupler 200.FIG.\",\n \"13 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 114 comprising a post 300 and a coupler 200 having a contacting portion 210.Contacting portion 210 is shown as an inwardly directed protrusion.\",\n \"Contacting portion 210 is integral to and monolithic with coupler 200 and forms to a contour of post 300 when post 300 assembles with coupler 200.Contacting portion 210 may be unitizedwith coupler 200.As such, contacting portion 210 may be constructed from a single piece of material with coupler 200 or a portion of coupler 200.Contacting portion 210 provides for electrical continuity from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the terminal regardless of the tightness or adequacy of the coupling of the coaxial cable connector 114 to the terminal, and regardless of the tightness of coaxial cable connector 114 on the terminal.\",\n \"Contacting portion 210 may have or be any shape, including shapes that may be flush or aligned with other portions of coupler 200, or may have and/or be formed to any number of configurations, as non-limiting examples, configurations ranging from completely circular to multi-cornered geometries.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"14, 15 and 16 are cross-sectional views of embodiments of coaxial cable connectors 115 with a post similar to post 300 comprising a contacting portion 310 as described above such that the contacting portion 310 is shown as outwardly radially projecting, which forms to a contour of the coupler 200 at different locations of the coupler 200.Additionally, the contacting portion 310 may contact the coupler 200 rearward of the lip 215, for example as shown in FIGS.\",\n \"15 and 16, which may be at the rearward facing surface 217 of the lip 215, for example as shown in FIG.\",\n \"15.FIG.\",\n \"17 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 116 with a body 500 comprising a contacting portion 310, wherein the contacting portion 310 is shown as an outwardly directed protrusion from body 500 that forms to the coupler 200.FIG.\",\n \"18 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 117 having a post 300 with an integral contacting portion 310 and a coupler 200 with an undercut 231.The contacting portion 310 is shown as a protrusion that forms to the contours of coupler 200 at the position of undercut 231.FIG.\",\n \"18A is a cross-sectional view of the coaxial cable connector 117 as shown in FIG.\",\n \"18 having a prepared coaxial cable inserted in the coaxial cable connector 117.The body 500 and the post 300 receive the coaxial cable (FIG.\",\n \"18A).\",\n \"The post 300 at the back end 395 is inserted between an outer conductor and a dielectric layer of the coaxial cable.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"19 is a partial, cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coaxial cable connector 118 having a post 301 comprising an integral contacting portion 310.The movable post 301 is shown in a forward position with the contacting portion 310 not formed by a contour of the coupler 200.FIG.\",\n \"20 is a partial, cross-sectional view of the coaxial cable connector 118 shown in FIG.\",\n \"19 with the post 301 in a rearward position and the contacting portion 310 forming to a contour of the coupler 200.RFI shielding within given structures may be complicated when the structure or device comprises moving parts, such as a coaxial cable connector.\",\n \"Providing a coaxial cable connector that acts as a Faraday cage to prevent ingress and egress of RF signals can be especially challenging due to the necessary relative movement between connector components required to couple the connector to an equipment port.\",\n \"Relative movement of components due to mechanical clearances between the components can result in an ingress or egress path for unwanted RF signal and, further, can disrupt the electrical and mechanical communication between components necessary to provide a reliable ground path.\",\n \"To overcome this situation the coaxial cable connector may incorporate one or more circuitous paths that allows necessary relative movement between connector components and still inhibit ingress or egress of RF signal.\",\n \"This path, combined with an integral grounding flange of a component that moveably contacts a coupler acts as a rotatable or moveable Faraday cage within the limited space of a RF coaxial connector creating a connector that both shields against RFI and provides electrical ground even when improperly installed.\",\n \"In this regard, FIG.\",\n \"21 illustrates a coaxial cable connector 119 having front end 105, back end 195, coupler 200, post 300, body 500, compression ring 600 and gripping member 700.Coupler 200 is adapted to couple the coaxial cable connector 119 to a terminal, which includes an equipment connection port.\",\n \"Body 500 is assembled with the coupler 200 and post 300.The post 300 is adapted to receive an end of a coaxial cable.\",\n \"Coupler 200 at least partially comprises front end 205, back end 295 central passage 210, lip 215, through-bore 220, bore 230 and bore 235.Coupler 200 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.\",\n \"Post 300 at least partially comprises front end 305, back end 395, contacting portion 310, enlarged shoulder 340, collar portion 320, through-bore 325, rearward facing annular surface 330, shoulder 345 and barbed portion 335 proximate back end 395.Post 300 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as tin.\",\n \"Contacting portion 310 is integral and monolithic with post 300.Contacting portion 310 provides a stable ground path and protects against the ingress and egress of RF signals.\",\n \"Body 500 at least partially comprises front end 505, back end 595, and central passage 525.Body 500 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.\",\n \"Shell 600 at least partially comprises front end 605, back end 695, and central passage 625.Shell 600 is preferably made of metal such as brass and plated with a conductive material such as nickel.\",\n \"Gripping member 700 at least partially comprises front end 705, back end 795, and central passage 725.Gripping member 700 is preferably made of a polymer material such as acetal.\",\n \"Although, coaxial cable connector 119 in FIG.\",\n \"21 is an axial-compression type coaxial connector having post 300, contacting portion 310 may be incorporated in any type of coaxial cable connector.\",\n \"Coaxial cable connector 119 is shown in its unattached, uncompressed state, without a coaxial cable inserted therein.\",\n \"Coaxial cable connector 119 couples a prepared end of a coaxial cable to a threaded female equipment connection port (not shown in FIG.\",\n \"21).\",\n \"Coaxial cable connector 119 has a first end 105 and a second end 195.Shell 600 slideably attaches to the coaxial cable connector 119 at back end 595 of body 500.Coupler 200 attaches to coaxial cable connector 119 at back end 295.Coupler 200 may rotatably attach to front end 305 of post 300 while engaging body 300 by means of a press-fit.\",\n \"Contacting portion 310 is of monolithic construction with post 300, being formed or constructed in a unitary fashion from a single piece of material with post 300.Post 300 rotatably engages central passage 210 of coupler 200 lip 215.In this way, contacting portion 310 provides an electrically conductive path between post 300, coupler 200 and body 500.This enables an electrically conductive path from the coaxial cable through the coaxial cable connector 119 to the equipment connection port providing an electrical ground and a shield against RF ingress.\",\n \"Elimination of separate continuity member 4000 as illustrated in connector 1000 of FIG.\",\n \"1 improves DC contact resistance by eliminating mechanical and electrical interfaces between components and further improves DC contact resistance by removing a component made from a material having higher electrical resistance properties.\",\n \"An enlarged shoulder 340 at front end 305 extends inside coupler 200.Enlarged shoulder 340 comprises flange 312, contacting portion 310, collar portion 320, rearward facing annular surface 330 and shoulder 345.Collar portion 320 allows coupler 200 to rotate by means of a clearance fit with through bore 220 of coupler 200.Rearward facing annular surface 330 limits forward axial movement of coupler 200 by engaging lip 215.Contacting portion 310 contacts coupler 200 forward of lip 215.Contacting portion 310 may be formed to contactedly fit with the coupler 200 by utilizing coupler 200 to form contacting portion 310 upon assembly of coaxial cable connector 119 components.\",\n \"In this manner, contacting portion 310 is secured within coaxial cable connector 119, and establishes mechanical and electrical contact with coupler 200 and, thereby, an electrically conductive path between post 300 and coupler 200.Further, contacting portion 310 remains contactedly fit, in other words in mechanical and electrical contact, with coupler 200 regardless of the tightness of coaxial cable connector 119 on the appliance equipment connection port.\",\n \"In this manner, contacting portion 310 is integral to the electrically conductive path established between post 300 and coupler 200 even when the coaxial cable connector 119 is loosened and/or disconnected from the appliance equipment connection port.\",\n \"Post 300 has a front end 305 and a back end 395.Back end 395 is adapted to extend into a coaxial cable.\",\n \"Proximate back end 395, post 300 has a barbed portion 335 extending radially outwardly from the tubular post 300.With reference to FIG.\",\n \"22, there are shown two paths 900, 902, which depict potential RF leakage paths.\",\n \"Coaxial cable connector 119 includes structures to increase the attenuation of RF ingress or egress via paths 900, 902.RF leakage may occur via path 900 through coupler 200 back end 295 at the body 500 and between the lip 215 and post 300.However, as shown in FIG.\",\n \"23, step 235 and shoulder 345, along with contacting portion 310 and flange 312 form a circuitous path along path 900.The structure of the coupler 200 and post 300 closes off or substantially reduces a potential RF leakage path along path 900, thereby increasing the attenuation of RF ingress or egress signals.\",\n \"In this way, coupler 200 and post 500 provide RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector 119 are attenuated such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector 119 is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to equipment connection port 904.With reference again to FIG.\",\n \"22, RF leakage via path 902 may be possible along threaded portion of coupler 200 to equipment connection port 904.This is particularly true when the coaxial cable connector 119 is in a dynamic condition such as during vibration or other type of externally induced motion.\",\n \"Under these conditions electrical ground can be lost and an RF ingress path opened when the threads 204 of the coupler 200 and the threads 906 of the equipment connection port 904 become coaxially aligned reducing or eliminating physical contact between the coupler 200 and the equipment connection port 904.By modifying the form of the coupler 200 threads 204 the tendency of the coupler 200 to equipment connection port 904 to lose ground contact and open an RF ingress path via path 902 is mitigated, thereby increasing the attenuation of RF ingress or egress signals.\",\n \"The structure of the threads 204 of the coupler 200 may involve aspects including, but are not limited to, pitch diameter of the thread, major diameter of the thread, minor diameter of the thread, thread pitch angle “θ”, thread pitch depth, and thread crest width and thread root radii.\",\n \"Typically, the pitch angle “θ” of thread 204 of coupler 200 is designed to match, as much as possible, the pitch angle “θ” of thread 906 of equipment connection port 904.As shown in FIG.\",\n \"24, pitch angle “θ” may be different than pitch angle “θ” to reduce interfacial gap between thread 204 of coupler 200 and thread 906 of equipment connection port 904.In this way, the threaded portion of the coupler 200 traverses a shorter distance before contacting the threaded portion of the equipment connection port 904 closing off or substantially reducing a potential RF leakage path along path 902.Typically, thread 906 angle “φ” of the equipment connection port 904 is set at 60 degrees.\",\n \"As a non-limiting example, instead of designing coupler 200 with threads 204 of angle “θ”, angle “θ” may be set at about 62 degrees which may provide the reduced interfacial gap as discussed above.\",\n \"In this way, coupler 200 and post 500 provide RF shielding such that RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector 119 are attenuated such that the integrity of an electrical signal transmitted through coaxial cable connector 119 is maintained regardless of the tightness of the coupling of the connector to equipment connection port 904.Typically, RF signal leakage is measured by the amount of signal loss expressed in decibel (“dB”).\",\n \"Therefore, “dB” relates to how effectively RF shielding is attenuating RF signals.\",\n \"In this manner, RF signal ingress into a coaxial cable connector 119 or egress out from a coaxial cable connector 119 may be determined, and, thereby, the ability of the RF shielding of a coaxial cable connector 119 to attenuate RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector 119.Accordingly, the lower the value of “dB” the more effective the attenuation.\",\n \"As an example, a measurement RF shielding of −20 dB would indicate that the RF shield attenuates the RF signal by 20 dB as compared at the transmission source.\",\n \"For purposes herein, RF signals external to the coaxial cable connector 119 include either or both of RF signal ingress into a coaxial cable connector 119 or egress out from a coaxial cable connector 119.Referring now to FIG.\",\n \"25, illustrates comparative RF shielding effectiveness in “dB” of coaxial cable connector 119 over a range of 0-1000 megahertz (“MHz”).\",\n \"The coupling 200 was finger tightened on the equipment connection port 904 and then loosened two full turns.\",\n \"As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"25, the RF shielding in “dB” for coaxial cable connector 119 for all frequencies tested indicated that the RF signal was attenuated by more than 50 dB.\",\n \"Additionally, the effectiveness of RF signal shielding may be determined by measuring transfer impedance of the coaxial cable connector.\",\n \"Transfer impedance is the ratio of the longitudinal voltage developed on the secondary side of a RF shield to the current flowing in the RF shield.\",\n \"If the shielding effectiveness of a point leakage source is known, the equivalent transfer impedance value can be calculated using the following calculation: SE=20 log Ztotal−45.76 (dB) Accordingly, using this calculation the average equivalent transfer impedance of the coaxial cable connector 119 is about 0.24 ohms.\",\n \"As discussed above, electrical continuity shall mean DC contact resistance from the outer conductor of the coaxial cable to the equipment port of less than about 3000 milliohms.\",\n \"In addition to increasing the attenuation of RF signals by closing off or reducing the RF leakage via paths 900, 902, the DC contact resistance may be substantially reduced.\",\n \"As a non-limiting example, the DC contact resistance may be less than about 100 milliohms, and preferably less than 50 milliohms, and more preferably less than 30 milliohms, and still more preferably less than 10 milliohms.\",\n \"It should be understood that while the invention has been described in detail with respect to various exemplary embodiments thereof, it should not be considered limited to such, as numerous modifications are possible without departing from the broad scope of the appended claims.\",\n \"It is intended that the embodiments cover the modifications and variations of the embodiments provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.\",\n \"Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.\"\n ]\n]"},"source":{"kind":"string","value":"Patent_15874306"}}},{"rowIdx":4494567,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"list like","value":[["METHOD OF SEPARATING ELECTRONIC DEVICES HAVING A BACK LAYER AND APPARATUS","A method of singulating a wafer includes providing a wafer having a plurality of die formed as part of the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein a layer of material is formed along the second major surface.","The method includes placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate.","The method includes singulating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines after the placing the wafer on the carrier substrate, wherein singulating comprises stopping in proximity to the layer of material.","The method includes applying a pressure to the entire wafer thereby separating the layer of material in the singulation lines, wherein applying the pressure comprises using a fluid.","The method provide a way to batch separate layers of material disposed on wafers after singulating the wafers."],["1.An apparatus for batch singulating a layer of material on a substrate comprising: a chamber having a sidewall structure and a chamber surface, wherein the chamber surface is configured for supporting a substrate having a layer of material disposed on a major surface of the substrate; a pressure transfer vessel contained within the sidewall structure; and a structure associated with the chamber, wherein the structure and the pressure transfer vessel are adapted to apply pressure to batch singulate at least portions of the layer of material.","2.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the pressure transfer vessel is configured to hold a fluid; and the chamber surface is configured for supporting a substrate attached to a carrier substrate.","3.The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the chamber surface is configured for supporting the carrier substrate comprising a carrier tape that is attached to a frame.","4.The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a pressure plate interposed between the pressure transfer vessel and the chamber surface.","5.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the structure comprises a compression structure movably associated within the chamber, wherein the pressure transfer vessel is interposed between the chamber surface and the compression structure; and the pressure transfer vessel is configured to have a width larger than a diameter of the substrate.","6.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chamber surface is configured for supporting the substrate having a plurality of die formed as part of the substrate and separated from each other by singulation lines, wherein the singulation lines terminate adjacent to the layer of material.","7.A method of singulating a wafer comprising: providing a wafer having a plurality of die formed as part of the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein a layer of material is formed along the second major surface; placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate; singulating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines after the placing the wafer on the carrier substrate, wherein singulating comprises stopping in proximity to the layer of material; and applying a pressure to the entire wafer thereby separating the layer of material in the singulation lines, wherein applying the pressure comprises using a fluid.","8.The method of claim 7, wherein applying the pressure comprises applying the pressure through the carrier substrate.","9.The method of claim 7, wherein: applying the pressure comprises: placing the wafer and carrier substrate within a chamber, the chamber at least partially enclosing a pressure transfer vessel, wherein the pressure transfer vessel contains the fluid; and moving a compression structure against the pressure transfer vessel thereby applying a pressure substantially uniformly along the second major surface to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.","10.The method of claim 9, wherein: placing the wafer and the carrier substrate within the chamber comprises placing the pressure transfer vessel against the carrier substrate such that the carrier substrate is between the pressure transfer vessel and the wafer; and wherein the pressure transfer vessel has a width that exceeds that of the wafer.","11.The method of claim 10 further comprising placing a pressure plate between the pressure transfer vessel and the carrier substrate.","12.The method of claim 7, wherein: providing the wafer comprises providing a semiconductor wafer where the layer of material comprises a conductive material.","13.The method of claim 7 further comprising placing a protective film proximate to the first major surface of the wafer before applying the pressure.","14.The method of claim 7, wherein applying the pressure comprises extruding portions of the carrier substrate into the singulation lines to separate the layer of material, and wherein the portions of the separated layer of material remain on the carrier substrate after separating the layer of material.","15.The method of claim 7, further comprising heating one or more of the wafer and the carrier substrate during at least a portion of the step of applying the pressure.","16.A method of singulating a layer of material on a singulated substrate comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate that is attached to a carrier substrate, the semiconductor substrate having a plurality of die formed as part of the semiconductor substrate and separated from each other by singulation lines comprising gaps, wherein the semiconductor substrate has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein the layer of material is disposed atop the second major surface, and wherein the singulation lines terminate adjacent to the conductive layer; and using a fluid to simultaneously apply a pressure to the entire semiconductor substrate thereby separating the layer of material in the singulation lines.","17.The method of claim 16, wherein using the fluid comprises: placing the semiconductor substrate and the carrier substrate within a chamber, the chamber at least partially enclosing a pressure transfer vessel that contains the fluid; and applying a pressure to the pressure transfer vessel thereby applying a transferred pressure to the layer of material to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.","18.A method for batch singulating a semiconductor wafer comprising: providing the semiconductor wafer having a plurality of die formed on the semiconductor wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the semiconductor wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein a layer of material is formed along the second major surface; placing the semiconductor wafer onto a carrier substrate, wherein the layer of material is adjacent the carrier substrate; after placing the semiconductor wafer onto the carrier substrate, etching the semiconductor wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines comprising gaps and to expose portions of the layer of material in the singulation lines; and applying a pressure to the entire semiconductor wafer through the carrier substrate to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.","19.The method of claim 18, wherein applying the pressure comprises applying the pressure using a fluid.","20.The method of claim 18, further comprising heating one or more of the semiconductor wafer and the carrier substrate during at least a portion of the step of applying the pressure."],[" BACKGROUND The present invention relates, in general, to electronics and, more particularly, to methods for forming electronic devices such as semiconductor dies.","In the past, the semiconductor industry utilized various methods and equipment to singulate individual semiconductor die from a semiconductor wafer on which the die was manufactured.","Typically, a technique called scribing or dicing was used to either partially or fully cut through the wafer with a diamond cutting wheel along scribe grids or singulation lines that were formed on the wafer between the individual die.","To allow for the alignment and the width of the dicing wheel each scribe grid usually had a large width, generally about one hundred fifty (150) microns, which consumed a large portion of the semiconductor wafer.","Additionally, the time required to scribe each singulation line on the semiconductor wafer could take over one hour or more.","This time reduced the throughput and manufacturing capacity of a production facility.","Other methods, which have included thermal laser separation (TLS), laser ablation dicing, and plasma dicing, have been explored as alternatives to scribing.","Plasma dicing is a promising process compared to scribing and other alternative processes because it supports narrower scribe lines, has increased throughput, and can singulate die in varied and flexible patterns.","However, plasma dicing has had manufacturing implementation challenges.","Such challenges have included non-compatibility with wafer backside layers, such as back metal layers, because the etch process has been unable to effectively remove or separate the backside layers from the singulation lines.","Removing or separating the backside layers from the scribe lines is necessary to facilitate subsequent processing, such as pick-and-place and assembly processes.","Accordingly, it is desirable to have a method of singulating die from a semiconductor wafer that removes or separates the backside layers from within the singulation lines.","It would be beneficial for the method to be cost effective and to minimize any damage to or contamination of the separated die."],[" BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.","1 illustrates a reduced plan view of an embodiment of a wafer in accordance with the present invention; FIG.","2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the wafer of FIG.","1 mounted to a carrier substrate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.","3 illustrates a top view of the embodiment of FIG.","2 ; FIGS.","4-5 illustrate partial cross-sectional views of the wafer of FIG.","1 at various stages in a process of singulating die from the wafer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.","6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the wafer of FIG.","1 at a subsequent stage of singulation in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.","7 illustrates an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG.","6 in accordance with reference portion 7 - 7 ; FIG.","8 illustrates the wafer of FIG.","1 after singulation and at a further stage of manufacture in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG.","9 illustrates a flow chart of a batch singulation method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.","detailed-description description=\"Detailed Description\" end=\"lead\"?","For simplicity and clarity of the illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the same reference numbers in different figures denote the same elements.","Additionally, descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description.","For clarity of the drawings, certain regions of device structures, such as doped regions or dielectric regions, may be illustrated as having generally straight line edges and precise angular corners.","However, those skilled in the art understand that, due to the diffusion and activation of dopants or formation of layers, the edges of such regions generally may not be straight lines and that the corners may not be precise angles.","The terms first, second, third and the like in the claims or/and in the Detailed Description of the Drawings, as used in a portion of a name of an element are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.","Furthermore, the term “major surface” when used in conjunction with a semiconductor region, wafer, or substrate means the surface of the semiconductor region, wafer, or substrate that forms an interface with another material, such as a dielectric, an insulator, a conductor, or a polycrystalline semiconductor.","The major surface can have a topography that changes in the x, y and z directions.","Also, it is to be understood that where it is stated herein that one layer or region is formed on or disposed on a second layer or another region, the first layer may be formed or disposed directly on the second layer or there may be intervening layers between the first layer and the second layer.","In addition, as used herein, the term formed on is used with the same meaning as located on or disposed on and is not meant to be limiting regarding any particular fabrication process."],["CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a divisional application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser.","No.","15/403,676, filed on Jan. 11, 2017, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser.","No.","15/185,208, filed on Jun.","17, 2016 and issued as U.S. Pat.","No.","9,589,844 on Mar.","7, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.","No.","14/222,464, filed on Mar.","21, 2014 and issued as U.S. Pat.","No.","9,418,894 on Aug. 16, 2016, which are hereby incorporated by reference, and priority thereto is hereby claimed.","BACKGROUND The present invention relates, in general, to electronics and, more particularly, to methods for forming electronic devices such as semiconductor dies.","In the past, the semiconductor industry utilized various methods and equipment to singulate individual semiconductor die from a semiconductor wafer on which the die was manufactured.","Typically, a technique called scribing or dicing was used to either partially or fully cut through the wafer with a diamond cutting wheel along scribe grids or singulation lines that were formed on the wafer between the individual die.","To allow for the alignment and the width of the dicing wheel each scribe grid usually had a large width, generally about one hundred fifty (150) microns, which consumed a large portion of the semiconductor wafer.","Additionally, the time required to scribe each singulation line on the semiconductor wafer could take over one hour or more.","This time reduced the throughput and manufacturing capacity of a production facility.","Other methods, which have included thermal laser separation (TLS), laser ablation dicing, and plasma dicing, have been explored as alternatives to scribing.","Plasma dicing is a promising process compared to scribing and other alternative processes because it supports narrower scribe lines, has increased throughput, and can singulate die in varied and flexible patterns.","However, plasma dicing has had manufacturing implementation challenges.","Such challenges have included non-compatibility with wafer backside layers, such as back metal layers, because the etch process has been unable to effectively remove or separate the backside layers from the singulation lines.","Removing or separating the backside layers from the scribe lines is necessary to facilitate subsequent processing, such as pick-and-place and assembly processes.","Accordingly, it is desirable to have a method of singulating die from a semiconductor wafer that removes or separates the backside layers from within the singulation lines.","It would be beneficial for the method to be cost effective and to minimize any damage to or contamination of the separated die.","BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.","1 illustrates a reduced plan view of an embodiment of a wafer in accordance with the present invention; FIG.","2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the wafer of FIG.","1 mounted to a carrier substrate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.","3 illustrates a top view of the embodiment of FIG.","2; FIGS.","4-5 illustrate partial cross-sectional views of the wafer of FIG.","1 at various stages in a process of singulating die from the wafer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.","6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the wafer of FIG.","1 at a subsequent stage of singulation in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.","7 illustrates an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG.","6 in accordance with reference portion 7-7; FIG.","8 illustrates the wafer of FIG.","1 after singulation and at a further stage of manufacture in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG.","9 illustrates a flow chart of a batch singulation method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.","For simplicity and clarity of the illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the same reference numbers in different figures denote the same elements.","Additionally, descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description.","For clarity of the drawings, certain regions of device structures, such as doped regions or dielectric regions, may be illustrated as having generally straight line edges and precise angular corners.","However, those skilled in the art understand that, due to the diffusion and activation of dopants or formation of layers, the edges of such regions generally may not be straight lines and that the corners may not be precise angles.","The terms first, second, third and the like in the claims or/and in the Detailed Description of the Drawings, as used in a portion of a name of an element are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.","Furthermore, the term “major surface” when used in conjunction with a semiconductor region, wafer, or substrate means the surface of the semiconductor region, wafer, or substrate that forms an interface with another material, such as a dielectric, an insulator, a conductor, or a polycrystalline semiconductor.","The major surface can have a topography that changes in the x, y and z directions.","Also, it is to be understood that where it is stated herein that one layer or region is formed on or disposed on a second layer or another region, the first layer may be formed or disposed directly on the second layer or there may be intervening layers between the first layer and the second layer.","In addition, as used herein, the term formed on is used with the same meaning as located on or disposed on and is not meant to be limiting regarding any particular fabrication process.","DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.","1 is a reduced plan view that graphically illustrates a wafer 10 at a later step in fabrication.","In one embodiment, wafer 10 can be a semiconductor substrate.","Wafer 10 includes a plurality of semiconductor die, such as die 12, 14, 16, and 18, that are formed on or as part of semiconductor wafer 10.Die 12, 14, 16, and 18 are spaced apart from each other on wafer 10 by spaces in which singulation lines are to be formed or defined, such as scribe lines or singulation lines 13, 15, 17, and 19.As is well known in the art, all of the semiconductor die on wafer 10 generally are separated from each other on all sides by areas or spaces where scribe lines or singulation lines, such as singulation lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 are to be formed.","Die 12, 14, 16, and 18 can be any kind of electronic device including semiconductor devices such as, diodes, transistors, discrete devices, integrated circuits, sensor devices, optical devices, or other devices known to one of ordinary skill in the art.","In one embodiment, wafer 10 has completed wafer processing including the formation of a backside layer described later.","FIG.","2 illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view of wafer 10 at an early step in a die singulation method in accordance with an embodiment.","In one embodiment, wafer 10 is attached to a carrier substrate, transfer tape, or carrier tape 30 that facilitates supporting the plurality of die on wafer 10 after the die are singulated.","Such carrier tapes are well known to those of skill in the art.","In one embodiment, carrier tape 30 can be attached to a frame 40, which can include frame portions or portions 401 and 402.In one embodiment, frame 40 is made of a rigid material, such as stainless steel.","As illustrated, carrier tape 30 can be attached to surface 4010 of frame portion 401 and to surface 4020 of frame portion 402 using, for example, the adhesive side of carrier tape 30.In the cross-section illustrated, wafer 10 can include a bulk substrate 11, such as a silicon substrate, which can include opposing major surfaces 21 and 22.In other embodiments, bulk substrate 11 can comprise other semiconductor materials such as heterojunction semiconductor materials or substrate 11 can be an insulating material such as ceramic materials.","In one embodiment, contact pads 24 can be formed along, in, on, or above portions of major surface 21 to provide for electrical contact between structures formed within substrate 11 and next levels of assembly or external elements.","For example, contact pads 24 can be formed to receive bonding wires or clips that subsequently may be attached to contact pads 24, or contact pads 24 can be formed to receive a solder ball, bump or other type of attachment structure.","Contact pads 24 generally can be a metal or other conductive material.","Typically, a dielectric material 26 such as, a blanket deposited dielectric layer can be formed on or overlying major surface 21 to function as a passivation layer for wafer 10.In one embodiment, dielectric material 26 can be a material that etches at a slower rate than that of substrate 11.In one embodiment, dielectric material 26 can be a silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or polyimide when substrate 11 is silicon.","It should also be noted that a separate polymer protective layer, such as a patterned protective layer, can be used to protect the areas not intended to be etched during subsequent processing.","In one embodiment, the patterned protective layer can be a patterned photoresist layer.","An example of such a protective layer is noted as element 35 in FIG.","4 described later.","In one embodiment, openings can be formed in dielectric material 26 (and other dielectric layers that can be formed above or below dielectric material 26) to expose underlying surfaces of contact pads 24 and surfaces of substrate 11 where singulation lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 are to be formed.","In one embodiment, the patterned photoresist layer describes previously can be used to form the openings with an etch process.","As illustrated in FIG.","2 and in accordance with the present embodiment, wafer 10 further includes a layer of material 28 formed on or overlying major surface 22 of wafer 10.In one embodiment, layer 28 can be a conductive back metal layer.","Layer 28 can be any suitable conductive material appropriate for electronic technology.","In one embodiment, layer 28 can be a multi-layer metal system such as, titanium/nickel/silver, titanium/nickel/silver/tungsten, chrome/nickel/gold, copper, copper alloys, gold, or other materials known to those skilled in the art.","In some embodiments, layer 28 is greater than about one micron in thickness.","In other embodiments, layer 28 is greater than about two microns in thickness.","In still other embodiments, layer 28 is greater than about three microns in thickness.","In another embodiment, layer 28 can be a wafer backside coating (WBC) film, such as a die-attach coating or film.","In one embodiment, layer 28 can be formed having or provided with recesses, gaps, spaces, or channels between at least some adjacent die.","In a further embodiment, the gaps are substantially aligned with corresponding spaces on the opposite side of wafer 10 where singulation lines 13, 15, 17, 19 will be formed.","In another embodiment, layer 28 is separated from the edges of least some of the die.","FIG.","3 illustrates a top view of wafer 10 in accordance with the cross-sectional view of FIG.","2 after wafer 10 is be mounted on carrier tape 30 with layer 28 against carrier tape 30.In one embodiment, carrier tape 30 is mounted to frame 40.As illustrated in FIG.","3, frame 40 can be configured with alignment portions or notches to better assist placing frame 40 into processing equipment such as the equipment described herein.","FIG.","4 illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view of wafer 10 at a subsequent step during a singulation process in accordance with the present embodiment.","In FIG.","4, a plasma or dry etch singulation process is illustrated.","It is understood that other singulation processes can be used.","In one embodiment, wafer 10 mounted on carrier tape or film 30 is then placed within an etch apparatus 300, such as a plasma etch apparatus.","In one embodiment, substrate 11 can be etched through the openings to form or define singulation lines or openings 13, 15, 17, and 19 extending from major surface 21.The etching process can be performed using a chemistry (generally represented as arrows 31) that selectively etches silicon at a much higher rate than that of dielectrics and/or metals.","In one embodiment, wafer 10 can be etched using a process commonly referred to as the Bosch process.","In one embodiment, wafer 10 can be etched using the Bosch process in a deep reactive ion etch system.","In one embodiment, the width of singulation lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 can be from about five microns to about twenty microns.","Such a width is sufficient to ensure that the openings that form singulation lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 can be formed completely through substrate 11 stopping proximate to or on layer 28 because of the etch selectivity as generally illustrated in FIG.","5.In one embodiment, layer 28 can be used as a stop layer for the plasma etch singulation process.","In one embodiment, singulation lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 can be formed in about five to about thirty minutes using the Bosch process.","A suitable etch apparatus is available from Plasma-Therm of St. Petersburg, Fla., U.S.A.","FIG.","6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a back layer separation apparatus 60 configured to hold wafer 10 including frame 40 and carrier tape 30.In one embodiment, separation apparatus 60 can be configured to process a single wafer and to provide a back layer separation process where layer 28 on wafer 10 is separated substantially at the same time (that is, batch separated) compared to other processes that separate only a localized portion of layer 28 at a time.","In other embodiments, separation apparatus 60 can be configured to process multiple wafers each in a batch configuration.","Apparatus 60 can include a compression chamber 62 sized to accommodate wafer 10 and frame 40 depending upon the sizes of such structures.","In one embodiment, compression chamber 62 is bounded on all sides by a plurality of generally vertical sidewalls 63 that extend generally upward from a lower chamber wall or surface 67.Sidewalls 63 can be attached to lower chamber wall 67 using any suitable attachment devices capable of maintaining pressure with compression chamber 62.Compression chamber 62 further includes an upper chamber wall or surface 68, which can include an opening 69 to accommodate a compression or pressure plate 71 or to provide an entrance for a non-compressible fluid.","Compression chamber 62 and can be any suitable shape appropriate for processing wafer 10 and frame 40 or other holding structures.","Compression plate 71 is movably associated or attached within compression chamber 62 and adapted to apply a controlled and substantially uniform pressure to wafer 10 through a pressure transfer vessel 73 containing a fluid 74.In one embodiment, vessel 73 can be a fluid filled bladder that is oriented between wafer 10 and compression plate 71.In one embodiment, vessel 73 comprises a cross-linked polymer material that exhibits high elastic deformation, such as a rubber or other materials as known to those of ordinary skill in the art.","In one embodiment, vessel 73 is a static pressure balloon.","In one embodiment, fluid 74 can be water.","In one embodiment, fluid 74 can be water that is anaerobic (that is, water having low dissolved oxygen content or that has been deoxygenated).","In some embodiments, fluid 74 can be heated above room temperature.","In some embodiments, fluid 74 can be heated to a temperature in range from about 35 degrees Celsius to about 65 degrees Celsius.","In one embodiment, fluid 74 can be heated to a temperature in range from about 45 degrees Celsius to about 55 degrees Celsius.","In other embodiments, fluid 74 can be a fluid having a higher viscosity than water.","In some embodiments, fluid 74 can be liquid-crystalline material.","In still other embodiments, vessel 73 can be filled with a solid material, such as synthetic microspheres, carbon nanotubes, graphene, or other solid or solid-like materials that can impart or transfer pressure from compression plate 71 to carrier tape 30 without damaging wafer 10.In some embodiments, vessel 73 can be filled with a gas.","In accordance with the present embodiment and illustrated in FIG.","6, vessel 73 has a horizontal width proximate to wafer 10 that is larger than the horizontal width or diameter of wafer 10 to facilitate batch or near simultaneous singulation or separation of layer 28 in scribe lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 of wafer 10.That is, vessel 73 is configured or adapted to apply a pressure substantially uniformly along or across all of layer 28 and wafer 10 to provide batch separation of layer 28 in the scribe lines.","In an optional embodiment, a pressure plate 77 can be detachably placed in between vessel 73 and carrier tape 30 above or in spaced relationship with wafer 10 and layer 28.In one embodiment, pressure plate 77 can be a low-alloy, medium-carbon steel or high-carbon steel material with high yield strength, such as spring steel.","Such a material allows pressure plate 77 to return to its original shape despite any significant bending.","In one embodiment, pressure plate 77 can be a generally flat plate where the major surfaces lie in substantially parallel horizontal planes.","In other embodiments, pressure plate 77 can have a lower surface (that is, the surface adjoining carrier tape 30) configured to first apply pressure to the outer portions of wafer 10 before or slightly before pressure applied to the more central portion of wafer 10.For example, in one embodiment pressure plate 77 can have a slightly concave major surface adjoining carrier tape 30 without pressure applied with vessel 73.In another embodiment, pressure plate 77 can have a slightly raised ridge, for example, in the shape or form of a ring around an outer periphery of pressure plate 77.In some embodiments, a protective film or protective pad 83 is placed between wafer 10 and lower chamber wall 67 to protect and/or cushion wafer 10 during the separation of back layer 28.In one embodiment, protective film 83 is a non-adhesive film or a low adhesive film where the adhesive strength is selected so as to minimize the occurrence of individual die being removed from carrier tape 30 after separation of back layer 28 has occurred.","In other embodiments, protective film 83 can have a high adhesive strength (that is, higher than the adhesive strength of carrier tape 30) if it is desired to have the separated die adhere to protective film 83, for example, for additional processing to the back side of wafer 10.In some embodiments, a controlled downward pressure (represented by arrows 701 and 702) is applied through compression plate 71 using, for example, a stepper motor driving a threaded shaft attached to compression plate 71.In other embodiments, compression plate 71 can be adjusted using hydraulic or pneumatic techniques.","In some embodiments, compression plate 71 can be adjusted manually.","It is understood that apparatus 60 may include other sealing devices, fluid heating and delivery devices, and measurement and control systems that are not illustrated for the ease of understanding embodiments of the present invention.","Suitable apparatus that can be configured in accordance with the description provided herein are available from Instron® of Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. and Geocomp Corporation of St. Johns, N.Y., U.S.A.","FIG.","7 illustrates an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a portion of apparatus 60 and wafer 10 of FIG.","6 along reference portion 7-7.In FIG.","7, carrier tape 30 is enlarged to show both a singulation film portion 301 and an adhesive film portion 302 between singulation film portion 301 and layer 28 on wafer 10.In some embodiments, singulation film portion 301 can have a thickness from about 70 microns to about 90 microns and adhesive film portion 302 can have thickness from about 20 microns to about 40 microns.","In accordance with some embodiments, pressure applied from compression plate 71 is transferred and applied through vessel 73 to optional pressure transfer plate 77 to carrier tape 30 as generally represented by arrows 701, 702, and 703.The downward force applied to carrier tape 30 extrudes adhesive film portion 30 in scribe lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 between die 12, 14, 16, and 18 to separate away or singulate portions of layer 28 in the scribe lines as generally illustrated in FIG.","7.In some embodiments, a downward force can be in the range from about 700 KPa to 1400 KPa.","In other embodiments, downward force can be in the range from about 1400 KPa to 3500 KPa.","One advantage of the present method is that it provides a batch singulation of layer 28 compared to previous processes that provide localized singulation of layer 28.The present embodiments thus reduce manufacturing cycle time.","Another advantage is that metal separates cleanly and self-aligned to the die edge and further, remaining material of layer 28 between die will remain on the tape after the die are removed with no need to flip the tape to expose and remove or separate the metal.","FIG.","8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of wafer 10 at a further stage of manufacturing.","In one embodiment, die 12, 14, 16, and 18 can be removed from carrier tape 30 as part of a further assembly process using, for example, a pick-and-place apparatus 81 as generally illustrated in FIG.","8.As illustrated in FIG.","8 portions 280 separated from layer 28 remain on carrier tape 30.In one embodiment, die 12, 14, 16, and 18 can be attached to conductive lead frames or substrates, electrically connected to leads for traces, and encapsulated with a plastic molding compound.","In one embodiment, carrier tape 30 can be exposed to a UV light source prior to the pick-and-place step to reduce the adhesiveness of carrier tape 30.FIG.","9 illustrates a flow chart for batch singulating backside material in accordance with an embodiment.","In step 900, wafer 10 can be placed onto a carrier film, such as carrier tape 30, as generally illustrated in FIG.","2.In accordance with the present embodiment, wafer 10 includes back layer, such as layer of material 28.In some embodiments, layer 28 is a conductive metal material.","In other embodiments, layer 28 can be a Wafer Back Coat (WBC) film, such as a die-attached coating or film.","In step 901, material, such as semiconductor material, is removed from scribe lines 13, 15, 17, and 19.Semiconductor material can be removed to expose layer 28 in scribe lines 13, 15, 17, and 19, or small amount of material can be left in scribe lines 13, 15, 17, and 19.Stated another way, a sufficient amount of material is removed so that layer 28 can be effectively separated in scribe lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 in a subsequent step.","In step 902, wafer 10 on carrier tape 30 is placed in apparatus 60 as described with FIG.","6.In one embodiment, wafer 10 is placed front side or device side down with layer 28 and carrier tape 30 facing upward.","In one embodiment, pressure plate 77 can be placed adjacent to carrier tape 30 proximate to wafer 10 and layer 28.A fluid filled vessel, such as vessel 73, can then placed proximate to pressure plate 77 as generally illustrated in FIGS.","6 and 7.In one embodiment, the fluid filled vessel is filled with deoxygenated water heated to temperature from about 35 degrees Celsius to about 65 degrees Celsius.","In step 903, a pressure is applied to the fluid filled vessel using, for example, a moveable compression plate 71 as described in conjunction with FIG.","6.In one embodiment, a pressure range from about 500 KPa to 5000 KPa can be used.","In one embodiment, the pressure applied to the fluid filled vessel causes portions of the carrier film, for example, adhesive film portion 302, to extrude into the scribe lines, such as scribe lines 13, 15, 17, 19, which batch singulates or simultaneously separates all or major portions of layer 28 from the scribe lines.","In other embodiments, step 903 can applied multiple times (that is, more than once on the same wafer) with pressure applied, then removed, then re-applied.","In some embodiments, the re-applied pressure can be greater than the previously applied pressure.","In other embodiments, the re-applied pressure can be less than the previously applied pressure.","In still other embodiments, compression plate 71 can be slightly tilted and rotated to apply additional pressure around the edge regions of wafer 10.In further embodiments, compression plate 71 can be rocked back and forth in multiple directions.","From all of the foregoing, one skilled in the art can determine that, according to one embodiment, a method of singulating a wafer (for example, element 10) comprises providing a wafer (for example, element 10) having a plurality of die (for example, elements 12, 14, 16, 18) formed on the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces (for example, elements 21, 22), and wherein a layer of material (for example, element 28) is formed along the second major surface.","The method comprises placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate (for example, element 30).","The method comprises singulating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines (for example, elements 13, 15, 17, 19), wherein singulating comprises stopping in proximity to the layer of material.","The method comprises applying a pressure substantially uniformly along the second major surface to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.","In one embodiment of the foregoing method, after applying the pressure portions (for example, element 280) of the separated layer of material remain on the carrier substrate.","In another embodiment, applying the pressure can include applying the pressure through the carrier substrate with a fluid filled vessel (for example, element 73) and the fluid filled vessel has a width that exceeds that of the wafer.","In a further embodiment, the fluid filled vessel can contain water.","In a still further embodiment, the water can be deoxygenated.","In another embodiment, the method can further include placing a pressure plate between the fluid filled vessel and the carrier substrate, and wherein providing the wafer can comprise providing a semiconductor wafer where the layer of material comprises a conductive material, placing the wafer onto the carrier substrate can comprise placing onto a carrier tape attached to a frame, applying the pressure can comprise applying in a compression chamber, and applying the pressure can comprise a pressure from about 500 KPa to about 5000 KPa.","In a further embodiment, the method can further comprise heating the wafer while applying the pressure.","In a still further embodiment, the wafer can be heated to a temperature from about 35 degrees Celsius to about 65 degrees Celsius.","In another embodiment, the method can further comprise placing a protective film proximate to the first major surface of the wafer before applying the pressure.","From all of the foregoing, one skilled in the art can determine that, according to another embodiment, a method for batch singulating a semiconductor wafer comprises providing the semiconductor wafer (for example, element 10) having a plurality of die (for example, elements 12, 14, 16, 18) formed on the semiconductor wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the semiconductor wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces (for example, elements 21, 22), and wherein a layer of material (for example, element 28) is formed along the second major surface.","The method comprises placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate (for example, element 30), wherein the layer of material is adjacent the carrier substrate.","The method comprises etching the semiconductor wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines (for example, elements 13, 15, 17, 19) and to expose portions of the layer of material in the singulation lines.","The method comprises applying a pressure substantially uniformly along the second major surface of the semiconductor wafer through the carrier substrate to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.","In one embodiment of the foregoing method, applying the pressure can include extruding portions of the carrier substrate into the singulation lines to separate the layer of material, and wherein the portions (for example, element 280) of the separated layer of material remain on the carrier substrate.","In another embodiment, applying the pressure can include using a fluid filled vessel having a width greater than that of the semiconductor wafer.","In a further embodiment, applying the pressure can include using a static pressure balloon.","In a still further embodiment, the static pressure balloon can filled with a heated fluid comprising one or more of a liquid and a gas.","In another embodiment, providing the semiconductor wafer can include providing the layer of material comprising a conductive material greater than about three microns in thickness, and wherein applying the pressure can comprise a pressure from about 500 KPa to about 5000 KPa.","From all of the foregoing, one skilled in the art can determine that, according to an additional embodiment, a method of singulating a wafer comprises providing a wafer (for example, element 10) having a plurality of die (for example, elements 12, 14, 16, 18) formed on the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces (for example, element s21, 22), and wherein a layer of material (for example, element 38) is formed along the second major surface.","The method comprises placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate (for example, element 30) having an adhesive portion, wherein the layer of material is adjacent the carrier substrate.","The method separating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines (for example, elements 13, 15, 17, 19), wherein singulating lines terminate in proximity to the layer of material.","The method comprises applying a pressure across the second surface of the wafer to extrude the adhesive portion into the singulation lines to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines, wherein portions (for example, element 280) of the separated layer of material remain on the carrier substrate.","In one embodiment of the foregoing method the applying step is repeated more than once.","In another embodiment, applying the pressure can comprise compressing a static pressure balloon (for example, element 73) having a diameter greater than that of the wafer.","In a further embodiment, applying the pressure can comprise using a fluid filled vessel (for example, elements 73, 74).","In a still further embodiment, the method can further comprise heating the wafer while applying the pressure.","In another embodiment, can further comprise placing a pressure plate (for example, element 77) between the fluid filled vessel and the carrier substrate before applying the pressure.","In a further embodiment, providing the wafer can comprise providing the layer of material having a thickness greater than about three microns and applying the pressure can comprise a pressure between about 500 KPa to about 5000 KPa.","From all of the foregoing, one skilled in the art can determine that, according to further embodiment, a method for separating a layer of material on a wafer comprises providing the wafer (for example, element 10) having a plurality of die (for example, element 12, 14, 16, 18) formed on the wafer and separated from each other by singulation lines (for example, elements 13, 15, 17, 19), wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces (for example, elements 21, 22), and wherein a layer of material (for example, element 28) is formed along the second major surface, and wherein the singulation lines extend from the first major surface and terminate proximate to the layer of material, and wherein the wafer is attached to a carrier substrate (for example, element 30).","The method comprises simultaneously applying a pressure along the entire second major surface of the wafer through the carrier substrate to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.","In view of all of the above, it is evident that a novel method is disclosed.","Included, among other features, is placing a substrate having a layer of material on a major surface of the substrate onto a carrier tape, and forming singulation lines through the substrate to expose portions of the layer of material within the singulation lines.","A pressure is substantially uniformly applied along the second major surface of the substrate through the carrier tape to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines in a batch configuration.","In one embodiment, the pressure is applied with a fluid filled vessel that is controllably compressed against the wafer.","The method provides, among other things, an efficient, reliable, and cost effective process for batch singulating substrates that include back layers, such as thicker back metal layers or WBC layers.","While the subject matter of the invention is described with specific preferred embodiments and example embodiments, the foregoing drawings and descriptions thereof depict only typical embodiments of the subject matter, and are not therefore to be considered limiting of its scope.","It is evident that many alternatives and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.","For example, other forms of removable support materials can be used instead of carrier tapes.","As the claims hereinafter reflect, inventive aspects may lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment.","Thus, the hereinafter expressed claims are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description of the Drawings, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of the invention.","Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention and meant to form different embodiments as would be understood by those skilled in the art."]],"string":"[\n [\n \"METHOD OF SEPARATING ELECTRONIC DEVICES HAVING A BACK LAYER AND APPARATUS\",\n \"A method of singulating a wafer includes providing a wafer having a plurality of die formed as part of the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein a layer of material is formed along the second major surface.\",\n \"The method includes placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate.\",\n \"The method includes singulating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines after the placing the wafer on the carrier substrate, wherein singulating comprises stopping in proximity to the layer of material.\",\n \"The method includes applying a pressure to the entire wafer thereby separating the layer of material in the singulation lines, wherein applying the pressure comprises using a fluid.\",\n \"The method provide a way to batch separate layers of material disposed on wafers after singulating the wafers.\"\n ],\n [\n \"1.An apparatus for batch singulating a layer of material on a substrate comprising: a chamber having a sidewall structure and a chamber surface, wherein the chamber surface is configured for supporting a substrate having a layer of material disposed on a major surface of the substrate; a pressure transfer vessel contained within the sidewall structure; and a structure associated with the chamber, wherein the structure and the pressure transfer vessel are adapted to apply pressure to batch singulate at least portions of the layer of material.\",\n \"2.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the pressure transfer vessel is configured to hold a fluid; and the chamber surface is configured for supporting a substrate attached to a carrier substrate.\",\n \"3.The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the chamber surface is configured for supporting the carrier substrate comprising a carrier tape that is attached to a frame.\",\n \"4.The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a pressure plate interposed between the pressure transfer vessel and the chamber surface.\",\n \"5.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the structure comprises a compression structure movably associated within the chamber, wherein the pressure transfer vessel is interposed between the chamber surface and the compression structure; and the pressure transfer vessel is configured to have a width larger than a diameter of the substrate.\",\n \"6.The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chamber surface is configured for supporting the substrate having a plurality of die formed as part of the substrate and separated from each other by singulation lines, wherein the singulation lines terminate adjacent to the layer of material.\",\n \"7.A method of singulating a wafer comprising: providing a wafer having a plurality of die formed as part of the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein a layer of material is formed along the second major surface; placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate; singulating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines after the placing the wafer on the carrier substrate, wherein singulating comprises stopping in proximity to the layer of material; and applying a pressure to the entire wafer thereby separating the layer of material in the singulation lines, wherein applying the pressure comprises using a fluid.\",\n \"8.The method of claim 7, wherein applying the pressure comprises applying the pressure through the carrier substrate.\",\n \"9.The method of claim 7, wherein: applying the pressure comprises: placing the wafer and carrier substrate within a chamber, the chamber at least partially enclosing a pressure transfer vessel, wherein the pressure transfer vessel contains the fluid; and moving a compression structure against the pressure transfer vessel thereby applying a pressure substantially uniformly along the second major surface to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.\",\n \"10.The method of claim 9, wherein: placing the wafer and the carrier substrate within the chamber comprises placing the pressure transfer vessel against the carrier substrate such that the carrier substrate is between the pressure transfer vessel and the wafer; and wherein the pressure transfer vessel has a width that exceeds that of the wafer.\",\n \"11.The method of claim 10 further comprising placing a pressure plate between the pressure transfer vessel and the carrier substrate.\",\n \"12.The method of claim 7, wherein: providing the wafer comprises providing a semiconductor wafer where the layer of material comprises a conductive material.\",\n \"13.The method of claim 7 further comprising placing a protective film proximate to the first major surface of the wafer before applying the pressure.\",\n \"14.The method of claim 7, wherein applying the pressure comprises extruding portions of the carrier substrate into the singulation lines to separate the layer of material, and wherein the portions of the separated layer of material remain on the carrier substrate after separating the layer of material.\",\n \"15.The method of claim 7, further comprising heating one or more of the wafer and the carrier substrate during at least a portion of the step of applying the pressure.\",\n \"16.A method of singulating a layer of material on a singulated substrate comprising: providing a semiconductor substrate that is attached to a carrier substrate, the semiconductor substrate having a plurality of die formed as part of the semiconductor substrate and separated from each other by singulation lines comprising gaps, wherein the semiconductor substrate has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein the layer of material is disposed atop the second major surface, and wherein the singulation lines terminate adjacent to the conductive layer; and using a fluid to simultaneously apply a pressure to the entire semiconductor substrate thereby separating the layer of material in the singulation lines.\",\n \"17.The method of claim 16, wherein using the fluid comprises: placing the semiconductor substrate and the carrier substrate within a chamber, the chamber at least partially enclosing a pressure transfer vessel that contains the fluid; and applying a pressure to the pressure transfer vessel thereby applying a transferred pressure to the layer of material to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.\",\n \"18.A method for batch singulating a semiconductor wafer comprising: providing the semiconductor wafer having a plurality of die formed on the semiconductor wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the semiconductor wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces, and wherein a layer of material is formed along the second major surface; placing the semiconductor wafer onto a carrier substrate, wherein the layer of material is adjacent the carrier substrate; after placing the semiconductor wafer onto the carrier substrate, etching the semiconductor wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines comprising gaps and to expose portions of the layer of material in the singulation lines; and applying a pressure to the entire semiconductor wafer through the carrier substrate to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.\",\n \"19.The method of claim 18, wherein applying the pressure comprises applying the pressure using a fluid.\",\n \"20.The method of claim 18, further comprising heating one or more of the semiconductor wafer and the carrier substrate during at least a portion of the step of applying the pressure.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BACKGROUND The present invention relates, in general, to electronics and, more particularly, to methods for forming electronic devices such as semiconductor dies.\",\n \"In the past, the semiconductor industry utilized various methods and equipment to singulate individual semiconductor die from a semiconductor wafer on which the die was manufactured.\",\n \"Typically, a technique called scribing or dicing was used to either partially or fully cut through the wafer with a diamond cutting wheel along scribe grids or singulation lines that were formed on the wafer between the individual die.\",\n \"To allow for the alignment and the width of the dicing wheel each scribe grid usually had a large width, generally about one hundred fifty (150) microns, which consumed a large portion of the semiconductor wafer.\",\n \"Additionally, the time required to scribe each singulation line on the semiconductor wafer could take over one hour or more.\",\n \"This time reduced the throughput and manufacturing capacity of a production facility.\",\n \"Other methods, which have included thermal laser separation (TLS), laser ablation dicing, and plasma dicing, have been explored as alternatives to scribing.\",\n \"Plasma dicing is a promising process compared to scribing and other alternative processes because it supports narrower scribe lines, has increased throughput, and can singulate die in varied and flexible patterns.\",\n \"However, plasma dicing has had manufacturing implementation challenges.\",\n \"Such challenges have included non-compatibility with wafer backside layers, such as back metal layers, because the etch process has been unable to effectively remove or separate the backside layers from the singulation lines.\",\n \"Removing or separating the backside layers from the scribe lines is necessary to facilitate subsequent processing, such as pick-and-place and assembly processes.\",\n \"Accordingly, it is desirable to have a method of singulating die from a semiconductor wafer that removes or separates the backside layers from within the singulation lines.\",\n \"It would be beneficial for the method to be cost effective and to minimize any damage to or contamination of the separated die.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.\",\n \"1 illustrates a reduced plan view of an embodiment of a wafer in accordance with the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the wafer of FIG.\",\n \"1 mounted to a carrier substrate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"3 illustrates a top view of the embodiment of FIG.\",\n \"2 ; FIGS.\",\n \"4-5 illustrate partial cross-sectional views of the wafer of FIG.\",\n \"1 at various stages in a process of singulating die from the wafer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the wafer of FIG.\",\n \"1 at a subsequent stage of singulation in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"7 illustrates an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG.\",\n \"6 in accordance with reference portion 7 - 7 ; FIG.\",\n \"8 illustrates the wafer of FIG.\",\n \"1 after singulation and at a further stage of manufacture in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG.\",\n \"9 illustrates a flow chart of a batch singulation method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"detailed-description description=\\\"Detailed Description\\\" end=\\\"lead\\\"?\",\n \"For simplicity and clarity of the illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the same reference numbers in different figures denote the same elements.\",\n \"Additionally, descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description.\",\n \"For clarity of the drawings, certain regions of device structures, such as doped regions or dielectric regions, may be illustrated as having generally straight line edges and precise angular corners.\",\n \"However, those skilled in the art understand that, due to the diffusion and activation of dopants or formation of layers, the edges of such regions generally may not be straight lines and that the corners may not be precise angles.\",\n \"The terms first, second, third and the like in the claims or/and in the Detailed Description of the Drawings, as used in a portion of a name of an element are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.\",\n \"Furthermore, the term “major surface” when used in conjunction with a semiconductor region, wafer, or substrate means the surface of the semiconductor region, wafer, or substrate that forms an interface with another material, such as a dielectric, an insulator, a conductor, or a polycrystalline semiconductor.\",\n \"The major surface can have a topography that changes in the x, y and z directions.\",\n \"Also, it is to be understood that where it is stated herein that one layer or region is formed on or disposed on a second layer or another region, the first layer may be formed or disposed directly on the second layer or there may be intervening layers between the first layer and the second layer.\",\n \"In addition, as used herein, the term formed on is used with the same meaning as located on or disposed on and is not meant to be limiting regarding any particular fabrication process.\"\n ],\n [\n \"CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a divisional application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"15/403,676, filed on Jan. 11, 2017, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"15/185,208, filed on Jun.\",\n \"17, 2016 and issued as U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"9,589,844 on Mar.\",\n \"7, 2017, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"14/222,464, filed on Mar.\",\n \"21, 2014 and issued as U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"9,418,894 on Aug. 16, 2016, which are hereby incorporated by reference, and priority thereto is hereby claimed.\",\n \"BACKGROUND The present invention relates, in general, to electronics and, more particularly, to methods for forming electronic devices such as semiconductor dies.\",\n \"In the past, the semiconductor industry utilized various methods and equipment to singulate individual semiconductor die from a semiconductor wafer on which the die was manufactured.\",\n \"Typically, a technique called scribing or dicing was used to either partially or fully cut through the wafer with a diamond cutting wheel along scribe grids or singulation lines that were formed on the wafer between the individual die.\",\n \"To allow for the alignment and the width of the dicing wheel each scribe grid usually had a large width, generally about one hundred fifty (150) microns, which consumed a large portion of the semiconductor wafer.\",\n \"Additionally, the time required to scribe each singulation line on the semiconductor wafer could take over one hour or more.\",\n \"This time reduced the throughput and manufacturing capacity of a production facility.\",\n \"Other methods, which have included thermal laser separation (TLS), laser ablation dicing, and plasma dicing, have been explored as alternatives to scribing.\",\n \"Plasma dicing is a promising process compared to scribing and other alternative processes because it supports narrower scribe lines, has increased throughput, and can singulate die in varied and flexible patterns.\",\n \"However, plasma dicing has had manufacturing implementation challenges.\",\n \"Such challenges have included non-compatibility with wafer backside layers, such as back metal layers, because the etch process has been unable to effectively remove or separate the backside layers from the singulation lines.\",\n \"Removing or separating the backside layers from the scribe lines is necessary to facilitate subsequent processing, such as pick-and-place and assembly processes.\",\n \"Accordingly, it is desirable to have a method of singulating die from a semiconductor wafer that removes or separates the backside layers from within the singulation lines.\",\n \"It would be beneficial for the method to be cost effective and to minimize any damage to or contamination of the separated die.\",\n \"BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.\",\n \"1 illustrates a reduced plan view of an embodiment of a wafer in accordance with the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the wafer of FIG.\",\n \"1 mounted to a carrier substrate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"3 illustrates a top view of the embodiment of FIG.\",\n \"2; FIGS.\",\n \"4-5 illustrate partial cross-sectional views of the wafer of FIG.\",\n \"1 at various stages in a process of singulating die from the wafer in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the wafer of FIG.\",\n \"1 at a subsequent stage of singulation in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"7 illustrates an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG.\",\n \"6 in accordance with reference portion 7-7; FIG.\",\n \"8 illustrates the wafer of FIG.\",\n \"1 after singulation and at a further stage of manufacture in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG.\",\n \"9 illustrates a flow chart of a batch singulation method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"For simplicity and clarity of the illustration, elements in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the same reference numbers in different figures denote the same elements.\",\n \"Additionally, descriptions and details of well-known steps and elements are omitted for simplicity of the description.\",\n \"For clarity of the drawings, certain regions of device structures, such as doped regions or dielectric regions, may be illustrated as having generally straight line edges and precise angular corners.\",\n \"However, those skilled in the art understand that, due to the diffusion and activation of dopants or formation of layers, the edges of such regions generally may not be straight lines and that the corners may not be precise angles.\",\n \"The terms first, second, third and the like in the claims or/and in the Detailed Description of the Drawings, as used in a portion of a name of an element are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a sequence, either temporally, spatially, in ranking or in any other manner It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and that the embodiments described herein are capable of operation in other sequences than described or illustrated herein.\",\n \"Furthermore, the term “major surface” when used in conjunction with a semiconductor region, wafer, or substrate means the surface of the semiconductor region, wafer, or substrate that forms an interface with another material, such as a dielectric, an insulator, a conductor, or a polycrystalline semiconductor.\",\n \"The major surface can have a topography that changes in the x, y and z directions.\",\n \"Also, it is to be understood that where it is stated herein that one layer or region is formed on or disposed on a second layer or another region, the first layer may be formed or disposed directly on the second layer or there may be intervening layers between the first layer and the second layer.\",\n \"In addition, as used herein, the term formed on is used with the same meaning as located on or disposed on and is not meant to be limiting regarding any particular fabrication process.\",\n \"DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.\",\n \"1 is a reduced plan view that graphically illustrates a wafer 10 at a later step in fabrication.\",\n \"In one embodiment, wafer 10 can be a semiconductor substrate.\",\n \"Wafer 10 includes a plurality of semiconductor die, such as die 12, 14, 16, and 18, that are formed on or as part of semiconductor wafer 10.Die 12, 14, 16, and 18 are spaced apart from each other on wafer 10 by spaces in which singulation lines are to be formed or defined, such as scribe lines or singulation lines 13, 15, 17, and 19.As is well known in the art, all of the semiconductor die on wafer 10 generally are separated from each other on all sides by areas or spaces where scribe lines or singulation lines, such as singulation lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 are to be formed.\",\n \"Die 12, 14, 16, and 18 can be any kind of electronic device including semiconductor devices such as, diodes, transistors, discrete devices, integrated circuits, sensor devices, optical devices, or other devices known to one of ordinary skill in the art.\",\n \"In one embodiment, wafer 10 has completed wafer processing including the formation of a backside layer described later.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"2 illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view of wafer 10 at an early step in a die singulation method in accordance with an embodiment.\",\n \"In one embodiment, wafer 10 is attached to a carrier substrate, transfer tape, or carrier tape 30 that facilitates supporting the plurality of die on wafer 10 after the die are singulated.\",\n \"Such carrier tapes are well known to those of skill in the art.\",\n \"In one embodiment, carrier tape 30 can be attached to a frame 40, which can include frame portions or portions 401 and 402.In one embodiment, frame 40 is made of a rigid material, such as stainless steel.\",\n \"As illustrated, carrier tape 30 can be attached to surface 4010 of frame portion 401 and to surface 4020 of frame portion 402 using, for example, the adhesive side of carrier tape 30.In the cross-section illustrated, wafer 10 can include a bulk substrate 11, such as a silicon substrate, which can include opposing major surfaces 21 and 22.In other embodiments, bulk substrate 11 can comprise other semiconductor materials such as heterojunction semiconductor materials or substrate 11 can be an insulating material such as ceramic materials.\",\n \"In one embodiment, contact pads 24 can be formed along, in, on, or above portions of major surface 21 to provide for electrical contact between structures formed within substrate 11 and next levels of assembly or external elements.\",\n \"For example, contact pads 24 can be formed to receive bonding wires or clips that subsequently may be attached to contact pads 24, or contact pads 24 can be formed to receive a solder ball, bump or other type of attachment structure.\",\n \"Contact pads 24 generally can be a metal or other conductive material.\",\n \"Typically, a dielectric material 26 such as, a blanket deposited dielectric layer can be formed on or overlying major surface 21 to function as a passivation layer for wafer 10.In one embodiment, dielectric material 26 can be a material that etches at a slower rate than that of substrate 11.In one embodiment, dielectric material 26 can be a silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or polyimide when substrate 11 is silicon.\",\n \"It should also be noted that a separate polymer protective layer, such as a patterned protective layer, can be used to protect the areas not intended to be etched during subsequent processing.\",\n \"In one embodiment, the patterned protective layer can be a patterned photoresist layer.\",\n \"An example of such a protective layer is noted as element 35 in FIG.\",\n \"4 described later.\",\n \"In one embodiment, openings can be formed in dielectric material 26 (and other dielectric layers that can be formed above or below dielectric material 26) to expose underlying surfaces of contact pads 24 and surfaces of substrate 11 where singulation lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 are to be formed.\",\n \"In one embodiment, the patterned photoresist layer describes previously can be used to form the openings with an etch process.\",\n \"As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"2 and in accordance with the present embodiment, wafer 10 further includes a layer of material 28 formed on or overlying major surface 22 of wafer 10.In one embodiment, layer 28 can be a conductive back metal layer.\",\n \"Layer 28 can be any suitable conductive material appropriate for electronic technology.\",\n \"In one embodiment, layer 28 can be a multi-layer metal system such as, titanium/nickel/silver, titanium/nickel/silver/tungsten, chrome/nickel/gold, copper, copper alloys, gold, or other materials known to those skilled in the art.\",\n \"In some embodiments, layer 28 is greater than about one micron in thickness.\",\n \"In other embodiments, layer 28 is greater than about two microns in thickness.\",\n \"In still other embodiments, layer 28 is greater than about three microns in thickness.\",\n \"In another embodiment, layer 28 can be a wafer backside coating (WBC) film, such as a die-attach coating or film.\",\n \"In one embodiment, layer 28 can be formed having or provided with recesses, gaps, spaces, or channels between at least some adjacent die.\",\n \"In a further embodiment, the gaps are substantially aligned with corresponding spaces on the opposite side of wafer 10 where singulation lines 13, 15, 17, 19 will be formed.\",\n \"In another embodiment, layer 28 is separated from the edges of least some of the die.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"3 illustrates a top view of wafer 10 in accordance with the cross-sectional view of FIG.\",\n \"2 after wafer 10 is be mounted on carrier tape 30 with layer 28 against carrier tape 30.In one embodiment, carrier tape 30 is mounted to frame 40.As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"3, frame 40 can be configured with alignment portions or notches to better assist placing frame 40 into processing equipment such as the equipment described herein.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"4 illustrates an enlarged cross-sectional view of wafer 10 at a subsequent step during a singulation process in accordance with the present embodiment.\",\n \"In FIG.\",\n \"4, a plasma or dry etch singulation process is illustrated.\",\n \"It is understood that other singulation processes can be used.\",\n \"In one embodiment, wafer 10 mounted on carrier tape or film 30 is then placed within an etch apparatus 300, such as a plasma etch apparatus.\",\n \"In one embodiment, substrate 11 can be etched through the openings to form or define singulation lines or openings 13, 15, 17, and 19 extending from major surface 21.The etching process can be performed using a chemistry (generally represented as arrows 31) that selectively etches silicon at a much higher rate than that of dielectrics and/or metals.\",\n \"In one embodiment, wafer 10 can be etched using a process commonly referred to as the Bosch process.\",\n \"In one embodiment, wafer 10 can be etched using the Bosch process in a deep reactive ion etch system.\",\n \"In one embodiment, the width of singulation lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 can be from about five microns to about twenty microns.\",\n \"Such a width is sufficient to ensure that the openings that form singulation lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 can be formed completely through substrate 11 stopping proximate to or on layer 28 because of the etch selectivity as generally illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"5.In one embodiment, layer 28 can be used as a stop layer for the plasma etch singulation process.\",\n \"In one embodiment, singulation lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 can be formed in about five to about thirty minutes using the Bosch process.\",\n \"A suitable etch apparatus is available from Plasma-Therm of St. Petersburg, Fla., U.S.A.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a back layer separation apparatus 60 configured to hold wafer 10 including frame 40 and carrier tape 30.In one embodiment, separation apparatus 60 can be configured to process a single wafer and to provide a back layer separation process where layer 28 on wafer 10 is separated substantially at the same time (that is, batch separated) compared to other processes that separate only a localized portion of layer 28 at a time.\",\n \"In other embodiments, separation apparatus 60 can be configured to process multiple wafers each in a batch configuration.\",\n \"Apparatus 60 can include a compression chamber 62 sized to accommodate wafer 10 and frame 40 depending upon the sizes of such structures.\",\n \"In one embodiment, compression chamber 62 is bounded on all sides by a plurality of generally vertical sidewalls 63 that extend generally upward from a lower chamber wall or surface 67.Sidewalls 63 can be attached to lower chamber wall 67 using any suitable attachment devices capable of maintaining pressure with compression chamber 62.Compression chamber 62 further includes an upper chamber wall or surface 68, which can include an opening 69 to accommodate a compression or pressure plate 71 or to provide an entrance for a non-compressible fluid.\",\n \"Compression chamber 62 and can be any suitable shape appropriate for processing wafer 10 and frame 40 or other holding structures.\",\n \"Compression plate 71 is movably associated or attached within compression chamber 62 and adapted to apply a controlled and substantially uniform pressure to wafer 10 through a pressure transfer vessel 73 containing a fluid 74.In one embodiment, vessel 73 can be a fluid filled bladder that is oriented between wafer 10 and compression plate 71.In one embodiment, vessel 73 comprises a cross-linked polymer material that exhibits high elastic deformation, such as a rubber or other materials as known to those of ordinary skill in the art.\",\n \"In one embodiment, vessel 73 is a static pressure balloon.\",\n \"In one embodiment, fluid 74 can be water.\",\n \"In one embodiment, fluid 74 can be water that is anaerobic (that is, water having low dissolved oxygen content or that has been deoxygenated).\",\n \"In some embodiments, fluid 74 can be heated above room temperature.\",\n \"In some embodiments, fluid 74 can be heated to a temperature in range from about 35 degrees Celsius to about 65 degrees Celsius.\",\n \"In one embodiment, fluid 74 can be heated to a temperature in range from about 45 degrees Celsius to about 55 degrees Celsius.\",\n \"In other embodiments, fluid 74 can be a fluid having a higher viscosity than water.\",\n \"In some embodiments, fluid 74 can be liquid-crystalline material.\",\n \"In still other embodiments, vessel 73 can be filled with a solid material, such as synthetic microspheres, carbon nanotubes, graphene, or other solid or solid-like materials that can impart or transfer pressure from compression plate 71 to carrier tape 30 without damaging wafer 10.In some embodiments, vessel 73 can be filled with a gas.\",\n \"In accordance with the present embodiment and illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"6, vessel 73 has a horizontal width proximate to wafer 10 that is larger than the horizontal width or diameter of wafer 10 to facilitate batch or near simultaneous singulation or separation of layer 28 in scribe lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 of wafer 10.That is, vessel 73 is configured or adapted to apply a pressure substantially uniformly along or across all of layer 28 and wafer 10 to provide batch separation of layer 28 in the scribe lines.\",\n \"In an optional embodiment, a pressure plate 77 can be detachably placed in between vessel 73 and carrier tape 30 above or in spaced relationship with wafer 10 and layer 28.In one embodiment, pressure plate 77 can be a low-alloy, medium-carbon steel or high-carbon steel material with high yield strength, such as spring steel.\",\n \"Such a material allows pressure plate 77 to return to its original shape despite any significant bending.\",\n \"In one embodiment, pressure plate 77 can be a generally flat plate where the major surfaces lie in substantially parallel horizontal planes.\",\n \"In other embodiments, pressure plate 77 can have a lower surface (that is, the surface adjoining carrier tape 30) configured to first apply pressure to the outer portions of wafer 10 before or slightly before pressure applied to the more central portion of wafer 10.For example, in one embodiment pressure plate 77 can have a slightly concave major surface adjoining carrier tape 30 without pressure applied with vessel 73.In another embodiment, pressure plate 77 can have a slightly raised ridge, for example, in the shape or form of a ring around an outer periphery of pressure plate 77.In some embodiments, a protective film or protective pad 83 is placed between wafer 10 and lower chamber wall 67 to protect and/or cushion wafer 10 during the separation of back layer 28.In one embodiment, protective film 83 is a non-adhesive film or a low adhesive film where the adhesive strength is selected so as to minimize the occurrence of individual die being removed from carrier tape 30 after separation of back layer 28 has occurred.\",\n \"In other embodiments, protective film 83 can have a high adhesive strength (that is, higher than the adhesive strength of carrier tape 30) if it is desired to have the separated die adhere to protective film 83, for example, for additional processing to the back side of wafer 10.In some embodiments, a controlled downward pressure (represented by arrows 701 and 702) is applied through compression plate 71 using, for example, a stepper motor driving a threaded shaft attached to compression plate 71.In other embodiments, compression plate 71 can be adjusted using hydraulic or pneumatic techniques.\",\n \"In some embodiments, compression plate 71 can be adjusted manually.\",\n \"It is understood that apparatus 60 may include other sealing devices, fluid heating and delivery devices, and measurement and control systems that are not illustrated for the ease of understanding embodiments of the present invention.\",\n \"Suitable apparatus that can be configured in accordance with the description provided herein are available from Instron® of Norwood, Mass., U.S.A. and Geocomp Corporation of St. Johns, N.Y., U.S.A.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7 illustrates an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a portion of apparatus 60 and wafer 10 of FIG.\",\n \"6 along reference portion 7-7.In FIG.\",\n \"7, carrier tape 30 is enlarged to show both a singulation film portion 301 and an adhesive film portion 302 between singulation film portion 301 and layer 28 on wafer 10.In some embodiments, singulation film portion 301 can have a thickness from about 70 microns to about 90 microns and adhesive film portion 302 can have thickness from about 20 microns to about 40 microns.\",\n \"In accordance with some embodiments, pressure applied from compression plate 71 is transferred and applied through vessel 73 to optional pressure transfer plate 77 to carrier tape 30 as generally represented by arrows 701, 702, and 703.The downward force applied to carrier tape 30 extrudes adhesive film portion 30 in scribe lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 between die 12, 14, 16, and 18 to separate away or singulate portions of layer 28 in the scribe lines as generally illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"7.In some embodiments, a downward force can be in the range from about 700 KPa to 1400 KPa.\",\n \"In other embodiments, downward force can be in the range from about 1400 KPa to 3500 KPa.\",\n \"One advantage of the present method is that it provides a batch singulation of layer 28 compared to previous processes that provide localized singulation of layer 28.The present embodiments thus reduce manufacturing cycle time.\",\n \"Another advantage is that metal separates cleanly and self-aligned to the die edge and further, remaining material of layer 28 between die will remain on the tape after the die are removed with no need to flip the tape to expose and remove or separate the metal.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of wafer 10 at a further stage of manufacturing.\",\n \"In one embodiment, die 12, 14, 16, and 18 can be removed from carrier tape 30 as part of a further assembly process using, for example, a pick-and-place apparatus 81 as generally illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"8.As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"8 portions 280 separated from layer 28 remain on carrier tape 30.In one embodiment, die 12, 14, 16, and 18 can be attached to conductive lead frames or substrates, electrically connected to leads for traces, and encapsulated with a plastic molding compound.\",\n \"In one embodiment, carrier tape 30 can be exposed to a UV light source prior to the pick-and-place step to reduce the adhesiveness of carrier tape 30.FIG.\",\n \"9 illustrates a flow chart for batch singulating backside material in accordance with an embodiment.\",\n \"In step 900, wafer 10 can be placed onto a carrier film, such as carrier tape 30, as generally illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"2.In accordance with the present embodiment, wafer 10 includes back layer, such as layer of material 28.In some embodiments, layer 28 is a conductive metal material.\",\n \"In other embodiments, layer 28 can be a Wafer Back Coat (WBC) film, such as a die-attached coating or film.\",\n \"In step 901, material, such as semiconductor material, is removed from scribe lines 13, 15, 17, and 19.Semiconductor material can be removed to expose layer 28 in scribe lines 13, 15, 17, and 19, or small amount of material can be left in scribe lines 13, 15, 17, and 19.Stated another way, a sufficient amount of material is removed so that layer 28 can be effectively separated in scribe lines 13, 15, 17, and 19 in a subsequent step.\",\n \"In step 902, wafer 10 on carrier tape 30 is placed in apparatus 60 as described with FIG.\",\n \"6.In one embodiment, wafer 10 is placed front side or device side down with layer 28 and carrier tape 30 facing upward.\",\n \"In one embodiment, pressure plate 77 can be placed adjacent to carrier tape 30 proximate to wafer 10 and layer 28.A fluid filled vessel, such as vessel 73, can then placed proximate to pressure plate 77 as generally illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"6 and 7.In one embodiment, the fluid filled vessel is filled with deoxygenated water heated to temperature from about 35 degrees Celsius to about 65 degrees Celsius.\",\n \"In step 903, a pressure is applied to the fluid filled vessel using, for example, a moveable compression plate 71 as described in conjunction with FIG.\",\n \"6.In one embodiment, a pressure range from about 500 KPa to 5000 KPa can be used.\",\n \"In one embodiment, the pressure applied to the fluid filled vessel causes portions of the carrier film, for example, adhesive film portion 302, to extrude into the scribe lines, such as scribe lines 13, 15, 17, 19, which batch singulates or simultaneously separates all or major portions of layer 28 from the scribe lines.\",\n \"In other embodiments, step 903 can applied multiple times (that is, more than once on the same wafer) with pressure applied, then removed, then re-applied.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the re-applied pressure can be greater than the previously applied pressure.\",\n \"In other embodiments, the re-applied pressure can be less than the previously applied pressure.\",\n \"In still other embodiments, compression plate 71 can be slightly tilted and rotated to apply additional pressure around the edge regions of wafer 10.In further embodiments, compression plate 71 can be rocked back and forth in multiple directions.\",\n \"From all of the foregoing, one skilled in the art can determine that, according to one embodiment, a method of singulating a wafer (for example, element 10) comprises providing a wafer (for example, element 10) having a plurality of die (for example, elements 12, 14, 16, 18) formed on the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces (for example, elements 21, 22), and wherein a layer of material (for example, element 28) is formed along the second major surface.\",\n \"The method comprises placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate (for example, element 30).\",\n \"The method comprises singulating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines (for example, elements 13, 15, 17, 19), wherein singulating comprises stopping in proximity to the layer of material.\",\n \"The method comprises applying a pressure substantially uniformly along the second major surface to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.\",\n \"In one embodiment of the foregoing method, after applying the pressure portions (for example, element 280) of the separated layer of material remain on the carrier substrate.\",\n \"In another embodiment, applying the pressure can include applying the pressure through the carrier substrate with a fluid filled vessel (for example, element 73) and the fluid filled vessel has a width that exceeds that of the wafer.\",\n \"In a further embodiment, the fluid filled vessel can contain water.\",\n \"In a still further embodiment, the water can be deoxygenated.\",\n \"In another embodiment, the method can further include placing a pressure plate between the fluid filled vessel and the carrier substrate, and wherein providing the wafer can comprise providing a semiconductor wafer where the layer of material comprises a conductive material, placing the wafer onto the carrier substrate can comprise placing onto a carrier tape attached to a frame, applying the pressure can comprise applying in a compression chamber, and applying the pressure can comprise a pressure from about 500 KPa to about 5000 KPa.\",\n \"In a further embodiment, the method can further comprise heating the wafer while applying the pressure.\",\n \"In a still further embodiment, the wafer can be heated to a temperature from about 35 degrees Celsius to about 65 degrees Celsius.\",\n \"In another embodiment, the method can further comprise placing a protective film proximate to the first major surface of the wafer before applying the pressure.\",\n \"From all of the foregoing, one skilled in the art can determine that, according to another embodiment, a method for batch singulating a semiconductor wafer comprises providing the semiconductor wafer (for example, element 10) having a plurality of die (for example, elements 12, 14, 16, 18) formed on the semiconductor wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the semiconductor wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces (for example, elements 21, 22), and wherein a layer of material (for example, element 28) is formed along the second major surface.\",\n \"The method comprises placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate (for example, element 30), wherein the layer of material is adjacent the carrier substrate.\",\n \"The method comprises etching the semiconductor wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines (for example, elements 13, 15, 17, 19) and to expose portions of the layer of material in the singulation lines.\",\n \"The method comprises applying a pressure substantially uniformly along the second major surface of the semiconductor wafer through the carrier substrate to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.\",\n \"In one embodiment of the foregoing method, applying the pressure can include extruding portions of the carrier substrate into the singulation lines to separate the layer of material, and wherein the portions (for example, element 280) of the separated layer of material remain on the carrier substrate.\",\n \"In another embodiment, applying the pressure can include using a fluid filled vessel having a width greater than that of the semiconductor wafer.\",\n \"In a further embodiment, applying the pressure can include using a static pressure balloon.\",\n \"In a still further embodiment, the static pressure balloon can filled with a heated fluid comprising one or more of a liquid and a gas.\",\n \"In another embodiment, providing the semiconductor wafer can include providing the layer of material comprising a conductive material greater than about three microns in thickness, and wherein applying the pressure can comprise a pressure from about 500 KPa to about 5000 KPa.\",\n \"From all of the foregoing, one skilled in the art can determine that, according to an additional embodiment, a method of singulating a wafer comprises providing a wafer (for example, element 10) having a plurality of die (for example, elements 12, 14, 16, 18) formed on the wafer and separated from each other by spaces, wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces (for example, element s21, 22), and wherein a layer of material (for example, element 38) is formed along the second major surface.\",\n \"The method comprises placing the wafer onto a carrier substrate (for example, element 30) having an adhesive portion, wherein the layer of material is adjacent the carrier substrate.\",\n \"The method separating the wafer through the spaces to form singulation lines (for example, elements 13, 15, 17, 19), wherein singulating lines terminate in proximity to the layer of material.\",\n \"The method comprises applying a pressure across the second surface of the wafer to extrude the adhesive portion into the singulation lines to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines, wherein portions (for example, element 280) of the separated layer of material remain on the carrier substrate.\",\n \"In one embodiment of the foregoing method the applying step is repeated more than once.\",\n \"In another embodiment, applying the pressure can comprise compressing a static pressure balloon (for example, element 73) having a diameter greater than that of the wafer.\",\n \"In a further embodiment, applying the pressure can comprise using a fluid filled vessel (for example, elements 73, 74).\",\n \"In a still further embodiment, the method can further comprise heating the wafer while applying the pressure.\",\n \"In another embodiment, can further comprise placing a pressure plate (for example, element 77) between the fluid filled vessel and the carrier substrate before applying the pressure.\",\n \"In a further embodiment, providing the wafer can comprise providing the layer of material having a thickness greater than about three microns and applying the pressure can comprise a pressure between about 500 KPa to about 5000 KPa.\",\n \"From all of the foregoing, one skilled in the art can determine that, according to further embodiment, a method for separating a layer of material on a wafer comprises providing the wafer (for example, element 10) having a plurality of die (for example, element 12, 14, 16, 18) formed on the wafer and separated from each other by singulation lines (for example, elements 13, 15, 17, 19), wherein the wafer has first and second opposing major surfaces (for example, elements 21, 22), and wherein a layer of material (for example, element 28) is formed along the second major surface, and wherein the singulation lines extend from the first major surface and terminate proximate to the layer of material, and wherein the wafer is attached to a carrier substrate (for example, element 30).\",\n \"The method comprises simultaneously applying a pressure along the entire second major surface of the wafer through the carrier substrate to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines.\",\n \"In view of all of the above, it is evident that a novel method is disclosed.\",\n \"Included, among other features, is placing a substrate having a layer of material on a major surface of the substrate onto a carrier tape, and forming singulation lines through the substrate to expose portions of the layer of material within the singulation lines.\",\n \"A pressure is substantially uniformly applied along the second major surface of the substrate through the carrier tape to separate the layer of material in the singulation lines in a batch configuration.\",\n \"In one embodiment, the pressure is applied with a fluid filled vessel that is controllably compressed against the wafer.\",\n \"The method provides, among other things, an efficient, reliable, and cost effective process for batch singulating substrates that include back layers, such as thicker back metal layers or WBC layers.\",\n \"While the subject matter of the invention is described with specific preferred embodiments and example embodiments, the foregoing drawings and descriptions thereof depict only typical embodiments of the subject matter, and are not therefore to be considered limiting of its scope.\",\n \"It is evident that many alternatives and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.\",\n \"For example, other forms of removable support materials can be used instead of carrier tapes.\",\n \"As the claims hereinafter reflect, inventive aspects may lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment.\",\n \"Thus, the hereinafter expressed claims are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description of the Drawings, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of the invention.\",\n \"Furthermore, while some embodiments described herein include some but not other features included in other embodiments, combinations of features of different embodiments are meant to be within the scope of the invention and meant to form different embodiments as would be understood by those skilled in the art.\"\n ]\n]"},"source":{"kind":"string","value":"Patent_15874307"}}},{"rowIdx":4494568,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"list like","value":[["IMAGE PROCESSING FOR HEAD MOUNTED DISPLAY DEVICES","Various devices, arrangements and methods for managing communications using a head mounted display device are described.","In one aspect, tracking data is generated at least in part by one or more sensors in a head mounted display (HMD) device.","The tracking data indicates one or more facial movements of a user wearing the HMD device.","A patch image is obtained based on the tracking data.","The patch image is merged with a facial image.","Various embodiments relate to the HMD device and other methods for generating and using the patch and facial images."],["1.A method for processing images involving a head mounted display device, the method comprising: obtaining a first set of tracking data, the first set of tracking data generated at least in part by one or more sensors in a first head mounted display (HMD) device and indicating one or more facial movements of a first user, when the HMD device is worn by the first user; obtaining a patch image based on the first set of tracking data that indicates a portion of the face of the first user covered by the first HMD device; obtaining a facial image generated at least in part by capturing a second portion of the face of the first user that is not covered by the first HMD device; and merging the facial image with the patch image such that the merged image indicates the face of the first user including features on the first portion of the face covered by the first HMD device.","2.The method of claim 1 further comprising: transmitting the merged image to a device.","3.The method of claim 1 wherein: the patch image is a rendered three dimensional (3D) image; the facial image is a video image generated by a video camera; and the merging involves merging the rendered 3D image with the video image.","4.The method of claim 1 further comprising: obtaining a 3D model of at least a portion of the face of the first user; adjusting the 3D model based on the first set of tracking data; rendering the adjusted 3D model; and using at least a portion of the rendered 3D model to help form the patch image.","5.The method of claim 1 further comprising: obtaining a second set of tracking data from a camera device, the second set of tracking data involving one or more of light sensor data and pose data indicating a pose of the head of the first user; and determining the patch image based at least in part on the second set of tracking data.","6.The method of claim 1 further comprising: obtaining camera device data from a camera device indicating a position of one or more feature points on the head of the first user; obtaining a model of at least a portion of the head of the first user; associating one or more feature points in the model with the one or more feature points in the camera device data; determining a difference between position of the one or more feature points in the model and the position of the one or more feature points in the camera device data; based on the difference, adjusting the position of the one or more feature points in the model; and determining the patch image based at least in part on the model.","7.The method of claim 1 wherein: obtaining light sensing device data from a light sensing device indicating at least one of 1) a light level around the first user; and 2) a light level on a part of the first user; obtaining a model of at least a portion of the head of the first user; determining a light level simulated on the model; determining a difference between the light level simulated on the model with the light level indicated in the light sensing device data; based on the difference, adjusting the light level simulated on the model; and determining the patch image based at least in part on the model.","8.The method of claim 1 further comprising: identifying portions of the patch image that intersect with the facial image wherein the patch image indicates the first portion of the face of the first user and the facial image indicates a different, second portion of the face of the first user; and blurring the identified portions of the patch image that intersect with the facial image.","9.The method of claim 1 further comprising: obtaining a background image indicating a background behind the first user wearing the first HMD device; obtaining a background patch image; and merging the background patch image and the background image wherein the background patch image is positioned in the background image such that the background patch image indicates a part of the background covered by the first HMD device.","10.The method of claim 1 wherein the method is performed by an image processing device that is connected with the first HMD device through a network and wherein the image processing device is at least one of a server, a camera device that is recording the first user, a television and the first HMD device.","11.The method of claim 1 further comprising: obtaining one or more images of a second user wherein the one or more images indicate, in real time, facial movements of a portion of the face of the second user that are underneath the second HMD device worn by the second user and wherein the one or more images further indicate, in real time, movements of the head of the second user including portions of the head that are not covered by the second HMD device; and transmitting the one or more images to the first HMD device so that the one or more images can be displayed to the first user.","12.A computer readable storage medium including executable computer code embodied in a tangible form wherein the computer readable medium comprises: executable computer code operable to obtain a first set of tracking data, the first set of tracking data generated at least in part by one or more sensors in a first head mounted display (HMD) device and indicating one or more facial movements of a first user wearing the first HMD device; executable computer code operable to obtain a patch image based on the first set of tracking data that indicates a portion of the face of the first user covered by the first HMD device; executable computer code operable to obtain a facial image generated at least in part by capturing a second portion of the face of the first user that is not covered by the first HMD device; and executable computer code operable to merge the facial image with the patch image such that the merged image indicates the face of the first user including features on the first portion of the face covered by the first HMD device.","13.The method of claim 12 wherein: the patch image is a rendered three dimensional (3D) image; the facial image is a video image generated by a video camera; and the merging operation involves merging the rendered 3D image with the video image.","14.The computer readable medium of claim 12 further comprising: executable computer code operable to obtain a 3D model of at least a portion of the face of the first user; executable computer code operable to adjust the 3D model based on the first set of tracking data; executable computer code operable to render the adjusted 3D model; and executable computer code operable to use at least a portion of the rendered 3D model to help form the patch image.","15.The computer readable medium of claim 12 further comprising: executable computer code operable to obtain a second set of tracking data from a camera device, the second set of tracking data involving one or more of light sensor data and data indicating a pose of the head of the first user; and executable computer code operable to determine the patch image based at least in part on the second set of tracking data.","16.A method for revealing face of a user wearing a head-mounted display (HMD) device, the method comprising: obtaining a first image including the user wearing the HMD; obtaining facial features of a portion of the face of the user, wherein the portion of the face is covered by the HMD device; obtaining a second image indicating an environment surrounding the user; generating a patch image based upon a 3-D model of at least the portion of the face, wherein the 3-D model has been adjusted based on the obtained facial features; and rendering a composite image by merging the patch image with the first image and the second image, thus revealing the face of the user.","17.The method of claim 16, further comprising obtaining the 3-D model of at least the portion of the face, wherein the 3-D model is generated based on scanning of the face of the user.","18.The method of claim 16, wherein the facial features are tracked by sensors positioned on the HMD device.","19.The method of claim 18, wherein the tracked facial features indicate one or more facial movements of the user.","20.The method of claim 16 further comprising: adjusting the 3-D model based on a first set of tracking data; and rendering the adjusted 3-D model."],[" BACKGROUND In the last several years, virtual reality applications have received increasing attention.","Virtual reality applications involve technologies that immerse the user in a different environment.","In some applications, the user wears a head mounted display (HMD) device.","Examples of such devices include the Samsung Gear VR® and the Oculus Rift®.","Typically, when users wear such devices, their eyes are completely covered.","The HMD device includes an interior screen that displays images and animation for the user.","The images give the user the impression that they have been transported into a virtual environment.","A variety of applications have been contemplated for such HMD devices.","For example, HMD devices can be used for entertainment applications, such as games in which the user can explore a virtual, fantastical world, and “teleimmersion” applications where the user is transported to another real world location.","There are ongoing efforts to develop additional applications for HMD devices."],[" SUMMARY In one aspect of the present invention, a head mounted display (HMD) device will be described.","When worn by a user, the HMD device covers a portion of the face of the user such that the eyes of the user and (large) portions of the face are hidden from view.","One or more sensors are positioned on the device body.","The sensor(s) are arranged to track eye movement, eyelid movement, eyebrow movement and/or other facial features of the user.","A display positioned on the device body is arranged to display an image or media for the user when the HMD device is worn by the user.","In another aspect of the invention, a method for processing media for use in a communications application will be described.","Tracking data is obtained.","The tracking data is generated at least in part by one or more sensors in a HMD device.","The tracking data indicates one or more facial movements of a user (e.g., gaze, eye rotation, eyebrow or eyelid movements, etc.)","wearing the HMD device.","A patch image is obtained based on the tracking data.","The patch image indicates a portion of the face of the user that is covered by the HMD device.","A facial image is also obtained.","The facial image is generated at least in part by capturing a portion of the face of the user that is not covered by the HMD device (e.g., using a camera or any suitable recording/scanning device.)","The facial image is merged with the patch image such that the merged image indicates the face of the user, which indicates features (e.g., eyes, eyebrows, etc.)","on the portion of the face of the user covered by the HMD device.","In various embodiments, the merged image is transmitted to another HMD device so that the facial movements of the user can be displayed in real time at that HMD device.","Various implementations involve devices, systems and computer code arranged to perform at least some of the above operations."],["CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser.","No.","14/801,574 (Attorney Docket No.","SISAP421), filed Jul.","16, 2015, entitled “IMAGE PROCESSING FOR HEAD MOUNTED DISPLAY DEVICES,” which claims the priority of U.S. provisional patent application No.","62/163,321, entitled “System for Synthetically Removing Head Mounted Displays from Real-time Video Imagery,” filed May 18, 2015, which are all incorporated herein in entirety for all purposes.","FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the processing of images.","Various implementations of the present invention relate to the generation and processing of images using a head mounted display device.","BACKGROUND In the last several years, virtual reality applications have received increasing attention.","Virtual reality applications involve technologies that immerse the user in a different environment.","In some applications, the user wears a head mounted display (HMD) device.","Examples of such devices include the Samsung Gear VR® and the Oculus Rift®.","Typically, when users wear such devices, their eyes are completely covered.","The HMD device includes an interior screen that displays images and animation for the user.","The images give the user the impression that they have been transported into a virtual environment.","A variety of applications have been contemplated for such HMD devices.","For example, HMD devices can be used for entertainment applications, such as games in which the user can explore a virtual, fantastical world, and “teleimmersion” applications where the user is transported to another real world location.","There are ongoing efforts to develop additional applications for HMD devices.","SUMMARY In one aspect of the present invention, a head mounted display (HMD) device will be described.","When worn by a user, the HMD device covers a portion of the face of the user such that the eyes of the user and (large) portions of the face are hidden from view.","One or more sensors are positioned on the device body.","The sensor(s) are arranged to track eye movement, eyelid movement, eyebrow movement and/or other facial features of the user.","A display positioned on the device body is arranged to display an image or media for the user when the HMD device is worn by the user.","In another aspect of the invention, a method for processing media for use in a communications application will be described.","Tracking data is obtained.","The tracking data is generated at least in part by one or more sensors in a HMD device.","The tracking data indicates one or more facial movements of a user (e.g., gaze, eye rotation, eyebrow or eyelid movements, etc.)","wearing the HMD device.","A patch image is obtained based on the tracking data.","The patch image indicates a portion of the face of the user that is covered by the HMD device.","A facial image is also obtained.","The facial image is generated at least in part by capturing a portion of the face of the user that is not covered by the HMD device (e.g., using a camera or any suitable recording/scanning device.)","The facial image is merged with the patch image such that the merged image indicates the face of the user, which indicates features (e.g., eyes, eyebrows, etc.)","on the portion of the face of the user covered by the HMD device.","In various embodiments, the merged image is transmitted to another HMD device so that the facial movements of the user can be displayed in real time at that HMD device.","Various implementations involve devices, systems and computer code arranged to perform at least some of the above operations.","BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention and the advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: FIG.","1 is a diagram of a communication system involve multiple head mounted display (HMD) devices according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","2A is diagram of a user who is wearing an HMD device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","2B is a diagram of a user without an HMD device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIGS.","3A and 3B are flow charts illustrating an example method for managing the communication system illustrated in FIG.","1.FIG.","4 is a diagram illustrating an example three dimensional model of the face of a user according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","5A is a diagram illustrating an example image of a user in a room according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","5B is a diagram illustrating an example background image according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","6 is a diagram illustrating a camera device and a user wearing a HMD device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","7A is a diagram illustrating an image of a face of a user according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","7B is a diagram illustrating a three dimensional model of the face of the user illustrated in FIG.","7A.","FIG.","8 is a diagram illustrating a technique for sensing light levels according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","9A is a diagram illustrating a live image of a user wearing an HMD device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","9B is a diagram illustrating a rendered model of the face of the user illustrated in FIG.","9A.","FIG.","10 is a diagram illustrating a technique for identifying a region for a patch image in a model according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","11 is a diagram illustrating a patch image according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","12 is a diagram illustrating a region for a patch image in a facial/background image according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","13 is a diagram illustrating a merging of a patch image and a facial/background image according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","14 is a diagram illustrating a technique for identifying regions in a background image according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","15 is a diagram illustrating a technique for merging a background patch image into a facial/background image according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIGS.","16, 17 and 18 are diagrams illustrating perspective, back and front views of an HMD device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","19 is a block diagram of a HMD device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","FIG.","20 is a block diagram of an image processing device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.","In the drawings, like reference numerals are sometimes used to designate like structural elements.","It should also be appreciated that the depictions in the figures are diagrammatic and not to scale.","DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to methods, devices, systems and arrangements for the processing and generation of images for head mounted display (HMD) devices.","Various implementations allow one user of an HMD device to view the facial expressions of another user, even when all of the users are wearing HMD devices that cover a large portion of their faces.","As described in the Background, games are a popular application for many virtual reality and HMD device applications.","One other possible application is communications e.g., virtual reality or video conferencing between users of HMD devices.","An example of a system 100 for users of HMD devices is illustrated in FIG.","1.The communication system 100 includes two users, user 105a and user 105b.","Each user is wearing a HMD device 110a/110b and is situated in a room (rooms 130a and 130b).","In each room there is also a camera device (camera devices 115a and 115b) that is positioned a short distance away from its respective user.","The HMD devices and/or camera devices are coupled with one another using a network 125.In some embodiments, there is a server 120 that helps process media and manage communications between the HMD devices.","In this example, the camera device 115a directs a camera at the face of the user 105a in room 130a.","The camera device 115a is arranged to record the facial expression and movements of the user 105a, as well as possibly the background of the room 130a behind the user 105a.","In some implementations, the camera device 115a captures a live video stream of the user 105a.","The camera device 115a transmits the recorded video data through a network 125 (e.g., the Internet) in real time so that the other user 105b can view the video stream using the HMD device 110b.","In some embodiments, the camera device 115b receives the recorded data and transmits it to the HMD device 110b for user 115b.","Alternatively, in other embodiments the HMD device 110b is directly connected to the network 125 and is arranged to receive the recorded data directly from the network 125.Based on the recorded video data, the HMD device 110b worn by user 105b then renders the video stream.","Accordingly, the HMD device 110b displays the face and movements of the other user 105a in real time.","In this example, the communication between the user 105a and 105b is two-way.","That is, the camera device 115b for the user 105b records the face and movements of the user 105b and transmits associated video data to the user 105a across the network 125.Each HMD device also includes microphones that capture the speech of each user.","This speech is converted into audio data that is also transmitted in real time to the other user across the network 125.Thus, the users 105a/105b are able to communicate with one another in real time, while also viewing each other's faces using their HMD devices.","Although the above communication system is useful, there is a problem related to the use of the HMD devices.","This problem is illustrated in FIGS.","2A and 2B.","FIG.","2A is a diagram illustrating the face of user 105a when the user 105a is wearing the HMD device 110a.","That is, the diagram represents a view of the user 105a as seen from the perspective of the camera device 115a.","Thus, the diagram also represents the view of the user 105a as seen by the other user 105b.","As shown in the diagram, the HMD device 110a entirely covers the eyes and other regions on the face of the user 105a such that they are not visible to the camera device 110a or the user 105b.","For human communication and interaction, however, the ability to view a person's eyes and facial movements is valuable.","Gaze, eyebrow movement and other facial movements are important elements in a conversation.","They can help convey the emotion or intent of the speaker.","The ability to view facial movements would help the communication illustrated in FIG.","1 to be significantly more engaging and lively.","In many situations, a user of an HMD device who is participating in a video conference would prefer to see the entire face of the other conference participant, as represented by the face 210 illustrated in FIG.","2B.","That is, it is generally preferred that the HMD device 110a be removed and that the eyes and facial expressions of the user be visible.","Various implementations of the present invention address this issue.","In some approaches, a patch image is generated.","That is, in various embodiments, the image of the user 105a wearing the HMD device 110a (e.g., as shown in FIG.","2A) is “patched” such that the HMD device 110a is removed.","The patch image fills in the space covered by the HMD device and simulates the facial features and movements of the user (e.g., eyes, gaze, eyelid or eyebrow movements, etc.)","that would otherwise be hidden by the HMD device 110a.","In various embodiments, the patch image is based on a rendered 3D model of corresponding portions of the user's face and/or reflects in real time the facial movements and expressions of the user 105a.","This allows a viewer to see a simulation of the entire face of the user e.g., similar to the face 210 illustrated in FIG.","2B.","Referring next to FIGS.","3A and 3B, an exemplary method 300 for processing imagery for HMD device communication applications will be described.","In this example, the method is performed primarily using the HMD device 110a, camera device 115a, user 105a and room 130a illustrated in FIG.","1.Although the method 300 describes various operations being performed by particular devices, it should be appreciated that any operation may instead be performed by any suitable device.","By way of example, the method describes a camera device 115a that performs various image collection, generation and processing steps, but the same steps may also be performed by the HMD device 105a, the server 120, or another computing device (e.g., a smartphone, a television, a game console, a computer, etc.)","Initially, at step 305, a three dimensional (3D) model 405 of the face of the user 105a is obtained.","Generally, the model 405 may be any software model, graphical model and/or mathematical/virtual representation of any part of the user 105a (e.g., the face, head, eyes, eyebrows, any part of the body, etc.)","A simplified example is illustrated in FIG.","4.In this example, the 3D model indicates, shows and/or represents the head, face and various facial features of the user 105a (e.g., surface and shape of the head and face, eyes, nose, mouth, skin texture, color, light level, shading, etc.).","In various implementations, the model is fully three dimensional (i.e., the model can be rotated or tilted in three dimensions) and/or may be modeled using multiple polygons, a mesh, vertices, edges, etc.","The software for the 3D model 405 may also be capable of automatically adjusting features in the model 405 based on input.","By way of example, when input is received indicating that the lips should smile, other features in the 3D model 405 may also automatically move in response (e.g., there may be slight movements in the nose or in the area around the lips, etc.","), thus simulating the many tiny movements that naturally occur in a human face when one part of the face changes or when a particular expression is desired.","The 3D model 405 may simulate the entire face, head or body, or any portion of the head or body of the user 105a.","The 3D model 405 may be generated in any suitable manner using any known software or hardware.","In various embodiments, the 3D model 405 is generated using a camera or any other suitable scanning device (e.g., camera device 115a, a 3D scanner, etc.)","Generally, the scanning device is used to capture the face of the user when the user is not wearing the HMD device 110a (e.g., before step 313, when the user wears the HMD device 110a and steps in front of the camera device 115a to communicate with another user.)","In other embodiments, the 3D model 405 is predefined.","That is, the model 405 may be generic and/or may not be specifically tailored to or based on the actual face of the user 105a.","Such a model is suitable for applications in which the user does not wish another user to see their real face, but perhaps only a face of a virtual reality avatar or character.","In the illustrated embodiment, the camera device 115a either generates the model 405 itself, or obtains the model 405 from an external source.","For example, if another scanning device generated the model, the camera device may download the model data from the scanning device over a network (e.g., the network 125.)","Alternatively, the model data may be transferred to the camera device 115a using any other suitable technique e.g., using a flash drive, etc.","In this example method 300, the camera device 115a will later adjust and process the model 405, as will be described later in this application.","Returning to FIG.","3A, at step 310, the camera device 115a obtains a background image.","A background image is any image of a background or environment, as seen from the perspective of a scanning or camera device (e.g., camera device 115a.)","Generally, the background image captures a portion of the surrounding environment that will later be blocked from view when the user wears the HMD device 110a and steps in front of the camera device 115a to communicate with another user (e.g., as described in step 313.)","An example of a background image is illustrated in FIGS.","5A and 5B.","FIG.","5A is an image 505 of the user 105a from the perspective of the camera device 115a.","In this image 505, the user 105a is positioned in front of the camera device 110a and is using the HMD device 110a to communicate with another user 105b (e.g., as described in step 313 below.)","The image 505 thus portrays the face 410 of the user, the HMD device 110a, parts of the user's body as well as portions of the background.","In this example, the camera device 115a was used to capture the image 505.FIG.","5B is a background image 510 that is generally the same as the image illustrated in FIG.","5A (i.e., taken from the same perspective and by camera device 115a), except that the user 105a is absent from the image.","In various embodiments, the background image 510 is taken before the image 505 was taken.","The background image 510 captures at least a portion of the background that would otherwise be blocked from view by the user 105a in image 505.Such portions in the background image 510 can be used for various image processing steps (e.g., steps 370-375), as will be discussed later in this application.","The background image 510 may be generated in any suitable manner In some embodiments, for example, the camera device 115a scans or captures one or more images of the background before the user enters into its field of view and blocks parts of the background.","In still other embodiments, a camera/scanning device other than the camera device 115a captures the background.","By way of example, if a particular camera/scanning device is properly positioned behind the user 105a when the user 105a is using the HMD device 110a and camera device 115a to participate in a video conference (e.g., step 313), the camera/scanning device can capture the background behind the user at any time.","The camera can then transfer the resulting background image 510 to the camera device 115a for additional processing.","The background image 510 may be stored in any suitable media/image format e.g., image files, video files, etc.","Returning to FIG.","3A, at step 313 the camera device 115a captures an image of the user 105a, who is now wearing the HMD device 110a and is using the device to communicate with another HMD device user 105b.","The user 105a is situated in front of the camera device 115a, as illustrated in FIG.","6.In this particular embodiment, the camera device 115a is a video camera and is generating a live video feed of the user 105a and his or her surrounding background.","The video feed is made of multiple individual images (e.g., video frames.)","An example of such an image is image 505 of FIG.","5A, which was discussed above.","Such images are hereinafter referred to as live images i.e., they are a photographic or photo-like visual recording of the user 105a and background, rather than a rendered, graphical model of the same.","However, it should be appreciated that the camera device 115a may use any suitable type of video, camera, scanning, rendering and/or monitoring technology, and is not limited to generating the types of images and video described above.","To wear the HMD device 110a, the user 105a secures the HMD device 110a to his or her head.","In this particular example, the HMD device 110a entirely covers the eyes of the user 105 and/or prevents any outside light, objects or images from being perceived by the user (although this is not a requirement and the HMD device may have a variety of different features and form factors.)","The HMD device 110a includes a display unit that displays video, images and/or graphics to the wearer of the device 110a.","As will be discussed below in greater detail, the HMD device 110a also includes one or more internal sensors and components that are used to gather information on the portions of the user's face that are covered by the HMD device 110a.","Afterward, at step 315, the HMD device 110a tracks particular facial features of the user 105a.","Any facial feature that is covered by the HMD device 110a may be tracked.","In some embodiments, for example, the tracked facial features or movements include but are not limited to gaze (e.g., eye rotation), eyelid movement and eyebrow movement.","Any suitable software, hardware or sensors may be used inside the HMD device 110a to help track such features.","In the illustrated embodiment, the HMD device 110a is arranged to track gaze or eye rotation, as well as one or more facial movements (e.g., the movements of the upper and/or lower eyelids.)","Such tracking may be performed using any known technology or technique (e.g., optical tracking, electrooculography etc.)","In some approaches, the HMD device 110a includes one or more light sources and sensors (e.g., tracking cameras.)","These devices are generally positioned on the interior of the HMD device 110a i.e., once the HMD device 110a is worn by the user, the sensors/cameras are hidden from view, have access to and are in close proximity to the portion of the face that is covered by the HMD device 110a.","In this example, there are one or more tracking cameras that capture images of one or more facial features (e.g., eyelid, gaze, eye rotation, etc.).","The images are later processed to determine the movement of the facial feature over time.","In various embodiments, the HMD device also includes one or more light sources.","These light sources are positioned on the interior of the HMD device and are arranged to project light at the eyes, eye region or other portions of the face covered by the HMD device.","Each light source emits light that facilitates the tracking of the facial features (e.g., infrared light.)","The light source(s) and camera(s) may be positioned in any suitable configuration on the HMD device 110a.","(An example arrangement of IR light sources 1610 and tracking cameras 1615 in the HMD device 110a are illustrated in FIG.","17, which will be described in greater detail later in the application.)","The HMD device 110a may also use devices and sensors other than cameras to track facial movements and features.","In some embodiments, for example, the HMD device 110a detects motion on portions of the face using a biometric sensor unit: e.g.","electromyography (EMG), electrooculography (EOG).","In the embodiment illustrated in FIG.","17, for example, an EMG sensor unit takes the form of a line of sensors 1605 that rests flush against the forehead, eyebrows and cheeks of the user when the user wears the HMD device 110a.","Another example is that an EOG sensor unit takes the form of sensors 1605b that detects eye rotation and eyelid movement.","In other implementations, the sensors may be arranged in any suitable configuration on the HMD device.","The EMG sensor unit detects electrical impulses generated by muscle motion in the face of the user.","These electrical impulses are stored and analyzed to determine the motion of a portion of the user's face (e.g., the movement of the eyebrows) over time.","The EOG sensor unit measures electric potentials to detect eye movement via electrode probes.","Returning to FIG.","3A, at step 320, the camera device 115a obtains data relating to the above tracking (e.g., data generated using a camera tracking the gaze of the user, EMG/EOG sensor data, any data used to track any facial movements or feature covered by the HMD device, etc.).","In the illustrated embodiment, the camera device 115a is coupled with the HMD device using a wired or wireless network.","The HMD device 110a transmits the HMD device tracking data to the camera device 115a through the network.","The camera device 115a processes the data received from the HMD device 110a to determine what sort of facial movements or expressions are indicated by the data.","In various embodiments, for example, the camera device 110a processes the images of various facial features (e.g., eye rotation, eyelids, etc.)","that were captured over a period of time.","The camera device then analyzes the images in order to determine how the facial features moved during that time period.","Additionally, the camera device 115a analyzes EMG/EOG data received from the HMD device 110a to determine what types of movements (e.g., eyebrow movements) are indicated by the data.","The camera device 115a then adjusts the 3D model 405 based on the HMD device tracking data (step 325).","That is, one or more selected facial movements/positions (e.g., changes in gaze, eye rotation, eyebrow movement/position, eyelid movement/position, etc.)","detected in step 315 are used to adjust the 3D model 405.Generally, the 3D model 405 is adjusted to at least somewhat incorporate the facial changes, features or movements detected by the HMD device 110a.","Thus, for example, if a movement in the eyebrow or eyelid of the user 105a was detected, the 3D model 405 is adjusted to simulate that movement.","If a shift in the gaze of the user was detected, then the 3D model 405 is adjusted accordingly so that it substantially mirrors or copies the shift.","At step 330, the camera device 115a tracks various features related to the face of the user 105a or the surrounding environment.","In some embodiments, for example, the camera device 115a measures or tracks the amount of ambient light (e.g, in the room 130a) using a light sensor.","Additionally or alternatively, the camera device 115a detects the amount of light on a portion of the body or face of the user 105a.","Any changes in this light level are recorded by the camera device 115a over time.","Some implementations of the camera device 115a also track changes in the pose or orientation of the face/head of the user.","The camera device 115a may also track any other facial feature or movement of the user (e.g., any facial movements or features in the portions of the face that are not covered by the HMD device 110a, such as the mouth, lips, cheeks, chin, etc.)","In some approaches, the camera device tracks a feature, light or marker on the HMD device (e.g., light emitting device 1605 in FIG.","16) to help determine changes in the pose of the face/head of the user 105a.","It should be appreciated that there may be multiple camera and/or light sensing devices that gather the above tracking/lighting data.","The camera/light sensing devices may be distributed in various places in the room 130a and monitor the user 105a and the ambient environment from different angles.","In that case, these other camera/light sensing devices are coupled to the camera device 115a through a network and the camera device obtains the tracking/lighting data from the other camera/light sensing devices through the network (step 335), so that the camera device 115a can further process the data.","In some designs, a light sensing device/sensor is on the HMD device 110a.","In various applications, the HMD device 110a obtains the light sensor data and transmits it to the camera device 115a for further processing and analysis.","Of course, if the camera device 115a is the only device that generates tracking/light sensing data, the camera device 115a can obtain the data without requiring any transfer of the data through a network.","In still other embodiments, the camera device 115a is replaced by an image processing device (e.g., the image processing device 2000 of FIG.","20, the server 120 of FIG.","1, etc.","), which does not itself capture images using a camera and/or sense ambient light levels, but instead obtains tracking/lighting/sensor data from one or more camera/light sensing devices/sensors positioned in the room 130a and processes the obtained data (e.g., as described in steps 320, 325, 335-380 of FIGS.","3A and 3B.)","Once the camera device 115a obtains the above tracking/lighting data, the 3D model 405 is adjusted based on the data (step 340).","In various implementations, the camera device 115a analyzes the collected tracking/lighting data e.g., multiple images of the face of the user.","The camera device 115a performs image processing to determine what kinds of facial movements are indicated in the images.","Based on the analysis and image processing, the camera device adjusts the model 405.Generally, the model 405 is adjusted to simulate one or more changes that were sensed, detected or tracked in step 330.By way of example, if the light level changed, a tone on the surface of the model 405 may be changed to reflect the difference in the light level.","If the position or orientation of the head or the user 105a shifted, then that shift would be reflected in the model 405 as well.","If the shape or position of particular facial features changed (e.g., a movement of the lips, cheeks, etc.","), then the model 406 id adjusted based on the detected change.","The aforementioned tracking may be performed in a variety of ways, depending on the needs of a particular application.","In various implementations, for example, the camera device 115a is arranged to track changes in the pose or orientation of the head or face using one or more feature points.","Any known technology or technique may be used to perform such tracking.","An example of one approach is shown in FIGS.","7A and 7B.","FIG.","7A is a diagram representing an image 410 of the actual face of the user 105a (e.g., as shown in image 505 of FIG.","5A.)","The camera device 115a captured the image while it was pointed at the user, who at the time was wearing the HMD device 110a and was using it to communicate (e.g., as previously described in connection with FIG.","6 and step 313.)","The location of the HMD device 110a is shown by the dotted line region.","In this simplified example, the camera device 115a selects two feature points 705a and 710a.","The feature points may be on any portion of the face of the user.","In various implementations, the feature points are chosen such that they are readily identifiable due to their proximity to particular facial features e.g., such as the ends of the mouth, the tip of the nose, etc.","FIG.","7B is a diagram representing the 3D model 405 of the face (e.g., the 3D model obtained in step 305 of FIG.","3A.)","The camera device 115a identifies one or more feature points 705b and 710b in the model 405 that correspond to the feature points 705a and 710a selected in the facial image 410.The camera device 115a then compares the positions of the feature points 705a/710a in the facial image 410 to those of the feature points 705b/710b in the model 405.In this particular example, there is a difference between the two sets of feature points, since the head depicted in the 3D model 405, unlike the head in the image 410, is oriented more to one side, rather than looking straight ahead.","In various embodiments, the camera device 115a then computes a difference or error between the position of the feature point(s) 705a/710a identified in the facial image 410 and the position of the feature point(s) 705b/710b identified in the model 405 (FIG.","7B.)","Based on the difference/error, the camera device 115a then adjusts the model 405.In the illustrated embodiment, the difference in the relative positions of the feature points reveal that the orientation of the model 405 is slightly incorrect.","The model 405 is then adjusted or reoriented so that the difference is reduced.","This adjustment helps cause the model 405 to orient itself properly i.e., so that the orientation of the model 405 better resembles that of the facial image 410.A somewhat similar technique can be applied to lighting.","FIG.","8 and FIG.","7B illustrate one example approach involving light detection/sensing.","FIG.","8 illustrates an image 505 of a user 105a, which is captured by the camera device 115a (e.g., as described in step 313.)","The camera device 115a identifies a region 810a on the face of the user 105a in the image.","The camera device 110a determines an approximate light level at that region 810a.","The camera device 115a identifies a corresponding region 810b on the face of the model 405 illustrated in FIG.","7B.","That is, the region 810b is in the same general location on the modeled face as the region 810a on the face in the image 505.The camera device 115a estimates the light level or tone simulated at the region on the model 405.The light levels of the regions 810a and 810b are compared and/or a difference or error between them is determined.","Based on the difference in light levels, the model 405 is adjusted.","Generally, the model is adjusted so that the difference is reduced and the light level simulated on the face of the model 405 is more similar to the light level on the face in the image 505.Returning to FIGS.","3A and 3B, once the model has been adjusted as described in steps 325 and 340, the model 405 is rendered (step 345 of FIG.","3B.)","That is, in various embodiments, the model 405, which was stored and adjusted in a software application, is rendered to generate a three dimensional graphical model 905 that resembles the actual face of the user 105a.","A simplified example is illustrated in FIGS.","9A and 9B.","FIG.","9A is a diagram representing a live image 410 of the actual face of the user 105a, as captured by the camera device 115a (e.g., as described in step 313 of FIG.","3A.)","The camera device captured the image while the user was wearing an HMD device and using it to communicate with another user (e.g., as described in connection with FIG.","6.)","Thus, in FIG.","9A, much of the face of the user 105a is covered with the HMD device 110a.","FIG.","9B represents an image of the corresponding rendered model 905, which due to the real time adjustments made in steps 325 and 340, closely resembles the actual face of the user 105a in the image 410 in terms of pose, orientation and light levels.","In contrast to the actual face of the user 105a as seen by the camera device 115a in image 410 or 505, the face of the rendered model 905 is not covered with an HMD device 110a.","Additionally, due in part to adjustments made to the model in step 325, the facial features (e.g., eyes, eyebrows, eyebrow position, eyelids, gaze, eye rotation, etc.)","of the user 105a which are hidden in image 410 (FIG.","9A) by the HMD device 110a are simulated in the rendered model 905 of FIG.","9B.","In this particular application, it is intended that the live image 410 of the actual face of the user 105a and its background will be transmitted to another user 105b to facilitate real time communication.","Thus, the other user 105b will be able to see the face of the user 105a while they are communicating.","As previously discussed, one challenge of that approach, however, is that the HMD device 110a covers a large portion of the face of the user 105a, thus making the real time communication less engaging and personal.","To address this issue, the camera device 115a obtains a patch image (step 350).","In various embodiments, a patch image is an image from a model (e.g., rendered model 905) that is combined with or merged with another image (e.g., live image 410 or 805) to form a composite image.","Put another way, the image 410/505 of the user 105a wearing the HMD device 110a is “patched” such that the HMD device 110a is removed and a rendered image is put in its place.","The rendered image includes one or more facial features (e.g., eyes, eyelids, eyebrows, part of the nose, etc.)","that underlie the HMD device.","In this example, this allows another user 105b who is communicating with the user 105a to see at least representations of the eyes and eyebrows of that user, which makes the conversation more natural and engaging.","Additionally, those facial features, although simulated, will track and imitate in real time the movements of corresponding features of the actual user 105a.","One example approach for generating a patch image is illustrated in FIG.","10.FIG.","10 illustrates the rendered 3D model 905 of the head of the user.","The model 905 has been adjusted based on tracking/lighting data obtained by the camera device 115a (e.g., as discussed in steps 315-450 of FIG.","3A).","The camera device 115a identifies a region 1005 of the 3D model that corresponds to the HMD device 110a, as seen in the image 410/505 (e.g., FIG.","5A) of the user 105a, which shows the actual face of the user as seen by the camera device 115a.","The region 1005 is illustrated in FIG.","10 as a square region made of dotted lines.","In this example, the region 1005 is generally the same size, shape and/or in the same position relative to the face of the user 105a as the HMD device 110a in the image 410/505 of the user 105a.","Accordingly, in this example, the region 1005 has a rectangular shape, which resembles the shape of the HMD device 110a in live image 410 (FIG.","9A).","Afterward, the portion of the rendered 3D image 905 that falls into the region 1005 is extracted, copied or generated from the rendered 3D model 905.This step is illustrated in FIG.","11.In FIG.","11, only the portion of the rendered model 905 that is within the boundaries of the region 1005 remains.","Other portions of the rendered 3D model 905 have been removed.","The extracted portion of the rendered model 905 is a patch image 1105.Returning to FIG.","3B, at step 355, one or more edges of the patch image 1105 is blurred or softened.","That is, the camera device 115a analyzes the patch image 1105, the live image 410/805 and/or the rendered model 905 to determine locations or edges on the patch image that will later merge into another object (e.g., the face of the user 105a.)","The camera device 115a then blurs, dilates and/or softens those edges using any suitable image processing technique.","In the illustrated embodiment of FIG.","11, for example, an analysis of the live image 410/805 and/or the patch image 1105 reveals that if the patch image 1105 is merged into the live image 410/805 such that it replaces the HMD device 110a, the top and bottom edges of the patch image 1105 will merge into the face of the user 105a, as seen in the live image 410/805.To make the merging of the patch image 1105 and the face in the image 410/505 more seamless, the top and bottom edges of the patch image 1105 are thus dilated or blurred to soften the edges (as marked by dotted line regions 1110a and 1110b.)","Any suitable compositing technique may be used to blue or soften the edges of the patch image.","On the other hand, the same analysis also reveals that the left and right edges of the patch image will not be merging into the face of the user 105a in the live image 410/805 and instead will mix only with the background.","Thus, in this example those edges are not dilated or blurred.","Returning to the method of FIG.","3B, at step 360, the camera device 115a obtains a facial/background image.","In this example, the facial/background image is the image taken by a camera/scanning device (e.g., camera device 115a) that captures an image of the face of a user wearing the HMD device.","The facial/background image may also capture a wide variety of other parts of the body of the user and/or a surrounding background.","An example of a facial/background image 1205 is the image 505 illustrated in FIG.","5A and 12.As previously described, the image 505 was taken by the camera device 115a in step 313 of FIG.","3A.","In this example, the facial/background image 1205 is a live image i.e., a video frame of a video that includes live footage of the user.","In other embodiments, however, the facial/background image may include a wide variety of elements (e.g., only the face or part of the face of the user, no background, etc.)","and/or use a different type of media or image (e.g., a photographic image, a rendered image or model, etc.)","In the illustrated embodiment, the user 105a is standing in a room 130a with a colored wall and various types of furniture in the background.","The user 105a is wearing the HMD device 110a.","At step 365, the patch image 1105 and the facial/background image 1205 are merged.","In some embodiments, the patch image 1105 is superimposed over or replaces a region of the facial/background image 1205 that includes the HMD device 110a.","Alternatively, a portion of the facial/background image 1205 containing the HMD device 110a is removed and the patch image 1105 is inserted, blended and/or merged into the facial/background image 1205 into the same position that the HMD device 110a previously occupied.","An example of this merging process is illustrated in FIG.","13, in which the patch image 1105 has taken the place of the HMD device 110a illustrated in FIG.","12.The merging of the facial/background image 1205 and the patch image 1105 results in a composite image 1305.Any suitable type of image processing technique, including processes not described above, may be performed to make the new composite image.","In some but not necessarily all situations, additional adjustment of the composite image 1305 is desirable.","For example, in the illustrated embodiment, a review of the composite image 1305 in FIG.","13 reveals a problem.","The patch image 1205 in many respects follows the contours of the shape of the removed HMD device 110a, and thus tightly fits into the space that the HMD device 110a used to occupy.","However, there are regions in the facial/background image 1205 that are not yet properly filled in.","These are non-facial regions 1310 that were previously covered by the HMD device 110a and that make up parts of the background.","In the example illustrated in FIG.","13, these regions 1310 are on either side of the head of the user 105a, although depending on how the head and HMD device 110a are oriented, in some cases only one region may be visible.","To help address this issue, at step 370, a background patch image is obtained.","To do this, the camera device 115a analyzes the background image 510 obtained in step 310.This background image 510, which is illustrated FIG.","5, is an image of the background without the presence of the user 105a.","Generally, the background image 510 covers at least some of the same parts of the background that were shown in the facial/background image 1205, as well as parts of the background that are hidden or covered in image 1205 by the user 105a and/or the HMD device 110a.","Thus, the background image 510 contains the information that is needed to fill in the non-facial regions 1310 i.e., the color or texture of the background that would lie behind the non-facial regions which were covered by the HMD device 110a in the facial/background image 1205.The camera device 115a determines regions in the background image 510 that correspond to the non-facial regions 1310 (e.g., have the same approximate position, are in the same general location and/or display the same part of the background.)","An example of this determination is illustrated by regions 1410 in FIG.","14.Based on the above determination and analysis of the background image 510, the camera device 115a generates a suitable background patch image 1415.The background patch image 1415 includes/simulates the colors, shading, appearance and/or textures of the identified regions 1410 in the background image 505.At step 375, the background patch image(s) and the composite image 1305 are combined or merged.","An example of this is illustrated in FIG.","15.The non-facial regions have now been filled in with background patch image(s) 1415.The background patch image(s) 1415 may be images pre-generated using the regions 1410 in the background image 505, which are then merged with the composite image 1305.In some embodiments, the camera device 115a fills in or paints the regions 1310 in composite image 1305 with one or more colors, texture and/or shading such that they resemble regions 1410 in the background image 505.As a result of the above steps of method 300, a live image (e.g., image 505/1205) of a user 105a wearing an HMD device 110a has been adjusted to remove the HMD device.","In place of the HMD device, simulated eyes and other portions of the face have been provided using a patch image 1105.In various embodiments, the steps of the method 300 in FIGS.","3A and 3B are repeated for each video frame of a live video feed of the user 105a.","That is, for each video frame, facial features are tracked (e.g., steps 315 and 330), a model is adjusted (e.g., steps 325 and 340), a patch image is obtained (e.g., step 350), and the patch image is merged into a facial/background image to form a composite image.","In some designs, each composite image is an adjusted video frame of a live video stream in which the HMD device has been removed and replaced with a suitable patch image.","Returning to the method 300 of FIG.","3B, the camera device 115a transmits the composite image data (e.g., video data made of many of the aforementioned composite image video frames) to a recipient HMD device 110b, which is being worn and used by another user 105b of FIG.","1 (step 380).","The recipient HMD device 110b receives the composite image data over the network 125 and renders the received composite image data.","Over time, as the user 105b receives multiple such composite images, the user will be able to view the changing facial expressions of the user 105a in real time.","In various embodiments, the user 105b will even be able to view expressive, moving, simulated eyes and eye regions, even though at that time the person generating those expressions has his or her eyes covered with an HMD device.","In various implementations, the steps of the method 300 are performed by two or more HMD devices (e.g., HMD devices 110a and 110b) concurrently.","That is, camera device 115a obtains a facial/background image 505/1205 of the user 105a (e.g., step 313), the facial features of the user 105a are tracked (e.g., steps 315 and 330), a patch image 1105 is generated (e.g., step 350), the patch image 1105 is merged into the facial/background image 1205 and the resulting composite image 1305 is sent to user 105b for rendering at the HMD device 110b.","Similarly and concurrently, camera device 115b obtains a facial/background image of the user 105b, the facial features of the user 105b are tracked, a patch image is generated, the patch image is merged into the facial/background image and the resulting composite image is sent to user 105a for rendering at the HMD device 110a and viewing by the user 105a.","The tracking, generation and transmission of the composite images occur in real time.","Even though each user is wearing an HMD device, the user can see simulated eyes and other facial features of the other user.","These simulated facial features follow the actual facial movements of the corresponding user in real time, thus creating a significantly more engaging, interactive and personal communication experience.","Some of the embodiments described above relate to a system in which two users with two HMD devices are communicating with one another.","However, it should be appreciated that the system is not limited to such applications.","By way of example, most or almost all of the operations illustrated in FIGS.","3A and 3B may be applied to a system in which there is only one user 105a who uses an HMD device 110a and/or a camera device 115a (FIG.","1).","Steps 305-375 are performed as described above.","Steps 380 and 385 may also be performed, except the composite image is not necessarily transmitted to another user 105b or HMD device 110b.","Instead, the composite image is provided to or transmitted over a network to any suitable receiving device e.g., a television, a smart phone, a tablet, any suitable computing device or display device, etc.","In various embodiments, the receiving device is arranged to display the composite image.","In some approaches, the composite image(s) are received in real time, although this is not a requirement and the composite image(s) may be received at any time.","That is, the composite image(s) may be generated for any suitable purpose or device, and are not limited to being displayed at another HMD device or for communication applications.","Referring next to FIG.","16-19, a head mounted display (HMD) device 1600 according to a particular embodiment of the present invention will be described.","The HMD device 1600 may be any suitable head mounted display device (e.g., the HMD device 110a of FIG.","1).","Perspective, back and front views of an example HMD device 1600 are illustrated in FIGS.","16-18.FIG.","19 is a diagram illustrating various components of the HMD device 1600.The HMD device 1600 includes a processor unit 1905, which includes one or more processors, a storage unit 1910, a display unit 1920, a network interface unit 1915, a light emitter unit 1925, a sensor unit 1930, an HMD device control module 1935 and a power source 1940.In various implementations, the processor unit 1905 is not used or is not (primarily) responsible for the processing of images or other operations described below.","Instead, any data/images to be processed is transferred to a remote device and the processing is performed by the remote device (e.g., the server 120, a game console, the camera device 115a, a television, any suitable computing device, etc.)","The light emitter unit 1925 includes one or more light emitting devices.","Any suitable type of light emitting device or light emitting technology may be used (e.g., an infrared light, an LED light) and each light emitting device may be positioned on any surface or part of the HMD device 1600.In various embodiments, for example, a light emitting device is positioned on the exterior of the HMD device 1600, as illustrated by device 1605 in FIGS.","16 and 18.The light emitting device 1605 emits a light that is used as a marker by the camera device 115a when the HMD device 1600 is worn by a user in front of the camera device 115a.","That is, the camera device 115a uses the emitted light to help track the movement, orientation and/or pose of the face of the user 105a (e.g., as described in connection with step 330 of FIG.","3A.)","The interior of the HMD device 1600 may also include a light emitting device.","In various designs, for example, there is one or more infrared light emitting devices positioned in the back or interior of the HMD device 1600.One example location for the infrared light is illustrated in FIG.","17, which shows the interior or rear of the HMD device 1600 i.e., the side of the HMD device that, when worn, is positioned over the eyes and flush against the face of the user.","One or more light sources 1610 (e.g., infrared light sources) are positioned on the HMD device 1600 and arranged to illuminate the eyes of the user when the user wears the HMD device 1600.The infrared light sources assist in the tracking of particular facial features (e.g., gaze, eyelids, etc.)","The sensor unit 1930 includes one or more sensors that are arranged to help track facial movements of a user who is wearing the HMD device.","Any suitable sensor technology may be used, including but not limited to tracking cameras, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, mechanical sensors, motion sensors, light sensors and electrical sensors.","In various embodiments, for example, there are one or more electromyography (EMG) and electrooculography (EOG) sensors positioned on the interior/back side of the HMD device.","An example set of EMG sensors 1605 and EOG sensors is illustrated in FIG.","17.In this example, the EMG sensors 1605 and the EOG sensors 1605a are situated on or within a cushion on the HMD device 1600.When the HMD device 1600 is worn, the cushion and the sensors 1605 are pressed flush against the eyebrows of the user.","When the eyebrows move, the sensors 1605 detect the electrical impulses generated by the muscle movement.","The HMD device 1600 then transmits this sensor data to the camera device 115a for processing, as described in steps 315, 320 and 325 of FIG.","3A.","Such EMG sensors may be arranged to detect motion in other parts of the face of a user as well.","There may also be one or more light sensors mounted on the HMD device 1600.One such example is illustrated in FIGS.","16 and 18.As shown in the figures, a light sensor 1610 is mounted on an exterior surface of the HMD device 1600.The light sensor 1610 is arranged to detect a level of ambient light around the HMD device 1600.The HMD device 1600 is arranged to transmit the light sensor data to an image processing device (e.g., camera device 115a or server 120 of FIG.","1) using the network interface unit 1915, so that the data can be used to help determine how a tone or light level in a 3D model 405 should be adjusted (e.g., as described in step 340).","The sensor unit 1930 may also include one or more cameras or other tracking devices that are arranged to track the movement of facial features that are covered by the HMD device 1600.In some embodiments, for example, the sensor unit 1930 includes one or more cameras that are arranged to track gaze, eye rotation, eyelid movement and/or other facial features that underlie the HMD device 1600 when the device is worn by a user.","An example arrangement of such tracking devices (e.g., tracking cameras 1615) are shown in FIG.","17.The display unit 1920 is any hardware or software used to display images, video or graphics to a user of the HMD device 1600.An example position for the display unit is illustrated in FIG.","17.In the illustrated embodiment, when the user wears the HMD device 1600, the display unit 1920 is positioned directly over the eyes of the user.","The display unit 1920 can use any suitable display and/or projection technology to show images to the user.","In various embodiments, the display unit 1920 is arranged to provide the user with a virtual reality experience.","That is, the HMD device 1600 completely covers the eyes of the user, therefore removing the user's ability to see his physical surroundings.","Once the display unit 1920 is activated, the only thing the user is able to see are the graphics and images that the display unit 1920 generates.","This can give the user the impression that he or she is an entirely different, virtual environment.","In some designs, when the user turns his or her head, sensors in the HMD device 1600 detect the motion and cause the images to shift to give an impression that the user is actually physically in the simulated environment and can explore it just as the user would any real, physical environment (i.e., by turning one's head, peering around a corner, looking up and down an object, etc.)","The display unit 1620 is further arranged to display the face of another HMD device user in real time, with (partially) simulated facial expressions, as described in step 385 of FIG.","3B.","Any known virtual reality display technology may be used in the display unit 1920.The power source 1940 includes any suitable hardware or software used to store energy or electrical power.","The stored energy is used to power other components and operations of the HMD device 1600.Any suitable energy storage mechanism may be used.","In some embodiments, for example, the power source is a battery.","In other embodiments, the HMD device 1600 is powered through a wired connection to an external power source.","The network interface unit 1915 includes any hardware or software suitable for enabling the HMD device 1600 to communicate with other devices (e.g., the camera device 115a, the server 120, another HMD device, etc.)","over a network (e.g., a local network, network 125 of FIG.","1, a wireless or wired network, etc.)","In some embodiments, the network interface unit 1915 is arranged to transmit tracking and sensor data to the camera device 115a for processing (e.g., steps 320 and 335 of FIG.","3A.)","The network interface unit 1915 is also arranged to receive images and image data over the network 125 from another camera device and/or HMD device (e.g., step 385 of FIG.","3B.)","The network interface unit 1012 is arranged to transmit data and receive data using any suitable network (e.g., LAN, Internet, etc.)","or communications protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi, NFC, IEEE 802.15.4, IEEE 802.11, etc.)","The storage unit 1910 includes any hardware or software suitable for storing data or executable computer code.","The storage unit 1910 can include but is not limited to a hard drive, flash drive, non-volatile memory, volatile memory or any other type of computer readable storage medium.","Any operation or method for the HMD device (e.g., HMD device 110a/110b of FIG.","1) that is described in this application (e.g., step 315 of FIG.","3A, step 385 of FIG.","3B, etc.)","may be stored in the form of executable computer code or instructions in the storage unit 1910.The execution of the computer code or instructions by the processor unit 1905 causes the device 1600 to perform any of the aforementioned operations or methods.","The HMD device control module 1935 is any hardware or software arranged to perform any of the operations or methods (e.g., step 315 of FIG.","3A, step 385 of FIG.","3B, etc.)","described in this application that pertain to the HMD device (e.g., HMD device 110a/110b of FIG.","1.)","In various embodiments, the HMD device control module 1935 is arranged to cause the device 1600 to track facial features, render and display images received from another HMD device/camera device (e.g., steps 315 and 385).","The HMD device 1600 may have a wide variety of different form factors, sizes, dimensions and configurations.","One particular example implementation is shown in the FIGS.","16-18.In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the HMD device 1600 includes a body 1640 with a frontside 1645 and a backside 1650.The body 1640 includes some or all of the electrical and computer components described above and shown in FIG.","19.The frontside 1645 of the body 1640 is illustrated in FIG.","18 and includes a frontal plate 1655.When the HMD device 1600 is worn by a user, the frontal plate 1655 and body 1640 completely cover and hide the eyes of the user.","In various embodiments, the frontal plate 1655 and body 1640 thus entirely prevent any ambient light from reaching the eyes of the user.","As a result, the HMD device 1600 is able to entirely control what the user sees.","The backside 1650 of the HMD device 1600, which is illustrated in FIG.","17, is designed to be placed flush against the face and over the eyes of the user.","In the illustrated embodiment, the backside 1650 of the HMD device 1600 includes a cushion 1660 that surrounds or borders the display unit 1920.As previously discussed, the cushion may include various biometric sensors (e.g., EMG sensors 1605, EOG 1605a, etc.)","and is designed to be pressed flush against the forehead or other portions of the face of the user when the HMD device 1600 is worn.","The HMD device 1600 may also include various structures or mechanisms for firmly securing the HMD device 1600 to the face of a user.","In the illustrated embodiment, for example, when a user wears the HMD device 1600, the device is secured to the face with a side strap 1665 that goes around the head, as illustrated in FIG.","16.Another central strap 1670 extends from the top of the body 1640 of the HMD device 1600 over the top of the head.","In this particular embodiment, one or more light emitting devices 1605 are mounted on a portion of this central strap.","Such devices emit light that a camera device 115a can use to track the position of the head of the user.","Additionally or alternatively, such devices may be placed in any suitable location on a surface of the HMD device 1600.Referring next to FIG.","20, an imaging processing device 2000 according to a particular embodiment of the present invention will be described.","In various embodiments, the imaging processing device 2000 is a camera device (e.g., the camera device 115a of FIGS.","1 and 6), although the imaging processing device 2000 may also be any suitable device arranged to collect, generate, process and transmit images as described in the method 300 of FIGS.","3A and 3B.","That is, the imaging processing device 2000 may be any device that is arranged to perform some or all of the operations performed by the camera device 115a in the aforementioned method.","Accordingly, in some embodiments, the imaging processing device 2000 is a camera device, a game console, a server (e.g., the server 120 of FIG.","1), a computer, a smartphone a television and/or any other suitable computing device.","The imaging processing device 2000 includes a processor unit 2005 that includes one or more processors, a storage unit 2010, an image processing device control module 2020, an optional sensor unit 2025 and a network interface unit 2015.The network interface unit 2015 includes any hardware or software suitable for enabling the imaging processing device 2000 to communicate with the HMD device (e.g., HMD device 110a/1600), the server 120 or other devices over a network as appropriate.","In some embodiments, the network interface unit 2015 is arranged to obtain a 3D model 405, a background image 510, HMD device tracking data, camera/light sensor tracking data or other types of data from external sources (e.g., steps 305, 310, 320 and 335 of FIG.","3A.)","The network interface unit 2015 is also arranged to transmit image data to an HMD device 110a/110b/1600 over a network, so that the image data can be rendered and seen by a user of the HMD device (e.g., step 380 of FIG.","3B.)","The network interface unit 2015 is arranged to transmit data and receive data using any suitable network (e.g., LAN, Internet, etc.)","or communications protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi, NFC, IEEE 802.15.4, IEEE 802.11, etc.)","The storage unit 2010 is any hardware or suitable for storing data or executable computer code.","The storage unit 2010 can include but is not limited to a hard drive, flash drive, non-volatile memory, volatile memory or any other type of computer readable storage medium.","Any operation or method for the camera device (e.g., camera device 115a of FIG.","1) that is described in this application (e.g., steps 305-310, steps 320-385 of FIGS.","3A and 3B) may be stored in the form of executable computer code or instructions in the storage unit 2010.The execution of the computer code or instructions by the processor unit 2005 causes the device 2000 to perform any of the aforementioned operations or methods.","The image processing device control module 2020 is any hardware or software arranged to perform any of the operations or methods (e.g., steps 305-310, steps 320-385 of FIGS.","3A and 3B) described in this application that pertain to the camera device 115a.","In various embodiments, the image processing device control module 2020 is arranged to cause the device to obtain a 3D model, a background image, HMD device and/or camera device tracking data, render a model, obtain a patch image, merge the patch image and a facial/background image, merge the resulting composite image with a background patch and transmit the composite image (e.g., steps 305-380 of FIGS.","3A and 3B.)","The sensor unit 2025 is an optional unit that is included if the image processing device 2000 is, for example, a camera/monitoring device (e.g., the camera device 115a of FIG.","1.)","The sensor unit 2025 includes any hardware or software arranged to help track or monitor facial features of a user who wearing an HMD device.","In various embodiments, for example, the sensor unit 2025 includes one or more cameras that are arranged to track a light emitted by a device on the HMD device.","In still other embodiments, the camera(s) are used to track the general orientation or pose of the head of a user and/or particular features on the face of the user (e.g., the position of the lips.)","Some implementations of the sensor unit 2025 include one or more light sensors arranged to track the ambient light level, or the light level on a nearby object or user (e.g., as described in connection with step 330 of FIG.","3A.)","The image processing device 2000 then analyzes the images and sensor data and processes them (e.g., as described in steps 330, 335 and 340 of FIG.","3A.)","Any of the methods or operations described herein can be stored in a tangible computer readable medium in the form of executable software code.","The code can then be executed by one or more processors.","The execution of the code causes a corresponding device (e.g., an image processing device 2000, a server 120, a camera device 115a, an HMD device 110a/1600, etc.)","to perform the described operations.","The above methods and arrangements relate to the generation of a patch image.","In some of the examples described above, the patch image corresponds to only a portion of the face of a user.","However, in various implementations, the patch image corresponds to other parts of the face or body, or can correspond to or indicate any part of the body or a portion of any object or image.","The above methods and arrangements also describe techniques for merging a patch image and a facial/background image.","In some of the aforementioned examples, the facial/background image is an image captured using a (video) camera e.g., each facial/background image is a video frame of a video taken of the user who is wearing an HMD device.","The patch image is based on a rendered model of at least a portion of the head or face of the user.","The patch image and the facial/background image are merged, forming a composite image that is partially or mostly a video frame.","A portion of the composite image is the patch image, which is a pre-rendered model of a portion of the face of the user and is not a photograph or video of the user.","It should be appreciated, however, that the patch image and the facial/background image may be based on a wide variety of different types of media and formats.","For example, in some embodiments, the facial/background image is not a frame of a live video feed, but instead is also a rendered three-dimensional model (which in turn may have been generated based on a video or a three dimensional scan of a user and/or his or her surroundings.)","The techniques described herein can be used to merge a patch image (e.g., a rendered model of a user's eyes or eye region) with the facial/background image (e.g., a rendered model of at least other portions of the user's face or head.)","In some of the aforementioned examples, an HMD device is described that covers the eyes of a user.","A facial/background image is taken that captures the user, and a patch image is merged into the facial/background image.","This merger replaces the HMD device in the image with simulated facial features.","However, it should be appreciated that the techniques of this application may also be applied to any process in which one image is “patched” with another, and is not necessarily limited only to the specific examples of patch images and HMD devices described above.","By way of example, in some implementations, the HMD device does not completely cover the eyes of a user and/or may cover other parts of the face or body of a user.","The patching techniques described herein may be used to generate one or more patch images based on sensors in the HMD device that track features underlying the HMD device.","Based on such sensor data, a patch image may be generated and merged with a facial/background image of the user and the HMD device (e.g., generally as described in the steps of method 300 of FIGS.","3A and 3B.)","Although only a few embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it should be appreciated that the invention may be implemented in many other forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.","For example, the present application and figures describe various methods (e.g., methods of FIGS.","3A and 3B) that perform particular operations.","It should be appreciated that in some embodiments, one or more of these operations/steps may be modified, reordered and/or deleted.","Additionally, some figures, such as FIGS.","1 and 16-20, describe devices that contain various components.","It should be noted that in some embodiments, one or more of these components may be merged together.","In still other embodiments, one or more components may be separated into a greater number of components.","The features of one component may be transferred to another and/or modified as appropriate.","Each device may have additional components beyond what is shown in the corresponding figure.","Therefore, the present embodiments should be considered illustrative and not restrictive and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein."]],"string":"[\n [\n \"IMAGE PROCESSING FOR HEAD MOUNTED DISPLAY DEVICES\",\n \"Various devices, arrangements and methods for managing communications using a head mounted display device are described.\",\n \"In one aspect, tracking data is generated at least in part by one or more sensors in a head mounted display (HMD) device.\",\n \"The tracking data indicates one or more facial movements of a user wearing the HMD device.\",\n \"A patch image is obtained based on the tracking data.\",\n \"The patch image is merged with a facial image.\",\n \"Various embodiments relate to the HMD device and other methods for generating and using the patch and facial images.\"\n ],\n [\n \"1.A method for processing images involving a head mounted display device, the method comprising: obtaining a first set of tracking data, the first set of tracking data generated at least in part by one or more sensors in a first head mounted display (HMD) device and indicating one or more facial movements of a first user, when the HMD device is worn by the first user; obtaining a patch image based on the first set of tracking data that indicates a portion of the face of the first user covered by the first HMD device; obtaining a facial image generated at least in part by capturing a second portion of the face of the first user that is not covered by the first HMD device; and merging the facial image with the patch image such that the merged image indicates the face of the first user including features on the first portion of the face covered by the first HMD device.\",\n \"2.The method of claim 1 further comprising: transmitting the merged image to a device.\",\n \"3.The method of claim 1 wherein: the patch image is a rendered three dimensional (3D) image; the facial image is a video image generated by a video camera; and the merging involves merging the rendered 3D image with the video image.\",\n \"4.The method of claim 1 further comprising: obtaining a 3D model of at least a portion of the face of the first user; adjusting the 3D model based on the first set of tracking data; rendering the adjusted 3D model; and using at least a portion of the rendered 3D model to help form the patch image.\",\n \"5.The method of claim 1 further comprising: obtaining a second set of tracking data from a camera device, the second set of tracking data involving one or more of light sensor data and pose data indicating a pose of the head of the first user; and determining the patch image based at least in part on the second set of tracking data.\",\n \"6.The method of claim 1 further comprising: obtaining camera device data from a camera device indicating a position of one or more feature points on the head of the first user; obtaining a model of at least a portion of the head of the first user; associating one or more feature points in the model with the one or more feature points in the camera device data; determining a difference between position of the one or more feature points in the model and the position of the one or more feature points in the camera device data; based on the difference, adjusting the position of the one or more feature points in the model; and determining the patch image based at least in part on the model.\",\n \"7.The method of claim 1 wherein: obtaining light sensing device data from a light sensing device indicating at least one of 1) a light level around the first user; and 2) a light level on a part of the first user; obtaining a model of at least a portion of the head of the first user; determining a light level simulated on the model; determining a difference between the light level simulated on the model with the light level indicated in the light sensing device data; based on the difference, adjusting the light level simulated on the model; and determining the patch image based at least in part on the model.\",\n \"8.The method of claim 1 further comprising: identifying portions of the patch image that intersect with the facial image wherein the patch image indicates the first portion of the face of the first user and the facial image indicates a different, second portion of the face of the first user; and blurring the identified portions of the patch image that intersect with the facial image.\",\n \"9.The method of claim 1 further comprising: obtaining a background image indicating a background behind the first user wearing the first HMD device; obtaining a background patch image; and merging the background patch image and the background image wherein the background patch image is positioned in the background image such that the background patch image indicates a part of the background covered by the first HMD device.\",\n \"10.The method of claim 1 wherein the method is performed by an image processing device that is connected with the first HMD device through a network and wherein the image processing device is at least one of a server, a camera device that is recording the first user, a television and the first HMD device.\",\n \"11.The method of claim 1 further comprising: obtaining one or more images of a second user wherein the one or more images indicate, in real time, facial movements of a portion of the face of the second user that are underneath the second HMD device worn by the second user and wherein the one or more images further indicate, in real time, movements of the head of the second user including portions of the head that are not covered by the second HMD device; and transmitting the one or more images to the first HMD device so that the one or more images can be displayed to the first user.\",\n \"12.A computer readable storage medium including executable computer code embodied in a tangible form wherein the computer readable medium comprises: executable computer code operable to obtain a first set of tracking data, the first set of tracking data generated at least in part by one or more sensors in a first head mounted display (HMD) device and indicating one or more facial movements of a first user wearing the first HMD device; executable computer code operable to obtain a patch image based on the first set of tracking data that indicates a portion of the face of the first user covered by the first HMD device; executable computer code operable to obtain a facial image generated at least in part by capturing a second portion of the face of the first user that is not covered by the first HMD device; and executable computer code operable to merge the facial image with the patch image such that the merged image indicates the face of the first user including features on the first portion of the face covered by the first HMD device.\",\n \"13.The method of claim 12 wherein: the patch image is a rendered three dimensional (3D) image; the facial image is a video image generated by a video camera; and the merging operation involves merging the rendered 3D image with the video image.\",\n \"14.The computer readable medium of claim 12 further comprising: executable computer code operable to obtain a 3D model of at least a portion of the face of the first user; executable computer code operable to adjust the 3D model based on the first set of tracking data; executable computer code operable to render the adjusted 3D model; and executable computer code operable to use at least a portion of the rendered 3D model to help form the patch image.\",\n \"15.The computer readable medium of claim 12 further comprising: executable computer code operable to obtain a second set of tracking data from a camera device, the second set of tracking data involving one or more of light sensor data and data indicating a pose of the head of the first user; and executable computer code operable to determine the patch image based at least in part on the second set of tracking data.\",\n \"16.A method for revealing face of a user wearing a head-mounted display (HMD) device, the method comprising: obtaining a first image including the user wearing the HMD; obtaining facial features of a portion of the face of the user, wherein the portion of the face is covered by the HMD device; obtaining a second image indicating an environment surrounding the user; generating a patch image based upon a 3-D model of at least the portion of the face, wherein the 3-D model has been adjusted based on the obtained facial features; and rendering a composite image by merging the patch image with the first image and the second image, thus revealing the face of the user.\",\n \"17.The method of claim 16, further comprising obtaining the 3-D model of at least the portion of the face, wherein the 3-D model is generated based on scanning of the face of the user.\",\n \"18.The method of claim 16, wherein the facial features are tracked by sensors positioned on the HMD device.\",\n \"19.The method of claim 18, wherein the tracked facial features indicate one or more facial movements of the user.\",\n \"20.The method of claim 16 further comprising: adjusting the 3-D model based on a first set of tracking data; and rendering the adjusted 3-D model.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BACKGROUND In the last several years, virtual reality applications have received increasing attention.\",\n \"Virtual reality applications involve technologies that immerse the user in a different environment.\",\n \"In some applications, the user wears a head mounted display (HMD) device.\",\n \"Examples of such devices include the Samsung Gear VR® and the Oculus Rift®.\",\n \"Typically, when users wear such devices, their eyes are completely covered.\",\n \"The HMD device includes an interior screen that displays images and animation for the user.\",\n \"The images give the user the impression that they have been transported into a virtual environment.\",\n \"A variety of applications have been contemplated for such HMD devices.\",\n \"For example, HMD devices can be used for entertainment applications, such as games in which the user can explore a virtual, fantastical world, and “teleimmersion” applications where the user is transported to another real world location.\",\n \"There are ongoing efforts to develop additional applications for HMD devices.\"\n ],\n [\n \" SUMMARY In one aspect of the present invention, a head mounted display (HMD) device will be described.\",\n \"When worn by a user, the HMD device covers a portion of the face of the user such that the eyes of the user and (large) portions of the face are hidden from view.\",\n \"One or more sensors are positioned on the device body.\",\n \"The sensor(s) are arranged to track eye movement, eyelid movement, eyebrow movement and/or other facial features of the user.\",\n \"A display positioned on the device body is arranged to display an image or media for the user when the HMD device is worn by the user.\",\n \"In another aspect of the invention, a method for processing media for use in a communications application will be described.\",\n \"Tracking data is obtained.\",\n \"The tracking data is generated at least in part by one or more sensors in a HMD device.\",\n \"The tracking data indicates one or more facial movements of a user (e.g., gaze, eye rotation, eyebrow or eyelid movements, etc.)\",\n \"wearing the HMD device.\",\n \"A patch image is obtained based on the tracking data.\",\n \"The patch image indicates a portion of the face of the user that is covered by the HMD device.\",\n \"A facial image is also obtained.\",\n \"The facial image is generated at least in part by capturing a portion of the face of the user that is not covered by the HMD device (e.g., using a camera or any suitable recording/scanning device.)\",\n \"The facial image is merged with the patch image such that the merged image indicates the face of the user, which indicates features (e.g., eyes, eyebrows, etc.)\",\n \"on the portion of the face of the user covered by the HMD device.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the merged image is transmitted to another HMD device so that the facial movements of the user can be displayed in real time at that HMD device.\",\n \"Various implementations involve devices, systems and computer code arranged to perform at least some of the above operations.\"\n ],\n [\n \"CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"14/801,574 (Attorney Docket No.\",\n \"SISAP421), filed Jul.\",\n \"16, 2015, entitled “IMAGE PROCESSING FOR HEAD MOUNTED DISPLAY DEVICES,” which claims the priority of U.S. provisional patent application No.\",\n \"62/163,321, entitled “System for Synthetically Removing Head Mounted Displays from Real-time Video Imagery,” filed May 18, 2015, which are all incorporated herein in entirety for all purposes.\",\n \"FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the processing of images.\",\n \"Various implementations of the present invention relate to the generation and processing of images using a head mounted display device.\",\n \"BACKGROUND In the last several years, virtual reality applications have received increasing attention.\",\n \"Virtual reality applications involve technologies that immerse the user in a different environment.\",\n \"In some applications, the user wears a head mounted display (HMD) device.\",\n \"Examples of such devices include the Samsung Gear VR® and the Oculus Rift®.\",\n \"Typically, when users wear such devices, their eyes are completely covered.\",\n \"The HMD device includes an interior screen that displays images and animation for the user.\",\n \"The images give the user the impression that they have been transported into a virtual environment.\",\n \"A variety of applications have been contemplated for such HMD devices.\",\n \"For example, HMD devices can be used for entertainment applications, such as games in which the user can explore a virtual, fantastical world, and “teleimmersion” applications where the user is transported to another real world location.\",\n \"There are ongoing efforts to develop additional applications for HMD devices.\",\n \"SUMMARY In one aspect of the present invention, a head mounted display (HMD) device will be described.\",\n \"When worn by a user, the HMD device covers a portion of the face of the user such that the eyes of the user and (large) portions of the face are hidden from view.\",\n \"One or more sensors are positioned on the device body.\",\n \"The sensor(s) are arranged to track eye movement, eyelid movement, eyebrow movement and/or other facial features of the user.\",\n \"A display positioned on the device body is arranged to display an image or media for the user when the HMD device is worn by the user.\",\n \"In another aspect of the invention, a method for processing media for use in a communications application will be described.\",\n \"Tracking data is obtained.\",\n \"The tracking data is generated at least in part by one or more sensors in a HMD device.\",\n \"The tracking data indicates one or more facial movements of a user (e.g., gaze, eye rotation, eyebrow or eyelid movements, etc.)\",\n \"wearing the HMD device.\",\n \"A patch image is obtained based on the tracking data.\",\n \"The patch image indicates a portion of the face of the user that is covered by the HMD device.\",\n \"A facial image is also obtained.\",\n \"The facial image is generated at least in part by capturing a portion of the face of the user that is not covered by the HMD device (e.g., using a camera or any suitable recording/scanning device.)\",\n \"The facial image is merged with the patch image such that the merged image indicates the face of the user, which indicates features (e.g., eyes, eyebrows, etc.)\",\n \"on the portion of the face of the user covered by the HMD device.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the merged image is transmitted to another HMD device so that the facial movements of the user can be displayed in real time at that HMD device.\",\n \"Various implementations involve devices, systems and computer code arranged to perform at least some of the above operations.\",\n \"BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention and the advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: FIG.\",\n \"1 is a diagram of a communication system involve multiple head mounted display (HMD) devices according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"2A is diagram of a user who is wearing an HMD device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"2B is a diagram of a user without an HMD device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B are flow charts illustrating an example method for managing the communication system illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"1.FIG.\",\n \"4 is a diagram illustrating an example three dimensional model of the face of a user according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5A is a diagram illustrating an example image of a user in a room according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5B is a diagram illustrating an example background image according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"6 is a diagram illustrating a camera device and a user wearing a HMD device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7A is a diagram illustrating an image of a face of a user according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7B is a diagram illustrating a three dimensional model of the face of the user illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"7A.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"8 is a diagram illustrating a technique for sensing light levels according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"9A is a diagram illustrating a live image of a user wearing an HMD device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"9B is a diagram illustrating a rendered model of the face of the user illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"9A.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"10 is a diagram illustrating a technique for identifying a region for a patch image in a model according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"11 is a diagram illustrating a patch image according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"12 is a diagram illustrating a region for a patch image in a facial/background image according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"13 is a diagram illustrating a merging of a patch image and a facial/background image according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"14 is a diagram illustrating a technique for identifying regions in a background image according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"15 is a diagram illustrating a technique for merging a background patch image into a facial/background image according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"16, 17 and 18 are diagrams illustrating perspective, back and front views of an HMD device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"19 is a block diagram of a HMD device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"20 is a block diagram of an image processing device according to a particular embodiment of the present invention.\",\n \"In the drawings, like reference numerals are sometimes used to designate like structural elements.\",\n \"It should also be appreciated that the depictions in the figures are diagrammatic and not to scale.\",\n \"DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to methods, devices, systems and arrangements for the processing and generation of images for head mounted display (HMD) devices.\",\n \"Various implementations allow one user of an HMD device to view the facial expressions of another user, even when all of the users are wearing HMD devices that cover a large portion of their faces.\",\n \"As described in the Background, games are a popular application for many virtual reality and HMD device applications.\",\n \"One other possible application is communications e.g., virtual reality or video conferencing between users of HMD devices.\",\n \"An example of a system 100 for users of HMD devices is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"1.The communication system 100 includes two users, user 105a and user 105b.\",\n \"Each user is wearing a HMD device 110a/110b and is situated in a room (rooms 130a and 130b).\",\n \"In each room there is also a camera device (camera devices 115a and 115b) that is positioned a short distance away from its respective user.\",\n \"The HMD devices and/or camera devices are coupled with one another using a network 125.In some embodiments, there is a server 120 that helps process media and manage communications between the HMD devices.\",\n \"In this example, the camera device 115a directs a camera at the face of the user 105a in room 130a.\",\n \"The camera device 115a is arranged to record the facial expression and movements of the user 105a, as well as possibly the background of the room 130a behind the user 105a.\",\n \"In some implementations, the camera device 115a captures a live video stream of the user 105a.\",\n \"The camera device 115a transmits the recorded video data through a network 125 (e.g., the Internet) in real time so that the other user 105b can view the video stream using the HMD device 110b.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the camera device 115b receives the recorded data and transmits it to the HMD device 110b for user 115b.\",\n \"Alternatively, in other embodiments the HMD device 110b is directly connected to the network 125 and is arranged to receive the recorded data directly from the network 125.Based on the recorded video data, the HMD device 110b worn by user 105b then renders the video stream.\",\n \"Accordingly, the HMD device 110b displays the face and movements of the other user 105a in real time.\",\n \"In this example, the communication between the user 105a and 105b is two-way.\",\n \"That is, the camera device 115b for the user 105b records the face and movements of the user 105b and transmits associated video data to the user 105a across the network 125.Each HMD device also includes microphones that capture the speech of each user.\",\n \"This speech is converted into audio data that is also transmitted in real time to the other user across the network 125.Thus, the users 105a/105b are able to communicate with one another in real time, while also viewing each other's faces using their HMD devices.\",\n \"Although the above communication system is useful, there is a problem related to the use of the HMD devices.\",\n \"This problem is illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"2A and 2B.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"2A is a diagram illustrating the face of user 105a when the user 105a is wearing the HMD device 110a.\",\n \"That is, the diagram represents a view of the user 105a as seen from the perspective of the camera device 115a.\",\n \"Thus, the diagram also represents the view of the user 105a as seen by the other user 105b.\",\n \"As shown in the diagram, the HMD device 110a entirely covers the eyes and other regions on the face of the user 105a such that they are not visible to the camera device 110a or the user 105b.\",\n \"For human communication and interaction, however, the ability to view a person's eyes and facial movements is valuable.\",\n \"Gaze, eyebrow movement and other facial movements are important elements in a conversation.\",\n \"They can help convey the emotion or intent of the speaker.\",\n \"The ability to view facial movements would help the communication illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"1 to be significantly more engaging and lively.\",\n \"In many situations, a user of an HMD device who is participating in a video conference would prefer to see the entire face of the other conference participant, as represented by the face 210 illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"2B.\",\n \"That is, it is generally preferred that the HMD device 110a be removed and that the eyes and facial expressions of the user be visible.\",\n \"Various implementations of the present invention address this issue.\",\n \"In some approaches, a patch image is generated.\",\n \"That is, in various embodiments, the image of the user 105a wearing the HMD device 110a (e.g., as shown in FIG.\",\n \"2A) is “patched” such that the HMD device 110a is removed.\",\n \"The patch image fills in the space covered by the HMD device and simulates the facial features and movements of the user (e.g., eyes, gaze, eyelid or eyebrow movements, etc.)\",\n \"that would otherwise be hidden by the HMD device 110a.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the patch image is based on a rendered 3D model of corresponding portions of the user's face and/or reflects in real time the facial movements and expressions of the user 105a.\",\n \"This allows a viewer to see a simulation of the entire face of the user e.g., similar to the face 210 illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"2B.\",\n \"Referring next to FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B, an exemplary method 300 for processing imagery for HMD device communication applications will be described.\",\n \"In this example, the method is performed primarily using the HMD device 110a, camera device 115a, user 105a and room 130a illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"1.Although the method 300 describes various operations being performed by particular devices, it should be appreciated that any operation may instead be performed by any suitable device.\",\n \"By way of example, the method describes a camera device 115a that performs various image collection, generation and processing steps, but the same steps may also be performed by the HMD device 105a, the server 120, or another computing device (e.g., a smartphone, a television, a game console, a computer, etc.)\",\n \"Initially, at step 305, a three dimensional (3D) model 405 of the face of the user 105a is obtained.\",\n \"Generally, the model 405 may be any software model, graphical model and/or mathematical/virtual representation of any part of the user 105a (e.g., the face, head, eyes, eyebrows, any part of the body, etc.)\",\n \"A simplified example is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"4.In this example, the 3D model indicates, shows and/or represents the head, face and various facial features of the user 105a (e.g., surface and shape of the head and face, eyes, nose, mouth, skin texture, color, light level, shading, etc.).\",\n \"In various implementations, the model is fully three dimensional (i.e., the model can be rotated or tilted in three dimensions) and/or may be modeled using multiple polygons, a mesh, vertices, edges, etc.\",\n \"The software for the 3D model 405 may also be capable of automatically adjusting features in the model 405 based on input.\",\n \"By way of example, when input is received indicating that the lips should smile, other features in the 3D model 405 may also automatically move in response (e.g., there may be slight movements in the nose or in the area around the lips, etc.\",\n \"), thus simulating the many tiny movements that naturally occur in a human face when one part of the face changes or when a particular expression is desired.\",\n \"The 3D model 405 may simulate the entire face, head or body, or any portion of the head or body of the user 105a.\",\n \"The 3D model 405 may be generated in any suitable manner using any known software or hardware.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the 3D model 405 is generated using a camera or any other suitable scanning device (e.g., camera device 115a, a 3D scanner, etc.)\",\n \"Generally, the scanning device is used to capture the face of the user when the user is not wearing the HMD device 110a (e.g., before step 313, when the user wears the HMD device 110a and steps in front of the camera device 115a to communicate with another user.)\",\n \"In other embodiments, the 3D model 405 is predefined.\",\n \"That is, the model 405 may be generic and/or may not be specifically tailored to or based on the actual face of the user 105a.\",\n \"Such a model is suitable for applications in which the user does not wish another user to see their real face, but perhaps only a face of a virtual reality avatar or character.\",\n \"In the illustrated embodiment, the camera device 115a either generates the model 405 itself, or obtains the model 405 from an external source.\",\n \"For example, if another scanning device generated the model, the camera device may download the model data from the scanning device over a network (e.g., the network 125.)\",\n \"Alternatively, the model data may be transferred to the camera device 115a using any other suitable technique e.g., using a flash drive, etc.\",\n \"In this example method 300, the camera device 115a will later adjust and process the model 405, as will be described later in this application.\",\n \"Returning to FIG.\",\n \"3A, at step 310, the camera device 115a obtains a background image.\",\n \"A background image is any image of a background or environment, as seen from the perspective of a scanning or camera device (e.g., camera device 115a.)\",\n \"Generally, the background image captures a portion of the surrounding environment that will later be blocked from view when the user wears the HMD device 110a and steps in front of the camera device 115a to communicate with another user (e.g., as described in step 313.)\",\n \"An example of a background image is illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"5A and 5B.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"5A is an image 505 of the user 105a from the perspective of the camera device 115a.\",\n \"In this image 505, the user 105a is positioned in front of the camera device 110a and is using the HMD device 110a to communicate with another user 105b (e.g., as described in step 313 below.)\",\n \"The image 505 thus portrays the face 410 of the user, the HMD device 110a, parts of the user's body as well as portions of the background.\",\n \"In this example, the camera device 115a was used to capture the image 505.FIG.\",\n \"5B is a background image 510 that is generally the same as the image illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"5A (i.e., taken from the same perspective and by camera device 115a), except that the user 105a is absent from the image.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the background image 510 is taken before the image 505 was taken.\",\n \"The background image 510 captures at least a portion of the background that would otherwise be blocked from view by the user 105a in image 505.Such portions in the background image 510 can be used for various image processing steps (e.g., steps 370-375), as will be discussed later in this application.\",\n \"The background image 510 may be generated in any suitable manner In some embodiments, for example, the camera device 115a scans or captures one or more images of the background before the user enters into its field of view and blocks parts of the background.\",\n \"In still other embodiments, a camera/scanning device other than the camera device 115a captures the background.\",\n \"By way of example, if a particular camera/scanning device is properly positioned behind the user 105a when the user 105a is using the HMD device 110a and camera device 115a to participate in a video conference (e.g., step 313), the camera/scanning device can capture the background behind the user at any time.\",\n \"The camera can then transfer the resulting background image 510 to the camera device 115a for additional processing.\",\n \"The background image 510 may be stored in any suitable media/image format e.g., image files, video files, etc.\",\n \"Returning to FIG.\",\n \"3A, at step 313 the camera device 115a captures an image of the user 105a, who is now wearing the HMD device 110a and is using the device to communicate with another HMD device user 105b.\",\n \"The user 105a is situated in front of the camera device 115a, as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"6.In this particular embodiment, the camera device 115a is a video camera and is generating a live video feed of the user 105a and his or her surrounding background.\",\n \"The video feed is made of multiple individual images (e.g., video frames.)\",\n \"An example of such an image is image 505 of FIG.\",\n \"5A, which was discussed above.\",\n \"Such images are hereinafter referred to as live images i.e., they are a photographic or photo-like visual recording of the user 105a and background, rather than a rendered, graphical model of the same.\",\n \"However, it should be appreciated that the camera device 115a may use any suitable type of video, camera, scanning, rendering and/or monitoring technology, and is not limited to generating the types of images and video described above.\",\n \"To wear the HMD device 110a, the user 105a secures the HMD device 110a to his or her head.\",\n \"In this particular example, the HMD device 110a entirely covers the eyes of the user 105 and/or prevents any outside light, objects or images from being perceived by the user (although this is not a requirement and the HMD device may have a variety of different features and form factors.)\",\n \"The HMD device 110a includes a display unit that displays video, images and/or graphics to the wearer of the device 110a.\",\n \"As will be discussed below in greater detail, the HMD device 110a also includes one or more internal sensors and components that are used to gather information on the portions of the user's face that are covered by the HMD device 110a.\",\n \"Afterward, at step 315, the HMD device 110a tracks particular facial features of the user 105a.\",\n \"Any facial feature that is covered by the HMD device 110a may be tracked.\",\n \"In some embodiments, for example, the tracked facial features or movements include but are not limited to gaze (e.g., eye rotation), eyelid movement and eyebrow movement.\",\n \"Any suitable software, hardware or sensors may be used inside the HMD device 110a to help track such features.\",\n \"In the illustrated embodiment, the HMD device 110a is arranged to track gaze or eye rotation, as well as one or more facial movements (e.g., the movements of the upper and/or lower eyelids.)\",\n \"Such tracking may be performed using any known technology or technique (e.g., optical tracking, electrooculography etc.)\",\n \"In some approaches, the HMD device 110a includes one or more light sources and sensors (e.g., tracking cameras.)\",\n \"These devices are generally positioned on the interior of the HMD device 110a i.e., once the HMD device 110a is worn by the user, the sensors/cameras are hidden from view, have access to and are in close proximity to the portion of the face that is covered by the HMD device 110a.\",\n \"In this example, there are one or more tracking cameras that capture images of one or more facial features (e.g., eyelid, gaze, eye rotation, etc.).\",\n \"The images are later processed to determine the movement of the facial feature over time.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the HMD device also includes one or more light sources.\",\n \"These light sources are positioned on the interior of the HMD device and are arranged to project light at the eyes, eye region or other portions of the face covered by the HMD device.\",\n \"Each light source emits light that facilitates the tracking of the facial features (e.g., infrared light.)\",\n \"The light source(s) and camera(s) may be positioned in any suitable configuration on the HMD device 110a.\",\n \"(An example arrangement of IR light sources 1610 and tracking cameras 1615 in the HMD device 110a are illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"17, which will be described in greater detail later in the application.)\",\n \"The HMD device 110a may also use devices and sensors other than cameras to track facial movements and features.\",\n \"In some embodiments, for example, the HMD device 110a detects motion on portions of the face using a biometric sensor unit: e.g.\",\n \"electromyography (EMG), electrooculography (EOG).\",\n \"In the embodiment illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"17, for example, an EMG sensor unit takes the form of a line of sensors 1605 that rests flush against the forehead, eyebrows and cheeks of the user when the user wears the HMD device 110a.\",\n \"Another example is that an EOG sensor unit takes the form of sensors 1605b that detects eye rotation and eyelid movement.\",\n \"In other implementations, the sensors may be arranged in any suitable configuration on the HMD device.\",\n \"The EMG sensor unit detects electrical impulses generated by muscle motion in the face of the user.\",\n \"These electrical impulses are stored and analyzed to determine the motion of a portion of the user's face (e.g., the movement of the eyebrows) over time.\",\n \"The EOG sensor unit measures electric potentials to detect eye movement via electrode probes.\",\n \"Returning to FIG.\",\n \"3A, at step 320, the camera device 115a obtains data relating to the above tracking (e.g., data generated using a camera tracking the gaze of the user, EMG/EOG sensor data, any data used to track any facial movements or feature covered by the HMD device, etc.).\",\n \"In the illustrated embodiment, the camera device 115a is coupled with the HMD device using a wired or wireless network.\",\n \"The HMD device 110a transmits the HMD device tracking data to the camera device 115a through the network.\",\n \"The camera device 115a processes the data received from the HMD device 110a to determine what sort of facial movements or expressions are indicated by the data.\",\n \"In various embodiments, for example, the camera device 110a processes the images of various facial features (e.g., eye rotation, eyelids, etc.)\",\n \"that were captured over a period of time.\",\n \"The camera device then analyzes the images in order to determine how the facial features moved during that time period.\",\n \"Additionally, the camera device 115a analyzes EMG/EOG data received from the HMD device 110a to determine what types of movements (e.g., eyebrow movements) are indicated by the data.\",\n \"The camera device 115a then adjusts the 3D model 405 based on the HMD device tracking data (step 325).\",\n \"That is, one or more selected facial movements/positions (e.g., changes in gaze, eye rotation, eyebrow movement/position, eyelid movement/position, etc.)\",\n \"detected in step 315 are used to adjust the 3D model 405.Generally, the 3D model 405 is adjusted to at least somewhat incorporate the facial changes, features or movements detected by the HMD device 110a.\",\n \"Thus, for example, if a movement in the eyebrow or eyelid of the user 105a was detected, the 3D model 405 is adjusted to simulate that movement.\",\n \"If a shift in the gaze of the user was detected, then the 3D model 405 is adjusted accordingly so that it substantially mirrors or copies the shift.\",\n \"At step 330, the camera device 115a tracks various features related to the face of the user 105a or the surrounding environment.\",\n \"In some embodiments, for example, the camera device 115a measures or tracks the amount of ambient light (e.g, in the room 130a) using a light sensor.\",\n \"Additionally or alternatively, the camera device 115a detects the amount of light on a portion of the body or face of the user 105a.\",\n \"Any changes in this light level are recorded by the camera device 115a over time.\",\n \"Some implementations of the camera device 115a also track changes in the pose or orientation of the face/head of the user.\",\n \"The camera device 115a may also track any other facial feature or movement of the user (e.g., any facial movements or features in the portions of the face that are not covered by the HMD device 110a, such as the mouth, lips, cheeks, chin, etc.)\",\n \"In some approaches, the camera device tracks a feature, light or marker on the HMD device (e.g., light emitting device 1605 in FIG.\",\n \"16) to help determine changes in the pose of the face/head of the user 105a.\",\n \"It should be appreciated that there may be multiple camera and/or light sensing devices that gather the above tracking/lighting data.\",\n \"The camera/light sensing devices may be distributed in various places in the room 130a and monitor the user 105a and the ambient environment from different angles.\",\n \"In that case, these other camera/light sensing devices are coupled to the camera device 115a through a network and the camera device obtains the tracking/lighting data from the other camera/light sensing devices through the network (step 335), so that the camera device 115a can further process the data.\",\n \"In some designs, a light sensing device/sensor is on the HMD device 110a.\",\n \"In various applications, the HMD device 110a obtains the light sensor data and transmits it to the camera device 115a for further processing and analysis.\",\n \"Of course, if the camera device 115a is the only device that generates tracking/light sensing data, the camera device 115a can obtain the data without requiring any transfer of the data through a network.\",\n \"In still other embodiments, the camera device 115a is replaced by an image processing device (e.g., the image processing device 2000 of FIG.\",\n \"20, the server 120 of FIG.\",\n \"1, etc.\",\n \"), which does not itself capture images using a camera and/or sense ambient light levels, but instead obtains tracking/lighting/sensor data from one or more camera/light sensing devices/sensors positioned in the room 130a and processes the obtained data (e.g., as described in steps 320, 325, 335-380 of FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B.)\",\n \"Once the camera device 115a obtains the above tracking/lighting data, the 3D model 405 is adjusted based on the data (step 340).\",\n \"In various implementations, the camera device 115a analyzes the collected tracking/lighting data e.g., multiple images of the face of the user.\",\n \"The camera device 115a performs image processing to determine what kinds of facial movements are indicated in the images.\",\n \"Based on the analysis and image processing, the camera device adjusts the model 405.Generally, the model 405 is adjusted to simulate one or more changes that were sensed, detected or tracked in step 330.By way of example, if the light level changed, a tone on the surface of the model 405 may be changed to reflect the difference in the light level.\",\n \"If the position or orientation of the head or the user 105a shifted, then that shift would be reflected in the model 405 as well.\",\n \"If the shape or position of particular facial features changed (e.g., a movement of the lips, cheeks, etc.\",\n \"), then the model 406 id adjusted based on the detected change.\",\n \"The aforementioned tracking may be performed in a variety of ways, depending on the needs of a particular application.\",\n \"In various implementations, for example, the camera device 115a is arranged to track changes in the pose or orientation of the head or face using one or more feature points.\",\n \"Any known technology or technique may be used to perform such tracking.\",\n \"An example of one approach is shown in FIGS.\",\n \"7A and 7B.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7A is a diagram representing an image 410 of the actual face of the user 105a (e.g., as shown in image 505 of FIG.\",\n \"5A.)\",\n \"The camera device 115a captured the image while it was pointed at the user, who at the time was wearing the HMD device 110a and was using it to communicate (e.g., as previously described in connection with FIG.\",\n \"6 and step 313.)\",\n \"The location of the HMD device 110a is shown by the dotted line region.\",\n \"In this simplified example, the camera device 115a selects two feature points 705a and 710a.\",\n \"The feature points may be on any portion of the face of the user.\",\n \"In various implementations, the feature points are chosen such that they are readily identifiable due to their proximity to particular facial features e.g., such as the ends of the mouth, the tip of the nose, etc.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7B is a diagram representing the 3D model 405 of the face (e.g., the 3D model obtained in step 305 of FIG.\",\n \"3A.)\",\n \"The camera device 115a identifies one or more feature points 705b and 710b in the model 405 that correspond to the feature points 705a and 710a selected in the facial image 410.The camera device 115a then compares the positions of the feature points 705a/710a in the facial image 410 to those of the feature points 705b/710b in the model 405.In this particular example, there is a difference between the two sets of feature points, since the head depicted in the 3D model 405, unlike the head in the image 410, is oriented more to one side, rather than looking straight ahead.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the camera device 115a then computes a difference or error between the position of the feature point(s) 705a/710a identified in the facial image 410 and the position of the feature point(s) 705b/710b identified in the model 405 (FIG.\",\n \"7B.)\",\n \"Based on the difference/error, the camera device 115a then adjusts the model 405.In the illustrated embodiment, the difference in the relative positions of the feature points reveal that the orientation of the model 405 is slightly incorrect.\",\n \"The model 405 is then adjusted or reoriented so that the difference is reduced.\",\n \"This adjustment helps cause the model 405 to orient itself properly i.e., so that the orientation of the model 405 better resembles that of the facial image 410.A somewhat similar technique can be applied to lighting.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"8 and FIG.\",\n \"7B illustrate one example approach involving light detection/sensing.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"8 illustrates an image 505 of a user 105a, which is captured by the camera device 115a (e.g., as described in step 313.)\",\n \"The camera device 115a identifies a region 810a on the face of the user 105a in the image.\",\n \"The camera device 110a determines an approximate light level at that region 810a.\",\n \"The camera device 115a identifies a corresponding region 810b on the face of the model 405 illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"7B.\",\n \"That is, the region 810b is in the same general location on the modeled face as the region 810a on the face in the image 505.The camera device 115a estimates the light level or tone simulated at the region on the model 405.The light levels of the regions 810a and 810b are compared and/or a difference or error between them is determined.\",\n \"Based on the difference in light levels, the model 405 is adjusted.\",\n \"Generally, the model is adjusted so that the difference is reduced and the light level simulated on the face of the model 405 is more similar to the light level on the face in the image 505.Returning to FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B, once the model has been adjusted as described in steps 325 and 340, the model 405 is rendered (step 345 of FIG.\",\n \"3B.)\",\n \"That is, in various embodiments, the model 405, which was stored and adjusted in a software application, is rendered to generate a three dimensional graphical model 905 that resembles the actual face of the user 105a.\",\n \"A simplified example is illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"9A and 9B.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"9A is a diagram representing a live image 410 of the actual face of the user 105a, as captured by the camera device 115a (e.g., as described in step 313 of FIG.\",\n \"3A.)\",\n \"The camera device captured the image while the user was wearing an HMD device and using it to communicate with another user (e.g., as described in connection with FIG.\",\n \"6.)\",\n \"Thus, in FIG.\",\n \"9A, much of the face of the user 105a is covered with the HMD device 110a.\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"9B represents an image of the corresponding rendered model 905, which due to the real time adjustments made in steps 325 and 340, closely resembles the actual face of the user 105a in the image 410 in terms of pose, orientation and light levels.\",\n \"In contrast to the actual face of the user 105a as seen by the camera device 115a in image 410 or 505, the face of the rendered model 905 is not covered with an HMD device 110a.\",\n \"Additionally, due in part to adjustments made to the model in step 325, the facial features (e.g., eyes, eyebrows, eyebrow position, eyelids, gaze, eye rotation, etc.)\",\n \"of the user 105a which are hidden in image 410 (FIG.\",\n \"9A) by the HMD device 110a are simulated in the rendered model 905 of FIG.\",\n \"9B.\",\n \"In this particular application, it is intended that the live image 410 of the actual face of the user 105a and its background will be transmitted to another user 105b to facilitate real time communication.\",\n \"Thus, the other user 105b will be able to see the face of the user 105a while they are communicating.\",\n \"As previously discussed, one challenge of that approach, however, is that the HMD device 110a covers a large portion of the face of the user 105a, thus making the real time communication less engaging and personal.\",\n \"To address this issue, the camera device 115a obtains a patch image (step 350).\",\n \"In various embodiments, a patch image is an image from a model (e.g., rendered model 905) that is combined with or merged with another image (e.g., live image 410 or 805) to form a composite image.\",\n \"Put another way, the image 410/505 of the user 105a wearing the HMD device 110a is “patched” such that the HMD device 110a is removed and a rendered image is put in its place.\",\n \"The rendered image includes one or more facial features (e.g., eyes, eyelids, eyebrows, part of the nose, etc.)\",\n \"that underlie the HMD device.\",\n \"In this example, this allows another user 105b who is communicating with the user 105a to see at least representations of the eyes and eyebrows of that user, which makes the conversation more natural and engaging.\",\n \"Additionally, those facial features, although simulated, will track and imitate in real time the movements of corresponding features of the actual user 105a.\",\n \"One example approach for generating a patch image is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"10.FIG.\",\n \"10 illustrates the rendered 3D model 905 of the head of the user.\",\n \"The model 905 has been adjusted based on tracking/lighting data obtained by the camera device 115a (e.g., as discussed in steps 315-450 of FIG.\",\n \"3A).\",\n \"The camera device 115a identifies a region 1005 of the 3D model that corresponds to the HMD device 110a, as seen in the image 410/505 (e.g., FIG.\",\n \"5A) of the user 105a, which shows the actual face of the user as seen by the camera device 115a.\",\n \"The region 1005 is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"10 as a square region made of dotted lines.\",\n \"In this example, the region 1005 is generally the same size, shape and/or in the same position relative to the face of the user 105a as the HMD device 110a in the image 410/505 of the user 105a.\",\n \"Accordingly, in this example, the region 1005 has a rectangular shape, which resembles the shape of the HMD device 110a in live image 410 (FIG.\",\n \"9A).\",\n \"Afterward, the portion of the rendered 3D image 905 that falls into the region 1005 is extracted, copied or generated from the rendered 3D model 905.This step is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"11.In FIG.\",\n \"11, only the portion of the rendered model 905 that is within the boundaries of the region 1005 remains.\",\n \"Other portions of the rendered 3D model 905 have been removed.\",\n \"The extracted portion of the rendered model 905 is a patch image 1105.Returning to FIG.\",\n \"3B, at step 355, one or more edges of the patch image 1105 is blurred or softened.\",\n \"That is, the camera device 115a analyzes the patch image 1105, the live image 410/805 and/or the rendered model 905 to determine locations or edges on the patch image that will later merge into another object (e.g., the face of the user 105a.)\",\n \"The camera device 115a then blurs, dilates and/or softens those edges using any suitable image processing technique.\",\n \"In the illustrated embodiment of FIG.\",\n \"11, for example, an analysis of the live image 410/805 and/or the patch image 1105 reveals that if the patch image 1105 is merged into the live image 410/805 such that it replaces the HMD device 110a, the top and bottom edges of the patch image 1105 will merge into the face of the user 105a, as seen in the live image 410/805.To make the merging of the patch image 1105 and the face in the image 410/505 more seamless, the top and bottom edges of the patch image 1105 are thus dilated or blurred to soften the edges (as marked by dotted line regions 1110a and 1110b.)\",\n \"Any suitable compositing technique may be used to blue or soften the edges of the patch image.\",\n \"On the other hand, the same analysis also reveals that the left and right edges of the patch image will not be merging into the face of the user 105a in the live image 410/805 and instead will mix only with the background.\",\n \"Thus, in this example those edges are not dilated or blurred.\",\n \"Returning to the method of FIG.\",\n \"3B, at step 360, the camera device 115a obtains a facial/background image.\",\n \"In this example, the facial/background image is the image taken by a camera/scanning device (e.g., camera device 115a) that captures an image of the face of a user wearing the HMD device.\",\n \"The facial/background image may also capture a wide variety of other parts of the body of the user and/or a surrounding background.\",\n \"An example of a facial/background image 1205 is the image 505 illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"5A and 12.As previously described, the image 505 was taken by the camera device 115a in step 313 of FIG.\",\n \"3A.\",\n \"In this example, the facial/background image 1205 is a live image i.e., a video frame of a video that includes live footage of the user.\",\n \"In other embodiments, however, the facial/background image may include a wide variety of elements (e.g., only the face or part of the face of the user, no background, etc.)\",\n \"and/or use a different type of media or image (e.g., a photographic image, a rendered image or model, etc.)\",\n \"In the illustrated embodiment, the user 105a is standing in a room 130a with a colored wall and various types of furniture in the background.\",\n \"The user 105a is wearing the HMD device 110a.\",\n \"At step 365, the patch image 1105 and the facial/background image 1205 are merged.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the patch image 1105 is superimposed over or replaces a region of the facial/background image 1205 that includes the HMD device 110a.\",\n \"Alternatively, a portion of the facial/background image 1205 containing the HMD device 110a is removed and the patch image 1105 is inserted, blended and/or merged into the facial/background image 1205 into the same position that the HMD device 110a previously occupied.\",\n \"An example of this merging process is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"13, in which the patch image 1105 has taken the place of the HMD device 110a illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"12.The merging of the facial/background image 1205 and the patch image 1105 results in a composite image 1305.Any suitable type of image processing technique, including processes not described above, may be performed to make the new composite image.\",\n \"In some but not necessarily all situations, additional adjustment of the composite image 1305 is desirable.\",\n \"For example, in the illustrated embodiment, a review of the composite image 1305 in FIG.\",\n \"13 reveals a problem.\",\n \"The patch image 1205 in many respects follows the contours of the shape of the removed HMD device 110a, and thus tightly fits into the space that the HMD device 110a used to occupy.\",\n \"However, there are regions in the facial/background image 1205 that are not yet properly filled in.\",\n \"These are non-facial regions 1310 that were previously covered by the HMD device 110a and that make up parts of the background.\",\n \"In the example illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"13, these regions 1310 are on either side of the head of the user 105a, although depending on how the head and HMD device 110a are oriented, in some cases only one region may be visible.\",\n \"To help address this issue, at step 370, a background patch image is obtained.\",\n \"To do this, the camera device 115a analyzes the background image 510 obtained in step 310.This background image 510, which is illustrated FIG.\",\n \"5, is an image of the background without the presence of the user 105a.\",\n \"Generally, the background image 510 covers at least some of the same parts of the background that were shown in the facial/background image 1205, as well as parts of the background that are hidden or covered in image 1205 by the user 105a and/or the HMD device 110a.\",\n \"Thus, the background image 510 contains the information that is needed to fill in the non-facial regions 1310 i.e., the color or texture of the background that would lie behind the non-facial regions which were covered by the HMD device 110a in the facial/background image 1205.The camera device 115a determines regions in the background image 510 that correspond to the non-facial regions 1310 (e.g., have the same approximate position, are in the same general location and/or display the same part of the background.)\",\n \"An example of this determination is illustrated by regions 1410 in FIG.\",\n \"14.Based on the above determination and analysis of the background image 510, the camera device 115a generates a suitable background patch image 1415.The background patch image 1415 includes/simulates the colors, shading, appearance and/or textures of the identified regions 1410 in the background image 505.At step 375, the background patch image(s) and the composite image 1305 are combined or merged.\",\n \"An example of this is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"15.The non-facial regions have now been filled in with background patch image(s) 1415.The background patch image(s) 1415 may be images pre-generated using the regions 1410 in the background image 505, which are then merged with the composite image 1305.In some embodiments, the camera device 115a fills in or paints the regions 1310 in composite image 1305 with one or more colors, texture and/or shading such that they resemble regions 1410 in the background image 505.As a result of the above steps of method 300, a live image (e.g., image 505/1205) of a user 105a wearing an HMD device 110a has been adjusted to remove the HMD device.\",\n \"In place of the HMD device, simulated eyes and other portions of the face have been provided using a patch image 1105.In various embodiments, the steps of the method 300 in FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B are repeated for each video frame of a live video feed of the user 105a.\",\n \"That is, for each video frame, facial features are tracked (e.g., steps 315 and 330), a model is adjusted (e.g., steps 325 and 340), a patch image is obtained (e.g., step 350), and the patch image is merged into a facial/background image to form a composite image.\",\n \"In some designs, each composite image is an adjusted video frame of a live video stream in which the HMD device has been removed and replaced with a suitable patch image.\",\n \"Returning to the method 300 of FIG.\",\n \"3B, the camera device 115a transmits the composite image data (e.g., video data made of many of the aforementioned composite image video frames) to a recipient HMD device 110b, which is being worn and used by another user 105b of FIG.\",\n \"1 (step 380).\",\n \"The recipient HMD device 110b receives the composite image data over the network 125 and renders the received composite image data.\",\n \"Over time, as the user 105b receives multiple such composite images, the user will be able to view the changing facial expressions of the user 105a in real time.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the user 105b will even be able to view expressive, moving, simulated eyes and eye regions, even though at that time the person generating those expressions has his or her eyes covered with an HMD device.\",\n \"In various implementations, the steps of the method 300 are performed by two or more HMD devices (e.g., HMD devices 110a and 110b) concurrently.\",\n \"That is, camera device 115a obtains a facial/background image 505/1205 of the user 105a (e.g., step 313), the facial features of the user 105a are tracked (e.g., steps 315 and 330), a patch image 1105 is generated (e.g., step 350), the patch image 1105 is merged into the facial/background image 1205 and the resulting composite image 1305 is sent to user 105b for rendering at the HMD device 110b.\",\n \"Similarly and concurrently, camera device 115b obtains a facial/background image of the user 105b, the facial features of the user 105b are tracked, a patch image is generated, the patch image is merged into the facial/background image and the resulting composite image is sent to user 105a for rendering at the HMD device 110a and viewing by the user 105a.\",\n \"The tracking, generation and transmission of the composite images occur in real time.\",\n \"Even though each user is wearing an HMD device, the user can see simulated eyes and other facial features of the other user.\",\n \"These simulated facial features follow the actual facial movements of the corresponding user in real time, thus creating a significantly more engaging, interactive and personal communication experience.\",\n \"Some of the embodiments described above relate to a system in which two users with two HMD devices are communicating with one another.\",\n \"However, it should be appreciated that the system is not limited to such applications.\",\n \"By way of example, most or almost all of the operations illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B may be applied to a system in which there is only one user 105a who uses an HMD device 110a and/or a camera device 115a (FIG.\",\n \"1).\",\n \"Steps 305-375 are performed as described above.\",\n \"Steps 380 and 385 may also be performed, except the composite image is not necessarily transmitted to another user 105b or HMD device 110b.\",\n \"Instead, the composite image is provided to or transmitted over a network to any suitable receiving device e.g., a television, a smart phone, a tablet, any suitable computing device or display device, etc.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the receiving device is arranged to display the composite image.\",\n \"In some approaches, the composite image(s) are received in real time, although this is not a requirement and the composite image(s) may be received at any time.\",\n \"That is, the composite image(s) may be generated for any suitable purpose or device, and are not limited to being displayed at another HMD device or for communication applications.\",\n \"Referring next to FIG.\",\n \"16-19, a head mounted display (HMD) device 1600 according to a particular embodiment of the present invention will be described.\",\n \"The HMD device 1600 may be any suitable head mounted display device (e.g., the HMD device 110a of FIG.\",\n \"1).\",\n \"Perspective, back and front views of an example HMD device 1600 are illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"16-18.FIG.\",\n \"19 is a diagram illustrating various components of the HMD device 1600.The HMD device 1600 includes a processor unit 1905, which includes one or more processors, a storage unit 1910, a display unit 1920, a network interface unit 1915, a light emitter unit 1925, a sensor unit 1930, an HMD device control module 1935 and a power source 1940.In various implementations, the processor unit 1905 is not used or is not (primarily) responsible for the processing of images or other operations described below.\",\n \"Instead, any data/images to be processed is transferred to a remote device and the processing is performed by the remote device (e.g., the server 120, a game console, the camera device 115a, a television, any suitable computing device, etc.)\",\n \"The light emitter unit 1925 includes one or more light emitting devices.\",\n \"Any suitable type of light emitting device or light emitting technology may be used (e.g., an infrared light, an LED light) and each light emitting device may be positioned on any surface or part of the HMD device 1600.In various embodiments, for example, a light emitting device is positioned on the exterior of the HMD device 1600, as illustrated by device 1605 in FIGS.\",\n \"16 and 18.The light emitting device 1605 emits a light that is used as a marker by the camera device 115a when the HMD device 1600 is worn by a user in front of the camera device 115a.\",\n \"That is, the camera device 115a uses the emitted light to help track the movement, orientation and/or pose of the face of the user 105a (e.g., as described in connection with step 330 of FIG.\",\n \"3A.)\",\n \"The interior of the HMD device 1600 may also include a light emitting device.\",\n \"In various designs, for example, there is one or more infrared light emitting devices positioned in the back or interior of the HMD device 1600.One example location for the infrared light is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"17, which shows the interior or rear of the HMD device 1600 i.e., the side of the HMD device that, when worn, is positioned over the eyes and flush against the face of the user.\",\n \"One or more light sources 1610 (e.g., infrared light sources) are positioned on the HMD device 1600 and arranged to illuminate the eyes of the user when the user wears the HMD device 1600.The infrared light sources assist in the tracking of particular facial features (e.g., gaze, eyelids, etc.)\",\n \"The sensor unit 1930 includes one or more sensors that are arranged to help track facial movements of a user who is wearing the HMD device.\",\n \"Any suitable sensor technology may be used, including but not limited to tracking cameras, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, mechanical sensors, motion sensors, light sensors and electrical sensors.\",\n \"In various embodiments, for example, there are one or more electromyography (EMG) and electrooculography (EOG) sensors positioned on the interior/back side of the HMD device.\",\n \"An example set of EMG sensors 1605 and EOG sensors is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"17.In this example, the EMG sensors 1605 and the EOG sensors 1605a are situated on or within a cushion on the HMD device 1600.When the HMD device 1600 is worn, the cushion and the sensors 1605 are pressed flush against the eyebrows of the user.\",\n \"When the eyebrows move, the sensors 1605 detect the electrical impulses generated by the muscle movement.\",\n \"The HMD device 1600 then transmits this sensor data to the camera device 115a for processing, as described in steps 315, 320 and 325 of FIG.\",\n \"3A.\",\n \"Such EMG sensors may be arranged to detect motion in other parts of the face of a user as well.\",\n \"There may also be one or more light sensors mounted on the HMD device 1600.One such example is illustrated in FIGS.\",\n \"16 and 18.As shown in the figures, a light sensor 1610 is mounted on an exterior surface of the HMD device 1600.The light sensor 1610 is arranged to detect a level of ambient light around the HMD device 1600.The HMD device 1600 is arranged to transmit the light sensor data to an image processing device (e.g., camera device 115a or server 120 of FIG.\",\n \"1) using the network interface unit 1915, so that the data can be used to help determine how a tone or light level in a 3D model 405 should be adjusted (e.g., as described in step 340).\",\n \"The sensor unit 1930 may also include one or more cameras or other tracking devices that are arranged to track the movement of facial features that are covered by the HMD device 1600.In some embodiments, for example, the sensor unit 1930 includes one or more cameras that are arranged to track gaze, eye rotation, eyelid movement and/or other facial features that underlie the HMD device 1600 when the device is worn by a user.\",\n \"An example arrangement of such tracking devices (e.g., tracking cameras 1615) are shown in FIG.\",\n \"17.The display unit 1920 is any hardware or software used to display images, video or graphics to a user of the HMD device 1600.An example position for the display unit is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"17.In the illustrated embodiment, when the user wears the HMD device 1600, the display unit 1920 is positioned directly over the eyes of the user.\",\n \"The display unit 1920 can use any suitable display and/or projection technology to show images to the user.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the display unit 1920 is arranged to provide the user with a virtual reality experience.\",\n \"That is, the HMD device 1600 completely covers the eyes of the user, therefore removing the user's ability to see his physical surroundings.\",\n \"Once the display unit 1920 is activated, the only thing the user is able to see are the graphics and images that the display unit 1920 generates.\",\n \"This can give the user the impression that he or she is an entirely different, virtual environment.\",\n \"In some designs, when the user turns his or her head, sensors in the HMD device 1600 detect the motion and cause the images to shift to give an impression that the user is actually physically in the simulated environment and can explore it just as the user would any real, physical environment (i.e., by turning one's head, peering around a corner, looking up and down an object, etc.)\",\n \"The display unit 1620 is further arranged to display the face of another HMD device user in real time, with (partially) simulated facial expressions, as described in step 385 of FIG.\",\n \"3B.\",\n \"Any known virtual reality display technology may be used in the display unit 1920.The power source 1940 includes any suitable hardware or software used to store energy or electrical power.\",\n \"The stored energy is used to power other components and operations of the HMD device 1600.Any suitable energy storage mechanism may be used.\",\n \"In some embodiments, for example, the power source is a battery.\",\n \"In other embodiments, the HMD device 1600 is powered through a wired connection to an external power source.\",\n \"The network interface unit 1915 includes any hardware or software suitable for enabling the HMD device 1600 to communicate with other devices (e.g., the camera device 115a, the server 120, another HMD device, etc.)\",\n \"over a network (e.g., a local network, network 125 of FIG.\",\n \"1, a wireless or wired network, etc.)\",\n \"In some embodiments, the network interface unit 1915 is arranged to transmit tracking and sensor data to the camera device 115a for processing (e.g., steps 320 and 335 of FIG.\",\n \"3A.)\",\n \"The network interface unit 1915 is also arranged to receive images and image data over the network 125 from another camera device and/or HMD device (e.g., step 385 of FIG.\",\n \"3B.)\",\n \"The network interface unit 1012 is arranged to transmit data and receive data using any suitable network (e.g., LAN, Internet, etc.)\",\n \"or communications protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi, NFC, IEEE 802.15.4, IEEE 802.11, etc.)\",\n \"The storage unit 1910 includes any hardware or software suitable for storing data or executable computer code.\",\n \"The storage unit 1910 can include but is not limited to a hard drive, flash drive, non-volatile memory, volatile memory or any other type of computer readable storage medium.\",\n \"Any operation or method for the HMD device (e.g., HMD device 110a/110b of FIG.\",\n \"1) that is described in this application (e.g., step 315 of FIG.\",\n \"3A, step 385 of FIG.\",\n \"3B, etc.)\",\n \"may be stored in the form of executable computer code or instructions in the storage unit 1910.The execution of the computer code or instructions by the processor unit 1905 causes the device 1600 to perform any of the aforementioned operations or methods.\",\n \"The HMD device control module 1935 is any hardware or software arranged to perform any of the operations or methods (e.g., step 315 of FIG.\",\n \"3A, step 385 of FIG.\",\n \"3B, etc.)\",\n \"described in this application that pertain to the HMD device (e.g., HMD device 110a/110b of FIG.\",\n \"1.)\",\n \"In various embodiments, the HMD device control module 1935 is arranged to cause the device 1600 to track facial features, render and display images received from another HMD device/camera device (e.g., steps 315 and 385).\",\n \"The HMD device 1600 may have a wide variety of different form factors, sizes, dimensions and configurations.\",\n \"One particular example implementation is shown in the FIGS.\",\n \"16-18.In the illustrated embodiment, for example, the HMD device 1600 includes a body 1640 with a frontside 1645 and a backside 1650.The body 1640 includes some or all of the electrical and computer components described above and shown in FIG.\",\n \"19.The frontside 1645 of the body 1640 is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"18 and includes a frontal plate 1655.When the HMD device 1600 is worn by a user, the frontal plate 1655 and body 1640 completely cover and hide the eyes of the user.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the frontal plate 1655 and body 1640 thus entirely prevent any ambient light from reaching the eyes of the user.\",\n \"As a result, the HMD device 1600 is able to entirely control what the user sees.\",\n \"The backside 1650 of the HMD device 1600, which is illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"17, is designed to be placed flush against the face and over the eyes of the user.\",\n \"In the illustrated embodiment, the backside 1650 of the HMD device 1600 includes a cushion 1660 that surrounds or borders the display unit 1920.As previously discussed, the cushion may include various biometric sensors (e.g., EMG sensors 1605, EOG 1605a, etc.)\",\n \"and is designed to be pressed flush against the forehead or other portions of the face of the user when the HMD device 1600 is worn.\",\n \"The HMD device 1600 may also include various structures or mechanisms for firmly securing the HMD device 1600 to the face of a user.\",\n \"In the illustrated embodiment, for example, when a user wears the HMD device 1600, the device is secured to the face with a side strap 1665 that goes around the head, as illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"16.Another central strap 1670 extends from the top of the body 1640 of the HMD device 1600 over the top of the head.\",\n \"In this particular embodiment, one or more light emitting devices 1605 are mounted on a portion of this central strap.\",\n \"Such devices emit light that a camera device 115a can use to track the position of the head of the user.\",\n \"Additionally or alternatively, such devices may be placed in any suitable location on a surface of the HMD device 1600.Referring next to FIG.\",\n \"20, an imaging processing device 2000 according to a particular embodiment of the present invention will be described.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the imaging processing device 2000 is a camera device (e.g., the camera device 115a of FIGS.\",\n \"1 and 6), although the imaging processing device 2000 may also be any suitable device arranged to collect, generate, process and transmit images as described in the method 300 of FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B.\",\n \"That is, the imaging processing device 2000 may be any device that is arranged to perform some or all of the operations performed by the camera device 115a in the aforementioned method.\",\n \"Accordingly, in some embodiments, the imaging processing device 2000 is a camera device, a game console, a server (e.g., the server 120 of FIG.\",\n \"1), a computer, a smartphone a television and/or any other suitable computing device.\",\n \"The imaging processing device 2000 includes a processor unit 2005 that includes one or more processors, a storage unit 2010, an image processing device control module 2020, an optional sensor unit 2025 and a network interface unit 2015.The network interface unit 2015 includes any hardware or software suitable for enabling the imaging processing device 2000 to communicate with the HMD device (e.g., HMD device 110a/1600), the server 120 or other devices over a network as appropriate.\",\n \"In some embodiments, the network interface unit 2015 is arranged to obtain a 3D model 405, a background image 510, HMD device tracking data, camera/light sensor tracking data or other types of data from external sources (e.g., steps 305, 310, 320 and 335 of FIG.\",\n \"3A.)\",\n \"The network interface unit 2015 is also arranged to transmit image data to an HMD device 110a/110b/1600 over a network, so that the image data can be rendered and seen by a user of the HMD device (e.g., step 380 of FIG.\",\n \"3B.)\",\n \"The network interface unit 2015 is arranged to transmit data and receive data using any suitable network (e.g., LAN, Internet, etc.)\",\n \"or communications protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, WiFi, NFC, IEEE 802.15.4, IEEE 802.11, etc.)\",\n \"The storage unit 2010 is any hardware or suitable for storing data or executable computer code.\",\n \"The storage unit 2010 can include but is not limited to a hard drive, flash drive, non-volatile memory, volatile memory or any other type of computer readable storage medium.\",\n \"Any operation or method for the camera device (e.g., camera device 115a of FIG.\",\n \"1) that is described in this application (e.g., steps 305-310, steps 320-385 of FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B) may be stored in the form of executable computer code or instructions in the storage unit 2010.The execution of the computer code or instructions by the processor unit 2005 causes the device 2000 to perform any of the aforementioned operations or methods.\",\n \"The image processing device control module 2020 is any hardware or software arranged to perform any of the operations or methods (e.g., steps 305-310, steps 320-385 of FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B) described in this application that pertain to the camera device 115a.\",\n \"In various embodiments, the image processing device control module 2020 is arranged to cause the device to obtain a 3D model, a background image, HMD device and/or camera device tracking data, render a model, obtain a patch image, merge the patch image and a facial/background image, merge the resulting composite image with a background patch and transmit the composite image (e.g., steps 305-380 of FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B.)\",\n \"The sensor unit 2025 is an optional unit that is included if the image processing device 2000 is, for example, a camera/monitoring device (e.g., the camera device 115a of FIG.\",\n \"1.)\",\n \"The sensor unit 2025 includes any hardware or software arranged to help track or monitor facial features of a user who wearing an HMD device.\",\n \"In various embodiments, for example, the sensor unit 2025 includes one or more cameras that are arranged to track a light emitted by a device on the HMD device.\",\n \"In still other embodiments, the camera(s) are used to track the general orientation or pose of the head of a user and/or particular features on the face of the user (e.g., the position of the lips.)\",\n \"Some implementations of the sensor unit 2025 include one or more light sensors arranged to track the ambient light level, or the light level on a nearby object or user (e.g., as described in connection with step 330 of FIG.\",\n \"3A.)\",\n \"The image processing device 2000 then analyzes the images and sensor data and processes them (e.g., as described in steps 330, 335 and 340 of FIG.\",\n \"3A.)\",\n \"Any of the methods or operations described herein can be stored in a tangible computer readable medium in the form of executable software code.\",\n \"The code can then be executed by one or more processors.\",\n \"The execution of the code causes a corresponding device (e.g., an image processing device 2000, a server 120, a camera device 115a, an HMD device 110a/1600, etc.)\",\n \"to perform the described operations.\",\n \"The above methods and arrangements relate to the generation of a patch image.\",\n \"In some of the examples described above, the patch image corresponds to only a portion of the face of a user.\",\n \"However, in various implementations, the patch image corresponds to other parts of the face or body, or can correspond to or indicate any part of the body or a portion of any object or image.\",\n \"The above methods and arrangements also describe techniques for merging a patch image and a facial/background image.\",\n \"In some of the aforementioned examples, the facial/background image is an image captured using a (video) camera e.g., each facial/background image is a video frame of a video taken of the user who is wearing an HMD device.\",\n \"The patch image is based on a rendered model of at least a portion of the head or face of the user.\",\n \"The patch image and the facial/background image are merged, forming a composite image that is partially or mostly a video frame.\",\n \"A portion of the composite image is the patch image, which is a pre-rendered model of a portion of the face of the user and is not a photograph or video of the user.\",\n \"It should be appreciated, however, that the patch image and the facial/background image may be based on a wide variety of different types of media and formats.\",\n \"For example, in some embodiments, the facial/background image is not a frame of a live video feed, but instead is also a rendered three-dimensional model (which in turn may have been generated based on a video or a three dimensional scan of a user and/or his or her surroundings.)\",\n \"The techniques described herein can be used to merge a patch image (e.g., a rendered model of a user's eyes or eye region) with the facial/background image (e.g., a rendered model of at least other portions of the user's face or head.)\",\n \"In some of the aforementioned examples, an HMD device is described that covers the eyes of a user.\",\n \"A facial/background image is taken that captures the user, and a patch image is merged into the facial/background image.\",\n \"This merger replaces the HMD device in the image with simulated facial features.\",\n \"However, it should be appreciated that the techniques of this application may also be applied to any process in which one image is “patched” with another, and is not necessarily limited only to the specific examples of patch images and HMD devices described above.\",\n \"By way of example, in some implementations, the HMD device does not completely cover the eyes of a user and/or may cover other parts of the face or body of a user.\",\n \"The patching techniques described herein may be used to generate one or more patch images based on sensors in the HMD device that track features underlying the HMD device.\",\n \"Based on such sensor data, a patch image may be generated and merged with a facial/background image of the user and the HMD device (e.g., generally as described in the steps of method 300 of FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B.)\",\n \"Although only a few embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it should be appreciated that the invention may be implemented in many other forms without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.\",\n \"For example, the present application and figures describe various methods (e.g., methods of FIGS.\",\n \"3A and 3B) that perform particular operations.\",\n \"It should be appreciated that in some embodiments, one or more of these operations/steps may be modified, reordered and/or deleted.\",\n \"Additionally, some figures, such as FIGS.\",\n \"1 and 16-20, describe devices that contain various components.\",\n \"It should be noted that in some embodiments, one or more of these components may be merged together.\",\n \"In still other embodiments, one or more components may be separated into a greater number of components.\",\n \"The features of one component may be transferred to another and/or modified as appropriate.\",\n \"Each device may have additional components beyond what is shown in the corresponding figure.\",\n \"Therefore, the present embodiments should be considered illustrative and not restrictive and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.\"\n ]\n]"},"source":{"kind":"string","value":"Patent_15874318"}}},{"rowIdx":4494569,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"list like","value":[["Movable Cooking Appliance","A movable cooking appliance comprises a structure which is adapted to be placed on a kitchen worktop appliance or inside a cooking oven appliance and includes a heating element and releasable connector assembly for making electrical connection with power supply connectors.","The heating element is an induction heating element and an electronic driving unit is mounted on the appliance.","The releasable connector assembly comprising a plug connector having a plurality of terminals designed in order to provide a disconnection signal to the electronic unit before the power supply connectors are fully extracted."],["1.A method of controlling a cooking appliance including a cooking unit having an electronic driving unit, an induction tray configured to be removably attached to the cooking unit and having an induction heating element, and a connector assembly interconnecting the induction tray to the cooking unit to provide power to and control the induction tray, wherein the connector assembly includes a female connector assembly, including a plurality of female terminals, attached to one of the induction tray or the cooking unit and a male connector assembly, including a plurality of male terminals, attached to another one of the induction tray or the cooking unit, said method comprising: when detaching the induction tray from the cooking unit by removing the plurality of male terminals from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals, causing a power source to be disconnected from the induction tray through the male and female connector assemblies before the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from the plurality of female terminals, with at least one male terminal of the plurality of male terminals being a temperature sensor terminal electrically connected to a temperature sensor of the induction heating element, with the at least one male terminal being different in length than other ones of the plurality of male terminals such that the at least one male terminal is removed from at least one female terminal of the plurality of female terminals to provide a disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals, and with one of the plurality of male terminals acting on a switch to provide a disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.","2.The method of claim 1, wherein various ones of the plurality of male terminals vary in length so as to be removed from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals at varying times to provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.","3.The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of male terminals includes at least three sets of terminals with distinct lengths so as to be removed from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals at three different times to provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.","4.A method of controlling a cooking appliance including a cooking unit having an electronic driving unit, an induction tray configured to be removably attached to the cooking unit and having an induction heating element, and a connector assembly interconnecting the induction tray to the cooking unit to provide power to and control the induction tray, wherein the connector assembly includes a female connector assembly, including a plurality of female terminals, attached to one of the induction tray or the cooking unit and a male connector assembly, including a plurality of male terminals, attached to another one of the induction tray or the cooking unit, said method comprising: when detaching the induction tray from the cooking unit by removing the plurality of male terminals from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals, causing a power source to be disconnected from the induction tray through the male and female connector assemblies before the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from the plurality of female terminals, with at least one male terminal of the plurality of male terminals being a temperature sensor terminal electrically connected to a temperature sensor of the induction heating element, and with the at least one male terminal being different in length than other ones of the plurality of male terminals such that the at least one male terminal is removed from at least one female terminal of the plurality of female terminals to provide a disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.","5.The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one male terminal is shorter in length than the other ones of the plurality of male terminals such that removing the at least one male terminal from at least one female terminal of the plurality of female terminals provides the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.","6.The method of claim 4, wherein various ones of the plurality of male terminals vary in length so as to be removed from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals at varying times to provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.","7.The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of male terminals includes at least three sets of terminals with distinct lengths so as to be removed from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals at three different times to provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.","8.The method of claim 4, further comprising: when attaching the induction tray to the cooking unit, inserting another male terminal of the plurality of male terminals into at least one female terminal of the plurality of female terminals to establish a ground connection for a sensor circuit, the sensor circuit including the temperature sensor of the induction heating element.","9.The method of claim 4, further comprising: when attaching the induction tray to the cooking unit, inserting first and second sensor terminals, first and second power terminals and a ground terminal of the plurality of male terminals into respective ones of the plurality of female terminals.","10.The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second sensor terminals are shorter in length than the first and second power terminals, and the first and second power terminals are shorter in length than the ground terminal such that, when attaching the induction tray to the cooking unit, the ground terminal is inserted into the female connector assembly before the first and second power terminals, and the first and second power terminals are inserted into the female connector before the first and second sensor terminals.","11.A method of controlling a cooking appliance including a cooking unit having an electronic driving unit, an induction tray configured to be removably attached to the cooking unit and having an induction heating element, and a connector assembly interconnecting the induction tray to the cooking unit to provide power to and control the induction tray, wherein the connector assembly includes a female connector assembly, including a plurality of female terminals, attached to one of the induction tray or the cooking unit and a male connector assembly, including a plurality of male terminals, attached to another one of the induction tray or the cooking unit, said method comprising: when detaching the induction tray from the cooking unit by removing the plurality of male terminals from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals, causing a power source to be disconnected from the induction tray through the male and female connector assemblies before the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from the plurality of female terminals, with one of the plurality of male terminals acting on a switch to provide a disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.","12.The method of claim 11, wherein the one of the plurality of male terminals acting on the switch includes the one of the plurality of male terminals acting on a mechanical switch.","13.The method of claim 11, wherein the one of the plurality of male terminals acting on the switch includes the one of the plurality of male terminals acting on a proximity switch.","14.The method of claim 11, wherein the one of the plurality of male terminals is different in length than other ones of the plurality of male terminals so as to disengage from the switch and provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.","15.The method of claim 14, wherein the one of the plurality of male terminals is longer in length than other ones of the plurality of male terminals so as to disengage from the switch and provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.","16.The method of claim 11, wherein various ones of the plurality of male terminals vary in length so as to be removed from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals at varying times to provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.","17.The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of male terminals includes at least three sets of terminals with distinct lengths so as to be removed from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals at three different times to provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.","18.The method of claim 11, further comprising: when attaching the induction tray to the cooking unit, inserting first and second sensor terminals, first and second power terminals and a ground terminal of the plurality of male terminals into respective ones of the plurality of female terminals.","19.The method of claim 18, wherein the first and second sensor terminals are shorter in length than the first and second power terminals, and the first and second power terminals are shorter in length than the ground terminal such that, when attaching the induction tray to the cooking unit, the ground terminal is inserted into the female connector assembly before the first and second power terminals, and the first and second power terminals are inserted into the female connector before the first and second sensor terminals."],[" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION "],[" SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is mainly focused on the problem of assuring safe and reliable insertion and extraction of a releasable connector means for connecting an induction tray, for instance, into an oven cavity.","The present invention also addresses a tray including an induction element being plugged into or unplugged from the socket of a power supply connector means located inside an oven cavity in a safe manner.","It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above concerns.","The present invention is focused on the design of a connector that is to be used to connect an induction tray into a socket of an oven cavity or other type of support used for the tray.","In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connector has five male terminals, including two for the power connection (i.e., supplying an induction heating coil), two for the temperature sensor connection (that allows a reading of temperature sensor placed in the coil centre of the induction heating element for safety reasons) and one a ground connection (that guarantees electrical safety for the user).","The design of the connector according to the invention enables a safer and more reliable insertion and extraction of the male plug of the induction heating tray whenever the user uses it as an accessory inside an oven or on a kitchen worktop."],["CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application represents a continuation application of U.S. application Ser.","No.","13/079,040, titled “Movable Cooking Appliance” and filed on Apr.","4, 2011, pending.","The entire content of this application is incorporated herein by reference.","BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to movable cooking appliances or cooking trays including structure which is adapted to be placed on a worktop of kitchen furniture or inside a cooking oven (collectively referred to as a cooking unit), and includes a heating element and releasable connector means for making electrical connection with power supply connector means.","With the term “movable” we mean any kind of cooking and heating appliance which can be plugged or unplugged to a fixed support, whatever such support is.","Description of the Related Art The above kind of cooking appliances or cooking accessories are well known in the art.","An example is shown in U.S. Pat.","No.","5,272,317.With the known appliances the heating element is an electrical resistance heater connected, for instance, to a shelf or tray adapted to be introduced into an oven cavity.","The use of electrical resistance heaters has been replaced by more efficient induction heating elements which, despite a higher complexity and cost (mainly due to the complex electronic driving circuit), allow the induction heating elements to reach a desired temperature in a shorter time and with a lower energy consumption.","One compromise would be to design an induction cooking appliance or accessory without a built-in electronic driving circuit, and integrating this in kitchen furniture or cooking appliance (such as a traditional oven or an induction oven).","By adopting this solution it is important to assure a safe and reliable connection between the “fixed” electronic driving circuit and the movable induction cooking appliance or accessory.","Prior art connectors that are in use generally have terminals with equal length.","The design of these connectors doesn't implement any further safety feature that guarantees power supply cut-off when the user is extracting the removable tray with an induction heater while the tray is working.","This abnormal procedure may happen during the use of the oven and this can cause a potential risk of electric arcing at the power terminals and potential breakdown of the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) associated with the electronic driving circuit of the heating element.","SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is mainly focused on the problem of assuring safe and reliable insertion and extraction of a releasable connector means for connecting an induction tray, for instance, into an oven cavity.","The present invention also addresses a tray including an induction element being plugged into or unplugged from the socket of a power supply connector means located inside an oven cavity in a safe manner.","It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above concerns.","The present invention is focused on the design of a connector that is to be used to connect an induction tray into a socket of an oven cavity or other type of support used for the tray.","In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connector has five male terminals, including two for the power connection (i.e., supplying an induction heating coil), two for the temperature sensor connection (that allows a reading of temperature sensor placed in the coil centre of the induction heating element for safety reasons) and one a ground connection (that guarantees electrical safety for the user).","The design of the connector according to the invention enables a safer and more reliable insertion and extraction of the male plug of the induction heating tray whenever the user uses it as an accessory inside an oven or on a kitchen worktop.","BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further advantages and features according to the present invention will be clear from the following detailed description, with reference to the attached drawings in which: FIG.","1 is a schematic view of an oven according to the present invention; FIG.","2 is a schematic view detailing the male and female terminals of a plug connector of the oven of FIG.","1, according to a first embodiment of the invention and in a first configuration of use; FIG.","3 is a schematic view similar to FIG.","2, showing the terminals in a second configuration of use; FIG.","4 is a schematic view similar to FIG.","2, showing the terminals in a third configuration; FIG.","5 is a schematic view similar to FIG.","2, showing the terminals in a fourth configuration; FIG.","6 is a schematic view detailing the male and female terminals of the plug connector an oven of FIG.","1, according to a second embodiment of the invention; FIG.","7 is a variant of the embodiment shown in FIG.","6; FIG.","8 is a schematic view detailing the male and female terminals of a plug connector of the oven of FIG.","1, according to a third embodiment of the invention and in an unplugged configuration; FIG.","9 is a schematic view similar to FIG.","8 in a plugged configuration; FIG.","10 is a schematic view detailing the male and female terminals of a plug connector according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; FIG.","11 is a schematic view of the male terminals of a plug connector in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention; FIG.","12 is a schematic view of the male terminals of a plug connector in accordance with yet a further embodiment of the present invention; FIG.","13 is a schematic view detailing the male and female terminals of a plug connector of the oven of FIG.","1, according to another embodiment of the invention, in a partially unplugged position; and FIG.","14 is a schematic view similar to FIG.","13, in a plugged position.","DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the drawings, an induction oven having a cabinet 10 is shown in FIG.","1, the oven cabinet 10 defining a cooking cavity 10a where an induction tray 12 can be inserted and pulled out.","The tray 12 has a double layer main body structure made of non-ferromagnetic material, such as aluminium, and includes an embedded induction heating element or coil (indicated at 36 in FIGS.","11 and 12) with a temperature sensor (depicted at 34 in FIG.","11).","On a rear side 12a of the tray 12 there is a plug connector 14 for the electrical connection of tray 12 with a socket connector 16 placed on a rear wall 11 of the oven cavity 10a.","In the following, we indicate with reference C the overall power connector assembly of the present invention, including the plug or male connector 14 supported by the tray 12 and the socket or female connector 16 supported by the oven.","As noted previously, with known connectors, the design is not able to provide good safety as it doesn't implement any extra feature which lets the power board cut off the power before male plug extraction.","Because of this, extraction of the induction tray 12 without cutting off the power supply to tray 12 may cause safety problems for the customer and reliability problems for the oven.","According to a first embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIG.","1, the design of connector C presents assemblies of five male terminals and associated female terminals which make up a total of five connections.","Two sets of the terminals 18 provide power connections, two sets of the terminals 20 are for the temperature sensor connection and one set including terminal 22 is for the ground connection.","As shown in the embodiment of FIG.","2, the ground terminal 22 has the greatest length, the sensor terminals 20 (equal to each other in length) are the shortest ones and the power terminals 18 (equal to each other in length) have an intermediate length between the lengths of the ground terminal 22 and of the sensor terminals 20.This design enables the ground terminal 22 to connect first during insertion of plug 14, and to disconnect last during extraction of the plug 14, guaranteeing safety electrical discharge through ground terminal 22 in case there might be a discharge between induction coil 36 (again depicted in FIGS.","11 and 12) and aluminium plates of the tray 12, thus eliminating the electrical risks for the user.","FIGS.","2, 3, 4 and 5 show different positions of the male-female connector C: FIG.","2 shows a complete insertion of the plug 14 with all terminals having complete electrical contact; FIG.","3 shows a partial extraction of male plug 14 with ground 22 and power terminals 18 yet in contact; FIG.","4 shows a configuration in which only ground 22 remains in contact; and FIG.","5 shows full extraction, i.e., all terminals are not in contact with socket connector 16.As illustrated in FIG.","3, during extraction of the male plug 14, the sensor terminals 20 lose electrical contact first since they have the shortest length.","Once this happens, a power board indicated at P senses the connection as an open-circuit and automatically cuts off the power to the tray 12 before the power terminals are actually disconnected (as they are still in contact with the female sockets due to their longer terminals).","According to a second embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG.","6, inside the female plug 16 there is a switch 24 that is electrically closed by the ground plug 22 when inserting the male plug 14.This circuit is connected to power board P of the oven.","The switch 24 can be of any kind.","For instance, it can be a mechanical switch (that is in physical contact with the terminals) or it can be a proximity switch (that doesn't need a physical contact), such as a reed switch 40 shown in FIGS.","13 and 14.This switch mechanism 24 can be short-circuited and open-circuited, distinguishing the cases between complete male plug insertion and not complete insertion, respectively.","As can be seen in FIG.","6, the extraction of the male plug 14 from the female socket 16 including mechanical switch 24 causes the opening of the circuit, sending therefore a signal to the power board P to interrupt the power supply to the tray 12 before the power terminals 18 are disconnected.","It is clear that the position of the mechanical switch 24 (in FIG.","6 it is positioned close to the ground terminal 22) can vary and can be applied to any other terminal.","However, it must be placed in a way that the mechanical switch 24 opens before the power terminals 18 are completely extracted, in order to allow the power board P to cut off the power before the connector 14 is fully extracted from female plug 16 (safety power cut-off).","FIG.","7 shows a connector C which is slightly different from the one shown in FIG.","6, and where the length of the terminals 18, 20 and 22 are similar to the one shown in FIG.","2.In this embodiment, the ground terminal 22 remains the longest for safety precaution as already explained.","If the switch 24 is a reed switch, the terminal involved has to be made of permanent magnetic material.","A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.","8 and 9, where the male plug 14 has terminals of identical lengths and a female socket 16 with a mechanical switch mechanism 26.This mechanism 26 comprises a metal piece 26a hinged to one of the temperature sensor female terminals 20 via a spring 26b.","When the male plug 14 is not inserted (FIG.","8), the metal piece 26a contacts both terminals 20 of sensor 34, short-circuiting them.","The power board P senses that temperature sensor terminals 20 are short circuited and it doesn't supply power to induction tray 12.Otherwise, when the male plug 14 is inserted (FIG.","9), the metal piece 26a doesn't contact both terminals 20 and therefore the power board P supplies power to the induction tray 12 as it senses that the male plug 14 is fully inserted and there is no safety issue.","The embodiment shown in FIG.","10 has all five terminals 18, 20, 22 mentioned above at equal length, and it presents in addition a sixth terminal 30b (associated with an additional plug 30a) which is made of another material such as ceramic or plastic and which has a greater length than other terminals.","This sixth terminal 30b turns on and off the electrical connection by a mechanical switch 32 during insertion and extraction, respectively.","The embodiment shown in FIG.","11 has the aim of reducing the number of terminals or to avoid the need of adding extra sensor terminals.","Reducing the number of terminals would provide a cost saving and easier connection in addition to space saving inside the oven.","More specifically, the male plug 14 in this embodiment has four terminals consisting of one ground terminal 22, two power terminals 18 and one single terminal 20 for a temperature sensor indicated with reference 34 in FIG.","11, while the induction coil is schematically indicated with reference 36.According to this embodiment, in order to save material and space, it is possible to use the ground terminal 22 as the second sensor terminal.","This embodiment has the ground terminal 22 with the greatest length, the sensor single terminal 20 with the shortest length and the power terminals 18 in between these two lengths as in the first above embodiment.","The power board P should be designed for reading the sensor signal with an isolated signal-conditioning circuit, as it is referenced with the oven ground which is isolated with respect to the power supplier in any appliance by default.","In the further embodiment shown in FIG.","12, the five terminals of the previous embodiment 18, 20 and 22 are maintained and an extra temperature sensor 38 is added that will still use the ground as a reference level.","This can also be extended to three readings using three terminals and a ground terminal, and so on.","Increasing the number of temperature readings enables a better control of the induction heater temperature, and using the ground terminal provides a savings from the number of terminals needed.","The power board P should be designed for reading the sensor signal with an isolated signal-conditioning circuit in this embodiment, as well.","Even if in the above embodiments the plug connector 14 is shown as supported by the induction tray 12, it is clear that such a plug connector can be supported by the rear oven wall 11 and the socket connector 16 can be supported by the tray 12 as well."]],"string":"[\n [\n \"Movable Cooking Appliance\",\n \"A movable cooking appliance comprises a structure which is adapted to be placed on a kitchen worktop appliance or inside a cooking oven appliance and includes a heating element and releasable connector assembly for making electrical connection with power supply connectors.\",\n \"The heating element is an induction heating element and an electronic driving unit is mounted on the appliance.\",\n \"The releasable connector assembly comprising a plug connector having a plurality of terminals designed in order to provide a disconnection signal to the electronic unit before the power supply connectors are fully extracted.\"\n ],\n [\n \"1.A method of controlling a cooking appliance including a cooking unit having an electronic driving unit, an induction tray configured to be removably attached to the cooking unit and having an induction heating element, and a connector assembly interconnecting the induction tray to the cooking unit to provide power to and control the induction tray, wherein the connector assembly includes a female connector assembly, including a plurality of female terminals, attached to one of the induction tray or the cooking unit and a male connector assembly, including a plurality of male terminals, attached to another one of the induction tray or the cooking unit, said method comprising: when detaching the induction tray from the cooking unit by removing the plurality of male terminals from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals, causing a power source to be disconnected from the induction tray through the male and female connector assemblies before the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from the plurality of female terminals, with at least one male terminal of the plurality of male terminals being a temperature sensor terminal electrically connected to a temperature sensor of the induction heating element, with the at least one male terminal being different in length than other ones of the plurality of male terminals such that the at least one male terminal is removed from at least one female terminal of the plurality of female terminals to provide a disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals, and with one of the plurality of male terminals acting on a switch to provide a disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"2.The method of claim 1, wherein various ones of the plurality of male terminals vary in length so as to be removed from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals at varying times to provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"3.The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of male terminals includes at least three sets of terminals with distinct lengths so as to be removed from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals at three different times to provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"4.A method of controlling a cooking appliance including a cooking unit having an electronic driving unit, an induction tray configured to be removably attached to the cooking unit and having an induction heating element, and a connector assembly interconnecting the induction tray to the cooking unit to provide power to and control the induction tray, wherein the connector assembly includes a female connector assembly, including a plurality of female terminals, attached to one of the induction tray or the cooking unit and a male connector assembly, including a plurality of male terminals, attached to another one of the induction tray or the cooking unit, said method comprising: when detaching the induction tray from the cooking unit by removing the plurality of male terminals from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals, causing a power source to be disconnected from the induction tray through the male and female connector assemblies before the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from the plurality of female terminals, with at least one male terminal of the plurality of male terminals being a temperature sensor terminal electrically connected to a temperature sensor of the induction heating element, and with the at least one male terminal being different in length than other ones of the plurality of male terminals such that the at least one male terminal is removed from at least one female terminal of the plurality of female terminals to provide a disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"5.The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one male terminal is shorter in length than the other ones of the plurality of male terminals such that removing the at least one male terminal from at least one female terminal of the plurality of female terminals provides the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"6.The method of claim 4, wherein various ones of the plurality of male terminals vary in length so as to be removed from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals at varying times to provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"7.The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of male terminals includes at least three sets of terminals with distinct lengths so as to be removed from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals at three different times to provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"8.The method of claim 4, further comprising: when attaching the induction tray to the cooking unit, inserting another male terminal of the plurality of male terminals into at least one female terminal of the plurality of female terminals to establish a ground connection for a sensor circuit, the sensor circuit including the temperature sensor of the induction heating element.\",\n \"9.The method of claim 4, further comprising: when attaching the induction tray to the cooking unit, inserting first and second sensor terminals, first and second power terminals and a ground terminal of the plurality of male terminals into respective ones of the plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"10.The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second sensor terminals are shorter in length than the first and second power terminals, and the first and second power terminals are shorter in length than the ground terminal such that, when attaching the induction tray to the cooking unit, the ground terminal is inserted into the female connector assembly before the first and second power terminals, and the first and second power terminals are inserted into the female connector before the first and second sensor terminals.\",\n \"11.A method of controlling a cooking appliance including a cooking unit having an electronic driving unit, an induction tray configured to be removably attached to the cooking unit and having an induction heating element, and a connector assembly interconnecting the induction tray to the cooking unit to provide power to and control the induction tray, wherein the connector assembly includes a female connector assembly, including a plurality of female terminals, attached to one of the induction tray or the cooking unit and a male connector assembly, including a plurality of male terminals, attached to another one of the induction tray or the cooking unit, said method comprising: when detaching the induction tray from the cooking unit by removing the plurality of male terminals from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals, causing a power source to be disconnected from the induction tray through the male and female connector assemblies before the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from the plurality of female terminals, with one of the plurality of male terminals acting on a switch to provide a disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"12.The method of claim 11, wherein the one of the plurality of male terminals acting on the switch includes the one of the plurality of male terminals acting on a mechanical switch.\",\n \"13.The method of claim 11, wherein the one of the plurality of male terminals acting on the switch includes the one of the plurality of male terminals acting on a proximity switch.\",\n \"14.The method of claim 11, wherein the one of the plurality of male terminals is different in length than other ones of the plurality of male terminals so as to disengage from the switch and provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"15.The method of claim 14, wherein the one of the plurality of male terminals is longer in length than other ones of the plurality of male terminals so as to disengage from the switch and provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"16.The method of claim 11, wherein various ones of the plurality of male terminals vary in length so as to be removed from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals at varying times to provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"17.The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of male terminals includes at least three sets of terminals with distinct lengths so as to be removed from respective ones of the plurality of female terminals at three different times to provide the disconnection signal to the electronic driving unit before all of the plurality of male terminals are fully removed from their respective plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"18.The method of claim 11, further comprising: when attaching the induction tray to the cooking unit, inserting first and second sensor terminals, first and second power terminals and a ground terminal of the plurality of male terminals into respective ones of the plurality of female terminals.\",\n \"19.The method of claim 18, wherein the first and second sensor terminals are shorter in length than the first and second power terminals, and the first and second power terminals are shorter in length than the ground terminal such that, when attaching the induction tray to the cooking unit, the ground terminal is inserted into the female connector assembly before the first and second power terminals, and the first and second power terminals are inserted into the female connector before the first and second sensor terminals.\"\n ],\n [\n \" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION \"\n ],\n [\n \" SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is mainly focused on the problem of assuring safe and reliable insertion and extraction of a releasable connector means for connecting an induction tray, for instance, into an oven cavity.\",\n \"The present invention also addresses a tray including an induction element being plugged into or unplugged from the socket of a power supply connector means located inside an oven cavity in a safe manner.\",\n \"It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above concerns.\",\n \"The present invention is focused on the design of a connector that is to be used to connect an induction tray into a socket of an oven cavity or other type of support used for the tray.\",\n \"In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connector has five male terminals, including two for the power connection (i.e., supplying an induction heating coil), two for the temperature sensor connection (that allows a reading of temperature sensor placed in the coil centre of the induction heating element for safety reasons) and one a ground connection (that guarantees electrical safety for the user).\",\n \"The design of the connector according to the invention enables a safer and more reliable insertion and extraction of the male plug of the induction heating tray whenever the user uses it as an accessory inside an oven or on a kitchen worktop.\"\n ],\n [\n \"CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application represents a continuation application of U.S. application Ser.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"13/079,040, titled “Movable Cooking Appliance” and filed on Apr.\",\n \"4, 2011, pending.\",\n \"The entire content of this application is incorporated herein by reference.\",\n \"BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to movable cooking appliances or cooking trays including structure which is adapted to be placed on a worktop of kitchen furniture or inside a cooking oven (collectively referred to as a cooking unit), and includes a heating element and releasable connector means for making electrical connection with power supply connector means.\",\n \"With the term “movable” we mean any kind of cooking and heating appliance which can be plugged or unplugged to a fixed support, whatever such support is.\",\n \"Description of the Related Art The above kind of cooking appliances or cooking accessories are well known in the art.\",\n \"An example is shown in U.S. Pat.\",\n \"No.\",\n \"5,272,317.With the known appliances the heating element is an electrical resistance heater connected, for instance, to a shelf or tray adapted to be introduced into an oven cavity.\",\n \"The use of electrical resistance heaters has been replaced by more efficient induction heating elements which, despite a higher complexity and cost (mainly due to the complex electronic driving circuit), allow the induction heating elements to reach a desired temperature in a shorter time and with a lower energy consumption.\",\n \"One compromise would be to design an induction cooking appliance or accessory without a built-in electronic driving circuit, and integrating this in kitchen furniture or cooking appliance (such as a traditional oven or an induction oven).\",\n \"By adopting this solution it is important to assure a safe and reliable connection between the “fixed” electronic driving circuit and the movable induction cooking appliance or accessory.\",\n \"Prior art connectors that are in use generally have terminals with equal length.\",\n \"The design of these connectors doesn't implement any further safety feature that guarantees power supply cut-off when the user is extracting the removable tray with an induction heater while the tray is working.\",\n \"This abnormal procedure may happen during the use of the oven and this can cause a potential risk of electric arcing at the power terminals and potential breakdown of the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) associated with the electronic driving circuit of the heating element.\",\n \"SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is mainly focused on the problem of assuring safe and reliable insertion and extraction of a releasable connector means for connecting an induction tray, for instance, into an oven cavity.\",\n \"The present invention also addresses a tray including an induction element being plugged into or unplugged from the socket of a power supply connector means located inside an oven cavity in a safe manner.\",\n \"It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a solution to the above concerns.\",\n \"The present invention is focused on the design of a connector that is to be used to connect an induction tray into a socket of an oven cavity or other type of support used for the tray.\",\n \"In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connector has five male terminals, including two for the power connection (i.e., supplying an induction heating coil), two for the temperature sensor connection (that allows a reading of temperature sensor placed in the coil centre of the induction heating element for safety reasons) and one a ground connection (that guarantees electrical safety for the user).\",\n \"The design of the connector according to the invention enables a safer and more reliable insertion and extraction of the male plug of the induction heating tray whenever the user uses it as an accessory inside an oven or on a kitchen worktop.\",\n \"BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further advantages and features according to the present invention will be clear from the following detailed description, with reference to the attached drawings in which: FIG.\",\n \"1 is a schematic view of an oven according to the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"2 is a schematic view detailing the male and female terminals of a plug connector of the oven of FIG.\",\n \"1, according to a first embodiment of the invention and in a first configuration of use; FIG.\",\n \"3 is a schematic view similar to FIG.\",\n \"2, showing the terminals in a second configuration of use; FIG.\",\n \"4 is a schematic view similar to FIG.\",\n \"2, showing the terminals in a third configuration; FIG.\",\n \"5 is a schematic view similar to FIG.\",\n \"2, showing the terminals in a fourth configuration; FIG.\",\n \"6 is a schematic view detailing the male and female terminals of the plug connector an oven of FIG.\",\n \"1, according to a second embodiment of the invention; FIG.\",\n \"7 is a variant of the embodiment shown in FIG.\",\n \"6; FIG.\",\n \"8 is a schematic view detailing the male and female terminals of a plug connector of the oven of FIG.\",\n \"1, according to a third embodiment of the invention and in an unplugged configuration; FIG.\",\n \"9 is a schematic view similar to FIG.\",\n \"8 in a plugged configuration; FIG.\",\n \"10 is a schematic view detailing the male and female terminals of a plug connector according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"11 is a schematic view of the male terminals of a plug connector in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"12 is a schematic view of the male terminals of a plug connector in accordance with yet a further embodiment of the present invention; FIG.\",\n \"13 is a schematic view detailing the male and female terminals of a plug connector of the oven of FIG.\",\n \"1, according to another embodiment of the invention, in a partially unplugged position; and FIG.\",\n \"14 is a schematic view similar to FIG.\",\n \"13, in a plugged position.\",\n \"DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to the drawings, an induction oven having a cabinet 10 is shown in FIG.\",\n \"1, the oven cabinet 10 defining a cooking cavity 10a where an induction tray 12 can be inserted and pulled out.\",\n \"The tray 12 has a double layer main body structure made of non-ferromagnetic material, such as aluminium, and includes an embedded induction heating element or coil (indicated at 36 in FIGS.\",\n \"11 and 12) with a temperature sensor (depicted at 34 in FIG.\",\n \"11).\",\n \"On a rear side 12a of the tray 12 there is a plug connector 14 for the electrical connection of tray 12 with a socket connector 16 placed on a rear wall 11 of the oven cavity 10a.\",\n \"In the following, we indicate with reference C the overall power connector assembly of the present invention, including the plug or male connector 14 supported by the tray 12 and the socket or female connector 16 supported by the oven.\",\n \"As noted previously, with known connectors, the design is not able to provide good safety as it doesn't implement any extra feature which lets the power board cut off the power before male plug extraction.\",\n \"Because of this, extraction of the induction tray 12 without cutting off the power supply to tray 12 may cause safety problems for the customer and reliability problems for the oven.\",\n \"According to a first embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIG.\",\n \"1, the design of connector C presents assemblies of five male terminals and associated female terminals which make up a total of five connections.\",\n \"Two sets of the terminals 18 provide power connections, two sets of the terminals 20 are for the temperature sensor connection and one set including terminal 22 is for the ground connection.\",\n \"As shown in the embodiment of FIG.\",\n \"2, the ground terminal 22 has the greatest length, the sensor terminals 20 (equal to each other in length) are the shortest ones and the power terminals 18 (equal to each other in length) have an intermediate length between the lengths of the ground terminal 22 and of the sensor terminals 20.This design enables the ground terminal 22 to connect first during insertion of plug 14, and to disconnect last during extraction of the plug 14, guaranteeing safety electrical discharge through ground terminal 22 in case there might be a discharge between induction coil 36 (again depicted in FIGS.\",\n \"11 and 12) and aluminium plates of the tray 12, thus eliminating the electrical risks for the user.\",\n \"FIGS.\",\n \"2, 3, 4 and 5 show different positions of the male-female connector C: FIG.\",\n \"2 shows a complete insertion of the plug 14 with all terminals having complete electrical contact; FIG.\",\n \"3 shows a partial extraction of male plug 14 with ground 22 and power terminals 18 yet in contact; FIG.\",\n \"4 shows a configuration in which only ground 22 remains in contact; and FIG.\",\n \"5 shows full extraction, i.e., all terminals are not in contact with socket connector 16.As illustrated in FIG.\",\n \"3, during extraction of the male plug 14, the sensor terminals 20 lose electrical contact first since they have the shortest length.\",\n \"Once this happens, a power board indicated at P senses the connection as an open-circuit and automatically cuts off the power to the tray 12 before the power terminals are actually disconnected (as they are still in contact with the female sockets due to their longer terminals).\",\n \"According to a second embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG.\",\n \"6, inside the female plug 16 there is a switch 24 that is electrically closed by the ground plug 22 when inserting the male plug 14.This circuit is connected to power board P of the oven.\",\n \"The switch 24 can be of any kind.\",\n \"For instance, it can be a mechanical switch (that is in physical contact with the terminals) or it can be a proximity switch (that doesn't need a physical contact), such as a reed switch 40 shown in FIGS.\",\n \"13 and 14.This switch mechanism 24 can be short-circuited and open-circuited, distinguishing the cases between complete male plug insertion and not complete insertion, respectively.\",\n \"As can be seen in FIG.\",\n \"6, the extraction of the male plug 14 from the female socket 16 including mechanical switch 24 causes the opening of the circuit, sending therefore a signal to the power board P to interrupt the power supply to the tray 12 before the power terminals 18 are disconnected.\",\n \"It is clear that the position of the mechanical switch 24 (in FIG.\",\n \"6 it is positioned close to the ground terminal 22) can vary and can be applied to any other terminal.\",\n \"However, it must be placed in a way that the mechanical switch 24 opens before the power terminals 18 are completely extracted, in order to allow the power board P to cut off the power before the connector 14 is fully extracted from female plug 16 (safety power cut-off).\",\n \"FIG.\",\n \"7 shows a connector C which is slightly different from the one shown in FIG.\",\n \"6, and where the length of the terminals 18, 20 and 22 are similar to the one shown in FIG.\",\n \"2.In this embodiment, the ground terminal 22 remains the longest for safety precaution as already explained.\",\n \"If the switch 24 is a reed switch, the terminal involved has to be made of permanent magnetic material.\",\n \"A further embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.\",\n \"8 and 9, where the male plug 14 has terminals of identical lengths and a female socket 16 with a mechanical switch mechanism 26.This mechanism 26 comprises a metal piece 26a hinged to one of the temperature sensor female terminals 20 via a spring 26b.\",\n \"When the male plug 14 is not inserted (FIG.\",\n \"8), the metal piece 26a contacts both terminals 20 of sensor 34, short-circuiting them.\",\n \"The power board P senses that temperature sensor terminals 20 are short circuited and it doesn't supply power to induction tray 12.Otherwise, when the male plug 14 is inserted (FIG.\",\n \"9), the metal piece 26a doesn't contact both terminals 20 and therefore the power board P supplies power to the induction tray 12 as it senses that the male plug 14 is fully inserted and there is no safety issue.\",\n \"The embodiment shown in FIG.\",\n \"10 has all five terminals 18, 20, 22 mentioned above at equal length, and it presents in addition a sixth terminal 30b (associated with an additional plug 30a) which is made of another material such as ceramic or plastic and which has a greater length than other terminals.\",\n \"This sixth terminal 30b turns on and off the electrical connection by a mechanical switch 32 during insertion and extraction, respectively.\",\n \"The embodiment shown in FIG.\",\n \"11 has the aim of reducing the number of terminals or to avoid the need of adding extra sensor terminals.\",\n \"Reducing the number of terminals would provide a cost saving and easier connection in addition to space saving inside the oven.\",\n \"More specifically, the male plug 14 in this embodiment has four terminals consisting of one ground terminal 22, two power terminals 18 and one single terminal 20 for a temperature sensor indicated with reference 34 in FIG.\",\n \"11, while the induction coil is schematically indicated with reference 36.According to this embodiment, in order to save material and space, it is possible to use the ground terminal 22 as the second sensor terminal.\",\n \"This embodiment has the ground terminal 22 with the greatest length, the sensor single terminal 20 with the shortest length and the power terminals 18 in between these two lengths as in the first above embodiment.\",\n \"The power board P should be designed for reading the sensor signal with an isolated signal-conditioning circuit, as it is referenced with the oven ground which is isolated with respect to the power supplier in any appliance by default.\",\n \"In the further embodiment shown in FIG.\",\n \"12, the five terminals of the previous embodiment 18, 20 and 22 are maintained and an extra temperature sensor 38 is added that will still use the ground as a reference level.\",\n \"This can also be extended to three readings using three terminals and a ground terminal, and so on.\",\n \"Increasing the number of temperature readings enables a better control of the induction heater temperature, and using the ground terminal provides a savings from the number of terminals needed.\",\n \"The power board P should be designed for reading the sensor signal with an isolated signal-conditioning circuit in this embodiment, as well.\",\n \"Even if in the above embodiments the plug connector 14 is shown as supported by the induction tray 12, it is clear that such a plug connector can be supported by the rear oven wall 11 and the socket connector 16 can be supported by the tray 12 as well.\"\n ]\n]"},"source":{"kind":"string","value":"Patent_15874320"}}},{"rowIdx":4494570,"cells":{"text":{"kind":"list like","value":[["ANTIMICROBIAL COMPOUNDS AND COMPOSITIONS, AND USES THEREOF","A method of enhancing the growth of an animal is provided.","The method includes causing the animal to ingest or absorb an effective amount of one or more Fe III complex compounds, including but not limited to Fe III complexes comprising ligands bound to the iron centre selected from amino acids or α-hydroxy acids, o-hydroxy benzoic acids or pyridine-2-carboxylic acids, such as ferric quinate, ferric tyrosine, ferric DOPA and ferric phenylalanine.","Compounds which are structural and/or functional variants, derivatives and/or analogs of the foregoing compounds, as further described herein are also disclosed.","Methods for inhibiting, reducing, or preventing biofilm formation or buildup on a surface; the treatment of, inhibition of growth of, and inhibition of colonization by, bacteria, both in biological and non-biological environments; disinfecting surfaces, potentiating the effects of antibiotics and other anti-microbial agents, and increasing the sensitivity of bacteria and other microorganisms, to anti-microbial agents are also provided."],["1.A composition comprising an effective amount of a compound to inhibit bacterial biofilm formation in a subject, wherein the compound is an Fe III complex having the structure of: Formula A: or a salt and/or hydrate thereof, wherein: X, X1 and X2 are independently selected from the group consisting of NH2, OH, CO2—, CO2H, OR3, NR3H, NR3R4, R3ONO2, R3NO2, SH, SR3, and X, X1 and X2 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; Y, Y1 and Y2 are independently selected from the group consisting of O, NH, NH2, NR3, NR3R4, SH, OR3, OH, and Y, Y1 and Y2 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; Z, Z1 and Z2 are independently selected from the group consisting of: O, S, NH, NR3, and Z, Z1 and Z2 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; R, R′, R1, R1′, R2, and R2′ are independently selected from the group consisting of H, CH3, CH2SH, CH2CO2H, CH2CH2CO2H, CH2C6H5, CH2C3H3N2, CH(CH3)CH2CH3, (CH2)4NH2, CH2CH(CH3)2, CH2CH2SCH3, CH2CONH2, (CH2)4NHCOC4H5NCH3, CH2CH2CH2, CH2CH2CONH2, (CH2)3NHC(NH)NH2, CH2OH, CH(OH)CH3, CH2SeH, CH(CH3)2, CH2C8H6N, CH2C6H4OH, and CH2C6H3(OH)2, and R, R′, R1, R1′, R2, and R2′ may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, up to five may be the same and one or more may be different; or any relevant pair of R and R′, R1 and R1′, and R2 and R2′ are linked to form a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl ring group; and R3 and R4 can independently be alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, phenyl, aryl, halo- and hydroxy-substituted radicals, hydroxyl radicals, nitrogen-substituted radicals, oxygen-substituted radicals, or hydrogen.","2.The composition of claim 1, wherein R3 and R4 are independently C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkenyl, phenyl or benzyl, which latter four groups are optionally substituted by one or more halo or hydroxyl groups.","3.The composition of claim 1, wherein one, two or all three of the ligands bound to the iron center are selected from amino acids or α-hydroxy acids.","4.The composition of claim 1, comprising an effective amount of a compound to inhibit bacterial biofilm formation in a subject, the compound having a structure selected from the group consisting of: 5.The composition of claim 3, wherein one, two or all three of the ligands bound to the iron center are α-hydroxy acids.","6.The composition of claim 1, wherein the one or more compounds are in combination with one or more coccidiostats, antimicrobial agents and one or more excipients, carriers and/or additives.","7.The composition of claim 1, in a unit dosage form comprising one or more compounds of claim 1 in an amount of up to, or at least, about 1 ng, 10 ng, 50 ng, 100 ng, 500 ng, 1 μg, 10 μg, 50 μg, 100 μg, 500 μg, 1 mg, 10 mg, 100 mg, 500 mg, 1 g, 2 g, 3 g, 4 g, or 5 g. 8.The composition of claim 7, selected from the group consisting of a dietary product, an animal feed, disinfecting product, a human or animal dietary supplement, drinking product, a pharmaceutical or veterinary product, a cosmetic; a food production apparatus, a food processing apparatus, and a coating, wherein the one or more compounds are optionally conjugated to hydroxyapatite.","9.The composition of claim 8, wherein the concentration of the one or more compounds is between a range of about 1 μM to about 1M.","10.The composition of claim 8, wherein the composition is an animal feed, and the one or more compounds are in an amount between 0.001 to 20 g per Kg of feed.","11.The composition of claim 8, wherein the composition is drinking water and the concentration of the one or more compounds is within the range of 0.002 to 15 g/L.","12.The composition of claim 8, in the form of an emulsion, lotion, cream, ointment, wound dressing, patch, salve, gel, tablet, solution, suspension, foam, a spray, an aerosol, or imbibed into a suitable cloth.","13.The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is an animal feed, and wherein the compound is a complex of Fe III and tyrosine.","14.The composition of claim 1, wherein R, R′, R1, R1′, R2, and R2′ are independently selected from the group consisting of H, CH3, CH2SH, CH2CO2H, CH2CH2CO2H, CH2C6H5, CH(CH3)CH2CH3, (CH2)4NH2, CH2CH(CH3)2, CH2CH2SCH3, CH2CONH2, (CH2)4NHCOC4H5NCH3, CH2CH2CH2, CH2OH, CH(OH)CH3, CH2SeH, CH(CH3)2, CH2C8H6N, CH2C6H4OH, and CH2C6H3(OH)2, and optionally, wherein the compound is not FeQ, FeTyr or FeDOPA."],[" BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A biofilm is an accumulation of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and/or protozoa, with associated bacteriophages and other viruses) embedded in a polysaccharide matrix and adherent to solid biological or non-biotic surfaces.","Biofilms are medically important, accounting for over 80 percent of hospital-acquired microbial infections in the body.","Examples include infections of the: oral soft tissues, teeth and dental implants; middle ear; gastrointestinal tract; urogenital tract; airway/lung tissue; eye; urinary tract prostheses; peritoneal membrane and peritoneal dialysis catheters, indwelling catheters for hemodialysis and for chronic administration of chemotherapeutic agents (Hickman catheters); cardiac implants such as pacemakers, prosthetic heart valves, ventricular assist devices, and synthetic vascular grafts and stents; prostheses, internal fixation devices, percutaneous sutures; and tracheal and ventilator tubing.","The microorganisms tend to be far more resistant to antimicrobial agents and to be particularly difficult for the host immune system to render an appropriate response.","Several bacterial pathogens have been shown to associate with, and in some cases, grow in biofilms, including Legionella pneumophila, S. aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter spp., E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas, Vibrio cholerae, S. epidermidis, E. faecalis , and Helicobacter pylori.","Biofilms are remarkably difficult to treat with antimicrobials.","Antimicrobials may be readily inactivated or fail to penetrate into the biofilm.","In addition, bacteria within biofilms have increased (up to 1,000-fold higher) resistance to antimicrobial compounds, even though these same bacteria are sensitive to these agents if grown under planktonic conditions.","In addition, bacteria embedded within biofilms are resistant to both immunological and non-specific defense mechanisms of the body.","Contact with a solid surface triggers the expression of a panel of bacterial enzymes, which catalyze the formation of sticky polysaccharides that promote colonization and protection.","The structure of biofilms is such that immune responses may be directed only at those antigens found on the outer surface of the biofilm, and antibodies and other serum or salivary proteins often fail to penetrate into the biofilm.","In addition, phagocytes are unable to effectively engulf a bacterium growing within a complex polysaccharide matrix attached to a solid surface.","This causes the phagocyte to release large amounts of pro-inflammatory enzymes and cytokines, leading to inflammation and destruction of nearby tissues.","Conventional therapy is characteristically ineffective against biofilms, as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antimicrobial agents has been shown to be 10 to 1000 fold greater than for planktonic organisms (Hoiby, et al., Int J Antimicrob Agents, 35(4):322-32 (2010).","It is an object of the present invention to provide compositions and methods for inhibiting or preventing biofilm formation or promoting biofilm dissolution from surfaces of interest.","It is still an object of the present invention to provide methods for reducing the transmission of pathogens in biofilm.","It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods to treat antibiotic resistant bacteria.","It is yet a further object to provide compositions to improve growth performance."],[" SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present inventors have identified a class of compounds, as described further below in Section III.A of this application, that have surprisingly been found to provide a broad range of activity, particularly against a diverse array of bacteria.","The present invention provides numerous uses for, and methods involving, the compounds, particularly in the formation of compositions.","The present invention also provides compositions, articles and products comprising one or more of the compounds, as described further below.","The present invention also provides products produced by the application of the numerous uses and methods of the present invention, as well as downstream products produced therefrom.","In one embodiment, the present invention provides compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for inhibiting, reducing, or preventing biofilm formation or buildup on a surface or to removing, dispersing, reducing, or eradicating biofilm on a surface.","Accordingly, compositions for inhibiting, reducing, or removing biofilm buildup in a subject and/or on an article or other item are provided.","An exemplary compounds and composition include an effective amount of one or more compound selected from Ferric Quinate (Fe-QA, also referred to herein as FeQ), and ferric complexes with L-tyrosine (Fe-Tyr), L-DOPA (Fe-DOPA), L-phenylalanine (Fe-Phe) and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof.","See Formulas IX, VIII and VII, as defined further below, respectively.","The compositions are effective against biofilms produced by a wide range of microbial species including, without limitation, S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, E. coli, S. aureus, Campylobacter spp.","H. pylori and Pseudomonas , alone, or in combination.","In an embodiment, an article or product, including medical devices having on the surface or dispersed therein one or more of the compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, or composition comprising the one or more compounds, for example of Formula IX (Fe-QA, or also referred to as FeQ), Formula VII (Fe-DOPA also referred to as FeDOPA) and Formula VIII (Fe-Tyr), or Fe-Phe, are prepared to prevent or reduce the formation of a biofilm on the article, or product, such as to prevent or reduce the formation of a biofilm on the medical device after implantation.","The surface may be a biological surface (such as a surface of a living human, animal or plant surface, or the surface of a dead or harvested animal or plant), or a non-biological surface including for example, plastics, polymers, biomaterials, and metals.","The present invention also provides products treated according to this embodiment.","In another embodiment, the invention provides compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for the treatment of, inhibition of growth of, and inhibition of colonization by, bacteria, both in biological and non-biological environments.","In a further embodiment, the invention also relates to compounds and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for disinfecting surfaces, both in biological and non-biological environments, and products that have been coated with, or treated by, one or more of the compounds and/or compositions of the present invention.","In another embodiment, the invention also relates to compounds and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for potentiating the effects of one or more antibiotics, increasing the sensitivity of bacteria (including antibiotic-resistant bacteria) to one or more antibiotics, and also to reversing antibiotic resistance in bacteria.","In yet another embodiment, the invention also relates to compounds and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for enhancing the growth of animals and their efficiency of feed utilization, in particular by oral administration of feed and drink compositions.","Also provided are methods of treating microbial infections in a subject by inhibiting, reducing, or removing biofilm buildup in the subject and methods for treating subjects with microbial infections that are resistant to antibiotics.","One method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, one or more compounds that bind to major outer membrane proteins (MOMPs) or FlaA of Campylobacter , a mimetic or synthetic human histo-blood group antigen or a synthetic sugar.","In one embodiment, the method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound represented by Formula I, Formula II, Formula III, Formula IV, Formula V, and Formula VI.","In a preferred embodiment, the method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound represented by Formula IX (ferric quinate, Fe-QA also designated as FeQ), Formula VII (Fe-DOPA), Formula VIII (Fe-Tyr), or Fe-Phe, and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof.","In another preferred embodiment, the one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as descried therein, one or more compounds of Formula I-IX orX-XIV, or compositions comprising one or more of said compounds, may be used to cure, treat, or prevent symptoms of or associated with a variety of conditions as described herein, such as arterial damage, gastritis, urinary tract infections, biliary tract infections, pyelonephritis, cystitis, sinus infections, ear infections, otitis media, otitis externa, leprosy, tuberculosis, conjunctivitis, bloodstream infections, benign prostatic hyperplasia, chronic prostatitis, lung infections including chronic lung infections of humans with cystic fibrosis, osteomyelitis, catheter infections, bloodstream infections, skin infections, acne, rosacea, dental caries, periodontitis, gingivitis, nosocomial infections, arterial damage, endocarditis, periprosthetic joint infections, open or chronic wound infections, venous stasis ulcers, diabetic ulcers, arterial leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, endocarditis, pneumonia, orthopedic prosthesis and orthopedic implant infections, peritoneal dialysis peritonitis, cirrhosis, and any other acute or chronic infection that involves or is associated with a biofilm.","In a preferred embodiment for treating antibiotic- (or other antimicrobial-) resistant microbial infections, the method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of an antibiotic or other antimicrobial agent (which may be the antibiotic/antimicrobial to which the microbial infection is resistant) and an effective amount of one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, or one or more compounds represented by any of Formulae I to XIV, such as Formula I, Formula II, Formula III, Formula IV, Formula V, and Formula VI or, preferably, an effective amount of one or more compound represented by Formula IX, Formula VII and Formula VIII and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof.","The antibiotic/antimicrobial agent may be administered before the one or more compounds in accordance with the present invention, however, in a particularly preferred embodiment the antibiotic/antimicrobial agent is administered simultaneously (such as formulated in the same composition, or administered simultaneously in separate compositions) or after the administration of the compounds of the present invention as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to compounds represented by Formula I, Formula II, Formula III, Formula IV, Formula V, Formula VI, Formula VII, Formula VIII, and Formula IX, Formula X, Formula XI, Formula XII, Formula XIII and Formula XIV.","The antibiotic/antimicrobial agent and/or the one or more compounds of the invention may also be incorporated into a medical device for delivery.","Also provided are methods for inhibiting biofilm buildup on a surface or for reducing or removing biofilm from a surface.","The method includes contacting the surface with an effective amount of one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, compounds that bind to major outer membrane proteins (MOMPs) or FlaA of Campylobacter , a mimetic or synthetic human histo-blood group antigen or a synthetic sugar, to inhibit or reduce biofilm buildup or to reduce or remove biofilm from the surface.","In a preferred embodiment, the method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of one or more compound selected from Fe-QA, Fe-Tyr, Fe-DOPA, and Fe-Phe, and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof, to interfere with bacteria binding to the surface or each other.","The surface to be treated may be contacted with the compounds by coating the surface with the one or more compounds.","In some embodiments, the surface is contacted by immersing the article to be treated in a composition comprising the one or more compounds of the present invention, or flushing, spraying, irrigating, or wiping the surface with a carrier containing the one or more compounds of the present invention.","The disclosed methods and uses are useful for inhibiting biofilm build up (or reducing or removing biofilm) produced by microbial species including S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, E. coli, S. aureus, Campylobacter spp.","H. pylori and Pseudomonas , alone, or in combination, on/in a subject.","The methods are thus also useful in treating disease conditions caused by these and other microorganisms that are associated with biofilm buildup.","With respect to surfaces, the disclosed methods and uses employing one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, and more preferably one or more compound selected from Fe-QA, Fe-Tyr, Fe-DOPA, and Fe-Phe, and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof, are useful for inhibiting biofilm formation, dispersing biofilms and disinfecting articles, including but not limited to dental instruments, teeth, dentures, dental retainers, dental braces including plastic braces (such as Invisalign), medical instruments, medical devices, contact lenses and lens cases, catheters, surfaces (e.g., tabletop, countertop, bathtub, tile, filters, membranes, etc.","), tubing, drains, pipes including gas pipes, oil pipes, drilling pipes, fracking pipes, sewage pipes, drainage pipes, hoses, fish tanks, showers, children's toys, boat hulls, and cooling towers.","A further embodiment of the present invention provides articles treated in accordance with the foregoing methods and uses.","In further embodiments of the present invention, one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, and more preferably one or more compound selected from Fe-QA, Fe-Tyr, Fe-DOPA, and Fe-Phe, and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof, may be used in methods to make antifouling coatings, liquid, spray and towelette dispersants, and wound irrigation solutions.","In further embodiments of the present invention, one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, and more preferably one or more compound selected from Fe-QA, Fe-Tyr, Fe-DOPA, and Fe-Phe, and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof, may also be used in cosmetic formulations, including skin treatments, acne treatments, toothpaste, and mouth rinse formulations.","The compounds disclosed herein may also be applied to the bristles of toothbrushes, dental flosses, and the like, for oral healthcare.","Also disclosed are compositions comprising one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, and more preferably one or more compound selected from Fe-QA, Fe-Tyr, Fe-DOPA, and Fe-Phe, and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof, and methods using such compositions, for improving growth performance of animal such as livestock (including poultry, cattle, sheep, swine and goats) and other animals as discussed further below in section ILA, and as feed and formula supplements for such animals, in place of, or in combination with, existing bacteriostatic or bactericidal or growth enhancing compounds.","In a preferred embodiment the compositions may be administered to animals, such as livestock, to increase growth performance.","The compositions may also be used to decrease mortality adjusted feed conversion ratios (MFCR).","In a preferred embodiment, the method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound represented by Formula IX, Formula VII and Formula VIII, or a hydrate, salt, or derivative thereof.","In a particularly preferred embodiment the compositions may be administered to chicken and other animals to promote growth.","Further related disclosure is provided in section II.A of this application, below."],["CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a division of U.S. Ser.","No.","14/823,340 filed Aug. 11, 2015, which claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Ser.","No.","62/188,183 filed Jul.","2, 2015, U.S. Ser.","No.","62/171,081, filed Jun.","4, 2015, U.S. Ser.","No.","62/138,499, filed Mar.","26, 2015, U.S. Ser.","No.","62/137,630, filed Mar.","24, 2015 and U.S. Ser.","No.","62/036,790, filed Aug. 13, 2014, all of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.","FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present inventors have identified a class of compounds that has a broad range of antimicrobial and other activities, particularly against bacteria, and has developed numerous uses for, and methods involving, the compounds.","In one aspect, the invention is generally directed to compositions, methods and uses for inhibiting, reducing, or preventing biofilm formation or buildup on a surface or to removing, dispersing, reducing, or eradicating biofilm on a surface.","In another embodiment, the invention is also generally relates to compositions, methods and uses for the treatment of, inhibition of growth of, and inhibition of colonization by, bacteria, both in biological and non-biological environments.","In a further embodiment, the invention also relates to compositions, methods and uses for disinfecting surfaces, both in biological and non-biological environments, and products that have been coated with, or treated by, the compounds or compositions of the present invention.","In another embodiment, the invention also relates to compositions, methods and uses for potentiating the effects of antibiotics and other anti-microbial agents, and increasing the sensitivity of bacteria and other microorganisms, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria, to antibiotics and/or other anti-microbial agents, and also to reversing antibiotic resistance in bacteria.","In yet another embodiment, the invention also relates to compositions, methods and uses for enhancing the growth of animals and their efficiency of feed utilization, in particular by oral administration of feed and/or drink compositions.","BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A biofilm is an accumulation of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and/or protozoa, with associated bacteriophages and other viruses) embedded in a polysaccharide matrix and adherent to solid biological or non-biotic surfaces.","Biofilms are medically important, accounting for over 80 percent of hospital-acquired microbial infections in the body.","Examples include infections of the: oral soft tissues, teeth and dental implants; middle ear; gastrointestinal tract; urogenital tract; airway/lung tissue; eye; urinary tract prostheses; peritoneal membrane and peritoneal dialysis catheters, indwelling catheters for hemodialysis and for chronic administration of chemotherapeutic agents (Hickman catheters); cardiac implants such as pacemakers, prosthetic heart valves, ventricular assist devices, and synthetic vascular grafts and stents; prostheses, internal fixation devices, percutaneous sutures; and tracheal and ventilator tubing.","The microorganisms tend to be far more resistant to antimicrobial agents and to be particularly difficult for the host immune system to render an appropriate response.","Several bacterial pathogens have been shown to associate with, and in some cases, grow in biofilms, including Legionella pneumophila, S. aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter spp., E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas, Vibrio cholerae, S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, and Helicobacter pylori.","Biofilms are remarkably difficult to treat with antimicrobials.","Antimicrobials may be readily inactivated or fail to penetrate into the biofilm.","In addition, bacteria within biofilms have increased (up to 1,000-fold higher) resistance to antimicrobial compounds, even though these same bacteria are sensitive to these agents if grown under planktonic conditions.","In addition, bacteria embedded within biofilms are resistant to both immunological and non-specific defense mechanisms of the body.","Contact with a solid surface triggers the expression of a panel of bacterial enzymes, which catalyze the formation of sticky polysaccharides that promote colonization and protection.","The structure of biofilms is such that immune responses may be directed only at those antigens found on the outer surface of the biofilm, and antibodies and other serum or salivary proteins often fail to penetrate into the biofilm.","In addition, phagocytes are unable to effectively engulf a bacterium growing within a complex polysaccharide matrix attached to a solid surface.","This causes the phagocyte to release large amounts of pro-inflammatory enzymes and cytokines, leading to inflammation and destruction of nearby tissues.","Conventional therapy is characteristically ineffective against biofilms, as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of antimicrobial agents has been shown to be 10 to 1000 fold greater than for planktonic organisms (Hoiby, et al., Int J Antimicrob Agents, 35(4):322-32 (2010).","It is an object of the present invention to provide compositions and methods for inhibiting or preventing biofilm formation or promoting biofilm dissolution from surfaces of interest.","It is still an object of the present invention to provide methods for reducing the transmission of pathogens in biofilm.","It is a further object of the present invention to provide methods to treat antibiotic resistant bacteria.","It is yet a further object to provide compositions to improve growth performance.","SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present inventors have identified a class of compounds, as described further below in Section III.A of this application, that have surprisingly been found to provide a broad range of activity, particularly against a diverse array of bacteria.","The present invention provides numerous uses for, and methods involving, the compounds, particularly in the formation of compositions.","The present invention also provides compositions, articles and products comprising one or more of the compounds, as described further below.","The present invention also provides products produced by the application of the numerous uses and methods of the present invention, as well as downstream products produced therefrom.","In one embodiment, the present invention provides compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for inhibiting, reducing, or preventing biofilm formation or buildup on a surface or to removing, dispersing, reducing, or eradicating biofilm on a surface.","Accordingly, compositions for inhibiting, reducing, or removing biofilm buildup in a subject and/or on an article or other item are provided.","An exemplary compounds and composition include an effective amount of one or more compound selected from Ferric Quinate (Fe-QA, also referred to herein as FeQ), and ferric complexes with L-tyrosine (Fe-Tyr), L-DOPA (Fe-DOPA), L-phenylalanine (Fe-Phe) and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof.","See Formulas IX, VIII and VII, as defined further below, respectively.","The compositions are effective against biofilms produced by a wide range of microbial species including, without limitation, S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, E. coli, S. aureus, Campylobacter spp.","H. pylori and Pseudomonas, alone, or in combination.","In an embodiment, an article or product, including medical devices having on the surface or dispersed therein one or more of the compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, or composition comprising the one or more compounds, for example of Formula IX (Fe-QA, or also referred to as FeQ), Formula VII (Fe-DOPA also referred to as FeDOPA) and Formula VIII (Fe-Tyr), or Fe-Phe, are prepared to prevent or reduce the formation of a biofilm on the article, or product, such as to prevent or reduce the formation of a biofilm on the medical device after implantation.","The surface may be a biological surface (such as a surface of a living human, animal or plant surface, or the surface of a dead or harvested animal or plant), or a non-biological surface including for example, plastics, polymers, biomaterials, and metals.","The present invention also provides products treated according to this embodiment.","In another embodiment, the invention provides compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for the treatment of, inhibition of growth of, and inhibition of colonization by, bacteria, both in biological and non-biological environments.","In a further embodiment, the invention also relates to compounds and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for disinfecting surfaces, both in biological and non-biological environments, and products that have been coated with, or treated by, one or more of the compounds and/or compositions of the present invention.","In another embodiment, the invention also relates to compounds and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for potentiating the effects of one or more antibiotics, increasing the sensitivity of bacteria (including antibiotic-resistant bacteria) to one or more antibiotics, and also to reversing antibiotic resistance in bacteria.","In yet another embodiment, the invention also relates to compounds and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for enhancing the growth of animals and their efficiency of feed utilization, in particular by oral administration of feed and drink compositions.","Also provided are methods of treating microbial infections in a subject by inhibiting, reducing, or removing biofilm buildup in the subject and methods for treating subjects with microbial infections that are resistant to antibiotics.","One method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, one or more compounds that bind to major outer membrane proteins (MOMPs) or FlaA of Campylobacter, a mimetic or synthetic human histo-blood group antigen or a synthetic sugar.","In one embodiment, the method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound represented by Formula I, Formula II, Formula III, Formula IV, Formula V, and Formula VI.","In a preferred embodiment, the method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound represented by Formula IX (ferric quinate, Fe-QA also designated as FeQ), Formula VII (Fe-DOPA), Formula VIII (Fe-Tyr), or Fe-Phe, and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof.","In another preferred embodiment, the one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as descried therein, one or more compounds of Formula I-IX orX-XIV, or compositions comprising one or more of said compounds, may be used to cure, treat, or prevent symptoms of or associated with a variety of conditions as described herein, such as arterial damage, gastritis, urinary tract infections, biliary tract infections, pyelonephritis, cystitis, sinus infections, ear infections, otitis media, otitis externa, leprosy, tuberculosis, conjunctivitis, bloodstream infections, benign prostatic hyperplasia, chronic prostatitis, lung infections including chronic lung infections of humans with cystic fibrosis, osteomyelitis, catheter infections, bloodstream infections, skin infections, acne, rosacea, dental caries, periodontitis, gingivitis, nosocomial infections, arterial damage, endocarditis, periprosthetic joint infections, open or chronic wound infections, venous stasis ulcers, diabetic ulcers, arterial leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, endocarditis, pneumonia, orthopedic prosthesis and orthopedic implant infections, peritoneal dialysis peritonitis, cirrhosis, and any other acute or chronic infection that involves or is associated with a biofilm.","In a preferred embodiment for treating antibiotic- (or other antimicrobial-) resistant microbial infections, the method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of an antibiotic or other antimicrobial agent (which may be the antibiotic/antimicrobial to which the microbial infection is resistant) and an effective amount of one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, or one or more compounds represented by any of Formulae I to XIV, such as Formula I, Formula II, Formula III, Formula IV, Formula V, and Formula VI or, preferably, an effective amount of one or more compound represented by Formula IX, Formula VII and Formula VIII and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof.","The antibiotic/antimicrobial agent may be administered before the one or more compounds in accordance with the present invention, however, in a particularly preferred embodiment the antibiotic/antimicrobial agent is administered simultaneously (such as formulated in the same composition, or administered simultaneously in separate compositions) or after the administration of the compounds of the present invention as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to compounds represented by Formula I, Formula II, Formula III, Formula IV, Formula V, Formula VI, Formula VII, Formula VIII, and Formula IX, Formula X, Formula XI, Formula XII, Formula XIII and Formula XIV.","The antibiotic/antimicrobial agent and/or the one or more compounds of the invention may also be incorporated into a medical device for delivery.","Also provided are methods for inhibiting biofilm buildup on a surface or for reducing or removing biofilm from a surface.","The method includes contacting the surface with an effective amount of one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, compounds that bind to major outer membrane proteins (MOMPs) or FlaA of Campylobacter, a mimetic or synthetic human histo-blood group antigen or a synthetic sugar, to inhibit or reduce biofilm buildup or to reduce or remove biofilm from the surface.","In a preferred embodiment, the method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of one or more compound selected from Fe-QA, Fe-Tyr, Fe-DOPA, and Fe-Phe, and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof, to interfere with bacteria binding to the surface or each other.","The surface to be treated may be contacted with the compounds by coating the surface with the one or more compounds.","In some embodiments, the surface is contacted by immersing the article to be treated in a composition comprising the one or more compounds of the present invention, or flushing, spraying, irrigating, or wiping the surface with a carrier containing the one or more compounds of the present invention.","The disclosed methods and uses are useful for inhibiting biofilm build up (or reducing or removing biofilm) produced by microbial species including S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, E. coli, S. aureus, Campylobacter spp.","H. pylori and Pseudomonas, alone, or in combination, on/in a subject.","The methods are thus also useful in treating disease conditions caused by these and other microorganisms that are associated with biofilm buildup.","With respect to surfaces, the disclosed methods and uses employing one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, and more preferably one or more compound selected from Fe-QA, Fe-Tyr, Fe-DOPA, and Fe-Phe, and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof, are useful for inhibiting biofilm formation, dispersing biofilms and disinfecting articles, including but not limited to dental instruments, teeth, dentures, dental retainers, dental braces including plastic braces (such as Invisalign), medical instruments, medical devices, contact lenses and lens cases, catheters, surfaces (e.g., tabletop, countertop, bathtub, tile, filters, membranes, etc.","), tubing, drains, pipes including gas pipes, oil pipes, drilling pipes, fracking pipes, sewage pipes, drainage pipes, hoses, fish tanks, showers, children's toys, boat hulls, and cooling towers.","A further embodiment of the present invention provides articles treated in accordance with the foregoing methods and uses.","In further embodiments of the present invention, one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, and more preferably one or more compound selected from Fe-QA, Fe-Tyr, Fe-DOPA, and Fe-Phe, and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof, may be used in methods to make antifouling coatings, liquid, spray and towelette dispersants, and wound irrigation solutions.","In further embodiments of the present invention, one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, and more preferably one or more compound selected from Fe-QA, Fe-Tyr, Fe-DOPA, and Fe-Phe, and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof, may also be used in cosmetic formulations, including skin treatments, acne treatments, toothpaste, and mouth rinse formulations.","The compounds disclosed herein may also be applied to the bristles of toothbrushes, dental flosses, and the like, for oral healthcare.","Also disclosed are compositions comprising one or more compounds as described further below in Section III.A of this application, including but not limited to one or more compounds according to Formula A or B as described therein, and more preferably one or more compound selected from Fe-QA, Fe-Tyr, Fe-DOPA, and Fe-Phe, and hydrates, salts, or derivatives thereof, and methods using such compositions, for improving growth performance of animal such as livestock (including poultry, cattle, sheep, swine and goats) and other animals as discussed further below in section ILA, and as feed and formula supplements for such animals, in place of, or in combination with, existing bacteriostatic or bactericidal or growth enhancing compounds.","In a preferred embodiment the compositions may be administered to animals, such as livestock, to increase growth performance.","The compositions may also be used to decrease mortality adjusted feed conversion ratios (MFCR).","In a preferred embodiment, the method includes administering to the subject an effective amount of a compound represented by Formula IX, Formula VII and Formula VIII, or a hydrate, salt, or derivative thereof.","In a particularly preferred embodiment the compositions may be administered to chicken and other animals to promote growth.","Further related disclosure is provided in section II.A of this application, below.","BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG.","1A is a bar graph showing biofilm formation by Enterococcus faecalis at time T=0 in the presence of absence of different concentrations of Fe-QA.","FIG.","1B is a bar graph showing biofilm formation by Enterococcus faecalis at time T=24 h in the presence or absence of different concentrations of Fe-QA.","FIG.","2A is a bar graph showing biofilm formation by Staphylococcus epidermidis at time T=0 in the presence of absence of different concentrations of Fe-QA.","FIG.","2B is a bar graph showing biofilm formation by Staphylococcus epidermidis at time T=24 h in the presence of absence of different concentrations of Fe-QA.","FIG.","3A is a bar graph showing biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus at time T=0 in the presence of absence of different concentrations of Fe-QA.","FIG.","3B is a bar graph showing biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus at time T=24 h in the presence of absence of different concentrations of Fe-QA.","FIG.","4A is a bar chart showing the binding of C. jejuni to the BgAgs (common ABO histo-blood group antigens), Leb and H-II, after growing the bacteria in a medium that has either Fe-QA at a concentration of 0.34 mM or 3.4 mM.","Binding is shown after one passage and four passages (4 generations) with Fe-QA included in the medium, and compared to a control without Fe-QA.","FIG.","4B is a bar graph showing the binding of C. jejuni 11168 to BgAgs (common ABO histo-blood group antigens, Core-I, Core-II, H-I, H-II, Leb, Ley and Lex), and the inhibition of this binding by the Fe-QA (inhibitor).","FIG.","5A is a bar graph showing the effect of Fe-QA treatment on Helicobacter pylori attachment to human gastric tissue.","FIG.","5B is a line graph showing the competitive inhibition of Leb binding to H. pylori by Fe-QA as the concentration of Fe-QA is increased.","The graph is a plot of the ratio of bound to free Leb versus Fe-QA concentration.","FIG.","6A is a bar graph showing the coverage rate of PAO1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the surface of a glass slide, comparing Pseudomonas medium only as a control, PAO1 Pseudomonas+100 μM Fe-QA treatment, and PAO1 Pseudomonas with no Fe-QA (X=Fe-QA).","The graph shows that 100 μM Fe-QA (“X”) inhibits the formation of biofilm by P. aeruginosa.","FIG.","6B is a bar graph showing that Fe-QA inhibits formation of biofilm by Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC).","The bar graph shows the coverage rate of UPEC on the surface of a glass slide compared to a UPEC medium only control, and UPEC growing in the presence of 0.1 μM, 1 μM, 10 μM, and 100 μM concentrations of Fe-QA.","FIG.","7A is a graph showing the growth rate of UPEC in the presence of 100 μM Fe-QA and without Fe-QA over a period of 24 hours.","RPMI-1640 (bottom line); RPMI-1640+UPEC (middle line); RPMI-1640+100 μM FeQ+UPEC (top line).","FIG.","7B is a graph showing the growth rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the presence of 100 μM Fe-QA and without Fe-QA.","RPMI-1640 (bottom line); RPMI-1640+UPEC (middle line); RPMI 1640+100 μM FeQ+PAO1 (top line).","FIG.","8A is a bar chart showing the planktonic growth rates of wildtype Campylobacter jejuni and the same strain after mutation of the T268 of MOMP.","T268 of MOMP is replaced by glycine to form the MOMP-T strain.","FIG.","8B is a bar chart showing the abilities of the wildtype Campylobacter jejuni and the MOMP-T mutant to form biofilms.","FIG.","9 is a graph showing the impact of Fe-QA on the rate of growth of a kanamycin resistant strain of E. coli.","The groups, numbered from the top are as follows: (1) AsdiA-FEQ; (2) AsdiA-FEQ+Kan; (3) AsdiA-FEQ-Kan; (4) medium FEQ; (5) medium-FEQ+Kan; (6) medium-Kan.","The graph shows the rate of growth of the strain in the presence of Fe-QA ((1)—upper line), kanamycin ((2)—triangles) and a combination of Fe-QA and kanamycin ((3), squares).","Three baselines are shown for just the medium containing Fe-QA, Fe-QA and kanamycin, and kanamycin alone.","FIG.","10A shows the impact on the growth curve of antibiotic resistant Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 (genotype Wild Type EPEC O17:H6) when grown in the presence of (i) gentamicin (1.25 μM) (grey circles), (ii) Fe-Tyr (100 μM) (inverted grey triangle ), (iii) gentamicin (1.25 μM) and Fe-Tyr (1.25 μM) (upright white triangle, Δ), and (iv) a control with no gentamicin or Fe-Tyr present (black circles).","FIG.","10B shows the Δ growth rate of Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 when grown in the presence of (i) gentamicin (1.25 μM), (ii) Fe-Tyr (100 μM), (iii) gentamicin (1.25 μM) and Fe-Tyr (1.25 μM), and (iv) a control with no gentamicin or Fe-Tyr present.","FIGS.","11A-C show the impact on the growth curve of antibiotic resistant Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 (genotype Wild Type EPEC O17:H6) when grown in the presence of gentamicin (1.25 μM) and increasing concentrations (10-68 μM) of Fe-QA (also known as FeQ).","FIG.","11D compares the growth rates of Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 when grown in the presence of 10, 34, 68 and 100 μM Fe-QA.","FIG.","11E compares the growth rates of Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 when grown in the presence of a fixed concentration of gentamicin (1.25 μM) and increasing concentrations of Fe-QA ranging from 10 to 100 μM.","FIG.","12 shows quantitatively the difference in the attachment of EPEC cells to the plastic well surface in the absence and presence of FeQ by measurement of the optical absorbance of crystal violet that was absorbed by EPEC cells attached to the surface.","FIG.","13 is a graph showing the impact of growth rates of an antibiotic-resistant clinical isolate of Pseudomonas in the presence of kanamycin, FeQ, and kanamycin plus FeQ compared to the strain grown in the absence of kanamycin and FeQ.","FIGS.","14A-C show chemical structures of how FeQ can be conjugated to an agent that contains a reactive functional group suitable for immobilizing FeQ, for example, on a surface.","FIG.","14A shows the conjugation of FeQ to a calix[4] arene frame that contains a photoreactive functional group.","FIG.","14B shows the conjugation of FeQ to a calix [4] arene frame wherein the photo-reactive functional group is positioned in a different location on the calix [4] arene frame compared to the structure of FIG.","14B.","FIG.","14C shows the conjugation of FeQ to a calix[4] arene frame functionalized with two thiol groups.","FIGS.","15A and B are chemical structures that illustrate how FeQ can be conjugated via a linker to a substance that binds to a surface.","In both structures, the linker is spaced between functional groups Y′ and X′, attached to FeQ via Y′ and to hydroxyapatite (HA) via X′.","The figures differ in the point of attachment to the quinic acid ligand.","FIG.","16 is a graph showing that the wildtype O-glycosylated strain of Campylobacter dominates infection of chicken colonized by a mixed population of O-glycosylated and non-glycosylated (MOMPT268G) Campylobacter, and that the non-glycosylated bacteria is unable to colonize in a mixed population.","FIG.","17 is a graph showing the average body weight (ABW) of chicken after 42 days of growth.","The graph compares the ABW at 42 days of chicken challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter at day 20 and treated from days 0-42 with FeQ or FeTyr to (i) a standard commercial target (of 2.979 kg) labeled “Target”, (ii) a negative control (of 3.437 kg) labeled “CNC” where the chicken were not challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter, and (iii) a positive control (of 3.186 kg) labeled “CC” where the chicken were challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter.","The graph shows that birds challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter have higher ABW at 42 days compared to the positive control (labeled “CC”) when treated with (iv) FeQ at 0.22 g/L in drinking water and FeQ at 0.22 g/kg in feed, labeled “FeQ(W+F)” with an ABW of 3.342 kg, (v) FeQ at 0.22 g/L in drinking water, labeled “FeQ(W)” with an ABW of 3.407 kg, (vi) FeQ at 0.22 g/kg in feed, labeled “FeQ(F)” with an ABW of 3.464 kg, (vii) FeQ at 0.022 g/L in drinking water, labeled “FeQ(W)” with an ABW of 3.304 kg, and (viii) FeTyr at 0.02 g/L in drinking water, labeled FeTyr(W) with an ABW of 3.341 kg.","FIG.","18 is a graph showing the mortality adjusted feed conversion ratio (MFCR) of chicken after 42 days of growth.","The graph compares the MFCR at 42 days of chicken challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter at day 20 and treated from days 0-42 with FeQ or FeTyr to (i) a standard commercial target (of 1.703) labeled “Target”, (ii) a negative control (of 1.563) labeled “CNC” where the chicken were not challenged with Campylobacter, and (iii) a positive control (of 1.679) labeled “CC” where the chicken were challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter.","The graph shows that birds challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter have lower MFCR at 42 days compared to the positive control (labeled “CC”) when treated with (iv) FeQ at 0.22 g/L in drinking water and FeQ at 0.22 g/kg in feed, labeled “FeQ(W+F)” with a MFCR of 1.595, (v) FeQ at 0.22 g/L in drinking water, labeled “FeQ(W)” with a MFCR of 1.560, (vi) FeQ at 0.22 g/kg in feed, labeled “FeQ(F)” with a MFCR of 1.563, (vii) FeQ at 0.022 g/L in drinking water, labeled “FeQ(W)” with a MFCR of 1.612, and (viii) FeTyr at 0.02 g/L in drinking water, labeled FeTyr(W) with a MFCR of 1.577.FIG.","19 is a graph showing the number of Campylobacter colony forming units per gram (cfu/g) of bird droppings at day 42.The graph compares the cfu/g at day 42 of chicken that were challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter at day 20 and treated from days 0-42 with FeQ or FeTyr to (i) a negative control labeled “CNC” (with a cfu/g of 28,000) where the chicken were not challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter, and (ii) a positive control labeled “CC” (with a cfu/g of 1,280,000) where chickens were challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter at day 21.The graph shows that birds treated with FeQ or FeTyr have lower levels of Campylobacter in their droppings at day 42 when treated with (iii) FeQ at 0.22 g/L in drinking water and FeQ at 0.22 g/kg in feed, labeled “FeQ(W+F)” with a cfu/g of 4,860, (iv) FeQ at 0.22 g/kg in feed, labeled “FeQ(F)” with a cfu/g of 12,800, (v) FeQ at 0.022 g/L in drinking water, labeled “FeQ(W)” with a cfu/g of 900,000, and (vi) FeTyr at 0.02 g/L in drinking water, labeled FeTyr(W) with a cfu/g of 16,600.FIG.","20 is a graph showing the average number of Campylobacter colony forming units per gram (cfu/g) of caeca samples at day 42.The graph compares the cfu/g at day 42 of chicken that were challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter at day 20 and treated from days 0-42 with FeQ or FeTyr to (i) a negative control labeled “Treatment-1” where the chicken were not challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter, and (ii) a positive control labeled “Treatment-2” where chickens were challenged with Campylobacter-infected dirty litter at day 21.The graph shows that birds treated with FeQ or FeTyr have lower levels of Campylobacter in their caeca at day 42 when treated with (iii) FeQ at 0.22 g/L in drinking water and FeQ at 0.22 g/kg in feed, labeled “Treatment-3”, (iv) FeQ at 0.22 g/L in water, labeled “Treatment-5”, (v) FeQ at 0.22 g/kg in feed, labeled “Treatment-6”, (vi) FeQ at 0.022 g/L in drinking water, labeled “Treatment-7”, and (vii) FeTyr at 0.02 g/L in drinking water, labeled “Treatment-8”.","FIGS.","21A-C show the impact on the growth curve of antibiotic resistant Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain E2348169 (genotype Wild Type EPEC O17:H6) when grown in the presence of gentamicin (1.25 μM) and increasing concentrations (130-200 μM) of Fe-DOPA.","FIG.","22 is shows quantitatively the difference in the attachment of EPEC cells to the plastic well surface in the absence and presence of FeDOPA (also referred to as Fe-DOPA) by measurement of the optical absorbance of crystal violet that was absorbed by EPEC cells attached to the surface.","FIG.","23 shows 3 bar graphs at 24, 48 and 72 hours of the optical absorbance of crystal violet that was absorbed by the EPEC cells that remained attached to the surface of the plastic well after a mature biofilm formed by EPEC-pgA++ was treated with FeTyr (shown as “FeY” in FIG.","23) at 100 μM, 150 μM and 200 μM compared to an untreated biofilm (labeled “Control”) in a crystal violet assay.","FIG.","24A shows the data from positive mode analysis, as an OPLS-DA scores plot.","This shows a clear separation between fresh media (FM) and other spent media (SMWT; SMWTF; SMMT; SMMTF).","FIG.","24B also shows the data from the positive mode analysis, in which the fresh media (FM) results were removed from the plot.","FIG.","24C contrasts from FIG.","24A in that it shows the data from the negative mode analysis.","FIG.","24D contrasts with FIG.","24B in that it shows the data from the negative mode analysis.","FIGS.","25A and B show the results of Example 30, which investigate effects upon antibiotic resistance of a laboratory strain of Psuedomonas aeruginosa (PAO1N) and a mixed population of clinical isolates (PAO Mixed), when incubated in Luria-Bertani (LB) media alone, or with different concentrations (34 μM, 100 μM, 200 μM and 340 μM) of FeQ or FePhe.","FIG.","25A shows the results with PAO1N cultures.","FIG.","25B shows the results with PAO Mixed cultures.","DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION I. Definitions “Aerosol” as used herein refers to any preparation of a fine mist of particles, which can be in solution or a suspension, whether or not it is produced using a propellant.","The term “alkyl” refers to the radical of saturated aliphatic groups (i.e., an alkane with one hydrogen atom removed), including straight-chain alkyl groups, branched-chain alkyl groups, cycloalkyl (alicyclic) groups, alkyl-substituted cycloalkyl groups, and cycloalkyl-substituted alkyl groups.","In preferred embodiments, a straight chain or branched chain alkyl has 30 or fewer carbon atoms in its backbone (e.g., C1-C30 for straight chains, and C3-C30 for branched chains), preferably 20 or fewer, more preferably 15 or fewer, most preferably 10 or fewer.","Likewise, preferred cycloalkyls have 3-10 carbon atoms in their ring structure, and more preferably have 5, 6, or 7 carbons in the ring structure.","The term “alkyl” (or “lower alkyl”) as used throughout the specification, examples, and claims is intended to include both “unsubstituted alkyls” and “substituted alkyls”, the latter of which refers to alkyl moieties having one or more substituents replacing a hydrogen on one or more carbons of the hydrocarbon backbone.","Such substituents include, but are not limited to, halogen, hydroxyl, carbonyl (such as a carboxyl, alkoxycarbonyl, formyl, or an acyl), thiocarbonyl (such as a thioester, a thioacetate, or a thioformate), alkoxyl, phosphoryl, phosphate, phosphonate, phosphinate, amino, amido, amidine, imine, cyano, nitro, azido, sulfhydryl, alkylthio, sulfate, sulfonate, sulfamoyl, sulfonamido, sulfonyl, heterocyclyl, aralkyl, or an aromatic or heteroaromatic moiety.","Unless the number of carbons is otherwise specified, “lower alkyl” as used herein means an alkyl group, as defined above, but having from one to ten carbons, more preferably from one to six carbon atoms in its backbone structure.","Likewise, “lower alkenyl” and “lower alkynyl” have similar chain lengths.","Throughout the application, preferred alkyl groups are lower alkyls.","In preferred embodiments, a substituent designated herein as alkyl is a lower alkyl.","It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the moieties substituted on the hydrocarbon chain can themselves be substituted, if appropriate.","For instance, the substituents of a substituted alkyl may include halogen, hydroxy, nitro, thiols, amino, azido, imino, amido, phosphoryl (including phosphonate and phosphinate), sulfonyl (including sulfate, sulfonamido, sulfamoyl and sulfonate), and silyl groups, as well as ethers, alkylthios, carbonyls (including ketones, aldehydes, carboxylates, and esters), —CF3, —CN and the like.","Cycloalkyls can be substituted in the same manner.","The term “heteroalkyl”, as used herein, refers to straight or branched chain, or cyclic carbon-containing radicals, or combinations thereof, containing at least one heteroatom.","Suitable heteroatoms include, but are not limited to, O, N, Si, P, Se, B, and S, wherein the phosphorous and sulfur atoms are optionally oxidized, and the nitrogen heteroatom is optionally quaternized.","Heteroalkyls can be substituted as defined above for alkyl groups.","The terms “alkenyl” and “alkynyl”, refer to unsaturated aliphatic groups analogous in length and possible substitution to the alkyls described above, but that contain at least one double or triple bond respectively.","The terms “alkoxyl” or “alkoxy” as used herein refers to an alkyl group, as defined above, having an oxygen radical attached thereto.","Representative alkoxyl groups include methoxy, ethoxy, propyloxy, tert-butoxy and the like.","An “ether” is two hydrocarbons covalently linked by an oxygen.","Accordingly, the substituent of an alkyl that renders that alkyl an ether is or resembles an alkoxyl, such as can be represented by one of —O— alkyl, —O-alkenyl, and —O-alkynyl.","The terms “aroxy” and “aryloxy”, as used interchangeably herein, can be represented by —O-aryl or O-heteroaryl, wherein aryl and heteroaryl are as defined below.","The alkoxy and aroxy groups can be substituted as described above for alkyl.","“Aryl”, as used herein, refers to C5-C10-membered aromatic, heterocyclic, fused aromatic, fused heterocyclic, biaromatic, or bihetereocyclic ring systems.","Broadly defined, “aryl”, as used herein, includes 5-, 6-, 7-, 8-, 9-, and 10-membered single-ring aromatic groups that may include from zero to four heteroatoms, for example, benzene, pyrrole, furan, thiophene, imidazole, oxazole, thiazole, triazole, pyrazole, pyridine, pyrazine, pyridazine, pyrimidine, and the like.","Those aryl groups having heteroatoms in the ring structure may also be referred to as “aryl heterocycles” or “heteroaromatics”.","The aromatic ring can be substituted at one or more ring positions with one or more substituents including, but not limited to, halogen, azide, alkyl, aralkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, hydroxyl, alkoxyl, amino (or quaternized amino), nitro, sulfhydryl, imino, amido, phosphonate, phosphinate, carbonyl, carboxyl, silyl, ether, alkylthio, sulfonyl, sulfonamido, ketone, aldehyde, ester, heterocyclyl, aromatic or heteroaromatic moieties, —CF3, —CN, and combinations thereof.","The term “aryl” also includes polycyclic ring systems having two or more cyclic rings in which two or more carbons are common to two adjoining rings (i.e., “fused rings”) wherein at least one of the rings is aromatic, e.g., the other cyclic ring or rings can be cycloalkyls, cycloalkenyls, cycloalkynyls, aryls and/or heterocycles.","Examples of heterocyclic rings include, but are not limited to, benzimidazolyl, benzofuranyl, benzothiofuranyl, benzothiophenyl, benzoxazolyl, benzoxazolinyl, benzthiazolyl, benztriazolyl, benztetrazolyl, benzisoxazolyl, benzisothiazolyl, benzimidazolinyl, carbazolyl, 4aH carbazolyl, carbolinyl, chromanyl, chromenyl, cinnolinyl, decahydroquinolinyl, 2H,6H-1,5,2-dithiazinyl, dihydrofuro[2,3 b]tetrahydrofuran, furanyl, furazanyl, imidazolidinyl, imidazolinyl, imidazolyl, 1H-indazolyl, indolenyl, indolinyl, indolizinyl, indolyl, 3H-indolyl, isatinoyl, isobenzofuranyl, isochromanyl, isoindazolyl, isoindolinyl, isoindolyl, isoquinolinyl, isothiazolyl, isoxazolyl, methylenedioxyphenyl, morpholinyl, naphthyridinyl, octahydroisoquinolinyl, oxadiazolyl, 1,2,3-oxadiazolyl, 1,2,4-oxadiazolyl, 1,2,5-oxadiazolyl, 1,3,4-oxadiazolyl, oxazolidinyl, oxazolyl, oxindolyl, pyrimidinyl, phenanthridinyl, phenanthrolinyl, phenazinyl, phenothiazinyl, phenoxathinyl, phenoxazinyl, phthalazinyl, piperazinyl, piperidinyl, piperidonyl, 4-piperidonyl, piperonyl, pteridinyl, purinyl, pyranyl, pyrazinyl, pyrazolidinyl, pyrazolinyl, pyrazolyl, pyridazinyl, pyridooxazole, pyridoimidazole, pyridothiazole, pyridinyl, pyridyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrrolidinyl, pyrrolinyl, 2H-pyrrolyl, pyrrolyl, quinazolinyl, quinolinyl, 4H-quinolizinyl, quinoxalinyl, quinuclidinyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, tetrahydroisoquinolinyl, tetrahydroquinolinyl, tetrazolyl, 6H-1,2,5-thiadiazinyl, 1,2,3-thiadiazolyl, 1,2,4-thiadiazolyl, 1,2,5-thiadiazolyl, 1,3,4-thiadiazolyl, thianthrenyl, thiazolyl, thienyl, thienothiazolyl, thienooxazolyl, thienoimidazolyl, thiophenyl, and xanthenyl.","One or more of the rings can be substituted as defined above for “aryl”.","The term “aralkyl”, as used herein, refers to an alkyl group substituted with an aryl group (e.g., an aromatic or heteroaromatic group).","The term “aralkyloxy” can be represented by —O-aralkyl, wherein aralkyl is as defined above.","“Biofilm” as used herein refers any group of microorganisms in which cells stick to each other on a surface.","A “cream” is a viscous liquid or semi-solid emulsion of either the “oil-in-water” or “water-in-oil type”.","An “emulsion” is a composition containing a mixture of non-miscible components homogenously blended together.","“Gel” as used herein is a colloid in which the dispersed phase has combined with the continuous phase to produce a semisolid material, such as jelly.","“Cleaning formulation”, as used herein, means a composition suitable for application to a surface for removing dirt and oils, for disinfecting, or a combination thereof.","Cleaning formulations can be antibacterial, antimicrobial, or both.","Cleaning formulations are suitable for use on the human skin, when none of the components of the composition are present at concentrations that cause significant signs of irritation when applied to human skin.","As used herein, “significant signs of irritation” include erythema, redness, and/or swelling at the site of injection or at the site of application, necrosis at the site of application, exfoliative dermatitis at the site of application, and severe pain that prevents daily activity and/or requires medical attention or hospitalization.","Cleaning formulations can be suitable for use in the human buccal cavity.","Cleaning formulations can be suitable for use with articles that, subsequent to exposure and optionally with residual levels of cleaning composition present on and/or in the article, will then be contacted with the human skin or other part of the human body, such as wherein the article (e.g.","a denture) will be contacted with the buccal cavity, or will be contacted with the eye (e.g.","a contact lens).","Cleaning formulations can be suitable for use with foodstuffs and/or their packaging and may, for example, be suitable for cleaning meat products and/or carcasses used in the production of meat products.","Cleaning formulations may be suitable for cleaning equipment used in food production.","Cleaning formulations may be suitable for use in cleaning medical devices, including implantable medical devices.","Many other types of cleaning formulations may also be provided by the present invention, further examples of which are discussed in further sections of this application.","“Chronic wound” as used herein refers to a wound that fails to progress through an orderly and timely sequence of repair or a wound that does not respond to treatment and/or the demands of treatment are beyond the patient's physical health, tolerance or stamina.","Many wounds that are first considered to be acute wounds ultimately become chronic wounds due to factors still not well understood.","One significant factor is the transition of planktonic bacteria within the wound to form a biofilm.","The term “heteroatom” as used herein means an atom of any element other than carbon or hydrogen.","Preferred heteroatoms are boron, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur, and selenium.","Other heteroatoms include silicon and arsenic.","“Inhibition” or “inhibiting” of biofilm formation as used herein refers to a decrease of biofilm associated microorganism formation and/or growth.","A “lotion” is a low- to medium-viscosity liquid formulation.","As used herein, the term “nitro” means —NO2; the term “halogen” designates —F, —Cl, —Br, or —I; the term “sulfhydryl” means —SH; the term “hydroxyl” means —OH; and the term “sulfonyl” means —SO2—.","“Oil” as used herein refers to a composition containing at least 95% wt.","of a lipophilic substance.","Examples of lipophilic substances include but are not limited to naturally occurring and synthetic oils, fats, fatty acids, lecithins, triglycerides and combinations thereof.","An “ointment” is a semisolid preparation containing an ointment base and optionally one or more active agents.","“Parenteral administration”, as used herein, means administration by any method other than through the digestive tract or non-invasive topical or regional routes.","“Patient” or “subject” to be treated and/or used in accordance with any of the aspect of the present invention as described herein refers to either a human or non-human animal such as a primate, non-human primate, laboratory animal, farm animal, livestock, or a domestic pet.","Exemplary animals can optionally include chickens, particularly a meat-type chicken such as broiler chicken, or an egg-laying chicken such as a pullet or hen, or a breeder chicken.","Also optionally included without limitation are other poultry, such as a turkey, geese, quail or ducks, or livestock, such as cattle, sheep, goats or swine, alpaca, banteng, bison, camel, cat, deer, dog, donkey, gayal, guinea pig, horse, llama, mule, rabbit, reindeer, water buffalo, yak, although the skilled person will appreciate that other animals, including zoo animals, captive animals, game animals, fish (include freshwater and saltwater fish, farmed fish, and ornamental fish), other marine and aquatic animals, including shellfish such as, but not limited to, oysters, mussels, clams, shrimps, prawns, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, cuttlefish, octopus, and squid, domestic animals such as cats and dogs, rodents (such as mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters), and horses, are also included, as well as any other domestic, wild and farmed animal, including mammals, marine animals, amphibians, birds, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates.","“Pharmaceutically acceptable” as used herein refers to those compounds, materials, compositions, and/or dosage forms which are, within the scope of sound medical judgment, suitable for use in contact with the tissues of human beings and animals (such as one or more of the animal “patients” or “subjects” as discussed above) without excessive toxicity, irritation, allergic response, or other problems or complications commensurate with a reasonable benefit/risk ratio.","“Pharmaceutically acceptable salt”, as used herein, refers to derivatives of the compounds defined herein, wherein the parent compound is modified by making acid or base salts thereof.","“Therapeutically effective” or “effective amount” as used herein means that the amount of the composition used is of sufficient quantity to ameliorate one or more causes or symptoms of a condition, bacterial colonization, disease or disorder.","Such amelioration only requires a reduction or alteration, not necessarily elimination.","As used herein, the terms “therapeutically effective amount” “therapeutic amount” and “pharmaceutically effective amount” are synonymous.","One of skill in the art can readily determine the proper therapeutic amount.","The term “substituted” as used herein, refers to all permissible substituents of the compounds.","In the broadest sense, the permissible substituents include acyclic and cyclic, branched and unbranched, carbocyclic and heterocyclic, aromatic and nonaromatic substituents of organic compounds.","Illustrative substituents include, but are not limited to, halogens, hydroxyl groups, or any other organic groupings containing any number of carbon atoms, preferably 1-14 carbon atoms, and optionally include one or more heteroatoms such as oxygen, sulfur, or nitrogen grouping in linear, branched, or cyclic structural formats.","Representative substituents include alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, halo, hydroxyl, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, phenoxy, substituted phenoxy, aroxy, substituted aroxy, alkylthio, substituted alkylthio, phenylthio, substituted phenylthio, arylthio, substituted arylthio, cyano, isocyano, substituted isocyano, carbonyl, substituted carbonyl, carboxyl, substituted carboxyl, amino, substituted amino, amido, substituted amido, sulfonyl, substituted sulfonyl, sulfonic acid, phosphoryl, substituted phosphoryl, phosphonyl, substituted phosphonyl, polyaryl, substituted polyaryl, C3-C20 cyclic, substituted C3-C20 cyclic, heterocyclic, substituted heterocyclic, amino acid, peptide, and polypeptide groups.","“Treatment”, “treating”, or “alleviating” as used in connection with a disease or infection refers to an intervention performed with the intention of altering or inhibiting the pathology of a disorder.","II.","Aspects of the Invention Although aspects of the invention are described throughout the application, some of the main aspects, which all make use of the compounds of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application, can be summarized as: (i) Enhancement of animal growth; (ii) Potentiating the effect of antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents, and addressing antibiotic resistance; (iii) Inhibition of formation, and treatment of preformed, biofilms; treating microbial infections reducing microbial colonization; and disinfecting surfaces; (iv) Compounds of the present invention as described in section III.A of this application, and compositions comprising one or more of said compounds.","These aspects, and further aspects of the present invention, and further embodiments of these aspects, will be discussed in more detail below.","A. Enhancement of Animal Growth A first aspect of the present invention is based on the surprising finding that compounds of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application, can be used to enhance animal growth.","Numerous examples of this effect are provided in Example 18 of the present application, as discussed further below.","Accordingly, the first aspect of the present invention provides a method of enhancing the growth of an animal, the method comprising causing the animal to ingest and/or absorb an effective amount of one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below.","In other words, the first aspect of the present invention also provides for the use of one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, for enhancing the growth of an animal, by causing the animal to ingest an effective amount of the one or more compounds.","Typically, in the practice of the first aspect of the present invention, the one or more compounds will be presented directly to the animal for ingestion and/or absorption.","However, in one alternative optional embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the animal may be caused to ingest or absorb the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, by providing the animal simultaneously, separately or sequentially with components which cause the animal to form an effective amount of the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, in situ.","For example, the animal could be provided with a source of ferrous sulfate and simultaneously, separately or sequentially with a source of quinic acid or salt thereof (or other α-hydroxyacid), or could be provided with a source of ferrous sulfate and simultaneously, separately or sequentially with a source of a natural or synthetic amino acid, such as L-tyrosine, L-DOPA or L-phenylalanine.","In a preferred option of the first aspect of the present invention, the animal to ingests and/or absorbs one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A as described further in section III.A of this application below, and in a further preferred option the one or more compounds are selected from the group consisting of a complex of an amino acid with Fe III and a complex of an α-hydroxyacid with Fe III, or salts and/or hydrates thereof.","In particularly preferred options of the first aspect of the present invention, the one or more compounds may, or may not, be selected from any one or more of the group consisting of a complex of quinic acid with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula IX), a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula VIII), a complex of L-DOPA with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula VII), and a complex of L-phenylalanine with Fe III.","Accordingly, in one embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula VIII) is particularly preferred.","Optionally, the one or more compounds is not a complex of quinic acid with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula IX).","The animal may be caused to ingest or absorb the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, by providing the one or more compounds (or component parts thereof to form the compound(s) in situ) by dietary means, such as in or mixed with an animal feed, as a dietary supplement, and/or in a drinking water.","A further option, in the case of marine, aquatic, amphibious or other animals that live partially or fully in water, is to add the one or more compounds (or component parts thereof to form the compound(s) in situ) into the water, such as by treatment of ponds containing farmed fish or crustaceans such as shrimp and crawfish.","Accordingly, for example, in a preferred embodiment, the one or more compounds may be presented to the animal through one or more routes selected from the group consisting of an animal feed, an animal feed supplement, and in drinking water or by exposure to other water.","It should be noted that, dependent on the solubility of the one or more compounds used, it may be beneficial to introduce a co-solvent to solubilize to aid dissolution in water at an effective concentration.","Accordingly, in a further embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an animal feed, animal feed supplement and a drinking water supply, each comprising one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below.","Suitable concentrations of the one or more compounds to include in the animal feed, animal feed supplement and a drinking water supply include concentrations as discussed further below.","Also provided herewith, in a further embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, is a method for the production of an animal feed product or animal feed supplement product, the method comprising the steps of incorporating one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, into the animal feed product or animal feed supplement product during the preparation of the feed or supplement.","The one or more compounds may be incorporated into the product at any stage during the production process and may, for example, be included before one or more heating steps, such a one or more heating steps that comprise exposing a composition comprising the one or more compounds to a temperature of greater than 50° C., greater than 60° C., greater than 70° C., greater than 80° C., greater than 90° C. or greater than 100° C., and preferably wherein the temperature exposure is in a range selected from 50-200° C., 60-150° C., 70-100° C. In some embodiments, a temperature range for a heating step may be in the range of 70-90° C., such as 75-88° C., 80-87° C., 81-86° C., or 82-85° C. Optionally, in one embodiment, a suitable method for the production of an animal feed, such as a feed for a chicken (including a broiler chicken) may include the steps of: (a) combining nutritional and/or other dietary components (such as one or more components selected from wheat, soy, soy oil, minerals and other additives) to form a grist or other mixture; (b) heating the grist or other mixture in a heating step as described above, such as with steam at 85° C. for a time effective to kill any pathogens, such as Salmonella.","A period of 5-10 minutes, such as 6-8 minutes, is one example of an effective period at 85° C., although the time can be adjusted dependent on the temperature used; (c) cooling the heated mixture.","Preferably the cooling is conducted at a rate and under conditions effective to avoid the formation of condensation, since condensation can result in the growth of pathogens including Salmonella.","(d) optionally pressing the cooled mixture; (e) forming feed pellets from the cooled mixture, such as by pelletizing using an extruder that heats the feed to a suitable temperature, as discussed above, for example in the range of 82-85° C.; (f) addition of heat sensitive additives, typically by spraying.","Heat sensitive additives can include enzymes, which may (for example) be selected from the group consisting of phytase, xylase, beta-lactamase.","In accordance with the foregoing method for the production of an animal feed product, the method comprising the step of incorporating one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, into the animal feed product at any one or more stages of the production, including during step (a), between steps (a) and (b), during step (b), between steps (b) and (c), during step (c), between steps (c) and (d), during step (d), between steps (d) and (e), during step (e), between steps (e) and (f), during step (f), or after step (f).","Other additives which may be included either at the time of adding the heat-sensitive additives, or at earlier stages, include one or more additives selected from the list consisting of creatine, amino acids (e.g.","threonine) and salt.","An animal feed or animal feed supplement as described herein and useful in the context of the first aspect of the present invention, or any other aspect of the present invention, may either be a vegetarian or non-vegetarian product.","A vegetarian product contains no meat or fish products.","A non-vegetarian diet may contain either, or both, fish product (such as fish meal) or meat product (such as meat derivatives, bone meal, etc.).","Also provided herewith, in a further embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, is a method for the production of an animal drinking water, the method comprising the addition of one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, into an animal drinking water supply.","Suitable concentrations of the one or more compounds in a drinking water supply are as discussed below, and are typically in a concentration effective to produce the effect of enhanced growth in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention.","A determination of a suitable concentration may take into account the amount of drinking water consumed by the animal.","For example, a broiler chicken in the UK (or at an equivalent temperature to those used in the UK) typically consumes a daily amount of drinking water dependent on its age that can be calculated by reference to the age of the chicken in days multiplied of approximately 4-10 mL, such as 5-9 ml, 6-8 mL, for example about 7.14 mL.","Thus, for example, a 42 day old broiler chicken may have a daily water consumption of 168 mL to 420 mL per day, more typically around 300 mL per day ±30%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, or 1%.","Broiler chicken reared at different temperatures may consume more (e.g.","in southern USA, where temperatures in the summer will be high and water consumption could be higher, particularly in sheds where temperature is not controlled), or less water.","The animal may ingest or absorb an effective amount of one or more compounds on a regular and repeated basis.","For example, the animal may ingest or absorb an effective amount of one or more compounds weekly, every other day, every day, or more than once every day during the performance of the method or use.","In one option, the one or more compounds are included in the an animal feed, an animal feed supplement, and/or in drinking water and the animal ingests the one or more compounds when they eat and/or drink, and optionally every time they eat and/or drink.","This ingestion or absorption an effective amount of one or more compounds may continue through a period of time of the animal's growth that may correspond to a period of time that is, is up to, or is at least, 5%, 10%, 25%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95% or substantially 100% of the life of the animal from birth to death.","The ingestion or absorption an effective amount of one or more compounds may start on the day of the animal's birth, or at the age of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 days, or more.","After the animal starts to ingest or absorb the one or compounds, the animal may continue to do so on a regular and repeated basis for a period of time that can be, or be up to, or at least, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 days, or more.","In the case of chickens, especially broiler chickens, it may be preferred that the chickens ingest one or more compounds in accordance with the present invention on a repeated and regular basis in a starter diet, in a grower diet and/or in a finisher diet, as described further below.","Chickens grown for other purposes, such as breeder chickens and/or egg layer chickens, typically receive diets that are different to the broiler chicken, as discussed further in this application and standard diets for breeder and egg layer chickens are well known to those skilled in the art.","In accordance with further embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention, the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, is incorporated into an animal feed for a breeder chicken and/or egg layer chicken.","In an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, the one or more compounds may be included in an animal feed, or in an animal feed supplement, for the feed of commercial birds such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, and ducks.","In one option, the one or more compounds may be included in, or used to supplement, a poultry feeds, which can be a “complete” feed.","A complete feed is designed to contain all the protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients necessary for proper growth, egg production, and health of the birds.","Feeding any other ingredients, mixed with the feed or fed separately, beyond the use of a complete feed, can upset the balance of nutrients in the “complete” feed.","Feeding additional grain or supplement with the complete poultry feed is not recommended.","Chickens used in optimized commercial broiler production are typically fed different diets depending upon their age.","For example, chickens for broiler production may be raised using three diets.","These diets are typically called a “starter”, “grower” and “finisher”.","“Pre-starter” diets are also possible.","The “starter”, “grower” and “finisher” are typically distinguished by crude protein content, which is often provided by ingredients such as soybean meal (SBM).","For example, a starter diet for a broiler chicken may optionally contain a crude protein contents of around 22-25% by weight, such as 22%, 23%, 24% or 25%, with 23 or 25% being preferred.","In a further example, a grower diet for a broiler chicken may optionally contain a crude protein contents of around 21-23% by weight, such as 21%, 22% or 23%, with 22% being preferred.","In a further example, a finisher diet for a broiler chicken may optionally contain a crude protein contents of around 19-23% by weight, such as 19%, 20%, 21%, 22% or 23%, with 19%, 20%, or 21% being preferred.","Additionally or alternatively, the “starter”, “grower” and “finisher” may be distinguished by metabolizable energy (ME) content, which is typically lowest for the starter diet and highest for the finisher diet, with the grower diet having a level between the two.","For example, a starter diet for a broiler chicken may have an ME of about 3000 or 3025 kcal/kg (±50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5 or less kcal/kg).","In a further example, a grower diet for a broiler chicken may have an ME of about 3100 or 3150 kcal/kg (±50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5 or less kcal/kg).","In a further example, a grower diet for a broiler chicken may have an ME of about 3200 kcal/kg (±50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5 or less kcal/kg).","Animal feeds, including chicken and most particularly broiler chicken feeds, in accordance with the present invention may also typically contain one or more (preferably all) of the following: Macro minerals, which include those selected from the group consisting of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride.","Trace Minerals, including zinc and/or selenium.","Added vitamins, which include those selected from the group consisting of vitamin A, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine (B6) and biotin in maize and wheatbased feed.","Additionally there is a basic requirement of broiler chickens for vitamin E at 10-15 mg/kg.","The need for extra supplementation with vitamin E will depend on the level and type of fat in the diet, on the level of selenium and on the presence of pro- and antioxidants.","Heat treatment of feeds can result in the destruction of up to 20% of vitamin E Choline may also be given in a complete feed.","Non-nutritive feed additives may also be included.","Enzymes are routinely used in poultry feeds to improve digestibility of feed ingredients.","In general, feed enzymes are available that act on carbohydrates, plant bound minerals and proteins.","Non Starch Polysaccharide (NSP) enzymes are economically beneficial in wheat-based feeds.","These enzymes will also allow greater flexibility in the levels of barley to be included in the ration.","Phytase enzymes can be used to enhance phytate phosphorus utilization.","Protease enzymes can be included to act upon vegetable products.","Carbohydrase enzymes can be added, and may provide beneficial responses when used in maize-soya diets.","When adding enzymes before heat processing of broiler feeds, there is the potential for a loss in enzyme activity.","This may be avoided by spraying enzymes on to the feed at the end of processing.","Medicinal and prophylactic drugs (other than the compounds as defined in section III.A.","below) may be added.","A wide range of medicinal products, e.g.","coccidiostats and antibiotics, may be administered through the feed.","Antibiotic Growth Promoters/Digestion Enhancers can be included and can, for example, provide a mode of action involving modification of the gut microflora, with consequential benefits in nutrient utilization.","Prebiotics can be added, and refer to a group of substances which stimulate the growth of beneficial microorganisms, at the expense of harmful, micro-organisms.","Oligosaccharides form the largest group of these products at present.","Probiotics can be added to introduce live micro-organisms into the digestive tract to assist the establishment of a stable and beneficial microflora.","The objective is to provide the gut with positive, non-pathogenic micro-organisms which will then prevent colonization with pathogenic micro-organisms by competitive exclusion.","Organic Acids may be added.","Organic acid products can be used to reduce bacterial contamination of the feed (e.g.","after heat treatment) and can also encourage beneficial microflora to develop in the digestive tract of the bird.","Absorbents are used specifically to absorb mycotoxins.","They may also have a beneficial effect on general bird health and nutrient absorption.","There are a range of products available for use as absorbents, including various clays and charcoal.","Antioxidants can provide important protection against nutrient loss in broiler feeds.","Some feed ingredients e.g.","fish meal and fats, can be protected.","Vitamin premixes should be protected by an antioxidant unless optimum storage times and conditions are provided.","Additional antioxidants may be added to the final feed where prolonged storage or inadequate storage conditions are unavoidable.","Anti-Mold Agents can be added.","For example, mold inhibitors may be added to feed ingredients, which have become contaminated, or to finished rations to reduce growth of fungi and production of mycotoxins.","Pelleting agents can be added, and are used to improve pellet hardness.","Some examples of pellet binders are hemicellulose, bentonite and guar gum.","Other products of possible use in broiler production include essential oils, nucleotides, glucans and specialized plant extracts.","In areas of the world where its use is permitted, formaldehyde can be used to treat/preserve feed.","Without limitation, exemplary “starter”, “grower” and “finisher” diets include those shown in Example 18 of this application, below.","The starter diet with broiler chicks may be fed for about the first 10-12 days (typically in the range of the first 7-14 days of life).","This starter diet may be followed by the grower diet, which is provided to the broilers for almost 2 weeks (typically from the age of about 11-24 days, although in any case, after the end of the use of the starter diet).","The finisher diet may be used for the remainder of the production period (typically from the age of about 24, or 25, days to harvest).","Some broiler houses will use more or less diets (for example 4 diets), and vary the timing of diet changes.","Broilers are typically harvested between 35 and 42 days, although this time can be longer or shorter.","The UK market typically harvests at day 30-35.Other countries, including some European countries, harvest as early as 25 days, although more typically from 30 days onwards.","Yet other countries, such as the US, typically harvest at 42-47 days.","Non-broiler chickens, including free-range chickens, may be harvested at later ages.","In the context of the practice of the first aspect of the present invention, any age of harvest may be used, although most typically (e.g.","in the context of broiler chickens) after the start of the finisher diet, and optionally (and without limitation) on any of days 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70 or beyond, such as up to or about 11 weeks, 12 weeks, 13 weeks, 14 weeks, 15 weeks, 16 weeks, 17 weeks, 18 weeks, 19 weeks, 20 weeks or more.","In some embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention, methods for the production of broiler chicken or other animals may be performed on groups that are single sex (i.e.","groups of solely female, or solely male animals), and/or may be performed on groups of mixed sex (i.e.","mixed male and female) animals.","For example, in the case of the production of broiler chickens, it may be appropriate to select and rear together a single sex group of male cockerels, and it may be suitable to harvest the cockerels at an earlier age than female or mixed sex groups.","For example, a single sex cockerel group of broiler chickens may be harvested at the age of around 30 days or, in other options, at the age of any one or more of 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, or more days.","For example, at the age of 30 days, an untreated cockerel group may have an average target weight of about 1.95 kg, whereas in the case of the enhanced growth resulting from the performance of the method of the first aspect of the present invention, it may be appropriate to harvest the cockerels at an earlier stage at the defined target weight, or to harvest at the same age and a higher average weight, or at the same age and target weight with the use of a reduced consumption of animal feed due to greater feed conversion efficiency.","In a further example, a mixed sex group of broiler chickens may be harvested at the age of around 35 days or, in other options, at the age of any one or more of 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50 or more days.","For example, at the age of 35 days, an untreated mixed sex group may have an average target weight of about 2.1-2.2 kg, whereas in the case of the enhanced growth resulting from the performance of the method of the first aspect of the present invention, it may be appropriate to harvest the mixed sex group at an earlier stage at the defined target weight, or to harvest at the same age and a higher average weight, or at the same age and target weight with the use of a reduced consumption of animal feed due to greater feed conversion efficiency.","In accordance with the practice of the first aspect of the invention, for the purpose of enhancing the growth of broiler chickens, the one or more compounds may be included in any one, two or three of the starter, grower and finisher diets.","In one embodiment, the one or more compounds may be included in starter diet only.","In another embodiment, the one or more compounds may be included in grower diet only.","In another embodiment, the one or more compounds may be included in finisher diet only.","In another embodiment, the one or more compounds may be included in starter and grower diets only, but not the finisher diet.","In another embodiment, the one or more compounds may be included in starter and finisher diets only, but not the grower diet.","In another embodiment, the one or more compounds may be included in grower and finisher diets only, but not the starter diet.","In another embodiment, the one or more compounds may be included in all of the starter, grower and finisher diets.","In accordance with further embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention, the animal to be grown may be an egg-laying chicken.","A typical process of rearing an egg-laying chicken can involve the beginning of egg production at around 23 weeks of age, and slaughter at around 60 weeks of age.","The egg-laying chicken may be treated in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention prior to beginning egg laying, and/or during egg laying, and/or up to the time of slaughter.","Treatment may, for example, last for about 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, or 60 weeks; the term “about” in that context can include the meaning of ±4, 3, 2, or 1 weeks of the stated value.","Whereas, typically, egg laying chickens begin to lay eggs at 23 weeks of age, by taking advantage of the enhanced growth and/or enhanced feed utilization of the first aspect of the present invention, it may be appropriate to begin egg production at an earlier age, such as at 18, 19, 20, 21 or 22 weeks of age.","Further, by taking advantage of the enhanced growth and/or enhanced feed utilization of the first aspect of the present invention, the present invention may be used to achieve an effect (compared to an untreated control group that is reared under identical conditions except for the application of the method of the first aspect of the present invention) selected from: (a) the production with eggs of improved quality.","Improved quality may, for example, be selected from size, shell quality, air cell, white and yolk.","The shell quality is determined from any one or more of size, visual defects, specific gravity, color, breaking strength, percent shell (shell weight×100/egg weight), shell thickness, and ultrastructure of the egg.","The improved quality may be reflected in a higher proportion of eggs being categorized as US grade A or AA (for example, the US standard for grading eggs is discussed at http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/y4628e/y4628e04.htm, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference); (b) the production of eggs of increased size (such as at a weight that is up to, or at least, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 15%, 20% or more); and/or (c) the production of eggs in increased numbers (such as in an average daily amount, per group of at least 100 animal and/or when assessed over a period of at least 10 days, that is an amount that is up to, or at least, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 15%, 20% or more).","The same approach can be taken with other egg-laying animals.","Eggs produced by egg-laying chickens and other animals are labelled with information to indicate the source and date/or of origin.","Also provided by the present invention, in accordance with a further embodiment of the first aspect, are one or more eggs, such as a box or carton of eggs, produced by the animals (especially egg-laying chickens) that have been treated by a method according to the first aspect of the present invention.","As indicated above, such eggs will typically carry a label indicating their source and/or date of origin.","Also provided are downstream products, especially food products, produced from and/or containing eggs or parts thereof produced by the animals (especially egg-laying chickens) that have been treated by a method according to the first aspect of the present invention.","An animal feed of, or for use in, a first aspect of the present invention may comprise, or be supplemented with, one or more compounds of the present invention in an amount of 0.001 to 20 g of the one or more compounds per kg of feed, such as 0.002 to 15 g/kg, or at a level of, up to, or at least, about 0.002 g/kg, 0.005 g/kg, 0.01 g/kg, 0.02 g/kg, 0.03 g/kg, 0.04 g/kg, 0.05 g/kg, 0.1 g/kg, 0.2 g/kg, 0.3 g/kg, 0.4 g/kg, 0.5 g/kg, 1 g/kg, 2 g/kg, 3 g/kg, 4 g/kg, 5 g/kg, 10 g/kg, 15 g/kg or 20 g/kg.","An animal drinking water supply of, or for use in, the first aspect of the present invention may comprise, or be supplemented with, one or more compounds of the present invention in an amount of 0.001 to 20 g of the one or more compounds per L of water, such as 0.002 to 15 g/L, or at a level of, up to, or at least, about 0.002 g/L, 0.005 g/L, 0.01 g/L, 0.02 g/L, 0.03 g/L, 0.04 g/L, 0.05 g/L, 0.1 g/L, 0.2 g/L, 0.3 g/L, 0.4 g/L, 0.5 g/L, 1 g/L, 2 g/L, 3 g/L, 4 g/L, 5 g/L, 10 g/L, 15 g/L or 20 g/L.","The same concentrations can apply to water in which aquatic or other animals live.","Optionally, the methods and uses of the present invention are conducted such that, during the course of the treatment, the animal ingests and/or absorbs a daily mean average total of FeQ (or an equivalent number of moles of any other one or more compounds according to Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below) of, of up to, or at least, about 100 μg, 500 μg, 1 mg, 10 mg, 100 mg, 1 g, 2 g, 3 g, 4 g, or 5 g. In an additional or alternative option, the methods and uses of the present invention are conducted such that, during the course of the treatment, the animal ingests and/or absorbs a total of FeQ (or an equivalent number of moles of any other one or more compounds according to Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below) of, of up to, or at least, about (a) 5 mg, 10 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg, 500 mg, 1 g, 5 g, 10 g, 50 g or 100 g per individual animal and/or (b) 1 mg, 2 mg, 3 mg, 4 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg 50 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg, 300 mg, 400 mg, 500 mg, 600 mg, 700 mg, 800 mg, 900 mg, 1 g, 1.1 g, 1.2 g, 13 g, 1.4 g, 1.5 g, 1.6 g, 1.7 g, 1.8 g, 1.9 g, 2 g, 2.1 g, 2.2 g, 2.3 g, 2.4 g, 2.5 g, 2.6 g, 2.7 g, 2.8 g, 2.9 g, 3 g, 3.5 g, 4 g, 4.5 g, 5 g, 6 g, 7 g, 8 g, 9 g, 10 g, 20, g, 30 g, 40 g, 50 g, 60 g, 70 g, 80 g, 90 g or 100 g per kg of final average body weight, as determined at the day of the final administration of the one or more compounds.","Accordingly, the present invention also provides animal feed, animal feed supplements, drinking water supplies, and ponds (or other contained water-based growth areas) for use in accordance with the present invention, and comprising the one or more compounds according to Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, at the one of the concentrations indicated above.","Exemplary animal feeds of the present invention include chicken feeds, including (i) starter diets, grower diets and/or finisher diets, particular for a meat-type chicken such as broiler chicken, or (ii) for egg-laying chicken such as a pullet or hen, or (iii) for breeder chickens.","Also included are feeds for other poultry, such as a turkey, geese, quail, pheasant, or ducks, or livestock, such as cattle, sheep, goats or swine, alpaca, banteng, bison, camel, cat, deer, dog, donkey, gayal, guinea pig, horse, llama, mule, rabbit, reindeer, water buffalo, yak, although the skilled person will appreciate that other feeds for animals, including zoo animals, captive animals, game animals, fish (include freshwater and saltwater fish, farmed fish, and ornamental fish), other marine and aquatic animals, including shellfish such as, but not limited to, oysters, mussels, clams, shrimps, prawns, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, cuttlefish, octopus, and squid, domestic animals such as cats and dogs, rodents (such as mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters), and horses, are also provided, as well as any other domestic, wild and farmed animal, including mammals, marine animals, amphibians, birds, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates.","In one embodiment, in the context of the first aspect of the present invention, the animal may be selected from the group consisting of poultry, such as a chicken, turkey, geese, quail, pheasant, or ducks, or livestock, such as cattle, sheep, goats or swine, alpaca, banteng, bison, camel, cat, deer, dog, donkey, gayal, guinea pig, horse, llama, mule, rabbit, reindeer, water buffalo, yak, although the skilled person will appreciate that other animals, including zoo animals, captive animals, game animals, fish (include freshwater and saltwater fish, farmed fish, and ornamental fish), other marine and aquatic animals (including shellfish such as, but not limited to, oysters, mussels, clams, shrimps, prawns, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, cuttlefish, octopus, and squid), domestic animals such as cats and dogs, rodents (such as mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters), and horses, as well as any other domestic, wild and farmed animal, including mammals, marine animals, amphibians, birds, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates may also be treated.","In a particularly preferred embodiment, the animal is a chicken, for example, a meat-type chicken such as broiler chicken, or an egg-laying chicken such as a pullet or hen, or a breeder chicken.","The method of enhancing the growth of an animal in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention may be practiced on multiple animals, which may optionally be reared together and, further optionally wherein all animals reared together may be aged matched to within a month, a week, or less, such as within 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 or 1 days of each other.","For example, the method may be practiced on a group of up to, about, or at least, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1×103, 2×103, 3×103, 4×103, 5×103, 6×103, 7×103, 8×103, 9×103, 1×104, 2×104, 3×104, 4×104, 5×104, 6×104, 7×104, 8×104, 9×104, 1×105, 2×105, 3×105, 4×105, 5×105, 6×105, 7×105, 8×105, 9×105, 1×106 or more, and all animals in the group may be optionally age matched as indicated above.","The term “about” in this context can mean within ±50%, ±40%, ±30%, ±20%, ±10%, ±5%, ±4%, ±3%, ±2%, ±1% or less of the stated value.","The animals treated in accordance with the present invention may be healthy animals, for example, animals which are not infected with or disadvantageously colonized by bacteria or other microorganisms.","In another embodiment, the animals treated in accordance with the present invention may be unhealthy animals, for example, animals which are infected with and/or disadvantageously colonized by bacteria or other microorganisms.","An example of a disadvantageous bacterial colonization is Campylobacter colonization in the GI tract of chickens; Campylobacter is not pathogenic and does not cause disease in the chicken itself (although of course it can lead to food poisoning if present in a downstream meat product produced from the chicken)—nevertheless, the Campylobacter colonization can be considered disadvantageous to the chicken as it reduces its ability to grow or efficiently utilize feed.","As such, in one embodiment, an animal that is disadvantageously colonized by bacteria or other microorganisms is an animal which displays a reduced rate of growth, reduced body weight, reduced weight gain, or less efficient feed conversion ratio due to the colonization, compared to a control animal that differs only in that it does not have the colonization.","In some embodiments, the animals treated in accordance with the present invention may be animal that have been exposed to the litter (including feacal matter) of one or more other animals of the same or different species.","Optionally, the litter may be from unhealthy animals which, for example, animals which are infected with and/or disadvantageously colonized by bacteria or other microorganisms.","In one embodiment of interest to the present invention, the animals treated may be chickens, such as broiler chickens, and they may have been exposed to the litter of other chickens, such as dirty litter as described in the present examples and/or carrying one or more pathogens, such as Actinobacillus, Bordetalla, Campylobacter, Clostridium, Corynebacterium, Escherichia coli, Globicatella, Listeria, Mycobacterium, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus.","As such, the animals to be treated in accordance with the present invention may be chickens (or other animals) that are infected and/or colonized by one or more of the foregoing pathogens.","Accordingly, in some embodiments, the methods and uses of the present invention may be non-therapeutic, in the sense that the animal to be treated is healthy and/or the method and use comprises the eventual slaughter of the animal.","In other embodiments, the methods and uses of the present invention may include therapeutic benefits to the animals to be treated.","In one embodiment, the methods and uses of enhancing the growth of an animal in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention can include enhancing one or more characteristics selected from the group consisting of enhancing body weight or (in the case of a group of animals) average body weight (ABW), feed intake or (in the case of a group of animals) average feed intake (AFD), weight gain or (in the case of a group of animals) average weight gain (AWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and/or mortality adjusted feed conversion ratio (MFCR).","In one embodiment (for example, in the context of a group of chickens grown in a pen) MFCR over a given period can be calculated as follows: MFCR=Total feed intake of period per pen/((total live weight of pen+total weight of dead birds in pen)−total live weight of pen in previous period) For example for period 0 to 20 day, MFCR can be calculated as: MFCR0 to 20 day=Total feed intake0-20 days/((Total body weightat day 20+mortality weight0-20 days)−Total body weightday 0).","The enhancement in growth of the animal may be assessed over any convenient period during the animal's growth.","It may, for example, be assessed from birth to a predetermined time point, such as up to about 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180 or more days.","The term “about” in this context can mean±5, ±4, ±3, ±2, or ±1 days.","It may, for example, be assessed from birth to a predetermined time point, such as up to about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100% of the life span of the animal.","It may, alternatively, not be measured from birth but be measured over a period of the animal's life lasting up to about 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180 or more days.","Again, the term “about” in this context can mean±5, ±4, ±3, ±2, or ±1 days.","It may, alternatively, not be measured from birth but be measured over a period of the animal's life representative of about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% of the life span of the animal.","In the context of using the first aspect of the present invention to enhance the growth of broiler chickens, which are typically slaughtered at the average age of 35 days (in the EU) and 47 days (in the US), enhanced growth may be measured from birth up to the age of slaughter, or may be measured up to an earlier age, such as up to 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 or 47 days.","Alternatively, the enhanced growth of broiler chickens may not be measured from birth but may be over another period of the broiler chicken's life lasting, for example, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 or 47 days.","Enhanced growth can, in some embodiments, refer to an enhancement in growth in a subject animal compared to a control which is the same breed of animal as the subject, or an enhancement in a subject group of animals compared to a control group of an equivalent number of animals of the same breed as the subject group, wherein the subject and control are the same age or average age (ideally within a margin of error of less than one day), wherein growth is measured over the same period of time (ideally within a margin of error of less than one day), and wherein the subject and control are reared under the same conditions, differing only in that the subject receives one or more compounds of the present invention, in particular one or more compounds according to Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, whereas the control does not.","In the context of using the present invention to enhance the growth of animals, and in particular poultry, such as chickens and more preferably broiler chickens, an enhancement in the rate of growth may constitute a reduction in the MFCR of the subject by, by up to, or by at least, about 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.05, 0.06, 0.07, 0.08, 0.09, 0.10, 0.11, 0.12, 0.13, 0.14, 0.15, 0.16, 0.17, 0.18, 0.19 or 0.20.The term “about” in this context may include the meaning of ±5×10−3.The reduction in MFCR may, for example, be measured between days 0 to 20, or days 20 to 42 of the life of the animal(s).","Under current economic conditions, it can be calculated that a reduction in MFCR of 0.1 will lead to an approximate saving in feed cost of about 4 US cents per bird over a 42 day growth period and/or about £10 GBP per tonne of animal feed used.","It will be appreciated that these are substantial savings in an industry in which costs are typically controlled at a level of about 0.01 US cents per bird.","Further, in the context of using the first aspect of the present invention to enhance the growth of animals, and in particular poultry, such as chickens and more preferably broiler chickens, an enhancement in the rate of growth may constitute an increase in the ABW of the subject by, by up to, or by at least, about 10 g, 20 g, 30 g, 40 g, 50 g, 60 g, 70 g, 80 g, 90 g, 100 g, 110 g, 120 g, 130 g, 140 g, 150 g, 160 g, 170 g, 180 g, 190 g, 200 g, 210 g, 220 g, 230 g, 240 g, 250 g or more.","The term “about” in this context may include the meaning of ±5 g, 4 g, 3 g, 2 g or 1 g. The increase in the ABW may, for example, be measured between days 0 to 20, or days 20 to 42 or the life of the animal(s).","In the context of animals that normally (i.e.","when not treated in accordance with the present invention) have a higher ABW than the normal ABW of broiler chickens (i.e.","when not treated in accordance with the present invention), then the foregoing values may be increased proportionately.","That is, for example, in the case of an animal that has a normal ABW 10-fold greater than the normal ABW of a broiler chicken, then the enhancement in the rate of growth provided by the present invention may constitute an increase in the ABW of the subject by, by up to, or by at least, about 100 g, 200 g, 300 g, 400 g, 500 g, 600 g, 700 g, 800 g, 900 g, 1000 g, 1100 g, 1200 g, 1300 g, 1400 g, 1500 g, 1600 g, 1700 g, 1800 g, 1900 g, 2000 g, 2100 g, 2200 g, 2300 g, 2400 g, 2500 g or more, wherein the term “about” in this context may include the meaning of ±50 g, 40 g, 30 g, 20 g or 10 g. Further, in the context of using the first aspect of the present invention to enhance the growth of animals, and in particular poultry, such as chickens and more preferably broiler chickens, an enhancement in the rate of growth may constitute an increase in the average weight gain (AWG) of the subject by, by up to, or by at least, about 10 g, 20 g, 30 g, 40 g, 50 g, 60 g, 70 g, 80 g, 90 g, 100 g, 110 g, 120 g, 130 g, 140 g, 150 g, 160 g, 170 g, 180 g, 190 g, 200 g, 210 g, 220 g, 230 g, 240 g, 250 g, 260 g, 270 g, 280 g, 290 g, 300 g or more over a period of growth, compared to a control animal or group of animals.","The term “about” in this context may include the meaning of ±5 g, 4 g, 3 g, 2 g or 1 g. The increase in the AWG may, for example, be measured between days 0 to 20, or days 20 to 42 of the life of the animal(s), or during a period of time selected from 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 or 47 days.","In the context of animals that normally (i.e.","when not treated in accordance with the present invention) show a higher AWG than the normal AWG of broiler chickens (i.e.","when not treated in accordance with the present invention), then the foregoing values may be increased proportionately.","That is, for example, in the case of an animal that has a normal AWG 10-fold greater than the normal AWG of a broiler chicken over an equivalent period of time, then the enhancement in the rate of growth provided by the present invention may constitute an increase in the AWG of the subject by, by up to, or by at least, about 100 g, 200 g, 300 g, 400 g, 500 g, 600 g, 700 g, 800 g, 900 g, 1000 g, 1100 g, 1200 g, 1300 g, 1400 g, 1500 g, 1600 g, 1700 g, 1800 g, 1900 g, 2000 g, 2100 g, 2200 g, 2300 g, 2400 g, 2500 g, 2600 g, 2700 g, 2800 g, 2900 g, 3000 g or more, wherein the term “about” in this context may include the meaning of ±50 g, 40 g, 30 g, 20 g or 10 g. Prior to the present invention, in the US, the average age of slaughter of a broiler chicken is 47 days at an average weight of 2.6 kg; at the age of 42 days, the average weight may be around 2.5 kg, and in the EU, the average age of slaughter of a broiler chicken 35 days at an average weight of 2.1-2.2 kg.","It will be appreciated that, as a result of the enhanced growth provided by the methods and uses of the present invention, it will be possible to reach the target weight and harvest the animal or animal products at an earlier stage of the animal's life than would be possible with a control.","For example, in the context of a broiler chicken, it may be possible to slaughter the animal after having achieved a target body weight 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more days earlier than a control.","In that context, a target body weight of a broiler chicken may be, may be up to, or may be at least, about 1000 g, 1100 g, 1200 g, 1300 g, 1400 g, 1500 g, 1600 g, 1700 g, 1800 g, 1900 g, 2000 g, 2100 g, 2200 g, 2300 g, 2400 g, 2500 g, 2600 g, 2700 g, 2800 g, 2900 g, 3000 g, 3100 g, 3200 g, 3300 g, 3400 g, 3500 g or more.","The term “about” in that context may include ±50 g, ±40 g, ±30 g, ±20 g or ±10 g of the stated value.","To put it another way, the broiler chicken may be slaughtered at, or prior to, the age of 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42, 41, 40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31, 30, 29, 28, 27, 26 or 25 days, ideally wherein it has reached a target body weight at the time of slaughter.","Thus, for example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the broiler chicken is reared to a target weight of about 2.6 kg, and the method or use includes the step of slaughtering the animal after having achieved a target body weight 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more days earlier than the age of 47 days.","In another exemplary embodiment, broiler chicken is reared to a target weight of about 2.5 kg, and the method or use includes the step of slaughtering the animal after having achieved a target body weight 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more days earlier than the age of 42 days.","In another exemplary embodiment, broiler chicken is reared to a target weight of about 2.2 kg, and the method or use includes the step of slaughtering the animal after having achieved a target body weight 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more days earlier than the age of 35 days.","In another embodiment, the animal is reared for the same amount of time as the industry standard, but presents a greater body weight (such as about, at least, or up to, 0.1%.","0.5%.","1%.","2%.","3%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% or more) than the industry standard at the end of the rearing process.","Thus, in the context of broiler chickens, the animal may be slaughtered at a weight of about 1000 g, 1100 g, 1200 g, 1300 g, 1400 g, 1500 g, 1600 g, 1700 g, 1800 g, 1900 g, 2000 g, 2100 g, 2200 g, 2300 g, 2400 g, 2500 g, 2600 g, 2700 g, 2800 g, 2900 g, 3000 g, 3100 g, 3200 g, 3300 g, 3400 g, 3500 g or more, wherein at the time of slaughter body weight is about, at least, or up to, 0.1%.","0.5%.","1%.","2%.","3%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% or more than the control.","The term “about” as it is applied to weight in that context may include ±50 g, ±40 g, ±30 g, ±20 g or ±10 g of the stated value.","In yet another embodiment, as a result of the effect of the enhanced growth provided by the methods and uses of the first aspect of the present invention, the animal is able to utilize animal feeds with greater efficiency than a control.","Accordingly, in another embodiment, the methods and uses of the present invention include the option of rearing an animal to reach a target body weight using less animal feed than is required for a control to reach the target weight.","For example, it may be possible to use the present invention to rear an animal to reach the target weight using an amount of animal feed that is reduced in weight by 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% or more, compared to the amount of the same animal feed required by a control to reach the same target weight.","In that context, a target body weight of a broiler chicken may be, may be up to, or may be at least, about 1000 g, 1100 g, 1200 g, 1300 g, 1400 g, 1500 g, 1600 g, 1700 g, 1800 g, 1900 g, 2000 g, 2100 g, 2200 g, 2300 g, 2400 g, 2500 g, 2600 g, 2700 g, 2800 g, 2900 g, 3000 g, 3100 g, 3200 g, 3300 g, 3400 g, 3500 g or more.","The term “about” in that context may include ±50 g, ±40 g, ±30 g, ±20 g or ±10 g of the stated value.","For example, in the context of the industry standard for rearing a broiler chicken for 42 days, it is typical to provide each chicken with total of 5.2 kg of feed throughout its life (a mean average of 123.8 g of feed per day of life).","In such a situation, in one embodiment, the present invention involves feeding the chicken a total amount of chicken feed that is reduced from 5.2 kg, and/or reduced from a mean average of 123.8 g feed per day, by 0.01%, 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% or more, during its rearing.","Accordingly, the methods and uses of the present invention may further comprise the step of rearing the animal to permit enhanced growth.","A further embodiment in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention provides a method of preventing or reducing the colonization of the gastrointestinal tract of an animal (such as an animal described above) with Campylobacter and/or other bacterial or microorganisms, by causing the animal to ingest and/or absorb an effective amount of one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below.","In particular, it relates to reduction or prevention of colonization of the gastrointestinal tract of poultry (such as types of a poultry as described above) with Campylobacter.","It also relates to uses of one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below to prevent the bacteria from adhering to the wall of the gastrointestinal tract of animals and to treat or prevent infection by Campylobacter and/or other bacterial or microorganisms in humans and animals.","Accordingly, in a further embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for disinfection of an animal comprising administering to said animal at least one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below in an effective amount to reduce the number of Campylobacter and/or other bacterial or microorganisms present in the gastrointestinal tract of said animal.","A further embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention also provides a method for disinfection of an animal comprising administering to said animal at least one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below in an effective amount to prevent said Campylobacter and/or other bacterial or microorganisms from forming a biofilm in the gastrointestinal tract of said animal or to reduce the amount of biofilm formed by Campylobacter and/or other bacterial or microorganisms in the intestinal tract of said animal.","A further embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention also provides a method for preventing or reducing transmission of Campylobacter infection, and/or infection by other bacteria or microorganisms, from one animal to another, for example preventing or reducing spread of Campylobacter and/or infection by other bacteria or microorganism, within a flock or herd of animals, for example preventing spread of Campylobacter infection and/or infection by other bacteria or microorganisms, within a flock of chickens, including broiler chickens; said method comprising administering to said animals, for example said herd or flock of animals, for example said flock of chickens, one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below in an effective amount to prevent said Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms, from forming a biofilm in the gastrointestinal tract of said animal or to reduce the amount of biofilm formed by Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms, in the intestinal tract of said animal.","These methods may allow disinfection, prevention of biofilm formation and reduction of transmission of Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms, between animals by preventing or reducing adherence of Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms, of the gastrointestinal tract of said animals.","This is advantageous because the fewer Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms, that are in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal at the time of slaughter, the lower the risk of contamination of meat from the animal with Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms.","The fewer Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms that are in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal the lower the chance of the Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms, forming a biofilm in the gastrointestinal tract of the animal.","The fewer Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms, that are in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal, the lower the chance that the Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms, will spread from one animal to another, for example within a herd or flock of animals.","These methods may also be used to reduce the amount of colonisation of the gastrointestinal tract of any animal with Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms.","It can be particularly advantageous to provide the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below to animals that will be slaughtered for human consumption.","Poultry includes birds that are used for human consumption such as chickens, geese, turkeys and ducks.","It is particularly, advantageous to use the compounds of the present invention to reduce or prevent colonisation of the gastrointestinal tract of poultry, in particular chickens, and more particularly broiler chickens, egg laying chicken and/or breeder chickens, with Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms because chickens are a leading source of human infection with Campylobacter.","The number of Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tracts of animals may be reduced by the methods of the present invention.","In one embodiment the number of colony forming units (cfu) of Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal treated with the compounds of the present invention may be reduced by 50%, by 60%, by 70%, by 80%, by 90% or by 100%.","In one embodiment Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms may be substantially eradicated from the gastrointestinal tract of animals treated by the method of the present invention.","10,000 cfu of Campylobacter are enough for successful chicken colonization.","1,000 cfu of Campylobacter are enough to infect a human and cause disease in a human.","Therefore, an effective amount of a compound of the present invention is enough of the compound to reduce the number of Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal to a number that is unlikely to cause infection in humans, such as less than 10,000 cfu, 5,000 cfu, 1,000 cfu, 500 cfu, 400 cfu, 300 cfu, 200 cfu, 100 cfu, 90 cfu, 80 cfu, 70 cfu, 60 cfu, 50 cfu or less.","The number of cfu of Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms that would be ingested by a human if they ate meat from an infected animal may be related to the number of Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract of the animal at the time of slaughter but also depends on other factors such as the amount of contamination of the meat with the contents of the gastrointestinal tract of the animal at the time of slaughter.","An effective amount of the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, in this context, may be an amount that is enough of the one or more compounds to prevent colonisation of the gastrointestinal tract of the animal with Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms.","In one embodiment the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below may make Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms less virulent and less capable of infecting humans even if the total number of Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract does not decrease.","In this embodiment administering a compound of the present invention to an animal may affect the metabolism of Campylobacter and/or other bacteria or microorganisms and make them less adaptive to environment (for example, less motile) so that they cannot colonize the gastrointestinal tract and are less likely to be transmitted to other animals or to humans.","An effective amount of a one or more compounds provided to an animal should be enough to provide the required degree of reduction of Campylobacter and/or other bacterial or microorganism colonisation.","This may depend on the type of compound and/or the size of the animal.","In one embodiment, the one of more compounds may be provided in an animal feed, animal drink, or other compositions in concentration within the range of about 1 μM to about 1M, preferably greater than 10 μM, 20 μM, 30 μM, 40 μM, 50 μM, 60 μM, 70 μM, 80 μM, 90 μM, 100 μM, 110 μM, 120 μM, 130 μM, 140 μM, 150 μM, 160 μM, 170 μM, 180 μM, 190 μM, 200 μM, 250 μM, 300 μM, 350 μM, 500 μM, 1 mM or more.","For example, the concentration of the one or more compounds may be: (a) up to 1 μM, 2 μM, 3 μM, 4 μM, 5 μM, 10 μM, 15 μM, 20 μM, 25 μM, 30 μM; (b) within a range selected from the group consisting of from 35 to 335 μM, 40 to 300 μM, 50 to 300 μM, 50 to 250 μM, 50 to 200 μM, 60 to 300 μM, 60 to 250 μM, 60 to 200 μM, 80 to 300 μM, 80 to 250 μM, 80 to 200 μM, 100 to 300 μM, 100 to 250 μM, or 100 to 200 μM; or (c) at least, or about, 345 μM, 350 μM, 360 μM, 370 μM, 380 μM, 390 μM, 400 μM, 450 μM, 0.5 mM, 1 mM, 2 mM or more.","In another embodiment, the concentration may be within a range selected from the group consisting of from about 1 μM to about 1 mM, or about 30 μM to about 0.5 mM, or about 60 μM to about 0.3 mM.","In the case of the animal drink (such as drinking water) or other composition types, optionally, the concentration of the one or more compounds in the composition may be within the range of 0.002 to 15 g/L, or at a level of, up to, or at least, about 0.002 g/L, 0.005 g/L, 0.01 g/L, 0.02 g/L, 0.03 g/L, 0.04 g/L, 0.05 g/L, 0.1 g/L, 0.2 g/L, 0.3 g/L, 0.4 g/L, 0.5 g/L, 1 g/L, 2 g/L, 3 g/L, 4 g/L, 5 g/L, 10 g/L, 15 g/L or 20 g/L In another embodiment, the one of more compounds may be provided in an animal feed, animal drink, or other composition in a unit dosage formulation, and/or at a concentration to deliver up to, or at least, about 1 ng, 10 ng, 50 ng, 100 ng, 500 ng, 1 μg, 10 μg, 50 μg, 100 μg, 500 μg, 1 mg, 10 mg, 100 mg, 500 mg, 1 g, 2 g, 3 g, 4 g, or 5 g of the one or more compounds.","The methods and uses of the present invention may further comprise the step of harvesting a product from the reared animal with enhanced growth.","The harvested product may be the body or part of the body of the animal.","In that case, the harvesting process includes the step of slaughtering the animal and optionally preparing an animal carcass or part thereof as a product, such as a meat product.","Accordingly, the harvested body or part of the body of then animal may be a non-food product, a food product, or a precursor of a food product.","Carcasses and parts of carcasses may go through a process known as rendering to be made into human and non-human foodstuffs, fats, and other material that can be sold to make commercial products such as cosmetics, paint, cleaners, polishes, glue, soap and ink.","Further such products that may be foodstuffs include but are not limited to blood, bone, including bone char, bone meal, etc., broths and stocks created with animal fat, bone, and/or connective tissue, carmine also known as cochineal (food dye), casein (found in milk and cheese), civet oil (food flavoring additive), gelatin, isinglass (which, may, for example be used in clarification of beer and wine), L-cysteine (which may for example used in the production of biscuits and bread), lard, meat (including fish, poultry, and game), and rennet (commonly used in the production of cheese).","Meat and meat products may be of particular interest.","In one embodiment of particular interest in the context of the present invention, the animal is a chicken, for example, a meat-type chicken such as broiler chicken, or an egg-laying chicken such as a pullet or hen, and the product is harvested from the reared animal.","Most preferably, the animal is a meat-type chicken, such as broiler chicken, and the harvested product is a carcass or part of the carcass of the chicken.","After slaughter to produce the carcass, it may or may not be further processed, such as to remove one or more items selected from the group consisting of feathers, offal, neck skin, head, legs, and other items, and may produce a whole dressed carcass ready for sale as a meat product, or ready to send onto further processing.","In one embodiment the processed carcass may retain the neck or neck skin, or at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90% or more thereof as determined either by length or by weight.","The average weight of the neck or neck skin may be in the range of 15-25 g. Further processing may include performing a cut-up operation wherein the carcass is cut into individual parts, and may involve deboning (i.e.","where the bones are removed from specific parts) to produce items like breast filets or other boneless products.","In one exemplary embodiment, a process for the slaughter and/or processing of a chicken may include any one or more of the following methodological step: (i) birds arrive at processing plant, typically in plastic crates; (ii) blue light is used to calm the birds; (iii) birds are hung; (iv) birds enter a stun tank; (v) birds are slaughtered using a neck bleed, optionally with a delay stand for bleeding out the birds; (vi) birds skin and/or feathers are heated, for example with water, to loosen pores holding the feathers; (vii) feathers are removed, e.g.","using rubber fingers; (viii) an inspection is conducted to remove any birds failing a quality control assessment; (ix) drill or other implement is used to create a hole in the carcass and remove anus; (x) removal of the intestines and other internal organs, typically via the previously-created hole; (xi) optionally, the production line splits for the production of whole chickens and chicken parts; (xii) chicken parts may be cut up using an automated process and through manual labor (workers slicing); optionally including the separate liver, kidney and/or hearts; (xiii) the whole chicken carcass and/or chicken parts may be directly labeled on the floor of the processing plant, ready for the grocery store (further optionally including pricing) so the product can go directly on the store shelf.","It will be appreciated that alternative methods of stunning the bird are available, and can be substituted for the method indicated in the foregoing method and/or used more generally in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention.","Exemplary alternative methods of stunning the bird include, for example, controlled atmosphere stunning, controlled atmosphere killing, Bi-phasic CO2, and controlled slow decompression.","Controlled atmosphere stunning (otherwise known as gas stunning) can be applied to birds in transport crates, which may be conveyed through a tunnel or other chamber filled with increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide, inert gases (argon or nitrogen), or a mixture of these gases.","The gas or gases induce unconsciousness, before slaughter.","For example, at that point, the birds are hung on shackles, while insensible, and conveyed to the killing machine for slaughter.","Controlled atmosphere killing (CAK) can be operated by exposing birds to lethal concentrations of gases long enough that they are actually killed, rather than stunned (to avoid the risk that birds regaining consciousness after exiting the gaseous atmosphere).","For example, carbon dioxide depresses the central nervous systems directly and produces rapid unconsciousness.","However, carbon dioxide is aversive to chickens (usually if levels are above 20%).","Inhalation of the inert gases (e.g.","argon and nitrogen) can also be used, when inhaled in high concentrations, to cause oxygen deprivation in the body, leading to death.","Bi-phasic CO2 is a newer gas stunning method which uses carbon dioxide in two phases to kill poultry.","The first phase containing up to 40% of carbon dioxide (only moderately aversive to chickens), renders the birds unconscious, the second phase follows with lethal carbon dioxide levels.","Controlled slow decompression can include the use of a Low Atmospheric Pressure System (LAPS).","Killing by LASP mimics the physiological effects of ascending to high altitudes by using controlled slow decompression, which allows the body of the bird to adjust to changes in pressure and thus lose consciousness (from a lack of oxygen) with minimal discomfort.","Alternatively, the bird may not be stunned prior to slaughter, e.g.","in the case of the production of a meat product in accordance with religious laws, such as Halal, Qurrbani/Udhia, and/or Shechita slaughter laws.","The processing of the carcass may be conducted at adequately low refrigeration temperatures, such as around 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5° C. Accordingly, following the processing of the animal carcass and/or the production of parts thereof, the carcass or part thereof may be further processed to produce a value added product, and this may include one or more steps required to prepare a consumer-ready product, which may include the addition of any one or more of seasoning, breading, sauces, and marinating, as well as special packaging to meet market demands for convenient products.","Additionally, or alternatively, the harvested product may, for example, be a by-product of the animal, such as milk, eggs, wool, hair, feathers, or litter or other feacal matter and can be collected from the animal without the need to slaughter the animal.","Such harvested products may then be further processed and converted into other products.","For example, in the context of milk, then further dairy products can be produced (such as butter, cheese, curd, yoghurt, whey, milk powder, sour cream, dips and other cultured dairy foods, frozen desserts such as ice cream cakes other frozen desserts made with dairy ingredients).","In the context of eggs, then further products (in particular food products) containing or produced with the whole or part of the collected eggs can be produced.","In the context of wool, hair or feathers, then it may, for example, be possible to produce fibers or fabrics, products containing wool, hair or feathers (such as, stuffed products), or products may be chemical or enzymatic processing of the wool, hair or feathers.","For example, amino acids can be produced as a degradation product from wool, hair or feathers.","Chicken litter can include a mixture of feces, wasted feeds, bedding materials, and feathers can be recycled or composted and then spread on arable land as a low cost organic fertilizer.","Any and all steps within the entire process of animal rearing, animal harvesting, animal slaughter, carcass processes, animal product production, food production, wrapping, labelling, shipping, stocking and selling in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention may benefit from the application of a surface disinfection or coating in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, as discussed further below.","For example, areas for rearing animals in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention may contain one or more disinfected surfaces achieved using the methods, uses and compositions of the third aspect of the present invention.","Containers for transporting animals in accordance with the practice of the first aspect of the present invention may contain one or more disinfected surfaces achieved using the methods, uses and compositions of the third aspect of the present invention.","Apparatus used in the slaughter of animals in accordance with the practice of the first aspect of the present invention may contain one or more disinfected surfaces achieved using the methods, uses and compositions of the third aspect of the present invention.","Apparatus used in the processing and/or labelling of an animal carcass, or a part thereof, in accordance with the practice of the first aspect of the present invention may possess one or more disinfected surfaces achieved using the methods, uses and compositions of the third aspect of the present invention.","The animal product, including a carcass, a meat product, or any other animal product as produced in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention may be disinfected using the methods, uses and compositions of the third aspect of the present invention.","Packing, containers and/or wrapping for containing an animal product, including a carcass, a meat product, or any other animal product as produced in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention may be disinfected using the methods, uses and compositions of the third aspect of the present invention.","These combinations of the approaches set forth by the first and third aspects of the present invention all form optional embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention.","The present invention also provides products produced by, and/or harvested from, animals treated in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, including any and all products discussed above, and downstream products including or produced therefrom.","For example, the present application provides a meat or meat product produced in accordance with the present invention.","For example, it can provide a carcass or part thereof that is of a greater weight than a standard carcass or part thereof, or is from an animal that is younger than a control.","Additionally, or alternatively, carcass or part thereof, or any other product obtained from the animal may have a reduced level of microbial (such as bacterial, including Campylobacter) infection or colonization and/or a reduced incidence of biofilms therein, compared to a control.","It will be appreciated that the foregoing methods and uses for enhancing the growth of an animal may also be applied to humans, for example to increase the growth of humans (such as an aid to developing body mass) and/or improve the efficiency or FCR with which humans digest food.","This could, for example, have applications for military personnel in helping to reduce the burden of carrying food and/or assist in the instance of food shortages by increasing the dietary benefit of the available food.","B. Potentiating the Effect of Antibiotics and Other Antimicrobial Agents, and Addressing Antibiotic Resistance It has been discovered that the compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application, are particularly useful in treating or preventing infection by antibiotic-resistant microorganisms.","The compounds may be administered in order to cause microorganisms to lose their resistance to antibiotics.","In Example 9, it was shown that a kanamycin-resistant strain of E. coli failed to grow when it was treated with Fe-QA and kanamycin.","Yet administration of Fe-QA alone had no impact on the growth of the strain.","In Example 10, it was shown that the growth of another kanamycin-resistant bacterial strain, Campylobacter, was retarded when it was treated with Fe-QA and kanamycin.","In Example 14, it was shown that the growth of an antibiotic-resistant clinical isolate of Pseudomonas was also retarded when treated with Fe-QA (also known as FeQ) and kanamycin.","The effect therefore is not limited just to the bacterium, E. coli.","In Example 12, it has also been shown that a wild type strain of Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) resistant to gentamicin loses its resistance when treated with a combination of Fe-QA and gentamicin.","The example demonstrates that the effect is not limited to kanamycin, but is seen with other antibiotics.","Furthermore, the effect is not limited to the compound, Fe-QA, but is also seen with the other compounds.","In Example 11, it has been shown that the same wild type strain of Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) resistant to gentamicin also loses its resistance when treated with a combination of Fe-Tyr and gentamicin.","Thus the compounds are capable of causing antibiotic-resistant bacteria to lose their resistance, and therefore administering the compounds and antibiotics can be used to treat antibiotic resistant microorganisms (or prevent infection by these microorganisms).","Accordingly, a second aspect of the present invention is based on the surprising finding that compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application, can be used to increase the sensitivity of microorganism to antimicrobial agents, to potentiate the effect of antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents, and to address antimicrobial and antibiotic resistance.","In a further preferred option of the second aspect of the present invention the one or more compounds are selected from the group consisting of a complex of an amino acid with Fe III, and a complex of an α-hydroxyacid with Fe III, or salts and/or hydrates thereof.","In particularly preferred options of the second aspect of the present invention, the one or more compounds may, or may not, be selected from any one or more of the group consisting of a complex of quinic acid with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula IX), a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula VIII), a complex of L-DOPA with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula VII), and a complex of L-phenylalanine with Fe III.","Accordingly, in one embodiment of the second aspect of the invention, a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula VIII) is particularly preferred.","Optionally, the one or more compounds is not a complex of quinic acid with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula IX).","In a particularly preferred embodiment, the compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application may be used in combination with antimicrobial agents to treat or prevent infection by antibiotic resistant bacteria including Streptococcus pneumoniae, Campylobacter, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Salmonella (including drug-resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella and drug-resistant Salmonella serotype typhi), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Shigella, Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA), Erythromycin-resistant Group A Streptococcus, Clindamycin-resistant Group B Streptococcus, Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), drug-resistant tuberculosis, Extended spectrum Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL), multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter (including MRAB), Clostridium difficile, Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC).","In another preferred embodiment.","In another embodiment, the compounds may be used in combination with antimicrobial agents to treat or prevent infection by antibiotic resistant bacteria including S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, E. coli, S. aureus, Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), Pseudomonas, Streptococcus anginosus, Salmonella, including Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium, Mycoplasma, Eimeria, Enterococci, Brachyspira, and Clostridium perfringen.","In a preferred embodiment, the compounds and antimicrobial agents may be administered as a pharmaceutical composition or feed additive.","Antibiotic-resistant microorganisms (and other microorganisms resistant to other forms of anti-microbial agent) may be treated with the one or more compounds and one or more antibiotics or other anti-microbial agents separately, sequentially or simultaneously.","The one or more compounds are preferably administered at the same time as the one or more antibiotics or other anti-microbial agents, or preferably such that the compounds and antibiotic(s) are present at the same time.","(The compounds and the antibiotics/anti-microbial agents may therefore also be administered sequentially.)","As described previously, the compounds may also be formed in vivo.","In this instance, the precursors may be administered with the antibiotics or other anti-microbial agents.","For example, the antibiotics or other anti-microbial agents could be administered with ferrous sulfate and tyrosine (which form Fe-Tyr in vivo) or ferrous sulfate and L-DOPA (which form Fe-DOPA in vivo), or ferrous sulfate and L-phenylalanine (which form Fe-Phe in vivo).","The combinations of the compounds and antibiotic(s) or other anti-microbial agent(s) may be used to treat many infections, including, but not limited to the following infections: acute bacterial skin infections, hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia, ventilator-acquired bacterial pneumonia, urinary tract infections, abdominal infections, kidney infections, gonorrhea, osteomyelitis, lung infections, and respiratory tract infections.","The compounds may also be used in combination with antibiotics or other anti-microbial agents to allow smaller doses of antibiotic or other anti-microbial agents to be used to treat not only antibiotic-resistant microorganisms (and/or other microorganisms resistant to other forms of anti-microbial agent), but also for the treatment of microorganisms that are not resistant to antibiotics or other anti-microbial agents.","In other words, the compounds may allow smaller doses of antibiotic or other anti-microbial agent to be used to treat or prevent infections, and could also be administered to patients and animals prophylactically.","For example, the compounds could be administered to poultry prophylactically so that a lower dose of antibiotic and/or other anti-microbial agent was required to treat the birds in the event they become infected.","Accordingly, a second aspect of the present invention provides a method for the treatment or prophylaxis of a microbial infection or colonization in a patient or animal, the method comprising administering to the patient or animal a product selected from the group consisting of a pharmaceutical or veterinary product, a medical device or a dietary product, wherein the product comprises one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, and preferably wherein the pharmaceutical or veterinary product, medical device or dietary product is administered to the patient or animal separately, simultaneously, or sequentially with the administration of one or more antimicrobials and/or antibiotics.","In other words, the second aspect of the present invention provides a pharmaceutical or veterinary product, a medical device or a dietary product, wherein the product comprises one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, for use in a method of treatment or prophylaxis of a microbial infection or colonization in a patient or animal, preferably wherein, in use, the pharmaceutical or veterinary product, medical device or dietary product is administered to the patient or animal separately, simultaneously, or sequentially with the administration of one or more antimicrobials and/or antibiotics.","Likewise, the second aspect of the present invention also provides one or more antimicrobials and/or antibiotics, for use in a method of treatment or prophylaxis of a microbial infection or colonization in a patient or animal, preferably wherein, in use, the pharmaceutical or veterinary product, medical device or dietary product is administered to the patient or animal separately, simultaneously, or sequentially with the administration of a pharmaceutical or veterinary product, a medical device or a dietary product, wherein the product comprises one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below.","The microbial infection or colonization in a patient or animal may, for example, be pathogenic or non-pathogenic microbes.","Non-pathogenic microbes can, for example, cause colonization of a host without causing or producing any disease or disorder of the host.","The microbial infection or colonization addressed by the second aspect of the present invention may be prokaryotic.","Examples of prokaryotic microbes include bacteria and archaea.","The microbial infection or colonization addressed by the second aspect of the present invention may be eukaryotic.","Examples of eukaryotic microbes include protists (such as algae, and slime-molds), fungi, multicellular micro-animals and plants including green algaes.","One class of microbes of particular interest for the application of the second aspect of the present invention is bacteria, including pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria.","By way of various non-limiting examples, bacteria of particular interest for the application of the second aspect of the present invention include gram positive bacteria, gram negative bacteria, biofilm-forming bacteria, extracellular bacteria, intracellular bacteria (including facultative and obligate intracellular bacteria), aerobic bacteria, and anaerobic bacteria.","Some bacterial genera of interest, without limitation, include Bacillus, Bartonella, Bordetella, Borrelia, Brucella, Campylobacter, Chlamydia and Chlamydophila, Clostridium, Corynebacterium, Enterococcus, Escherichia, Francisella, Haemophilus, Helicobacter, Legionella, Leptospira, Listeria, Mycobacterium, Mycoplasma, Neisseria, Pseudomonas, Rickettsia, Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Treponema, Ureaplasma, Vibrio, and Yersinia.","Some bacterial species of interest, without limitation, include Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus cereus, Bartonella henselae, Bartonella quintana, Bordetella pertussis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia recurrentis, Brucella abortus, Brucella canis, Brucella melitensis, Brucella suis, Campylobacter jejuni, Chlamydia pneumonia, Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydophila psittaci, Clostridium botulinum, Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, Clostridium tetani, Corynebacterium diphtheria, Enterococcus faecalis, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Francisella tularensis, Haemophilus influenza, Helicobacter pylori, Legionella pneumophila, Leptospira interrogans, Leptospira santarosai, Leptospira weilii, Leptospira noguchii, Listeria monocytogenes, Mycobacterium leprae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium ulcerans, Mycoplasma pneumonia, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitides, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Rickettsia rickettsia, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella sonnei, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus saprophyticus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pneumonia, Streptococcus pyogenes, Treponema pallidum, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Vibrio cholera, Yersinia pestis, Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.","The treatment or prophylaxis of the second aspect of the present invention may be directed to one or more microorganism that have resistance or increased tolerance to one or more antimicrobial agents.","For example, the one or microorganisms may be, or include, one or more antibiotic-resistant bacteria.","As such, in the embodiment in which the second aspect of the present invention is performed by administration separately, simultaneously, or sequentially with the administration of one or more antimicrobials and/or antibiotics, then some or all of the one or more antimicrobials and/or antibiotics may be antimicrobials and/or antibiotics to which the microorganisms to be combatted are resistant.","To put it another way, typically the microorganisms to be combatted may be those wherein, in the absence of the product comprising one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, the one or more microorganisms is/are resistant to the one or more antimicrobials and/or antibiotics administered to the patient or animal.","Antimicrobial resistance can include the meaning of resistance of a microorganism to an antimicrobial drug that was originally effective for treatment of infections caused by it.","Resistant microorganisms are able to withstand attack by antimicrobial drugs, such as antibacterial drugs (e.g.","antibiotics), antifungals, antivirals, and antimalarials, so that standard treatments become ineffective and infections persist, increasing the risk of spread to others.","The evolution of resistant strains is a natural phenomenon that occurs when microorganisms replicate themselves erroneously or when resistant traits are exchanged between them.","The use and misuse of antimicrobial drugs accelerates the emergence of drug-resistant strains.","Poor infection control practices, inadequate sanitary conditions and inappropriate food-handling encourage the further spread of antimicrobial resistance.","In one embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention, the microorganism is an antibiotic-resistant microorganism selected from the group consisting of a gram positive bacterium, a gram negative bacterium, a biofilm-forming bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Campylobacter, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Salmonella (including drug-resistant non-typhoidal Salmonella and drug-resistant Salmonella serotype typhi), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Shigella, Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA), Erythromycin-resistant Group A Streptococcus, Clindamycin-resistant Group B Streptococcus, Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), drug-resistant tuberculosis, Extended spectrum Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL), multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter (including MRAB), Clostridium difficile, Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, H. pylori, Streptococcus anginosus and Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC).","However, the practice of the second aspect of the invention is not limited to the treatment or prophylaxis of resistant microorganisms.","The second aspect of the present invention can also be used to increase the sensitivity of non-resistant microorganisms to antimicrobial agents, and thereby provide for a treatment that uses lower dosages of antimicrobial agents, and/or shorter treatment durations with antimicrobial agents, and/or more effective treatment outcomes with antimicrobial agents.","Accordingly, in a further embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention, the method, or the product for use, is for potentiating the antimicrobial (including antibiotic) effect of the separately, simultaneously, or sequentially administered one or more antimicrobial agents (including one or more antibiotics).","For example, in a further embodiment, the amount of the separately, simultaneously, or sequentially administered one or more antimicrobial agents (including one or more antibiotics) may be less than a therapeutically effective or therapeutically optimal dose of the one or more antimicrobial agents (including one or more antibiotics) when administered to the patient or animal that is not in receipt of the product.","In another embodiment, the amount of the separately, simultaneously, or sequentially administered one or more antimicrobial agents (including one or more antibiotics) may be 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or more, less than a therapeutically effective or therapeutically optimal dose of the one or more antibiotics when administered to the patient or animal that is not in receipt of the product.","In another embodiment, the treatment duration of the patient receiving the treatment or prophylaxis of the second embodiment may be 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% or more, less than the treatment duration required when the patient or animal is not in receipt of the product.","Preferably, the subject to be treated in accordance with any embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention, is a human patient.","The human may be a male.","Alternatively the human may be a female.","The human may be aged up to, or greater than, 1 month, 2, months, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, 4 years, 5 years, 6 years, 7 years, 8 years 9 years, 10 years, 15 years 20 years, 30, years, 40 years, 50 years, 60 years, 70 years, 80 years, 90 years, 100 years or more.","Alternatively, subject to be treated in accordance with any embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention, may be an animal.","Without limitation, animals for treatment or prophylaxis according to the second aspect of the present invention may be selected from the group consisting of domestic, wild and farmed animal, including mammals, marine animals, amphibians, birds, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates.","Without limitation, exemplary animals for treatment or prophylaxis include poultry, such as a chicken, turkey, geese, quail, pheasants, or ducks; livestock, such as cattle, sheep, goats or swine, alpaca, banteng, bison, camel, cat, deer, dog, donkey, gayal, guinea pig, horse, llama, mule, rabbit, reindeer, water buffalo, yak; zoo animals; captive animals; game animals; marine or aquatic animals such as fish (include freshwater and saltwater fish, farmed fish, and ornamental fish) and shellfish including but not limited to oysters, mussels, clams, shrimps, prawns, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, cuttlefish, octopus, and squid; domestic animals, such as cat or dog, a rodent (mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters), horse.","The one or more antimicrobial agents used and/or referred to in the second aspect of the present invention include those listed and discussed in section III.B of this application, below.","In one embodiment, at least one, or all, of the one or more antimicrobial agents is/are an antibiotic.","The one or more antibiotics may, for example, be selected from the group consisting of aminoglycosides, ansaycins, carbapenems, cephalosporins, glycopeptides, lincosamides, lipopeptides, macrolides, monobactams, nitrofurans, oxazolidinones, penicillins, polypeptides, quinolones/fluoroquinolone, sulfonamides, tetracyclines, clofazimine, dapsone, capreomycin, cycloserine, ethambutol, ethionamide, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, rifampicin (rifampin), rifabutin, rifapentine, streptomycin, arsphenamine, chloramphenicol, fosfomycin, fusidic acid, metronidazole, mupirocin, platensimycin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, thiamphenicol, tigecycline, tinidazole, and trimethoprim; and combinations thereof.","More specific antibiotics suitable for use in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention include those listed and discussed in section III.B of this application, below.","In one embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention, the product comprising the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below is selected from the group consisting of a pharmaceutical or veterinary product.","In one embodiment, it is a pharmaceutical product suitable for use with humans.","In another embodiment, it is veterinary product suitable for use with animals, including but not limited to one or more animals selected from the group consisting of domestic, wild and farmed animal, including mammals, marine animals, amphibians, birds, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates.","Without limitation, exemplary animals for treatment or prophylaxis include poultry, such as a chicken, turkey, geese, quail, pheasant, or ducks; livestock, such as cattle, sheep, goats or swine, alpaca, banteng, bison, camel, cat, deer, dog, donkey, gayal, guinea pig, horse, llama, mule, rabbit, reindeer, water buffalo, yak; zoo animals, captive animals, game animals; marine or aquatic animals such as fish (include freshwater and saltwater fish, farmed fish, and ornamental fish) and shellfish including but not limited to oysters, mussels, clams, shrimps, prawns, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, cuttlefish, octopus, and squid; domestic animals, such as cat or dog, a rodent (mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters), horse.","In a preferred embodiment, the animal is a chicken, for example, a meat-type chicken such as broiler chicken, or an egg-laying chicken such as a pullet or hen, or a breeder chicken.","The pharmaceutical or veterinary product may or may not additionally include the one or more antimicrobial agents (in the embodiment that it does not, then in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, the product and microbial agent are intended to be administered to the subject in separate compositions, either separately, simultaneously or sequentially).","The pharmaceutical or veterinary product may include one or more excipients, such as discussed in section III.C of this application, below.","The pharmaceutical or veterinary product may be presented as a parenteral formulation, such as discussed below in section III.C.1 of this application, including a controlled release formulation, such as discussed below in section III.C.1(a) of this application, and injectable or implantable formulation, such as discussed below in section III.C.1(b) of this application.","The pharmaceutical or veterinary product may be presented as a enteral formulation, such as discussed below in section III.C.2 of this application, including a controlled release enteral formulation, such as discussed below in section III.C.2(a) of this application, with further reference to extended release dosage forms and delayed release dosage forms as discussed therein.","The pharmaceutical or veterinary product may be presented as a topical formulation, such as discussed below in section III.C.3 of this application, including as an emulsion, lotion, cream, ointment, gel, or foam as discussed in parts (a), (b), (c), (d) (e) and (f) respectively below in section III.C.3 of this application.","In another embodiment, the product comprising the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below is a medical device.","The device may or may not additionally include the one or more antimicrobial agents (in the embodiment that it does not, then in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, the device and microbial agent are intended to be administered to the subject in separate compositions, either separately, simultaneously or sequentially).","Medical devices that can comprise the one or more compounds as defined in section III.A of this application can include, without limitation, wound dressings or medical implants.","Further examples include tubing and other surface medical devices, such as urinary catheter, stents, mucous extraction catheter, suction catheter, umbilical cannula, contact lenses, intrauterine devices, intravaginal and intraintestinal devices, endotracheal tubes, bronchoscopes, dental prostheses and orthodontic devices, surgical instruments, dental instruments, tubing, dental water lines, dental drain tubes, fabrics, paper, indicator strips (e.g., paper indicator strips or plastic indicator strips), adhesives (e.g., hydrogel adhesives, hot-melt adhesives, or solvent-based adhesives), bandages, tissue dressings or healing devices and occlusive patches, and any other surface devices used in the medical field.","Devices may include electrodes, external prostheses, fixation tapes, compression bandages, and monitors of various types.","Medical devices also include any device that may be placed at the insertion or implantation site such as the skin near the insertion or implantation site, and which include at least one surface which is susceptible to colonization by biofilm embedded microorganisms.","In one specific embodiment, a composition is integrated into an adhesive, such as tape, thereby providing an adhesive, which can present and/or deliver the one or more compounds on at least one surface of the adhesive.","In a particularly preferred embodiment the following devices may comprise, include and/or be coated with the compounds: catheters, including central venous catheters, urinary catheters, dialysis catheters, and indwelling catheters (for example, catheters for hemodialysis and for administration of chemotherapeutic agents), cardiac implants including mechanical heart valves, stents, ventricular assist devices, pacemakers, cardiac rhythm management (CRM) devices, cardiac resynchronization therapy devices (CRTs), and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (JCDs), synthetic vascular grafts, arteriovascular shunts, cerebral spinal fluid shunts, cochlear devices, prosthetic joints, orthopedic implants, internal fixation devices, bone cements, percutaneous sutures, surgical mesh and surgical patches including hernia repair meshes and patches, breast reconstruction meshes and patches, meshes and patches for breast and face lifts, slings, and meshes and patches for pelvic floor reconstruction, tracheal and ventilator tubing, wound dressings, biological implants (including allografts, xenografts and autografts), penile implants, intrauterine devices, endotracheal tubes, and contact lenses.","In another embodiment, the product comprising the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below is a dietary product.","The dietary product may or may not additionally include the one or more antimicrobial agents (in the embodiment that it does not, then in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, the dietary product and microbial agent are intended to be administered to the subject in separate compositions, either separately, simultaneously or sequentially).","Dietary products can include, for example, food stuffs, dietary supplements, drinks and any other compositions taken orally, which incorporate the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below.","The one or more compounds are selected from the group consisting of a complex of an amino acid with Fe III, and a complex of an α-hydroxyacid with Fe III, or salts and/or hydrates thereof.","The one or more compounds may, or may not, be selected from any one or more of the group consisting of a complex of quinic acid with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula IX), a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula VIII), a complex of L-DOPA with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula VII), and a complex of L-phenylalanine with Fe III.","Accordingly, in one embodiment, a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula VIII) is particularly preferred.","Optionally, the one or more compounds is not a complex of quinic acid with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula IX).","A complex of quinic acid with Fe III (Fe-QA, also denoted FeQ), such as defined by Formula IX, can be used with any one or more of the foregoing antibiotics or other antimicrobials, either formulated together in the same composition for administration or presented in separate compositions for use separately, simultaneously or sequentially.","A complex of quinic acid with Fe III (Fe-QA, also denoted FeQ), such as defined by Formula IX, can be used with any one or more of the foregoing antibiotics or antimicrobials, either formulated together in the same composition for administration or presented in separate compositions for use separately, simultaneously or sequentially.","A complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III (Fe-Tyr), such as defined by Formula VIII, can be used with any one or more of the foregoing antibiotics or antimicrobials, either formulated together in the same composition for administration or presented in separate compositions for use separately, simultaneously or sequentially.","A complex of L-DOPA with Fe III (3,4 dihydrophenylalanine) (Fe-DOPA), such as defined by Formula VII, can be with any one or more of the foregoing antibiotics or antibiotics, either formulated together in the same composition for administration or presented in separate compositions for use separately, simultaneously or sequentially.","A complex of L-phenylalanine with Fe III (Fe-Phe), can be used with any one or more of the foregoing antibiotics or antibiotics, either formulated together in the same composition for administration or presented in separate compositions for use separately, simultaneously or sequentially.","In one embodiment in which the product selected from the group consisting of a pharmaceutical or veterinary product, a medical device or a dietary product comprising the combination of one or more compounds having the structure having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds as described further in section III.A of this application below, and one or more antibiotics or other antimicrobial agents, then optionally the amount (in weight, or moles) and/or concentration of the one or more antibiotics and/or other antimicrobial agents in the product is less than (e.g.","a reduction of up to, or at least, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 35%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more) in comparison to a therapeutically effective or therapeutically optimal amount or concentration of the one or more antibiotics and/or other antimicrobial agents when administered to the patient or animal that is not in receipt of the product.","The product may be presented in a unit dosage formulation, and optionally the unit dosage formulation may include the one or more antibiotics and/or other antimicrobial agents in an amount (in weight, or moles) or and/or concentration that is less than (e.g.","a reduction of up to, or at least, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 35%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or more) in comparison a therapeutically effective or therapeutically optimal dose of the one or more antibiotics when administered to the patient or animal that is not in receipt of the product.","Also provided is a product per se, such as a pharmaceutical or veterinary product, a medical device or a dietary product, that is suitable for use in accordance with the foregoing methods and uses of the second aspect of the present invention.","The product comprises one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, optionally in combination with one or more antibiotics or other antimicrobial agents as discussed herein in respect of the second aspect of the present invention.","As discussed above, in the option in which the product comprises one or more antibiotics or other antimicrobial agents, then they may be included in an amount, concentration and or with a release profile that is ordinarily sub-therapeutic or sub-optimally therapeutic for the treatment or prophylaxis of a microbial infection or colonization.","Also provided herein, is a method for the sensitization, and/or for the reduction in the tolerance, of one or more microorganisms to a selected antimicrobial agent, the method comprising exposing the one or more microorganisms to one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below.","To put it another way, the second aspect of the present invention also provides for the use of one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below to increase the sensitivity and/or reduce the tolerance, of one or more microorganisms to a selected antimicrobial agent.","The microorganisms may, or may not, be microorganisms that are resistant to the selected antimicrobial agent.","Thus, in one option, the in vivo and/or in vitro growth of the one or more microorganisms may usually be unaffected by the selected antimicrobial agent (either at all, or at a selected concentration) in the absence of the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, whereas exposure to the one or more compounds can cause the in vivo and/or in vitro growth of the one or more microorganisms to be reduced (e.g.","by 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 99% or substantially 100%) by exposure to the selected antimicrobial agent (either at all, or at the selected concentration).","In that context, a “selected concentration” includes concentrations that are pharmaceutically and medically acceptable for use with patients and/or animals, and lower concentrations such as 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, or 99% lower, which may or may not be sub-therapeutic.","In another option, it may already be possible to reduce the in vivo and/or in vitro growth of the one or more microorganisms by exposure to the antimicrobial agent (either at all, or at a selected concentration) in the absence of the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, whereas exposure to the one or more compounds can cause an increase in sensitivity and/or reduction in tolerance to the antimicrobial agent such that the in vivo and/or in vitro growth of the one or more microorganisms is further reduced (e.g.","by 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 99% or substantially 100%) by the antimicrobial agent and/or an equivalent level of reduction of growth can be achieved with a lower concentration or amount of the antimicrobial agent (e.g.","using an amount (in weight) or concentration that is reduced by 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 99% or substantially 100%) and/or the period of treatment may be shortened, e.g.","by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or more days.","A further embodiment provides a method for the preparation of a product per se, such as a pharmaceutical or veterinary product, a medical device or a dietary product, that is suitable for use in accordance with the foregoing methods and uses of the second aspect of the present invention.","The method may include the step of mixing the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below without one or more further components of the product, and thereby forming the product.","The method may include forming the product (optionally without the one or more compounds), and then spraying or otherwise applying the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, to the product.","The method may include forming the product (optionally without the one or more compounds), and then coating the product with the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention as described further in section III.A of this application below, for example, as described further below in the context of coatings.","The one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds as described further in section III.A of this application below (“Component 1”) may be administered simultaneously, separately or sequentially with the one or more antibiotics and/or other anti-microbial agents (“Component 2”).","In the context of simultaneous administration, Components 1 and 2 may be present in the same product for administration to the patient or animal.","Alternatively, Components 1 and 2 may be present in separate products which are administered at the same time, although this may be via the same of different routes.","For example, both of Component 1 and 2 may be administered, in separate products but at the same time, through an enteral route.","In another embodiment, Component 1 may be administered by an enteral route, and Component 2 may be administered at the same time by a parenteral route.","In another embodiment, Component 1 may be administered by a parenteral route, and Component 2 may be administered at the same time by an enteral route.","In another embodiment, both of Component 1 and 2 may be administered, in separate products but at the same time, through a parenteral route.","In the context of separate and/or sequential administration, Components 1 and 2 are administered to the patient at different times.","Component 1 may be administered before Component 2, or Component 2 may be administered before Component 1.Preferably, the period of time between the administration of Components 1 and 2 is less than the time taken by the subject to clear an effective amount of the first-administered component, such that effective amounts of Components 1 and 2 will be present in the subject simultaneously.","However, this may not be essential.","In any case, the time taken by the subject to clear an effective amount of the first-administered component will vary dependent on the nature of the component, the route of administration and the administered form which may, for example, be a slow, delayed or extended release formulation, product or device.","The administration of Components 1 and 2 (in either order) may be temporally separated by up to, about, or at least, 10 seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, 40 seconds, 50 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes 40 minutes 50 minutes 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours 5 hours, 6 hours, 7 hours 8 hours, 9 hours, 10 hours, 12 hours, 14 hours, 16 hours, 18 hours, 20 hours 22 hours 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, 6 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 1 month or more.","Sequential administration includes the meaning of repeated and alternating administrations of Components 1 and 2 (in either order), in which the administration of either or both components may be repeated any number of times, such as twice, three times, four times, five times, 10 times, 20 times, 30 times or more.","Repeated administration of either, or both components, whether administered simultaneously, separately or sequentially, may occur as often as is therapeutically necessary, and can include continuous administration (e.g.","by intravenous infusion), of administration up to, about, or at least, every 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24 or 24 hours, every 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 days, or every 1, 2, 3, 4 or more weeks, throughout the period of treatment.","The period of treatment in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention is typically selected to achieve a therapeutically or prophylactically effective outcome, and will be judged accordingly, by the skilled professional.","Example of some suitable periods for treatment can include 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14 days, about 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks, or longer.","C. Inhibition of Formation, and Treatment of Preformed, Biofilms A third aspect of the present invention is based on the surprising finding that compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application, have a broad range of action in treating and dispersing pre-existing biofilms, and inhibiting the development of biofilms, created by a wide range of bacterial and other microbial sources, and that this action is effective in a diverse array of environments.","Accordingly, a third aspect of the present invention provides a method of inhibiting biofilm buildup, and/or disrupting a pre-existing biofilm, in or on a subject or article in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the subject or article an effective amount of one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application.","Put another way, the third aspect of the present invention provides for the use of one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application for inhibiting biofilm buildup, and/or disrupting a pre-existing biofilm, in or on a subject or article in need thereof.","In one embodiment, the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or a salt and/or hydrate thereof, or a functional variant thereof, for use in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention are selected from the group consisting of a complex of an amino acid or an α-hydroxy acid with Fe III, such as a complex of quinic acid with Fe III, a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III, a complex of L-DOPA with Fe III, a complex of L-phenylalanine with Fe III, the compounds represented by Formula I, Formula II, Formula III, Formula IV, Formula V, Formula VI, Formula VII, Formula VIII, Formula IX, Formula X, Formula XI, Formula XII, Formula XIII, Formulas XIV, a compound selected from the group consisting of a compound that binds to major outer membrane proteins (MOMPs) or FlaA of Campylobacter, a synthetic human histo-blood group antigen, a mimetic of human histo-blood group antigen or a synthetic sugar.","Particularly preferred compounds may, or may not, include Fe-QA, Fe-Tyr, and/or Fe-DOPA.","1.Organisms to be Treated, Inhibited, or Killed “Biofilm” as used herein refers any group of microorganisms in which cells stick to each other on a surface.","Formation of a biofilm begins with the attachment of free-floating microorganisms to a surface.","These first colonists adhere to the surface initially through weak, reversible adhesion via van der Waals forces.","If the colonists are not immediately separated from the surface, they can anchor themselves more permanently using cell adhesion structures such as pili.","Some species are not able to attach to a surface on their own but are sometimes able to anchor themselves to the matrix or directly to earlier colonists.","It is during this colonization that the cells are able to communicate via quorum sensing.","Once colonization has begun, the biofilm grows through a combination of cell division and recruitment.","Polysaccharide matrices typically enclose bacterial biofilms.","The final stage of biofilm formation is known as dispersion, and is the stage in which the biofilm is established and may only change in shape and size.","In one embodiment, a biofilm may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of, microbial cells growing in a biofilm that are physiologically distinct from planktonic cells of the same organism, which, by contrast, are single-cells.","Optionally, a biofilm may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of, one species or strain of bacterial cell.","In an alternative option, a biofilm may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of, more than one species or strains of bacterial cell, such as up to at least 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 70, 80, 90, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000 or more different species or strains of bacterial cell.","The bacterial species or strains in biofilms can include bacteria selected from one or more of gram negative, gram positive, aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and/or archaea.","Accordingly, compositions and methods for inhibiting, reducing, or removing biofilm forming bacteria and bacterial infections are provided by the third aspect of the present invention.","In accordance with some embodiments of the third aspect of the present invention, the biofilm forming bacteria to be inhibited, reduced, removed, or treated may be gram-negative and/or gram-positive bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Campylobacter jejuni, Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis.","The following are representative organisms that can be killed or growth inhibited, or their ability to produce or maintain biofilms degraded, reduced, inhibited or prevented in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention.","One form of biofilm of particular interest in certain embodiments of the third aspect of the present invention is biofilm that forms dental plaque.","The effectiveness of the present invention against dental plaque is demonstrated in Example 17.The biofilm in dental plaque typically comprises a variety of microbial organisms, including both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, and typically includes over 700 different species of bacteria and archaea.","Dental plaque biofilms are responsible for many of the diseases common to the oral cavity including dental caries, periodontitis, gingivitis, and the less common peri-implantitis (similar to periodontitis, but with dental implants), however biofilms can be present on healthy teeth as well.","Accordingly.","the third aspect of the present invention also provides methods and uses for preventing or inhibiting the formation of, for treating, or for reversing or removing conditions including dental plaque, dental caries, periodontitis, gingivitis, and the less common peri-implantitis.","Said method or use may comprise administering a composition according to the third aspect of the present invention to the mouth of a subject, thereby to achieve the intended effect.","In the context of dental products, and in the context of inhibiting and/or removing dental plaques, an effective concentration of 340 μM is demonstrated in Example 17, although higher or lower concentrations of the one or more compounds according to section III.A below may also be suitable.","For example, dental products may present the buccal cavity or teeth with one or more of said compounds at a concentration within the range of about 1 μM to about 1M, such as about, or up to, 10 μM, 20 μM, 30 μM, 40 μM, 50 μM, 60 μM, 70 μM, 80 μM, 90 μM, 100 μM, 110 μM, 120 μM, 130 μM, 140 μM, 150 μM, 160 μM, 170 μM, 180 μM, 190 μM, 200 μM, 210 μM, 220 μM, 230 μM, 240 μM, 250 μM, 260 μM, 270 μM, 280 μM, 290 μM, 300 μM, 310 μM, 320 μM, 330 μM, 340 μM, 350 μM, 360 μM, 370 μM, 380 μM, 390 μM, 400 μM, 410 μM, 420 μM, 430 μM, 440 μM, 450 μM, 460 μM, 470 μM, 480 μM, 490 μM, 500 μM, 510 μM, 520 μM, 530 μM, 540 μM, 550 μM, 560 μM, 570 μM, 580 μM, 590 μM, 600 μM, 610 μM, 620 μM, 630 μM, 640 μM, 650 μM, 660 μM, 670 μM, 680 μM, 690 μM, 700 μM, 710 μM, 720 μM, 730 μM, 740 μM, 750 μM, 760 μM, 770 μM, 780 μM, 790 μM, 800 μM, 810 μM, 820 μM, 830 μM, 840 μM, 850 μM, 860 μM, 870 μM, 880 μM, 890 μM, 900 μM, 910 μM, 920 μM, 930 μM, 940 μM, 950 μM, 960 μM, 970 μM, 980 μM, 990 μM, 1 mM, 2 mM, 3 mM, 4 mM, 5 mM, 6 mM, 7 mM, 8 mM, 9 mM, 10 mM, 15 mM, 20 mM 25 mM, 30 mM, 35 mM, 40 mM, 45 mM, 50 mM, 60 mM, 70 mM, 80 mM, 90 mM, 100 mM, 150 mM, 200 mM, 250 mM, 300 mM, 350 mM, 400 mM, 450 mM, 500 mM, 600 mM, 700 mM, 800 mM, 900 mM, 1M or more.","Optionally, the concentration may be: (a) up to 1 μM, 2 μM, 3 μM, 4 μM, 5 μM, 10 μM, 15 μM, 20 μM, 25 μM, 30 μM; (b) within a range selected from the group consisting of from 35 to 335 μM, 40 to 300 μM, 50 to 300 μM, 50 to 250 μM, 50 to 200 μM, 60 to 300 μM, 60 to 250 μM, 60 to 200 μM, 80 to 300 μM, 80 to 250 μM, 80 to 200 μM, 100 to 300 μM, 100 to 250 μM, or 100 to 200 μM; or (c) at least, or about, 345 μM, 350 μM, 360 μM, 370 μM, 380 μM, 390 μM, 400 μM, 450 μM, 0.5 mM, 1 mM, 2 mM or more.","Optionally the concentration of the one or more compounds may be within a range selected from the group consisting of from about 1 μM to about 1 mM, or about 30 μM to about 0.5 mM, or about 60 μM to about 0.4 mM.","Another form of biofilm of particular interest to the third aspect of the present invention is biofilm on medical devices, including contact lenses.","Biofilms on contact lenses may, for example, comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of one or more bacteria selected from Archromobacter, Delftia, Staphylococcus, Stenotrophomonas, and Streptococci species, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.","Another form of biofilm of particular interest in the present invention is biofilms formed on the skin, for example biofilms which comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of Propionibacterium acnes.","Accordingly.","the third aspect of the present invention also provides methods and uses for preventing or inhibiting the formation of, for treating, or for reversing or removing acne and other microbially-induced skin conditions, including recalcitrant and/or anti-biotic resistant conditions, the method or use comprising the topical administration of a composition according to the third aspect of the present invention to the skin of a subject, thereby to achieve the intended effect.","Another form of biofilm which may, or may not, be of particular interest in the third aspect of the present invention is biofilms that comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of, epsilon proteobacteria class, such as the spirilloid Wolinella spp., Helicobacter spp., and most particularly Campylobacter spp.","In one embodiment, the application of the third aspect of the present invention to biofilms that comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of, Campylobacter spp.","may, or in another option may not, be of interest.","Many other types of biofilms are of interest for the present invention, further examples of which are discussed in further sections of this application.","Campylobacter are gram negative, spiral rod shaped bacteria with a single flagellum at one or both poles.","They belong to the epsilon proteobacteria class and are closely related to Helicobacter and Wolinella.","At least a dozen species of Campylobacter have been implicated in human disease, with C. jejuni and C. coli the most common.","Campylobacter jejuni is the major cause of human bacterial gastroenteritis (Pearson, et al., Appl Environ Microbiol., 59:987-996 (1993)).","The four major sources of infection are raw meat (particularly poultry), untreated water, raw milk, and pets (Humphrey, et al., J Appl Bacteriol.","61:125-132.","(1986) and Skirrow, Int J Food Microbiol., 12:9-16 (1991)).","It has also been suggested that, although not universally the case (Humphrey, et al., Public Health Lab Serv Microbiol Digest., 13:86-88.91996), Jacobs-Reitsma, et al., Epidemiol Infect., 114:413-421 (1995), and Lindblom, et al., J Hyg., 96:385-391 (1986)), survival in the water systems of animal husbandry facilities and animal-processing units promotes infection in animals and cross-contamination of animal carcasses (Humphrey, et al., Epidemiol Infect., 98:263-269 (1987), Kazwala, et al., Vet Rec.","1990; 126:305-306.","(1990) and, Pearson, et al., Appl Environ Microbiol., 59:987-996 (1993)).","Thus, the survival of C. jejuni in aquatic environments is important both directly and indirectly in the causation of human disease.","Campylobacter spp.","have outer membrane proteins (OMPs) (Buchanan, Curr.","Opin.","Struc.","Biol., 9(40:455-461 (1999); Huyer, et al., FEMS Microbiol.","Lett., 37(3):247-250 (1986)].","The major outer membrane proteins (MOMPs) have unique structural features, and function as porins which are helpful for linking up the bacteria and their environment.","Campylobacter spp.","possess polar flagella which provide the necessary motility for intestinal colonization.","The flagellin gene of Campylobacter has two similar copies: flaA and flaB.","The length of coding regions for the flaA and flaB sequences are both around 1.7 kilobases, and flaA and flaB sequences locate about 180 bases apart from each other (Meinersmann, et al., Microbiology, 146(9):2283 (2000)).","In one embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the disclosed compositions bind to major outer membrane proteins (MOMPs) or FlaA of Campylobacter and prevent the bound MOMPs and bound FlaA from binding or associating with their ligands on: other Campylobacter bacteria; other species of bacteria; biofilm or biofilm components; or to surfaces.","By binding to the MOMPs and FlaA, the compounds inhibit the bacteria from binding to surfaces or each other to produce biofilm.","The inhibition of binding can be accomplished by interfering with the binding of natural ligands of MOMPs or FlaA or by physically inhibiting the association of the bacteria expressing MOMPs or FlaA to other organisms or surfaces.","In another embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the disclosed compositions also bind to the MOMP protein of Campylobacter when MOMP has been mutated to prevent O-glycosylation by mutation of Thr-268 to glycine to form MOMP-T (also referred to as MOMPT268G).","As shown in Table 1, expression of the MOMPT268G protein has been found to increase 10-fold compared with wildtype.","Treatment of the MOMPT268G strain with the compositions does not impact planktonic growth, but does partially inhibit biofilm formation demonstrating the compositions bind to the non-glycosylated MOMP with lower affinity.","As shown in Table 1, expression of the MOMPT268G protein has been found to increase 10-fold compared with wildtype.","Regardless of whether MOMP is glycosylated or not, the compositions disclosed herein are still effective against mixed populations of glycosylated and non-glycosylated Campylobacter.","In a mixed population of glycosylated and non-glycosylated forms, the wildtype glycosylated form of Campylobacter greatly outcompetes the mutant non-glycosylated form, and over time the non-glycosylated bacteria disappear and the glycosylated bacteria become the only bacteria present.","Biofilms are usually found on solid substrates submerged in or exposed to an aqueous solution, although they can form as floating mats on liquid surfaces.","Biofilms can form on a myriad of surfaces.","For example, biofilms can grow in showers very easily since they provide a moist and warm environment for the biofilm to thrive.","Biofilms can form inside water and sewage pipes and cause clogging and corrosion.","Biofilms on floors and counters can make sanitation difficult in food preparation areas.","Biofilms can form in cooling- or heating-water systems and are known to reduce heat transfer in these systems One method, or use, in accordance with a third aspect of the present invention includes administering an effective amount of the one or more compounds as defined in section III.A of this application to a subject in need thereof, to inhibit biofilm formations, or alternatively, to reduce and/or remove biofilm formation.","The one or more compounds may be administered alone, or in combination with an antimicrobial agent, such as an antibiotic.","In certain embodiments of the third aspect of the present invention, in the context of the treatment of subjects (such as humans or animals) it may be desirable to provide continuous delivery of one or more compounds to a subject in need thereof.","For intravenous or intra-arterial routes, this can be accomplished using drip systems, such as by intravenous administration.","For topical applications, repeated application can be done or a patch can be used to provide continuous administration of the compounds over an extended period of time.","For example, the compounds may be delivered to a chronic wound from a wound dressing.","The dressing may also contain one or more antibiotics, and if necessary the wound dressing may be changed frequently.","The compounds may also be delivered in a conjugated form (for example, as shown in FIGS.","15A-C and FIGS.","16A and B) so that they are immobilized on a surface.","In other embodiments of the third aspect of the present invention, the method includes contacting a surface with an effective amount of the compounds, to inhibit biofilm buildup, reduce built up biofilm, and/or remove built up biofilm.","“Contacting” includes, but is not limited to, touching, impregnating, compounding, mixing, integrating, coating, spraying, dipping, flushing, irrigating, and wiping.","In certain embodiments, it may be desirable to provide continuous delivery of one or more compounds to the surface or system being treated.","The compositions can be used to coat, impregnate, flush, or rinse a surface of tubing or a medical device, especially an insertable medical device.","Tubing includes, but is not limited to, disposable, permanent, and indwelling catheters, long term urinary devices, tissue bonding urinary devices, wound drain tubes, ventricular catheters, endotracheal tubes, breathing tubes, feeding tubes, dairy lines, oil and gas pipeline and drinking water lines.","When an object is tubing (e.g., dental unit waterline, a dairy line, a food and beverage processing line, etc.","), a composition may be poured into the tubing and both ends of the tubing clamped such that the composition is retained within the lumen of the tubing.","The tubing is then allowed to remain filled with the composition for a period of time sufficient to remove substantially all of the microorganisms from at least one surface of the object, generally, for at least about 1 minute to about 48 hours.","Alternatively, tubing may be flushed by pouring a composition into the lumen of the tubing for an amount of time sufficient to prevent substantial growth of all biofilm embedded microorganisms.","Such flushing may be required only once, or may be required at regular intervals over the lifetime of use of the tubing.","Concentrations of active components in a composition may vary as desired or necessary to decrease the amount of time the composition is in contact with a medical device.","The methods allow disinfection, inhibition, or prevention of biofilm formation on the surfaces being treated and reduction of transmission of biofilm forming microorganisms from the surface to another surface.","The number of the bacterial colony forming units (cfu) on the surface being treated with the compounds may be reduced by 50%, by 60%, by 70%, by 80%, by 90% or by 100%, or, the buildup of bacterial colony forming units on the treated surface may be reduced by 50%, by 60%, by 70%, by 80%, by 90% or by 100%.","In one embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, compositions and articles, including but not limited to pharmaceutical and veterinary compositions, food or feed additive compositions, and dental products including chews may be prepared from the one or more compounds as defined above, optionally formulated and/or used in combination with one or more antibiotics or other anti-microbial agents, and these compositions may further be used for the treatment or prophylaxis of a microbial infection or biofilm formed by bacteria or other microorganisms, including one or more of the following: S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, E. coli, S. aureus including Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VRSA) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), Pseudomonas, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus anginosus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Salmonella (including drug-resistant non-typhoidal, Salmonella including drug-resistant Salmonella serotype typhi, Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Typhimurium, Mycoplasma, Eimeria, Enterococci, Shigella, Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), Erythromycin-resistant Group A Streptococcus, Clindamycin-resistant Group B Streptococcus, Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), drug-resistant tuberculosis, Extended spectrum Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL), multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter (including MRAB), Clostridium difficile, Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Brachyspira, Propionibacterium acnes, and Clostridium perfringen.","2.Methods of Administration In one embodiment, the compounds and formulations, derivatives thereof and combinations thereof for use in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention can be administered topically to a subject in need thereof in an effective amount to prevent or treat a microbial infection, by inhibiting buildup of biofilm or to reduce and/or remove built up biofilm.","Any suitable topical formulation can be used, for example as described in Section III.C.3 of this application, below, including emulsions (such as those described in section III.C.3(a)), lotions (such as those described in section III.C.3(b)), creams (such as those as described in section III.C.3(c)), ointments (such as those described in section III.C.3(d)), gels (such as those described in section III.C.3(e)), or foams (such as those described in section III.C.3(f)).","The compositions may be used alone or in combination with known antimicrobial agents, such as those described further below in section III.B of this application.","As such, compositions described in respect of the second aspect of the present invention may also be useful in the practice of the third aspect of the present invention.","The compositions are useful for treating topical conditions caused by biofilm buildup by microorganisms including, but not limited to gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus (including, but not limited to S. aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis), Pseudomonas, E.","coli., Streptococcus pyogenes (Reviewed in Nusbaum, et al., Skin Therapy Lett., 17(7):1-5 (2012)), Propionibacterium acnes and Streptococcus anginosus.","In some embodiments the compositions are used as a topical antibacterial medication for skin infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.","Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that is resistant to many antibiotics.","The spectrum of disease caused by MRSA appears to be similar to that of Staphylococcus aureus in the community.","Soft tissue infections (SSTIs), specifically furuncles (abscessed hair follicles or “boils”), carbuncles (coalesced masses of furuncles), and abscesses, are the most frequently reported clinical manifestations.","The most common manifestations of community associated-MRSA are simple skin infections, such as impetigo, boils, abscesses, folliculitis, and cellulitis.","Others include children with minor skin infections (such as impetigo) and secondarily infected skin lesions (such as eczema, ulcers, or lacerations).","The compositions can also be used to treat MRSA infections of the CNS, which include, but are not limited to Meningitis, Brain abscess, subdural empyema, spinal epidural abscess.","Reviewed in Liu, et al., Clin Infect Dis., 52(3):e18-55 (2011).","Additional examples of conditions that can be treated include atopic dermatitis, acne, bullous and non-bullous impetigo, pemphigus foliaceus, miliaria, feruncles (also known as boils) and chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers, venous insufficiency ulcers, and pressure ulcers.","In the context of treating acne, an effective concentration of 340 μM is demonstrated in Example 24, although higher or lower concentrations of the one or more compounds according to section III.A below may also be suitable for the treatment of acne and any of the other skin conditions as discussed herein.","For example, the treatment of these skin conditions in accordance with the present invention may utilize one or more of said compounds at a concentration within the range of about 1 μM to about 1M, such as about, or up to, 10 μM, 20 μM, 30 μM, 40 μM, 50 μM, 60 μM, 70 μM, 80 μM, 90 μM, 100 μM, 110 μM, 120 μM, 130 μM, 140 μM, 150 μM, 160 μM, 170 μM, 180 μM, 190 μM, 200 μM, 210 μM, 220 μM, 230 μM, 240 μM, 250 μM, 260 μM, 270 μM, 280 μM, 290 μM, 300 μM, 310 μM, 320 μM, 330 μM, 340 μM, 350 μM, 360 μM, 370 μM, 380 μM, 390 μM, 400 μM, 410 μM, 420 μM, 430 μM, 440 μM, 450 μM, 460 μM, 470 μM, 480 μM, 490 μM, 500 μM, 510 μM, 520 μM, 530 μM, 540 μM, 550 μM, 560 μM, 570 μM, 580 μM, 590 μM, 600 μM, 610 μM, 620 μM, 630 μM, 640 μM, 650 μM, 660 μM, 670 μM, 680 μM, 690 μM, 700 μM, 710 μM, 720 μM, 730 μM, 740 μM, 750 μM, 760 μM, 770 μM, 780 μM, 790 μM, 800 μM, 810 μM, 820 μM, 830 μM, 840 μM, 850 μM, 860 μM, 870 μM, 880 μM, 890 μM, 900 μM, 910 μM, 920 μM, 930 μM, 940 μM, 950 μM, 960 μM, 970 μM, 980 μM, 990 μM, 1 mM, 2 mM, 3 mM, 4 mM, 5 mM, 6 mM, 7 mM, 8 mM, 9 mM, 10 mM, 15 mM, 20 mM 25 mM, 30 mM, 35 mM, 40 mM, 45 mM, 50 mM, 60 mM, 70 mM, 80 mM, 90 mM, 100 mM, 150 mM, 200 mM, 250 mM, 300 mM, 350 mM, 400 mM, 450 mM, 500 mM, 600 mM, 700 mM, 800 mM, 900 mM, 1M or more.","Optionally, the concentration may be: (a) up to 1 μM, 2 μM, 3 μM, 4 μM, 5 μM, 10 μM, 15 μM, 20 μM, 25 μM, 30 μM; (b) within a range selected from the group consisting of from 35 to 335 μM, 40 to 300 μM, 50 to 300 μM, 50 to 250 μM, 50 to 200 μM, 60 to 300 μM, 60 to 250 μM, 60 to 200 μM, 80 to 300 μM, 80 to 250 μM, 80 to 200 μM, 100 to 300 μM, 100 to 250 μM, or 100 to 200 μM; or (c) at least, or about, 345 μM, 350 μM, 360 μM, 370 μM, 380 μM, 390 μM, 400 μM, 450 μM, 0.5 mM, 1 mM, 2 mM or more.","Optionally the concentration of the one or more compounds may be in within a range selected from the group consisting of from about 1 μM to about 1 mM, or about 30 μM to about 0.5 mM, or about 60 μM to about 0.4 mM.","Atopic dermatitis (AD) affects 10-20% of children with 60% of cases occurring within a child's first year and 85% before the age of 5 (Krakowski, et al., Pediatrics, 122(4):812-24 (2008)).","Many cases persist into adulthood as evidenced by the 1-3% prevalence of AD among the adult population (Leung, et al., Lancet, 361(9352):151-60 (2003)).","AD patients are colonized with S. aureus and this organism has been shown to exist in both dry skin as well as areas of severe dermatitis (Ikezawa, et al., Allergy Asthma Immunol Res., 2(4):235-46 (2010)).","Disease severity has been directly correlated to the degree of S. aureus colonization and therapy generally fails to improve symptoms in the presence of high S. aureus counts (Akiyama, et al., J Dermatol Sci., 23(3):155-6 (2000)).","Confocal laser scanning micro has demonstrated the presence of biofilms in skin stripping and biopsy specimens from AD patients (Akiyama, et al., Br J Dermatol., 148(3):526-32 (2003)).","The presence of S. aureus biofilms have been shown in specimens of bullous impetigo and pemphigus foliaceus (Akiyama, et al., Br J Dermatol., 148(3):526-32 (2003)) while biofilms containing both S. aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes have been identified in non-bullous impetigo (Akiyama, et al., J Dermatol Sci., 32(3):193-9 (2003)).","The difficulty in eradicating S. aureus colonization with conventional antibiotic therapy may be due to the presence of biofilms.","Biofilm formation has also been demonstrated in a murine model inoculated with S. aureus isolated from a furuncle (Yamasaki, et al., J Antimicrob Chemother., 48(4):573-7 (2001)).","Biofilms have been implicated in miliaria by a clinical study in which only extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) producing S. epidermidis was capable of inducing lesions after inoculation and occlusion (Mowad, et al., J Am Acad Dermatol., 33(5 Pt 1):729-33 (1995)).","Biopsy specimens revealed sweat glands blocked with EPS material, further supporting a pathogenic role for biofilms in this condition.","Several factors, for example, firm adherence of dermatophytes to the nail plate, presence of dormant fungal elements, ability of yeast to form biofilms, and difficulty of eradication all suggest that biofilm involvement in onychomycosis (Burkhart, et al., J Am Acad Dermatol., 47(4):629-31 (2002)).","Chronic wounds present an optimal environment for microbial proliferation.","In a clinical study of 66 wounds of various etiologies, 60% of chronic wounds were shown to contain biofilms as compared to 6% of acute wounds, indicating a role of biofilms in wound chronicity.","Traditional cultures identified Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, and Enterococcus as the predominant organisms (James, et al., Wound Repair Regen., 16(1):37-44 (2008).","In a preferred embodiment, the compounds may be incorporated into wound irrigation solutions.","In another preferred embodiment, the compounds may be incorporated into cosmetic formulations.","The compositions of the compounds according to the third aspect of the present invention are also useful in oral health for both prophylaxis and treatment of infections.","For example, the compounds may be used to treat or prevent infections in dental pulp by Streptococcus anginosus, or prevent attachment of biofilms to tooth surfaces.","The compounds may be applied directly to tooth surfaces or applied to dental pulp during a procedure.","The compounds may also be incorporated into dental products such as toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, toothpicks, and chewable products (including food products), a mouth shield, a dental instrument, dentures, dental retainers, dental braces including plastic braces (such as Invisalign), bristles of toothbrushes, dental prostheses and orthodontic devices, chewable non-food items, or foods, as well as applied as coatings directly to dental tissues.","The compositions may be used for dental care of both humans and animals, including pets such as dogs and cats as well as livestock and horses.","For example, the compounds may be incorporated into chewable foods or toys, such as dog bones and biscuits.","In fact, in one embodiment of particular interest to the present invention, there is provided a human or animal (especially a dog) chew composition comprising one or more compounds as defined in Section III.A.","Exemplary dog and other animal chews which can be modified to include the one or more compounds as defined in Section III.A include those described in U.S. Pat.","No.","6,086,940, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.","Further exemplary chews include the Oravet® dental hygiene chew produced by Merial (see http://merial.com/en/press-releases/merial-introduces-oravet-dental-hygiene-chews-for-dogs/, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference) and the Kalloodles dental chews (see http://kanoodlesusa.com/, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference).","Dental chews in accordance with the present invention can be used in dogs and other animals to inhibit the production of biofilms that form plaque, and/or to reduce or treat or prophylactically treat halitosis.","Chewing said chews may also help scrub away existing plaque and/or calculus.","Optionally, the chews may be usefully used regularly, such as daily and optionally daily after one or more meals.","The compounds may, in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, be added to drinking water or other drinkable fluids.","Other modes of administration in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention can include: (i) Parenteral administration, which may include administration to a patient intravenously, intradermally, intraarterially, intraperitoneally, intralesionally, intracranially, intraarticularly, intraprostatically, intrapleurally, intratracheally, intravitreally, intratumorally, intramuscularly, subcutaneously, subconjunctivally, intravesicularly, intrapericardially, intraumbilically, by injection, and by infusion, for example as further described in Section III.C.1 of this application, below.","Parenteral administration can include the use of formulations as described herein which are formulated for controlled release including immediate release, delayed release, extended release, pulsatile release, and combinations thereof, as further described in Section III.C.1(a) of this application, below.","(ii) The compounds can be incorporated into injectable/implantable solid or semi-solid implants, such as polymeric implants, for example as further described in Section III.C.1(b) of this application, below.","(iii) Enteral administration, including administration in the form of suitable oral dosage forms such as tablets, capsules, solutions, suspensions, syrups, and lozenges, for example, as further described in Section III.C.2 of this application, below.","Optionally, enteral administration may include administration of controlled release enteral formulations, including oral dosage forms, such as capsules, tablets, solutions, and suspensions, which are formulated for controlled release, including extended and/or delayed release, such as described in more detail below in Section III.C.2(a) of this application.","(iv) The administration of one or more disinfecting formulations or cleaning formulations, such as those described in Section III.C.4 of this application, below.","3.Hospital and Other Environments The methods and uses of the third aspect of the present invention may be practiced in the hospital and also in other medical and non-medical environments in order to address, inhibit, treat, ameliorate and/or disrupt biofilms.","Further examples of microbial infection and colonizations and biofilm formations that can be addressed by the third aspect of the invention are discussed further below, and also further define medical uses and methods in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of subjects (including humans and animals) in need thereof.","For example, S. epidermidis contributes to biofilms that grow on plastic devices placed within the body (Otto, Nature Reviews Microbiology, 7(8):555-567 (2009)).","This occurs most commonly on intravenous catheters and on medical prostheses (Hedin, Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases Supplementum, 90:1-59 (1993)).","Infection can also occur in dialysis patients or anyone with an implanted plastic device that may have been contaminated.","Another disease it causes is endocarditis.","This occurs most often in patients with defective heart valves.","In some other cases, sepsis can occur in hospital patients.","As a further example, Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), is one of a number of greatly feared strains of S. aureus which have become resistant to most β-lactam antibiotics.","MRSA strains are most often found associated with institutions such as hospitals, but are becoming increasingly prevalent in community-acquired infections.","A recent study by the Translational Genomics Research Institute showed that nearly half (47%) of the meat and poultry in U.S. grocery stores were contaminated with S. aureus, with more than half (52%) of those bacteria resistant to antibiotics (ScienceDaily, 15 Apr.","2011).","In another example, Enterococcus faecalis causes many of the antibiotic resistant infections in hospitals, a consequence of its inherent resistance to certain antibiotics and its ability to survive and proliferate in the intestinal tract.","Escherichia coli is one of the most frequent causes of many common bacterial infections, including cholecystitis, bacteremia, cholangitis, urinary tract infections other clinical infections such as neonatal meningitis and pneumonia.","For example, the compositions can be used to treat (for example, as adjunct therapy) conditions caused by community- and/or hospital-acquired urinary tract infections (UTI's) caused by strains of Escherichia coli (drug resistant or otherwise) in immunocompromised patients.","In accordance with a further example, the aggressive colonization of stainless steel surfaces by P. aeruginosa for example, apart from being of enormous industrial significance, is also of medical relevance; P. aeruginosa infections are prevalent in burn units where large stainless steel tubs, known as hydrotherapy units, are often used to treat patients with severe burns.","Antibiotics are largely ineffective in clearing biofilms, although the third and second aspects of the present invention may be combined in order to potentiate the effect of antibiotics.","The most common treatment for these infections is to remove or replace the infected implant, though in all cases, prevention is ideal.","The drug of choice is often vancomycin, to which rifampin or aminoglycoside can be added.","Hand washing has been shown to reduce the spread of infection.","Accordingly, compositions in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention may include hand wash and/or hand spray compositions, and may be used accordingly in the treatment of hands and other body surfaces.","Preliminary research also indicates S. epidermidis is universally found inside affected acne vulgaris pores, where Propionibacterium acnes is normally the sole resident (Bek-Thomson, et al., J. Clin.","Microbiol., 46(10):3355-3360 (2008).","a.","Use as Disinfection Agent The one or more compounds for use in the third aspect of the present invention can, in accordance with a further embodiment, be used as disinfection (or pesticide) agents (the United States Environmental Protection Agency, “EPA”, defines biofilms as pestilent), for example, in high risk environments such as in hardware from hospitals or healthcare facilities.","As such, the one or more compounds may be formulated as a disinfecting formulation or cleaning formulation, such as those described in Section III.C.4 of this application, below.","In accordance with a further embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method or use comprising the use of the disinfection agent in high-risk environments such as in hardware from hospitals or healthcare facilities, cosmetic, consumer and industrial applications, to prevent biofilm buildup or reduce biofilm from a surface of interest.","In these embodiments, the compounds may, for example, be sprayed onto the surface in the form of a foam, solution or gel, or applied to the surface (wipe down) by means of a carrier for example tissue, material or other porous item containing the one or more compounds.","A further embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention is a disinfection agent as described herein and also provided is a product or article treated with a disinfection agent as described herein.","The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at any time, more than 1.4 million people worldwide are affected by infections acquired in hospitals.","Cleaning, disinfection and sterilization saves lives and improves patient outcomes.","Between 5% and 10% of patients admitted to modern hospitals in the developed world acquire one or more healthcare-associated infections.","The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that approximately 1.7 million healthcare-associated infections occur annually in hospitals in the United States, and are associated with nearly 100,000 deaths each year.","Healthcare-associated infections are also an important problem in extended care facilities, including nursing homes and rehabilitation units.","Transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens most frequently occurs via the hands of healthcare workers, who inadvertently contaminate their hands during various patient care activities.","Less frequently, contaminated surfaces in healthcare facilities may contribute to the spread of healthcare-associated pathogens.","The varying levels of disinfection used in a healthcare facility may be defined by Spaulding's Classification (Sehulster, et al., Guidelines for environmental infection control in health-care facilities.","Recommendations from CDC and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC).","Chicago Ill.; American Society for Healthcare Engineering/American Hospital Association; 2004.).","Spaulding's levels, non-critical, semi-critical, and critical, are based on the potential for infectious disease spread via equipment, instruments, and furniture as well as the level of sterility normally required for the body part coming in contact with it.","Levels of disinfection that correlate with Spaulding's classification are low, intermediate, high, and sterilization.","The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has further delineated disinfection levels for environmental surfaces in its “Guidelines for Environmental Infection Control in Health-Care Facilities”.","Critical items confer a high risk for infection if they are contaminated with any microorganism.","Thus, the third aspect of the present invention also provides objects treated for sterilization as described herein, which objects enter sterile tissue or the vascular system and must be sterile because any microbial contamination could transmit disease.","This category includes surgical instruments, cardiac and urinary catheters, implants, and ultrasound probes used in sterile body cavities.","Semi critical items contact mucous membranes or nonintact skin.","This category includes respiratory therapy and anesthesia equipment, some endoscopes, laryngoscope blades, esophageal manometry probes, cystoscopes, anorectal manometry catheters, and diaphragm fitting rings.","These medical devices should be free from all microorganisms; however, small numbers of bacterial spores are permissible.","Specific examples of critical or semi critical instruments include invasive endoscopes such as laparoscopes, and rigid instruments with no operating channel Arthroscopes and laparoscopes which are inserted into sterile body cavities as well as accessory instrumentation should be sterile.","Other examples include gastroscopes, duodenoscopes, sigmoidoscopes, proctoscopes, colonoscopes, bronchoscopes, and laryngoscopes.","The compounds may also be used in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention as food processing aids.","For example, solutions of the one or more compounds as defined in section III.A below could be sprayed on animal carcasses or products (include meat part products) derived therefrom (i.e.","poultry, fish, and meat or others, for example, as described in respect of the first aspect of the present invention) to prevent or inhibit colonization by bacteria, or inactivate biofilm formation.","The compounds could, for example, be applied by dipping chicken (or other animal) carcasses or product derived therefrom in a container of a solution of the compounds, or by spraying an animal carcass with a solution of the compounds.","In a preferred embodiment, aqueous solutions of FeQ, FeTyr, FeDOPA and/or Fe-Phe may be used as food processing aids.","After treatment, the compounds may, if desired, be removed by washing.","A further embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention provides an animal carcass (such as a chicken or other poultry, fish or other meat) and/or products (include meat part products) derived therefrom which have been treated, for example by spraying or dipping, in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, and optionally wherein the one or more compounds are subsequently removed fully or partially by washing.","b.","Use as a Coating In other embodiments of the third aspect of the present invention, the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application, can be incorporated into coatings used to coat medical devices, and other articles.","Accordingly, the third aspect of the present invention also provides a method of coating a device or other article, comprising applying a coating comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of, one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application.","The third aspect of the present invention also provides coated devices or articles, having a coating comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of, one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application.","Suitable coating methods are known in the art.","Methods for coating medical devices are disclosed for example in U.S.","Publication Nos.","20030054090 and 20120276280 and U.S. Pat.","Nos.","5,879,697, 7,247,338 and 8,028,646.The compounds can be applied to medical devices and other articles in any number of ways, including, but not limited to, ionic binding to a surface coating, passive adsorption, or dispersion within a polymeric base material making up the surface of the device or coated on the device surfaces (for example by dip coating, spray coating, ultrasonic spray coating, melt processing, application of films, solvent coating, etc.).","In a preferred embodiment, the one or more compounds are combined with polymers, and coated on medical devices or other articles.","Suitable polymers include, but are not limited, to poly(lactides); poly(glycolides); poly(lactide-co-glycolides); poly(lactic acid); poly(glycolic acid); poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acids); polycaprolactones; poly(orthoesters); polyanhydrides; poly(phosphazenes); polyhydroxyalkanoates [including poly-3-hydroxybutyrate, poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV), poly-4-hydroxybutyrate, poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate]; synthetically or biologically prepared polyesters (including polyesters with one or more of the following monomeric units: glycolic, lactic; trimethylene carbonate, p-dioxanone, or ε-caprolactone); poly(lactide-co-caprolactones); polyesters; polycarbonates; tyrosine polycarbonates; polyamides (including synthetic and natural polyamides, polypeptides, and poly(amino acids)); polyesteramides; poly(dioxanones); poly(alkylene alkylates); polyethers (such as polyethylene glycol, PEG, and polyethylene oxide, PEO); polyvinyl pyrrolidones or PVP; polyurethanes; polyetheresters; polyacetals; polycyanoacrylates; poly(oxyethylene)/poly(oxypropylene) copolymers; polyacetals, polyketals; polyphosphates; (phosphorous-containing) polymers; polyphosphoesters; polyalkylene oxalates; polyalkylene succinates; poly(maleic acids); chitin; chitosan; modified chitosan; collagen; silk; biocompatible polysaccharides; biocompatible copolymers (including block copolymers or random copolymers); hydrophilic or water soluble polymers, such as polyethylene glycol, (PEG) or polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), with blocks of other biocompatible or biodegradable polymers, for example, poly(lactide), poly(lactide-co-glycolide, or polycaprolcatone or combinations thereof, polymers and copolymers of ethylene and propylene, including ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, ultra-high molecular weight polypropylene, nylon, polyesters such as poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(tetrafluoroethylene), polyurethanes, poly(ether-urethanes), poly(methylmethacrylate), polyether ether ketone, polyolefins, Dacron, latex, silicones, polymeric cements, and poly(ethylene oxide).","In another preferred embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the one or more compounds can be first conjugated with other agents that have an affinity for, or can react with, a surface, and thereby immobilized on a surface.","For example, the compounds can be tethered to a linkage that can be photo-activated to bind to a surface, or activated via another mechanism.","Examples of devices and articles that can be coated using the compositions include tubing and other surface medical devices, such as urinary catheter, stents, mucous extraction catheter, suction catheter, umbilical cannula, contact lenses, intrauterine devices, intravaginal and intraintestinal devices, endotracheal tubes, bronchoscopes, dental prostheses and orthodontic devices, dentures, teeth, surgical instruments, dental instruments, tubing, dental water lines, dental drain tubes, fabrics, paper, indicator strips (e.g., paper indicator strips or plastic indicator strips), adhesives (e.g., hydrogel adhesives, hot-melt adhesives, or solvent-based adhesives), bandages, tissue dressings or healing devices and occlusive patches, and any other surface devices used in the medical field.","Devices may include electrodes, external prostheses, fixation tapes, compression bandages, and monitors of various types.","Medical devices also include any device that may be placed at the insertion or implantation site such as the skin near the insertion or implantation site, and which include at least one surface which is susceptible to colonization by biofilm embedded microorganisms.","In one specific embodiment, a composition is integrated into an adhesive, such as tape, thereby providing an adhesive, which may prevent growth or proliferation of biofilm embedded microorganisms on at least one surface of the adhesive.","Medical devices include surfaces of equipment in operating rooms, emergency rooms, hospital rooms, clinics, and bathrooms.","In a particularly preferred embodiment the following devices may be coated with the compounds: catheters, including central venous catheters, urinary catheters, dialysis catheters, and indwelling catheters (for example, catheters for hemodialysis and for administration of chemotherapeutic agents), cardiac implants including mechanical heart valves, stents, ventricular assist devices, pacemakers, cardiac rhythm management (CRM) devices, cardiac resynchronization therapy devices (CRTs), and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), synthetic vascular grafts, arteriovascular shunts, cerebral spinal fluid shunts, cochlear devices, prosthetic joints, orthopedic implants, internal fixation devices, bone cements, percutaneous sutures, surgical mesh and surgical patches including hernia repair meshes and patches, breast reconstruction meshes and patches, meshes and patches for breast and face lifts, slings, and meshes and patches for pelvic floor reconstruction, tracheal and ventilator tubing, wound dressings, biological implants (including allografts, xenografts and autografts), penile implants, intrauterine devices, endotracheal tubes, and contact lenses.","Other articles that can be coated in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention include articles for use in rearing animals, such as animals and articles mentioned in the context of the first aspect of the present invention.","Yet other articles that can be coated in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention include articles for use in the process of slaughter and/or processing the carcasses or parts thereof of animals, such as animals and articles mentioned in the context of the first aspect of the present invention.","Yet further articles that can be coated in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention include articles for the preparation and/or containment of food stuffs, including foodstuffs comprising raw or cooked meats, eggs, dairy products or other food products.","The food products may be human and/or animal food products.","Yet further articles that can be coated in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention include articles for the preparation and/or containment of drinks.","Accordingly, in another embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of disinfecting a surface, or protecting a surface against infection, in need thereof, the method comprising contacting the surface with an effective amount of one or more compounds having the structure of having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application, wherein the one or more compounds are coated onto the surface to be disinfected.","In some embodiments the one or more compounds may be applied to the surface in the form of a spray, an aerosol, or a foam.","The coated surface may, for example, be formed on the surface of an instrument selected from the group consisting of surgical instruments, cardiac and urinary catheters, implants, and ultrasound probes used in sterile body cavities.","The coated surface may, for example, be formed on the surface of a device selected from the group consisting of urinary catheter, stents, mucous extraction catheter, suction catheter, umbilical cannula, contact lenses, intrauterine devices, intravaginal and intraintestinal devices, endotracheal tubes, bronchoscopes, dental prostheses and orthodontic devices, surgical instruments, dental instruments, tubing, dental water lines, dental drain tubes, fabrics, paper, indicator strips (e.g., paper indicator strips or plastic indicator strips), adhesives (e.g., hydrogel adhesives, hot-melt adhesives, or solvent-based adhesives), bandages, tissue dressings or healing devices and occlusive patches, catheters, including central venous catheters, urinary catheters, dialysis catheters, and indwelling catheters, cardiac implants, mechanical heart valves, stents, ventricular assist devices, pacemakers, cardiac rhythm management (CRM) devices, cardiac resynchronization therapy devices (CRTs), and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), synthetic vascular grafts, arteriovascular shunts, cerebral spinal fluid shunts, cochlear devices, prosthetic joints, orthopedic implants, internal fixation devices, bone cements, percutaneous sutures, surgical mesh and surgical patches including hernia repair mesh, breast reconstruction mesh, mesh for breast and face lifts, slings, and mesh for pelvic floor reconstruction, tracheal and ventilator tubing, wound dressings, biological implants, penile implants, intrauterine devices, endotracheal tubes, and contact lenses.","The coated surface may, for example, be formed on the surface of an article selected from the group consisting of an industrial pipeline, liquid distribution lines, oil and gas pipelines and cosmetic container.","The coated surface may, for example, be formed on the surface of, or be incorporated into, or onto, a household item, such as an item selected from the group consisting of household disinfectants; laundry detergent; cleaning supplies; equipment involved in the leeching process or mining; wound care; toothpaste; mouth wash; dental floss; toothpicks; chewable products (including food products); a mouth shield; a dental instrument; dentures; dental retainers; dental braces including plastic braces (such as Invisalign); bristles of toothbrushes; dental prostheses and orthodontic devices; chewable non-food items, foods, or toys, such as dog bones and biscuits; a vacuum system; HVAC ((heating, ventilation and air conditioning)) systems; vacuum cleaner bags; paint covering; wall coverings; window frames; doors; door frames; cooling towers; humidifiers; vacuum cleaners; filters such as a vacuum filter, a humidifier filter, hot tub filter, or a swimming pool filter; toys; plastic bottles; water jugs; tap and water spout; washing machines; dishwashers; animal water dishes; bathroom tiles and fixtures; sinks; showers; shower heads; toilets; toilets lids; toilet seats; sealants and grout; towels; TUPPERWARE®; dishes; cups; utensils such as forks, spoons, knives, and spatulas; bowls; food storage containers; beverage storage containers; cutting boards; dish drying trays; garbage bags; sinks; fish ponds; swimming pools; swimming pool liners; swimming pool skimmer; pond liners; bird baths; garden hose; water sprinkling lines; planters; and hot tubs.","The coated surface may, for example, be formed on the surface of, or incorporated into, or onto, an article, device or apparatus used in the rearing and/or transport of animals, such as a chicken, for example, a meat-type chicken such as broiler chicken, or an egg-laying chicken such as a pullet or hen, or a breeder chicken, other poultry, such as a turkey, geese, quail or ducks, or livestock, such as cattle, sheep, goats or swine, alpaca, banteng, bison, camel, cat, deer, dog, donkey, gayal, guinea pig, horse, llama, mule, rabbit, reindeer, water buffalo, yak, although the skilled person will appreciate that other feeds for animals, including zoo animals, captive animals, game animals, fish (include freshwater and saltwater fish, farmed fish, and ornamental fish), other marine and aquatic animals, including shellfish such as, but not limited to, oysters, mussels, clams, shrimps, prawns, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, cuttlefish, octopus, and squid, domestic animals such as cats and dogs, rodents (such as mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters), and horses, are also provided, as well as any other domestic, wild and farmed animal, including mammals, marine animals, amphibians, birds, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates.","In some embodiments, the device or apparatus used in the rearing and/or transport of animals may be selected from an article, device or apparatus that is for the delivery and/or containment of animal feed and/or animal drinking water.","The coated surface may, for example, be formed on the surface of, or incorporated into, or onto, an article, device or apparatus used in the rearing, housing and/or transport of animals, such as a chicken, for example, a meat-type chicken such as broiler chicken, or an egg-laying chicken such as a pullet or hen, or a breeder chicken, other poultry, such as a turkey, geese, quail or ducks, or livestock, such as cattle, sheep, goats or swine, alpaca, banteng, bison, camel, cat, deer, dog, donkey, gayal, guinea pig, horse, llama, mule, rabbit, reindeer, water buffalo, yak, although the skilled person will appreciate that other feeds for animals, including zoo animals, captive animals, game animals, fish (include freshwater and saltwater fish, farmed fish, and ornamental fish), other marine and aquatic animals, including shellfish such as, but not limited to, oysters, mussels, clams, shrimps, prawns, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, cuttlefish, octopus, and squid, domestic animals such as cats and dogs, rodents (such as mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters), and horses, are also provided, as well as any other domestic, wild and farmed animal, including mammals, marine animals, amphibians, birds, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates.","In some embodiments, the article, device or apparatus used in the rearing, housing and/or transport of animals can include one or more of an article, device or apparatus used in the production, creation, collection, storage, processing and/or packaging of an animal product.","For example, an animal product may be a by-product of the animal (e.g.","milk, eggs, or wool) or a downstream product thereof.","Alternatively, an animal product may be the body or part of the body of the animal, and the harvesting process optionally includes the step of slaughtering the animal and further optionally preparing an animal carcass or part thereof as a product, such as a meat product.","The third aspect of the present invention also, therefore, provides a device, article, product, item, formulation, composition or coating per se, having a coating comprising one or more compounds having the structure or having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application, and for their use in the above-defined methods.","In one embodiment, the device, article, product, item, formulation, composition or coating comprises the one or more compounds in the coating in an amount effective to prevent biofilm formation.","In another embodiment, the device, article, product, item, formulation, composition or coating comprises the one or more compounds in the coating in an amount effective to treat or reduce biofilm formation.","The third aspect of the present invention also provides the direct per se products of the above-defined methods and uses of the third aspect of the present invention, and downstream product produced therefrom.","The third aspect of the present invention also provides a compound conjugated to a structure that can anchor to a surface, wherein the compound has the structure of having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application.","It may be preferred that the compound is selected from the group consisting of a complex of an amino acid or an α-hydroxy acid with Fe III, such as a complex of quinic acid with Fe III, a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III, a complex of L-DOPA with Fe III and/or a complex of L-phenylalanine with Fe III.","Optionally, the compound may be selected from the group consisting of the compounds represented by Formula I, Formula II, Formula III, Formula IV, Formula V, Formula VI, Formula VII, Formula VIII, Formula IX, Formula X, Formula XI, Formula XII, Formula XIII, Formula XIV, a compound that binds to major outer membrane proteins (MOMPs) or FlaA of Campylobacter, a synthetic human histo-blood group antigen, a mimetic of human histo-blood group antigen or a synthetic sugar.","Also provided by the third aspect of the present invention is a composition comprising one or more conjugated compounds as defined above, and an article coated with one or more of said conjugated compounds, or with said composition.","In one embodiment, the structure of the conjugated compound comprises hydroxyapatite or derivative thereof, and the conjugate is capable of anchoring, or is anchored to, a dental tissue.","For example, in a further embodiment, conjugated forms of the compounds, such as those shown in FIGS.","16A and B wherein the compounds are conjugated to hydroxyapatite may be applied to tooth tissues, such as tooth enamel, dentin and pulp in order to prevent dental caries and infection.","In another embodiment, the compounds can be applied using photo-reactive chemistry, for example, using conjugated forms of the compounds such as those shown in FIGS.","15A and B.","4.Industrial, Cosmetic and Consumer Applications The compositions can be used in accordance with a further embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention to disinfect industrial surfaces, by preventing and/or removing biofilm buildup on such surfaces.","In this embodiment, the formation of the biofilm may be prevented or inhibited, or a preformed biofilm may be removed by a method that comprises applying a composition of the present invention comprising the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application, onto a surface in need thereof, for example as a spray, foam, gel, powders; dish or laundry detergents (liquid or solid), surface wax, glass cleaner, etc.","Accordingly, the third aspect of the present invention also provides an object or article that has been treated in accordance with the foregoing method.","Biofilms are continuously produced and often accumulate on numerous industrial surfaces and on biological surfaces.","In an industrial setting, the presence of these biofilms causes a decrease in the efficiency of industrial machinery, requires increased maintenance, and presents potential health hazards.","For example, the surfaces of water cooling towers become increasingly coated with microbially produced biofilm slime which both constricts water flow and reduces heat exchange capacity.","Water cooling tower biofilms may also harbor pathogenic microorganisms such as Legionella pneumophila.","Food preparation lines are routinely plagued by biofilm build-up both on the machinery and on the food product where biofilms often include potential pathogens.","Biofilm formation comes with associated problems, such as accelerated deterioration of equipment through corrosion from cellular byproducts.","There may also be a reduction in the efficacy of heat transfer and impairment of detection devices as the film disrupts transmission.","Pseudomonas aeruginosa readily binds to stainless steel or plastic (e.g.","polyvinylchloride, polystyrene) surfaces causing major problems in both the medical and food industries, forming biofilm.","Biofilms readily form on PVC and glass surfaces under the static condition, especially in the food industry.","a.","Industrial Applications The compositions and coatings in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention can be used to clean, or maintain, pipelines and hoses in industries such as food and beverage industries, paper mills, sewage treatment, drainage, cooling towers and gas and oil industries by contacting a surface with biofilm growth with the composition.","Industrial applications include their use in dairy lines, either as a flush or wash for such lines, or incorporated within the lines, for example as a coating; liquid distribution lines in the food and beverage manufacturing or dispensing, for example, use as a coating in feeder lines for high sugar or syrup distribution in the manufacturing of soft drinks; pulp and paper mills (for biofouling); in the manufacturing and containment of cosmetics from production line equipment down to the end consumable, either incorporated within the cosmetic or coated on the jar containing the cosmetic; in water treatment facilities; in the leaching process used in mining; to prevent corrosion caused or accelerated by organisms, in oil and gas pipelines including fracking pipes, in the souring souring of oil fields, in antifouling coatings (for example on submarines and boats), and in cooling towers.","b.","Consumer and Light Commercial Applications Consumer and light commercial uses of the compounds and coatings in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention include their incorporation in general household disinfectants; laundry detergent; cleaning supplies; equipment involved in the leeching process or mining; wound care; a vacuum system; HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems; vacuum cleaner bags; paint covering; wall coverings; window frames; doors; door frames; cooling towers; boat hulls, humidifiers; vacuum cleaners; filters and membranes, such as a vacuum filter, a humidifier filter, hot tub filter, osmosis membranes, or a swimming pool filter; toys; plastic bottles; water jugs; toothpaste, mouthwash, a tap and water spout; incorporation into plastics for a variety of household items including the inside and outside of washing machines and dishwashers; animal water dishes; bathroom tiles and fixtures; sinks; showers; shower heads; toilets; toilets lids; toilet seats; sealants and grout; towels; TUPPERWARE®; dishes; cups; utensils such as forks, spoons, knives, and spatulas; bowls; food storage containers; beverage storage containers; cutting boards; dish drying trays; garbage bags; bathtubs including whirlpool and jacuzzi bathtubs; sinks; fish ponds and tanks; swimming pools; swimming pool liners; swimming pool skimmer; pond liners; bird baths; garden hose; water sprinkling lines; planters; and hot tubs.","c. Cosmetic Applications A further embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention provides cosmetics and cosmetic applications, as well as containers for cosmetics and applicators for cosmetics that incorporate and/or are coated by, the one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application.","Cosmetics (also known as makeup or make-up) include care substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body.","They are generally mixtures of chemical compounds, some being derived from natural sources (including natural oils) and many being synthetics.","A cosmetic may be a substance that is suitable to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance without affecting the body's structure or functions.","Although soap is traditionally not considered to be a cosmetic, for the purposes of the present description the discussion of cosmetics can also be applied to soaps.","Exemplary cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and gels, deodorants, hand sanitizer, baby products, bath oils, bubble baths, bath salts, butters and many other types of products.","A subset of cosmetics is called “make-up,” which refers primarily to coloring products intended to alter the user's appearance.","Cosmetics that are meant to be used on the face and eye area are usually applied with a brush or the fingertips.","Cosmetics may comprise a variety of organic compounds and inorganic compounds.","Typical organic compounds can include modified natural oils and fats as well as a variety of petrochemically derived agents.","Inorganic compounds can include processed minerals such as iron oxides, talc, and zinc oxide.","The oxides of zinc and iron may be classified as pigments, i.e.","colorants, and may have no solubility in solvents.","The application of the third aspect of the present invention to cosmetics, cosmetic applications, cosmetic containers and/or cosmetic applicators may provide for methods to reduce, avoid, minimise or disrupt biofilms in the cosmetics, containers and/or applicators.","Further, insofar as the applicant of the cosmetic to the body of the user achieves the delivery of one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application, then the cosmetics may be used to treat individuals in accordance with any of the embodiments of the second to third aspects of the present invention, particularly in the context of treating, reducing, prevent or disrupting bacterial infections, colonization, or biofilms on the skin, hair, nails, and/or in teeth of the user.","5.Additional Medical Applications In a further embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application, and compositions comprising one or more of said compound, can be used to treat any medical condition associated with biofilm formation as a result of microorganisms including, but not limited to gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, including Pseudomonas, H. pylori, E. feacalis, Campylobacter, E. coli, EPEC, UPEC and Staphylococcus.","In addition to the conditions discussed above, rarer, but more serious manifestations of MRSA can occur, such as necrotizing fasciitis and pyomyositis (most commonly found in the tropics), necrotizing pneumonia, infective endocarditis (which affects the valves of the heart), and bone and joint infections.","Additional conditions include severe or extensive disease (e.g., involving multiple sites of infection) or rapid progression in presence of associated cellulitis, signs and symptoms of systemic illness, associated comorbidities or immunosuppression, extremes of age, abscess in an area difficult to drain (e.g., face, hand, and genitalia), associated septic phlebitis, and lack of response to incision and drainage alone, purulent cellulitis, hospitalized patients with complicated SSTI (cSSTI; defined as patients with deeper soft-tissue infections, surgical/traumatic wound infection, and infected ulcers and burns), osteomyelitis, device-related osteoarticular infections.","In a further embodiment, the compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application, and compositions comprising one or more of said compound, may also be used in the treatment of keratitis, colon cancer (where biofilms play a role), and peri-implantitis, a bacterial infection around an implant that results in inflammation of the gums, and can lead to bone loss in the jaw.","Certain strains of enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) found in the gut of both animals and humans can cause disease, and can be life-threatening in a small group of patients that develop haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS).","EHEC is not treated with antibiotics because of the risks of developing HUS.","The compounds may be useful in the treatment of EHEC infections both in humans and animals, and particularly in cattle.","Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) is the predominant etiologic agent that causes UTIs.","Accordingly, the compositions can also be used to inhibit or reduce biofilm involved in lower urinary tract infections (UTIs).","UTI's in human have been traditionally considered to be a self-limiting disease involving bacteria residing in the lumen of bladders.","Intracellular bacterial community-like structures also have been identified in the urine sediments of patients with UTIs in a prospective study.","In one embodiment, the biofilm that is inhibited or disrupted by the third aspect of the present invention may be a bacterial biofilm.","The bacteria forming the biofilm may be gram positive, or in an alternative embodiment may be gram negative, or the biofilm may be formed by a mixture of gram positive and gram negative bacteria.","Optionally, the biofilm may be formed by bacteria selected from the group consisting of S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, E. coli, S. aureus, H. pylori, Campylobacter, Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), and Pseudomonas or combinations thereof.","Optionally, in certain embodiments of the third aspect of the present invention, the biofilm is a biofilm that is formed by bacteria other than bacteria that comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of proteobacteria class, such as any one or more of the spirilloid Wolinella spp., Helicobacter spp., and most particularly Campylobacter spp.","Optionally, the one or more compounds administered to a subject (such as a human or animal) in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention may be a pharmaceutical or veterinary product, and further may include one or more excipients, such as discussed in section III.C of this application, below.","In one embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, for the treatment of biofilms in a subject (such as a human or animal), the one or more compounds is administered to a subject by one or more routes selected from: parenteral delivery, such as discussed below in section III.C.1 of this application, including a controlled release formulation, such as discussed below in section III.C.1(a) of this application, and injectable or implantable formulation, such as discussed below in section III.C.1(b) of this application; enteral delivery, such as discussed below in section III.C.2 of this application, including a controlled release enteral formulation, such as discussed below in section III.C.2(a) of this application, with further reference to extended release dosage forms and delayed release dosage forms as discussed therein; oral delivery; topical delivery, such as discussed below in section III.C.3 of this application, including as an emulsion, lotion, cream, ointment, gel, or foam as discussed in parts (a), (b), (c), (d) (e) and (f) respectively below in section III.C.3 of this application; buccal delivery; sublabial delivery; sublingual delivery; in or on a dental product, such as a toothpaste, a mouthwash, a dental floss, a mouth shield; dermal delivery; or transdermal delivery.","In some embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the biofilm may be associated with a bacterial infection selected from the group consisting of impetigo, boils, abscesses, folliculitis, cellulitis, necrotizing fasciitis, pyomyositis, surgical/traumatic wound infection, and infected ulcers and burns), osteomyelitis, device-related osteoarticular infections, impetigo, secondarily infected skin lesions, meningitis, brain abscess, subdural empyema, spinal epidural abscess, arterial damage, gastritis, urinary tract infections, biliary tract infections, pyelonephritis, cystitis, sinus infections, ear infections, otitis media, otitis externa, leprosy, tuberculosis, conjunctivitis, bloodstream infections, benign prostatic hyperplasia, chronic prostatitis, lung infections including chronic lung infections of humans with cystic fibrosis, osteomyelitis, catheter infections, bloodstream infections, skin infections, acne, rosacea, dental caries, periodontitis, gingivitis, nosocomial infections, arterial damage, endocarditis, periprosthetic joint infections, open or chronic wound infections, venous stasis ulcers, diabetic ulcers, arterial leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, endocarditis, pneumonia, orthopedic prosthesis and orthopedic implant infections, peritoneal dialysis peritonitis, cirrhosis, and any other acute or chronic infection that involves or possesses a biofilm.","A further embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention provides a method of treating a microbial infection in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the subject an effective amount of one or more compounds having the structure of Formula A or B, or other compounds of the invention of the present invention as described further in section III.A of this application.","Likewise, this embodiment also provides for the use of one or more of said compounds for treating a microbial infection in a subject in need thereof.","In certain embodiments, the microbial infection is caused by bacteria, such as gram positive bacteria, or gram negative bacteria.","For example, the infection may be caused by bacteria selected from the group consisting of S. epidermidis, E. faecalis, E. coli, S. aureus, H. pylori, Campylobacter, Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), and Pseudomonas or combinations thereof and/or optionally wherein the infection is not caused by bacteria that comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of proteobacteria class, such as any one or more of the spirilloid Wolinella spp., Helicobacter spp., and most particularly Campylobacter spp.","Optionally, in the treatment of a microbial infection in a subject in need thereof in accordance with this embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the one or more compounds may be administered to a subject by parenteral delivery; enteral delivery; oral delivery; topical delivery, such as in the form of an emulsion, lotion, cream, ointment, gel or foam; buccal delivery; sublabial delivery; sublingual delivery; in or on a dental product or dental device, such as a dental product, including but not limited to a toothpaste, a mouthwash, a dental floss, toothpicks, chewable products (including food products), a mouth shield, a dental instrument, dentures, dental retainers, dental braces including plastic braces (such as Invisalign), bristles of toothbrushes, dental prostheses and orthodontic devices, chewable non-food items, foods, or toys, such as dog bones and biscuits; dermal delivery; or transdermal delivery.","In certain embodiments, the treatment of a microbial infection in a subject in need thereof in accordance with the this embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention may be to treat an infection is selected from the group consisting of impetigo, boils, abscesses, folliculitis, cellulitis, necrotizing fasciitis, pyomyositis, surgical/traumatic wound infection, and infected ulcers and burns), osteomyelitis, device-related osteoarticular infections, impetigo, secondarily infected skin lesions, meningitis, brain abscess, subdural empyema, spinal epidural abscess, arterial damage, gastritis, urinary tract infections, biliary tract infections, pyelonephritis, cystitis, sinus infections, ear infections, otitis media, otitis externa, leprosy, tuberculosis, conjunctivitis, bloodstream infections, benign prostatic hyperplasia, chronic prostatitis, lung infections including chronic lung infections of humans with cystic fibrosis, osteomyelitis, catheter infections, bloodstream infections, skin infections, acne, rosacea, dental caries, periodontitis, gingivitis, nosocomial infections, arterial damage, endocarditis, periprosthetic joint infections, open or chronic wound infections, venous stasis ulcers, diabetic ulcers, arterial leg ulcers, pressure ulcers, endocarditis, pneumonia, orthopedic prosthesis and orthopedic implant infections, peritoneal dialysis peritonitis, cirrhosis, and any other acute or chronic infection that involves or possesses a biofilm.","In certain embodiments for the treatment of a microbial infection in a subject in need thereof in accordance with this embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the infection may be caused by a drug-resistant strain of E. coli.","Optionally, the treatment of a microbial infection in a subject in need thereof in accordance with this embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention may be for the treatment of a urinary tract infection.","Optionally, the treatment of a microbial infection in a subject in need thereof in accordance with this embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention, the subject may be one that is hospitalized and/or is immunocompromised.","Optionally, the treatment of a microbial infection in a subject in need thereof in accordance with this embodiment of the third aspect of the present invention may also include further administering one or more antimicrobial agents, such as one or more antibiotics, to the subject.","This may, for example, be conducted in accordance with any one or more of the embodiments of the second aspect of the present invention.","III.","Compounds and Compositions The present inventors have identified a class of a broad range of activity, particularly against bacteria, and has developed numerous uses for, and methods involving, the compounds, particularly in the formation of compositions.","The compounds, which are further defined in Section III.A of this application, below, and compositions comprising one or more of said compounds, are presented herewith as a fourth aspect of the present invention.","The compounds and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds can be used to inhibit or reduce biofilm formation on a surface, treat or prevent an infection, and kill some antibiotic resistant organisms.","In one embodiment, the invention is generally directed to compounds and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for inhibiting, reducing, or preventing biofilm formation or buildup on a surface or to removing, dispersing, reducing, or eradicating biofilm on a surface.","In another embodiment, the invention also generally relates to compounds and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for the treatment of, inhibition of growth of, and inhibition of colonization by, bacteria, both in biological and non-biological environments.","In a further embodiment, the invention also relates to compounds and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for disinfecting surfaces, both in biological and non-biological environments, and products that have been coated with, or treated by, one or more of the compounds and/or compositions of the present invention.","In another embodiment, the invention also relates to compounds and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for potentiating the effects of one or more antibiotics, increasing the sensitivity of bacteria (including antibiotic-resistant bacteria) to one or more antibiotics, and also to reversing antibiotic resistance in bacteria.","In yet another embodiment, the invention also relates to compounds and compositions comprising one or more of the compounds, and methods and uses employing one or more of the compounds and/or compositions, for enhancing the growth of animals and their efficiency of feed utilization, in particular by oral administration of feed and drink compositions.","A.","Compounds The following compounds as described in this section of the application are provided herewith as a fourth aspect of the present invention.","All other aspects of the present invention may utilize one or more types of compounds as defined in this section, including derivatives and salts as defined in sub-sections 1 and 2, respectively.","Compositions comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of, one or more of these compounds is also provided as a further embodiment of the fourth aspect of the present invention.","These compositions may be used in all of the other various aspects of the present invention, and methods and uses of the present invention which employ said compositions, and may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of, one or more types of compound as defined in this section, including derivatives and salts as defined in sub-sections 1 and 2, respectively.","Without limitation, compounds of particular interest for use in accordance with the present invention include Fe III complexes comprising ligands bound to the iron centre selected from amino acids or α-hydroxy acids, including but not limited to ferric quinate (also referred to herein interchangeable as FeQ and Fe-QA), ferric tyrosine (also referred to herein as FeTyr), ferric DOPA (also referred to herein as FeDOPA), and ferric phenylalanine (also referred to herein as Fe-Phe).","Further, compounds which are structural and/or functional variants, derivatives and/or analogs of the foregoing compounds, as further described below in this section, are of particular interest to the present invention.","The ligands that may be used in such complexes include ligands based on amino acids, α-hydroxy acids, o-hydroxy benzoic acids or pyridine-2-carboxylic acids.","Exemplary amino acids can include, but are not limited to alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine, each preferably in the L-isoform although, as discussed above, in an alternative embodiment one or more (optionally all) may be in the D-isoform.","Mixtures of optical isomers of the same amino acid may, or may not, be used in some embodiments.","Exemplary α-hydroxy acids include, but are not limited to, quinic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid and mandelic acid.","Exemplary o-hydroxy benzoic acids include, but are not limited to, salicylic acid.","Exemplary pyridine-2-carboxylic acids include, but are not limited to, α-Picolinic acid.","In certain embodiments, compounds for use in the present invention, and which may bind to MOMPs or FlaA of Campylobacter, are Fe III complexes each containing three bidentate ligands, such as described herein.","In further embodiments, compounds for use in the present invention, and which may optionally bind to MOMPs or FlaA of Campylobacter, are Fe III complexes defined according to the following chemical Formula A: or a salt and/or hydrate thereof, wherein: X, X1 and X2 can independently be NH2, OH, CO2—, CO2H, OR3, NR3H, NR3R4, R3ONO2, R3NO2, SH, SR3, and X, X1 and X2 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; Y, Y1 and Y2 can independently be O, NH, NH2, NR3, NR3R4, SH, OR3, OH, and Y, Y1 and Y2 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; Z, Z1 and Z2 may independently be: O, S, NH, NR3, and Z, Z1 and Z2 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; R, R′, R1, R1′, R2, and R2′ can independently be H, CH3, CH2SH, CH2CO2H, CH2CH2CO2H, CH2C6H5, CH2C3H3N2, CH(CH3)CH2CH3, (CH2)4NH2, CH2CH(CH3)2, CH2CH2SCH3, CH2CONH2, (CH2)4NHCOC4H5NCH3, CH2CH2CH2, CH2CH2CONH2, (CH2)3NHC(NH)NH2, CH2OH, CH(OH)CH3, CH2SeH, CH(CH3)2, CH2C8H6N, CH2C6H4OH and R, R′, R1, R1′, R2, and R2′ may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, up to five may be the same and one or more may be different; or any relevant pair of R and R′, R1 and R1′, and R2 and R2′ (i.e.","when they are bound to the same carbon atom) are linked to form a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl ring group; R3 and R4 can independently be alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, phenyl, aryl, halo- and hydroxy-substituted radicals, hydroxyl radicals, nitrogen-substituted radicals, oxygen-substituted radicals, or hydrogen.","In some embodiments, R3 and R4 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different.","In embodiments in which one or more pairs of R and R′, R1 and R1′, and R2 and R2′ are linked to form a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl ring group, the substituents on the cycloalkyl group can be selected from, but are not limited to, ═O and, particularly, OH, NH2, NR3, NR3R4, SH, and OR3; where R3 and R4 are as defined above.","It is preferred that the bonds between the Fe and X, X1 and X2 and between the Fe and Y1 and Y2 are ionic.","In a particular embodiment, X, X1 and X2 can independently be NH2, OH, CO2—, CO2H, OR3, NR3H or NR3R4 (preferably NH2 or OH); Y, Y1 and Y2 can independently be O, NH, NH2, OR3 or OH (preferably O); Z, Z1 and Z2 may independently be O or S (preferably O); R, R′, R1, R1′, R2, and R2′ can independently be H, CH3, CH2SH, CH2CO2H, CH2CH2CO2H, CH2C6H5, CH2C3H3N2, CH(CH3)CH2CH3, (CH2)4NH2, CH2CH(CH3)2, CH2CH2SCH3, CH2CONH2, (CH2)4NHCOC4H5NCH3, CH2CH2CH2, CH2CH2CONH2, (CH2)3NHC(NH)NH2, CH2OH, CH(OH)CH3, CH2SeH, CH(CH3)2, CH2C8H6N, CH2C6H4OH; or any relevant pair of R and R′, R1 and R1′, and R2 and R2′ are linked to form a 4- to 6-membered substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl ring group (optionally wherein the substituents on the cycloalkyl group are selected from ═O and, particularly, OH, NH2, NHR3, NR3R4, SH, and OR3); and R3 and R4 independently represent methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, or benzyl.","Particular compounds that may be mentioned include those in which R′, R1′ and R2′ represent H, and R, R1 and R2 represent a group as defined above other than H; or each pair of R and R′, R1 and R1′, and R2 and R2′ (i.e.","when they are bound to the same carbon atom) are linked to form a cyclohexyl ring group optionally substituted one or more substituents selected from ═O and, particularly, OH, NH2, NHR3, NR3R4, SH, and OR3.In a further embodiment, R3 and R4 are independently C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkenyl, phenyl or benzyl (which latter four groups are optionally substituted by one or more halo or hydroxyl groups).","For example, R3 and R4 may independently represent methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl or benzyl.","In a preferred embodiment, Y, Y1 and Y2 represent O, and Z, Z1 and Z2 represent O.","Particular examples of such compounds include those in which X, X1 and X2 independently represent NH2 or OH.","Functional variants of compounds according to Formula A may also be used in the present invention, and include other compounds as described in this section of the application.","For example, in a yet further embodiment, compounds for use in the present invention, and which may bind to MOMPs or FlaA of Campylobacter, are Fe III complexes defined according to the following chemical Formula B: or a salt and/or hydrate thereof, wherein: X3, X4 and X5 can independently be —C(R8)═, or —N═; R8 can independently be NH2, OH, CO2—, CO2H, OR9, NR9H, NR9R10, R9ONO2, R9NO2, SH, SR9, and each R8 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; Y3, Y4 and Y5 can independently be O, NH, NH2, NR9, NR9R10, SH, OR9, OH, and Y3, Y4 and Y5 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; Z3, Z4 and Z5 may independently be: O, S, NH, NR9, and Z3, Z4 and Z5 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; m1, m2 and m3 may independently be 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4; and m1, m2 and m3 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; R5, R6 and R7 are each independently selected from OH, NH2, NHR9, NR9R10, SH, and OR9; and R5, R6 and R7 may all be the same or they may all be different; R9 and R10 can independently be alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, phenyl, aryl, halo- and hydroxy-substituted radicals, hydroxyl radicals, nitrogen-substituted radicals, oxygen-substituted radicals, or hydrogen.","In some embodiments, R9 and R10 may all be the same or they may all be different.","It is preferred that the bonds between the Fe and X3, X4 and X5 and between the Fe and Y3, Y4 and Y5 are ionic.","In a particular embodiment, X3, X4 and X5 can independently be —C(OH)═, or —N═; Y3, Y4 and Y5 can independently be O, NH, NH2, OR9 or OH (preferably O); Z, Z1 and Z2 may independently be O or S (preferably O); R5, R6 and R7 are each independently selected from OH, NH2, NHR9, and OR9 (preferably R5, R6 and R7 are all OH); m1, m2 and m3 may independently be selected from 0, 1 and 2; and R9 and R10 independently represent methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, or benzyl.","In a further embodiment, R9 and R10 are independently C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkenyl, phenyl or benzyl (which latter four groups are optionally substituted by one or more halo or hydroxyl groups).","For example, R3 and R4 may independently represent methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl or benzyl.","In a preferred embodiment, Y3, Y4 and Y5 represent O, Z3, Z4 and Z5 represent O, R5, R6 and R7 represent OH, and m1, m2 and m3 are selected from 0, 1 and 2.Particular examples of such compounds include those in which X3, X4 and X5 independently represent —C(OH)═ or —N═.","In a further preferred embodiment, the ligands bound to the iron centre are amino acids or α-hydroxy acids.","Therefore, it is most preferred that Y, Y1, Y2, Z, Z1 and Z2 represent O, X, X1 and X2 represent NH2 or OH, and R′, R1′ and R2′ represent H. Where one or more of the ligands is an amino acid (e.g.","for compounds of formula A in which X, X1 and X2 represent NH2), then it is preferred that the amino acid is an L-amino acid (or glycine), although in an alternative embodiment one or more (optionally all) of the ligands may be a D-amino acid.","Exemplary amino acids can include, but are not limited to alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and valine, each preferably in the L-isoform although, as discussed above, in an alternative embodiment one or more (optionally all) may be in the D-isoform.","Mixtures of optical isomers of the same amino acid may, or may not, be used in some embodiments.","Exemplary compounds of Fe complexes according to Formula A include Formulas VII-IX as shown below: g) a complex of L-DOPA with Fe III (3,4 dihydrophenylalanine) (Fe-DOPA) h) a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III (Fe-Tyr, also denoted Fe-Y) i) a complex of quinic acid with Fe III (Fe-QA, also denoted FeQ) Exemplary compounds of Fe complexes according to Formula B include Formulas X-XIV as shown below: j) a complex of 2,3,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid with Fe III k) a complex of 2,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid with Fe l) a complex of 3-dehydroquinic acid with Fe III m) a complex of 4,6-dihydroxypyridine-2-carboxylic acid with Fe III n) a complex of salicylic acid with Fe III Optionally, in one embodiment, an Fe complex as described above (e.g.","according to Formula A or Formula B) for use in any of the first, second or third aspects of the present invention may not be a complex of quinic acid with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula IX).","That is to say, in one optional embodiment, Formula A excludes a complex of quinic acid with Fe III (such as a complex having the structure of Formula IX).","In a further embodiment, a compound according to Formula A, or Formula B, for use in the present invention may be a compound that inhibits the binding of C. jejuni to a histo-blood group antigen.","This can, for example, be measured when the bacteria is grown in a medium containing the compound, the medium containing the compound is washed away, and the binding of the bacteria to the histo-blood group antigen is determined by an ELISA assay (such as in accordance with the method as described in Example 4) and compared to a control where the bacteria is not grown in the presence of the compound.","Preferably the compound inhibits the binding of C. jejuni to a histo-blood group antigen at a level that is at, or at least, about 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, more preferably at, or at least, about 5%, even more preferably at, or at least, about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100% or more than the level of inhibition of the binding of C. jejuni to a histo-blood group antigen by either a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III or a complex of quinic acid with Fe III at the same molar concentration.","In a further embodiment, a compound according to Formula A, or Formula B, for use in the present invention may be a compound that inhibits biofilm formation by bacteria as measured in a plastic bead assay (such as in accordance with a method as described in Example 1), wherein the bacteria is grown in a medium containing the compound to form a growth suspension of the bacteria at 0.0001 OD/ml, the growth suspension is allowed to grow with plastic coated UV beads (Lascells), and the beads are assayed after 24 hours for the presence of biofilm formation on the beads (by counting bacteria after release from the beads), and compared to a control group where the bacteria is not grown in the presence of the compound.","Preferably the compound inhibits the binding of the bacteria to the plastic coated beads at a level of inhibition that is at, or at least, about 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, more preferably at, or at least, about 5%, even more preferably at, or at least, about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100% or more of the level of inhibition of the binding of the bacteria to the plastic coated UV beads by either a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III or a complex of quinic acid with Fe III at the same molar concentration.","In particularly preferred embodiment, the bacteria can be Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter jejuni, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Uropathogenic Escherichia coli, and Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli.","In a further embodiment, a compound according to Formula A, or Formula B, for use in the present invention may be a compound that inhibits binding of Helicobacter pylori to human gastric tissue (for example as determined by a method as described in Example 5) at a level of inhibition that is at, or at least, about 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, more preferably at, or at least, about 5%, even more preferably at, or at least, about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100% or more of the level of inhibition of the binding of the bacteria to human gastric tissue by either a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III or a complex of quinic acid with Fe III at the same molar concentration as measured by counting the average number of bacteria bound to the tissue.","In a further embodiment, a compound according to Formula A, or Formula B, for use in the present invention may be a compound that inhibits biofilm formation of a bacteria, but does not inhibit planktonic growth of the bacteria (for example, as determined using a method as described in Example 7), wherein the bacteria can be one or more of the following: Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter jejuni, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Uropathogenic Escherichia coli, and Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli.","Preferably the compounds inhibit biofilm formation (for example, as measured by coverage rate in Example 7), at a level that is at, or at least, about 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, more preferably at, or at least, about 5%, even more preferably at, or at least, about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100% or more of the level of biofilm inhibition by a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III or a complex of quinic acid with Fe III at the same molar concentration.","In a further embodiment, a compound according to Formula A, or Formula B, for use in the present invention may be a compound for the treatment of cystic fibrosis.","In one embodiment, one or more compounds of Formula A may be delivered using a nebulizer spray.","In another embodiment, one or more compounds of Formula A may be delivered in liposomes for the treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis.","In a further embodiment, a compound according to Formula A, or Formula B, for use in the present invention may be a compound that prevents attachment of bacteria to a surface (for example, when determined in accordance with a method as described in Example 13), and the prevention of attachment of bacteria to the surface is at a level that is at, or at least, about 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, more preferably at, or at least, about 5%, even more preferably at, or at least, about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100% or more of the level of bacteria attachment by a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III or a complex of quinic acid with Fe III at the same molar concentration as measured by optical density.","In particularly preferred embodiment, the bacteria can be Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter jejuni, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Uropathogenic Escherichia coli, and Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli.","In a further embodiment, a compound according to Formula A, or Formula B, for use in the present invention may be a compound that is capable of rendering an antibiotic resistant strain of bacteria sensitive to the antibiotic to which it is otherwise resistant (for example, when determined by a method that comprises immersing a patch in a solution of the compound and an antibiotic, such as kanamycin, for example at a concentration of 50 μg/mL as described in Example 9, placed on a plate with the antibiotic resistant strain (such as a kanamycin resistant strain of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli or Campylobacter jejuni)), and causes the bacteria to fail to grow or reduces the rate of growth of the antibiotic resistant strain in the presence of the antibiotic by a level that is a level that is at, or at least, about 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, more preferably at, or at least, about 5%, even more preferably at, or at least, about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100% or more of the level of reduction of the rate of growth caused by a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III or a complex of quinic acid with Fe III at the same molar concentration.","In a further embodiment, a compound according to Formula A, or Formula B, for use in the present invention may be a compound that causes a decrease in the rate of growth to a level that is at, or at least, about 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, more preferably at, or at least, about 5%, even more preferably at, or at least, about 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100% or more of the decrease in the rate of growth measured by optical density of an antibiotic resistant bacteria when grow in the presence of the compound and the antibiotic, for example as determined by a method as described in Examples 11 and/or 12.The combinations of antibiotics and antibiotic resistant bacteria can, for example, be one or more of the following: (i) kanamycin and a kanamycin-resistant bacteria, (ii) gentamicin and a gentamicin-resistant enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, and (iii) kanamycin and a clinical isolate of Pseudomonas (PAO Clinical) as described in Example 14.In accordance with one embodiment, instead of the direct administration of the one or more compounds, it or they may be formed in vivo, by administering a suitable iron containing substance and one or more suitable ligands capable of forming the compounds in vivo with the iron compound (see: Campbell and Hasinoff, Ferrous sulfate reduces levodopa bioavailability: Chelation as a possible mechanism, Clin.","Pharmacol.","Ther.","45:220-5, 1989).","For example, ferrous sulfate and tyrosine (as ligand) may be administered in order to form Fe-Tyr in vivo, ferrous sulfate and L-DOPA (as ligand) may be administered in order to form Fe-DOPA in vivo, ferrous sulfate and L-phenylalanine (as ligand) may be administered in order to form Fe-Phe in vivo or ferrous sulfate and quinic acid (as ligand) may be administered in order to from Fe-QA in vivo.","In this example, Fe2+ is oxidized to Fe3+ in vivo, and may complex with tyrosine, L-DOPA, or phenylalanine respectively.","The compounds may also be formed in vivo from any substance that can be metabolized in vivo to the compounds.","For example, phenylalanine could be administered with ferrous sulfate since it will be metabolized to tyrosine in vivo, and may then complex with the ferric iron (formed from oxidation of ferrous sulfate).","Alternatively, ferric chloride could also be administered with, for example, tyrosine, quinic acid, L-DOPA and/or phenylalanine.","Optionally, one or more compounds for use in any of the first, second or third aspects of the present invention (which may or may not be compounds according to Formula A or Formula B as discussed above) are ligands for the major outer membrane proteins (MOMPs) or FlaA of Campylobacter, and/or may be capable of downregulating the expression of FlaA and/or FlaB proteins in a bacteria such as Campylobacter, such as to the extent of causing a reduced bacterial motility such as when determined by a method as described in Example 21 of the present application.","The binding of the compounds to the MOMPs or FlaA inhibits the MOMPs or FlaA from attaching, binding, or associating with other proteins, biofilm components, surfaces or other bacteria.","The compound can be a mimetic or synthetic human histo-blood group antigen or a synthetic sugar.","A synthetic human histo-blood group antigen may be a sugar, for example a saccharide having the same structure as a natural human histo-blood group antigen such as for example H-I antigen, H-II antigen, Lewis antigen, Leb, Lex or Ley.","A preferred compound is ferric quinate (Fe-QA).","The compounds provided herein which bind to MOMPs or FlaA of Campylobacter include compounds with structures described in this section, in accordance with Formulae A or B, or further compounds as described below.","It has been demonstrated that these compounds inhibit both gram negative bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Campylobacter jejuni, Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC), Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) and gram positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis, which are believed to be predictive of efficacy with other species There is low homology between the MOMP of Campylobacter and other bacteria.","It is believed that the compounds interact with several surface porin-like bacterial proteins that have not yet been identified on other bacteria.","In further embodiments, compounds for use in the present invention may, or may not, optionally include one or more compounds selected from: a) N-[3-quinylamino-2-(quinylaminomethyl)-propyl]-quinamde b) N-{2-[Bis-(2-quinylaminoethyl)-amino]-ethyl}-quinamide c) Phosphoric acid tris-(2-quinylamino-ethyl) ester d) N-(3,5-Bis-quinylamino-cyclohexyl)-quinamide e) N-(4,5-Bis-quinylamino-2-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-tetrahydropyran-3-yl)-quinamide f) N-(4,5-Bis-quinylamino-2-hydroxy-6-quinylaminomethyl-tetrahydropyran-3-yl)-quinamide The foregoing compounds for use in any of the aspects of the present invention may also be in the form of hydrates, or salts of hydrates.","For example, the compositions may be Fe-Tyr.xH2O, FeQ.xH2O, FeDOPA.xH2O or Fe-Phe.xH2O.","The compounds may also be hydrates containing salts, for example hydrates with bases such as lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide present.","In the case of compounds which are Fe III complexes comprising ligands bound to the iron centre, as described above, in one option not all ligands will be the same in the compositions comprising the Fe III complex compounds.","For example, in the case that the compound is FeTyr, then this may be formed by creating a complex from Fe III and a commercial source of tyrosine (Tyr), which may include low levels (typically, less than 10%, such as less than 5% or about 2.5%) of one or more further amino acids, such as cysteine (Cys) and/or phenylalanine (Phe), and so in one optional embodiment, when the compound is FeTyr, then some of the compounds in the composition may include one or more alternative amino acids (e.g.","Cys and/or Phe) as ligands.","The proportion of ligands in the FeTyr composition that are not Tyr may be less than 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2% or 1% and may be substantially 0%.","The same applies mutatis mutandis to other ligands used in the preparation of Fe III complexes for use in the present invention.","Therefore, for example, in a composition comprising an Fe III complex as described above, it may be that less than 100% of the Fe III ligands are identical, although preferably at least 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, or 99% of the ligands in the composition are identical.","In that context, in one embodiment the term “identical” discriminates between enantiomeric forms of ligand, that is, different enantiomers are not identical; whereas, in another embodiment, the term “identical” can be applied to different enantiomeric forms of ligand, that is, optionally different enantiomeric forms of the same ligand are considered to be identical.","1.Derivatives Derivatives of the compounds for use in accordance with any of the aspects of the present invention, such as the compounds defined above, including Formula I-IX, Formula X to XIV, Formula A (or hydrates thereof) and Formula B or hydrates thereof), may also be used.","The term “derivative” does not mean that the derivative is synthesized from the parent compound either as a starting material or intermediate, although this may be the case.","The term “derivative” can include salts (for example, pharmaceutically acceptable salts), prodrugs, or metabolites of the parent compound.","Derivatives include compounds in which free amino groups in the parent compound have been derivatized to form amine hydrochlorides, p-toluene sulfoamides, benzoxycarboamides, t-butyloxycarboamides, thiourethane-type derivatives, trifluoroacetylamides, chloroacetylamides, or formamides.","Derivatives include compounds having one or more amino substituents or hydrogen groups replaced with substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aminoalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl groups having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms.","2.Salts The compounds for use in accordance with any of the aspects of the present invention, such as the compounds defined above, including of Formula I-IX, Formula X to XIV, Formula A (or hydrates thereof) and Formula B or hydrates thereof) can be in the form of a salt, for example, a pharmaceutically acceptable salt.","Examples of pharmaceutically acceptable salts include, but are not limited to, mineral or organic acid salts of basic residues such as amines; and alkali or organic salts of acidic residues such as carboxylic acids.","The pharmaceutically acceptable salts include the conventional non-toxic salts or the quaternary ammonium salts of the parent compound formed, for example, from non-toxic inorganic or organic acids and inorganic or organic bases.","Such conventional non-toxic salts include those derived from inorganic acids such as hydrochloric, hydrobromic, sulfuric, sulfamic, phosphoric, and nitric acids; and the salts prepared from organic acids such as acetic, propionic, succinic, glycolic, stearic, lactic, malic, tartaric, citric, ascorbic, pamoic, maleic, hydroxymaleic, phenylacetic, glutamic, benzoic, salicylic, sulfanilic, 2-acetoxybenzoic, fumaric, tolunesulfonic, naphthalenesulfonic, methanesulfonic, ethane disulfonic, oxalic, and isethionic salts, and bases such as lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide.","The pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the compounds can be synthesized from the parent compound, which contains a basic or acidic moiety, by conventional chemical methods.","Generally, such salts can be prepared by reacting the free acid or base forms of these compounds with a stoichiometric amount of the appropriate base or acid in water or in an organic solvent, or in a mixture of the two; generally, non-aqueous media like ether, ethyl acetate, ethanol, isopropanol, or acetonitrile are preferred.","Lists of suitable salts are found in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences, 20th ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, Md., 2000, p. 704; and “Handbook of Pharmaceutical Salts: Properties, Selection, and Use,” P. Heinrich Stahl and Camille G. Wermuth, Eds., Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2002.B.","Antimicrobial Agents Antimicrobial agents that may be used therapeutically and/or non-therapeutically with the compounds of the present invention in accordance with any of the first, second, or third aspects of the present invention, for example for the treatment or prophylaxis of microbial infection in accordance with the third aspect of the present invention and/or in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, either separately, simultaneously or sequentially, include, but are not limited to: (i) Aminoglycosides, including amikacin, gentamicin, kanamycin, neomycin, netilmicin, tobramycin, paromomycin, streptomycin, spectinomycin; (ii) Ansaycins, including geldanamycin, herbimycin, rifaximin, (iii) Carbacephem, including loracarbef, (iv) Carbapenems, including ertapenem, doripenem, imipenem/cilastatin, meropenem, (v) Cephalosporins, including cefadroxil, cefazolin, cefalotin or cefalothin, cephalexin, cefaclor, cefamandole, cefoxitin, cefprozil, cefuroxime, cefixime, cefdinir, cefditoren, cefoperazone, cefotaxime, cefpodoxime, ceftazidime, ceftibuten, ceftizoxime, ceftriaxone, cefepime, ceftaroline fosamil, ceftobiprole, (vi) Glycopeptides, including teicoplanin, vancomycin, telavancin, dalbavancin, oritavancin, (vii) Lincosamides, including clindamycin, lincomycin, (viii) Lipopeptides including daptomycin, (ix) Macrolides including azithromycin, clarithromycin, dirithromycin, erythromycin, roxithromycin, troleandomycin, telithromycin, spiramyin, (x) Monobactams, including aztreonam, (xi) Nitrofurans, including furazolidone, nitrofurantoin, (xii) Oxazolidinones, including linezolid, posizolid, radezolid, torezolid, (xiii) Penicillins, including amoxicillin, ampicillin, azlocillin, carbenicillin, cloxacillin, dicloxacillin, flucloxacillin, mezlocillin, methicillin, nafcillin, oxacillin, penicillin G, penicillin V, piperacillin, temocillin, ticarcillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, ampicillin/sulbactam, peperacillin/tazobactam, ticarcillin/clavulanate (xiv) Polypeptides including bacitracin, colistin, polymyxin B, (xv) Quinolones/Fluoroquinolone, including ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, gatifloxacin, gemifloxacin, levofloxacin, lomefloxacin, moxifloxacin, nalidixic acid, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, trovafloxacin, grepafloxacin, sparfloxacin, temafloxacin, (xvi) Sulfonamides, including mafenide, sulfacetamide, sulfadiazine, silver sulfadiazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethizole, sulfamethoxazole, sulfanilamide, sulfasalazine, sulfisoxazole, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazaole), sulfonamidochrysoidine, (xvii) Tetracyclines, including demeclocycline, doxycycline, minocycline, oxytetracycline, tetracycline, (xviii) clofazimine, dapsone, capreomycin, cycloserine, ethambutol, ethionamide, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, rifampicin (rifampin), rifabutin, rifapentine, streptomycin, arsphenamine, chloramphenicol, fosfomycin, fusidic acid, metronidazole, mupirocin, platensimycin, quinupristin/dalfopristin, thiamphenicol, tigecycline, tinidazole, and trimethoprim; and combinations thereof.","The compounds may also be combined with triclosan and chlorhexidine.","Other antimicrobial agents include: aztreonam; cefotetan and its disodium salt; loracarbef; cefoxitin and its sodium salt; cefazolin and its sodium salt; cefaclor; ceftibuten and its sodium salt; ceftizoxime; ceftizoxime sodium salt; cefoperazone and its sodium salt; cefuroxime and its sodium salt; cefuroxime axetil; cefprozil; ceftazidime; cefotaxime and its sodium salt; cefadroxil; ceftazidime and its sodium salt; cephalexin; cefamandole nafate; cefepime and its hydrochloride, sulfate, and phosphate salt; cefdinir and its sodium salt; ceftriaxone and its sodium salt; cefixime and its sodium salt; cefpodoxime proxetil; meropenem and its sodium salt; imipenem and its sodium salt; cilastatin and its sodium salt; azithromycin; clarithromycin; dirithromycin; erythromycin and hydrochloride, sulfate, or phosphate salts, ethylsuccinate, and stearate forms thereof, clindamycin; clindamycin hydrochloride, sulfate, or phosphate salt; lincomycin and hydrochloride, sulfate, or phosphate salt thereof, tobramycin and its hydrochloride, sulfate, or phosphate salt; streptomycin and its hydrochloride, sulfate, or phosphate salt; neomycin and its hydrochloride, sulfate, or phosphate salt; acetyl sulfisoxazole; colistimethate and its sodium salt; quinupristin; dalfopristin; amoxicillin; ampicillin and its sodium salt; clavulanic acid and its sodium or potassium salt; penicillin G; penicillin G benzathine, or procaine salt; penicillin G sodium or potassium salt; carbenicillin and its disodium or indanyl disodium salt; piperacillin and its sodium salt; ticarcillin and its disodium salt; sulbactam and its sodium salt; moxifloxacin; ciprofloxacin; ofloxacin; levofloxacins; norfloxacin; gatifloxacin; trovafloxacin mesylate; alatrofloxacin mesylate; trimethoprim; sulfamethoxazole; demeclocycline and its hydrochloride, sulfate, or phosphate salt; doxycycline and its hydrochloride, sulfate, or phosphate salt; oxytetracycline and its hydrochloride, sulfate, or phosphate salt; chlortetracycline and its hydrochloride, sulfate, or phosphate salt; metronidazole; dapsone; atovaquone; rifabutin; linezolide; polymyxin B and its hydrochloride, sulfate, or phosphate salt; sulfacetamide and its sodium salt; clarithromycin; and silver ions, salts, and complexes.","One preferred embodiment of any of the aspects of the present invention, such as in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, envisages the use of a complex of quinic acid with Fe III (Fe-QA, also denoted FeQ), such as defined by Formula IX, with any one or more of the foregoing antibiotics, either formulated together in the same composition for administration or presented in separate compositions for use separately, simultaneously or sequentially.","Another preferred embodiment, of any of the aspects of the present invention, such as in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, envisages the use of a complex of L-tyrosine with Fe III (Fe-Tyr), such as defined by Formula VIII, with any one or more of the foregoing antibiotics, either formulated together in the same composition for administration or presented in separate compositions for use separately, simultaneously or sequentially.","In another preferred embodiment, of any of the aspects of the present invention, such as in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, envisages the use of a complex of L-DOPA with Fe III (3,4 dihydrophenylalanine) (Fe-DOPA), such as defined by Formula VII, with any one or more of the foregoing antibiotics, either formulated together in the same composition for administration or presented in separate compositions for use separately, simultaneously or sequentially.","In another preferred embodiment, of any of the aspects of the present invention, such as in accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, envisages the use of a complex of L-phenylalanine with Fe III (Fe-Phe), with any one or more of the foregoing antibiotics, either formulated together in the same composition for administration or presented in separate compositions for use separately, simultaneously or sequentially.","C. Excipients and Carriers The compounds as defined in section III.A above can be formulated for use in accordance with any of the first, second or third aspect of the present invention and may, for example, be formulated in a way that is suitable for enteral, parenteral, topical, or pulmonary administration.","The compounds as defined in section III.A above can be combined with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable carriers and/or excipients that are considered safe and effective and may be administered to an individual without causing undesirable biological side effects or unwanted interactions.","The carrier can include all components present in the pharmaceutical formulation other than the active ingredient or ingredients.","The compounds are included in the formulation in an effective amount to achieve the effect of the first, second or third aspects of the present invention, for example in an amount that is effective to inhibit biofilm formation or reduce biofilm buildup.","An effective amount of a compound provided to a subject may be an amount that is enough to provide the required degree of reduction of microbial colonization.","This may depend on the type of compound and/or the size of the animal.","In one embodiment an effective amount of the compound may be an amount that is effective to deliver the compound to the site at which action is required in a concentration that ranges from 1 μm to 1 M, preferably greater than 10 μM, 20 μM, 30 μM, 40 μM, 50 μM, 60 μM, 70 μM, 80 μM, 90 μM, 100 μM, 110 μM, 120 μM, 130 μM, 140 μM, 150 μM, 160 μM, 170 μM, 180 μM, 190 μM, 200 μM or more.","A suitable concentration may be within the range of about 1 μm to about 1 mM, or about 30 μm to about 0.5 mM, or about 60 μM to about 0.3 mM.","These concentrations may particularly apply to the performance of the invention in the context of the second and/or third aspects of the present invention.","In a further embodiment an effective amount of the compound may be 0.3 to 32 mg/day/kg bodyweight of the subject such as a chicken.","In another embodiment an effective concentration of the compound may be between 0.001 to 1 mM for use in coatings or devices, or solutions.","The compounds can also be formulated for use as a disinfectant, for example, in a hospital environment or for industrial application.","1.Parenteral Formulations The compounds as defined in section III.A above for use in accordance with any of the first, second or third aspect of the present invention and may be formulated for parenteral administration.","Parenteral administration may include administration to a patient intravenously, intradermally, intraarterially, intraperitoneally, intralesionally, intracranially, intraarticularly, intraprostatically, intrapleurally, intratracheally, intravitreally, intratumorally, intramuscularly, subcutaneously, subconjunctivally, intravesicularly, intrapericardially, intraumbilically, by injection, and by infusion.","Parenteral formulations can be prepared as aqueous compositions using techniques known in the art.","Typically, such compositions can be prepared as injectable formulations, for example, solutions or suspensions; solid forms suitable for using to prepare solutions or suspensions upon the addition of a reconstitution medium prior to injection; emulsions, such as water-in-oil (w/o) emulsions, oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions, and microemulsions thereof, liposomes, or emulsomes.","The carrier can be a solvent or dispersion medium containing, for example, water, ethanol, one or more polyols (e.g., glycerol, propylene glycol, and liquid polyethylene glycol), oils, such as vegetable oils (e.g., peanut oil, corn oil, sesame oil, etc.","), and combinations thereof.","The proper fluidity can be maintained, for example, by the use of a coating, such as lecithin, by the maintenance of the required particle size in the case of dispersion and/or by the use of surfactants.","In many cases, it will be preferable to include isotonic agents, for example, sugars or sodium chloride.","Solutions and dispersions of the active compounds as the free acid or base or pharmacologically acceptable salts thereof can be prepared in water or another solvent or dispersing medium suitably mixed with one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients including, but not limited to, surfactants, dispersants, emulsifiers, pH modifying agents, viscosity modifying agents, and combination thereof.","Suitable surfactants may be anionic, cationic, amphoteric or nonionic surface-active agents.","Suitable anionic surfactants include, but are not limited to, those containing carboxylate, sulfonate and sulfate ions.","Examples of anionic surfactants include sodium, potassium, ammonium ions of long chain alkyl sulfonates and alkyl aryl sulfonates such as sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate; dialkyl sodium sulfosuccinates, such as sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate; dialkyl sodium sulfosuccinates, such as sodium bis-(2-ethylthioxyl)-sulfosuccinate; and alkyl sulfates such as sodium lauryl sulfate.","Cationic surfactants include, but are not limited to, quaternary ammonium compounds such as benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, cetrimonium bromide, stearyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride, polyoxyethylene and coconut amine Examples of nonionic surfactants include ethylene glycol monostearate, propylene glycol myristate, glyceryl monostearate, glyceryl stearate, polyglyceryl-4-oleate, sorbitan acylate, sucrose acylate, PEG-150 laurate, PEG-400 monolaurate, polyoxyethylene monolaurate, polysorbates, polyoxyethylene octylphenylether, PEG-1000 cetyl ether, polyoxyethylene tridecyl ether, polypropylene glycol butyl ether, Poloxamer® (triblock copolymer of polyoxyethylene, followed by a block of polyoxypropylene, followed by a block of polyoxyethylene) 401, stearoyl monoisopropanolamide, and polyoxyethylene hydrogenated tallow amide.","Examples of amphoteric surfactants include sodium N-dodecyl-.beta.-alanine, sodium N-lauryl-β-iminodipropionate, myristoamphoacetate, lauryl betaine and lauryl sulfobetaine.","The formulation can contain a preservative to prevent the growth of microorganisms.","Suitable preservatives include, but are not limited to, parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, sorbic acid, and thimerosal.","The formulation may also contain an antioxidant to prevent degradation of the active agent(s).","The formulation is typically buffered to a pH of 3-8 for parenteral administration upon reconstitution.","Suitable buffers include, but are not limited to, phosphate buffers, acetate buffers, and citrate buffers.","It is to be noted that FeQ and some of the other compounds as defined in Section III.A of the application are acidic, and so advantageously are formulated with a buffer in order to achieve a suitable pH, particularly in the context of preparing injectable formulation, including formulations for intravenous injection.","Water-soluble polymers are often used in formulations for parenteral administration.","Suitable water-soluble polymers include, but are not limited to, polyvinylpyrrolidone, dextran, carboxymethylcellulose, and polyethylene glycol.","Sterile injectable solutions can be prepared by incorporating the active compounds in the required amount in the appropriate solvent or dispersion medium with one or more of the excipients listed above, as required, followed by filtered sterilization.","Generally, dispersions are prepared by incorporating the various sterilized active ingredients into a sterile vehicle which contains the basic dispersion medium and the required other ingredients from those listed above.","In the case of sterile powders for the preparation of sterile injectable solutions, the preferred methods of preparation are vacuum-drying and freeze-drying techniques which yield a powder of the active ingredient plus any additional desired ingredient from a previously sterile-filtered solution thereof.","The powders can be prepared in such a manner that the particles are porous in nature, which can increase dissolution of the particles.","Methods for making porous particles are well known in the art.","(a) Controlled Release Formulations The parenteral formulations described herein comprising one or more compounds as defined in section III.A above for use in accordance with any of the first, second or third aspect of the present invention may be formulated for controlled release including immediate release, delayed release, extended release, pulsatile release, and combinations thereof.","1.Nano- and Microparticles For parenteral administration, the one or more compounds as defined in section III.A above for use in accordance with any of the first, second or third aspect of the present invention, and optional one or more additional active agents, can be incorporated into microparticles, nanoparticles, or combinations thereof that provide controlled release of the compounds and/or one or more additional active agents.","In embodiments wherein the formulations contains two or more active components, such as drugs, then they can be formulated for the same type of controlled release (e.g., delayed, extended, immediate, or pulsatile) or they can be independently formulated for different types of release (e.g., immediate and delayed, immediate and extended, delayed and extended, delayed and pulsatile, etc.).","For example, the compounds and/or one or more additional active agents can be incorporated into polymeric microparticles, which provide controlled release of the active agent(s).","Release of the active agent (s) is controlled by diffusion of the drug(s) out of the microparticles and/or degradation of the polymeric particles by hydrolysis and/or enzymatic degradation.","Suitable polymers include ethylcellulose and other natural or synthetic cellulose derivatives.","Polymers, which are slowly soluble and form a gel in an aqueous environment, such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose or polyethylene oxide, can also be suitable as materials for drug containing microparticles.","Other polymers include, but are not limited to, polyanhydrides, poly(ester anhydrides), polyesters, such as polylactide (PLA), polyglycolide (PGA), poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), polydioxanone, poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) and copolymers thereof, poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB) and copolymers thereof, polycaprolactone and copolymers thereof, polymers including, but not limited to, polymers of glycolic acid, lactic acid, 1,4-dioxanone, trimethylene carbonate, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, 4-hydroxybutyrate, e-caprolactone, including polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polydioxanone, polycaprolactone, copolymers of glycolic and lactic acids, such as VICRYL® polymer, MAXON® and MONOCRYL® polymers, and including poly(lactide-co-caprolactones); poly(orthoesters); polyanhydrides; poly(phosphazenes); polyhydroxyalkanoates; synthetically or biologically prepared polyesters; polycarbonates; tyrosine polycarbonates; polyamides (including synthetic and natural polyamides, polypeptides, and poly(amino acids)); polyesteramides; poly(alkylene alkylates); polyethers (such as polyethylene glycol, PEG, and polyethylene oxide, PEO); polyvinyl pyrrolidones or PVP; polyurethanes; polyetheresters; polyacetals; polycyanoacrylates; poly(oxyethylene)/poly(oxypropylene) copolymers; polyacetals, polyketals; polyphosphates; (phosphorous-containing) polymers; polyphosphoesters; polyalkylene oxalates; polyalkylene succinates; poly(maleic acids); silk (including recombinant silks and silk derivatives and analogs); chitin; chitosan; modified chitosan; biocompatible polysaccharides; hydrophilic or water soluble polymers, such as polyethylene glycol, (PEG) or polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), with blocks of other biocompatible or biodegradable polymers, for example, poly(lactide), poly(lactide-co-glycolide, or polycaprolcatone and copolymers thereof, including random copolymers and block copolymers thereof.","and combinations thereof.","Alternatively, the active agent can be incorporated into microparticles prepared from materials which are insoluble in aqueous solution or slowly soluble in aqueous solution, but are capable of degrading within the GI tract by means including enzymatic degradation, surfactant action of bile acids, and/or mechanical erosion.","As used herein, the term “slowly soluble in water” refers to materials that are not dissolved in water within a period of 30 minutes.","Preferred examples include fats, fatty substances, waxes, wax-like substances and mixtures thereof.","Suitable fats and fatty substances include fatty alcohols (such as lauryl, myristyl stearyl, cetyl or cetostearyl alcohol), fatty acids and derivatives, including but not limited to fatty acid esters, fatty acid glycerides (mono-, di- and tri-glycerides), and hydrogenated fats.","Specific examples include, but are not limited to hydrogenated vegetable oil, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, hydrogenated castor oil, hydrogenated oils available under the trade name STEROTEX®, stearic acid, cocoa butter, and stearyl alcohol.","Suitable waxes and wax-like materials include natural or synthetic waxes, hydrocarbons, and normal waxes.","Specific examples of waxes include beeswax, glycowax, castor wax, carnauba wax, paraffins and candelilla wax.","As used herein, a wax-like material is defined as any material, which is normally solid at room temperature and has a melting point of from about 30 to 300° C. In some cases, it may be desirable to alter the rate of water penetration into the microparticles.","To this end, rate-controlling (wicking) agents can be formulated along with the fats or waxes listed above.","Examples of rate-controlling materials include certain starch derivatives (e.g., waxy maltodextrin and drum dried corn starch), cellulose derivatives (e.g., hydroxypropylmethyl-cellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, methylcellulose, and carboxymethyl-cellulose), alginic acid, lactose and talc.","Additionally, a pharmaceutically acceptable surfactant (for example, lecithin) may be added to facilitate the degradation of such microparticles.","Proteins, which are water insoluble, such as zein, can also be used as materials for the formation of active agent containing microparticles.","Additionally, proteins, polysaccharides and combinations thereof, which are water-soluble, can be formulated with drug into microparticles and subsequently cross-linked to form an insoluble network.","For example, cyclodextrins can be complexed with individual drug molecules and subsequently cross-linked.","2.Method of Making Nano- and Microparticles Encapsulation or incorporation of active agent, such as the one or more compounds as defined in section III.A above for use in accordance with any of the first, second or third aspect of the present invention, into carrier materials to produce drug-containing microparticles can be achieved through known pharmaceutical formulation techniques.","In the case of formulation in fats, waxes or wax-like materials, the carrier material is typically heated above its melting temperature and the active agent is added to form a mixture comprising active agent particles suspended in the carrier material, active agent dissolved in the carrier material, or a mixture thereof.","Microparticles can be subsequently formulated through several methods including, but not limited to, the processes of congealing, extrusion, spray chilling or aqueous dispersion.","In a preferred process, wax is heated above its melting temperature, active agent is added, and the molten wax-drug mixture is congealed under constant stirring as the mixture cools.","Alternatively, the molten wax-drug mixture can be extruded and spheronized to form pellets or beads.","These processes are known in the art.","For some carrier materials it may be desirable to use a solvent evaporation technique to produce active agent-containing microparticles.","In this case active agent and carrier material are co-dissolved in a mutual solvent and microparticles can subsequently be produced by several techniques including, but not limited to, forming an emulsion in water or other appropriate media, spray drying or by evaporating off the solvent from the bulk solution and milling the resulting material.","In some embodiments, active agent in a particulate form is homogeneously dispersed in a water-insoluble or slowly water soluble material.","To minimize the size of the active agent particles within the composition, the active agent powder itself may be milled to generate fine particles prior to formulation.","The process of jet milling, known in the pharmaceutical art, can be used for this purpose.","In some embodiments active agent in a particulate form is homogeneously dispersed in a wax or wax like substance by heating the wax or wax like substance above its melting point and adding the active agent particles while stirring the mixture.","In this case a pharmaceutically acceptable surfactant may be added to the mixture to facilitate the dispersion of the active agent particles.","The particles can also be coated with one or more modified release coatings.","Solid esters of fatty acids, which are hydrolyzed by lipases, can be spray coated onto microparticles or active agent particles.","Zein is an example of a naturally water-insoluble protein.","It can be coated onto active agent containing microparticles or active agent particles by spray coating or by wet granulation techniques.","In addition to naturally water-insoluble materials, some substrates of digestive enzymes can be treated with cross-linking procedures, resulting in the formation of non-soluble networks.","Many methods of cross-linking proteins, initiated by both chemical and physical means, have been reported.","One of the most common methods to obtain cross-linking is the use of chemical cross-linking agents.","Examples of chemical cross-linking agents include aldehydes (gluteraldehyde and formaldehyde), epoxy compounds, carbodiimides, and genipin.","In addition to these cross-linking agents, oxidized and native sugars have been used to cross-link gelatin.","Cross-linking can also be accomplished using enzymatic means; for example, transglutaminase has been approved as a GRAS substance for cross-linking seafood products.","Finally, cross-linking can be initiated by physical means such as thermal treatment, UV irradiation and gamma irradiation.","To produce a coating layer of cross-linked protein surrounding active agent containing microparticles or active agent particles, a water-soluble protein can be spray coated onto the microparticles and subsequently cross-linked by the one of the methods described above.","Alternatively, active agent-containing microparticles can be microencapsulated within protein by coacervation-phase separation (for example, by the addition of salts) and subsequently cross-linked.","Some suitable proteins for this purpose include gelatin, albumin, casein, and gluten.","Polysaccharides can also be cross-linked to form a water-insoluble network.","For many polysaccharides, this can be accomplished by reaction with calcium salts or multivalent cations, which cross-link the main polymer chains.","Pectin, alginate, dextran, amylose and guar gum are subject to cross-linking in the presence of multivalent cations.","Complexes between oppositely charged polysaccharides can also be formed; pectin and chitosan, for example, can be complexed via electrostatic interactions.","(b) Injectable/Implantable Formulations The one or more compounds as defined in section III.A above for use in accordance with any of the first, second or third aspect of the present invention can be incorporated into injectable/implantable solid or semi-solid implants, such as polymeric implants.","In one embodiment, the compounds are incorporated into a polymer that is a liquid or paste at room temperature, but upon contact with aqueous medium, such as physiological fluids, exhibits an increase in viscosity to form a semi-solid or solid material.","Exemplary polymers include, but are not limited to, hydroxyalkanoic acid polyesters derived from the copolymerization of at least one unsaturated hydroxy fatty acid copolymerized with hydroxyalkanoic acids.","The polymer can be melted, mixed with the active substance and cast or injection molded into a device.","Such melt fabrication require polymers having a melting point that is below the temperature at which the substance to be delivered and polymer degrade or become reactive.","The device can also be prepared by solvent casting where the polymer is dissolved in a solvent and the drug dissolved or dispersed in the polymer solution and the solvent is then evaporated.","Solvent processes require that the polymer be soluble in organic solvents.","Another method is compression molding of a mixed powder of the polymer and the drug or polymer particles loaded with the active agent.","Alternatively, the compounds can be incorporated into a polymer matrix and molded, compressed, or extruded into a device that is a solid at room temperature.","For example, the compounds can be incorporated into a biodegradable polymer, such as polyanhydrides, polyhydroalkanoic acids (PHAs), PLA, PGA, PLGA, polycaprolactone, polyesters, polyamides, polyorthoesters, polyphosphazenes, proteins and polysaccharides such as collagen, hyaluronic acid, albumin and gelatin, and combinations thereof and compressed into solid device, such as disks, or extruded into a device, such as rods.","Further alternative polymers for use in this context include polymers include, but are not limited to, polymers of glycolic acid, lactic acid, 1,4-dioxanone, trimethylene carbonate, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, 4-hydroxybutyrate, e-caprolactone, including polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polydioxanone, polycaprolactone, copolymers of glycolic and lactic acids, such as VICRYL® polymer, MAXON® and MONOCRYL® polymers, and including poly(lactide-co-caprolactones); poly(orthoesters); polyanhydrides; poly(phosphazenes); polyhydroxyalkanoates; synthetically or biologically prepared polyesters; polycarbonates; tyrosine polycarbonates; polyamides (including synthetic and natural polyamides, polypeptides, and poly(amino acids)); polyesteramides; poly(alkylene alkylates); polyethers (such as polyethylene glycol, PEG, and polyethylene oxide, PEO); polyvinyl pyrrolidones or PVP; polyurethanes; polyetheresters; polyacetals; polycyanoacrylates; poly(oxyethylene)/poly(oxypropylene) copolymers; polyacetals, polyketals; polyphosphates; (phosphorous-containing) polymers; polyphosphoesters; polyalkylene oxalates; polyalkylene succinates; poly(maleic acids); silk (including recombinant silks and silk derivatives and analogs); chitin; chitosan; modified chitosan; biocompatible polysaccharides; hydrophilic or water soluble polymers, such as polyethylene glycol, (PEG) or polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), with blocks of other biocompatible or biodegradable polymers, for example, poly(lactide), poly(lactide-co-glycolide, or polycaprolcatone and copolymers thereof, including random copolymers and block copolymers thereof.","The release of the one or more compounds from the implant can be varied by selection of the polymer, the molecular weight of the polymer, and/or modification of the polymer to increase degradation, such as the formation of pores and/or incorporation of hydrolyzable linkages.","Methods for modifying the properties of biodegradable polymers to vary the release profile of the compounds from the implant are well known in the art.","2.Enteral Formulations The compounds as defined in section III.A above for use in accordance with any of the first, second or third aspect of the present invention and may be formulated for enteral administration.","Suitable oral dosage forms include tablets, capsules, solutions, suspensions, syrups, and lozenges.","Tablets can be made using compression or molding techniques well known in the art.","Gelatin or non-gelatin capsules can be prepared as hard or soft capsule shells, which can encapsulate liquid, solid, and semi-solid fill materials, using techniques well known in the art.","Formulations may be prepared using a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.","As generally used herein “carrier” includes, but is not limited to, diluents, preservatives, binders, lubricants, disintegrators, swelling agents, fillers, stabilizers, and combinations thereof.","Carrier also includes all components of the coating composition, which may include plasticizers, pigments, colorants, stabilizing agents, and glidants.","Examples of suitable coating materials include, but are not limited to, cellulose polymers such as cellulose acetate phthalate, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate; polyvinyl acetate phthalate, acrylic acid polymers and copolymers, and methacrylic resins that are commercially available under the trade name EUDRAGIT® (Roth Pharma, Westerstadt, Germany), zein, shellac, and polysaccharides.","Additionally, the coating material may contain conventional carriers such as plasticizers, pigments, colorants, glidants, stabilization agents, pore formers and surfactants.","“Diluents”, also referred to as “fillers,” are typically necessary to increase the bulk of a solid dosage form so that a practical size is provided for compression of tablets or formation of beads and granules.","Suitable diluents include, but are not limited to, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, calcium sulfate, lactose, sucrose, mannitol, sorbitol, cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, kaolin, sodium chloride, dry starch, hydrolyzed starches, pregelatinized starch, silicone dioxide, titanium oxide, magnesium aluminum silicate and powdered sugar.","“Binders” are used to impart cohesive qualities to a solid dosage formulation, and thus ensure that a tablet or bead or granule remains intact after the formation of the dosage forms.","Suitable binder materials include, but are not limited to, starch, pregelatinized starch, gelatin, sugars (including sucrose, glucose, dextrose, lactose and sorbitol), polyethylene glycol, waxes, natural and synthetic gums such as acacia, tragacanth, sodium alginate, cellulose, including hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, ethylcellulose, and veegum, and synthetic polymers such as acrylic acid and methacrylic acid copolymers, methacrylic acid copolymers, methyl methacrylate copolymers, aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymers, polyacrylic acid/polymethacrylic acid and polyvinylpyrrolidone.","“Lubricants” are used to facilitate tablet manufacture.","Examples of suitable lubricants include, but are not limited to, magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, stearic acid, glycerol behenate, polyethylene glycol, talc, and mineral oil.","“Disintegrants” are used to facilitate dosage form disintegration or “breakup” after administration, and generally include, but are not limited to, starch, sodium starch glycolate, sodium carboxymethyl starch, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, pregelatinized starch, clays, cellulose, alginine, gums or cross linked polymers, such as cross-linked PVP (POLYPLASDONE® XL from GAF Chemical Corp).","“Stabilizers” are used to inhibit or retard drug decomposition reactions, which include, by way of example, oxidative reactions.","Suitable stabilizers include, but are not limited to, antioxidants, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT); ascorbic acid, its salts and esters; Vitamin E, tocopherol and its salts; sulfites such as sodium metabisulphite; cysteine and its derivatives; citric acid; propyl gallate, and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA).","(a) Controlled Release Enteral Formulations Oral dosage forms, such as capsules, tablets, solutions, and suspensions, can be formulated for controlled release, for example, for the controlled release of the one or more compounds as defined in section III.A above for use in accordance with any of the first, second or third aspect of the present invention.","For example, the one or more compounds and optional one or more additional active agents can be formulated into nanoparticles, microparticles, and combinations thereof, and encapsulated in a soft or hard gelatin or non-gelatin capsule or dispersed in a dispersing medium to form an oral suspension or syrup.","The particles can be formed of the active agent and a controlled release polymer or matrix.","Alternatively, the active agent particles can be coated with one or more controlled release coatings prior to incorporation in to the finished dosage form.","In another embodiment, the one or more compounds and optional one or more additional active agents are dispersed in a matrix material, which gels or emulsifies upon contact with an aqueous medium, such as physiological fluids.","In the case of gels, the matrix swells entrapping the active agents, which are released slowly over time by diffusion and/or degradation of the matrix material.","Such matrices can be formulated as tablets or as fill materials for hard and soft capsules.","In still another embodiment, the one or more compounds, and optional one or more additional active agents are formulated into a sold oral dosage form, such as a tablet or capsule, and the solid dosage form is coated with one or more controlled release coatings, such as a delayed release coatings or extended release coatings.","The coating or coatings may also contain the compounds and/or additional active agents.","(1) Extended release dosage forms The extended release formulations are generally prepared as diffusion or osmotic systems, which are known in the art.","A diffusion system typically consists of two types of devices, a reservoir and a matrix, and is well known and described in the art.","The matrix devices are generally prepared by compressing the drug with a slowly dissolving polymer carrier into a tablet form.","The three major types of materials used in the preparation of matrix devices are insoluble plastics, hydrophilic polymers, and fatty compounds.","Plastic matrices include, but are not limited to, methyl acrylate-methyl methacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, and polyethylene.","Hydrophilic polymers include, but are not limited to, cellulosic polymers such as methyl and ethyl cellulose, hydroxyalkylcelluloses such as hydroxypropyl-cellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, and CARBOPOL® 934 (cross-linked polyacrylate polymer), polyethylene oxides and mixtures thereof.","Fatty compounds include, but are not limited to, various waxes such as carnauba wax and glyceryl tristearate and wax-type substances including hydrogenated castor oil or hydrogenated vegetable oil, or mixtures thereof.","In certain preferred embodiments, the plastic material is a pharmaceutically acceptable acrylic polymer, including but not limited to, acrylic acid and methacrylic acid copolymers, methyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate copolymers, ethoxyethyl methacrylates, cyanoethyl methacrylate, aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymer, poly(acrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid), methacrylic acid alkylamine copolymer poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(methacrylic acid)(anhydride), polymethacrylate, polyacrylamide, poly(methacrylic acid anhydride), and glycidyl methacrylate copolymers.","In certain preferred embodiments, the acrylic polymer is comprised of one or more ammonio methacrylate copolymers Ammonio methacrylate copolymers are well known in the art, and are described in NF XVII as fully polymerized copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic acid esters with a low content of quaternary ammonium groups.","In one preferred embodiment, the acrylic polymer is an acrylic resin lacquer such as that which is commercially available from Rohm Pharma under the tradename EUDRAGIT®.","In further preferred embodiments, the acrylic polymer comprises a mixture of two acrylic resin lacquers commercially available from Rohm Pharma under the trade names EUDRAGIT® RL30D and EUDRAGIT® RS30D, respectively.","EUDRAGIT® RL30D and EUDRAGIT® RS30D are copolymers of acrylic and methacrylic esters with a low content of quaternary ammonium groups, the molar ratio of ammonium groups to the remaining neutral (meth)acrylic esters being 1:20 in EUDRAGIT® RL30D and 1:40 in EUDRAGIT® RS30D.","The mean molecular weight is about 150,000.EUDRAGIT® S-100 and EUDRAGIT® L-100 are also preferred.","The code designations RL (high permeability) and RS (low permeability) refer to the permeability properties of these agents.","EUDRAGIT® RL/RS mixtures are insoluble in water and in digestive fluids.","However, multiparticulate systems formed to include the same are swellable and permeable in aqueous solutions and digestive fluids.","The polymers described above such as EUDRAGIT® RL/RS may be mixed together in any desired ratio in order to ultimately obtain a sustained-release formulation having a desirable dissolution profile.","Desirable sustained-release multiparticulate systems may be obtained, for instance, from 100% EUDRAGIT® RL, 50% EUDRAGIT® RL and 50% EUDRAGIT t® RS, and 10% EUDRAGIT® RL and 90% EUDRAGIT® RS.","One skilled in the art will recognize that other acrylic polymers may also be used, such as, for example, EUDRAGIT® L. Alternatively, extended release formulations can be prepared using osmotic systems or by applying a semi-permeable coating to the dosage form.","In the latter case, the desired drug release profile can be achieved by combining low permeable and high permeable coating materials in suitable proportion.","The devices with different drug release mechanisms described above can be combined in a final dosage form comprising single or multiple units.","Examples of multiple units include, but are not limited to, multilayer tablets and capsules containing tablets, beads, or granules.","An immediate release portion can be added to the extended release system by means of either applying an immediate release layer on top of the extended release core using a coating or compression process or in a multiple unit system such as a capsule containing extended and immediate release beads.","Extended release tablets containing hydrophilic polymers are prepared by techniques commonly known in the art such as direct compression, wet granulation, or dry granulation.","Their formulations usually incorporate polymers, diluents, binders, and lubricants as well as the active pharmaceutical ingredient.","The usual diluents include inert powdered substances such as starches, powdered cellulose, especially crystalline and microcrystalline cellulose, sugars such as fructose, mannitol and sucrose, grain flours and similar edible powders.","Typical diluents include, for example, various types of starch, lactose, mannitol, kaolin, calcium phosphate or sulfate, inorganic salts such as sodium chloride and powdered sugar.","Powdered cellulose derivatives are also useful.","Typical tablet binders include substances such as starch, gelatin and sugars such as lactose, fructose, and glucose.","Natural and synthetic gums, including acacia, alginates, methylcellulose, and polyvinylpyrrolidone can also be used.","Polyethylene glycol, hydrophilic polymers, ethylcellulose and waxes can also serve as binders.","A lubricant is necessary in a tablet formulation to prevent the tablet and punches from sticking in the die.","The lubricant is chosen from such slippery solids as talc, magnesium and calcium stearate, stearic acid and hydrogenated vegetable oils.","Extended release tablets containing wax materials are generally prepared using methods known in the art such as a direct blend method, a congealing method, and an aqueous dispersion method.","In the congealing method, the drug is mixed with a wax material and either spray-congealed or congealed and screened and processed.","(2) Delayed Release Dosage Forms Delayed release formulations can be created by coating a solid dosage form with a polymer film, which is insoluble in the acidic environment of the stomach, and soluble in the neutral environment of the small intestine.","The delayed release dosage units can be prepared, for example, by coating an active agent or an active agent-containing composition with a selected coating material.","The active agent-containing composition may be, e.g., a tablet for incorporation into a capsule, a tablet for use as an inner core in a “coated core” dosage form, or a plurality of active agent-containing beads, particles or granules, for incorporation into either a tablet or capsule.","Preferred coating materials include bioerodible, gradually hydrolyzable, gradually water-soluble, and/or enzymatically degradable polymers, and may be conventional “enteric” polymers.","Enteric polymers, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, become soluble in the higher pH environment of the lower gastrointestinal tract or slowly erode as the dosage form passes through the gastrointestinal tract, while enzymatically degradable polymers are degraded by bacterial enzymes present in the lower gastrointestinal tract, particularly in the colon.","Suitable coating materials for effecting delayed release include, but are not limited to, cellulosic polymers such as hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose acetate succinate, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose phthalate, methylcellulose, ethyl cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate phthalate, cellulose acetate trimellitate and carboxymethylcellulose sodium; acrylic acid polymers and copolymers, preferably formed from acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate and/or ethyl methacrylate, and other methacrylic resins that are commercially available under the tradename EUDRAGIT® (Rohm Pharma; Westerstadt, Germany), including EUDRAGIT® L30D-55 and L100-55 (soluble at pH 5.5 and above), EUDRAGIT® L-100 (soluble at pH 6.0 and above), EUDRAGIT® S (soluble at pH 7.0 and above, as a result of a higher degree of esterification), and EUDRAGITS® NE, RL and RS (water-insoluble polymers having different degrees of permeability and expandability); vinyl polymers and copolymers such as polyvinyl pyrrolidone, vinyl acetate, vinylacetate phthalate, vinylacetate crotonic acid copolymer, and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer; enzymatically degradable polymers such as azo polymers, pectin, chitosan, amylose and guar gum; zein and shellac.","Combinations of different coating materials may also be used.","Multi-layer coatings using different polymers may also be applied.","The preferred coating weights for particular coating materials may be readily determined by those skilled in the art by evaluating individual release profiles for tablets, beads and granules prepared with different quantities of various coating materials.","It is the combination of materials, method and form of application that produce the desired release characteristics, which one can determine only from the clinical studies.","The coating composition may include conventional additives, such as plasticizers, pigments, colorants, stabilizing agents, glidants, etc.","A plasticizer is normally present to reduce the fragility of the coating, and will generally represent about 3 wt.","% to 50 wt.","%”, or 10 wt % to 50 wt.","%, relative to the dry weight of the polymer.","Examples of typical plasticizers include polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, triacetin, dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, dibutyl sebacate, triethyl citrate, tributyl citrate, triethyl acetyl citrate, castor oil and acetylated monoglycerides.","A stabilizing agent is preferably used to stabilize particles in the dispersion.","Typical stabilizing agents are nonionic emulsifiers such as sorbitan esters, polysorbates and polyvinylpyrrolidone.","Glidants are recommended to reduce sticking effects during film formation and drying, and will generally represent approximately 25 wt.","% to 100 wt.","% of the polymer weight in the coating solution.","One effective glidant is talc.","Other glidants such as magnesium stearate and glycerol monostearates may also be used.","Pigments such as titanium dioxide may also be used.","Small quantities of an anti-foaming agent, such as a silicone (e.g., simethicone), may also be added to the coating composition.","3.Topical Formulations The compounds as defined in section III.A above for use in accordance with any of the first, second or third aspect of the present invention and may be formulated for topical administration.","The formulations may contain the one or more compounds discussed above, alone or in combination, in an effective amount to prevent or inhibit biofilm formation on a surface, or reduce the amount of biofilm on a surface being treated.","1000 colony forming units (cfu) of Campylobacter are enough to infect a human and cause disease in a human.","Therefore, in one embodiment, an effective amount of the one or more compounds as defined in section III.A of this application is, or are, enough of the compound(s), alone, or in combination with other compounds, to reduce the number of cfu of Campylobacter or other microorganism of interest on the surface being treated to a number that is unlikely to, or which will not, cause infection in humans.","Suitable dosage forms for topical administration include creams, ointments, salves, sprays, gels, lotions, irrigants, and emulsions.","“Buffers” are used to control pH of a composition.","Preferably, the buffers buffer the composition from a pH of about 4 to a pH of about 7.5, more preferably from a pH of about 4 to a pH of about 7, and most preferably from a pH of about 5 to a pH of about 7.In a preferred embodiment, the buffer is triethanolamine.","“Emollients” are an externally applied agent that softens or soothes skin and are generally known in the art and listed in compendia, such as the “Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients”, 4th Ed., Pharmaceutical Press, 2003.These include, without limitation, almond oil, castor oil, ceratonia extract, cetostearoyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, cetyl esters wax, cholesterol, cottonseed oil, cyclomethicone, ethylene glycol palmitostearate, glycerin, glycerin monostearate, glyceryl monooleate, isopropyl myristate, isopropyl palmitate, lanolin, lecithin, light mineral oil, medium-chain triglycerides, mineral oil and lanolin alcohols, petrolatum, petrolatum and lanolin alcohols, soybean oil, starch, stearyl alcohol, sunflower oil, xylitol and combinations thereof.","In one embodiment, the emollients are ethylhexylstearate and ethylhexyl palmitate.","“Emulsifiers” are surface active substances which promote the suspension of one liquid in another and promote the formation of a stable mixture, or emulsion, of oil and water.","Common emulsifiers are: metallic soaps, certain animal and vegetable oils, and various polar compounds.","Suitable emulsifiers include acacia, anionic emulsifying wax, calcium stearate, carbomers, cetostearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, cholesterol, diethanolamine, ethylene glycol palmitostearate, glycerin monostearate, glyceryl monooleate, hydroxpropyl cellulose, hypromellose, lanolin, hydrous, lanolin alcohols, lecithin, medium-chain triglycerides, methylcellulose, mineral oil and lanolin alcohols, monobasic sodium phosphate, monoethanolamine, nonionic emulsifying wax, oleic acid, poloxamer, poloxamers, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene castor oil derivatives, polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters, polyoxyethylene stearates, propylene glycol alginate, self-emulsifying glyceryl monostearate, sodium citrate dehydrate, sodium lauryl sulfate, sorbitan esters, stearic acid, sunflower oil, tragacanth, triethanolamine, xanthan gum and combinations thereof.","In one embodiment, the emulsifier is glycerol stearate.","“Penetration enhancers” are known in the art and include, but are not limited to, fatty alcohols, fatty acid esters, fatty acids, fatty alcohol ethers, amino acids, phospholipids, lecithins, cholate salts, enzymes, amines and amides, complexing agents (liposomes, cyclodextrins, modified celluloses, and diimides), macrocyclics, such as macrocylic lactones, ketones, and anhydrides and cyclic ureas, surfactants, N-methyl pyrrolidones and derivatives thereof, DMSO and related compounds, ionic compounds, azone and related compounds, and solvents, such as alcohols, ketones, amides, polyols (e.g., glycols).","Examples of these classes are known in the art.","“Preservatives” can be used to prevent the growth of fungi and microorganisms.","Suitable antifungal and antimicrobial agents include, but are not limited to, benzoic acid, butylparaben, ethyl paraben, methyl paraben, propylparaben, sodium benzoate, sodium propionate, benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, benzyl alcohol, cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorobutanol, phenol, phenylethyl alcohol, and thimerosal.","“Surfactants” are surface-active agents that lower surface tension and thereby increase the emulsifying, foaming, dispersing, spreading and wetting properties of a product.","Suitable non-ionic surfactants include emulsifying wax, glyceryl monooleate, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, polyoxyethylene castor oil derivatives, polysorbate, sorbitan esters, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, cyclodextrins, glycerin monostearate, poloxamer, povidone and combinations thereof.","In one embodiment, the non-ionic surfactant is stearyl alcohol.","(a) Emulsions An emulsion is a preparation of one liquid distributed in small globules throughout the body of a second liquid.","In particular embodiments, the non-miscible components of the emulsion include a lipophilic component and an aqueous component.","The dispersed liquid is the discontinuous phase, and the dispersion medium is the continuous phase.","When oil is the dispersed liquid and an aqueous solution is the continuous phase, it is known as an oil-in-water emulsion, whereas when water or aqueous solution is the dispersed phase and oil or oleaginous substance is the continuous phase, it is known as a water-in-oil emulsion.","Either or both of the oil phase and the aqueous phase may contain one or more surfactants, emulsifiers, emulsion stabilizers, buffers, and other excipients.","Preferred excipients include surfactants, especially non-ionic surfactants; emulsifying agents, especially emulsifying waxes; and liquid non-volatile non-aqueous materials, particularly glycols such as propylene glycol.","The oil phase may contain other oily pharmaceutically approved excipients.","For example, materials such as hydroxylated castor oil or sesame oil may be used in the oil phase as surfactants or emulsifiers.","The oil phase may consist at least in part of a propellant, such as an HFA propellant.","Either or both of the oil phase and the aqueous phase may contain one or more surfactants, emulsifiers, emulsion stabilizers, buffers, and other excipients.","Preferred excipients include surfactants, especially non-ionic surfactants; emulsifying agents, especially emulsifying waxes; and liquid non-volatile non-aqueous materials, particularly glycols such as propylene glycol.","The oil phase may contain other oily pharmaceutically approved excipients.","For example, materials such as hydroxylated castor oil or sesame oil may be used in the oil phase as surfactants or emulsifiers.","A sub-set of emulsions are the self-emulsifying systems.","These delivery systems are typically capsules (hard shell or soft shell) comprised of the compound dispersed or dissolved in a mixture of surfactant(s) and lipophilic liquids such as oils or other water immiscible liquids.","When the capsule is exposed to an aqueous environment and the outer gelatin shell dissolves, contact between the aqueous medium and the capsule contents instantly generates very small emulsion droplets.","These typically are in the size range of micelles or nanoparticles.","No mixing force is required to generate the emulsion as is typically the case in emulsion formulation processes.","(b) Lotions A lotion can contain finely powdered substances that are insoluble in the dispersion medium through the use of suspending agents and dispersing agents.","Alternatively, lotions can have as the dispersed phase liquid substances that are immiscible with the vehicle and are usually dispersed by means of emulsifying agents or other suitable stabilizers.","In one embodiment, the lotion is in the form of an emulsion having a viscosity of between 100 and 1000 centistokes.","The fluidity of lotions permits rapid and uniform application over a wide surface area.","Lotions are typically intended to dry on the skin leaving a thin coat of their medicinal components on the skin's surface.","(c) Creams Creams may contain emulsifying agents and/or other stabilizing agents.","In one embodiment, the formulation is in the form of a cream having a viscosity of greater than 1000 centistokes, typically in the range of 20,000-50,000 centistokes.","Creams are often time preferred over ointments, as they are generally easier to spread and easier to remove.","The difference between a cream and a lotion is the viscosity, which is dependent on the amount/use of various oils and the percentage of water used to prepare the formulations.","Creams are typically thicker than lotions, may have various uses and often one uses more varied oils/butters, depending upon the desired effect upon the skin.","In a cream formulation, the water-base percentage is about 60-75% and the oil-base is about 20-30% of the total, with the other percentages being the emulsifier agent, preservatives and additives for a total of 100%.","(d) Ointments Examples of suitable ointment bases include hydrocarbon bases (e.g., petrolatum, white petrolatum, yellow ointment, and mineral oil); absorption bases (hydrophilic petrolatum, anhydrous lanolin, lanolin, and cold cream); water-removable bases (e.g., hydrophilic ointment), and water-soluble bases (e.g., polyethylene glycol ointments).","Pastes typically differ from ointments in that they contain a larger percentage of solids.","Pastes are typically more absorptive and less greasy than ointments prepared with the same components.","(e) Gels Gels are semisolid systems containing dispersions of small or large molecules in a liquid vehicle that is rendered semisolid by the action of a thickening agent or polymeric material dissolved or suspended in the liquid vehicle.","The liquid may include a lipophilic component, an aqueous component or both.","Some emulsions may be gels or otherwise include a gel component.","Some gels, however, are not emulsions because they do not contain a homogenized blend of immiscible components.","Suitable gelling agents include, but are not limited to, modified celluloses, such as hydroxypropyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose; Carbopol homopolymers and copolymers; and combinations thereof.","Suitable solvents in the liquid vehicle include, but are not limited to, diglycol monoethyl ether; alkylene glycols, such as propylene glycol; dimethyl isosorbide; alcohols, such as isopropyl alcohol and ethanol.","The solvents are typically selected for their ability to dissolve the compound.","Other additives, which improve the skin feel and/or emolliency of the formulation, may also be incorporated.","Examples of such additives include, but are not limited to, isopropyl myristate, ethyl acetate, C12-C15 alkyl benzoates, mineral oil, squalane, cyclomethicone, capric/caprylic triglycerides, and combinations thereof.","(f) Foams Foams consist of an emulsion in combination with a gaseous propellant.","The gaseous propellant consists primarily of hydrofluoroalkanes (HFAs).","Suitable propellants include HFAs such as 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (HFA 134a) and 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane (HFA 227), but mixtures and admixtures of these and other HFAs that are currently approved or may become approved for medical use are suitable.","The propellants preferably are not hydrocarbon propellant gases, which can produce flammable or explosive vapors during spraying.","Furthermore, the compositions preferably contain no volatile alcohols, which can produce flammable or explosive vapors during use.","4.Disinfecting and Cleaning Formulations The compounds as defined in section III.A above for use in accordance with any of the first, second or third aspect of the present invention may be formulated into cleaning formulations.","The cleaning formulations include formulations that are highly efficacious for household cleaning applications (e.g., hard surfaces like floors, countertops, tubs, tile, dishes and softer cloth materials like clothing, sponges, paper towels, etc.","), personal care applications (e.g.","lotions, shower gels, soaps, shampoos, sprays, wipes, toothpaste, acne treatments, skin cleansers, mouthwash, wound irrigation solutions, towelettes, contact lenses and lens cases) and industrial and hospital applications (e.g., antifouling coatings, and disinfection of instruments, medical devices, gloves, filters, membranes, tubing, drains, pipes including gas pipes, oil pipes, drilling pipes, fracking pipes, sewage pipes, drainage pipes, hoses, animal carcasses, fish tanks, showers, children's toys, boat hulls, and cooling towers).","These formulations are efficacious for cleaning surfaces which are infected or contaminated with biofilm or for preventing the formation of biofilm on these surfaces.","The compounds can be formulated into a solution in a suitable solvent for administration in a spray bottle, the compounds can be formulated as an aerosol, as a foam, suitable for spraying onto surfaces, or, they can be imbibed into a cloth or other item suitable for wiping down a surface to be disinfected.","Methods for making formulations for use as a disinfectant in the forms are known in the art.","One embodiment provides the compounds or a derivative thereof in a composition containing a pH dye indicator and an alkaline substance.","The pH indicator dye indicates what surface has been disinfected and ensures that a sufficient time has passed to disinfect the surface.","See for example, U.S.","Publication No.","20140057987, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.","Cleaning formulations can include the compounds and an acceptable carrier.","The carrier can be in a wide variety of forms.","For example, the carrier may be an aqueous-based solution or cleanser, an alcohol-based solution or gel or an emulsion carrier, including, but not limited to, oil-in-water, water-in-oil, water-in-oil-in-water, and oil-in-water-in-silicone emulsions.","The carrier solution containing the compound(s) can be applied directly to the surface to be treated or delivered via a suitable substrate.","The cleaning formulations can be formulated for use on the skin.","In these embodiments the compounds can be formulate in a dermatologically acceptable carrier.","The dermatologically acceptable carriers can also be, for example, formulated as alcohol or water based hand cleansers, toilet bars, liquid soaps, shampoos, bath gels, hair conditioners, hair tonics, pastes, or mousses.","Cleaning formulations can contain one or more surfactants.","The surfactant is suitably selected from anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic, amphoteric and ampholytic surfactants, as well as mixtures of these surfactants.","Such surfactants are well known to those skilled in the detergency art.","Non limiting examples of possible surfactants include isoceteth-20, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate, sodium methyl oleoyl taurate, and sodium lauryl sulfate.","Examples of a broad variety of additional surfactants are described in McCutcheon's Detergents and Emulsifiers.","North American Edition (1986), published by Allured Publishing Corporation.","The cleansing formulations can optionally contain, at their art-established levels, other materials which are conventionally used in cleansing formulations.","Additional carriers suitable for the cleaning formulations may include various substrate-based products.","In such instances, the present formulations may be impregnated into or onto the substrate products and may be allowed to remain wet or may be subjected to a drying process.","For instance, suitable carriers include, but are not limited to, dry and wet wipes suitable for personal care and household use (e.g., nonwoven baby wipes, household cleaning wipes, surgical preparation wipes, etc.","); diapers; infant changing pads; dental floss; personal care and household care sponges or woven cloths (e.g., washcloths, towels, etc.","); tissue-type products (e.g.","facial tissue, paper towels, etc.","); and disposable garments (e.g., gloves, smocks, surgical masks, infant bibs, socks, shoe inserts, etc.).","Cleaning formulations can be incorporated into various household care products including, but not limited to, hard surface cleaners (e.g., disinfectant sprays, liquids, or powders); dish or laundry detergents (liquid or solid), floor waxes, glass cleaners, etc.","Exemplary carriers can include aqueous solutions, e.g.","having from about 0% to about 98.8%, by weight of the composition, of water.","Additionally, carriers may contain an aqueous alcohol solution.","The amount of alcohol present in the alcohol solution will vary depending on the type of product in which the composition is incorporated, i.e.","say a wipe where the preferred amount of alcohol present would be from about 0% to about 25% whereas a hand sanitizer preferably contains from about 60% to about 95%, of alcohol.","Therefore, suitable dermatologically acceptable alcohol solutions or gels may contain from about 0% to about 95%, by weight of the composition, of an alcohol.","Alcohols suitable for inclusion in the alcohol solutions of the carrier include, but are not limited to, monohydric alcohols, dihydric alcohols, and combinations thereof.","More preferred alcohols are selected from the group consisting of monohydric linear or branched C2-C18 alcohols.","The most preferred alcohols are selected from the group consisting of ethanol, isopropanol, n-propanol, butanol, and combinations thereof.","The cleaning formulations which contain an alcohol solution may be anhydrous or water containing.","Thickeners can be added to the water or alcohol based to form a gel.","Examples of suitable thickeners include, but are not limited to, naturally-occurring polymeric materials such as sodium alginate, xanthan gum, quince seed extract, tragacanth gum, starch and the like, semi-synthetic polymeric materials such as cellulose ethers (e.g.","hydroxyethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxy propylmethyl cellulose), polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinylalcohol, guar gum, hydroxypropyl guar gum, soluble starch, cationic celluloses, cationic guars and the like and synthetic polymeric materials such as carboxyvinyl polymers, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylic acid polymers, polymethacrylic acid polymers, polyvinyl acetate polymers, polyvinyl chloride polymers, and polyvinylidene chloride polymers.","Inorganic thickeners may also be used such as aluminum silicates, such as, for example, bentonites, or a mixture of polyethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol stearate or distearate.","The cleaning formulations can contain, in addition to the compounds described above, one or more antimicrobial or antifungal agents.","Such agents are capable of destroying microbes, preventing the development of microbes or preventing the pathogenic action of microbes.","Examples of additional antimicrobial and antifungal agents include β-lactam drugs, quinolone drugs, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, tetracycline, erythromycin, amikacin, 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxy diphenyl ether (TRICLOSAN®), phenoxyethanol, phenoxy propanol, phenoxyisopropanol, doxycycline, capreomycin, chlorhexidine, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, clindamycin, ethambutol, hexamidine isethionate, metronidazole, pentamidine, gentamicin, kanamycin, lineomycin, methacycline, methenamine, minocycline, neomycin, netilmicin, paromomycin, streptomycin, tobramycin, miconazole, tetracycline hydrochloride, erythromycin, zinc erythromycin, erythromycin estolate, erythromycin stearate, amikacin sulfate, doxycycline hydrochloride, capreomycin sulfate, chlorhexidine gluconate, chlorhexidine hydrochloride, chlortetracycline hydrochloride, oxytetracycline hydrochloride, clindamycin hydrochloride, ethambutol hydrochloride, metronidazole hydrochloride, pentamidine hydrochloride, gentamicin sulfate, kanamycin sulfate, lineomycin hydrochloride, methacycline hydrochloride, methenamine hippurate, methenamine mandelate, minocycline hydrochloride, neomycin sulfate, netilmicin sulfate, paromomycin sulfate, streptomycin sulfate, tobramycin sulfate, miconazole hydrochloride, ketaconazole, amanfadine hydrochloride, amanfadine sulfate, octopirox, parachlorometa xylenol, nystatin, tolnaftate, pyrithiones (especially zinc pyrithione which is also known as ZPT), dimethyldimethylol hydantoin (GLYDANT®), methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (KATHON CG®), sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, imidazolidinyl urea (Germall 115®), diazolidinyl urea (GERMAILL benzyl alcohol, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol (BRONOPOL®), formalin (formaldehyde), iodopropenyl butylcarbamate (POLYPHASE P100®), chloroacetamide, methanamine, methyldibromonitrile glutaronitrile (1,2-Dibromo-2,4-dicyanobutane or TEKTAMER®), glutaraldehyde, 5-bromo-5-nitro-1,3-dioxane (BRONIDOX®), phenethyl alcohol, o-phenylphenol/sodium o-phenylphenol, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate (SUTTOCIDE A®), polymethoxy bicyclic oxazolidine (NUOSEPt C®), dimethoxane, thimersal dichlorobenzyl alcohol, captan, chloφhenenesin, dichlorophene, chlorbutanol, glyceryl laurate, halogenated diphenyl ethers like 2,4,4′-trichloro-2′-hydroxy-diphenyl ether (TRICLOSAN® or TCS), 2,2′-dihydroxy-5,5′-dibromo-diphenyl ether, phenolic compounds like phenol, 2-methyl phenol, 3-methyl phenol, 4-methyl phenol, 4-ethyl phenol, 2,4-dimethyl phenol, 2,5-dimethyl pPhenol, 3,4-dimethyl phenol, 2,6-dimethyl phenol, 4-n-propyl phenol, 4-n-butyl phenol, 4-n-amyl phenol, 4-tert-amyl phenol, 4-n-hexyl phenol, 4-n-heptyl phenol, mono- and poly-alkyl and aromatic halophenols such as p-chlorophenol, methyl p-chlorophenol, ethyl p-chlorophenol, n-propyl p-chlorophenol, n-butyl p-chlorophenol, n-amyl p-chlorophenol, sec-amyl p-chlorophenol, n-hexyl p-chlorophenol, cyclohexyl p-chlorophenol, n-heptyl p-chlorophenol, n-octyl p-chlorophenol, o-chlorophenol, methyl o-chlorophenol, ethyl o-chlorophenol, n-propyl o-chlorophenol, n-butyl o-chlorophenol, n-amyl o-chlorophenol, tert-amyl o-chlorophenol, n-hexyl o-chlorophenol, n-heptyl o-chlorophenol, o-benzyl p-chlorophenol, o-benzyl-m-methyl p-chlorophenol, o-benzyl-m, m-dimethyl p-chlorophenol, o-phenylethyl p-chlorophenol, o-phenylethyl-m-methyl p-chlorophenol, 3-methyl p-chlorophenol, 3,5-dimethyl p-chlorophenol, 6-ethy 1-3-methyl p-chlorophenol, 6-n-propyl-3-methyl p-chlorophenol, 6-iso-propyl-3-methyl p-chlorophenol, 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl p-chlorophenol, 6-sec-butyl-3-methyl p-chlorophenol, 2-iso-propyl-3,5-dimethyl p-chlorophenol, 6-diethylmethyl-3-methyl p-chlorophenol, 6-iso-propyl-2-ethyl-3-methyl p-chlorophenol, 2-sec-amyl-3,5-dimethyl p-chlorophenol, 2-diethylmethyl-3,5-dimethyl p-chlorophenol, 6-sec-octyl-3-methyl p-chlorophenol, p-chloro-m-cresol, p-bromophenol, methyl p-bromophenol, ethyl p-bromophenol, n-propyl p-bromophenol, n-butyl p-bromophenol, n-amyl p-bromophenol, sec-amyl p-bromophenol, n-hexyl p-bromophenol, cyclohexyl p-bromophenol, o-bromophenol, tert-amyl o-bromophenol, n-hexyl o-bromophenol, n-propyl-m,m-dimethyl o-bromophenol, 2-phenyl phenol, 4-chloro-2-methyl phenol, 4-chloro-3-methyl phenol, 4-chloro-3,5-dimethyl phenol, 2,4-dichloro-3,5-dimethylphenol, 3,4,5,6-terabromo-2-methylphenol, 5-methyl-2-pentylphenol, 4-isopropyl-3-methylphenol, para-chloro-meta-xylenol (PCMX), chlorothymol, 5-chloro-2-hydroxydiphenylmethane, resorcinol and its derivatives including methyl resorcinol, ethyl resorcinol, n-propyl resorcinol, n-butyl resorcinol, n-amyl resorcinol, n-hexyl resorcinol, n-heptyl resorcinol, n-octyl resorcinol, n-nonyl resorcinol, phenyl resorcinol, benzyl resorcinol, phenylethyl resorcinol, phenylpropyl resorcinol, p-chlorobenzyl resorcinol, 5-chloro 2,4-dihydroxydiphenyl methane, 4′-chloro 2,4-dihydroxydiphenyl methane, 5-bromo 2,4-dihydroxydiphenyl methane, and 4′-bromo 2,4-dihydroxydiphenyl methane, bisphenolic compounds like 2,2′-methylene bis (4-chlorophenol), 2,2′-methylene bis (3,4,6-trichlorophenol), 2,2′-methylene bis (4-chloro-6-bromophenol), bis (2-hydroxy-3,5-dichlorophenyl) sulphide, and bis (2-hydroxy-5-chlorobenzyl)sulphide, benzoic esters (parabens) like methylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben, isopropylparaben, isobutylparaben, benzylparaben, sodium methylparaben, and sodium propylparaben, halogenated carbanilides (e.g., 3,4,4′-trichlorocarbanilides (TRICLOCARBAN® or TCC), 3-trifluoromethyl-4,4′-dichlorocarbanilide, 3,3′,4-trichlorocarbanilide, etc.","), cationic actives such as benzalkonium chloride, and clotrimazole.","Another class of antimicrobial agents (specifically antibacterial agents) which are useful, are the so-called “natural” antibacterial actives, referred to as natural essential oils.","Typical natural essential oil antibacterial actives include oils of anise, lemon, orange, rosemary, wintergreen, thyme, lavender, cloves, hops, tea tree, citronella, wheat, barley, lemongrass, cedar leaf, cedarwood, cinnamon, fleagrass, geranium, sandalwood, violet, cranberry, eucalyptus, vervain, peppermint, gum benzoin, basil, fennel, fir, balsam, menthol, ocmea origanum, Hydastis carradensis, Berberidaceae daceae, Ratanhiae and Curcuma longa.","The cleaning formulations may be packaged in a variety of suitable packaging known to those skilled in the art.","The liquid formulations may desirably be packaged in manually operated spray dispensing containers, which are usually made of synthetic organic polymeric plastic materials.","Accordingly, disinfecting formulations containing the compounds and packaged in a spray dispenser, preferably in a trigger spray dispenser or a pump spray dispenser, are envisioned.","Spray-type dispensers allow to uniformly apply to a relatively large area of a surface to be disinfected a liquid cleaning formulations described herein.","The compounds can be impregnated into a nonwoven absorbent wipe.","Disinfectant wet wipes are also disclosed for example in U.S. Pat.","No.","8,563,017.The compounds can be in an aqueous foam with a special surfactant system capable of generating a foam.","See U.S. Pat.","No.","8,097,265, U.S. Pat.","No.","5,891,922 and U.S. Pat.","No.","4,889,645.The compounds can also be in a pressurized spray aerosol.","See also, U.S.","Publication No.","20010053333 which discloses a liquid flash-dry aerosol disinfectant composition with a flash vaporization component and an effective amount of an antimicrobial agent.","It is within the abilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to determine the effective amount of the compounds to include in an aerosol, foam, solution or disinfectant cloth for the purpose of sterilizing for example, high risk hospital surfaces.","D. Conjugation and Immobilization of Compounds The one or more compounds as defined in section III.A above for use in accordance with any of the first, second or third aspect of the present invention and may be presented as conjugated and/or immobilized compounds.","The compounds may be conjugated with other agents in order to retain the compounds on surfaces, for example, to prevent biofilm formation on a surface.","In one embodiment, the compounds may be conjugated to an agent that has affinity for a surface in order to retain the compounds on that surface.","For example, the compounds may be conjugated to an agent wherein the agent is a polymer or oligomer, and the polymer or oligomer has a high affinity for the surface.","In another embodiment the compounds may be conjugated to an agent wherein the agent comprises a reactive moiety suitable for anchoring to a surface.","The reactive moiety may, for example, be photo-reactive, or capable of coupling covalently to a surface.","The reactive moiety may also incorporate spacers and linkers and other functional groups in order to place the compound in a desired location relative to the surface.","FIGS.","15A-C are examples of how FeQ (Fe-QA) may be conjugated to an agent comprising a reactive moiety suitable for anchoring to a surface.","In each of the three examples, FeQ is conjugated to a calix[4] arene frame that comprises a reactive moiety.","In FIG.","15A, FeQ is conjugated via a linker to a calix[4] arene frame that contains a photoreactive functional group.","FIG.","15B is a variant of FIG.","15A which shows that the reactive moiety can be positioned at a different location on the calix[4] arene frame.","FIG.","15C is an example of FeQ conjugated to a calix[4] arene frame, wherein the latter is functionalized with thiol groups that are capable of reacting with surfaces.","It should be understood that different linkers or no linkers may be used, and that other agents may be used instead of the calix[4] arene frame, including cyclodextrins and other polymers and oligomers.","In yet another embodiment, the compounds may be conjugated to an agent that comprises a substance with an affinity for a surface.","The agent may incorporate spacers and linkers and other functional groups in order to place the compound in the desired location relative to the surface.","In one embodiment, the agent contains hydroxyapatite.","FIGS.","16 A and B are examples of how FeQ (Fe-QA) may be conjugated via a linker to hydroxyapatite.","In these examples, the linkers are attached in different positions to one of the quinic acid ligands via a functional group, Y′, and at the other end of the linker are attached to hydroxyapatite (HA) via a second functional group, X′.","In an alternative embodiment, the HA group in the structures of FIGS.","16A and B may be replaced with a reactive group that can attach (or be attached) to a surface, such as a photo-reactive compound, isocyanate, hydroxy group, amine, trialkoxysilyl ether, such as a triethoxysilyl ether, or phosphate ester.","These groups may be attached directly to the polyethylene glycol, or an additional linker inserted between the reactive group and the polyethylene glycol.","E. Feeds and Feed Supplements In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, a further embodiment of the present invention provides that the compounds as defined in section III.A can be formulated into growth promoting formulations.","The one or more compounds may be used, for example, in feed or formula to improve the growth of chicken, for example, a meat-type chicken such as broiler chicken, or an egg-laying chicken such as a pullet or hen, or a breeder chicken, other poultry, such as a turkey, geese, quail, pheasant, or ducks, or livestock such as cattle, sheep, goats, swine, alpaca, banteng, bison, camel, cat, deer, dog, donkey, gayal, guinea pig, horse, llama, mule, rabbit, reindeer, water buffalo, yak, although the skilled person will appreciate that other feeds for animals, including zoo animals, captive animals, game animals, fish (include freshwater and saltwater fish, farmed fish, and ornamental fish), other marine and aquatic animals, including shellfish such as, but not limited to, oysters, mussels, clams, shrimps, prawns, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, cuttlefish, octopus, and squid, domestic animals such as cats and dogs, rodents (such as mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters), and horses, are also provided, as well as any other domestic, wild and farmed animal, including mammals, marine animals, amphibians, birds, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates.","The one or more compounds may be added to drinking water for any of said animals to improve growth The compounds may be useful in treatment of ponds, tanks, or other aquatic or marine environments containing fish (include freshwater and saltwater fish, farmed fish and ornamental fish), other marine and aquatic animals, including shellfish or crustaceans such as shrimp, oysters, mussels, clams, prawns, lobsters, crayfish, crabs, cuttlefish, octopus and crawfish.","The one or more compounds may be used alone or in combination with other anti-microbial, bactericidal or bacteriostatic compounds (for example, in accordance with the second or third aspect of the present invention) and/or growth enhancing agents.","The compounds as defined in section III.A can improve growth performance, and can be used to increase average body weight during growth.","The compounds can also be used to improve feed conversion ratio.","In particular, the compounds can be used to decrease the mortality adjusted feed conversion ratios (MFCR).","The compounds may be used to produce animals with higher average body weight in a given period of time, or may be used to reach a target average body weight in a shorter period of time.","The compounds may be used to decrease the amount of feed necessary for an animal to attain a target weight.","In addition, the compounds may be used in stressed environments to improve growth and MFCR.","These environments include but are not limited to high stocking densities of animals, dirty pen litter, presence of pathogens, presence of Campylobacter and other bacteria, and high temperature environments.","The compositions are particularly useful in feeds for commercial birds such as chickens, turkeys, pheasants, and ducks.","Exemplary poultry feeds in which the as one or more compounds defined in section III.A can be included, include poultry feeds that are referred to as “complete” feeds, because they are designed to contain all the protein, energy, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients necessary for proper growth, egg production, and health of the birds.","Feeding any other ingredients, mixed with the feed or fed separately, upsets the balance of nutrients in the “complete” feed.","Feeding additional grain or supplement with the complete poultry feed is not recommended.","Chickens used in optimized commercial broiler production are typically fed different diets depending upon their age.","For example, chickens for broiler production may be raised using three diets.","These diets are typically called a “starter”, “grower” and “finisher”.","The starter diet may be fed for about the first 10-12 days (typically in the range of 7-14 days).","This starter diet is followed by the grower diet, which is provided to the broilers for almost 2 weeks (typically from about 11-24 days).","The finisher diet is used for the remainder of the production period (typically from 24 to 42 days).","Some broiler houses will use more or less diets (for example 4 diets), and vary the timing of diet changes.","Broilers are typically harvested between 30 and 42 days, although this time can be longer or shorter.","Further details and options are discussed above in the context of the first aspect of the present invention.","F. Treatment to Promote Growth As discussed above in more detail, in the context of the first aspect of the present invention, it has been discovered that the one or more compounds defined in section III.A of this application, above, are particularly useful in promoting growth.","The compounds may be added to animal feed or animal drinking water in order to promote growth.","Addition of the compounds to feed or drinking water results in improved growth.","It has also been discovered that the compounds can be added to animal feed or animal drinking water in order to decrease the mortality adjusted feed conversion ratio.","Thus it is possible to use the compounds to decrease the amount of feed necessary for an animal to grow.","The compounds may further be administered with other animal additives, and may be administered in commercial feeds.","In a preferred embodiment, the compounds are administered in feeds.","It has also been discovered that the compounds can be administered to animals that are in a stressed environment in order to improve their growth performance.","In a stressed environment the compounds promote growth that yields animals with higher average body weights.","The compounds also decrease mortality adjusted feed conversion ratios in stressed environments.","EXAMPLES The following non-limiting examples are included to demonstrate particular embodiments of the various aspects of the present invention.","It should be appreciated by those of skill in the art that the techniques disclosed in the examples which follow represent techniques discovered by the inventor to function well in the practice of the invention, and thus can be considered to constitute preferred modes for its practice.","However, those of skill in the art should, in light of the present disclosure, appreciate that many changes can be made in the specific embodiments which are disclosed and still obtain a like or similar result without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.","Example 1.Inhibition of Biofilm Formation on Beads Surface by Enterococcus faecalis NCTC 12697 Using Fe-QA Materials and Methods Bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis NCTC 12697, Staphylococcus epidermidis F1513 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923) were grown on Brain heart infusion (BHI) passaged to new medium either containing Fe-QA or alone.","Growth suspensions were prepared at 0.0001 OD/ml and then allowed to grow at 37° C. under normal atmospheric conditions for 24 h in BHI with plastic coated UV beads (Lascells).","After 48 h, 10 μl suspension was serially diluted 10 fold to 10-3, 10-4, 10-5, 10-6, 10-7, 10-8.For each dilution, 10 μl was spotted on BHI agar plates and colonies counted after 24 h. The beads were also removed washed in PBS before adding to 1 ml PBS.","After vortex mixing, 10 μl of the cell suspension was serially diluted as above and cell counts carried out.","Results Enterococcus faecalis causes many of the antibiotic resistant infections in hospitals, a consequence of its inherent resistance to certain antibiotics and of its ability to survive and proliferate in the intestinal tract.","A Ser/Thr kinase in Enterococcus faecalis is found to mediate antimicrobial resistance.","Studies have shown that PrkC, a one-component signaling protein containing a eukaryotic-type Ser/Thr kinase domain, allowed for inherent antimicrobial resistance and intestinal persistence of E. faecalis (Kristich, et al., Proc.","Nat.","Acad.","Sci.","USA, 104(9):3508-3513 (2007)).","Kristich, et al.","found that an E. faecalis mutant lacking PrkC grew at a wild-type rate in the absence of antimicrobial stress but showed enhanced sensitivity to cell-envelope-active compounds, including antibiotics that targeted cell-wall biogenesis and bile detergents.","PrkC regulates physiological processes in E. faecalis that are key to its success as a nosocomial pathogen.","The effect of Fe-QA on biofilm formation by E. faecalis was tested as described in the materials and methods.","The data (FIGS.","1A and 1B) shows that Fe-QA inhibited E. faecalis biofilm formation as measured following treatment of E. faecalis grown on plastic coated UV beads.","Example 2.Inhibition of Biofilm Formation on Beads Surface by Staphylococcus epidermidis F1513 Using Fe-QA Materials and Methods The effect of Fe-QA on biofilm formation by S. epidermidis F1513 was tested as described in the materials and methods of Example 1.Results The data (FIGS.","2A and 2B) shows that Fe-QA inhibited S. epidermidis biofilm formation as measured following treatment of S. epidermidis grown on plastic coated UV beads.","Example 3.Inhibition of Biofilm Formation on Beads Surface by Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 Using Fe-QA The treatment of choice for S. aureus infection is penicillin; in most countries, however, penicillin resistance is extremely common, and first-line therapy is most commonly a penicillinase-resistant β-lactam antibiotic (for example, oxacillin or flucloxacillin).","Combination therapy with gentamicin may be used to treat serious infections, such as endocarditis, but its use is controversial because of the high risk of damage to the kidneys (Cosgrove, et al., Clin Infect Dis, 48(6):713-721 (2009).","The duration of treatment depends on the site of infection and on severity.","Materials and Methods The effect of Fe-QA on biofilm formation by S. aureus was tested as described in the materials and methods of Example 1.Results The data (FIGS.","3A and 3B) shows that Fe-QA inhibited S. aureus biofilm formation as measured following treatment of S. aureus grown on plastic coated UV beads.","Example 4.Phenotypic Changes and Inhibition of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168 Binding to Histo-Blood Group Antigens by Fe-QA Materials and Methods Binding of C. jejuni NCTC 11168 to the BgAgs (common ABO histo-blood group antigens), Leb and H-II was measured after growing the bacteria in a medium that has either Fe-QA at 0.34 mM or 3.4 mM.","The binding is measured by washing away the Fe-Q containing medium prior to testing the bacteria by ELISA as described below.","Binding was measured after one passage and four passages (4 generations) with Fe-QA included in the medium, and compared to a control without Fe-QA.","Binding of C. jejuni 11168 to BgAgs (common ABO histo-blood group antigens) that are expressed, for example, on the surfaces of erythrocytes, and the inhibition of this binding by Fe-QA was quantified using the ELISA method described below.","The ELISA was performed as follows: BSA-BgAg conjugates were obtained from IsoSep, Tullinge, Sweden.","Coupling of BgAgs to 96-well plates (NUNC Immobilizer Amino) was carried Out by the addition of 100 μl BSA-BgAg (5 μg/ml unless stated otherwise) in sodium carbonate buffer to each well.","Plates were incubated at room temperature for 2 ft before unbound reagent was removed by washing three times in PBS-T. All wells were blocked by the addition of 100 nil 1% BSA/PBS and incubated for 2 h at room temperature.","After further washing in PBS-T, 100 ml of DIG-tagged bacteria (at OD600 of 0.05) were added to each well and incubated overnight at 4° C. Plates were washed three times in PBS-T before 100 ml anti-digoxigenin-POD solution (Roche Diagnostics; 1 in 5000 diluted in 1% BSA/PBS) was added and incubated for 1 h at room temperature.","Plates were again vigorously washed in PBS-T and color developed by adding 100 μl ABTS substrate (Roche).","Plates were read with an ELISA reader (Biotek EL800) at an absorbance of 405 nm.","Specific binding was determined by subtracting the binding of each strain to BSA (typically OD405 0.07-0.09) from the binding to each BSA-BgAg conjugate.","Inhibition assays shown in FIG.","4B were carried out as above but after the removal of the blocking solution, DIG-labeled C. jejuni was pre-incubated for 4 h with an Fe-QA solution (0.34 mM) before being added to each well.","Results FIG.","4A shows the binding of C. jejuni to the BgAgs (common ABO histo-blood group antigens), Leb and H-II, after growing the bacteria in a medium that has either Fe-QA at 0.34 mM or 3.4 mM.","The results show a marked decrease in binding to Leb and H-II particularly in the group that was treated with the higher concentration of Fe-QA (3.4 mM).","A statistically significant decrease was also found at the lower Fe-QA concentration of 0.34 mM when compared to the control group.","It is therefore apparent that treating the bacteria with Fe-QA for several generations results in a phenotypic change, and the bacteria lose the ability to bind to the BgAg's permanently.","FIG.","4B shows the binding of C. jejuni 11168 to BgAgs (common ABO histo-blood group antigens) that are expressed, for example, on the surfaces of erythrocytes, and the inhibition of this binding by Fe-QA.","Binding is quantified using the ELISA method described below.","The bar graphs show binding for the non-treated C. jejuni 11168-NT (NT=non-treated) to BgAgs, and the significant inhibition of binding by pre-incubation of the bacteria with Fe-QA prior to adding the bacteria to the ELISA plate.","Example 5.Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori CCUG 17875 Attachment to Human Gastric Tissue Materials and Methods The ability of H. pylori CCUG 17875 to bind to samples of human gastric tissue in the presence of Lewis b antigen, Leb, and two concentrations of Fe-QA (1 mM and 0.2 mM) was measured.","Binding was quantified by fluorescence using H. pylori that had been labeled with fluorescein using FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate), and human gastric tissue that was embedded in parafilm.","The bacteria were suspended in blocking buffer (1% BSA in PBS) and applied to re-hydrated histo-sections of human gastric tissue.","Binding was assessed microscopically, and quantified as the average number of bacteria bound to the tissue.","Binding of Leb to H. pylori strain 17875 at pH 7.4 was assayed by labeling Leb with radioactive iodine (I-125), mixing the radioactive antigen with H. pylori bacteria, pelletizing the bacteria using a centrifuge, and measuring the radioactivity in the pellet and in the supernatant.","Any Leb that is bound to the bacteria is quantified by the measurement of radioactivity in the pellet.","The ratio of the radioactivity in the pellet to the supernatant therefore corresponds to the ratio of Leb bound by the bacteria to that which remains unbound, expressed as bound/free.","Results The ability of H. pylori to bind to samples of human gastric tissue in the presence of Lewis b antigen, Leb, and two concentrations of Fe-QA (1 mM and 0.2 mM) is shown in FIG.","5A The results show that the binding of H. pylori to human gastric tissue is significantly reduced in the presence of Leb (10 μg/ml) and Fe-QA at both 1 mM and 0.2 mM concentrations when incubated for 1 hour at room temperature.","Reduction in bacterial binding was estimated by counting the number of specifically adhered bacteria to the gastric pit region under 200× magnification.","Fe-QA therefore prevents bacterial attachment of H. pylori to gastric epithelium.","FIG.","5B shows the competitive inhibition of Leb binding to H. pylori by Fe-QA as the concentration of Fe-QA is increased.","The graph is a plot of the ratio of bound/free Leb versus Fe-QA concentration (μM).","The graph shows that Fe-QA increasingly inhibits binding of the Leb to H. pylori as the amount of Fe-QA is increased.","Example 6.Fe-QA Prevention of Biofilm Formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) Materials and Methods Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO-1, and a clinically isolated uropathogenic Escherichia coli UPEC-536 were routinely grown on either LB (Luria-Bertani, Oxoid, UK) agar plates at 37° C. or in broth at 37° C. with 200 rpm shaking.","UV-sterilized glass slides were incubated in either 15 mL RPMI-1640 defined medium (Sigma, UK) or 15 mL RPMI-1640 with Fe-QA inoculated with diluted (OD600=0.01) bacteria from overnight cultures at 37° C. with 60 rpm shaking for 72 hours.","The slides were removed from bacterial culture and washed with 15 mL phosphate buffered saline at room temperature for 5 minutes three times and then rinsed with distilled H2O.","After washing, the slides were stained with 20 μM SYTO17 dye (Invitrogen, UK) at room temperature for 30 minutes.","After removing excess staining dye and air-drying, the samples were examined using a Carl Zeiss LSM 700 Laser Scanning Microscope with ZEN 2009 imaging software (Carl Zeiss, Germany).","The coverage rate of bacteria on the surface was analysed using open source Image J 1.44 software (National Institute of Health, US).","Results FIG.","6A shows that Fe-QA (“X”) at 100 μM inhibits the formation of biofilm by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.","In the absence of Fe-QA, a higher coverage rate was measured for Pseudomonas aeruginosa than in the presence of a 100 μM concentration of Fe-QA.","FIG.","6B shows that Fe-QA inhibits the formation of biofilm by Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC).","In the absence of Fe-Q (“0 μM), a higher coverage rate is measured for UPEC than in the presence of 0.1 μM, 1 μM, 10 μM and 100 μM concentrations of Fe-QA.","Example 7.Planktonic Growth of Bacteria in the Presence of Fe-QA Materials and Methods The growth rate of Uropathogenic E. coli UPEC-536 in RPMI-1640 media over a period of 24 hours was compared to the growth rate of UPEC in RPMI-1640 media, but in the presence of 100 μM Fe-QA.","The growth rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in RPMI-1640 media was also compared to the growth rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in RPMI-1640 media, but in the presence of 100 μM Fe-QA.","Results FIG.","7A is a graph showing the growth rate of UPEC in RPMI-1640 media over a period of 24 hours.","The growth rate is compared to the growth rate of UPEC in RPMI-1640 media, but in the presence of 100 μM Fe-QA.","(The optical absorbance of the RPMI-1640 is also shown for reference.)","The graph demonstrates that Fe-QA does not inhibit the growth of UPEC.","However, as shown in Example 6 and FIG.","6B, Fe-QA inhibits biofilm formation.","Therefore, the inhibition of biofilm formation is not due to bacterial growth inhibition.","FIG.","7B is a graph showing the growth rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in RPMI-1640 media.","The growth rate is compared to the growth rate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in RPMI-1640 media, but in the presence of 100 μM Fe-QA.","(The optical absorbance of the RPMI-1640 is also shown for reference.)","The graph demonstrates that Fe-QA does not inhibit the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa as was also found for UPEC (above).","However, as shown in Example 6 and FIG.","6A, Fe-QA inhibits biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.","Therefore, the inhibition of biofilm formation is not due to bacterial growth inhibition.","Example 8.Planktonic Growth Versus Biofilm Growth of C. jejuni MOMP T268G Mutant Materials and Methods A MOMP-T strain of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168 was prepared by mutating T268 of MOMP.","The T268 of MOMP was replaced with glycine.","The planktonic growth of the MOMP-T strain of Campylobacter jejuni and its ability to form a biofilm compared to the wild type strain was determined.","Bacteria (wildtype and the MOMP-T strain) were grown on CCDA selective charcoal agar and then passaged to Mueller-Hinton broth (MHB).","Growth suspensions were prepared at 0.02 OD/ml and then allowed to grow at 37° C. under atmospheric conditions (5% CO2, 6% O2) for 48 h in MHB with plastic coated UV beads (Lascells).","After 48 h, 10 μl suspension was serially diluted 10 fold to 10−3, 10−4, 10−5, 10−6, 10−7, and 10−8.For each dilution, 10 μl was spotted on CCDA selective agar plates and colonies counted after 48 h. The beads were also removed and washed in PBS before adding to 1 ml PBS.","After vortex mixing, 10 μl of the cell suspension was serially diluted as above and cell counts carried out to quantify biofilm formation.","Results FIG.","8A shows that mutation of T268 of MOMP does not impact the growth of Campylobacter jejuni relative to wildtype even though it is known that T268 of MOMP is O-glycosylated.","However, FIG.","8B shows that mutation of T268 of MOMP does impact biofilm formation.","The experiment demonstrates that O-glycosylation of MOMP at T268 in Campylobacter is vital for biofilm formation, and the necessity of the MOMP-T268 glycan for aggregation and biofilm formation.","Example 9.Fe-QA Treatment Makes Antibiotic Resistant Strain of E. coli Lose Resistance to Antibiotics Materials and Methods A kanamycin resistance gene was introduced into the genome of Enteropathogenic E. coli EPEC, (E2348/69), genotype; Wildtype EPEC-O-17:H6 allowing the kanamycin resistant strain of EPEC to grow in the presence of a patch that has been immersed in kanamycin (at a concentration of 50 μg/mL).","The kanamycin resistant strain of EPEC was then immersed in a patch in a solution of Fe-QA.","Results Immersing a patch in a solution of Fe-QA, and then placing the patch on a growth plate with the kanamycin resistant strain also had no significant effect on bacterial growth.","However, immersing the patch in a solution of Fe-QA and kanamycin, and then placing on a growth plate caused the bacteria to fail to grow.","The experiment demonstrates that Fe-QA has no significant impact on the growth of the bacteria.","However, Fe-QA makes the bacteria more sensitive to kanamycin even though the bacteria carry a kanamycin resistant gene, and is therefore resistant to the antibiotic.","The Fe-QA can therefore be used in conjunction with antibiotics to kill or inhibit the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria.","FIG.","9 is a graph that shows the impact on the growth curve of the EPEC kanamycin resistant strain when grown in the presence of: (i) kanamycin (line number 2 from top, (triangles)), (ii) Fe-QA (line number 1, from top), and (iii) kanamycin and Fe-QA (line number 3, from top (squares)).","The most rapid growth was found when the strain was grown in medium only containing Fe-QA.","However, a difference was observed between the rate of growth of the strain in the presence of kanamycin versus kanamycin and Fe-QA.","The double-headed arrow indicates the difference in rates between these two growth conditions.","The rate of growth of the strain was inhibited in the presence of kanamycin and Fe-Q relative to the rate of growth of the strain just in the presence of kanamycin.","This is further evidence that Fe-QA can be used in conjunction with antibiotics to kill or inhibit the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria.","Example 10.Fe-QA Treatment Makes Antibiotic Resistant Strain of C. jejuni NCYC 11168 Lose Resistance to Antibiotic Materials and Methods A patch immersed in a solution of Fe-QA was placed on a growth plate with wildtype Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168 (that does not carry a kanamycin resistance gene).","The wildtype C. jejuni grew normally, and was not affected by FeQ.","A patch was also immersed in a solution of kanamycin and Fe-QA, and placed on a growth plate of wildtype C. jejuni.","The growth of C. jejuni was impacted showing that wildtype C. jejuni is sensitive to the presence of kanamycin.","The patch experiments were repeated with a Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168 strain carrying a kanamycin resistance gene wherein patches were immersed in (i) kanamycin only, (ii) Fe-QA only, and (iii) kanamycin and Fe-QA.","The growth of the C. jejuni strain carrying the kanamycin resistance gene was not impacted by the patches immersed in (i) kanamycin and (ii) Fe-QA, however, the growth was impacted by the patch that was immersed in both kanamycin and Fe-QA.","The results further demonstrate that Fe-QA can be used in combination with antibiotics to inhibit or kill antibiotic resistant bacteria.","Example 11.Fe-Tyr Treatment Makes Antibiotic Resistant Strain of Enteropathogenic E. Coli (EPEC) E2348/69 Lose Resistance to Antibiotic Materials and Methods The impact on the growth curve of antibiotic resistant Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 (genotype Wild Type EPEC O17:H6) when grown in the presence of (i) gentamicin (1.25 μM), (ii) Fe-Tyr (100 μM), (iii) gentamicin (1.25 μM) and Fe-Tyr (1.25 μM), and (iv) a control with no gentamicin or Fe-Tyr present was determined.","Results FIG.","10A is a graph that shows the impact on the growth curve of antibiotic resistant Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 (genotype Wild Type EPEC O17:H6) when grown in the presence of (i) gentamicin (1.25 μM) (grey circles), (ii) Fe-Tyr (100 μM) (grey inverted triangles), (iii) gentamicin (1.25 μM) and Fe-Tyr (1.25 μM) (white upright triangles), and (iv) a control with no gentamicin or Fe-Tyr present (black circles).","The most rapid growth (see FIG.","10B) was found when the strain was grown in medium only containing Fe-Tyr, which was comparable to the control (without gentamicin or Fe-Tyr present).","However, a difference was observed between the rate of growth of the strain in the presence of the antibiotic gentamicin versus gentamicin and Fe-Tyr.","Thus it was shown that the rate of growth of the strain was inhibited in the presence of gentamicin and Fe-Tyr relative to the rate of growth of the strain just in the presence of gentamicin.","This is evidence that Fe-Tyr can be used in conjunction with antibiotics to kill or inhibit the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria.","Example 12.FeQ (Known Also as “Fe-QA”) Treatment Makes Antibiotic Resistant Strain of Enteropathogenic E. Coli (EPEC) E2348/69 Lose Resistance to Antibiotic Materials and Methods The impact on the growth curve of antibiotic resistant Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 (genotype Wild Type EPEC O17:H6) when grown in the presence of a fixed concentration of gentamicin (1.25 μM) and an increasing concentration of FeQ versus the strain grown in the presence of only FeQ or only gentamicin, was determined.","Results FIGS.","11A-C are graphs that show the impact on the growth curve of antibiotic resistant Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 (genotype Wild Type EPEC O17:H6) when grown in the presence of a fixed concentration of gentamicin (1.25 μM) and an increasing concentration of FeQ (FIG.","11A: 10 μM, FIG.","11B: 34 μM and FIG.","11C: 68 μM) versus the strain grown in the presence of only FeQ or only gentamicin.","As shown in FIG.","11D, increasing the concentration of FeQ from 10 μM to 100 μM did not impact the growth rate of the strain.","However, FIG.","11E clearly shows that a difference was observed between the rate of growth of the strain in the presence of the antibiotic gentamicin versus the combination of gentamicin and FeQ.","Thus it was shown the rate of growth of the strain was inhibited in the presence of gentamicin and FeQ relative to the rate of growth of the strain just in the presence of gentamicin.","This is further evidence that FeQ can be used in conjunction with antibiotics to kill or inhibit the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria.","Example 13.FeQ Prevents Attachment of Bacteria to Surfaces Materials and Methods Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) E2348/69 were grown in wells for 48 hours at 37° C. in the presence of FeQ (100 μM), and in the absence of FeQ (as control).","After 48 hours, the wells were washed in order to remove suspended cells.","Crystal violet was then added to each well.","The wells were then washed to remove excess dye.","A mixture of acetone/ethanol was then added to the wells to re-suspend any cells attached to the plastic surface of the wells, and dissolve any dye present.","The presence of dye in each well was then quantified by measuring the O.D.","at 570 nm.","Results In the absence of FeQ, EPEC binds to the plastic surface and forms a biofilm that is readily detected by dying with crystal violet.","However, in the presence of FeQ, EPEC is unable to attach to the plastic surface and form a biofilm, and is not detected by adding crystal violet.","FIG.","12 shows quantitatively the difference in the attachment of EPEC cells to the plastic well surface in the absence and presence of FeQ by measurement of the optical absorbance of crystal violet that was absorbed by EPEC cells attached to the surface.","At an FeQ concentration of 100 μM there is little or no attachment of bacterial cells to the surface and no biofilm formation.","Example 14.FeQ (Known Also as “Fe-QA”) Treatment Makes Antibiotic Resistant Strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO-1 Lose Resistance to Antibiotic Materials and Methods The impact on the growth curve of an antibiotic resistant clinical isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO-1 Clinical) grown in the presence of kanamycin and FeQ versus the clinical isolate grown in the presence of (i) FeQ, (ii) kanamycin or (iii) without addition of FeQ or kanamycin (control) was assessed.","Results FIG.","13 is a graph that shows the impact on the growth curve of an antibiotic resistant clinical isolate of Pseudomonas (PAO-1 Clinical) grown in the presence of kanamycin and FeQ versus the clinical isolate grown in the presence of (i) FeQ, (ii) kanamycin or (iii) without addition of FeQ or kanamycin (control).","The graph shows a large reduction in the growth rate of the Pseudomonas PAO clinical isolate when kanamycin and FeQ are added to the growth media versus either kanamycin or FeQ alone.","The example demonstrates that FeQ causes the Pseudomonas clinical isolate to lose its sensitivity to the antibiotic.","Example 15.Impact of FeQ and Mutation of the Glycosylation Site of the MOMP Protein of Campylobacter jejuni on Protein Expression Materials and Methods In order to determine the role of FeQ and glycosylation on protein expression by Campylobacter, a quantitative proteomic approach was undertaken to determine protein contents upon FeQ treatment of Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168 wildtype (WT) and a mutant strain (MOMPT268G), also referred to as MOMP-T, where the O-glycosylation site of MOMP had been disrupted by an amino acid substitution preventing glycosylation of MOMP.","Protein expression of (i) Campylobacter jejuni 11168 wildtype (WT), (ii) Campylobacter jejuni 11168 MOMP-T (MOMP-T), (iii) Campylobacter jejuni 11168 wildtype (WT) in the presence of FeQ, and (iv) Campylobacter jejuni 11168 MOMP-T in the presence of FeQ were determined using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ).","Bacterial proteins were identified using LC-MS/MS and iTRAQ, and functions assigned according to the Gene Ontology classification system.","A total of 274,533 mass spectra from all samples led to the identification of 626 peptides (i.e.","420 unique peptides that were assigned to 160 Campylobacter proteins).","Results Table 1 shows the results of iTRAQ analysis comparing the ratios of protein expression for (a) WT/MOMP-T, (b) WT+FeQ/WT, (c) MOMP-T+FeQ/MOMP-T, and (d) WT+FeQ/MOMP-T+FeQ, wherein (a) is the ratio of Campylobacter jejuni 11168 wildtype to the Campylobacter jejuni 11168 T268G mutant, (b) is the ratio of Campylobacter jejuni 11168 wildtype treated with FeQ to Campylobacter jejuni 11168 wildtype, (c) is the ratio of the Campylobacter jejuni 11168 T268G mutant treated with FeQ to the Campylobacter jejuni 11168 T268G mutant, and (d) is the ratio of Campylobacter jejuni 11168 wildtype treated with FeQ to the Campylobacter jejuni 11168 T268G mutant treated with FeQ.","TABLE 1 iTRAQ analysis WT + FeQ/ # Unique WT/MOMP-T WT + FeQ/WT MOMP-T + FeQ/MOMP-T MOMP-T + FeQ Accession Description MW [kDa] Coverage # Proteins Peptides # Peptides 114/116 115/114 117/116 115/117 A0A059H879 Molecular chaperone GroEL 57.9 56.51 30 20 24 0.821 1.460 1.222 1.082 OS = Campylobacter jejuni Cj1 GN = groEL PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059H879_CAMJU] A3ZEC2 Elongation factor Tu 43.6 51.63 16 14 15 0.916 0.907 0.945 0.949 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni HB93-13 GN = tuf PE = 3 SV = 1 − [A3ZEC2_CAMJU] H7YTU2 Putative GMC 63.7 27.23 34 11 12 1.494 1.476 1.319 1.894 oxidoreductase subunit OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni LMG 23357 GN = cje133_09008 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7YTU2_CAMJU] H7YEB5 Nickel-dependent 63.5 30.30 36 9 12 0.585 1.027 0.890 0.818 hydrogenase, large subunit OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni LMG 9879 GN = cje120_00450 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [H7YEB5_CAMJU] A0A059GL54 Cytochrome C biogenesis 36.8 34.90 18 9 11 1.162 0.694 0.778 1.118 protein CcsA OS = Campylobacter jejuni 255 GN = L034_08235 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GL54_CAMJU] H7ZE54 Chemotaxis protein CheA 85.2 20.03 24 9 13 0.720 1.176 1.034 0.861 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 2008-1025 GN = cje145_01162 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7ZE54_CAMJU] E5Z9V4 Methyl-accepting chemotaxis 71.3 38.73 229 8 21 0.893 1.172 1.049 1.105 protein (MCP) signaling domain protein (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni DFVF1099 GN = CSQ_1786 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5Z9V4_CAMJU] A0A023WIW7 Fumarate reductase 73.7 19.76 30 8 11 0.865 0.832 0.766 0.992 flavoprotein subunit OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CG8421 GN = CJ8421_02050 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A023WIW7_CAMJU] W8JBW7 Cytochrome C 41.4 29.95 25 8 10 0.574 1.116 0.820 0.816 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni NCTC 11168-Kf1 GN = N919_05910 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [W8JBW7_CAMJE] A8FJR2 ATP synthase subunit beta 50.8 20.65 14 7 8 0.718 1.106 0.942 1.019 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype O:6 (strain 81116/NCTC 11828) GN = atpD PE = 3 SV = 1 − [ATPB_CAMJ8] Q9PPE0 Probable thiol peroxidase 18.4 60.00 12 7 8 1.159 1.281 1.162 1.446 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype O:2 (strain NCTC 11168) GN = tpx PE = 3 SV = 1 − [TPX_CAMJE] E5ZFX0 Methyl-accepting chemotaxis 41.8 26.39 95 7 8 0.676 1.183 1.061 0.748 protein (MCP) signaling domain protein (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = CSS_2003 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZFX0_CAMJU] H7ZH37 Putative amino-acid 30.9 46.95 29 7 12 0.568 1.623 1.058 0.980 transporter periplasmic solute-binding protein OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 2008-1025 GN = cje145_06564 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7ZH37_CAMJU] D2MUR2 Possible bacterioferritin 17.2 69.80 14 7 9 0.766 1.045 0.951 0.939 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 1336 GN = C1336_000320070 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [D2MUR2_CAMJU] H8BN80 Methyl-accepting chemotaxis 76.1 21.16 79 6 10 0.702 1.106 1.005 0.857 protein (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 87459 GN = cje34_06680 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H8BN80_CAMJU] W8J4X8 Chemotaxis protein 72.3 36.42 189 6 20 0.873 1.095 1.015 0.994 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni NCTC 11168-Kf1 GN = N919_00720 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [W8J4X8_CAMJE] A0A059H748 Formate dehydrogenase 82.3 12.08 36 6 7 1.311 0.622 0.795 1.077 OS = Campylobacter jejuni Cj2 GN = N215_08730 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059H748_CAMJU] A0A059GQU9 Cytochrome C 69.2 15.90 39 6 8 0.785 0.882 0.892 0.817 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 255 GN = L034_04325 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GQU9_CAMJU] Q9PI32 50S ribosomal protein L7/L12 13.1 48.00 12 5 5 0.555 1.156 0.899 0.849 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype O:2 (strain NCTC 11168) GN = rplL PE = 3 SV = 1 − [RL7_CAMJE] N4Y7C8 ATP synthase subunit alpha 52.0 20.21 26 5 9 0.943 0.985 1.042 1.145 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni ICDCCJ07004 GN = atpA PE = 3 SV = 1 − [N4Y7C8_CAMJU] W2ANI8 Chemotaxis protein 70.2 35.36 175 5 19 0.557 1.240 0.923 0.655 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 81-176- UMCW7 GN = X909_03500 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [W2ANI8_CAMJJ] A0A059GKB1 Uncharacterized protein 20.5 42.63 20 5 7 1.416 0.969 0.688 2.228 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 30286 GN = N196_05010 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GKB1_CAMJU] E5Z8A4 PPIC-type PPIASE domain 29.4 29.66 23 5 7 1.657 1.318 1.852 1.268 protein OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni DFVF1099 GN = CSQ_1024 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5Z8A4_CAMJU] E5ZDN6 Periplasmic nitrate 99.4 13.13 23 5 10 1.247 0.694 0.745 1.406 reductase, large subunit (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = napA PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E5ZDN6_CAMJU] A0A059GE96 Inosine-5-monophosphate 52.1 23.09 28 5 8 1.060 1.048 1.203 0.976 dehydrogenase OS = Campylobacter jejuni 10186 GN = N194_07695 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GE96_CAMJU] A0A059GIX6 Pyruvate-flavodoxin 131.3 6.32 34 5 6 1.155 0.905 0.998 1.104 oxidoreductase OS = Campylobacter jejuni 10186 GN = N194_00565 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GIX6_CAMJU] A0A059H231 DNA-directed RNA 155.5 4.29 34 5 5 1.143 1.013 1.208 1.014 polymerase subunit beta OS = Campylobacter jejuni Cj5 GN = N213_08515 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059H231_CAMJU] Q3HR22 Putative ATP/GTP binding 33.8 23.76 33 5 6 0.551 1.156 0.934 0.700 protein (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni PE = 4 SV = 1 − [Q3HR22_CAMJU] A8FNQ7 DNA-directed RNA 37.7 18.10 10 4 6 0.858 0.993 0.931 1.056 polymerase subunit alpha OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype O:6 (strain 81116/NCTC 11828) GN = rpoA PE = 3 SV = 1 − [RPOA_CAMJ8] D3FK01 Alkyl hydroperoxide reductase 22.0 36.87 6 4 5 1.141 1.110 1.085 1.255 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni (strain IA3902) GN = ahpC PE = 4 SV = 1 − [D3FK01_CAMJI] A0A059GHU6 Lipoprotein 17.8 33.94 10 4 5 0.520 1.095 0.681 0.994 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 30286 GN = N196_08005 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GHU6_CAMJU] H8BUP1 Putative oxidoreductase 26.0 25.64 14 4 4 1.497 1.388 1.418 1.468 subunit OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 140-16 GN = cje4_08690 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H8BUP1_CAMJU] A0A059GU70 Serine protease 51.0 15.04 31 4 6 1.548 1.469 1.572 1.562 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 30318 GN = N212_01200 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GU70_CAMJU] D3FN39 Bipartate energy taxis 19.3 24.85 19 4 4 0.375 2.172 1.256 0.740 response protein cetB OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni (strain IA3902) GN = cetB PE = 4 SV = 1 − [D3FN39_CAMJI] A0A059I201 Chemotaxis protein CheY 34.8 18.77 15 4 4 0.820 1.034 0.965 0.955 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni K5 GN = N218_00260 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059I201_CAMJU] E5ZAL2 Ketol-acid reductoisomerase 36.7 16.27 24 3 4 0.851 1.126 1.009 1.019 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = ilvC PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E5ZAL2_CAMJU] H7Y518 Major outer membrane 45.6 30.90 215 3 10 0.109 0.832 0.840 0.121 protein OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni LMG 23269 GN = cje114_01222 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7Y518_CAMJU] D6BWG0 Fibronectin-binding protein 23.4 17.54 32 3 4 0.478 1.008 0.784 0.678 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni GN = cadF PE = 3 SV = 1 − [D6BWG0_CAMJU] N4Y4W1 Fumarate reductase iron-sulfur 24.9 24.77 11 3 4 0.737 0.776 0.716 0.868 subunit OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni ICDCCJ07004 GN = H741_1738 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [N4Y4W1_CAMJU] A0A059HYE2 50S ribosomal protein L5 19.7 26.55 16 3 4 0.880 0.878 1.078 0.736 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni K5 GN = N218_12355 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059HYE2_CAMJU] T2D4H6 Nitrogen fixation protein NifU 32.4 19.73 22 3 5 1.099 1.379 1.207 1.364 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 00-2544 GN = N755_00276 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [T2D4H6_CAMJU] H7X7T5 Non-heme iron protein 17.0 48.99 17 3 6 1.198 0.956 0.748 1.957 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 51494 GN = cje10_07457 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7X7T5_CAMJU] A0A059I263 50S ribosomal protein L13 15.7 30.50 9 3 4 0.784 0.864 0.928 0.765 OS = Campylobacter jejuni K5 GN = N218_00710 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059I263_CAMJU] A0A059GLY8 O-acetylhomoserine 46.6 10.64 25 3 3 0.531 1.165 1.089 0.666 aminocarboxypropyltransferase OS = Campylobacter jejuni 30286 GN = N196_03230 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GLY8_CAMJU] E5ZGX0 30S ribosomal protein S1 60.1 6.58 39 3 3 1.167 0.899 0.966 1.180 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 327 GN = CSU_0110 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E5ZGX0_CAMJU] A0A059HDM4 Ferritin OS = Campylobacter 19.5 28.74 7 3 4 0.679 1.225 1.263 0.729 jejuni Cj1 GN = N214_07950 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059HDM4_CAMJU] A0A059H490 Capsule biosynthesis protein 42.5 9.68 37 3 3 0.848 1.123 1.000 1.034 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 30318 GN = N212_06885 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059H490_CAMJU] A0A059H487 Cytochrome Cbb3 31.1 12.54 14 3 3 0.605 0.898 0.814 0.799 OS = Campylobacter jejuni Cj5 GN = N213_05015 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059H487_CAMJU] A0A059H9K5 Uncharacterized protein 16.1 24.31 21 3 3 1.324 1.130 1.047 1.527 OS = Campylobacter jejuni Cj1 GN = N214_00085 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059H9K5_CAMJU] E6RSV9 Putative periplasmic protein 26.4 21.03 39 3 4 0.734 1.145 1.044 0.897 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni (strain S3) GN = CJS3_0034 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E6RSV9_CAMJS] H7ZHL3 Thioredoxin 11.3 39.42 3 3 3 1.049 1.096 1.010 1.208 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 2008-1025 GN = cje145_07496 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [H7ZHL3_CAMJU] A5KGI0 Trigger factor 50.9 9.26 32 3 4 1.196 0.959 1.622 0.690 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CG8486 GN = tig PE = 3 SV = 1 − [A5KGI0_CAMJU] A1VYF9 Acyl carrier protein 8.6 44.16 5 2 3 0.834 1.042 0.962 0.954 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype O:23/36 (strain 81-176) GN = acpP PE = 3 SV = 1 − [ACP_CAMJJ] A7H623 Protein RecA 37.0 8.75 13 2 2 0.333 0.827 1.507 0.199 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","doylei (strain ATCC BAA-1458/RM4099/269.97) GN = recA PE = 3 SV = 1 − [RECA_CAMJD] A7H646 50S ribosomal protein L14 13.3 15.57 4 2 2 1.392 0.788 1.197 0.996 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","doylei (strain ATCC BAA-1458/RM4099/269.97) GN = rplN PE = 3 SV = 1 − [RL14_CAMJD] A8FJQ0 50S ribosomal protein L27 9.3 32.14 4 2 2 0.427 0.991 0.987 0.466 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype O:6 (strain 81116/NCTC 11828) GN = rpmA PE = 3 SV = 1 − [RL27_CAMJ8] A0A059GI82 Preprotein translocase subunit 98.0 2.67 39 2 2 1.461 1.058 1.347 1.299 SecA OS = Campylobacter jejuni 10186 GN = N194_01400 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GI82_CAMJU] R4VJ36 Methyl-accepting chemotaxis 40.5 9.89 68 2 3 1.356 0.726 0.954 1.120 protein (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni PE = 4 SV = 1 − [R4VJ36_CAMJU] E5ZGP1 Translation initiation factor IF- 74.4 3.52 45 2 2 1.518 0.950 1.416 1.106 2 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = infB PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E5ZGP1_CAMJU] A0A059HWV0 Molecular chaperone DnaK 44.2 6.80 30 2 2 1.115 1.065 1.140 1.161 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni K5 GN = dnaK PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059HWV0_CAMJU] D2MY32 DNA-binding protein HU 10.3 58.16 7 2 4 0.523 1.053 0.764 0.782 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 414 GN = C414_000220094 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [D2MY32_CAMJU] E5Z911 10 kDa chaperonin (Fragment) 8.5 33.33 11 2 2 0.833 1.334 1.307 0.937 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni DFVF1099 GN = CSQ_1483 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E5Z911_CAMJU] A5KF33 DNA-directed RNA 71.4 5.35 39 2 3 1.072 0.852 1.198 0.829 polymerase OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CG8486 GN = Cj8486_0470 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [A5KF33_CAMJU] A0A059GK15 Chemotaxis protein CheY 25.5 10.76 11 2 2 1.082 1.172 0.861 1.497 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 30286 GN = N196_06275 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GK15_CAMJU] H7X9T0 Putative periplasmic 10.8 26.00 9 2 3 2.195 0.784 0.518 3.608 cytochrome C OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni LMG 23216 GN = cje100_00683 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7X9T0_CAMJU] H8A1L3 Succinyl-CoA ligase [ADP- 41.8 10.85 31 2 4 1.598 0.731 0.879 1.443 forming] subunit beta OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 1997-1 GN = sucC PE = 3 SV = 1 − [H8A1L3_CAMJU] E5ZK16 Aspartate ammonia-lyase 51.5 18.24 28 2 7 2.064 0.774 1.001 1.821 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 327 GN = aspA PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZK16_CAMJU] H8AV03 Flavodoxin 17.1 46.63 15 2 5 0.869 1.453 0.941 1.505 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 1997-11 GN = cje23_01298 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [H8AV03_CAMJU] E6S147 Heat shock protein HtpG 43.4 8.49 38 2 2 1.211 0.971 1.132 1.129 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype HS:41 (strain ICDCCJ07001) GN = ICDCCJ07001_468 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E6S147_CAMJC] T2DA57 Biotin sulfoxide reductase 83.5 4.83 24 2 3 1.297 0.947 1.394 0.957 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 00-2538 GN = N565_00245 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [T2DA57_CAMJU] W2AJL6 Hemolysin D 35.9 7.29 29 2 2 0.923 1.075 1.067 1.011 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 81-176-DRH212 GN = X908_07140 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [W2AJL6_CAMJJ] A0A059HWP5 50S ribosomal protein L6 19.6 13.48 11 2 2 0.685 0.939 0.944 0.740 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 20176 GN = N195_02450 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059HWP5_CAMJU] A0A059I3A1 Bifunctional aconitate 68.5 7.91 41 2 4 1.215 1.015 0.960 1.395 hydratase 2/2-methylisocitrate dehydratase (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni K5 GN = N218_00085 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059I3A1_CAMJU] E5Z763 Histidine-binding protein 16.6 12.00 25 2 2 0.536 1.228 0.916 0.781 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni DFVF1099 GN = CSQ_0818 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5Z763_CAMJU] N4Y795 Periplasmic nitrate reductase, 18.5 23.08 14 2 2 1.045 0.800 0.679 1.337 electron transfer subunit OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni ICDCCJ07004 GN = H741_0553 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [N4Y795_CAMJU] E5ZDN8 Major antigenic peptide PEB2 23.4 11.06 24 2 2 1.820 0.919 1.187 1.624 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = CSS_1183 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZDN8_CAMJU] A0A023WJ10 Multifunctional 53.7 7.87 41 2 3 2.246 0.792 1.851 1.044 aminopeptidase A OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CG8421 GN = CJ8421_04595 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A023WJ10_CAMJU] E5Z8E0 Ubiquinol-cytochrome c 17.0 26.75 18 2 3 0.661 1.010 0.843 0.861 reductase, iron-sulfur subunit OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni DFVF1099 GN = petA PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5Z8E0_CAMJU] A3ZFB9 Protein TolB (Fragment) 37.1 7.51 20 2 2 1.168 0.974 1.030 1.200 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni HB93-13 GN = CJJHB9313_0128 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A3ZFB9_CAMJU] E5ZCI8 Cytochrome c oxidase, cbb3- 21.0 15.14 11 2 2 0.654 0.917 0.830 0.766 type, subunit II (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = ccoO PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZCI8_CAMJU] E5ZDB1 UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 1- 43.3 6.47 29 2 2 1.339 0.913 1.188 1.119 carboxyvinyltransferase (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = murA PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E5ZDB1_CAMJU] A8FP13 50S ribosomal protein L29 7.0 11.48 4 1 1 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype O:6 (strain 81116/NCTC 11828) GN = rpmC PE = 3 SV = 1 − [RL29_CAMJ8] A7H1N3 50S ribosomal protein L31 7.3 15.38 4 1 1 1.075 0.960 1.247 0.899 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","doylei (strain ATCC BAA-1458/RM4099/269.97) GN = rpmE PE = 3 SV = 1 − [RL31_CAMJD] E7G1N6 30S ribosomal protein S12 13.4 13.93 6 1 2 1.278 0.572 0.758 1.051 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni DFVF1099 GN = rpsL PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E7G1N6_CAMJU] E5ZKB7 Methyl-accepting chemotaxis 66.0 3.42 77 1 2 1.419 1.018 1.069 1.467 protein (MCP) signaling domain protein OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 327 GN = CSU_1383 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZKB7_CAMJU] H7Y9X9 50S ribosomal protein L25 19.5 12.36 8 1 2 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 55037 GN = rplY PE = 3 SV = 1 − [H7Y9X9_CAMJU] E5Z7S7 HAD-superfamily hydrolase, 114.6 1.54 2 1 1 1.275 0.867 1.201 1.000 subfamily IA, variant 1 family protein OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni DFVF1099 GN = CSQ_1071 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5Z7S7_CAMJU] A0A059HMD1 Membrane protein 45.7 23.29 114 1 8 0.224 0.963 0.840 0.279 OS = Campylobacter jejuni Cj2 GN = N215_00405 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059HMD1_CAMJU] A0A059GML6 Thiamine biosynthesis 47.4 2.33 29 1 1 1.462 0.787 1.142 1.095 protein ThiC OS = Campylobacter jejuni 255 GN = L034_06270 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GML6_CAMJU] A0A059GQ49 NADH dehydrogenase 24.9 6.57 8 1 1 0.793 0.891 0.886 0.866 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 10186 GN = N194_04245 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GQ49_CAMJU] D2MZ94 Fibronectin type III domain 45.2 3.74 26 1 2 protein OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 414 GN = C414_000260115 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [D2MZ94_CAMJU] A0A059HT33 30S ribosomal protein S6 12.5 6.60 9 1 1 0.857 1.009 1.187 0.792 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni K5 GN = N218_16365 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059HT33_CAMJU] A0A059HR90 Superoxide dismutase 24.8 14.09 15 1 3 OS = Campylobacter jejuni K1 GN = N217_00445 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059HR90_CAMJU] H7ZK03 ATP-dependent chaperone 31.6 7.39 49 1 2 1.019 1.107 1.339 0.915 protein ClpB (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 2008-894 GN = cje146_02596 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7ZK03_CAMJU] I6YES0 Flagellin A (Fragment) 58.9 22.24 355 1 10 0.477 0.897 0.908 0.512 OS = Campylobacter jejuni GN = flaA PE = 4 SV = 1 − [I6YES0_CAMJU] H7QVG3 DNA-binding response 34.4 2.03 2 1 1 3.811 0.308 1.290 0.990 regulator, putative OS = Campylobacter coli 111- 3 GN = cco1_05089 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7QVG3_CAMCO] A0A059HJZ0 Uncharacterized protein 13.9 13.22 9 1 1 1.048 0.911 1.037 1.000 OS = Campylobacter jejuni Cj2 GN = N215_00975 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059HJZ0_CAMJU] A3YTA0 Ribosomal protein L3 18.6 10.00 9 1 2 0.614 0.838 0.685 0.816 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 260.94 GN = rplC PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A3YTA0_CAMJU] A3ZGX1 Flagellin subunit protein 59.2 19.06 241 1 8 2.832 0.535 0.869 1.896 FlaB OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 84-25 GN = flaB PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A3ZGX1_CAMJU] H7QW70 RNA polymerase sigma factor 72.7 1.13 16 1 1 1.195 1.023 1.175 1.130 RpoD OS = Campylobacter coli 111-3 GN = rpoD PE = 3 SV = 1 − [H7QW70_CAMCO] A0A059GGJ8 Aspartate ammonia-lyase 51.7 19.23 11 1 8 2.534 0.638 0.947 1.855 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 10186 GN = aspA PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GGJ8_CAMJU] A0A059GN06 50S ribosomal protein L1 25.0 10.30 4 1 2 0.724 1.063 0.790 1.058 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 255 GN = L034_06405 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GN06_CAMJU] A0A023WJ77 2-oxoglutarate-acceptor 41.1 10.96 20 1 2 1.317 1.251 1.456 1.230 oxidoreductase subunit OorA OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CG8421 GN = oorA PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A023WJ77_CAMJU] H7XU40 Putative transmembrane 30.7 9.71 32 1 3 protein OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 60004 GN = cje11_00070 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7XU40_CAMJU] H7XPE7 Uncharacterized protein 28.2 2.81 27 1 1 0.602 1.000 0.949 0.689 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni LMG 23263 GN = cje109_01311 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7XPE7_CAMJU] H7YV89 Uncharacterized protein 14.7 7.20 27 1 1 0.825 0.963 0.972 0.888 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni ATCC 33560 GN = cje135_02523 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7YV89_CAMJU] A0A059HSX2 Membrane protein 17.7 6.04 11 1 1 0.672 1.062 0.884 0.877 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 20176 GN = N195_04100 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059HSX2_CAMJU] A5KI22 ATP synthase F1 sector 27.7 12.81 22 1 3 0.666 1.217 0.853 1.033 gamma subunit OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CG8486 GN = Cj8486_0101 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A5KI22_CAMJU] A0A059I444 Branched-chain amino acid 32.7 6.80 18 1 2 aminotransferase (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni K5 GN = N218_11890 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059I444_CAMJU] E5ZGJ6 Delta-aminolevulinic acid 34.3 2.89 27 1 1 dehydratase OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = CSS_2245 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E5ZGJ6_CAMJU] E5ZFV6 Fibronectin type III domain 28.2 8.40 43 1 2 2.266 0.906 0.963 2.318 protein (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = CSS_1989 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZFV6_CAMJU] A0A059GNV7 2-oxoglutarate ferredoxin 31.2 4.27 14 1 1 1.156 1.022 1.005 1.276 oxidoreductase subunit beta OS = Campylobacter jejuni 10186 GN = N194_05915 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GNV7_CAMJU] A5KFW1 Membrane bound zinc 40.7 7.55 20 1 2 1.000 0.979 1.086 0.979 metallopeptidase OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CG8486 GN = Cj8486_1154c PE = 3 SV = 1 − [A5KFW1_CAMJU] H8A911 Putative endonuclease 64.2 1.65 9 1 1 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 2008-979 GN = cje160_10022 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H8A911_CAMJU] X0N637 30S ribosomal protein S15 10.0 10.23 4 1 1 0.180 0.759 1.075 0.138 OS = Campylobacter jejuni X GN = rpsO PE = 3 SV = 1 − [X0N637_CAMJU] Q29XU5 50S ribosomal protein L15 11.4 10.58 13 1 1 0.464 1.015 0.568 0.901 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni GN = rpsLO PE = 3 SV = 1 − [Q29XU5_CAMJU] A0A059HZ15 30S ribosomal protein S5 13.3 9.45 4 1 1 0.374 1.290 0.833 0.629 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni K5 GN = N218_07570 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059HZ15_CAMJU] A0A059GK29 Uncharacterized protein 21.0 14.21 15 1 2 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 30286 GN = N196_05955 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GK29_CAMJU] E1PQD5 Transcription termination 38.8 3.16 11 1 1 0.856 1.519 1.405 1.005 factor Rho OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype HS21 (strain M1/99/308) GN = rho PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E1PQD5_CAMJM] A0A059GFH4 7-alpha-hydroxysteroid 28.1 8.49 23 1 2 1.528 0.847 1.582 0.888 dehydrogenase OS = Campylobacter jejuni 255 GN = L034_05345 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GFH4_CAMJU] W2AH04 50S ribosomal protein L21 10.4 10.53 9 1 1 0.584 1.000 0.737 0.861 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 81-176-DRH212 GN = X908_06720 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [W2AH04_CAMJJ] D2MWN2 Uncharacterized protein 8.9 11.84 2 1 1 1.634 1.000 1.134 1.566 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 414 GN = C414_000040068 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [D2MWN2_CAMJU] A0A059H8K1 Ubiquinol cytochrome C 48.1 2.40 10 1 1 0.689 0.984 0.821 0.897 oxidoreductase OS = Campylobacter jejuni Cj1 GN = N214_01665 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059H8K1_CAMJU] W2U6P5 Uncharacterized protein 5.8 19.23 22 1 1 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 81-176-UMCW9 GN = X910_08590 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [W2U6P5_CAMJJ] E5ZLJ7 3-dehydroquinate dehydratase 17.2 6.41 8 1 1 1.063 0.892 1.114 0.838 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 327 GN = aroQ PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E5ZLJ7_CAMJU] A3YNF7 Oxaloacetate decarboxylase, 65.8 2.50 16 1 1 1.673 0.966 1.200 1.463 alpha subunit, putative OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CF93-6 GN = CJJCF936_1007 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A3YNF7_CAMJU] Q29VV8 Putative nucleotidyl sugar 28.5 8.27 15 1 2 epimerase OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype O:23/36 (strain 81-176) GN = CJB1426c PE = 4 SV = 1 − [Q29VV8_CAMJJ] A0A059I1M1 30S ribosomal protein S7 15.0 9.02 5 1 1 0.704 1.048 0.835 0.961 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni K5 GN = N218_01130 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059I1M1_CAMJU] W2AGH3 Fur family transcriptional 8.8 13.92 7 1 1 1.333 1.021 1.255 1.178 regulator OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 81-176- DRH212 GN = X908_06930 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [W2AGH3_CAMJJ] E5ZEC9 Methionyl-tRNA synthetase 9.7 13.41 45 1 1 2.302 0.862 1.589 1.380 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = CSS_1425 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZEC9_CAMJU] Q001V3 Putative cytochrome C-type 17.3 7.33 13 1 1 0.902 1.006 1.038 0.951 haem-binding periplasmic protein (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni PE = 4 SV = 1 − [Q001V3_CAMJU] E5ZBV9 30S ribosomal protein S8 6.0 22.64 8 1 1 0.718 0.827 0.960 0.672 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = CSS_0466 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZBV9_CAMJU] A5KH24 Glutamate-1-semialdehyde 2,1- 44.3 2.69 27 1 1 1.252 0.933 0.921 1.378 aminomutase OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CG8486 GN = hemL PE = 1 SV = 1 − [A5KH24_CAMJU] A0A023WHY9 Succinyl-CoA synthase, alpha 30.0 9.69 15 1 2 1.069 0.851 0.923 1.071 subunit OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CG8421 GN = CJ8421_02610 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A023WHY9_CAMJU] A0A023WJZ2 Bifunctional adhesin/ABC 28.2 4.25 25 1 1 1.215 0.799 0.747 1.412 transporter aspartate/glutamate-binding protein OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CG8421 GN = CJ8421_04555 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A023WJZ2_CAMJU] E5ZG55 Nucleoside diphosphate kinase 11.4 10.68 11 1 1 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = CSS_2085 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E5ZG55_CAMJU] A0A059HYD1 Enolase (Fragment) 36.6 3.53 33 1 1 OS = Campylobacter jejuni K5 GN = eno PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059HYD1_CAMJU] A3YPW8 Uncharacterized protein 13.1 10.17 18 1 1 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 260.94 GN = CJJ26094_1432 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A3YPW8_CAMJU] A0A059GQ16 50S ribosomal protein L16 16.3 8.51 4 1 1 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 10186 GN = N194_05010 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GQ16_CAMJU] E6RY61 Cytochrome c biogenesis 43.7 3.45 41 1 1 1.247 1.052 1.234 1.154 protein, CcmF/CycK/CcsA family OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype HS:41 (strain ICDCCJ07001) GN = ICDCCJ07001_974 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E6RY61_CAMJC] A5KHZ1 Uncharacterized protein 33.8 4.03 24 1 1 2.039 0.831 0.889 2.072 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CG8486 GN = Cj8486_0065 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A5KHZ1_CAMJU] A0A059GQV0 Flagellar basal body protein 19.9 6.18 11 1 1 0.539 1.269 0.875 0.850 FliL OS = Campylobacter jejuni 255 GN = L034_04560 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GQV0_CAMJU] E5ZIW7 Elongation factor P 20.5 7.07 8 1 1 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 327 GN = efp PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E5ZIW7_CAMJU] A1VX93 Membrane protein, putative, 10.8 13.98 9 1 1 0.478 1.120 1.284 0.453 degenerate OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype O:23/36 (strain 81-176) GN = CJJ81176_0041 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A1VX93_CAMJJ] A0A059GDI2 Membrane protein 35.6 8.33 12 1 2 0.808 1.432 0.862 1.459 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 30286 GN = N196_02850 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GDI2_CAMJU] A1VXK7 Uncharacterized protein 33.7 8.74 20 1 2 OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni serotype O:23/36 (strain 81-176) GN = CJJ81176_0159 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A1VXK7_CAMJJ] E5ZAK6 Glucosamine-fructose-6- 25.0 5.88 31 1 1 1.599 1.108 1.171 1.644 phosphate aminotransferase OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = CSS_0017 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZAK6_CAMJU] E5ZDP4 Amino-acid ABC transporter 22.0 6.74 22 1 1 1.000 1.001 0.965 1.127 ATP-binding protein YecC (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = CSS_1189 PE = 3 SV = 1 − [E5ZDP4_CAMJU] E5ZBA2 50S ribosomal protein L4 18.6 8.77 17 1 1 (BL4) (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = CSS_0286 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZBA2_CAMJU] Q9R5T9 PEB2 = MAJOR antigenic 3.7 42.86 1 1 1 peptide (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni PE = 1 SV = 1 − [Q9R5T9_CAMJU] E5ZIC4 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase 7.5 20.59 4 1 1 family enzyme family protein OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 327 GN = dmpI PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZIC4_CAMJU] A0A059GHF9 Protease OS = Campylobacter 48.0 3.85 23 1 1 jejuni 10186 GN = N194_01570 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GHF9_CAMJU] A0A059HXA8 50S ribosomal protein L2 26.5 7.05 15 1 1 0.841 0.997 0.884 1.031 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni K5 GN = N218_11745 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059HXA8_CAMJU] A0A023WM76 Homoserine O- 34.2 5.12 11 1 1 1.023 0.983 1.241 0.880 succinyltransferase OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni CG8421 GN = CJ8421_08685 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A023WM76_CAMJU] E5ZF74 Uncharacterized protein 14.5 12.10 14 1 1 1.093 0.936 1.113 0.998 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = CSS_1726 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZF74_CAMJU] H7YSG7 Quinone-reactive Ni/Fe- 31.9 6.19 25 1 1 0.635 1.131 0.790 0.989 hydrogenase, small subunit (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni LMG 23357 GN = cje133_06525 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7YSG7_CAMJU] H7YGU5 L-lactate permease 56.2 3.80 22 1 1 0.494 1.037 0.781 0.713 (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni LMG 9879 GN = cje120_05071 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [H7YGU5_CAMJU] A0A059GH71 Uncharacterized protein 25.9 7.79 13 1 1 0.977 1.155 1.268 0.967 OS = Campylobacter jejuni 30286 GN = N196_08385 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [A0A059GH71_CAMJU] E5ZBY8 Plasminogen-binding protein 29.3 7.25 31 1 1 1.100 0.994 1.094 1.086 PgbB domain protein (Fragment) OS = Campylobacter jejuni subsp.","jejuni 305 GN = CSS_0530 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [E5ZBY8_CAMJU] U4NW65 Flagellin OS = Campylobacter 59.0 21.85 350 0 10 jejuni 4031 GN = BN867_13230 PE = 4 SV = 1 − [U4NW65_CAMJU] The results in Table 1 show significant changes in protein expression for 34 proteins when Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168 wildtype or the Campylobacter jejuni 11168 T268G mutant are treated with FeQ (see ratios of WT+FeQ/WT and MOMP-T+FeQ/MOMP-T).","The impact of mutating the MOMP protein of Campylobacter jejuni at Thr-268 to glycine is also demonstrated by the ratio of Campylobacter jejuni 11168 wildtype to Campylobacter jejuni 11168 T268G mutant (WT/MOMP-T in Table 1), and showed an up-regulation with a ratio higher than 1.5 for nine proteins (Putative periplasmic cytochrome C, Aspartate ammonia-lyase, Multifunctional aminopeptidase, Succinyl-CoA ligase, DNA-binding response regulator, Flagellin subunit protein FlaB, Aspartate ammonia-lyase, Fibronectin type III domain protein and Glucosamine-fructose-6-phosphate aminotransferase) while ten proteins showed down-regulation with a ratio of less than 0.6 (Nickel-dependent hydrogenase, Putative amino-acid transporter, Chemotaxis protein (Fragment), Putative ATP/GTP binding protein, Lipoprotein, Bipartate energy taxis response protein cetB, Major outer membrane protein, Membrane protein, Flagellin A, Membrane protein and L-lactate permease).","These results at least demonstrate that glycosylation of Campylobacter jejuni 11168 wildtype affects the expression of MOMP and Flagellin A/B, which are involved in bacterial motility, adhesion to BgAgs, aggregation and biofilm formation.","Comparison of the ratios of WT+FeQ/WT in Table 1 shows that five proteins (Putative GMC oxidoreductase, Chemotaxis protein (Fragment), Putative amino-acid transporter, Bipartate energy taxis response protein cetB and Ferritin) were all up-regulated above 20% and ten proteins ((Formate dehydrogenase, Periplasmic nitrate reductase, Putative periplasmic cytochrome C, Succinyl-CoA ligase, Aspartate ammonia-lyase, Multifunctional aminopeptidase A, Thiamine biosynthesis protein ThiC, DNA-binding response regulator, Aspartate ammonia-lyase (different subunit) and Flagellin B, FlaB) were down-regulated more than 20%.","Notably, the results demonstrate that the glycosylated MOMP of the wildtype strain was down-regulated about 20%, and Flagellin B (major subunit of flagellum) was down-regulated about 45% when Campylobacter jejuni 11168 wildtype was treated with FeQ.","These results at least demonstrate that FeQ has an impact on the expression of two essential proteins involved in colonization, adhesion and motility.","Example 16.Glycosylated Campylobacter Dominates Colonization of Chicken in a Mixed Glycosylated and Non-Glycosylated Population of Campylobacter Materials and Methods Chickens were colonized by a mixed strain (105 cfu, 50/50) of Campylobacter jejuni 11168 wildtype (O-glycosylated) and the MOMPT268G mutant of Campylobacter (non-glycosylated).","The chickens were orally challenged and after 7 days post-infection caecal samples were analyzed.","Results FIG.","16 is a graph showing the colonization of chickens by a mixed strain (105 cfu, 50/50) of Campylobacter jejuni 11168 wildtype (0-glycosylated) and the MOMPT268G mutant of Campylobacter (non-glycosylated).","The chickens were orally challenged and after 7 days post-infection caecal samples were analyzed.","The results show that the O-glycosylated wildtype strain dominates, and is able to establish an infection.","In contrast, the non-glycosylated strain (MOMPT268G) was unable to colonize the chicken's GI tract, and no mutant strain could be detected.","Example 17.FeQ Prevents Formation of Biofilm on Human Teeth Materials and Methods Molar teeth were extracted from human patients, and mouth swabs taken from each patient to obtain samples of each patient's bacterial flora present in the mouth.","The mouth swabs were cultured in the laboratory using LB media in order to grow bacterial populations ordinarily present in the mouth of each patient.","The extracted teeth were washed and brushed extensively using PBS buffer and ethanol.","Each patient's tooth was then placed in the bacterial culture prepared from that patient's bacterial flora sample, and cultured aerobically for 24 hours in LB media.","The teeth were then stained with CEPLAC™ (Manx Healthcare Ltd, Warwick, UK), and washed three times with PBS-Tween (50 mL) to determine if biofilm had been formed on the teeth.","Results All teeth stained red indicating the presence of biofilm on the teeth after just 24 hours.","The same teeth were then cleaned using PBS buffer and ethanol, and the procedure repeated except with 48 hours of culturing in the presence of FeQ (340 μM).","After 48 hours, no teeth stained red demonstrating that biofilms could not be established on the teeth in the presence of FeQ.","Example 18.Efficacy of FeQ and FeTyr to Reduce Campylobacter Carriage in Chickens and Promote Growth in Chickens Materials and Methods A study was performed to evaluate growth promotion and reduction of Campylobacter carriage using FeQ and FeTyr in Ross 308 male broilers with 7 treatment groups.","Each treatment group comprised four replicates of 10 birds per pen (40 birds/treatment group and 4 pens of 10 birds/treatment group), and there were 2 control groups and 5 test groups.","All the test groups and one of the control groups were exposed at day 20 of the trial to dirty litter, which tested positive for Campylobacter.","This method was used to provide a more natural method to Campylobacter challenge the birds.","Thus there was a positive control where one treatment group was challenged with Campylobacter and one negative control group where the birds were not challenged, and five treatment groups that were all challenged with Campylobacter.","The total number of birds used in the 7 treatment groups was 280.Details of the treatments are provided in Table 2.Treatment group 1 was a negative control where birds just received the commercial feed, and were not challenged with dirty litter containing Campylobacter.","Treatment group 2 was the positive control where the birds received the commercial feed, and were challenged with dirty litter containing Campylobacter at day 20.Treatment group 3 received 0.22 g/L of FeQ in their drinking water and 0.22 g/Kg FeQ in their feed during the entire trial, and was challenged with dirty litter containing Campylobacter at day 20.Treatment group 5 received 0.22 g/L of FeQ in their drinking water during the entire trial, and was challenged with dirty litter containing Campylobacter at day 20.Treatment group 6 received 0.22 g/kg FeQ in their feed during the entire trial, and was challenged with dirty litter containing Campylobacter at day 20.Treatment group 7 received 0.022 g/L FeQ in their drinking water during the entire trial, and was challenged with dirty litter containing Campylobacter at day 20.Treatment group 8 received 0.02 g/L FeTyr in their drinking water during the entire trial, and was challenged with dirty litter containing Campylobacter at day 20.The FeTyr was pre-dissolved in DMSO, and diluted to provide a solution of 0.02 g/L of FeTyr in water.","(An additional treatment group 4 was terminated due to solubility issues.)","TABLE 2 Treatment Details Campylobacter Treatment Description Challenge 1 Control-1 Commercial feed No 2 Control-2 Commercial feed Yes 3 0.22 g/L FeQ in water + 0.22 g/kg FeQ in Yes feed 5 0.22 g/L FeQ in water Yes 6 0.22 g/kg FeQ in feed Yes 7 0.022 g/L FeQ in water Yes 8 0.02 g/L FeTyr in water Yes The birds were fed with a commercial three-phase feeding program using starter, grower and finisher feeds with formulations shown in Table 3.All diets had coccidiostat (MAXIBAN® at 0.0625% in starter and finisher phase diets and MONTEBAN® at 0.06% in finisher phase).","Xylanase (RONOZYME® WX at 200 g per ton) and phytase (RONOZYME® P at 150 grams per ton) were added to all diets.","TABLE 3 Basal feed formulation for starter, grower and finisher diets Raw Material STARTER % GROWER % FINISHER % Barley 10.5 8.4 7.2 Wheat 50.0 55.0 60.0 Soya Ext Hipro 26.0 23.0 19.0 Full fat Soya Cherwell 5.0 5.0 5.0 L Lysine HCl 0.40 0.30 0.30 DL-methionine 0.40 0.35 0.30 L-threonine 0.15 0.15 0.15 Soya Oil 4.0 4.50 4.75 Limestone 1.25 1.25 1.25 MonoCal phosphate 1.50 1.25 1.25 Salt 0.25 0.25 0.25 Sodium bicarbarbonate 0.15 0.15 0.15 Broiler Premix 0.40 0.40 0.40 Nutrient Analysis Analysis Analysis Fat (ether extract) 6.34 6.85 7.11 Protein 21.85 20.64 19.14 Fibre 3.08 3.02 2.97 Ash 6.01 5.68 5.50 ME-P 12.78 13.04 13.22 Total lysine 1.45 1.28 1.17 Available lysine 1.35 1.19 1.09 Methionine 0.69 0.62 0.55 Total methionine and 1.03 0.95 0.85 cysteine Threonine 0.91 0.86 0.79 Tryptophan 0.25 0.23 0.21 Calcium 0.95 0.91 0.89 Phosphorus 0.72 0.66 0.65 Available phosphorus 0.48 0.42 0.42 Salt 0.30 0.30 0.30 Sodium 0.17 0.17 0.17 Vit A 13.20 13.5 13.50 Vit D3 5.0 5.0 5.00 Vit E 100 100 100 The feeding program is show in Table 4.The birds were reared in floor pens to day 42, and fed starter, grower and finisher feed at day 0 to 11, 11 to 24, and 24 to 42 days, respectively.","All birds were weighed individually and feed weigh backs recorded per pen at day 0, 11, 21, 24 and 42 days.","TABLE 4 Feeding Program Feeding Phase Starter Grower Finisher (days of age) 0-11 11-24 24-42 Prior to challenging the chickens with dirty litter containing Campylobacter at day 20, each pen was tested for Campylobacter using cloacal swabs.","All pens tested negative for Campylobacter prior to the challenge.","At day 20, litter, which was naturally Campylobacter-contaminated was tested to confirm the presence of Campylobacter, and then added (approximately 2 kg/pen) to the litter in all pens except in pens for treatment group 1 (the negative control).","At day 28, the pen litter was sampled to confirm the presence or absence of Campylobacter.","At day 41 and 42, caecal samples were taken from 3 birds per pen (12 birds per treatment group) and tested for Campylobacter enumeration.","At day 42, digesta, fecal samples, and caecal content was taken from all birds, and pooled per pen.","Two birds per pen were also taken from treatment groups 1-3, euthanized, and blood samples taken.","Samples were analyzed for blood chemistry, including analysis for alkaline phosphatase, aspartate amino transferase, alanine amino transferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, lactate dehydrogenase, total protein, albumin, globulin, amylase and glucose.","In order to minimize risk of cross-contamination, standard industry biosecurity measures were used including: disinfecting boots, changing overshoes and gloves between pens/treatments, entering Campylobacter negative pens before entering Campylobacter positive pens, and leaving adjacent pens empty.","Daily health, culls, and mortality were recorded.","All bird weights were recorded at 0, 11, 21, 24, 33 and 42 days.","Weight gains, feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were derived for each feeding period.","The effect of the treatment groups compared to the negative control group (treatment group 1) and the positive control group (treatment group 2) is shown in Tables 5-12 for the periods 0-11 days, 11-20 days, 20-25 days, 11-25 days, 25-42 days, 20-42 days, 0-20 days, and 0-42 days.","Results FIG.","17 shows the average body weight at day 42 for all treatment groups, and a comparison to a commercial control labeled “Target”.","The figure shows that treatment group 1 (the negative control labeled “CNC”) attained an average body weight (ABW) of 3.437 kg at day 42 (which was higher than the commercial target of 2.979 kg).","The positive control (labeled “CC”), which was challenged with dirty litter containing Campylobacter at day 20, in contrast only attained an ABW of 3.186 kg at day 42, which was significantly less than the negative control (treatment group 1).","This result demonstrates that challenging with dirty litter contaminated with Campylobacter resulted in a reduction of growth of the chicken by an average of 251 grams.","However, when the chickens were challenged with dirty litter containing Campylobacter but treated with FeQ or FeTyr in treatment groups 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8, all treatment groups performed better than the positive control demonstrating that FeQ and FeTyr treatment had a positive effect on growth.","In fact, FeQ in feed at 0.22 g/kg (treatment group 6) produced chicken with an ABW of 3.464 kg, which was higher than the negative control ABW of 3.437 kg even though treatment group 6 had been challenged with dirty litter containing Campylobacter.","FIG.","18 shows the mortality adjusted feed conversion rate (MFCR) at day 42 for all treatment groups, and a comparison to a commercial control labeled “Target”.","(A lower MFCR number is a better result.)","The figure shows that treatment group 1 (the negative control labeled “CNC”) had a MFCR of 1.563, which was lower than the commercial target of 1.703.The positive control, labeled “CC” which was challenged with the dirty litter containing Campylobacter at day 20 had a significantly higher MFCR of 1.679 than the negative control.","Thus challenging with dirty litter infected with Campylobacter resulted in a higher MFCR.","However, when the chickens were challenged with dirty litter infected with Campylobacter but treated with FeQ or FeTyr in treatment groups 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8, all treatment groups performed better than the positive control demonstrating that FeQ and FeTyr treatment had a positive effect on MFCR (i.e.","decreasing the numerical MFCR).","The results show that treatment groups 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 had MFCR values of 1.595, 1.560, 1.563, 1.612 and 1.577, respectively.","Furthermore, treatment groups 5 and 6 performed as well as the negative control even when challenged with dirty litter containing Campylobacter.","FIG.","19 shows the number of Campylobacter colony forming units per gram (cfu/g) of bird droppings at day 42 for treatment groups 1-3 and 6-8.","(A lower number is a better result.)","The results show that treatment groups 3 and 6-8 all performed better than the positive control (treatment group 2) demonstrating that FeQ and FeTyr had a positive effect on reducing Campylobacter infection of poultry.","Notably, chicken treated with FeTyr, FeQ in feed, and FeQ in feed and water all had colony forming units of Campylobacter per gram of dropping that were similar to, or less than, those of the negative control group (treatment group 1).","The detection of low levels of Campylobacter in the negative controls demonstrates how highly contagious the bacterium is, and is likely to be an indication that a small number of birds in the negative control group became infected despite not being experimentally challenged with dirty litter.","The results in FIG.","19 for the low concentration of FeQ in water (0.022 g/L; treatment group 7) appears to show less of an effect than the other treatment groups, although this difference was considered more likely due to experimental error for example following cross contamination of samples.","As discussed below, the results obtained from a further experiment, as given in FIG.","20 confirm that treatment group 7 did, indeed, also provide the highly beneficial effect.","FIG.","20 shows the average number of Campylobacter colony forming units per gram (cfu/g) of caeca samples at day 42 for treatment groups 1-3 and 5-8.The results show that all the treatment groups (3 and 5-8) all performed better than the positive control (treatment group 2) demonstrating that FeQ and FeTyr had a positive effect on reducing Campylobacter infection of poultry.","The effect of the treatments on overall livability and European production and efficiency factor (EPEF) is shown in Table 5.","(EPEF=[(Livability×Live weight in kg at end of trial/Age in Days×FCR commercial)×100].","The effect of FeQ treatment on growth performance in the absence of Campylobacter challenge during the starter phase (0-11 days) and period from 0-20 days is shown in Table 14.Since the negative and positive controls (treatment groups 1 and 2) are identical prior to challenge with the dirty litter at day 20, these groups may be pooled for comparison to treatment groups 3, 5, 6, and 7 in order to see if FeQ had an effect on growth in the absence of a challenge by dirty litter contaminated with Campylobacter during the first 20 days of growth.","The results demonstrate that FeQ promotes growth of chicken even in the absence of a challenge from dirty litter contaminated with Campylobacter.","At day 20, the average body weight (ABW) for the control groups (treatment groups 1 and 2) is 0.927 kg versus 0.963 kg for treatment groups 3, 5, 6 and 7 which all received FeQ.","This improvement in body weight is also reflected in a significantly better MFCR for the FeQ treated birds.","Table 11 shows the MFCR for the birds treated in groups 3, 5, 6 and 7 is 1.2996 versus 1.3374 for the control groups (treatment groups 1 and 2).","Notably the P-value is less than 0.05.The same positive effect of FeTyr treatment on growth performance in the absence of Campylobacter challenge is also evident from Table 11.The AWG during the first 20 days of production for chicken treated with FeTyr (treatment group 8) is 0.895 kg compared to 0.884 and 0.889 kg for treatment groups 1 and 2 (negative and positive controls).","Furthermore, the MFCR during the first 20 days of production for chicken treated with FeTyr (treatment group 8) is 1.311 versus 1.32 and 1.355 for treatment groups 1 and 2, respectively.","(A lower MFCR value is an improvement.)","The results of this study demonstrate that both FeQ and FeTyr promote growth and decrease the mortality adjusted feed conversion ratio (MFCR) in the absence or presence of dirty litter contaminated with Campylobacter.","TABLE 5 Effect of treatments on growth performance during starter phase (day 0-11) ABW AFD AWG MFCR Treatment Day 0 Day 11 Day 0-11 1 0.040 0.331 0.348 0.291 1.239b 2 0.040 0.337 0.359 0.297 1.228b 3 0.040 0.346 0.356 0.306 1.181ab 5 0.040 0.334 0.352 0.294 1.210ab 6 0.041 0.351 0.360 0.310 1.168a 7 0.040 0.325 0.348 0.285 1.236b 8 0.040 0.329 0.353 0.289 1.229b P-value 0.136 0.418 0.979 0.463 0.005 SED 0.000 0.013 0.016 0.013 0.018 P-value for contrast 1 vs 2 0.512 0.667 0.519 0.682 0.584 1 vs 2 to 8 0.666 0.573 0.603 0.583 0.045 2 vs 3567 0.632 0.844 0.723 0.834 0.054 5 vs 6 0.099 0.213 0.627 0.233 0.033 5 vs 7 0.141 0.466 0.804 0.494 0.170 2 vs 8 0.645 0.538 0.709 0.549 0.982 a-bwithin a column reflects differences between treatments when P < 0.05; SED = Standard errors of difference of means; ABW = average body weight (kg); AFD = average feed intake (kg); AWG = average weight gain (kg); MFCR = Mortality adjusted feed conversion ratio; FCR = Feed conversion ratio-commercial.","TABLE 6 Effect of treatments on growth performance during grower phase (day 11-20) ABW AFD AWG MFCR Treatment Day 20 Day 11-20 1 0.924 0.799 0.593 1.362 2 0.929 0.838 0.592 1.421 3 0.972 0.857 0.625 1.375 5 0.943 0.821 0.609 1.348 6 0.991 0.841 0.640 1.343 7 0.947 0.829 0.622 1.333 8 0.935 0.809 0.606 1.351 P-value 0.358 0.311 0.279 0.279 SED 0.032 0.025 0.021 0.036 P-value for contrast 1 vs 2 0.875 0.133 0.977 0.115 1 vs 2 to 8 0.248 0.094 0.175 0.987 2 vs 3567 0.189 0.961 0.075 0.020 5 vs 6 0.145 0.427 0.160 0.884 5 vs 7 0.913 0.737 0.546 0.673 2 vs 8 0.850 0.253 0.516 0.065 SED = Standard errors of difference of means; ABW = average body weight (kg); AFD = average feed intake (kg); AWG = average weight gain (kg); MFCR = Mortality adjusted FCR; FCR = FCR commercial.","TABLE 7 Effect of treatments on growth performance during period day 20-25.ABW AFD AWG MFCR Treatment Day 25 Day 20-25 1 1.366 0.662 0.442 1.500 2 1.371 0.652 0.442 1.550 3 1.424 0.667 0.453 1.477 5 1.384 0.658 0.441 1.495 6 1.426 0.685 0.434 1.599 7 1.388 0.661 0.441 1.513 8 1.377 0.662 0.442 1.499 P-value 0.723 0.916 0.999 0.882 SED 0.044 0.026 0.030 0.096 P-value for contrast 1 vs 2 0.912 0.685 0.998 0.604 1 vs 2 to 8 0.403 0.932 0.996 0.759 2 vs 3567 0.339 0.444 0.990 0.707 5 vs 6 0.361 0.311 0.826 0.294 5 vs 7 0.930 0.902 0.988 0.854 2 vs 8 0.892 0.693 0.999 0.604 SED = Standard errors of difference of means; ABW = average body weight (kg); AFD = average feed intake (kg); AWG = average weight gain (kg); MFCR = Mortality adjusted FCR; FCR = FCR commercial.","TABLE 8 Effect of treatments on overall growth performance during grower phase (day 11-25) AFD AWG MFCR Treatment Day 11-25 1 1.462 1.035 1.421 2 1.490 1.034 1.457 3 1.524 1.078 1.417 5 1.479 1.050 1.409 6 1.526 1.075 1.440 7 1.490 1.064 1.406 8 1.471 1.048 1.414 P-value 0.660 0.804 0.598 SED 0.042 0.036 0.030 P-value for contrast 1 vs 2 0.516 0.984 0.241 1 vs 2 to 8 0.293 0.406 0.891 2 vs 3567 0.657 0.267 0.118 5 vs 6 0.280 0.498 0.300 5 vs 7 0.787 0.707 0.925 2 vs 8 0.664 0.695 0.165 SED = Standard errors of difference of means; ABW = average body weight (kg); AFD = average feed intake (kg); AWG = average weight gain (kg); MFCR = Mortality adjusted FCR.","TABLE 9 Effect of treatments on overall growth performance during finisher phase (day 25-42) ABW AFD AWG MFCR Treatment Day 42 Day 25-42 1 3.437 3.479 2.070b 1.688 2 3.186 3.480 1.814a 1.889 3 3.342 3.387 1.918ab 1.773 5 3.407 3.357 2.023b 1.706 6 3.464 3.315 2.039b 1.704 7 3.304 3.362 1.916ab 1.793 8 3.341 3.434 1.964ab 1.716 P-value 0.027 0.56 0.009 0.211 SED 0.075 0.099 0.062 0.081 P-value for contrast 1 vs 2 0.004 0.997 <.001 0.022 1 vs 2 to 8 0.110 0.247 0.016 0.233 2 vs 3567 0.004 0.129 0.004 0.035 5 vs 6 0.455 0.680 0.800 0.988 5 vs 7 0.187 0.960 0.101 0.294 2 vs 8 0.053 0.649 0.027 0.046 a-bwithin a column reflects differences between treatments when P < 0.05; SED = Standard errors of difference of means; ABW = average body weight (kg); AFD = average feed intake (kg); AWG = average weight gain (kg); MFCR = Mortality adjusted FCR; FCR = FCR commercial.","TABLE 10 Effect of treatments on the growth performance during the experimental period of day 20-42 (after the birds were challenged) AFD AWG MFCR Treatment Day 20-42 1 4.142 2.512b 1.653 2 4.131 2.256a 1.820 3 4.054 2.370ab 1.713 5 4.015 2.464ab 1.665 6 4.001 2.473ab 1.678 7 4.023 2.357ab 1.739 8 4.096 2.406ab 1.676 P-value 0.767 0.025 0.344 SED 0.110 0.068 0.075 P-value for contrast 1 vs 2 0.926 0.001 0.038 1 vs 2 to 8 0.306 0.028 0.290 2 vs 3567 0.229 0.008 0.055 5 vs 6 0.898 0.894 0.856 5 vs 7 0.941 0.138 0.331 2 vs 8 0.752 0.042 0.070 a-bwithin a column reflects differences between treatments when P < 0.05; SED = Standard errors of difference of means; ABW = average body weight (kg); AFD = average feed intake (kg); AWG = average weight gain (kg); MFCR = Mortality adjusted.","TABLE 11 Overall effect of treatments on growth performance during the experimental period of day 0-20 (before birds were challenged).","AFD AWG MFCR Treatment Day 0-20 1 1.147 0.884 1.320 2 1.196 0.889 1.355 3 1.213 0.931 1.310 5 1.173 0.903 1.303 6 1.201 0.951 1.284 7 1.178 0.907 1.302 8 1.161 0.895 1.311 P-value 0.623 0.368 0.225 SED 0.038 0.032 0.025 P-value for contrast 1 vs 2 0.215 0.881 0.181 1 vs 2 to 8 0.191 0.251 0.627 2 vs 3567 0.860 0.188 0.012 5 vs 6 0.476 0.150 0.469 5 vs 7 0.907 0.899 0.978 2 vs 8 0.371 0.846 0.094 SED = Standard errors of difference of means; ABW = average body weight (kg); AFD = average feed intake (kg); AWG = average weight gain (kg); MFCR = Mortality adjusted.","TABLE 12 Overall effect of treatment groups on growth performance (day 0-42) AFD AWG MFCR Treatment Day 0-42 1 5.289 3.397b 1.563 2 5.328 3.145a 1.679 3 5.267 3.302ab 1.595 5 5.188 3.367ab 1.560 6 5.201 3.423b 1.563 7 5.201 3.265ab 1.612 8 5.258 3.301ab 1.577 P-value 0.920 0.028 0.193 SED 0.132 0.075 0.047 P-value for contrast 1 vs 2 0.773 0.004 0.024 1 vs 2 to 8 0.633 0.111 0.352 2 vs 3567 0.29 0.004 0.018 5 vs 6 0.920 0.461 0.954 5 vs 7 0.924 0.190 0.284 2 vs 8 0.601 0.053 0.043 a-bwithin a column reflects differences between treatments when P < 0.05; SED = Standard errors of difference of means; ABW = average body weight (kg); AFD = average feed intake (kg); AWG = average weight gain (kg); MFCR = Mortality adjusted.","TABLE 13 The effect of treatments on overall liveability and European production and efficiency factor (EPEF) EPEF Treatment Day 20 Day 42 1 318.3 282.8 2 334.7 250.7 3 350.4 262.9 5 352.0 278.3 6 364.8 265.0 7 354.5 276.2 8 336.4 296.0 P-value 0.547 0.842 SED 23.83 31.68 P-value for contrast 1 vs 2 0.500 0.323 1 vs 2 to 8 0.111 0.645 2 vs 3567 0.285 0.437 5 vs 6 0.599 0.680 5 vs 7 0.919 0.949 2 vs 8 0.945 0.170 TABLE 14 Effect of treatments on growth performance in absence of Campylobacter challenge during starter phase (0-11 days) and period 0-20 days.","ABW ABW AFD 0-20 AWG 0-20 MFCR Treatment Day 11 Day 20 days days 0-20 Groups 1 & 2 0.334 0.927 1.172 0.887 1.3374 FeQ 0.339 0.963 1.191 0.923 1.2996 (Groups 3, 5, 6, 7) P-value 0.584 0.079 0.432 0.078 0.029 SED 0.009 0.020 0.024 0.020 0.016 ABW = average body weight (kg); AFD = average feed intake (kg); AWG = average weight gain (kg); MFCR = mortality adjusted feed conversion ratio Example 19.FeDOPA Treatment Makes Antibiotic Resistant Strain of Enteropathogenic E. Coli (EPEC) E2348/69 Lose Resistance to Antibiotic Materials and Methods The impact on the growth curve of antibiotic resistant Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 (genotype Wild Type EPEC O17:H6) when grown in the presence of a fixed concentration of gentamicin (1.25 μM) and an increasing concentration of FeDOPA versus the strain grown in the presence of only FeDOPA or only gentamicin, was determined.","Results FIGS.","21A-C are graphs that show the impact on the growth curve of antibiotic resistant Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) strain E2348/69 (genotype Wild Type EPEC O17:H6) when grown in the presence of a fixed concentration of gentamicin (1.25 μM) and an increasing concentration of FeDOPA (FIG.","21A: 130 μM, FIG.","21B: 160 μM and FIG.","11C: 200 μM) versus the strain grown in the presence of only FeDOPA or only gentamicin.","The graphs show that the rate of growth of the strain was inhibited in the presence of gentamicin and FeDOPA relative to the rate of growth of the strain just in the presence of gentamicin.","This is evidence that FeDOPA can be used in conjunction with antibiotics to kill or inhibit the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria.","Example 20.FeDOPA Prevents Attachment of Bacteria to Surfaces Materials and Methods Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) E2348/69 were grown in wells for 48 hours at 37° C. in the presence of FeDOPA (10-250 μM), and in the absence of FeDOPA (as control).","After 48 hours, the wells were washed in order to remove suspended cells.","Crystal violet was then added to each well.","The wells were then washed to remove excess dye.","A mixture of acetone/ethanol was then added to the wells to re-suspend any cells attached to the plastic surface of the wells, and dissolve any dye present.","The presence of dye in each well was then quantified by measuring the O.D.","at 570 nm.","Results In the absence of FeDOPA, EPEC binds to the plastic surface and forms a biofilm that is readily detected by dying with crystal violet.","However, in the presence of FeDOPA, EPEC attachment to the plastic surface and formation of a biofilm is inhibited.","FIG.","22 shows quantitatively the difference in the attachment of EPEC cells to the plastic well surface in the absence and presence of FeDOPA by measurement of the optical absorbance of crystal violet that was absorbed by EPEC cells attached to the surface.","At an FeDOPA concentration of 68-250 μM attachment of bacterial cells to the surface and biofilm formation is inhibited.","Example 21.Campylobacter jejuni Loses Motility after Treatment with FeQ Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168 was treated with FeQ (34 μM) and a plate containing brain-heart infusion (BHI) medium inoculated with 5 2×105 colony forming units of the treated bacteria and the plate was cultured for 43 hours.","The growth and motility of the bacteria after treatment with FeQ was compared to a positive control where the bacteria had not been treated with FeQ, and also to a negative control where no bacteria were applied to a plate of the BHI medium.","The data (not shown) showed that after 43 hours, the Campylobacter jejuni treated with FeQ had a clear zone around the bacteria indicating that the bacteria was not motile.","In contrast, Campylobacter jejuni that was not treated with FeQ was motile, and spread around the culture plate.","There was no growth visible, as expected, on the plates that were not inoculated with bacteria.","The experiment demonstrates that the Campylobacter jejuni loses motility after treatment with FeQ, and is consistent with the results obtained by iTRAQ analysis that demonstrate that FeQ down regulates FlaA expression (the Flagella of Campylobacter).","Example 22.Disruption of a Preformed Biofilm with FeTyr Crystal violet assays were used as described above to demonstrate that FeTyr could disrupt a pre-formed biofilm.","A mature biofilm formed by EPEC-pgA++ was treated with FeTyr for 24, 48 and 72 hours at FeTyr concentrations of 100 μM, 150 μM and 200 μM and the presence of the biofilm after these times was compared to an untreated biofilm (labeled “Control”) using a crystal violet assay.","The color of the control wells was more intense in color at 72 hours than those that were treated with FeTyr at 100, 150 and 200 μM for 72 hours.","FIG.","23 shows quantitatively the optical absorbance of crystal violet at 570 nm that was absorbed by the EPEC cells that remained attached to the surface of the plastic well after a mature biofilm formed by EPEC-pgA++ was treated with FeTyr (shown as FeY in FIG.","23) at 100 μM, 150 μM and 200 μM compared to an untreated biofilm (labeled “Control”) in the crystal violet assay.","A significantly lower optical absorbance was found at 72 hours for the biofilm treated with FeTyr at 100, 150 and 200 μM at 72 hours.","These results demonstrate that FeTyr can disrupt a pre-formed biofilm.","Example 23.Disruption of a Preformed Biofilm with FeTyr and Fe-DOPA A BioFlux system was used to demonstrate that FeTyr and Fe-DOPA can be used to disrupt a mature EPEC-ΔcsrA biofilm.","Our studies showed that that a mature biofilm of EPEC-ΔcsrA can be formed in the presence of LB medium 30% v/v and imaged (data not shown).","The mature biofilm was treated with FeTyr at concentrations of 100, 150 and 200 μM for 20 hours and compared to a control biofilm that had just been treated with LB medium 30% v/v.","It was found that biofilm dispersion increased as the concentration of FeTyr was increased from 100 to 200 μM (data not shown).","Mature biofilm was treated with FeDOPA at a concentration of 100 μM for 20 hours and compared to a control biofilm that had just been treated with LB medium 30% v/v.","It was found that Fe-DOPA dispersed the biofilm at a concentration of 100 μM (data not shown).","Example 24.Treatment of an Acne Patient with FeQ An 18 year old female patient was treated continuously for 30 days by applying a solution of ferric quinate (340 μM) to her acne vulgarism (“acne”) once each day.","Within 5 days of the start of treatment, her acne, which had not previously responded to treatment with antibiotics, began to show signs of healing.","After treatment for 30 days, her acne was completely healed.","Her acne did not recur even after discontinuation of treatment for over one year.","Example 25.Effect of FeQ on Biofilm Formation of a Medical Device Materials and Methods To investigate the effect of Ferric Quinate (FeQ) on the surface integrity of contact lenses, two contact lenses were independently incubated in either saline solution, or saline solution with a final concentration of 340 μM FeQ at 4° C. for 7 days, whilst gently shaking.","The lenses were then washed 6 times with phosphate-buffered solution (PBS)+0.05% Tween.","Each lens was then washed twice with distilled water before analysis via environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM).","To investigate biofilm formation on the contact lens, clinically determined PAO-1 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were incubated with the lenses in either Luria-Bertani Media (LB) or LB with a final concentration of 340 μM FeQ at 37° C. for 24 hours in a non-shaking incubator.","The lenses were then washed 6 times with PBS+0.05% Tween, before being stored overnight in PBS+0.05% Tween.","In preparation for the ESEM, formaldehyde was added to a final concentration of 1% and incubated for 10 minutes in order to inactivate the bacteria.","The lenses were then washed 4 times with PBS+0.05% Tween, and immediately before analysis the lenses were washed a further two times with distilled water.","Results Surface Integrity Lenses were treated with 340 μM FeQ or left untreated (control) to investigate the effect, if any, of FeQ treatment on the surface integrity of the contact lens.","The results show that FeQ at 340 μM does not have any visible significant effect (via ESEM) on the surface integrity of the contact lens.","Biofilm Formation ESEM images (data not shown) following incubation with bacteria only showed large scale biofilm development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, over the surface of the contact lens.","Analysis via the ESEM requires vacuum and causes areas of the biofilm to dehydrate, which is responsible for the perforated appearance of the biofilm of the contact lens.","The dehydration gives perception of depth, and shows the biofilm formed in the absence of FeQ to be substantial.","Individual bacteria were visible in the biofilm, surrounded by the extracellular matrix (ECM).","The impact of incubation with bacteria in the presence of FeQ 340 μM was also investigated.","These images (data not shown) showed that, in the presence of FeQ at 340 μM, Pseudomonas aeruginosa appears as either single bacterium, or small aggregates of bacteria, with no apparent ECM formation.","These results indicate that FeQ inhibits biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.","Based on these results, it can be concluded the FeQ and other compounds as described herein can be used to inhibit or prevent biofilm formation on medical devices, such as but not limited to, contact lenses.","Example 26: Metabolomic Analysis Materials and Methods Strains analysed were the wild type Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168, and a mutant (MOMP268T/G) where Thr-268 of the MOMP protein of the wild type is mutated to glycine, resulting in a strain of the bacteria in which the MOMP protein cannot be glycosylated.","The mutant is further described in WO 2013/121214.The strains were grown for 48 hours in Mueller Hinton Broth (MHB).","In non-control samples, the bacteria (wild type and mutant) were treated with FeQ at a concentration of 340 μM.","Three replicates of a sample were taken from each culture, and each replicate was analysed three times (i.e.","producing 9 reads for each sample).","Thus, for example, the sample taken from fresh media (FM) produced nine reads, labelled FM-1_1, 1_2, 1_3, 2_1, 2_2, 2_3, 3_1, 3_2 and 3_3, respectively.","It is the same for each of the other samples, which are: SMWT: spent media from the wild type control culture SMWTF: spent media from the wild type culture grown in the presence of FeQ SMMT: spent media from the mutant control culture SMMTF: spent media from the mutant culture grown in the presence of FeQ For metabolite profiling, LC was performed on an Accela system (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Hemel Hempstead, UK).","Chromatographic separation was carried out using a ZIC-pHILIC (150 mm×4.6 mm, 5 μm column, Merck Sequant) as previously described (Creek et al.","2011, Anal Chem 83, 8703-8710).","Briefly, the column was maintained at 45° C. and samples were eluted with a linear gradient from 80% B to 5% B over 15 min, followed by an 2 min linear gradient from 5% B to 80% B, and 7 min re-equilibration with 80% B at the flow rate of 300 μl/min Mobile phase A was 20 mM ammonium carbonate in water and mobile phase B was acetonitrile 100% acetonitrile.","The injection volume was 10 μl and samples were maintained at 4° C. An Orbitrap Exactive (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Hemel Hempstead, UK) with a HESI 2 probe was operated in polarity switching mode, with the following settings: resolution 50 000, AGC 1×106, m/z range 70-1400, sheath gas 40, auxiliary gas 5, sweep gas 1, probe temperature 150° C., and capillary temperature 275° C. For positive mode ionisation: source voltage +4.5 kV, capillary voltage +50 V, tube voltage +70 kV, skimmer voltage +20 V. For negative mode ionisation: source voltage −3.5 kV, capillary voltage −50 V, tube voltage −70 V, skimmer voltage −20 V. Mass calibration was performed for each polarity immediately before each analysis batch.","The calibration mass range was extended to cover small metabolites by inclusion of low-mass contaminants with the standard Thermo calibration mixture masses (below m/z 1400), C2H6NO2 for positive ion electrospray ionisation (PIESI) mode (m/z 76.0393) and C3H5O3 for negative ion electrospray ionisation (NIESI) mode (m/z 89.0244).","Data Processing and Analysis Raw LC-MS data were processed with XCMS for untargeted peak-picking (Tautenhahn et al.","2008, BMC Bioinformatics 9, 504) and mzMatch.R for peak matching and annotation of related peaks (Scheltema et al.","2011, Analytical Chemistry 83, 2786-2793).","Putative metabolite identification was carried out by IDEOM using the default parameters (Creek et al.","2012, Analytical Chemistry 84, 8442-8447).","Metabolite identification was performed by matching accurate masses and retention times of authentic standards (Level 1 metabolite identification according to the Metabolomics Standards Initiative (Sumner et al.","2014, Metabolomics 10, 1047-1049; Sumner et al.","2007, Metabolomics 3, 211-221).","However, when standards were not available, predicted retention times were used, hence these identifications should be considered as putative (Level 2 identification).","Results and Conclusions FIG.","24A shows the data from positive mode analysis, as an OPLS-DA scores plot.","This shows a clear separation between fresh media (FM) and other spent media (SMWT; SMWTF; SMMT; SMMTF) which demonstrates that a lot of metabolites were excreted and consumed during cell culture.","FIG.","24B also shows the data from the positive mode analysis.","The fresh media (FM) results were removed from the plot, because they are so different from the other samples so that any differences between the different spent media samples could be hidden.","This plot shows a clear separation between wild type (SMWT) and wild type+FeQ (SMMTF), but the SMMT and SMMTF clustered more closely.","This indicates that FeQ does not cause large detectable change between mutant and mutant+FeQ.","Overall, it is clear that there are less metabolic changes caused by FeQ in the mutant than in the wild type.","FIG.","24C contrasts from FIG.","24A in that it shows the data from the negative mode analysis, although essentially the same pattern and conclusions apply as in FIG.","24A.","FIG.","24D contrasts with FIG.","24B in that it shows the data from the negative mode analysis.","The negative mode data in FIG.","24D shows slightly different trends from the positive mode data, and demonstrates a clear separation between mutant (SMMT) and mutant+FeQ (SMMTF) samples, as well as between the SMWT and SMWTF samples.","These data demonstrate how fundamentally the metabolism of bacteria is changed by treatment with FeQ.","This is consistent with the phenotypic changes observed in bacteria treated with FeQ (as confirmed by iTRAQ results as discussed in Example 15), and provides an insight into the mechanism underlying the ability of FeQ and its related compounds as discussed in section III.A of this application to treat bacteria and cause an inhibition in their ability to form biofilm, colonise chickens and other animals, and even make the bacteria less resistance to antibiotics.","Example 27: Preparation Protocol for K[Fe(C7H11O6)3](OH) 3H2O (FeQ) FeCl3.6H2O (50 g, 184 mmol, Alfa Aesar, 97%) was placed in a flask and dissolved in 300 mL of H2O (J.T.","baker, HPLC grade).","To that solution, D-(−)-quinic acid (110 g, 572 mmol, Buchlr Gmbh, 96%) was added slowly with continuous stirring.","The pH of the solution was adjusted to ˜3 by addition of 10M KOH (Alfa Aesar, 85%) (˜80 mL was required).","The dark yellow solution darkened to brownish upon addition of KOH.","The dark solution was stirred for 1 h at room temperature.","After stirring at room temperature for 1 h ethanol (EMD, 94%) (2.5 l) was added slowly to the solution with stirring.","After addition of approximately ¼ of the total ethanol, the solution lightened visibly and a fine solid began to precipitate from solution.","After addition of the remaining ethanol, the solution is allowed to sit overnight at room temperature.","The solids are collected by vacuum filtration on a fritted funnel and allowed to dry on the funnel while the vacuum is continued for 2-3 h. The bright yellow solid is spread in a thin layer in a drying dish and dried open to the air for 3 days followed by drying under vacuum for 48 h to give 155 g of the final product.","Example 28: Synthesis of Fe(Tyr)3 L-tyrosine (5.43 g, 30 mmol, Chem Impex, 99.5%) and LiOH.H2O (1.26 g, 30 mmol, EMD, 94%) were dissolved in water (250 ml, J.T.","Baker, HPLC grade)) and the solution heated to 70° C. for 20 min.","The FeCl3 salt (1.62 g, 10 mmol, Alfa Aesar, 98%)) was dissolved in a minimum quantity of water (3-5 ml) and was added to the tyrosine/LiOH solution.","Precipitation (brown solid) was almost instantaneous but stirring with heating continued for 15 min.","The product was allowed to cool to room temperature and was collected by filtration.","The product was air dried and then further dried in a lyophilizer.","Isolated yield was 5.85 g. Example 29: Synthesis of Fe(DOPA)3 L-Dopa (11.84 g, 60 mmol, AK Scientific, 98%) and LiOH.H2O (2.52 g, 60 mmol, EMD, 94%) were dissolved in water (100 ml, J.T.","Baker, HPLC grade) and the solution heated to 70° C. for 20 min.","The FeCl3 salt (3.2 g, 20 mmol, Alfa Aesar, 98%) was dissolved in a minimum quantity of water (6-10 ml) and was added to the Dopa/LiOH solution vigorous.","Precipitation (very dark purple) was almost instantaneous but stirring with heating continued for 15 min.","The product was allowed to cool to room temperature and was collected by filtration.","The product was air dried and then further dried in a lyophilizer Isolated yield was 6.5 g. More solid (4 g) was collected from the filtrate and dried in the same way.","Overall yield was 10.5 g. Example 30: Fe-Q and Fe-Phe Potentiate the Effect of Antibiotics Methods To investigate effects upon antibiotic resistance, a laboratory strain of Psuedomonas aeruginosa (PAO1N) and a mixed population of clinical isolates (PAO Mixed) were incubated in Luria-Bertani (LB) media alone, or with different concentrations (34 μM, 100 μM, 200 μM and 340 μM) of FeQ or FePhe.","Each of the different media, bar one control, contained 10 μg/ml of the aminoglycoside antibiotic Amikacin.","10 μl of the bacterial strains were added into each well of a 96-well micro-titer plate, before 290 μl of the relevant media was added to wells.","Each different condition was repeated in sextuplicate.","The plate was incubated at 37° C. within a micro-titer plate reader for 17.5 hours, with the OD600 read every 30 minutes.","Results The results are shown in FIGS.","25A and 25B.","These figures show that Fe-Q and Fe-Phe provide similar effects at reducing tolerance of PAO1N and PAO Mixed to the aminoglycoside Amikacin."]],"string":"[\n [\n \"ANTIMICROBIAL COMPOUNDS AND COMPOSITIONS, AND USES THEREOF\",\n \"A method of enhancing the growth of an animal is provided.\",\n \"The method includes causing the animal to ingest or absorb an effective amount of one or more Fe III complex compounds, including but not limited to Fe III complexes comprising ligands bound to the iron centre selected from amino acids or α-hydroxy acids, o-hydroxy benzoic acids or pyridine-2-carboxylic acids, such as ferric quinate, ferric tyrosine, ferric DOPA and ferric phenylalanine.\",\n \"Compounds which are structural and/or functional variants, derivatives and/or analogs of the foregoing compounds, as further described herein are also disclosed.\",\n \"Methods for inhibiting, reducing, or preventing biofilm formation or buildup on a surface; the treatment of, inhibition of growth of, and inhibition of colonization by, bacteria, both in biological and non-biological environments; disinfecting surfaces, potentiating the effects of antibiotics and other anti-microbial agents, and increasing the sensitivity of bacteria and other microorganisms, to anti-microbial agents are also provided.\"\n ],\n [\n \"1.A composition comprising an effective amount of a compound to inhibit bacterial biofilm formation in a subject, wherein the compound is an Fe III complex having the structure of: Formula A: or a salt and/or hydrate thereof, wherein: X, X1 and X2 are independently selected from the group consisting of NH2, OH, CO2—, CO2H, OR3, NR3H, NR3R4, R3ONO2, R3NO2, SH, SR3, and X, X1 and X2 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; Y, Y1 and Y2 are independently selected from the group consisting of O, NH, NH2, NR3, NR3R4, SH, OR3, OH, and Y, Y1 and Y2 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; Z, Z1 and Z2 are independently selected from the group consisting of: O, S, NH, NR3, and Z, Z1 and Z2 may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, two may be the same and one may be different; R, R′, R1, R1′, R2, and R2′ are independently selected from the group consisting of H, CH3, CH2SH, CH2CO2H, CH2CH2CO2H, CH2C6H5, CH2C3H3N2, CH(CH3)CH2CH3, (CH2)4NH2, CH2CH(CH3)2, CH2CH2SCH3, CH2CONH2, (CH2)4NHCOC4H5NCH3, CH2CH2CH2, CH2CH2CONH2, (CH2)3NHC(NH)NH2, CH2OH, CH(OH)CH3, CH2SeH, CH(CH3)2, CH2C8H6N, CH2C6H4OH, and CH2C6H3(OH)2, and R, R′, R1, R1′, R2, and R2′ may all be the same or they may all be different, or, alternatively, up to five may be the same and one or more may be different; or any relevant pair of R and R′, R1 and R1′, and R2 and R2′ are linked to form a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl ring group; and R3 and R4 can independently be alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, phenyl, aryl, halo- and hydroxy-substituted radicals, hydroxyl radicals, nitrogen-substituted radicals, oxygen-substituted radicals, or hydrogen.\",\n \"2.The composition of claim 1, wherein R3 and R4 are independently C1-4 alkyl, C1-4 alkenyl, phenyl or benzyl, which latter four groups are optionally substituted by one or more halo or hydroxyl groups.\",\n \"3.The composition of claim 1, wherein one, two or all three of the ligands bound to the iron center are selected from amino acids or α-hydroxy acids.\",\n \"4.The composition of claim 1, comprising an effective amount of a compound to inhibit bacterial biofilm formation in a subject, the compound having a structure selected from the group consisting of: 5.The composition of claim 3, wherein one, two or all three of the ligands bound to the iron center are α-hydroxy acids.\",\n \"6.The composition of claim 1, wherein the one or more compounds are in combination with one or more coccidiostats, antimicrobial agents and one or more excipients, carriers and/or additives.\",\n \"7.The composition of claim 1, in a unit dosage form comprising one or more compounds of claim 1 in an amount of up to, or at least, about 1 ng, 10 ng, 50 ng, 100 ng, 500 ng, 1 μg, 10 μg, 50 μg, 100 μg, 500 μg, 1 mg, 10 mg, 100 mg, 500 mg, 1 g, 2 g, 3 g, 4 g, or 5 g. 8.The composition of claim 7, selected from the group consisting of a dietary product, an animal feed, disinfecting product, a human or animal dietary supplement, drinking product, a pharmaceutical or veterinary product, a cosmetic; a food production apparatus, a food processing apparatus, and a coating, wherein the one or more compounds are optionally conjugated to hydroxyapatite.\",\n \"9.The composition of claim 8, wherein the concentration of the one or more compounds is between a range of about 1 μM to about 1M.\",\n \"10.The composition of claim 8, wherein the composition is an animal feed, and the one or more compounds are in an amount between 0.001 to 20 g per Kg of feed.\",\n \"11.The composition of claim 8, wherein the composition is drinking water and the concentration of the one or more compounds is within the range of 0.002 to 15 g/L.\",\n \"12.The composition of claim 8, in the form of an emulsion, lotion, cream, ointment, wound dressing, patch, salve, gel, tablet, solution, suspension, foam, a spray, an aerosol, or imbibed into a suitable cloth.\",\n \"13.The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is an animal feed, and wherein the compound is a complex of Fe III and tyrosine.\",\n \"14.The composition of claim 1, wherein R, R′, R1, R1′, R2, and R2′ are independently selected from the group consisting of H, CH3, CH2SH, CH2CO2H, CH2CH2CO2H, CH2C6H5, CH(CH3)CH2CH3, (CH2)4NH2, CH2CH(CH3)2, CH2CH2SCH3, CH2CONH2, (CH2)4NHCOC4H5NCH3, CH2CH2CH2, CH2OH, CH(OH)CH3, CH2SeH, CH(CH3)2, CH2C8H6N, CH2C6H4OH, and CH2C6H3(OH)2, and optionally, wherein the compound is not FeQ, FeTyr or FeDOPA.\"\n ],\n [\n \"