Showing papers by "Panasonic published in 1993"

The Lombard reflex and its role on human listeners and automatic speech recognizers.

Abstract: Automatic speech recognition experiments show that, depending on the task performed and how speech variability is modeled, automatic speech recognizers are more or less sensitive to the Lombard reflex. To gain an understanding about the Lombard effect with the prospect of improving performance of automatic speech recognizers, (1) an analysis was made of the acoustic‐phonetic changes occurring in Lombard speech, and (2) the influence of the Lombard effect on speech perception was studied. Both acoustic and perceptual analyses suggest that the influence of the Lombard effect on male and female speakers is different. The analyses also bring to light that, even if some tendencies across speakers can be observed consistently, the Lombard reflex is highly variable from speaker to speaker. Based on the results of the acoustic and perceptual studies, some ways of dealing with Lombard speech variability in automatic speech recognition are also discussed.

Bar-code reader permitting selective use of a whole or a part of an image sensor

Abstract: A bar-code reader includes a selection circuit which selects one of two operating modes of reading a bar code label by using the whole section or partial section of an image sensor.

Method of manufacture of liquid crystal display panel

Abstract: A method of manufacture of a liquid crystal display panel is described whereby a fixed number of drops of liquid crystal, or a mixture of liquid crystal and spacers, are dropped at various positions on an electrode face of at least one of a pair of substrates, with the amount of liquid crystal in each of the drops being predetermined to a very high degree of accuracy. One of the substrates is then superposed on the other, under a condition of reduced air pressure, then under a condition of normal atmospheric pressure, mutual lateral position adjustment of the substrates is performed to a high degree of precision.

Television program recording and reproducing system using program data of text broadcast signal

Abstract: Television program information contained in an extracted text broadcast signal is selected and input to a video cassette recording device. The recording program information includes recording times and program titles. The recording device includes a timer for starting the recording of the television program on a tape in accordance with the recording information, an index detector for detecting an index along the tape to identify a section in the tape where the television program is recorded, a rewind controller for rewinding the tape to its initial position, a writing arrangement for writing the recording information of the recorded program together with the index information at the initial position of the tape, and a fast forward controller for advancing the tape to the end of the recorded section identified by the index. The recording information written at the initial position of the tape can be displayed on a screen to indicate the contents of the tape.

Porous substrate and conductive ink filled vias for printed circuits

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an organic substrate used for printed circuits, which includes the steps of forming through-holes (3) in a porous raw material (2) provided with cover films (1) and having compressive shrinkage, filling electro-conductive paste (4) into the through-holes (3), separating the cover films (1) from the porous raw material (2) filled with the electro-conductive paste (4) in its through-holes (3), applying metal foils (5) onto the surfaces of the porous raw material (2) from which the cover films (1) have been separated, and compressing the porous raw material (2) applied with the metal foils (5) through heating and pressurization, whereby the electro-conductive substances in the electro-conductive paste are connected for electrical connection between the metal foils.

Push button switch assembly including single or plural sequentially closed switches

Abstract: A push switch is capable of performing a first switching operation and subsequently a second switching operation when a pressing force is applied to the switch. The push switch includes (a) an insulating membrane having at least one dome with at least a portion thereof overlaid by or serving as an inner conductor and at least a portion of its outer periphery overlaid by or serving as an outer conductor, (b) an insulating substrate having thereupon an inner pole contact disposed at a position opposing to the inner conductor and an outer pole contact disposed at a position opposing to the outer conductor, respectively, and (c) a spacer placed between the insulating membrane and the insulating substrate for spacing the conductor apart from the pole contacts during the time when no pressing force is applied to the switch. When a light pressing force is applied to the dome, the outer conductor will first come in contact with the outer pole contact causing a first switching operation to take place, and subsequently with a further pressing, the inner conductor will come in contact with the inner contact causing a second switching operation to take place.

Recording and reproducing apparatus

Abstract: A disk-shaped recording medium includes a transparent substrate, and an optical recording layer formed on the transparent substrate A light source emits light An optical head is operative for applying the light to the optical recording layer from the light source via the transparent substrate, for focusing the light on the optical recording layer, and for reproducing information from the optical recording layer A position detecting device is operative for detecting at least one of a pit depth and a physical position of information which has a first given relation with a specified address and which is recorded on the recording medium, and for generating first positional information representing at least one of the pit depth and the physical position A previously-recorded secret code is reproduced from the recording medium The secret code represents second positional information The secret code is decoded into the second positional information The second positional information represents at least one of a predetermined reference pit depth and a predetermined reference physical position The first positional information and the second positional information are collated, and a check is made as to whether or not the first positional information and the second positional information are in a second given relation When the first positional information and the second positional information are not in the second given relation, one of outputting of a reproduced signal of the recording medium, operation of a program stored in the recording medium, and decoding of the secret code is stopped

Method for automatic mode selection for a dual-mode telephone handset for use in a cellular mobile telephone system and in a wireless telephone system

Abstract: A personal communications system permits a wireless handset to access either a cellular mobile telephone system (CMTS) or a private wireless telephone system (WTS) which shares the CMTS frequency band by utilizing those CMTS channels which are idle in the area serviced by the WTS. The wireless handset automatically selects between the WTS and CMTS operating modes by maintaining a list of previously accessed WTS control channels and periodically scanning that list for a WTS available at the location of the handset. If a WTS control channel is not found in that list, then the handset periodically scans all possible WTS control channels for the purpose of registering on an available WTS. If no WTS is found, then the handset switches to CMTS mode. The scanning methodology permits the wireless handset to rapidly lock on to an available WTS which will provide service to the handset, so as to reduce the possibility of the wireless handset missing incoming paging signals.

Luminaire of variable color temperature for obtaining a blended color light of a desired color temperature from different emission-color light sources

Abstract: A luminaire of variable color temperature is arranged for emitting blended color light from luminaire section, with color temperature control signals so transmitted from control section to luminaire-lighting section as to substantially equalize respective differences in reciprocal color temperatures of respective two adjacent stages of the color temperature control signals, to thereby render blended state of emission colors to be variable and a dimming of the blended color light to be realized with the color temperature gradually varied in smooth manner.

Development of a Transparent and Ultrahydrophobic Glass Plate

Abstract: A transparent glass plate was roughened at the submicron level, and then a chemically adsorbed monolayer of a fluorocarbon compound was formed along the glass surface. The monolayer was prepared using the chemical coupling reaction accompanying dehydrochlorination between a chlorosilyl group of the heptadeca-fluorodecyltrichlorosilane (CF3(CF2)7(CH2)2SiCl3: HFTS) surface-active agent and a hydroxyl group on the glass surface. The contact angle of the glass surface relative to water was approximately 155 degrees with transmittance kept at 92%. This glass plate may be useful for various products, such as motor vehicles and building window glass.

Method for predicting traffic space mean speed and traffic flow rate, and method and apparatus for controlling isolated traffic light signaling system through predicted traffic flow rate

Abstract: A method for predicting a traffic flow rate at a point on a road to control a traffic light signaling system measures a traffic density on the road to predict a traffic flow rate by utilizing the fact that a velocity of a vehicle on the road is restricted by an interval between successive vehicles, since the traffic density is locally increased when the vehicle interval is not uniform and therefore the spatial mean speed is lowered. This method offers higher accuracy by utilizing a correction coefficient obtained from an actual vehicle distribution, for instance, a coefficient derived from entropy. An apparatus for controlling a traffic light signaling system installed on a point of a road by utilizing this predicting method, thereby smoothing a traffic condition, includes video cameras for picking up images of a traffic condition at an upper stream of an intersection, an A/D converter for converting an analog video output signal into a digital video signal, two sets of image memories for storing digital image data about two scenes imaged by the video cameras at a proper time interval, an image processing unit for extracting moving objects from the images, a data process/control unit for calculating a total number of vehicles within a predetermined area and each space headway, whereby a vehicle distribution pattern is recognized an a correction coefficient is calculated, and an input/output unit for interfacing with the traffic light signaling system installed on the road.

Semiconductor testing apparatus, semiconductor testing circuit chip, and probe card

Abstract: The present invention comprises a plurality of semiconductor testing circuit chips 2 having an exclusive function of testing a plurality of one item of semiconductor integrated-circuit chips 1, a computer 3 for controlling the semiconductor testing circuit chips 2 and for collecting the test results, and a motherboard 4 on which the plurality of chips 1 to be tested and the plurality of testing circuit chips 2 are mounted so that the chips 1 to be tested are connected to the testing circuit chips 2. Since the major testing functions are incorporated into the testing circuit chips 2, the computer 3 for collecting the test results can sufficiently be composed of a low-price computer, so that it is possible to greatly lower the price of the semiconductor testing apparatus. By increasing the number of the testing circuit chips 2, it is possible to greatly increase the number of chips which can be tested simultaneously. Consequently, there can be provided a semiconductor testing apparatus which realizes the reduction in price and the increase in number of the semiconductor integrated circuits tested simultaneously, thereby significantly reducing the cost of testing the semiconductor integrated circuits.

Optical illumination system and projection display apparatus using the same

Abstract: An optical illumination system includes a radiation source, a condensor, a first lens array including a plurality of first lenses, and a second lens array including a plurality of second lenses. The first lens array converges partial luminous fluxes, the number of which is the same as the number of first lenses, onto the second lenses paired with the first lenses. The second lens array transmits each of the partial luminous fluxes to an object region to be illuminated in such a manner that the partial luminous fluxes are superimposed on each other at the object region. Configurations of the apertures of the second lenses are different from each other and the second lenses are arranged in close contact with each other with the effective region of the second lens array approximating the smallest possible circle.

Color adjustment apparatus for automatically changing colors

Abstract: An automatic color adjustment apparatus for use in an imaging device for adjusting the color of a subject such as skin or leave, which is well retained in human memory, to be as natural as possible. The color adjustment apparatus has a weighting coefficient setting device for setting a weighting coefficient according to the difference between the input chromaticity value and the preselected reference chromaticity value set by a chromaticity value setting device. The preselected reference chromaticity value is selected, with respect to a particular subject, such as skin, to be equal to the most natural color of that subject in a chromaticity plane defined by hue and saturation characteristics. The color-adjusted output signal is produced from a calculator which calculates an internal division operation applied to the preselected reference chromaticity value and the input chromaticity signal using the weighting coefficient.

Presence detecting and safety control apparatus

Abstract: A safety control apparatus positively discriminates between an object and a person through the detection of subtle physical movement corresponding to the heart activity and the breathing unique to the life activity of the human body from a output signal of a vibration sensor disposed on a seat so as to accurately decide whether or not a person is present. The maintenance of the safe operation of the moving vehicle can be realized. The starting of the moving vehicle is inhibited if the reserved seat is determined to be unoccupied in accordance with the decision result. In the case where the person is present, the moving of the vehicle is not started before the engagement of the seat belt has been detected.

Biosensor and measuring apparatus using the same

Abstract: The subject invention provides a simple sensor and an easy to handle biosensor measuring apparatus for the purpose of making measurements easily, rapidly and with high accuracy for specific components within a biological specimen such as blood. The biosensor of the subject invention is provided with a protrusion or a depression in a portion of a base having at least a measurement electrode and an opposing electrode. Also, the biosensor measuring apparatus is so configurated to have a mating means in the main body of the measuring apparatus freely supporting this biosensor to contact the said sensor's protrusion or depression, and further having the activating switch of the driving power supply located in this mating means. By means of these, it is possible to prevent wasteful measuring operations, as noted in the prior art biosensors, such as inserting the sensor backwards and making measurements with the sensor inserted backwards.

Exhaust gas filter and method for making the same

Abstract: An exhaust gas filter for internal combustion engine and of honeycomb structure comprising a ceramic fiber and inorganic binder, the ceramic fiber consists mainly of Al₂O₃ and SiO₂, the inorganic binder including Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ to bind the said ceramic fiber, and the inorganic binder is of single glass phase or of mixed phase of a glass phase and a crystal phase keeping the same crystal structure in the temperature range of 20 to 1200°C, whereby, in the inorganic binder, any crystal such as quartz which produces abnormal expansion due to crystal phase transition is excluded, and occurrance of crack is prevented..

Scramble apparatus and descramble apparatus

Abstract: A scramble apparatus for scrambling data including a variable length code and a descramble apparatus for descrambling a scrambled signal, and a scramble transmission apparatus comprising the scramble apparatus and the descramble apparatus. A specific code of data is converted into a readable code having a length equal to that of an original code.

A recording medium, an apparatus for recording a moving image, an apparatus and a system for generating a digest of a moving image, and a method of the same

Abstract: A system for generating a digest of a moving image according to the present invention includes: a generating section for generating a moving image having a plurality of frames, and for generating an operation signal in response to an input received by the generating section during the generating of the moving image; a priority assigning section for assigning a priority to each of the plurality of frames as a function of the operation signal; a selecting section for selecting at least one image of a plurality of images corresponding to the plurality of frames, based on the priority; and an output section for outputting at least one image selected by the selecting section.

Multistream instruction processor able to reduce interlocks by having a wait state for an instruction stream

Abstract: The present invention discloses a multistream instruction processor issuing instructions from N instruction streams in parallel, and processing instruction streams interchangeably when the number of the instruction streams is N or larger than N. Such processor comprises aninstructionpreparationunit comprised of N thread slots each of which fetches/decodes instructions from the instruction stream assigned thereto as well as issues decoding result one at a time; a functional unit comprised of M instruction execution units each of which executes instructions in accordance with the decoding result of the thread slot; an execution connection unit for replacing a connection with another, the connection between the instruction preparation unit and the functional unit so that the result received from the thread slot will be provided to the execution unit which is ready to execute it; and an instruction stream controller comprised of a context backup memory and an exchange controller, the context backup memory holding a context of the instruction stream which indicates how far execution of the instruction stream had been conducted so that the instruction stream will be re-executed while the exchange controller extracting the context of the instruction stream and temporarily storing it into the context backup memory when a predetermined event happens in the instruction therefrom as well as making the instruction execution unit receive another instruction, the instruction execution unit which was executing the instruction including the predetermined event.

Method of manufacturing organic substrate used for printed circuits

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an organic substrate used for printed circuits, which includes the steps of forming through-holes (3) in a porous raw material (2) provided with free tackness films (1) and having compressive shrinkage, filling electro-conductive paste (4) into the through-holes (3), separating the free tackness films (1) from the porous raw material (2) filled with the electro-conductive paste (4) in its through-holes (3), applying metal foils (5) onto the surfaces of the porous raw material (2) from which the free tackness films (1) have been separated, and compressing the porous raw material (2) applied with the metal foils (5) through heating and pressurization, whereby the electro-conductive substances in the electro-conductive paste (4) are connected for electrical connection between the metal foils (5).

Multiple split-beam laser processing apparatus generating an array of focused beams

Abstract: A laser processing apparatus includes a plurality of optical fibers formed into a bundle which is shaped such as to efficiently divide a laser beam into a plurality of split beams and transmit the split beams to respective converging lenses to be focused to have a high energy density when incident on respective workpieces. The optical fibers are shaped such as to each have a sufficiently large value of minimum radius of curvature to ensure that a small angle of divergence is maintained for each of the beams emitted from the fibers, thereby ensuring that the converging lenses can be small and inexpensive.

Electron mobilities in modulation-doped AlxGa1-xAs/GaAs and pseudomorphic AlxGa1-xAs/InyGa1-yAs quantum-well structures.

Abstract: Electron mobilities in modulation-doped ${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$As/GaAs/${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$As and pseudomorphic ${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$As/${\mathrm{In}}_{\mathit{y}}$${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{y}}$As/${\mathrm{Al}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{Ga}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$As quantum-well structures with high electron concentration have been measured in order to clarify their dependences on the quantum-well thickness It has been found that the 77-K mobilities show their highest values for quantum-well widths ranging from 80 to 100 \AA{} To understand the experimental results, mobility calculations were performed using a two-subband transport model The experimental dependences of electron mobility on the quantum-well thickness were reproduced in the theoretical calculations and it has been found that the conditions for the highest mobilities at 77 K correspond to the case when the Fermi energies of electrons in the ground subband become maximum with almost all the electrons populating in the ground subband For wider quantum-well thicknesses, electrons begin to populate in the upper subband, which results in sudden reduction in electron mobilities due to the sudden increase of intersubband scattering rate and reductions in Fermi energies of electrons in the ground subband

Method for preparing chalcopyrite-type compound

Abstract: A chalcopyrite-type compound, for instance, CuInS₂ or CuGaS₂, is prepared by subjecting a Group I - III oxide composition, containing at least one of the Group Ib element, for instance copper (Cu), and at least one of the Group IIIb element, for instance indium (In) or gallium (Ga) to a heat treatment under a reducing atmosphere containing the Group VIb element, for instance sulfur (S) or selenium (Se), or under an atmosphere containing a reducing compound of the Group VIb element, thereby converting said oxide composition into a chalcopyrite-type compound.

Method for generating and verifying electronic signatures and privacy communication using elliptic curves

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of generating and verifying electronic signatures for signed communication via a public digital network system by using an elliptic curve. The method is characterized by the step of supplying on the network system public data to each of users from a system provider, wherein an element P whose x-coordinate has 0 is chosen, a single parameter is chosen for the elliptic curve E over a finite field and its base point, and a prime number p is chosen such that one of p=2t +α and p=2t -α where t is a positive integer and α is a positive integer. Accordingly, fewer parameters can represent the elliptic curve E, base point P, field of definition GF(p), and order of the base point P, and either the x-coordinate or y-coordinate of the base point P have a small value. As a result, the elliptic curve addition kP can be calculated faster for any k.

Plasma generating apparatus

Abstract: On the inner surface of a chamber are circumferentially disposed three lateral electrodes at regular intervals. To the lateral electrodes are applied three high-frequency electric powers of 50 MHz, each differing in phase by approximately 120°. On the bottom of the chamber is placed a sample stage serving as a second electrode, around which is provided a ring-shaped earth electrode. To the sample stage is applied high-frequency electric power of 13.56 MHz. The distance between each of the three lateral electrodes and the earth electrode is longer than the distance between the sample stage and the earth electrode.

Land and Groove Recording for High Track Density on Phase-Change Optical Disks

Abstract: We have proposed a high-track-density optical recording method, which records signals on both the land area and groove area. From a computer simulation based on the scalar diffraction theory, we found that crosstalk between recording tracks depends on the groove depth, and is most reduced at the groove depth of 80 nm~90 nm for a laser wavelength of 780 nm, a numerical aperture of 0.55 and a track pitch of 0.8 µm. Applying this method to a phase-change optical disk, we experimentally confirmed that crosstalk depends on the groove depth and obtained a crosstalk level of less than -32 dB for a groove depth of 64 nm to 78 nm and 0.9 µm length marks. In order to prove that this recording method can be used for rewritable media, we also measured change of carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) when signals were repeatedly recorded on an adjacent track. The reduction of CNR after 1000 repetitions of writing was less than 2 dB for a linear velocity of 5 m/s.

Optical storage drive controller with predetermined light source drive values stored in non-volatile memory

Abstract: A control method and controller for an optical storage drive including: an optical head having a laser light source for applying light to an optical disk and a detector for receiving reflected light from the optical disk; and a seek mechanism for positioning the optical head on the optical disk. The control method includes: measuring a drive current value with which the laser light source provides a predetermined light power value by an emission adjustment; writing the measured drive current value into a non-volatile memory as an initial value; adjusting the emission of the laser light source so that it provides the predetermined light power value; and comparing the drive current value with which the emission adjustment has been made with the initial value stored in the non-volatile memory. Also disclosed is a control method which measures and stores a write power value providing optimum write performance in a non volatile memory for controlling the power of the laser light source with the measured value.

Imaging method for a wide dynamic range and an imaging device for a wide dynamic range

Abstract: A method for producing an image with a wide dynamic range using an imaging element in which periods for accumulating charges can be varied in one field is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: reading a charge stored in the imaging element in a first period of the field as a first signal; reading a charge stored in the imaging element in a second period of the field as a second signal, the second period being different from the first period; applying a first weight to the first signal in accordance with the level of the first signal; applying a second weight to the second signal in accordance with the level of the second signal; producing a synthesized signal by synthesizing the weighted first signal and the weighted second signal; and compressing the level of the synthesized signal to a predetermined standard level.