Showing papers by "Sony Broadcast & Professional Research Laboratories published in 2008"

Portable video programs

Abstract: A method consistent with certain embodiments provides portable delivery of television programs to a portable wireless device (PWD) involves using the PWD to capture a sample of a program being played by a television; transmitting attributes of the captured sample to a service provider so that the service provider can identify the program being played by the television; and receiving the television program at the PWD from the service provider via a wireless transmission. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Data processing apparatus and method

Abstract: A process for generating a number representative of an analogue data source (ADS) in which during enrolment a distinctive characteristic of the ADS is measured to obtain physical data (PD). Part of the PD is used to generate a physical value (PV) representative of the ADS. An error correction algorithm (ECA) is applied to the PV to generate error correction data (ECD), which is transformed, using another part of the PD, to generate transform data. During subsequent regeneration of the PV, the distinctive characteristic is re-measured to generate a new set of PD, and a PV is generated using the same part of the PD physical data as was used during enrolment. ECD is generated by transforming the transform data, using the same part of the PD as was used to transform the ECD during enrolment. The ECA uses the regenerated ECD to correct errors in the PV representative of the ADS.

Audio transmission, recording and reproducing system

Abstract: An audio recording and reproducing apparatus includes a controller for controlling the entire behaviors, hard disc for write and read of audio data, audio compression/expansion circuit for expanding compressed audio data, and external I/O port. The audio recording and reproducing apparatus is connected to a network service center to obtain desired music data from storage of the network service center and to store it in the hard disc.

Reducing Damage to Si Substrates during Gate Etching Processes

Abstract: The mechanism of formation of a "Si recess" that appears during gate poly-Si etching was studied. Hydrogen in HBr plasma penetrates through a thin gate oxide film and generates dislocated sites in the Si substrate. We developed a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to clarify both the penetration depth of H and O and the dislocation of Si. The damage was successfully minimized by controlling the high energy peak in the ion energy distribution function (IEDF) to be lower than the threshold energy of ion penetration.

Solid-state imaging device and camera

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes pixel cells that are formed on a substrate having a first substrate surface side, on which light is irradiated, and a second substrate surface side, on which elements are formed, and separated by an adjacent cell group and an element separation layer for each of the pixel cells or with plural pixel cells as a unit Each of the pixel cells has a first conductive well formed on the first substrate surface side and a second conductive well formed on the second substrate surface side The first conductive well receives light from the first substrate surface side and has a photoelectric conversion function and a charge accumulation function for the received light A transistor that detects accumulated charges in the first conductive well and has a threshold modulation function is formed in the second conductive well

Method and apparatus for performing touch-based adjustments within imaging devices

Abstract: A camera and method which selectively applies image content adjustments to elements contained in the image material. By way of example, the method involves registration of user touch screen input and determination of the arbitrary extent of a specific element in the captured image material at the location at which touch input was registered. Once selected, the element can be highlighted on the display, and additional user input may be optionally input to control what type of adjustment is to be applied. Then the element within the captured image material is processed to apply automatic, or user-selected, adjustments to the content of said element in relation to the remainder of the captured image. The adjustments to the image element may comprise any conventional forms of image editing, such as saturation, white balance, exposure, sizing, noise reduction, sharpening, blurring, deleting and so forth.

A direct repeat of E-box-like elements is required for cell-autonomous circadian rhythm of clock genes

Abstract: The circadian expression of the mammalian clock genes is based on transcriptional feedback loops. Two basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) PAS (for Period-Arnt-Sim) domain-containing transcriptional activators, CLOCK and BMAL1, are known to regulate gene expression by interacting with a promoter element termed the E-box (CACGTG). The non-canonical E-boxes or E-box-like sequences have also been reported to be necessary for circadian oscillation. We report a new cis-element required for cell-autonomous circadian transcription of clock genes. This new element consists of a canonical E-box or a non-canonical E-box and an E-box-like sequence in tandem with the latter with a short interval, 6 base pairs, between them. We demonstrate that both E-box or E-box-like sequences are needed to generate cell-autonomous oscillation. We also verify that the spacing nucleotides with constant length between these 2 E-elements are crucial for robust oscillation. Furthermore, by in silico analysis we conclude that several clock and clock-controlled genes possess a direct repeat of the E-box-like elements in their promoter region. We propose a novel possible mechanism regulated by double E-box-like elements, not to a single E-box, for circadian transcriptional oscillation. The direct repeat of the E-box-like elements identified in this study is the minimal required element for the generation of cell-autonomous transcriptional oscillation of clock and clock-controlled genes.

Content replacement by PID mapping

Abstract: A method and apparatus for content substitution, consistent with certain embodiments of the present invention involves receiving data representing content, the data having at least first and second packet identifiers (PIDs) associated with first and second portions of content. The content having the first PID is placed into a data stream. An initiation flag is received indicating initiation of a PID mapping operation. The content having the second PID is then mapped to the first PID and the mapped content is placed into the data stream. A termination flag is received indicating termination of the PID mapping operation at which point the process returns to placing content having the first PID into the data stream. The content substitution process can be used to replace advertisements, provide multiple plots, multiple endings, multiple views as well as other applications. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and computer program

Abstract: Disclosed is an information processing apparatus including an operation input unit including an operation surface having virtual buttons variably set thereto, a position detection unit detecting whether a user touches or almost touches the operation surface of the operation input unit, and a position at which the user touches or almost touches the operation surface thereof, and a pressure detection unit detecting pressure applied by the user touching the operation surface thereof. The processing apparatus further includes a virtual button control unit interpreting, when the position detection unit has detected the position at which the user touches or almost touches the operation surface thereof, a virtual button corresponding to the detected position as a selected virtual button, and correcting, when the pressure detected is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, a layout of the virtual buttons such that a size of the selected virtual button is enlarged according to intensity of the detected pressure.

Content reproducing device, content reproducing system, automatic content receiving method, and automatic content transferring method

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a portable type content reproducing device for reproducing content data, said portable type content reproducing device including, a radio communication unit, a nonvolatile storage unit, a reproduction processing unit, a connection controlling unit, and a reception controlling unit.

Weak hypothesis generation apparatus and method, learning apparatus and method, detection apparatus and method, facial expression learning apparatus and method, facial expression recognition apparatus and method, and robot apparatus

Abstract: A facial expression recognition system that uses a face detection apparatus realizing efficient learning and high-speed detection processing based on ensemble learning when detecting an area representing a detection target and that is robust against shifts of face position included in images and capable of highly accurate expression recognition, and a learning method for the system, are provided. When learning data to be used by the face detection apparatus by Adaboost, processing to select high-performance weak hypotheses from all weak hypotheses, then generate new weak hypotheses from these high-performance weak hypotheses on the basis of statistical characteristics, and select one weak hypothesis having the highest discrimination performance from these weak hypotheses, is repeated to sequentially generate a weak hypothesis, and a final hypothesis is thus acquired. In detection, using an abort threshold value that has been learned in advance, whether provided data can be obviously judged as a non-face is determined every time one weak hypothesis outputs the result of discrimination. If it can be judged so, processing is aborted. A predetermined Gabor filter is selected from the detected face image by an Adaboost technique, and a support vector for only a feature quantity extracted by the selected filter is learned, thus performing expression recognition.

Wireless communication system, wireless communication device and wireless communication method, and computer program

Abstract: A wireless communication system, wherein packet transmission operations are carried out in an infrastructure mode, includes: a first terminal station serving as a data transmission source; a second terminal station serving as a data receiving destination; and a control station configured to contain each terminal station and relay a packet transmitted between the two terminal stations; wherein the first terminal station transmits a packet addressed to the second terminal station via the control station, and detects that the second terminal station is within range capable of a direct link, based on the first terminal station receiving a confirmation response packet replied from the second terminal station, the confirmation response packet being replied from the second terminal station upon a predetermined period of time having passed from the time of the control station transferring the packet to the second terminal station address.

Recording apparatus, recording method, program for recording method, and storage medium that stores program for recording method

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a type detecting section that detects a type of storage medium; an erase-block size detecting section that detects an erase-block size of the storage medium; a recording section that records desired data to a data area in the storage medium and records management information of the data area to a management area in the storage medium; and a control section that controls the recording section by issuing a command to the recording section, on the basis of results of the detection. Each time a certain amount of data is recorded to the data area, the control section updates the management information in accordance with the recording, and when the storage medium is a storage medium in which recorded data is updated for each erase-block size, the control section increases the certain amount of data according to an increase in the erase-block size.

8.4: Distinguished Paper: A Full Color Eyewear Display using Holographic Planar Waveguides

Abstract: A full color eyewear display with over 85% see-through transmittance and 2500cd/m2 brightness was developed. Very low color crosstalk, less than 0.008 Δu'v' uniformity and 120% NTSC color gamut were achieved. Waveguides with two in- and out-coupling hologram elements enabled simple configuration with side-mounted microdisplays.

Information processing device and touch operation detection method

Abstract: An information processing device includes: a display unit having a touch panel on its front surface; a movement amount calculation unit that calculates the movement amount of a touch operation based on a touch point at which the touch operation is performed with respect to the touch panel and a touch release point at which the touch operation is released from the touch panel; an operation determination unit that determines whether the touch operation is a depression operation or a gesture operation depending on the calculated movement amount; and a command recognition unit that recognizes whether a received command is a command corresponding to the depression operation or the gesture operation.

Power receiving device and power transfer system

Abstract: There is provided a power receiving device capable of receiving a carrier wave transmitted from a power transmitting device without contact and obtaining electric power from the received carrier wave, which includes a carrier receiving section at least including a communication antenna having predetermined inductance and not equipped with an intermediate tap, to receive the carrier wave and generate an induced voltage corresponding to the carrier wave, a processing section to generate a drive voltage based on the induced voltage and perform data processing using the generated drive voltage, and an impedance converting section to convert impedance between the carrier receiving section and the processing section.

Reception device, reception method, and computer-readable medium

Abstract: A reception device and method are provided for receiving content on channels distributed by distribution servers via a router. The method includes registering a multicast media access control address corresponding to a channel to be switched to before switching to the channel; storing the multicast media access control address; and switching to the channel using the stored multicast media access control address.

Reduced Hardware Implementation For A Two-Picture Depth Map Algorithm

Abstract: An imaging system generates a picture depth map from a pair of reduced resolution images. The system captures two full resolution images, receives image reduction image information and creates two reduced resolution images. The system computes a blur difference between the two reduced resolution images at different image locations. The system calculates the depth map based on the blur difference between the two reduced resolution images at different image locations.

Signal processing apparatus and signal processing method

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a signal processing apparatus including: a first decimation processing section for generating, based on a digital signal in a first form, a digital signal in a second form; a second decimation processing section for generating, based on the digital signal in the second form, a digital signal in a third form; a first signal processing section for processing the digital signal in the third form; an interpolation processing section for converting a digital signal in the third form outputted from the first signal processing section into a digital signal in the second form; a second signal processing section for processing the digital signal in the second form outputted from the first decimation processing section; and a combining section for combining the digital signals in the second form outputted from the interpolation processing section and the second signal processing section.

Tangible augmented reality

Abstract: This paper advocates a new metaphor for designing threedimensional Augmented Reality (AR) applications, Tangible Augmented Reality (Tangible AR). Tangible AR interfaces combine the enhanced display possibilities of AR with the intuitive manipulation and interaction of physical objects or Tangible User Interfaces. We define what Tangible AR interfaces are, present some design guidelines and prototype interfaces based on these guidelines. Experiences with these interfaces show that the Tangible AR metaphor supports seamless interaction between the real and virtual worlds, and provides a range of natural interactions that are difficult to find in other AR interfaces. CR Categories: H.5.2 [User Interfaces] Input devices and strategies; H.5.1 [Multimedia Information Systems] Artificial, augmented , and virtual realities.

Display apparatus, driving method for display apparatus and electronic apparatus

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a display apparatus, including: a pixel array section including a plurality of pixels, a writing transistor, a driving transistor, a first switching transistor, a holding capacitor, and a second switching transistor; a first scanning section configured to drive the writing transistor in a unit of a row of the pixels; a second scanning section configured to drive the switching transistors in synchronism with scanning by the first scanning section; and a third scanning section configured to control the second switching transistors to a non-conducting state within a period after the image signal is written by the writing transistor until the signal writing period of the same row of the pixels ends but to a conducting state within any other period.

Display device and driving method thereof

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a display device including: a pixel array unit having pixel circuits arranged in a form of a matrix; and a control unit having a writing scanning unit for outputting, to the sampling transistor, a writing scanning pulse The control unit effects control to supply a control input terminal of the drive transistor with a fixed potential for a threshold value correcting operation for retaining a voltage corresponding to a threshold voltage of the drive transistor in the storage capacitor When setting a voltage across the storage capacitor to the threshold voltage of the drive transistor by repeating the threshold value correcting operation a plurality of times on a time division basis, the control unit effects control to perform each the threshold value correcting operation and the sampling transistor to a conducting state

Information display terminal, information display method, and program

Abstract: There is provided an information display terminal for displaying an object of a graphical user interface on a display screen including a first operation information acquiring unit for acquiring first operation information including location information on the display screen via a contact detection surface provided so as to overlap with the display screen; a second operation information acquiring unit for acquiring second operation information including location information on the display screen via a contact detection surface provided on a surface on the side opposite to the display screen; and a display controlling unit for controlling the display of the object on the display screen on the basis of the acquired first operation information and second operation information. As a result, an information display terminal having excellent visibility and operability, which can provide an operating environment where intuitive operation is possible, can be provided.

Solid-state imaging device

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a semiconductor substrate having a foreside provided with an imaging area and an electrode pad, the imaging area having an array of optical sensors, the electrode pad being disposed around a periphery of the imaging area; a transparent substrate joined to the foreside of the semiconductor substrate with a sealant therebetween; underside wiring that extends through the semiconductor substrate from the electrode pad to an underside of the semiconductor substrate; and a protective film composed of an inorganic insulating material and interposed between the semiconductor substrate and the sealant, the protective film covering at least the electrode pad

Method and apparatus for use in providing information to accessing content

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for use in identifying one or more sources of content by receiving a request to supply a listing of registered content providers; identifying a first registered content identifier (ID); evaluating a first metadata directly associated with the first registered content ID, and identifying multiple registered content providers; identifying, for each identified content providers, a cost to access the first content, and a link to access the corresponding content provider; generating a listing of content providers comprising a list of each of the identified content providers and their corresponding costs and links; and communicating over the distributed network the listing of content providers.

A flexible full‐color AMOLED display driven by OTFTs

Abstract: — Organic thin-film-transistor (OTFT) technologies have been developed to achieve a flexible backplane for driving full-color organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with a resolution of 80 ppi. The full-color pixel structure can be attained by using a combination of top-emission OLEDs and fine-patterned OTFTs. The fine-patterned OTFTs are integrated by utilizing an organic semiconductor (OSC) separator, which is an insulating wall structure made of an organic insulator. Organic insulators are actively used for the OTFT integration, as well as for the separator, in order to enhance the mechanical flexibility of the OTFT backplane. By using these technologies, active-matrix OLED (AMOLED) displays can be driven by the developed OTFT backplane even when they are mechanically flexed.

3D Perception and Environment Map Generation for Humanoid Robot Navigation

Abstract: A humanoid robot that can go up and down stairs, crawl underneath obstacles or simply walk around requires reliable perceptual capabilities for obtaining accurate and useful information about its surroundings. In this work we present a system for generating three-dimensional (3D) environment maps from data taken by stereo vision. At the core is a method for precise segmentation of range data into planar segments based on the algorithm of scan-line grouping extended to cope with the noise dynamics of stereo vision. In off-line experiments we demonstrate that our extensions achieve a more precise segmentation. When compared to a previously developed patch-let method, we obtain a richer segmentation with a higher accuracy while also requiring far less computations. From the obtained segmentation we then build a 3D environment map using occupancy grid and floor height maps. The resulting representation classifies areas into one of six different types while also providing object height information. We apply our perception method for the navigation of the humanoid robot QRIO and present experiments of the robot stepping through narrow space, walking up and down stairs and crawling underneath a table.

Video input processor, imaging signal-processing circuit, and method of reducing noises in imaging signals

Abstract: A video input processor is disclosed. The processor includes: an imaging signal-generating portion configured to image a subject and producing first imaging signals containing visible light components and a second imaging signal containing near-infrared light components; a gain adjustment portion configured to adjustably set a maximum gain value according to a relative magnitude between the visible light components and the near-infrared light components and adjust a gain for the first imaging signals at the set maximum gain value; and a noise reduction portion configured to reduce noises in the first imaging signals after the gain has been adjusted.

Wearable device, authentication method, and recording medium

Abstract: A wearable device is provided that is used while being worn on a body of a user. The wearable device includes a biometric-information authentication portion that acquires biometric information from the user for biometric authentication. The wearable device acquires biometric information from a portion in contact with or in the vicinity of the user's body to perform the biometric authentication without requesting the user to operate for the biometric authentication.

Computer implemented display, graphical user interface, design and method including scrolling features

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a display unit and a control unit. The display unit is configured to display a dividing region dividing a main display region into two sub regions. The control unit is configured to control the display unit to display a plurality of icons in the dividing region, to change position of the dividing region in the main display region based on user input, and to display, when an icon of the plurality of icons is selected, information corresponding to the icon in at least one of the sub regions.