Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided comprising a seat back frame having right and left side frames, a headrest for supporting a head of a seat occupant, and a back-and-forth movable body provided inside a backrest that is positioned at a rear of the seat occupant, wherein a backward movement of the back-and-forth movable body forwardly moves the headrest to support the head of the seat occupant. The back-and-forth movable body is attached to each side frame through a link member and is provided with a backward protrusion protruding backward, and the backward protrusion extends laterally.

Abstract: A digital image processing apparatus and a method of controlling the same. The digital image processing apparatus includes a multi-direction button as a shutter release button which can move an auto focus (AF) region while a first shutter release signal is being applied. The multi-direction shutter release button is operable along the first direction which is an up and down direction, and is operable in the multiple directions which include back, front, right, and left directions. Specifically, the multi-direction shutter release button is operable to apply a first shutter release signal when moved down along the first direction to a first position, to allow for auto focusing operations in accordance with movement in any of the multiple directions, and is operable to apply a second shutter release signal when moved down along the first direction to a second position to control the digital image processing apparatus to operate a shutter to capture an image.

Abstract: The invention offers a submarine solid cable that can suppress the movement of the insulating oil when the cable is used and the production method thereof. The method of producing a submarine solid cable forms an insulating layer by lapping insulating tapes, each of which includes a resin film, over the outer circumference of a conductor and impregnates the insulating layer with medium-viscosity insulating oil. The insulating layer is formed by lapping insulating tapes, each of which includes a resin film, over the outer circumference of the conductor 1. The insulating layer is impregnated with an insulating oil having an at least medium viscosity. The resin film is swelled to narrow an impregnation path impregnated with the insulating oil. According to the production method, the impregnation path for the insulating oil is secured when the impregnation with the insulating oil is performed and the impregnation path is narrowed to suppress the movement of insulating oil when the cable is used.

Abstract: A digital photographing apparatus capable of more precisely obtaining a panoramic image than conventional cameras, a method of controlling the digital photographing apparatus, and a recording medium storing a program for executing the method. The method of controlling a digital photographing apparatus includes: obtaining a first image according to a user's signal; inverting the pixel values of a portion of the first image; obtaining a second image; and obtaining a third image by combining the first image and the second image.

Abstract: A zoom lens includes, sequentially from an object side, a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a negative refractive power, a third lens group having a positive refractive power, and a fourth lens group. During zooming from a wide angle position to a telephoto position, the interval between the first lens group and the second lens group increases, the interval between the second lens group and the third lens group decreases, and an interval between the third lens group and the fourth lens group varies. The fourth lens group includes, sequentially from the object side, a first sub-lens group having a positive refractive power, a second sub-lens group having a negative refractive power, and a third sub-lens group. The second sub-lens group of the fourth lens group is moved along an optical axis to perform focusing.

Abstract: A gas laser oscillator capable of initiating discharge, without applying excess voltage to a discharge tube, and correctly and rapidly judging the initiation of discharge. The oscillator has a laser power commanding part adapted to generate a laser power command including a pulse superimposed on a forefront of each step, a voltage applying part adapted to apply a voltage to a discharge tube based on the laser power command, a discharge tube voltage detecting part adapted to detect the discharge tube voltage, a discharge tube voltage monitoring part adapted to monitor the discharge tube voltage, and a discharge initiation judging part adapted to judge that the discharge is initiated when the difference, between a change rate of the monitored voltage and a change rate of the discharge tube voltage predetermined based on data obtained while the discharge is normally carried out, is smaller than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A light quantity adjustment apparatus includes a support plate with a first through hole, a rotation plate with a second through hole corresponding to the first through hole and rotatable with respect to the support plate, 2D iris plates rotatably connected to the support plate so as to move between a location in which the first through hole is completely opened and another location in which the first through hole is completely closed, two 3D iris plates each having one end rotatably connected to the support plate and another end engaged with the rotation plate, a shading plate, and a shading plate driving unit. The 2D iris plates adjust an open area of the first through hole. The two 3D iris plates move between a retreat location away from the first through hole and a photographing location where a first photographing hole and a second photographing hole are formed.

Abstract: Described are variants (mutants) of a parent alpha-amylase having alpha-amylase activity and exhibiting altered properties relative to the parent alpha-amylase, and methods of use, thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of driving a plasma display panel. In this method, one field corresponding to one image is divided into a plurality of sub-fields, and at least one second sub-field is arranged after a first sub-field. In the first sub-field, the method comprises a first step of forming wall charges with negative polarity near the scanning electrode and forming wall charges with positive polarity near the common electrode and the data electrode; a second step of adjusting an amount of the wall charges with negative polarity near the scanning electrode and an amount of the wall charges with positive polarity near the common electrode and the data electrode; a third step of generating a writing discharge in a selected display cell of the display cells; a fourth step of generating light emission for display; and a fifth step of erasing a part of the wall charges in the display cell which emits light in the fourth step.

Abstract: An image processing method and apparatus may effectively reduce noise in an image which represents an object photographed by a photographing apparatus. The method may include extracting a first low-frequency component and a first high-frequency component from first image data, and applying a noise reduction filter to the first low-frequency component and to the first high-frequency component to obtain a second low-frequency component and a second high-frequency component, respectively. The method may also include obtaining edge data from the second low-frequency component, and amplifying a portion of the second high-frequency component that corresponds to the edge data to obtain a third high-frequency component. The method may further include combining the second low-frequency component with the third high-frequency component to obtain second image data, and controlling the second image data representing the photographed object to be output to at least one of a storage medium and a display unit.

Abstract: A lipid-improving agent containing a triglyceride(s) where a poly-unsaturated fatty acid is bonded to 2-position of a triglyceride(s).

Abstract: A nitride semiconductor substrate is featured in comprising: a GaN semiconductor layer grown on a base layer, which has a substantially triangular cross-section along the thickness direction thereof, a periodic stripe shapes, and uneven surfaces arranged on the stripes inclined surfaces; and an overgrown layer composed of AlGaN or InAlGaN on the GaN semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A cylinder body 60 of a wheel cylinder assembly 6 for expanding a pair of brake shoes 3 and 4 by a pair of pistons 31 and 32 brought into contact with the respective brake shoes has a shape of a single straight pipe with both ends which are opened. The cylinder body 60 includes a first cylinder portion 35 for the one 32 of the pistons and a second cylinder portion 34 for the other 31 of the pistons. A valve seat 43 of a control valve 39 is arranged between the cylinder portions 34 and 35.

Abstract: Provided are a method of controlling a focus lens to be moved to a target location by generating a normalized focus graph by use of relative values of a plurality of focus values obtained by using a plurality of filters each having different cut-off frequencies, and predicting a target position of the focus lens according to the normalized focus graph, an apparatus operating by using the method, and a recording medium for recording the method. According to the present invention, in terms of performing an auto-focusing function, by optimizing the motion line of the focus lens, wasteful power consumption can be prevented and a scanning time of the focus lens can be shortened.

Abstract: A precursor wire of an oxide superconducting wire includes a first sheath made of silver or silver alloy, a center portion in the first sheath, and a plurality of peripheral segments placed close to one another at the inside of the first sheath so as to surround the center portion. Each of the peripheral segments is formed as a monofilamentary segment that has an arch-shaped cross section and that includes a ribbon-shaped filament made of a precursor of an oxide superconductor and covered with a second sheath made of silver or silver alloy. The multiple peripheral segments are placed in a multilayer state in the form of concentric circles such that wide-width surfaces of the peripheral segments surround the center portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a shaken image by using auto focusing. The method includes calculating a maximum AF value of a preview image and a maximum AF value of a captured image that is down-sampled according to the preview image and comparing the maximum AF value of the preview with the maximum AF value of the captured image to determine whether the captured image is shaken or not.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for canceling chromatic aberration. In the method, only chrominance signals are filtered using an asymmetrical mask according to the characteristics of chromatic aberration occurring from among a luminance/chrominance coordinates system. Accordingly, it is possible to cancel chromatic aberration regardless of the characteristics of a lens and prevent the resolution of the original image from degrading.

Abstract: Provided are a digital photographing apparatus, and associated method and recording medium with method instructions, by which smear generation during moving picture photographing or moving picture display is effectively reduced. The digital photographing apparatus includes an imaging device having an effective area that generates first image data from incident light and an optical black area that is disposed outside the effective area and extends horizontally; a first smear correction unit that corrects the first image data generated by the effective area by using smear data generated by the optical black area, thereby acquiring second image data corresponding to a second frame image comprising less smear than a first frame image corresponding to the first image data; a unit corrects the second image data thereby acquiring third image data.