Abstract: There is disclosed image predictive coding apparatus and method, image predictive decoding apparatus and method, and recording medium which stores therein the image predictive coding method or the image predictive decoding method, of which the transform efficiency is remarkably improved in comparison with the prior art.

Abstract: An image coding apparatus which performs an adaptive coding process in macroblock units each comprising a predetermined number of pixels into which the image space is divided, comprises: a color motion vector coding unit for coding either a frame-basis color motion vector or a field-basis color motion vector of a target macroblock to be coded which is used in either the frame-by-frame motion compensation coding process or the field-by-field motion compensation coding process for an interlaced color signal, based on its prediction value; and a shape motion vector coding unit for coding a frame-basis shape motion vector of the target macroblock which is used in the frame-by-frame motion compensation coding process for an interlaced shape signal, based on a prediction value obtained from a color motion vector and a shape motion vector of a coded macroblock.

Abstract: A semiconductor IC includes a test circuit comprising a logic circuit, a test timing generator, a first register serving as a test signal generation point, and second and third registers serving as test signal observation points. In this test circuit, a target signal transmission path to be tested is selected from a plurality of signal transmission paths in the logic circuit, and the test timing generator outputs a test clock having a cycle according to a delay time of the selected signal transmission path on design to the first to third registers, whereby the first register generates a test signal and the second and third registers observe the test signal. Therefore, the signal transmission paths connecting the test signal generation point and the test signal observation point are tested with high efficiency, whereby more signal transmission paths are tested for delay faults with less number of times the test is executed.

Abstract: In a magnetic head of perpendicular magnetization type having main and sub magnetic poles arranged at both sides of a recording medium, a nonmagnetic supporter holding a high permeability magnetic thin layer of the main magnetic pole is formed by a polycrystalline sintered body substantially composed of titanium carbide and alumina. This polycrystalline sintered product well matches with a recording medium having a cobalt-chromium alloy layer so that the recording medium does not wear for a long time of use, and therefore, so that the contact surface of the main magnetic pole is hardly damaged. The same sintered body may also be used for the sub magnetic pole arranged to be in contact with the recording medium. Some structural improvements are also provided so that undesirable influence due to an adhesive layer adjacent to the magnetic thin layer is removed. One or more additional thin layers may be provided for reducing crosstalk between adjacent tracks.

Abstract: A solid-state photoelectrical transducer comprises a plurality of multilayered semiconductive structures. Each of the multilayered structures comprises a charge transfer layer, a photoelectrical conversion layer having an array of photoelectrical conversion regions, and an intermediate layer sandwiched between the charge transfer layer and the photoelectrical conversion layer. The intermediate layer is of opposite conductivity type to the conductivity type of the other layers and includes a pair of electrically resistive regions adapted for connection to a potential source for inducing in the intermediate layer a pair of field potential distributions having oppositely inclined gradients to cause depletion of charges to occur between the charge transfer layer and each one of the photoelectrical conversion regions.

Abstract: Anisotropic Mn-Al-C alloy magnets exhibiting excellent magnetic characteristics in multipolar magnetization are described. The magnets are obtained by subjecting a polycrystalline Mn-Al-C alloy magnet, which is rendered anisotropic, to compressive working or extrusion at a temperature of from 530.degree. to 830.degree. C. while keeping restrained at least part of the hollow billet along its length so that the at least part is prevented from suffering compressive deformation until fed into a compressive working region. Permanent magnets obtained by the method are also described.

Abstract: An ultrasonic liquid ejecting apparatus for discharging liquid droplets comprises a housing including a chamber for holding liquid therein having an intake port connected to a liquid supply container. A bimorph vibrator system is provided comprising a vibrating member secured to the housing in pressure transmitting relation with the liquid in the chamber and a piezoelectric transducer secured to the vibrating member for inducing a displacement therein to discharge a small quantity of liquid through an nozzle opening formed in the vibrating member. A circuit is provided for exciting the transducer at a frequency corresponding to the resonant frequency of the vibrator system.

Abstract: In an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter or a digital-to-analog (D/A) converter, a nonlinear D/A converter is employed. The nonlinear D/A converter comprises an absolute value circuit, a D/A converter, and another D/A converter having a function of multiplication. The latter D/A converter is responsive to a digital signal and to an analog signal from the former D/A converter so as to produce an analog signal indicative of the square of the digital signal. In an A/D converter, the nonlinear D/A converter is put in a negative feedback loop following an output of a successive approximation register so as to produce a reference signal with which an input analog signal to be converted will be compared by a comparator. The invention enables A/D conversion of a wide dynamic range signal by using a small number of bits, while quantization noise with respect to a low level signal is maintained low.

Abstract: This invention relates to a sheathed resistance heater which comprises a metal pipe (3), a heating wire (2) received in the metal pipe, and an electrically insulating powder (4) filled in the pipe and also to a method for fabricating same. The electrically insulating powder (4) contains 0.1-10 wt % of the specific type of an oxide by which the heater has a prolonged life because the oxide serves to suppress the metallic component of the heating wire (2) from evaporating, and its insulation resistance under self-heating conditions can be prevented from lowering. The heater has wide utility in both domestic and industrial fields.

Abstract: A billet made of a polycrystalline Mn-Al-C alloy magnet which is obtained by plastically deforming a Mn-Al-C alloy for magnet such as by extrusion at a temperature of 530.degree. to 830.degree. C. is used for compressive working. When the billet is hollow, it is entirely or locally compressed along the axis of the hollow billet. On the other hand, when the billet is solid, an outer circumferential portion of the billet is compressed. By the compression, the anisotropic structure of the portion where compressed is changed into an anisotropic structure having a direction of easy magnetization in radial directions. The magnet obtained by the method is also disclosed. The magnet has a radially anisotropic structure or novel structures having two different types of anisotropies therein.

Abstract: A multi-unit induction heating apparatus for cooking applications comprises a plurality of inverter units for generating high frequency energy, each of the inverters having first and second input terminals, the first input terminals being coupled respectively through first circuits to a first terminal of a low frequency power source, the second input terminals being coupled together to a common circuit node which is connected through a second circuit to a second terminal of the power source. The apparatus further includes a like plurality of manually operated switches respectively connected in the first circuits and a like plurality of first high frequency noise rejection filters connected respectively in the first circuits. The second circuit includes a common, high frequency noise rejection filter.

Abstract: A selective gas-permeable film comprising a crosslinked copolymer product of a bifunctional polyorganosiloxane and a mixture of a styrene polymer having an aromatic ring at the side chain thereof, a phenolic polymer having an aromatic ring at the main chain thereof or an addition polymer of a phenolic compound and a phenyl ether compound joined through methylene groups and a polymer having functional end hydroxyl groups. Alternatively, the copolymer product may be of the bifunctional polyorganosiloxane and the addition polymer alone.

Abstract: An electric water heater includes an outer cylindrical structure having first and second openings defining a water inlet and outlet, respectively, and an inner cylindrical structure having an inner passage therethrough and coaxially disposed in the outer cylindrical structure to define an outer passage therebetween. The inner and outer passage are interconnected at one end of the structures and communicate respectively with the first and second openings. The inner cylindrical structure includes a cylindrical ceramic support secured at one end to the other end of the outer cylindrical structure, an electric resistance heating element on the outer surface of the ceramic support and a ceramic sheet having a thickness smaller than the ceramic support wound on the heating element so that it is embedded in the sheet.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic cassette loading apparatus which comprises a motor and a first sensing means for detecting when a cassette is placed in a first position to energize the motor. A counter is provided for counting clock pulses in response to the energization of the motor and generating an output signal when the counted clock pulses reach a predetermined value. A second sensing means is provided for detecting when the cassette is moved to a second, tape-operating position. The loading apparatus further includes a mechanism driven by the motor for moving the cassette from the first position to the second position and restoring the cassette to the first position and beyond to de-energize the motor when the output signal of the counter is generated prior to the detection of the cassette in the second position.

Abstract: A composition for absorption refrigeration which comprises a fluorinated hydrocarbon refrigerant, an amide or glycol ether solvent serving as an absorption liquid, and a phosphite stabilizer. The stabilizer is used in an amount of 0.05 to 0.5 wt % of the absorption liquid calculated as phosphorus, within which range the phosphite stabilizer can suitably protect the refrigerant and the absorption liquid from deteriorating and decomposing at high operation temperatures.

Abstract: An ink jet printing head comprises a laminar airflow chamber having a front channel through a combined stream of air and ink droplets is discharged toward a writing surface, and a rear channel provided through an insulative plate and axially aligned with the front channel connected to a source of liquid. The chamber is further provided with an air intake connected to a pressurized air supply source for directing an airstream to a point between the front and rear channels so that the airstream makes a sharp turn at the entry into the front channel with the result that a sharp pressure gradient is produced in the liquid discharge path. A first electrode is provided around said front channel and second electrode is provided on a rear side wall of said insulative plate around said rear channel.

Abstract: A high-temperature furnace comprising a gas burner (2) for burning a mixture of air and fuel in a combustion chamber (1), and an oxygen enricher (4). The enricher comprises a plurality of cells (13a) each comprising a pair of spaced apart oxygen permeable membranes (14), and a suction fan (12) for drawing air through the spaces between the cells (13a). The cells (13a) are coupled by a manifold (13b) to a vacuum pump (18) which causes the oxygen molecules of the air to pass through the membranes to increase the oxygen content of the air in the cells (13a), the oxygen-enriched air being drawn by the suction pump (18) to the burner (2). Preferably, a heat exchanger (31) is provided for transferring thermal energy of the emissions from the combustion chamber (1) to the air drawn by the suction fan (12) to maintain the oxygen concentration constant for a given operating condition of the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an electrode for use in lead storage batteries in which an aqueous emulsion of a silicone capable of forming an elastic, porous matrix on breaking of the emulsion, is contacted with a finely divided active electrode material at the stage of preparing an electrode paste, or after formation as an electrode. The contacted material is dried, so that the elastic, porous silicone matrix formed in association with and in intimate contact with the finely divided active electrode material. An aqueous dispersion of fluorocarbon resin can be further added to the paste, or an electrode having a fibrous network of fluorocarbon resin can be applied with the silicone emulsion. Fine particles obtained from the silicone emulsion can also be applied to a finely divided active electrode material.

Abstract: A shredder comprises a cutter unit including a pair of rotary cutters for shredding a material therebetween while the rotary cutters are rotating in a normal direction, a reversible motor for rotating the rotary cutters through a speed reducer, and a switch unit for selectively causing the motor to rotate the rotary cutter in the normal direction or reversing the motor to rotate the rotary cutters in a reverse direction to remove the material from the rotary cutters when the material is jammed in the rotary cutters. An electrical control circuit is responsive to actuation of the switch unit for enabling the motor to produce a larger torque while rotating in the reverse direction than the torque produced while rotating in the normal direction, thereby reliably releasing the rotary cutters from biting engagement with the material when jammed.

Abstract: In an optical disc having a file region and a directory region for carrying various pieces of information or data, one or more designated information can be erased by irradiating a laser light beam on a corresponding region in the file region where the light beam is modulated by a superposing writing signal which may be a d.c. or a predetermined a.c. signal. When it is intended to renew the information, designated information is first read out and stored in an external memory prior to performing superposing writing. Meanwhile, the data is renewed and is then written on an unused region in the file region. The directory of the renewed data region is also written so that the renewed information will be read out by searching the new directory. In another embodiment of the invention, the information in the file region is not erased to renew the same, but its directory is erased by superposing writing.