Abstract: A method of communicating through a passive optical network (PON) that improves the efficiency of the network with low cost child apparatuses having only simple functions. A parent apparatus provides the child apparatuses with a multi-frame standard signal, and a child apparatus transfers asynchronous information as a frame of variable length, as it is, at a time delayed from the multi-frame standard signal by a time period designated by the parent apparatus. Since the asynchronous information does not need to be divided into pieces to which a frame header is attached, the efficiency of the uplink channel is increased.

Abstract: A sound image localization apparatus comprises a signal source for outputting an audio signal; a localization angle input unit for receiving an angle of a sound image to be localized; a coefficient control unit for receiving sound image localization angle information from the localization angle input unit, reading coefficients from a coefficient memory in accordance with the information, and outputting the coefficients; first, second, and third multipliers for multiplying the audio signal output from the signal source by using first, second, and third coefficients output from the coefficient control means, respectively; a first signal processing unit for receiving the output from the second multiplier, and processing it by using a filter having a predetermined first frequency response; a second signal processing unit for receiving the output from the second multiplier, and processing it by using a filter having a predetermined second frequency response; a first adder for adding the output from the first multi

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method for manufacturing metal which includes a step of melting a forged material, and a step of casting a molten forged material to obtain a preform made of forged material, and a step of forging the preform made of forged material, and an apparatus therefor. The preform made of forged material comprises one or more of standardized preforms made of forged material having an approximately cylindrical form with the same cross sectional shape, but a different length. According to the present method and the present apparatus, one may produce metal products to which excellent mechanical properties are impaired by subjecting standardized preforms to the forging treatment with an improved productivity and reduced production cost.

Abstract: An aluminum casting forged product is provided by using an aluminum alloy for casting forge including a useless raw material for forging such as flash as a raw material and by controlling a weight percentage of an alloy element such as silicon, magnesium, copper, and manganese; the product having an enhanced fluidity, and an improved castability, with retaining a sufficient strength, preventing useless intermetallic compounds from forming, restraining deterioration due to oxidation and corrosion, and further improved strength by a forging effect: and there is also provided a simple manufacturing method, with a high yield and high productivity. An aluminum casting forged product of high tensile strength, high proof, and elongation, higher mechanical properties than those of the conventional casting forged product, high corrosion resistance, and high quality without defects, and being low in cost is also obtainable as a thick-wall aluminum product.

Abstract: An audio decoding device for decoding audio information with multiple channels includes a coded information memory section for storing the coded audio information; an information transmission section for reading the coded audio information stored at an arbitrary position in the coded information memory section; and an audio decoding section for decoding the coded audio information read by the information transmission section and outputting the resultant audio information in accordance with a time axis, wherein the information transmission section includes a buffer memory for retaining an address of an actual pointer for reading the coded audio information in the coded information memory section so as not to be reread, an address of a temporary pointer for reading the coded audio information in the coded information memory section so as to be reread, actual pointer data read by the actual pointer, and temporary pointer data read by the temporary pointer.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus includes a decoder for decoding a stream signal so as to generate a digital audio signal of a low frequency effect channel and digital audio signals of first through n'th (n≧2) channels; an adder section for adding the digital audio signal of the low frequency effect channel and the digital audio signal of a specified channel among the first through n'th channels, so as to generate an addition signal; an n number of D/A conversion sections for converting the digital audio signals of the first through n'th channels, excluding the digital audio signal of the specified channel, and the addition signal into n types of analog audio signals; a first signal processing section for generating a digital audio signal of the low frequency effect channel; and a second signal processing section for generating an analog audio signal of the specified channel.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus includes a read section for reading a first data unit from a recording medium having the first data unit recorded thereon; a communication section for receiving a second data unit in accordance with a communication condition with a server; a synthesis section for, when the communication section cannot receive the second data unit in accordance with the communication condition, outputting the first data unit as a first output data unit, and when the communication section can receive the second data unit in accordance with the communication condition, synthesizing the first data unit and the second data unit so as to generate a synthesis data unit and outputting the synthesis data unit as a second output data unit; and a reproduction section for reproducing the first output data unit and the second output data unit.

Abstract: In an audio encoder, a filter bank 3 converts sample data on a time domain divided in an audio signal input section 2 to spectral data on a frequency domain. A quantization section 4 quantizes and codes the spectral data on the frequency domain, and a bitstream multiplexer 6 outputs an audio codec stream. At this point, a quantization controller 5 compares quantization information to which an offset value has been added with the one to which an offset value has not been added, and the quantization section codes quantization information having a shorter code length. An audio decoder 7 decodes the audio codec stream generated in the audio encoder 1.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus according to the present invention includes: a signal input section for receiving an input signal having an input signal type; a synchronization signal detection section for detecting a predetermined synchronization signal in the input signal and determining the input signal type in accordance with an occurrence frequency with which an interval repeatedly occurs between adjacent instances of the predetermined synchronization signal; and a signal processing section for subjecting the input signal to a signal processing which is suitable for the determined input signal type.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus according to the present invention includes: a signal input section for receiving an input signal having an input signal type; a synchronization signal detection section for detecting a predetermined synchronization signal in the input signal and determining the input signal type in accordance with an occurrence frequency with which an interval repeatedly occurs between adjacent instances of the predetermined synchronization signal; and a signal processing section for subjecting the input signal to a signal processing which is suitable for the determined input signal type.

Abstract: A device of the present invention is an exponential calculation device for calculating x{circumflex over ( )}(a/b) (where a and b are each an integer constant) for a given input value of x. The device includes: an input control section for outputting a value of x′, wherein x′=x when x≦A (where A is a threshold value within a variable range of x) and x′=x/2{circumflex over ( )}b when x>A; a core section for outputting a value of z′=x′{circumflex over ( )}(a/b); and an output control section for outputting a value of z, wherein z=z′ when x≦A and z=z′*2{circumflex over ( )}a when x>A.

Abstract: A coding device includes: a decoder for decoding a first stream signal in which a first video stream including a first video stream information generated by coding a first video signal and a first audio stream including a first audio stream information generated by coding a first audio signal are multiplexed; and a re-encoder for generating, based on the decoded first stream signal, a second video stream including a second video stream information having a bit rate lower than the first video stream information and a second audio stream including a second audio stream information having a bit rate lower than the first audio stream information, and multiplexing the second video stream is and the second audio stream to generate a second stream signal.

Abstract: An audio decoding apparatus is provided for receiving a bit stream on a block-by-block basis, decoding one block of the bit stream to form decoded audio data for a plurality of channels, and storing the decoded audio data for each of the plurality of channels in a memory device, thereby down-mixing the decoded audio data for each of the plurality of channels. The audio decoding apparatus includes an operation section for down-mixing the decoded audio data for each of the plurality of channels corresponding to a first block of the bit stream in the memory section while a second block of the bit stream is decoded.

Abstract: A device of the present invention is an exponential calculation device for calculating x−(a/b) (where a and b are each an integer constant) for a given input value of x. The device includes: an input control section for outputting a value of x′, wherein x′=x when x≦A (where A is a threshold value within a variable range of x) and x′=x/2ˆ b when x>A: a core section for outputting a value of z′=x′ (a/b); and an output control section for outputting a value of z, wherein z=z′ when x≧A and z=z′*2 a when x>A.

Abstract: A sound image localization device which includes a signal source for outputting an audio signal, a signal divider for dividing the audio signal output from the signal source into two digital audio signals respectively for two channels, and a first signal processor for receiving one of the two digital signals and processing the digital signal so as to localize a virtual sound image using a filter having a first frequency characteristic. In addition, the sound image localization device includes a first D/A converter for converting the digital signal output from the first signal processor into an analog signal, a second D/A converter for receiving the other digital signal obtained from the signal divider and converting the signal into an analog signal, a first control speaker for outputting the audio signal obtained by the first D/A converter to a prescribed space area; and a second control speaker for outputting the audio signal obtained by the second D/A converter to a prescribed space area.

Abstract: A distribution system includes a distribution server device, an acquisition device, and an audio reproduction device, and distributes a program for decoding encoded audio data. The distribution server device sends the program for decoding the encoded audio data. The acquisition device is connected to the distribution server device via a network, and acquires the program and stores it in a removable memory unit. The audio reproduction device decodes the encoded audio data using the program stored in the removable memory unit, and outputs sounds.

Abstract: This invention relates to a signal transmission apparatus and a signal transmission method both for transmitting a plurality of pieces of encoded audio information having a plurality of sampling frequencies of F or 1/N×F, which are encoded by the same encoding method, via a digital interface to a signal reception apparatus.

Abstract: A TDMA in a CATV center and a CAU in a subscriber home communicate a B-ch idle/busy map indicating the idle/busy state of a B channel in synchronization with each other, so that the allocation of the B channel dedicated to sound and the C channel dedicated to data in a transmission frame can be dynamically changed according to the contents of the B-ch idle/busy map. Consequently, it becomes possible to effectively use a transmission bandwidth up to its maximum.

Abstract: A decoding circuit inputs a data stream D3 which has been multiplexed at different sampling frequencies, and separates it into two audio data D1 and D2 at different sampling frequencies, which it supplies to buffers. The output of the buffer is inputted to an up-sampling circuit, which, along with performing up-sampling at a frequency which corresponds to a processing unit of data of which the time delay amount is predetermined, also suppresses aliasing distortion. On the other hand, the output of the buffer is inputted to a delay buffer, which delays it by a time delay amount the same as that due to the up-sampling circuit. By doing this, the reproducing phases of the two streams of audio signals are coincided.

Abstract: An encoder comprises an input device for sampling an input signal at predetermined time intervals to obtain sampled data on a temporal axis, a conversion device for converting the sampled data on the temporal axis to spectral data on a frequency axis, a quantization device for quantizing the spectral data on the frequency axis, and an output device for outputting a resultant value of quantization as an encoded bit stream. The quantization device comprises an expected-value-of-quantization adjustment portion for determining an expected value of quantization for a specific sub-band on the frequency axis, and a quantization portion for determining a quantization coefficient for the specific sub-band, and quantizing each of a plurality of spectral data contained in the specific sub-band using the quantization coefficient for the specific sub-band.