Abstract: In encoding, the number of bits to be assigned to codes corresponding to noise or a pulse sequence obtained according to prediction analysis applied to time series signals included in a predetermined time interval is switched according to whether an index that indicates a level of periodicity and/or stationarity of input time series signals satisfies a condition that indicates high periodicity and/or high stationarity or a condition that indicates low periodicity and/or low stationarity, to acquire the codes corresponding to the noise and the pulse sequence. In decoding, a decoding mode for codes corresponding to noise or a pulse sequence included in codes corresponding to a predetermined time interval is switched according to the same criterion as that described above to decode the codes corresponding to the noise or the pulse sequence to acquire noise or a pulse sequence corresponding to the predetermined time interval.

Abstract: In a speech coding scheme based on a speech production model, such as a CELP-based scheme, an object of the present invention is to provide a decoding method that can reproduce natural sound even if the input signal is a noise-superimposed speech. The decoding method includes a speech decoding step of obtaining a decoded speech signal from an input code, a noise generating step of generating a noise signal that is a random signal, and a noise adding step of outputting a noise-added signal, the noise-added signal being obtained by summing the decoded speech signal and a signal obtained by performing, on the noise signal, a signal processing that is based on at least one of a power corresponding to a decoded speech signal for a previous frame and a spectrum envelope corresponding to the decoded speech signal for the current frame.

Abstract: A value of gain is updated so that the greater the difference between the number of bits or estimated number of bits in a code obtained by encoding a string of integer value samples obtained by dividing each sample in a sample string derived from an input audio signal in a given interval by gain before the update and a predetermined number B of allocated bits, the greater the difference between the gain before the update and the updated gain. A gain code corresponding to the updated gain and an integer signal code obtained by encoding a string of integer value samples obtained by dividing each sample in the sample string by the gain are obtained.

Abstract: A frequency-domain sample interval corresponding to a time-domain pitch period L corresponding to a time-domain pitch period code of an audio signal in a given time period is obtained as a converted interval T1, a frequency-domain pitch period T is chosen from among candidates including the converted interval T1 and integer multiples U×T1 of the converted interval T1, and a frequency-domain pitch period code indicating how many times the frequency-domain pitch period T is greater than the converted interval T1 is obtained. The frequency-domain pitch period code is output so that a decoding side can identify the frequency-domain pitch period T.

Abstract: A plurality of samples are vector-quantized to obtain a vector quantization index and quantized values; bits are assigned in a predetermined order of priority based on auditory perceptual characteristics to one or more sets of sample positions among a plurality of sets of sample positions, each set having a plurality of sample positions and being given an order of priority based on the auditory perceptual characteristics, the number of bits not being larger than the number of bits obtained by subtracting the number of bits used for a code corresponding to the vector quantization index from the number of bits assigned for the code corresponding to the vector quantization index; and index information indicating a group of coefficients that minimizes the sum of the error between the value of each sample included in each of the sets of sample positions to which the bits are assigned and the value obtained by multiplying the quantized value of each sample included in the set of sample positions by a coefficient co

Abstract: In encoding, a frequency-domain sample sequence derived from an acoustic signal is divided by a weighted envelope and is then divided by a gain, the result obtained is quantized, and each sample is variable-length encoded. The error between the sample before quantization and the sample after quantization is quantized with information saved in this variable-length encoding. This quantization is performed under a rule that specifies, according to the number of saved bits, samples whose errors are to be quantized. In decoding, variable-length codes in an input sequence of codes are decoded to obtain a frequency-domain sample sequence; an error signal is further decoded under a rule that depends on the number of bits of the variable-length codes; and from the obtained sample sequence, the original sample sequence is obtained according to supplementary information.

Abstract: In encoding, the number of bits to be assigned to codes corresponding to noise or a pulse sequence obtained according to prediction analysis applied to time series signals included in a predetermined time interval is switched according to whether an index that indicates a level of periodicity and/or stationarity of input time series signals satisfies a condition that indicates high periodicity and/or high stationarity or a condition that indicates low periodicity and/or low stationarity, to acquire the codes corresponding to the noise and the pulse sequence. In decoding, a decoding mode for codes corresponding to noise or a pulse sequence included in codes corresponding to a predetermined time interval is switched according to the same criterion as that described above to decode the codes corresponding to the noise or the pulse sequence to acquire noise or a pulse sequence corresponding to the predetermined time interval.

Abstract: A housing of a high-pressure pump defines a passage communicating with a pressurizing chamber in which fuel is pressurized. The passage has an annular engagement groove which is radially outwardly concaved on its inner wall surface. A valve body is disposed in the passage. The engaged member is disposed inside of the passage wall. A valve body engaging member is comprised of a plurality of arc-shaped plate members, which form circular shape. The valve body engaging member is inserted into the engagement groove in such a manner as to be engaged with the valve body. A C-ring is firmly in contact with the plate members and biases them toward the engagement groove.

Abstract: When a number of samples which are less than a first reference value is a second reference value or less, a second encoding mode is selected. In the second encoding mode, when a difference value that is obtained by subtracting a value corresponding to the quantized normalization value from a value corresponding to the magnitude of each sample is positive and the sample is positive, the difference value is set as a quantization candidate corresponding to the sample; when the difference value is positive and the sample is negative, the sign of the difference value is reversed and the result is set as the quantization candidate corresponding to the sample; and a plurality of quantization candidates are jointly vector-quantized to obtain a vector quantization index. When the second encoding mode is not selected, a first encoding mode other than the second encoding mode is selected.

Abstract: A plurality of samples are vector-quantized to obtain a vector quantization index and quantized values; bits are assigned in a predetermined order of priority based on auditory perceptual characteristics to one or more sets of sample positions among a plurality of sets of sample positions, each set having a plurality of sample positions and being given an order of priority based on the auditory perceptual characteristics, the number of bits not being larger than the number of bits obtained by subtracting the number of bits used for a code corresponding to the vector quantization index from the number of bits assigned for the code corresponding to the vector quantization index; and index information indicating a group of coefficients that minimizes the sum of the error between the value of each sample included in each of the sets of sample positions to which the bits are assigned and the value obtained by multiplying the quantized value of each sample included in the set of sample positions by a coefficient co

Abstract: A quantized normalization value and a normalization-value quantization index corresponding to the quantized normalization value are obtained, the quantized normalization value being obtained by quantizing a normalization value that is a value representative of samples. If a difference value that is obtained by subtracting a value corresponding to the quantized normalization value from a value corresponding to a magnitude of a value of each sample is positive and if the value of each sample is positive, the difference value is set as a quantization candidate. If the difference value is positive and if the value of each sample is negative, a value obtained by inverting positive/negative of the difference value is set as the quantization candidate. The plurality of quantization candidates respectively corresponding to the plurality of samples are collectively vector-quantized, and a vector quantization index is thus obtained and output.

Abstract: In encoding, index information indicating a group of coefficients that minimizes the sum of the error between the value of each sample and the value obtained by multiplying the quantized value of the sample by a coefficient corresponding to the position of the sample, for all sample positions, among a plurality of groups of predetermined coefficients corresponding to the positions of the samples, is output. In decoding, a plurality of values corresponding to an input vector quantization index are obtained as decoded values corresponding to a plurality of sample positions; and, with the use of a group of predetermined coefficients corresponding to the plurality of sample positions and indicated by input index information, the values obtained by multiplying the decoded values and the coefficients, corresponding to the sample positions are output.

Abstract: A normalization value calculator 12 calculates a normalization value that is representative of a predetermined number of input samples. A normalization value quantizer 13 quantizes the normalization value to obtain a quantized normalization value and a normalization-value quantization index corresponding to the quantized normalization value. An quantization-candidate calculator 14 subtracts a value corresponding to the quantized normalization value from a value corresponding to the magnitude of each of the samples to obtain a difference value and, when the difference value is positive and the value of each of the samples is positive, sets the difference value as an quantization candidate corresponding to the sample. When the difference value is positive and the value of each of the samples is negative, the quantization-candidate calculator 14 reverses the sign of the difference value and setting the sign-reversed value as an quantization candidate corresponding to the sample.

Abstract: A package (2) comprises a box body (4) with an open end (22) at the top, a tongue-lid (6) adapted to close the open end (22), rotatably connected to a rear edge of the open end (22) by a lid hinge (30), and an inner pack (8) enclosed in the box body (4). The inner pack (8) includes an envelope (13) enclosing tobacco items (10) and keeping the inner pack (8) airtight.

Abstract: A volume chamber is formed by a valve member, an inner peripheral wall of a tubular portion and a bottom portion of a stopper when the valve member is engaged with tubular portion. A communication passage communicates between the volume chamber and one of an intermediate passage of a valve body and a tertiary passage of the stopper. The communication passage is formed at a location, which is spaced from a contact surface between the tubular portion and the valve member by a first predetermined distance and is also spaced from a contact surface between the bottom portion and the first urging member by a second predetermined distance.

Abstract: A high-quality decoded signal is synthesized. A coding method of the present invention includes a local decoding coefficient searching step. The local decoding coefficient searching step includes a replication determining sub-step, a candidate replication shift signal sequence generating sub-step, a distance calculating sub-step, and a minimum distance shift amount finding sub-step. The replication determining sub-step determines, for each source signal sequence to be coded, whether or not a candidate replication shift signal sequence is to be generated from a decoded signal sequence and outputs a replication determination flag. If the replication determination flag indicates that a candidate replication shift signal sequence is to be generated, the candidate replication shift signal sequence generating sub-step generates a candidate replication shift signal sequence for each predetermined candidate signal shift amounts.

Abstract: The package (2) has an inner case (7) having a box body (6) with an open end (22) in an upper portion and a lid (4) that is connected to a first side edge of the open end (22) and turns about a lid hinge (24) to open/close the open end (22); and an outer slider (8) that is slidably fitted in a periphery of the inner case (7), the outer slider (8) having a contact flap (48) extending towards the inside of the outer slider (8) in an upper edge (50) of a first side wall (44) corresponding to the lid hinge (24). The inner case (7) includes a band-like member (34), which is connected to the lid (4) at the upper end thereof and has a folded flap (38) engageable with the contact flap (48) of the outer slider (8) in a lower end thereof. When the outer slider (8) is slid down in relation to the inner case (7), the folded flap (38) is engaged with the contact flap (48) and opens the lid (4).

Abstract: There is provided a coding technique capable of reducing the amount of computation in coding while maintaining the efficiency of the coding. The technique uses an input signal and one of a decoded signal decoded from a first code obtained by encoding the input signal and a decoded signal obtained during generation of the first code. A gain group set includes one or more gain groups including different numbers of values corresponding to gains. A gain group is allocated to each sample by using a predetermined method. The sample is multiplied by a gain identified by a value corresponding to each gain in the allocated gain group and a gain code indicating a gain that results in the smallest difference between the product and the input signal is output.

Abstract: A housing of a high-pressure pump defines a passage communicating with a pressurizing chamber in which fuel is pressurized. The passage has an annular engagement groove which is radially outwardly concaved on its inner wall surface. A valve body is disposed in the passage. The engaged member is disposed inside of the passage wall. A valve body engaging member is comprised of a plurality of arc-shaped plate members, which form circular shape. The valve body engaging member is inserted into the engagement groove in such a manner as to be engaged with the valve body. A C-ring is firmly in contact with the plate members and biases them toward the engagement groove.

Abstract: A package (2) comprises a box body (4) with an open end (22) at the top, a tongue-lid (6) adapted to close the open end (22), rotatably connected to a rear edge of the open end (22) by a lid hinge (30), and an inner pack (8) enclosed in the box body (4). The inner pack (8) includes an envelope (13) enclosing tobacco items (10) and keeping the inner pack (8) airtight.