Abstract: A decoding circuit, for receiving a bit stream including an encoded audio signal and header information used for-decoding the encoded audio signal, and decoding the encoded audio signal based on the header information, includes a header analysis section for outputting at least one decoding parameter obtained from the header information and decoding parameter change information indicating whether or not the at least one decoding parameter has been changed; a signal processing section for decoding the encoded audio signal, based on the at least one decoding parameter, into a decoded signal and outputting the decoded signal; an automatic mute processing section for executing automatic mute on the decoded signal after the at least one decoding parameter is changed; and an output section for outputting the decoded signal output from the automatic mute processing section.

Abstract: A loop fastener member having loop fastening elements rising from a base fabric exhibits good durability when the loop fastening elements contain polyamide fibers in which from 60 to 100 mol % of the dicarboxylic acid units of the polyamide are aromatic dicarboxylic acid units and from 60 to 100 mol % of the diamine units are C6-12 aliphatic diamine units. The loop fastening elements sink down little or deform even after washing and wet heat pressure treatment at high temperatures.

Abstract: A time domain signal is converted into a frequency domain signal, and an encoded bit stream is provided. A bit stream decomposer decodes bit stream information, and a storage unit temporary stores the information. In accordance with the bit stream information, a spectral expander expands a frequency spectrum quantized inverse by in an inverse quantizer up to an integer multiple of a sampling frequency of the bit stream. A frequency-time domain converter converts the frequency spectrum into a time domain signal. Thereby, harmonics can precisely be implemented with a small amount of processing, and the band can be expanded with less distortion.

Abstract: Provided are melt-spun fibers comprising, as at least one component, a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol, and a method for producing fibrous structures comprising the fibers. The thermoplastic polyvinyl alcohol fibers comprise, as at least one component, a water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol containing from 0.1 to 25 mol % of C1-4 &agr;-olefin units and/or vinyl ether units, having a molar fraction, based on vinyl alcohol units, of a hydroxyl group of vinyl alcohol unit located at the center of 3 successive vinyl alcohol unit chain in terms of triad expression of being from 70 to 99.9 mol %, having a carboxylic acid and lactone ring content of from 0.02 to 0.15 mol %, and having a melting point falling between 160° C. and 230° C., and contain from 0.0003 to 1 part by weight, relative to 100 parts by weight of the polyvinyl alcohol therein and in terms of sodium ion, of an alkali metal ion.

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: The present invention relates to a fiber, which includes: 2 to 95% by weight, based on the total weight of the fiber, of at least one block copolymer, which includes: at least one polymer block (A) that includes 50 to 100% by weight of olefinic monomer units, based on the total weight of the block copolymer; and at least one polymer block (B) that includes 0.1 to 100% by weight of (meth)acrylic monomer units, based on the total weight of the block copolymer. Other embodiments of the invention include fibrous structures, non-woven fabrics, leather-like sheet materials, and dyed articles, which include the above-described fiber, and processes of making the above-described fiber. The present invention also relates to a composite fiber, and fibrous structures, non-woven fabrics, leather-like sheet materials, and dyed articles, which includes the above-described composite fiber, as well as processes for producing the above-described composite fiber.

Abstract: In a display panel, the luminance and contrast are improved by making a partition semitransparent, which is a constituent element adjacent to a light-emitting section. A visible light incident on the partition proceeds inside the partition while being attenuated at a constant rate. When an external light incident on the partition from the front side is reflected off the bottom surface of the partition and returns to the front side again, the external light reciprocates inside the partition. Since the external light is largely attenuated by the reciprocation, the partition seemingly functions as an optical absorber with respect to the external light. A light emitted by the light-emitting section can transmit through the partition and radiate to the outside from the front side.

Abstract: A plasma display panel includes a plurality of row electrodes defining rows of a screen. The row electrodes are arranged at intervals so that adjacent row electrodes are capable of serving as an electrode pair for generating a surface discharge. Each of the row electrodes includes a belt-shaped base extending along the full length of the screen in a direction of the rows and protrusions extending from the base toward an adjacent row electrode in every column.

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: 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 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: 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.