Abstract: A message management unit receives and accumulates a message, wherein the message is distributed for every update, is the message data representing a latest situation of a competition, an explanation generation unit generates an explanatory text for conveying unconveyed information detected from the message, based on conveyed information, a speech synthesis unit outputs a speech converted from the explanatory text, wherein the explanation generation unit stores the unconveyed information for the explanatory text as the conveyed information, stands by until completion of completion of the speech, and initiates a procedure for generating a new explanatory text based on updated unconveyed information.

Abstract: A message management unit receives and accumulates a message, wherein the message is distributed for every update, is the message data representing a latest situation of a competition, an explanation generation unit generates an explanatory text for conveying unconveyed information detected from the message, based on conveyed information, a speech synthesis unit outputs a speech converted from the explanatory text, wherein the explanation generation unit stores the unconveyed information for the explanatory text as the conveyed information, stands by until completion of completion of the speech, and initiates a procedure for generating a new explanatory text based on updated unconveyed information.

Abstract: A speech speed conversion factor determining device has a physical index calculation unit including a sound/silence judgment unit that distinguishes between sound and silent intervals of an input signal, a fundamental frequency calculation unit that calculates a fundamental frequency of the signal in the sound intervals and determines stable and unstable intervals, a frequency smoothing unit that smoothes the fundamental frequency in the stable intervals, a pseudo fundamental frequency calculation unit that calculates, for the intervals, a pseudo fundamental frequency by interpolation , and a fundamental frequency general shape connection unit that connects the smoothed and pseudo frequencies to obtain sampled values of a general shape of the frequency, such that the sampled values are output as an index, based on which conversion factor are calculated.

Abstract: A speech speed conversion factor determining device has a physical index calculation unit including a sound/silence judgment unit that distinguishes between sound and silent intervals of an input signal, a fundamental frequency calculation unit that calculates a fundamental frequency of the signal in the sound intervals and determines stable and unstable intervals, a frequency smoothing unit that smoothes the fundamental frequency in the stable intervals, a pseudo fundamental frequency calculation unit that calculates, for the intervals, a pseudo fundamental frequency by interpolation , and a fundamental frequency general shape connection unit that connects the smoothed and pseudo frequencies to obtain sampled values of a general shape of the frequency, such that the sampled values are output as an index, based on which conversion factor are calculated.

Abstract: A maintenance management system includes an installation unit which installs a plurality of model data corresponding to maintenance objects, interconnected by a network, into a virtual three-dimensional space, the plurality of model data correlating the maintenance objects with positions in the virtual three-dimensional space. A display unit displays images of the maintenance objects in the virtual three-dimensional space at the positions based on the plurality of model data.

Abstract: An antenna feed horn assembly includes a circular feed horn having an electrically conductive wall with an edge defining a circular aperture. The antenna feed horn assembly further includes a circular waveguide mounted to the base of the circular feed horn and including an endplate. An cylindrical rod extends from the center of the endplate towards the center of the feed horn aperture along a longitudinal axis of the antenna feed horn assembly to minimize undesired reflections produced by transitions between electrically conductive material and non-electrically conductive material or dielectric within the antenna feed horn assembly. An antenna feed horn assembly can also include a splash plate opposite the endplate, the center from which another cylindrical rod extends towards the center of the endplate along the longitudinal axis of the antenna feed horn assembly to further minimize undesired reflections.

Abstract: Frame power of an input signal is calculated to discriminate speech frame intervals from non-speech intervals, by thresholding current frame power using an adaptive speech-detection threshold based on the past maximum frame power value and the difference between past maximum and the minimum frame power values, adaptively updated using a predetermined number of frames prior to the current one.

Abstract: A reproduction part reproduced at a changeable speed ratio r. An A/D conversion part A/D converts, based on sampling frequency fi, an audio signal reproduced at a speed different from that upon recording. A block data division part divides audio data based on an attribute possessed by the audio data. An audio data connection part successively interpolates or thins out the divided audio data based on a ratio of 1/r. A D/A conversion part D/A converts the interpolated or thinned-out audio data based on sampling frequency fo. If a relation of fi/fo=r/c is satisfied, the audio signal is outputted as a sound of high quality constantly synchronized with an image signal and having a pitch which does not change irrespective of the changeable speed ratio r at which the image signal is reproduced.

Abstract: When a delivered speed of a listening speech (speech speed) is slowed down, a connection order generator (8) always monitors a data length of input speech, an output data length calculated previously by a conversion function concerning a preset scaling factor, and a data length of actual output speech in predetermined processing unit, then decides connection order not to cause inconsistency among them. The speech data and the connection data are connected without omission of speech information by controlling a speech data connector (9). When power of an input signal data is calculated to discriminate a speech interval and a non-speech interval, a threshold value for power is decided according to a maximum value of the power and difference between the maximum value and a minimum value.

Abstract: A speech-rate converter slowing down input speech regularly monitors the data length of the input speech and the previously estimated extended output data length for the current rate scaling factor, computing new output data length estimates. The conversion rate is adaptively modified depending on the time lag between input and output speech so as to make input and output data lengths consistent without skipping any spoken input portions. Input signal power is monitored to discriminate speech and non-speech intervals, and the portions of input non-speech intervals exceeding a conversion-rate-dependent duration are deleted.

Abstract: An analysis processor applies an analysis process to input speech data thereby to obtain block lengths for respective attributes of voiced sound, voiceless sound and silence. A block data splitter splits the input speech data into blocks having the block lengths dependent on the respective attributes. A block data memory sequentially stores speech data split by the block data splitter as block speech data and the block lengths. A connection data generator generates connection data for connecting the adjacent block speech data each other at every moment by using the block speech data. A connection data storing portion sequentially stores the connection data. A connection order generator generates block connection order of the block speech data and the connection data at every moment according to at least the block lengths output sequentially from the block data storing portion and extension scaling factors in time for the respective attributes.

Abstract: A receiving antenna includes a parabolic reflector and a feed horn. The feed horn includes an electrically conductive wall with an edge forming an aperture. The feed horn further includes a plurality of electrical conductors that extend from the edge to the center of the feed horn in a substantially coplanar relationship with the aperture. Each of the electrical conductors differentially affect a first polarized electrical field perpendicular to the edge adjacent the electrical conductor and a second polarized electrical field parallel to the edge adjacent the electrical conductor. In this manner, the electrical conductors can be configured to reduce the effective aperture of the feed horn in a plane, so that a first polarized horn radiation pattern produced by the feed horn can be circularized.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for hearing assistance, capable of compensating the lowering of the speech recognition ability related to the deterioration of the auditory sense center. The input speech is divided into voiced speech sections, unvoiced speech sections, and silent sections, of which the voiced speech sections and the silent sections are appropriately extended/contracted while the unvoiced speech sections are left unchanged, and then these sections are combined in an identical order as in the input speech, so as to obtain output speech which is easier to listen for a listener with a handicapped hearing ability.

Abstract: A polymer composition is herein disclosed, which consists essentially of:(A) 90 to 50 wt % of a saturated polymer having in one molecule (1) at least two groups of at least one type selected from the group consisting of an epoxy group of the formula ##STR1## (R is hydrogen or methyl), an alcoholic or phenolic hydroxyl group and an alkoxymethyl-substituted acid amide group of the formula ##STR2## (R is an alkyl group of C.sub.1 to C.sub.4) and (2) a repeating unit made of a nonaromatic methylene group or methine group; and(B) 50 to 10 wt % of a nonfunctional radical polymerizable monomer mixture consisting of (a) a radical polymerizable monomer having in one molecule at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group, an acid anhydride group, an alcoholic hydroxyl group, an alkoxymethyl-substituted acid amide group of the formula ##STR3## (R is an alkyl group of C.sub.1 to C.sub.4) and an amino group of the formula --NR.sub.1 R.sub.2 (R.sub.1 and R.sub.

Abstract: A resin composition for aqueous paint is produced by exposing to electron beams a mixture comprising 50 to 95 wt % of an epoxy resin, 1 to 23 wt % of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer having a carboxyl group and 4 to 44 wt % of a monomer having one ethylenically unsaturated bond in the molecule. The resin composition provides a coating having good coating surface, adhesion strength, solvent resistance, water resistance and processability.