Abstract: An individual authentication information output apparatus, connectable to a plurality of information processing systems through a network, includes an input section for receiving an input from a user; an individual authentication section for outputting an individual authentication result of the user based on the input from the user; a specification section for specifying at least an information processing system selected by the user among the plurality of information processing systems; a database for managing individual authentication information in association with the individual authentication result provided by the individual authentication section and a specification result provided by the specification section; and a database access section for, based on the individual authentication result provided by the individual authentication section and the specification result provided by the specification section, reading the individual authentication information associated therewith, and outputting the read in

Abstract: The present invention relates to a retrieval method for searching a first character element string obtained by subjecting a character string to character recognition for a second character element string. The first character element string includes a first character element and the second character element string includes a second character element. A distance relevant to a similarity between the first character element and the second character element is predetermined between the first character element and the second character element. The retrieval method comprises the steps of comparing the distance with a predetermined reference distance, and determining whether the second character element matches the first character element based on a result of the comparison of the distance with the predetermined reference distance.

Abstract: In an infrared imaging device, shutting means 40 is configured so that it can be opened/closed and so as to shut off an infrared radiation coming into an optical system 20 when it is closed. During an imaging operation, the shutting means 40 is opened, and the optical system 20 causes an infrared radiation from an object 70 to form an image on an infrared detector 10. The infrared detector 10 outputs a signal according to the amount of infrared light received by each pixel. Correction means 30 corrects sensitivity variations among pixels, the influence of the infrared radiation from the optical system 20, etc. During a calibration operation, the shutting means 40 is closed, and the correction means 30 determines a correction coefficient for correcting fluctuations in the amount of infrared radiation from the optical system 20 by using the output of the infrared detector 10 imaging the shutting means 40.

Abstract: An image coding apparatus includes an image feature extraction means for generating character data which includes character codes corresponding to character images included in a document image and auxiliary information indicating the sizes and positions of the respective character images in the document image based on image data indicating the document image. The image coding apparatus generates a predictive document image for the document image based on the character data, and subjects the document image data to arithmetic coding in which the probability model is changed with reference to predictive document image data. In the image coding apparatus, the probabilities of white pixels and black pixels indicated by the probability model are very close to those in the character image, whereby the coding efficiency for the character image data in the arithmetic encoder is improved.

Abstract: An object recognition apparatus includes an input section for inputting a first image set including a predetermined number of images including a first image representing a first target object using a first attribute and a second image representing the first target object using a second attribute different from the first attribute, a feature vector calculation section for calculating a first feature vector in a feature space having at least one filter output value as a vector component, the at least one filter output value being obtained by applying at least one predetermined image filter to at least one predetermined position in the predetermined number of images in the first image set, and a judgment section for judging whether or not the first target object is categorized into a specific category based on a relationship between the first feature vector and predetermined discriminant parameters.

Abstract: A search apparatus searches for a keyword from a character recognition result using an index table. The character recognition result being obtained as a result of character recognition of characters in an original document. The index table includes an index character string; a position of a portion, in the character recognition result, which matches the index character string; and a credibility which is defined for each character included in the index character string and indicates a probability of the character existing in a portion, in the original document, which corresponds to a portion, in the character recognition result, which matches the character.

Abstract: In an infrared imaging device, shutting means 40 is configured so that it can be opened/closed and so as to shut off an infrared radiation coming into an optical system 20 when it is closed. During an imaging operation, the shutting means 40 is opened, and the optical system 20 causes an infrared radiation from an object 70 to form an image on an infrared detector 10. The infrared detector 10 outputs a signal according to the amount of infrared light received by each pixel. Correction means 30 corrects sensitivity variations among pixels, the influence of the infrared radiation from the optical system 20, etc. During a calibration operation, the shutting means 40 is closed, and the correction means 30 determines a correction coefficient for correcting fluctuations in the amount of infrared radiation from the optical system 20 by using the output of the infrared detector 10 imaging the shutting means 40.

Abstract: An image detection apparatus for detecting a target in an input image includes a database storing a target data unit, which includes information specifying the target to be detected, used color data, representative color data, and a cluster image; a representative color area extraction section for extracting an area having substantially the same color as the representative color from the input image as a representative color area; a candidate area extraction section for obtaining a candidate area possibly including the target from the representative color area, using relative positions of an area having the representative color and a frame of the cluster image; and a comparison section for comparing the cluster image and the candidate area and detecting the candidate area as an area including the target based on the comparison result.

Abstract: In an infrared imaging device, shutting means 40 is configured so that it can be opened/closed and so as to shut off an infrared radiation coming into an optical system 20 when it is closed. During an imaging operation, the shutting means 40 is opened, and the optical system 20 causes an infrared radiation from an object 70 to form an image on an infrared detector 10. The infrared detector 10 outputs a signal according to the amount of infrared light received by each pixel. Correction means 30 corrects sensitivity variations among pixels, the influence of the infrared radiation from the optical system 20, etc. During a calibration operation, the shutting means 40 is closed, and the correction means 30 determines a correction coefficient for correcting fluctuations in the amount of infrared radiation from the optical system 20 by using the output of the infrared detector 10 imaging the shutting means 40.

Abstract: In an infrared imaging device, shutting means 40 is configured so that it can be opened/closed and so as to shut off an infrared radiation coming into an optical system 20 when it is closed. During an imaging operation, the shutting means 40 is opened, and the optical system 20 causes an infrared radiation from an object 70 to form an image on an infrared detector 10. The infrared detector 10 outputs a signal according to the amount of infrared light received by each pixel. Correction means 30 corrects sensitivity variations among pixels, the influence of the infrared radiation from the optical system 20, etc. During a calibration operation, the shutting means 40 is closed, and the correction means 30 determines a correction coefficient for correcting fluctuations in the amount of infrared radiation from the optical system 20 by using the output of the infrared detector 10 imaging the shutting means 40.

Abstract: In an infrared imaging device, shutting means 40 is configured so that it can be opened/closed and so as to shut off an infrared radiation coming into an optical system 20 when it is closed. During an imaging operation, the shutting means 40 is opened, and the optical system 20 causes an infrared radiation from an object 70 to form an image on an infrared detector 10. The infrared detector 10 outputs a signal according to the amount of infrared light received by each pixel. Correction means 30 corrects sensitivity variations among pixels, the influence of the infrared radiation from the optical system 20, etc. During a calibration operation, the shutting means 40 is closed, and the correction means 30 determines a correction coefficient for correcting fluctuations in the amount of infrared radiation from the optical system 20 by using the output of the infrared detector 10 imaging the shutting means 40.

Abstract: The present invention provides an image processing technique for cutting out a portion of an original image so that the cut-out image includes an object therein and the object is displayed in a well-balanced manner irrespective of whether the object occupies a small area or a large area in the original image. A candidate region of the object is extracted from a given original image. A cut-out region is set based on the candidate region so as to cut out an image of the object from the original image. In this process, the reference for setting the position of the cut-out region is switched from one to another depending on the size that is occupied by the candidate region in the original image.

Abstract: A document search device searches for a keyword in a recognition result obtained by character recognition performed on a document image. The keyword includes at least one first character, and a character code is assigned to each of the at least one first character. The recognition result includes at least one second character, and a character code and a partial area of the document image are assigned to each of the at least one second character.

Abstract: An image detection apparatus for detecting a target in an input image includes a database storing a target data unit, which includes information specifying the target to be detected, used color data, representative color data, and a cluster image; a representative color area extraction section for extracting an area having substantially the same color as the representative color from the input image as a representative color area; a candidate area extraction section for obtaining a candidate area possibly including the target from the representative color area, using relative positions of an area having the representative color and a frame of the cluster image; and a comparison section for comparing the cluster image and the candidate area and detecting the candidate area as an area including the target based on the comparison result.

Abstract: An individual authentication information output apparatus, connectable to a plurality of information processing systems through a network, includes an input section for receiving an input from a user; an individual authentication section for outputting an individual authentication result of the user based on the input from the user; a specification section for specifying at least an information processing system selected by the user among the plurality of information processing systems; a database for managing individual authentication information in association with the individual authentication result provided by the individual authentication section and a specification result provided by the specification section; and a database access section for, based on the individual authentication result provided by the individual authentication section and the specification result provided by the specification section, reading the individual authentication information associated therewith, and outputting the read in

Abstract: An object recognition apparatus includes an input section for inputting a first image set including a predetermined number of images including a first image representing a first target object using a first attribute and a second image representing the first target object using a second attribute different from the first attribute, a feature vector calculation section for calculating a first feature vector in a feature space having at least one filter output value as a vector component, the at least one filter output value being obtained by applying at least one predetermined image filter to at least one predetermined position in the predetermined number of images in the first image set, and a judgment section for judging whether or not the first target object is categorized into a specific category based on a relationship between the first feature vector and predetermined discriminant parameters.

Abstract: A search apparatus searches for a keyword from a character recognition result using an index table. The character recognition result being obtained as a result of character recognition of characters in an original document. The index table includes an index character string; a position of a portion, in the character recognition result, which matches the index character string; and a credibility which is defined for each character included in the index character string and indicates a probability of the character existing in a portion, in the original document, which corresponds to a portion, in the character recognition result, which matches the character.

Abstract: A control method is to monitor a person's attributes and based on the results, in predetermined content of the control, to control equipment to be controlled, further, to monitor said person's peripheral environment and also by using these results to execute said control.

Abstract: To provide an image detection method for judging whether a specific image is present in an input image by temporarily holding the input image signal, obtaining data from the held data like a circle having a radius r, calculating the characteristic value of the circular data, judging whether the characteristic value is included in a specific pattern in accordance with the similarity between the characteristic value and a reference characteristic value, obtaining data like a circle having a radius r' different from the radius r when judging that the characteristic value is included in the specific pattern, calculating a new characteristic value, and repeating the operation of judging whether the new characteristic value is included in a specific pattern over circular data having a plurality of radiuses. Thereby, it is possible to efficiently detect the presence or absence of a specific image whose arrangement conditions such as the angle and position in an input image are unknown.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a speech signal includes a coefficient calculating circuit for receiving an input signal, and for generating a first value for suppressing a change of level of the input signal; a first delay circuit for receiving the input signal, and for delaying the input signal by a predetermined time; a feature extracting circuit for receiving the input signal, and for deriving a feature value representing a feature of consonants from the input signal; a coefficient control circuit for receiving the first value from the coefficient calculating circuit and the feature value from the feature extracting circuit, and for changing the amplitude and the duration of the first value depending on the feature value, so as to generate a second value; a multiplying circuit for receiving the delayed input signal from the first delay circuit and the second value from the coefficient control circuit, and for multiplying the delayed input signal by the second value.