Abstract: Provided is a zoom optical system which includes, in order from an object, a first lens group having negative refractive power and other lens groups, and in which an interval between each lens group changes upon zooming, wherein the first lens group includes a first negative lens which is disposed closest to the object and has a diffractive optical element on an image side lens surface, and a positive lens disposed closer to the image than the first negative lens, and the glass material used for the positive lens satisfies the following conditions expressions: ?1p?35 and ?(?g, F)?0.

Abstract: A catadioptric imaging lens includes: a first reflecting mirror; a second reflecting mirror; and a lens group. A reflecting surface of the first reflecting mirror is a rotationally asymmetrical aspherical, with concavity on the object side within the reference and the first orthogonal plane. A reflecting surface of the second reflecting mirror is a rotationally asymmetrical aspherical, with convexity toward the first reflecting mirror within the reference and within the second orthogonal plane. A surface in the lens group closest to the second reflecting mirror is a rotationally asymmetrical aspherical, with concavity toward the second reflecting mirror within the reference plane and convexity toward the second reflecting mirror within the third orthogonal plane.

Abstract: Provided is a zoom optical system which includes, in order from an object, a first lens group having negative refractive power and other lens groups, and in which an interval between each lens group changes upon zooming, wherein the first lens group includes a first negative lens which is disposed closest to the object and has a diffractive optical element on an image side lens surface, and a positive lens disposed closer to the image than the first negative lens, and the glass material used for the positive lens satisfies the following conditions expressions: ?1p?35 and ?(?g, F)?0.

Abstract: A catadioptric imaging lens includes: a first reflecting mirror; a second reflecting mirror; and a lens group. A reflecting surface of the first reflecting mirror is a rotationally asymmetrical aspherical, with concavity on the object side within the reference and the first orthogonal plane. A reflecting surface of the second reflecting mirror is a rotationally asymmetrical aspherical, with convexity toward the first reflecting mirror within the reference and within the second orthogonal plane. A surface in the lens group closest to the second reflecting mirror is a rotationally asymmetrical aspherical, with concavity toward the second reflecting mirror within the reference plane and convexity toward the second reflecting mirror within the third orthogonal plane.

Abstract: Image display optical systems are disclosed that extend the angle of view longitudinally and transversely while saving space. The image display optical system includes a prism-shaped substrate transparent to an image-carrying light flux to be projected to a viewing eye, an introduction unit that guides the image-carrying light flux to a propagation path through which the image-carrying light flux propagates in a direction in which the image-carrying light flux from the outside enables internal reflection at least at three surfaces including at least one side of the substrate, and an output unit that guides the image-carrying light flux propagating through the substrate from the substrate to the viewing eye. By internally reflecting the image-carrying light flux at all the sides, i.e.

Abstract: Image display optical systems are disclosed that extend the angle of view longitudinally and transversely while saving space. The image display optical system includes a prism-shaped substrate transparent to an image-carrying light flux to be projected to a viewing eye, an introduction unit that guides the image-carrying light flux to a propagation path through which the image-carrying light flux propagates in a direction in which the image-carrying light flux from the outside enables internal reflection at least at three surfaces including at least one side of the substrate, and an output unit that guides the image-carrying light flux propagating through the substrate from the substrate to the viewing eye. By internally reflecting the image-carrying light flux at all the sides, i.e.

Abstract: Voice input of an address, which is user-friendly and has improved recognition result accuracy. First, a whole street name (full name) is uttered and voice recognition is tried. Only if the voice recognition fails, at least one letter of a character string expressing the street name is uttered, and the letter is used to narrow down candidates for the street name.

Abstract: Voice input of an address, which is user-friendly and has improved recognition result accuracy. First, a whole street name (full name) is uttered and voice recognition is tried. Only if the voice recognition fails, at least one letter of a character string expressing the street name is uttered, and the letter is used to narrow down candidates for the street name.

Abstract: Light-propagating optical elements are disclosed that have an internal-reflection and a see-through feature not damaged even if a member higher in refractive index than the surrounding medium is brought into in close contact with the surface thereof. An optical element includes a substrate having an interior in which a specified light flux propagates, and an optical-function unit in close contact with the surface of the substrate. Thus, the propagating specified light flux can reach the optical element. The optical-function unit has interfering or diffracting actions that reflects the specified light flux and transmits an external light flux reaching the surface. The optical element, when used, can be or constitute a combiner optical system that can provide functions such as diopter correction. An image-display unit that can be easily mounted can function to provide the diopter correction.

Abstract: Optical-image display systems are disclosed having simple structure and a large exit pupil. An exemplary system includes a transmissive plate having inside an optical path of light flux from a display at each angular field of view of an image-display element. The light flux is internally reflected repeatedly in the transmissive plate. An optical-deflection member is provided in close contact with a predetermined region of one surface of the plate used for internal reflection. The optical-deflection member emits to the outside of the plate a portion of each of the light fluxes from the display having reached the predetermined region, and deflects a portion of each light flux in a predetermined direction by reflection. Thus, a virtual image is formed of the display screen of the image-display element.

Abstract: A voice reference apparatus that classifies a plurality of search targets into a plurality of division blocks, searches for a search target by first specifying a division block and then specifying the search target and enables specification of, at least, the search target to be made by voice, includes: a first storage device in which recognition data related to search targets corresponding to individual division blocks are stored; a second storage device in which division block-related information indicating one or more other division blocks related to a given division block through a specific relationship is stored; a recognition data selection device that selects recognition data corresponding to only a certain division block and one or more other division blocks related to the certain division block specified by the division block-related information from the first storage device, when the certain division block has been specified; and a voice recognition processing device that performs voice recognition b

Abstract: A navigation system comprises a voice signal synthesizing section 33 which generates a voice signal from a text-based document, a speaker 17 which outputs the voice signal generated in the voice signal synthesizing section 33 as a voice, a drive circuit 18 thereof, a grasping section 31 which grasps a length of the text-based document, and a synthesizing control section 32 which allows the voice signal synthesizing section 33 to generate a voice signal an intonation of which has been changed. According to the navigation system, it is possible to enhance a sense of realism in voice output regarding plural types of sentence.

Abstract: A speech recognition apparatus includes: a speech input device; a storage device that stores a recognition word indicating a pronunciation of a word to undergo speech recognition; and a speech recognition processing device that performs speech recognition processing by comparing audio data obtained through the voice input device and speech recognition data created in correspondence to the recognition word, and the storage device stores both a first recognition word corresponding to a pronunciation of an entirety of the word to undergo speech recognition and a second recognition word corresponding to a pronunciation of only a starting portion of a predetermined length of the entirety of the word to undergo speech recognition as recognition words for the word to undergo speech recognition.

Abstract: In a case where a flag delivered from a self-contained navigation processor indicates that a position measured by the self-contained navigation processor lies on or in the vicinity of a road contained in road map information, a position correction processor selects and delivers the measured position of the self-contained navigation processor as an output current position. In any other case, the position correction processor calculates the distance between a position measured by a radio navigation processor and the position measured by the self-contained navigation processor. On condition that the distance between the coordinates of the two positions has, at least, a predetermined value, the position correction processor decides the measured position of the radio navigation processor as a current position, and it corrects to the current position a drive starting coordinate point which is managed by the self-contained navigation processor.

Abstract: In a navigation system which has sensors for detecting a running distance, an azimuth, etc. of a vehicle, and a memory for storing map data; a probability density of a position of the vehicle is calculated on the basis of the sensor outputs and the map data for each of quantization units with which a probability computation determined by detection accuracies of the sensors and quantization of the map data can be executed. In addition, a final stage calculation of DP matching between trajectory data obtained from the on-board sensor data from a start point of the vehicle until a current time and a candidate route estimated from the road map data is iteratively executed, whereby a plurality of estimative vehicular positions and uncertainties (costs) corresponding to the respective estimative positions are iteratively evaluated, and a correct vehicular position is estimated by selecting at least one estimative vehicular position of low uncertainty (cost).