Abstract: A video switching apparatus has a plurality of slots each for mounting any of a first input module capable of inputting any one of a plurality of predetermined types of video signals and performing processing, content of which varies depending on the type of input video signal and a second input module capable of inputting only predetermined one type of video signal. The video switching apparatus switches and outputs video signals of a plurality of channels input to the input modules mounted to the plurality of slots. The video switching apparatus includes an input setup data memory processor, a detector, and an input setup changer.

Abstract: An apparatus and method to preferentially select code quantity from DPCM path in a manner to satisfy the target code quantity thereby preventing deterioration of image quality. Code quantities obtained by a first compression system of quantizing an input image signal by quantization steps different from each other, or code quantities obtained by a second compression system which has compression factor and loss which are lower than those of the first compression system are added on an encoding system selection basis to calculate a total code quantity of equi-length unit. A calculated total code quantity and a target code quantity in the equi-length unit are compared to determine quantization step in the first compression system in accordance with the comparison result to select, on the encoding system selection basis, the first compression system or the second compression system of performing quantization by the determined quantization step.

Abstract: Herbicide combinations (A)+(B), if appropriate in the presence of safeners, with an effective content of (A) broad-spectrum herbicides from the group (A1) glufosinate (salts) and related compounds (A2) glyphosate (salts) and related compounds such as sulfosate, (A3) imidazolinones such as imazethapyr, imazapyr, imazaquin, imazamox or their salts and (A4) herbicidal azoles from the group of the protoporphyrinogen oxidase inhibitors (PPO inhibitors) and (A5) the hydroxybenzonitriles and (B) herbicides from the group consisting of (B0) one or more structurally different herbicides from the abovementioned group (A), (B1) foliar- and soil-acting herbicides which are effective against monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous harmful plants, (B2) predominantly foliar-acting herbicides which are effective against dicotyledonous harmful plants, (B3) predominantly foliar-acting herbicides which are effective against monocotyledonous harmful plants, and (B4) foliar- and soil-acting herbicides which are effective against

Abstract: The present invention is a dubbing device for dubbing data from a portable first recording medium such as a CD-DA (compact disc digital audio) to a second recording medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD), in which dubbing to the second recording medium with a large capacity is automatically carried out when reproducing data from the first recording medium. When data is reproduced from the first recording medium, database means is searched on the basis of identification information for the first recording medium and execution control of dubbing is performed in accordance with the result of search for recording history information. For example, whether or not data to be reproduced from the first recording medium has been already recorded on the second recording medium is discriminated, and dubbing is carried out if the data to be reproduced data has not been recorded on the second recording medium.

Abstract: A receiving device includes: a noise detecting means for detecting a noise, which is contained in a received signal, using the received signal which has undergone clock synchronization processing: a phase error detecting means for detecting a phase error of the received signal using the received signal which has undergone clock synchronization processing; and a calculation means for calculating a phase correction value on the basis of the phase error detected by the phase error detecting means, wherein, when the noise is detected by the noise detecting means, the calculation means modifies a parameter to be employed in the calculation of the phase correction value so as to decrease the phase correction value.

Abstract: A device and methods are provided for low-light imaging enhancement by a digital imaging device. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting an image associated with ambient lighting of a scene, detecting an image associated with artificial lighting of the scene, aligning the image associated with ambient lighting relative to the image associated with artificial lighting based on a motion parameter of ambient lighting image data and artificial lighting image data, and calculating data for a combined image based on aligned ambient lighting image data and artificial lighting image data, wherein image data for the combined image is selected to maximize an objective quality criterion of the combined image. The method may further include determining an image parameter based on ambient lighting image data, blending image data associated with the artificial lighting and the combined image based on the image parameter to generate a tone rendered image.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are arranged to enable loading of an application, such as a game application, prior to a formal release date of the application. An end-user is provided components of the application either over a network, CD, DVD, or the like. At least one component of the application is encrypted. The end-user may register with an application provider. At a pre-defined time, such as a release date for the application, a decryption key is made available to the end-user. The decryption key may be employed to decrypt the encrypted component(s) of the application, such that the application may be readied for execution. In addition, bug fixes, additions, or the like, may also be pre-loaded to release of the application, thereby ensuring that the end-user has the most current application configuration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polythiophene-based conductive polymer composition having high conductivity, transparency, waterproof property and durability, and a polymer membrane prepared by using the same. In particular, the present invention relates to a polythiophene-based conductive polymer composition comprising an aqueous solution of a polythiophene-based conductive polymer, an alcohol-based organic solvent, an amide-based organic solvent or an aprotic highly-dipolar solvent, a melamine resin and a binder selected among a polyester, a polyurethane resin and an alkoxy silane in a predetermined mixed ratio. The membrane prepared using the same has a high conductivity of less than 1 k?/m2 and a high transparency of higher than 95%, thus being applicable to of an anti-static film, a film for touch panel, a film for higher or lower electrode, a film for inorganic EL and a film for display electrode.

Abstract: An implantable lead includes a lead body. A plurality of conductors are disposed within the lead body and electrically couple at least one electrode to at least one terminal. At least one of the conductors includes a plurality of units. Each of the units includes a first conductor segment extending along the lead body from a beginning point to a first position, a second conductor segment extending from the first position to a second position, and a third conductor segment extending along the elongated member from the second position to an endpoint. The conductor segments are arranged so as to form alternating single-coil regions and multi-coil regions. At least one support element is disposed along at least a portion of at least one of the single-coil regions and is configured and arranged to increase the stiffness of the at least one of the single-coil regions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for providing persistence in network access, by enhancing the likelihood that a gateway that is employed by a server array controller to send a client's message to a resource in another network outside of a local network behind the server array controller, is the same gateway employed by the resource for a responding message. In one embodiment, an outbound gateway is selected based on load-balanced gateways that have been enabled for automatic mapping of a source address to an available corresponding global Internet Protocol address. In another embodiment, multiple server array controllers are employed in a multi-active mode that enables multiple network address translation tables to be available in the event of a failover of one or more of the server array controllers.

Abstract: A system and method for processing image signals, including a signal dividing unit for dividing input image signals per frame into a first plurality of sub-blocks with a second plurality of the sub-blocks being included in the horizontal direction and each of the sub-blocks having the height equal to that of at least one macro-block, a recording unit for recording thus divided input image signals, a third plurality of encoding units each for encoding the divided and recorded input image signals in units of sub-block to be outputted as an encoded stream with the number of the encoding units equal to that of the sub-blocks in the horizontal direction, a further recording unit for recording the encoded stream in units of sub-block, and a stream conversion unit for outputting a video stream after rearranging the order of the encoded and recorded stream.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head which reciprocates in a first direction on a predetermined plane, which discharges liquids, and which has connecting ports arranged in a second direction; liquid supply sources which store the liquids; and flexible tubes which are arranged in a state of being bent and each of which constructs a part of a liquid flow passage, and first ends of the tubes are connected to the connecting ports; the tubes are arranged in a third direction intersecting the predetermined plane at fixed portions of the tubes; and each of the tubes has an external shape of which cross section perpendicular to an extending direction of the tube is elliptical; and at least at one of the first end and the fixed portion, a major axis direction of the cross section is the third direction.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus, comprising: an input section; a storage section; first and second signal processing sections; and a control section.

Abstract: A robot apparatus has a multi-link structure including a plurality of links and joints serving as link movable sections, and in which at least some of the links are driven by combination of position control and force control. The apparatus includes: position controller performing position control on the links, which are driven by position control and force control; position controller with force constraint placing the force control before the position control so as not to cause a magnitude of an external force to exceed a set value; force controller performing the force control on the links; and integrated force/position controller controlling driving of the joints by switching the position controller, the position controller with force constraint, and the force controller, and unifying the position control and the force control.

Abstract: A droplet ejecting apparatus, including: a droplet ejecting head including a cavity unit with pressure chambers and a piezoelectric actuator; and a voltage application device, the actuator including: first active portions; second active portions; a first potential electrode which is constantly given a first potential by the voltage application device; a second potential electrode which includes second branch portions respectively corresponding to the second active portions and a second trunk portion that connects the second branch portions and which is constantly given a second potential different from the first potential by the voltage application device; and individual electrodes to each of which the first and second potentials are selectively given at a connection portion thereof by the voltage application device, wherein the connection portion is disposed so as to overlap the second trunk portion as seen in a superposition direction in which the cavity unit and the actuator are superposed.

Abstract: In a decoding section of a stacked barcode reader, the brightness values of multiple pixels configuring image data are used to calculate multiple line widths of the bars and the spaces of the stacked barcode. Based on the evaluation value of the frequency distribution of multiple line widths, a priority order of T-sequence is determined. According to this priority order, the T-sequence is measured and the code word corresponding to the T-sequence is obtained. With this, the priority order of the T-sequence is determined based on the evaluation value (such as the maximum value, variance, etc.) of the frequency distribution of the line widths of the bars and the spaces that configure the stacked barcode increasing reading performance of the barcode reader on a stacked barcode while reducing the number of errors in all the decoded code words, despite the level of the resolution of the image pickup optical system.

Abstract: An object detecting device for detecting an object in a given gradation image. A scaling section generates scaled images by scaling down a gradation image input from an image output section. A scanning section sequentially manipulates the scaled images and cutting out window images from them and a discriminator judges if each window image is an object or not. The discriminator includes a plurality of weak discriminators that are learned in a group by boosting and an adder for making a weighted majority decision from the outputs of the weak discriminators. Each of the weak discriminators outputs an estimate of the likelihood of a window image to be an object or not by using the difference of the luminance values between two pixels. The discriminator suspends the operation of computing estimates for a window image that is judged to be a non-object, using a threshold value that is learned in advance.