Abstract: A security unit to prevent unauthorized retrieval of data includes an encrypting unit for encrypting data in accordance with commands received by the security unit, and a common register for storing both intermediate results and final results of the data encryption. A switching element operatively coupled to the register selectively outputs the contents of the register. The switching element is controlled to prevent external access to the intermediate results of the encryption. The security unit is particularly useful as part of a memory unit that is attachable to a recording/reproduction device such as a digital audio recorder/player.

Abstract: To control articulated robots by dynamically modifying a combination of a hardware-dependent middleware layer and a hardware-independent application layer. An interface and a database for semantically performing operation are prepared between a middleware layer which depends upon the hardware configuration of a robot and an application layer which does not depend upon the hardware configuration, thereby making it possible to always guarantee normal operation even if a combination of the middleware and the application which is to be introduced onto the robot is modified. The application can acquire appropriate input data via the middleware, and can issue an appropriate command.

Abstract: A language learning apparatus includes a syntax-structure analyzing unit and a syntax-rule learning unit. The syntax-structure analyzing unit is provided with a speech recognition portion for recognizing a word string from input speech data Oi based on speech pattern information of a vocabulary-information storage unit. A semantic analyzer detects image patterns from input moving picture data Vi by using the information stored in the vocabulary-information storage unit, and analyzes the relevance of the detected image patterns and outputs a concept representation using the words corresponding to the individual image patterns. A relevance analyzer verifies the word string extracted by the speech recognition portion against the semantic representation extracted by the semantic analyzer so as to determine the syntax structure of the word string. Then, the syntax-rule learning unit learns the syntax rule by using the determined syntax structure.

Abstract: A communications system connected via a bus capable of transferring combinations of control signals and AV signals as packets while providing an environment which is the same as an environment where connections are made using analog signal lines. A register decided by an address is taken to be a virtual plug for each item of equipment. The plug enable for the input plug is set to 1 and a synchronous communication packet for the AV signal from the channel set by the channel number is received. The plug enable for the output plug is set to one and the synchronous communication packet for the information signal is sent to the channel set by the channel number at a transmission speed designated by the DR (Data Rate) at the bandwidth expressed by “Bandwidth”.

Abstract: A packet synchronization detector for an incoming digital signal which includes a regularly repeated predetermined synchronization pattern which repetition rate defines the length of one transmission packet according to the present invention comprises a synchronization pattern detector (1) and several synchronization state machines (2, 31, . . . , 3n) which respectively determine whether or not one detected synchronization pattern with a respective position in regard to the length of one transmission frame has the correct repetition rate to determine whether or not lock has been achieved. Therefore, a very fast lock is achieved, since also in case of bit patterns that match to the synchronization byte, but that are not the synchronization byte no penalty time occurs to lock to the incoming digital signal.

Abstract: Data is recovered from a write-once optical disk having data written on it. The disk is composed of a substrate and a dye layer. The data was originally written to the dye layer as patterns of pits and lands, but the dye layer is subject to corruption due to ageing so that the data cannot be read by a conventional read process. The data is recovered by exposing the surface of the substrate, measuring deformations to that layer caused by the write process, and extracting the data from the measured deformations by classifying the measured deformations into deformations typical of predetermined patterns of pits and lands.

Abstract: A data compression apparatus includes a source detection arrangement for detecting whether or not the input data is source data that has not undergone a previous compression/decompression cycle; a data quantity generator, responsive to the source detection arrangement, for setting a desired data output quantity for the compressed data, the desired data quantity having a first value for source input data and a second, higher, value for non-source input data; a target allocator for allocating a target data quantity to respective subsets of the input data in dependence upon the desired output data quantity, the target data quantities together providing a desired output data quantity; and a data compression arrangement for compressing each subset of the input data in accordance with its respective target data quantity.

Abstract: An information recording method and apparatus and an information reproducing method and apparatus in which AV data can be recorded or reproduced temporally continuously without producing fragmentation. To this end, the apparatus includes a storage unit 7 at least including a management information region and a user data region made up of plural logical blocks, and a recording unit 9 for continuously recording information signals from a recording start logical block to a recording end logical block in the user data region of the storage unit 7 and again recording information signals from the recording start logical block.

Abstract: A rotary magnetic head apparatus which can be formed into a smaller size in which signals of a plurality of recording tracks which are recorded on a tape-like information recording medium are reproduced by using a plurality of reproduction heads without depending on the arrangement of the recording tracks in the information recording medium. The rotary magnetic head apparatus includes a rotary drum, a fixed drum, a reproduction signal selection device, a rotor reproduction signal wiring section, and a stator reproduction signal wiring section.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for immobilization of nucleic acid molecules on a substrate, wherein the substrate is treated with atomic oxygen plasma prior to immobilizing the nucleic acid molecules thereon. The invention is further related to immobilized nucleic acid molecules and uses thereof.

Abstract: A digital watermark detection circuit detects a digital watermark inserted in an input signal. When the digital watermark detection circuit detects a digital watermark indicating the prohibition of duplication, a record controlling circuit controls a recording circuit and a recording drive to stop recording and prohibit recording to a recording medium for a predetermined time.

Abstract: Providing an electrostatic machine element for restraining deteriorations of practical electrostatic forces between electrodes by an electrostatic shielded effect to prevent instability of an electrode operation, a light diffraction modulation element using the electrostatic machine element and an image display device using the light diffraction modulation element. An edge and an upper side of a first electrode are opened and a dielectric material, the mobility of which depends on a polarity of an electric charge, is used for a second dielectric film. When a drive voltage such that the electric charge having high mobility moves from one dielectric film to another dielectric film, is applied between the first electrode and a second electrode, a charged particle that arrived at the first dielectric film moves further to the upper side of the first electrode.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus which pleases a user with a higher degree of entertainment property is disclosed. A graphic chip copies original image data stored in a VRAM into a buffer built therein so that the original image data may be stored into the buffer. Further, the graphic chip reverses those of the original image data in replacement areas of the image horizontally leftwardly and rightwardly and stores the thus reversed image data into the buffer. The graphic chip thereupon performs &agr; blending of the original image data and the reversed image data based on &agr; values of a table.

Abstract: A data transmission system in which a function block is housed in a subunit in a unit to enable communication among the unit, subunit and the function block. To this end, the data transmission system includes a digital STB 60, a DTV 70, and an audio amplifier 80. Within the DTV 70 is housed a video monitor subunit 71 within which are housed a decoder function block 72 and a feature function block 73. Within the audio amplifier 80 is housed an audio sub-unit 81 within which a decoder function block 82 and a feature function block 83, that can be endowed with functions in common with the decoder function block 72 and the feature function block 73, respectively, and a processing function block 83, are housed.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is connected to another information processing apparatus via a network and has at least one sub-unit for executing a predetermined function. A reservation is made for causing a tuner sub-unit of an IRD to receive a predetermined channel broadcast at a predetermined time and to record it on a VCR sub-unit of a DVCR via an IEEE-1394 serial data bus. Then, a controller of the IRD writes reservation information into a Resource Schedule Board (RSB) built into a Bulletin Board Subunit (BBS) of the IRD and also writes reservation information of the VCR sub-unit into a RSB built into a BBS of the DVCR. With this arrangement, double-booking is prevented.

Abstract: There are provided a storage device for outputting-data in such a manner that whether or not error correction has been made can be discriminated, and a data processing system in which a storage device finishes data to a data processing device in such a manner that whether or not the area management information has been corrected for errors can be discriminated and in which the data processing device discriminates whether or not the area management information has been corrected for errors in order to perform predetermined data processing. There is also provided a data processing method for the storage device and for the data processing system.

Abstract: In a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit having a function of automatically adjusting the free-running frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), the number of pulses of a pulse signal output from the VCO in a period in which a comparison signal output from a phase comparator is at a predetermined level is counted, and a microcomputer updates digital data based on the counted value. The digital data is converted into an analog signal by a digital-to-analog converter. A combiner combines the analog signal with a signal obtained by smoothing the comparison signal of the phase comparator by a low-pass filter so as to generate a frequency control signal of the VCO.

Abstract: A data read/write apparatus records, in a root directory of a recording medium, a file “MEM*****.ind” indicating the type of the recording medium, a directory “DCIM” for storing still image files, a directory “VOICE” for storing voice files, a directory “HIFI” for storing audio files, and a directory “MS******” for storing information inherent to a vendor. The rules are defined as the method for recording data in the recording medium. Hence, an audio-visual apparatus can determine the type of data stored in the loaded recording medium, recognizes the format of data in a non-conforming format, and erases the data in the non-conforming format.

Abstract: In a disk-shaped recording medium such as an optical disk and the like, a reference clock with a frequency corresponding to a reproduction frequency of data reproduced from a data recording region is divided in accordance with a ratio between a record density of a header region where pre-formatted data including a sector mark for indicating a leading position of a sector is recorded, and a recording density of a data recording region subsequent to the header region, so as to produce a sampling clock. By use of thus-produced sampling clock, the sector mark is detected. Even if the header region has a recording density different from the recording density of the data region, to use a sector mark detector having the same structure as of a sector mark detector which is employed in the case where the header region has the same recording density as that of the data region.

Abstract: An optical disk having a diameter less than 140 mm and, a thickness of 1.2 mm±0.1 mm, with a plurality of record tracks having data recorded thereon as embossed pits representing information and exhibiting a track pitch in the range between 0.646 &mgr;m and 1.05 &mgr;m; with the tracks being divided into a lead-in area, a program area and a lead-out area. The data includes table of contents (TOC) information recorded in a plurality of sectors in at least one TOC track and user information recorded in a plurality of sectors in user tracks; with the TOC information including addresses of start sectors recorded in the user tracks. The data (both user and TOC information) is encoded in a long distance error correction code having at least eight parity symbols, and is run length limited (RLL) modulated.