Abstract: In a system for data communication between an information terminal to be operated by a user and remote communication nodes, the present invention intends to suppress the power consumption of the information terminal. For that purpose, communication nodes 2, 3 and 4 each emit diffuse light carrying a pilot signal blinking at a low frequency to notify the presence of the communication node and an ID signal belonging to a higher frequency range, the ID signal containing inherent address etc. for identifying each communication node. A mobile phone 1 as the information terminal captures an image and processes the image data to detect the pilot signal of each communication node. Then, determining the position of each node and setting a limited range for reading the pixels around that position, the mobile phone 1 reads the detection signals of the pixels within the limited range at high speed and obtains identification information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photochromic compound that is colored when irradiated with visible light and quickly faded when set in a dark place. The photochromic compound according to the present invention is expressed by the following general formula (I): where each of A1, A2 and A3 is a five-member rings forming a 6?-electron system, the three rings being identical, partially identical or totally different from each other, and each ring may have a substituent; B1 and B2 are functional groups, each having an atomic number of five or larger, including a ring compound, and bonded to the 2-carbon of each of A2 and A3, respectively; and R1, R2 and R3 are substituents identical to or different from each other. This compound is highly colorable and durable even when it is dispersed into plastic macromolecular materials. Therefore, it is suitable as a dye material for sunglasses or similar products.

Abstract: A section detector 12 detects a section in a source code written in the C++ language for performing a database search process, and a processing time estimator 13 estimates both the processing time for the section by a conventional logic operation and the processing time by quantum computing based on Grover's search algorithm. If it is determined that the latter is shorter than the former by a determiner 14, a replacing processor 15 replaces the section with a program written in C++ corresponding to Grover's search algorithm. Accordingly, a source code is completed in which a portion or portions suitable for computing by quantum computer is replaced. Thus, with the present invention, it is possible to easily develop a program for simulating a cooperative operation between a quantum computer and a conventional computer in a computer system including the two types of computers.

Abstract: Compounds that are suitable to be used for three-dimensional optical recording materials, etc. The compounds each have a structure that allows pi-electron conjugation to be achieved by linking a porphyrin ring and a perinaphthothioindigo ring to each other with a straight-chain atomic group. The compounds of the present invention are suitable to be used for three-dimensional optical recording materials, etc. since they have a high two-photon absorption efficiency and undergo photochromism effectively through optical absorption.

Abstract: According to this invention, a novel anti-oxidative substance of naturally originated, with excellent ability to scavenge active oxygen species and high safety was provided. According to the present invention, citrulline was firstly exhibited to have excellent ability to scavenge active oxygen species. A novel active oxygen scavenging composition including citrulline as its effective ingredient was characterized by its excellent ability to scavenge active oxygen and high safety.

Abstract: An estimation device estimates a hidden state of an estimation subject from an observable state in a manner of a time series. The observable state is observed from the hidden state of the estimation subject under a procedure that has a hierarchical structure, which includes the hidden state of the estimation subject, the observable state, and an intermediate hidden state therebetween. The estimation device includes an estimation subject hidden state predicting means, an intermediate hidden state predicting means based on the state transition structure of the hidden state of the estimation subject, an intermediate hidden state likelihood observing means, an intermediate hidden state estimating means, an estimation subject hidden state likelihood observing means, estimation subject hidden state estimating means, an intermediate hidden state predicting means based on the state transition structure of the intermediate hidden state, and the mixing means.

Abstract: For an information terminal to be operated by users for collecting predetermined pieces of information from remote information devices by free-space optical communication, the present invention provides a technique for suppressing the power consumption of the information terminal by minimizing the amount of calculation performed to collect the aforementioned information. According to the present invention, each information device emits ID light on which a low-frequency pilot signal is superimposed. The information terminal captures a series of frames of images including the ID light and locates the ID light within the images by the following steps: (1) creating multiple levels of binned images having different resolutions for each frame of the image; (2) calculating an evaluation index for each pixel within a target range of the binned images at each level, from the lowest to the highest resolution, where the target range is narrowed every time the process switches over to a lower level.

Abstract: A moving object measuring apparatus includes: a movement trajectory information acquisition portion that obtains movement trajectory information indicating a movement trajectory of a moving object from images included in two or more video sequences that are stored, for each of the two or more video sequences separately; a three-dimensional trajectory information acquisition portion that obtains three-dimensional trajectory information that is information of a three-dimensional trajectory of the moving object by using Visual Hulls Method, based on the movement trajectory information obtained by the movement trajectory information acquisition portion for each of the two or more video sequences separately and two or more camera parameters that are stored; and a three-dimensional trajectory information output portion that outputs the three-dimensional trajectory information.

Abstract: A photo-functional molecule element having, on a substrate, a porphyrin polymer containing covalently-fixed porphyrin units, and the method of preparing the same. The photo-functional molecule element may be used as a photoelectric conversion element such as an organic solar cell or a three-dimensional, non-linear organic material.

Abstract: Regarding the solid-state imaging device and the driving method therefor, each picture cell includes a photoelectric conversion portion, a capacitive element, a comparator portion, a reset portion and a select switch element. A control voltage application portion applies a first control voltage to a control line during a signal charging period to make a voltage of the output terminal of the photoelectric conversion portion deviate from the transition region of the comparator portion and applies a second control voltage to the control line during a signal reading period to bring the voltage of the output terminal of the photoelectric conversion portion into the transition region of the comparator portion. A load device that serves as a common load for the comparator portions of picture cells is connected between a signal line and a power source of a prescribed electric voltage.

Abstract: A covalently linked linear porphyrin polymer represented by formula (1): wherein R represents an alkyl group or ?(wherein a, b and d independently represent H, an alkyl group or aryl group); X represents —O—, —S—, >NR101 (wherein R101 represents H or an alkyl group), —CH2— or a single bond; Y represents ?O, ?S, or 2H; m represents an integer of 0 to 4; n represents an integer of 0 to 6; Z represents a five- or six-membered, nitrogen-containing, coordinating hetero aromatic ring group; M represents an ion of metal selected from typical metals and transition metals; Q1 represents a single bond or a linear, divalent linking group; and p1 represents an integer of 2 or more.

Abstract: A porphyrin array exhibiting a large two-photon absorption property, and being linked with an acetylenic bond(s), represented by the following formulas: wherein R1 represents an alkyl or aryl group, M1 represents a metal ion capable of serving as a core metal and forming a coordinate bond with Im, M2 represents two protons or a metal ion incapable of forming a coordinate bond with Im, R2 and R3 represent a group selected from a porphyrin residue or porphyrin metal complex residue, a cyclic diimide residue, a dialkylviologen residue, a benzoquinone residue, an N-methylpyrrolidine-fullerene derivative residue and a ferrocene residue, Im is represented by Im1 or Im2: (R8 represents methyl or H), L1 represents —(—C?C—)m— (m=1 to 3); n represents an integer of 1 or more; R9 represents one of R1, R2, R3 and Im.

Abstract: There is provided an information input system enabling the realization of an input method easily understandable and operable by intuition. This information input system is provided with a camera 11 for picking up an image of a specified area including a fingertip OF of an operator and an input surface 17 as a photographed image, a contact discriminator 154 for discriminating whether or not the fingertip OF and the input surface 17 are in contact with each other by specifying the fingertip OF and the input surface 17 included in the photographed image, and a fingertip position detector 152 for detecting a relative position of the fingertip OF with respect to the input surface 17 when the contact discriminator 154 judges that the fingertip OF and the input surface 17 are in contact with each other.

Abstract: A pointing device that does not limit an operator by personal physical characteristics is structured as follows. An apparatus incorporating a pointing device includes a fingerprint sensor obtaining image information, a cover protecting a sensor surface, and a sensor presser arranged at a face of the cover on the sensor side so as to be in contact with the sensor surface. The shape of sensor presser obtained with sensor changes by the position on cover being pressed by a finger, and an input is performed based thereon.

Abstract: According to this invention, a novel anti-oxidative substance of naturally originated, with excellent ability to scavenge active oxygen species and high safety was provided. According to the present invention, citrulline was firstly exhibited to have excellent ability to scavenge active oxygen species. A novel active oxygen scavenging composition including citrulline as its effective ingredient was characterized by its excellent ability to scavenge active oxygen and high safety.

Abstract: A novel gene useful for production of a plant exhibiting resistance to environmental stress is provided. According to this invention, C7 gene, a novel gene encoding a receptor-like protein which is induced in response to injury stress, osmotic pressure stress, salt stress or low-temperature stress, is provided. Moreover, a polypeptide encoded by this gene is provided. A plant exhibiting resistance to environmental stress can be produced by incorporation of this novel gene into the plant.

Abstract: The close region image extraction device according to the present invention ensures robustness during outdoor usage and acquires close region images at the field rate. This device comprises a color camera for taking color moving images; an infrared light source for irradiating a nearby object OB with infrared light; an infrared camera for alternately acquiring a lit infrared image and an unlit infrared image; an absolute value differential image acquiring section for acquiring an absolute value differential image for the lit infrared image and unlit infrared image; a close region image extraction section for extracting a close region image from the absolute value differential image; and an object image extraction section for extracting an object image that represents the nearby object from the close region image.

Abstract: According to the present invention, the polypeptide of theobromine synthase derived from coffea arabica and the gene encoding said polypeptide are provided. As theobromine synthase participates in biosynthesis of caffeine, caffeineless coffee would be obtained by preparing a transformed plant, wherein expression of gene encoding said enzyme is inhibited.

Abstract: A theobromine gene derived from Coffea arabica and the polypeptide it encodes are disclosed. The disclosed polypeptide catalyzes biosynthesis of theobromine using 7-methylxanthine as the substrate. Also disclosed are plants transformed with the theobromine gene as to increase or inhibit biosynthesis of theobromine, methods of producing such plants, and seeds obtained from such plants. Caffeineless coffee may be obtained from the disclosed plants, as theobromine synthase participates in the biosynthesis of caffeine.

Abstract: A porphyrin array represented by the following general formula (1-1) or (1-2): wherein R1 represents an alkyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; M1 represents a metal ion; R2 and R3 independently represent an electron acceptor or an electron donor; Im represents Im1 or Im2 set forth below: wherein R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; and n represents an integer in the range of 1 to 100.