Abstract: A group of video plane (GOV) layers in which the encoding start time is absolute time with an accuracy of one second is provided as a coded bit stream. A GOV layer can be inserted not only at the head of the coded bit stream but at an arbitrary position in the coded bit stream. The display time of each video object plane (VOP) included in the GOV layer is represented by modulo_time_base which represents absolute time in one second units with the encoding start time set as the standard, and VOP_time_increment, which represents in millisecond units, the time that has elapsed since the time point represented by the modulo_time_base.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a chamber having a chamber wall surface defining a liquid-tight sealed space; an electronic unit housed in a liquid-tight case, the case being disposed in the chamber to define an intermediate space between the case and the chamber wall surface; a biasing unit in the chamber that biases the case toward a predetermined neutral position in the intermediate space; a liquid disposed in the intermediate space; and an iris system formed in the chamber such that when the case moves toward a portion of the chamber wall surface, the iris system cooperates with the case to define a flow path through which the liquid in a portion of the intermediate space between the case and the portion of the chamber wall surface flows to another portion of the intermediate space, a cross-sectional area of the flow path decreasing as the case moves closer to the portion of the chamber wall surface.

Abstract: A demodulation apparatus that can support various oscillation frequencies. The portable phone device includes a frequency synthesizer for generating a local-oscillation signal having a local oscillation frequency for converting the frequency of an input receiving signal into an intermediate frequency based on an oscillation signal generated by an TCXO and a synchronization hold portion provided with an NCO for generating a signal having a predetermined frequency based on the oscillation signal generated by TCXO. The frequency synthesizer makes the local oscillation frequency variable by setting the dividing ratio variable in accordance with an arbitrary oscillation frequency so that the intermediate frequency remains within a predetermined range regardless of the oscillation frequency, and an NCO makes the frequency of the signal variable by setting the dividing ratio variable in accordance with the oscillation frequency.

Abstract: Decrypting information corresponding to a selected track, file pointer information, and index information are read out from a track information table having the decrypting information corresponding to each track, the file pointer information showing one of a plurality of files with headers, and the index information showing a position in the file. The header of the file with the header is read out on the basis of the file pointer information and position information in the file corresponding to the index information is detected from the header. A part of data of the file is read out on the basis of the position information and the read-out data is decrypted on the basis of the decrypting information.

Abstract: A processor is provided which has a modular organization including at least one local store operable to store data and instructions for execution, at least one functional unit operable to execute instructions on data provided from the local store, and at least one issue logic unit operable to convert instructions provided from the local store into operations of the functional unit for executing the instructions. The at least one issue logic unit may be operable to decode a unitary instruction provided from the local store to simultaneously operate all of the functional units according to the unitary instruction. Each issue logic unit may be operable to decode multiple instructions to separately operate first and second subsets of the plurality of functional units according to respective ones of the multiple instructions.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a method for securing control words is provided. The method includes receiving scrambled digital content in a descrambler integrated circuit. The method further includes receiving an encrypted control word in the descrambler integrated circuit, decrypting the encrypted control word using a key stored in a register circuit of the descrambler integrated circuit, and descrambling the scrambled digital content in the descrambler integrated circuit using the decrypted control word.

Abstract: A community, which is a group of users having common interests, has attributes such as the name of the community, the interests shared, the number of members, average age of the members, gender ratio of the members, and so forth. Corporations provide services to the users of a community to which the corporations have permission to access. The corporations can know a portion of the attribute information of the community, but cannot know the personal information of the individual users. Distribution firms can obtain personal information of users belonging to a community and deliver merchandise thereto, by entering into contract with that community. The distribution firms receive merchandise shipping commissions using serial numbers, so there is no exchange of personal information between the corporations and the distribution firms. Accordingly, services can be provided from corporations to users without disclosing personal information of the users to the corporations.

Abstract: A method for recording digital data in accordance with the recording format, in which the type of a loaded recording medium is identified and on the basis of the result of the identification a data format is selected for embedding sub data into data to be recorded onto the loaded recording medium so that the data are readable as optical changes. Whether the recording area in which recording is to be performed is a recording area in which the sub data should be embedded or not is discriminated, and if the result of the discrimination indicates that the area in which recording is to be carried out is a recording area in which the sub data should be recorded, the sub data are embedded and recorded into the data to be recorded in a predetermined recording area on the recording medium on the basis of the selected data format.

Abstract: In order to solve a problem of an accumulation on the transmission side, a delay on the reception side, and the like at the time of transmission in a communication system such as a wireless LAN system, each communication station in a network transmits a beacon in which information with respect to the network is written and sets a state in which a reception operation is performed during periods of time before and after the transmission of the beacon signal when performing access control not to make communication timing of a packet collide with that of another station by detecting a signal transmitted from another station.

Abstract: A vehicle boarding environment controlling apparatus having a communicating element communicating with a communication device that detects a detection target object for personal authentication; a registration storing element for storing registration of setting status information denoting a predetermined boarding environment of a vehicle in association with each person to be authenticated; a door lock controlling element for unlocking doors of the vehicle when a person is authenticated; and a setting status controlling element which, if any person is authenticated, changes the boarding environment setting status of the vehicle in accordance with the setting status information associated with the authenticated person.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical pickup and an optical disc drive that records or reproduces data signals on or from optical discs different in specifications, such as recording density and thickness. One objective lens (17) is used for optical discs (22a, 22b) of two types that differ in specifications. The optical pickup and the optical disc drive comprise two light source sections (24a, 24b) and a lens-supporting mechanism (15). The light source sections emit two laser beams of different wavelengths, respectively. The lens-supporting mechanism (15) controls the position of the objective lens (17) in the radial direction of the discs and along the optical axis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high-reliable semiconductor device in which electrodes formed on substrates are prevented from deteriorating by sealing the electrodes with a frame member rather than a sealing material. The frame member in the present invention surrounds electrodes formed on the substrates. The inside of the frame member is vacuous or filled with a gas which does not react with the electrodes such as an inert gas and, thereby, the electrodes are prevented from deteriorating by attacks of oxygen or moisture.

Abstract: A task management system that inherit priority and that can reduce the queue operation required for transition to/return from a mutual exclusion awaiting state The task management system can execute a task without considering its priority, start or stop a server task and inherit priority without operating the dispatch queue. The task management system includes activity retaining information, context retaining information, and a dispatch queue used to select the highest priority task. Information on a task is divided and managed by the activity and the context, where each activity is inserted into/deleted from the dispatch queue. When the priority of a task is inherited by another task, only the correspondence between activity and context is changed.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing an IEEE 1394 home network device (6, 7) from remote is proposed. The communication between a remote testing device (2) and the IEEE 1394 home network device (6, 7) is split into two parts: between the remote testing device (2) and a gateway (4) of the home network (5) preferably TCP/IP is used as communication protocol. Inside the home network (5), i. e. between the gateway (4) and the IEEE 1394 home network device (6, 7), an IEEE 1394 low level communication protocol is used. As this IEEE 1394 low level communication protocol is common to all home network protocols employed by IEEE 1394 home network devices (6, 7), this communication method is independent of the home network protocol used by the IEEE 1394 home network devices (6, 7).

Abstract: When second material data is inserted into first material data, in point and out point are set in the first material data and the second material data to generate editing processing information. On the basis of the editing processing information, there are prepared first virtual file in which recording area of recording medium with respect to the first material data is described by time codes and second virtual file in which recording area of the recording medium with respect to the second material data is described by time codes. Thus, reproduction is carried out from preroll point positioned forward in point of time with respect to the in point up to postroll point positioned backward in point of time with respect to the out point.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of photoelectric conversion photodiodes provided on a silicon substrate, and a refractive index matching film provided on each of the photodiodes. The refractive index matching film is composed of an insulating compound layer represented by SiOxNy (0?x and y) assuming that the molar ratio of silicon, oxygen and nitrogen of the compound layer is 1:x:y. The oxygen content of the compound layer is the lowest at the silicon interface with each photodiode and the highest in an upper portion of the compound layer, and the nitrogen content is the highest at the silicon interface with each photodiode and the lowest in the upper portion of the compound layer. Therefore, multiple reflection can be decreased to improve light receiving sensitivity, as compared with a case in which a SiN single layer and a SiO2 single layer are laminated.