Abstract: A pen recorder comprises a hollow pen body having a proximal end and a distal end a solid state audio recorder in its interior. A retractable pen mechanism is mounted on the distal end of the pen body, and a microphone transducer and speaker transducer are mounted at the proximal end. The speaker transducer is transversely mounted across an open proximal end of the pen body so that the interior of the pen body acts as a resonator improving the sound quality of the speaker.

Abstract: The reasoning system by knowledge activation of the present invention stores shallow knowledge and deep knowledge in memories. The reasoning by the reasoning mechanism is executed using the shallow knowledge. In case of the shallow knowledge to be used in the reasoning is not stored, the deep knowledge is used in the execution of the reasoning. Based on the information which is obtained by the execution of the reasoning, shallow knowledge is newly acquired. The reasoning system by knowledge activation needs only a short time for reasoning. Even in the case where shallow knowledge which is necessary for fast reasoning is not stored, the execution of the reasoning is possible, and new shallow knowledge is easily obtainable.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for providing communication between a number of applications and a number of devices disposed in various relative locations in a data processing system through an interface that is capable of accessing only a single device at a prespecified relative location. The applications are concurrently executing within the data processing system. A device table is established for each of the applications, wherein each device table includes device parameter information and device address information for each of the devices in the data processing system. A particular device is specified for use with a selected application. Device parameter information and device address information for the prespecified relative location within the device table established for the application are overwritten with device parameter information and device address information for the particular device specified.

Abstract: A plurality of banks is divided into a plurality of bank groups and a pair of read and write data control registers is assigned to each of the bank groups. A memory main controller is operatively coupled to the bank groups and controls read/write operations of the banks. The memory main controller receives bank access requests from a system controller and generates a request rejected signal in the event that a bank access request consecutively occurs in connection with one bank group. Thus, application of two successive data to each of the read and write data control registers with the same bank group is prohibited, and erroneous data storage in the above-mentioned data control registers is prevented.

Abstract: A Lombard voice recognition method for recognizing a voice input in a noisy background includes a step of matching and a step of warping. The step of matching matches a frequency spectrum of a feature pattern derived from the input voice to a frequency spectrum of a standard pattern. The step of warping warps a lower frequency spectrum of the feature pattern than a lower frequency side with respect to a frequency axis in case that a noise level of the background in higher than a predetermined noise level.

Abstract: A neural network simulator that comprises a sensory window memory capable of providing a system of neuron elements with an input consisting of data generated from sequentially sampled spatial and/or temporal patterns. Each neuron element comprises multiple levels, each of which is independently connected to the sensory window and/or to other neuron elements for receiving information corresponding to spatial and/or temporal patterns to be learned or recognized. Each neuron level comprises a multiplicity of pairs of synaptic connections that record ratios of input information so received and compare them to prerecorded ratios corresponding to learned patterns. The comparison is carried out for each synaptic pair according to empirical activation functions that produce maximum activation of a particular pair when the current ratio matches the learned ratio.

Abstract: A quantizer, which converts an input group of data samples into one of N quantized groups of data samples, does so by performing several dot products and compares. Each dot product is between the input group of data samples and a reference group of data samples u.sub.x, and each compare is with the dot product result and a constant k.sub.y. All of the reference groups of data samples and all of the constants are stored in a memory. This memory holds only N-1 constants and less then N/2 reference groups of data samples. A memory saving of several thousand percent is achieved by limiting the memory to hold no more then 2r reference groups of data samples where r is the number of samples in the input group, or no more then 2 log.sub.2 N reference groups of data samples.

Abstract: The disclosed method consists of: the cutting up, after sampling, of the speech signal into frames of a determined duration; the carrying out a first self-adaptive filtering of the sampled signal (Sn) obtained in each frame to limit the influence of the first formant; the carrying out a second filtering to keep only a minimum of harmonics of the fundamental frequency; and the comparing of the signal obtained with two adaptive thresholds SfMin(n) and SfMax(n), respectively positive and negative and changing as a function of time according to a predetermined relationship so as to choose only the signal portions that are respectively above or below the two thresholds.

Abstract: A system and method for using N unidirectional lines to implement signals for arbitration, variable length transactions, automatic responses, and efficient burst transaction modes for a bus in a cache-coherent multi-processor computer system having N processors. Processors use arbitration lines to implement busy signals for variable length transactions. A processor needing to respond to a transaction is granted automatic access to a bus if it is the last processor asserting a busy signal. A processor in a burst transaction mode is granted automatic continuous access without arbitration if no other processors request access. The use of only N lines minimizes pin-out for an integrated processor. The use of unidirectional (one driver, N-1 receivers) lines further optimizes cost and speed.

Abstract: A docking station structure is used to operatively connect a notebook computer to desktop computer peripheral devices. The docking station has an internal receiving chamber into which the portable computer may be manually inserted, an electrical connector positioned within the receiving chamber, a travel plate movably carried within the receiving chamber, a motorized drive system operative to drive the travel plate toward and away from the electrical connector, and a latch structure carried by the travel plate for movement therewith. With the travel plate in a wait position thereof, the portable computer is rearwardly inserted into the receiving chamber. In response to such insertion, the latch structure automatically locks the computer to the travel plate, and the drive system rearwardly moves the travel plate to mate the electrical connector with a corresponding connector on the computer, thereby operatively linking the computer to the peripheral devices.

Abstract: This invention relates to personal computers, and more particularly to a personal computer system having a signal passing component operatively connected for exchange of data signals with system components operatively connected with a local processor bus and having a segment providing a state machine for receiving external command signals passed on one of the system busses and for passing internal command signals identifying valid data intervals, said state machine requiring a predetermined minimum length of external command signal for issuance of an internal command signal and terminating an internal command signal with termination of an external command signal so as to avoid the adverse effects of crosstalk and transmission line noise on external commands signals and loss of data integrity thereby possibly occurring.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling accesses to main memory by a CPU includes a CPU coupled to the main memory by a first switching device. A system bus is coupled to main memory by a second switching device. The system bus couples a plurality of functional units to main memory. The first and second switching devices are interconnected so that only one of the two switching mechanisms can release the connection between the CPU or the system bus and the main memory. Advantageously, a first buffer is coupled between the main memory and the CPU for temporary storage of data which is to be transferred between the CPU and main memory, and a second buffer is coupled between main memory and the system bus for temporary storage of data which is to be transferred between the system bus and main memory. The main memory, the first and second switching mechanisms as well as the first and second buffers are provided on the same board as the CPU.

Abstract: A speech codec operating at low data rates uses an iterative method to jointly optimize pitch and gain parameter sets. A 26-bit spectrum filter coding scheme may be used, involving successive subtractions and quantizations. The codec may preferably use a decomposed multipulse excitation model, wherein the multipulse vectors used as the excitation signal are decomposed into position and amplitude codewords. Multipulse vectors are coded by comparing each vector to a reference multipulse vector and quantizing the resulting difference vector. An expanded multipulse excitation codebook and associated fast search method, optionally with a dynamically-weighted distortion measure, allow selection of the best excitation vector without memory or computational overload. In a dynamic bit allocation technique, the number of bits allocated to the pitch and excitation signals depend on whether the signals are "significant" or "insignificant".

Abstract: A new basis vector search process that directly results in an optimal linear weighting for a VSELP (Vector Sum Excited Linear Prediction) coder, thus avoiding the need to perform an extensive search. In the present invention, the conventional search process is replaced by a direct formula, thus avoiding the time consuming searching procedure. Using a simple mathematical relationship, the process of filtering the basis signals with an impulse response filter h(n) every subframe is avoided. A simple theorem has been developed to reduce the computation involved in carrying out the filtering of the basis signals with h(n), and is referred to as the switching convolution theorem. As a result, the computation time necessary to produce the optimal weighting is reduced by a factor of from 3 to 4, while maintaining the output quality of the coder. The new apparatus and method are based upon a set of equations that includes several experimentally justified assumptions.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a practical knowledge acquisition system, in which, when a diagnosis is made using a knowledge base in the form of an associative network turns out to be erroneous, the network is analyzed backwards from the node representing a desired solution, thereby detecting a node where the backward analysis route joins that analysis route in the network which has resulted in the erroneous diagnosis. The node where the two analysis routes join is identified as one possibility where an error has occurred in the diagnosis. The diagnostic knowledge applied at this node is seen as an candidate to be modified many modification plans for the incorrect knowledge is proposed, the diagnostic knowledge base can be modified with high efficiency.

Abstract: A single chip microprocessor 1 includes a CPU 2 and a sub-processor 5 for software implementation of peripheral functions of the microprocessor 1. Sub-processor 5 includes electrically writable internal storage devices microprogram memory unit 13 and sequence control memory unit 62 for storing the software. Peripheral functions are defined and/or modified by writing software into the memory units 13 and 62. Accordingly, the time it takes to define and/or modify the peripheral functions is the time it takes to program the memory units 13 and 62. The sub-processor 5 also includes an execution unit 16 for executing a plurality of tasks and an address control circuit 14 for providing addresses to the microprogram memory unit 13. Additionally, the microprogram memory unit 13 provides microinstructions to the execution unit 16. The sequence control memory unit 62 is part of the address control circuit 14 which also includes a plurality of address registers MAR0 to MAR11.

Abstract: Input speech of a reference speaker, who wants to convert his/her voice quality, and speech of a target speaker are converted into a digital signal by an analog to digital (A/D) converter. The digital signal is then subjected to speech analysis by a linear predictive coding (LPC) analyzer. Speech data of the reference speaker is processed into speech segments by a speech segmentation unit. A speech segment correspondence unit makes a dynamic programming (DP) based correspondence between the obtained speech segments and training speech data of the target speaker, thereby making a speech segment correspondence table. A speaker individuality conversion is made on the basis of the speech segment correspondence table by a speech individuality conversion and synthesis unit.

Abstract: A system including a touch pressure-sensitive transducer and a computer responsive thereto for producing a sentic cycle and for recording touch expression in the course of which cycle different emotions are expressed and generated by applying appropriate finger pressure to the transducer actuator. Stored in the memory of the computer is a set of words representing the different emotions, the computer being programmed to sequentially select these words at timed intervals and to audibly reproduce the selected word. Each word is followed by a series of time-spaced audible start clicks, each commanding the subject when to express with finger pressure on the transducer actuator. The signals yielded by the transducer reflecting vector components of the applied finger pressure are processed in the computer whose display terminal then presents on its screen a sentogram, the shape of which characterizes the emotion sensed by the transducer.

Abstract: The circuit comprises:converter means receiving an input train of control pulses and increasing the level of a control signal by a given increment each time it detects a new received pulse, the level of said control signal then decreasing progressively until the following pulse is detected; andthreshold means suitable for producing said wake-up signal when the level of said control signal has reached a predetermined threshold value in such a manner as to produce said wake-up signal only when the number of control pulses applied to the input has reached a predetermined minimum number and providing the recurrence frequency of the pulses is not less than a predetermined limit frequency.

Abstract: A method for analyzing a speech signal to isolate speech and nonspeech portions of the speech signal is provided. The method is applied to an input speech signal to determine boundary values locating isolated words or groups of words within the speech signal. First, a comparison signal is generated which is biased to emphasize components of the signal having preselected frequencies. Next, the system compares the comparison signal with a threshold level to determine estimated boundary values demonstrating the beginning and ending points of the words. Once the estimated boundary values are calculated, the system adjusts the boundary values to achieve final boundary values. The specific amount of adjustment varies, depending upon the amount of noise present in the signal. The final pair of boundary values provide a reliable indication of the location and duration of the isolated word or group of words within the speech signal.