Abstract: A top state controller controls a bus adapter to a selected master or slave top state in response to a command on a local or system bus during a dispatch state of the bus adapter. The bus adapter remains in the selected top state until the command is completed or suspended, whereupon it returns to the dispatch state. The top state controller sets a first flag upon a change from a master top state to the dispatch state in response to suspension of a command by a data handling device, and sets a second flag upon a change from a slave top state to the dispatch state upon completion of a command. The top state controller is responsive to the first or second flag to operate the bus adapter to that master top state from which the bus adapter changed to set the first flag and is responsive to the completion of the suspended command to clear the first and said second flags.

Abstract: A speech coder apparatus operates to compress speech signals to a low bit rate. The apparatus includes a continuous speech recognizer (CSR) which has a memory for storing templates. Input speech is processed by the CSR where information in the speech is compared against the templates to provide an output digital signal indicative of recognized words, which signal is transmitted along a first path. There is further included a front end processor which is also responsive to the input speech signal for providing output digitized speech samples during a given frame interval. A side information encoder circuit responds to the output from the front end processor to provide at the output of the encoder a parameter signal indicative of the value of the pitch and word duration for each word as recognized by the CSR unit. The output of the encoder is transmitted as a second signal.

Abstract: Coding digitized audio signals includes dividing an audio signal, consisting of a continuous sequence of sample values, into successive blocks of equal length, and performing overlapping windowing. The blocks are transformed into complex Fourier coefficients by means of a discrete Fourier transform, which complex Fourier coefficients are decomposed into magnitude values and phase values. The phase values are quantized with a linear quantization characteristic which becomes coarser going from low toward high frequencies. The magnitude values are combined into frequency bands which are oriented with regard to predetermined critical bands and become wider toward high frequencies.

Abstract: A continuous weight-update device for a synaptic element including at least one MOS transistor comprises a floating node having a capacitance associated therewith, the floating gate comprising at least a part of the floating node, first and second input lines, first and second error lines, an electron tunneling structure coupled to the floating node for tunneling electrons from the floating node, and an electron injecting structure coupled to the floating node for injecting electrons onto the floating node. Control circuitry is responsive to signals on the first input and error lines, for activating the electron tunneling structure, and control circuitry is responsive to signals on the second input and error lines, for activating the electron injecting structure. Circuitry is provided for driving signals onto the first and second input and error lines. Both a single synapse and an array of synapses incorporating the continuous weight-update device are also taught.

Abstract: A compound type expert system comprising a first fuzzy expert system and a second expert system connected to the first expert system through a calculation control system. The first expert system executes fuzzy rule-based inference according to a first rule set that can describe ambiguity of language information and outputs a definite value. The second expert system executes rule-based inference according to a second rule set that can describe only information without ambiguity of language. The calculation control system is arranged between the first and second expert systems so as to activate the second expert system in response to the definite value output from the first expert system.

Abstract: A method of screening communication functions in a human subject comprises (a) presenting a verbal auditory stimulus to the subject, and then (b) scoring a response to the verbal auditory stimulus, with the response being an expressive response, a receptive response, or both. These steps are then cyclically repeated to provide an evaluation of the subject's response to a plurality of verbal auditory stimuli. Once the evaluation is complete, the evaluation is used to determine whether the subject should receive further diagnostic testing. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, subjects are deliberately confounded during the receptive portion of the test.

Abstract: A plug-in logic board for use in an arbitration mechanism is disclosed. The disclosed arbitration mechanism includes two or more request processing units, two or more grant processing units and a common broadcast medium. The request processing units and the grant processing units use the common broadcast medium to control the coupling between requesters and resources on a first come, first served basis. The disclosed logic board includes a request processing unit coupled to the common broadcast medium, a grant processing unit coupled to the common broadcast medium, and an input/output unit coupled to an electronic operating device. The input/output unit passes a resource type request signal from the electronic operating device to the request processing unit, and passes a status signal received from the electronic operating device to the grant processing unit. The input/output unit further outputs a grant signal received from the request processing unit to the electronic operating device.

Abstract: This invention is a robot control system based on a high level language implementing a spatial operator algebra. There are two high level languages included within the system. At the highest level, applications programs can be written in a robot-oriented applications language including broad operators such as MOVE and GRASP. The robot-oriented applications language statements are translated into statements in the spatial operator algebra language. Programming can also take place using the spatial operator algebra language. The statements in the spatial operator algebra language from either source are then translated into machine language statements for execution by a digital control computer. The system also includes the capability of executing the control code sequences in a simulation mode before actual execution to assure proper action at execution time. The robot's environment is checked as part of the process and dynamic reconfiguration is also possible.

Abstract: A compiled, rule-based expert system for a data base. The system incorporates compiled declarations to incorporate the concept of strong typing at compile time. Both data and rules can be declared so as to be accessible from one or more modules, as required. Such a scheme reduces program complexity, reduces program development time, and increases the ease with which rule-based programs may be embedded in procedural programs.

Abstract: A neural network system includes an input unit, an operation control unit, a parameter setting unit, a neural network group unit, and a display unit. The network group unit includes first and second neural networks. The first neural network operates according to the mean field approximation method to which the annealing is added, whereas the second neural network operates in accordance with the simulated annealing. Each of the first an second neural networks includes a plurality of neurons each connected via synapses to neurons so as to weighting outputs from the neurons based on synapse weights, thereby computing an output related to a total of weighted outputs from the neurons according to an output function. The parameter setting unit is responsive to a setting instruction to generate neuron parameters including synapse weights, threshold values, and output functions, which are set to the first neural network and which are selective set to the second neural network.

Abstract: An interruption processing system enables a basic CPU resource using process to be executed asynchronously, enabling an interruption handler to be easily created. Interruption handling of the basic CPU resource using process interruption handler to be executed asynchronously enables corresponding interruption handler process is terminated for a CPU resource using process dependent interruption factor. The interruption processing system comprises a queuing unit for determining whether an instruction stored in an instruction buffer designates a synchronous process or an asynchronous process and for queuing the instruction when it is an asynchronous process.

Abstract: There is provided an audio signal subband encoder which attains improved quality of sound by controlling allocation of the number of quantization bits to subband signals on the basis of an evaluation function combining the noise-to-mask ratio criterion with noise-to-signal ratio criterion in order to lessen the influence of the application error of the auditory masking rule such as the aliasing distortion of subband filters.

Abstract: A state space search system searches for an optimal goal state by searching in the direction of a steepest descent with respect to an evaluation function. When the search becomes impossible upon reaching a local minimum of the evaluation value, the evaluation value is increased to continue the search in the direction of steepest descent.

Abstract: A floppy disk drive controller interfaces a microprocessor system including a microprocessor with a floppy disk drive of the type arranged to receive data bits at any one of 250 or 300 Kbps, 500 Kbps, and 1 Mbps rates. The controller is arranged for providing data bits for the floppy disk drive at a rate corresponding to one of the three rates. The controller conditions the floppy disk drive to receive the data bits at the one rate dictated by the microprocessor and includes a data rate control register for providing a pair of data rate control bits indicative of the one data rate and a decoder coupled to the control register for decoding the data rate control bits and providing a pair of rate control signals to condition the floppy disk drive to receive the data bits at the one data rate. The controller also includes data rate control redundancy for conditioning the floppy disk drive responsive to data rate control signals received directly from the microprocessor.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and apparatus for analyzing an input vocal signal to produce a plurality of harmony signals that are combined with the input vocal signal to produce a multivoice signal. The method makes a current estimate of the fundamental frequency of the input vocal signal and determines if the current estimate is the correct estimate of the fundamental frequency. If the current estimate is correct, a reference note is assigned to correspond to the current estimate and a plurality of harmony notes are selected to correspond to the reference note. The method then generates a plurality of harmony signals by scaling the input vocal signal with a piecewise linear approximation of a Hanning window to extract a portion of the input vocal signal and by replicating the extracted portion at a plurality of rates equal to the fundamental frequencies of each of the harmony notes. The plurality of harmony signals and the input vocal signal are combined to produce the multivoice signal.

Abstract: Analog speech signals are coded as digital signals before transmission over a transmission medium and then are decoded at their destination. The coder is of the linear predictive type (LPC) and includes an LPC analyzer for adjusting an analysis filter, which receives the digital signal and generates a residual signal representative of error content. The parameters by which the filter is adjusted by the analyzer and the residual signal together represent the digital signal. The residual signal is split into segments and, per segment, several first pulse train signals are generated, each having a different starting time position within the segment. The first pulse train signal which is most closely related to the residual signal is selected and compared to second pulse train signals stored in a codebook.

Abstract: A message synthesizer circuit includes a compressed message data memory as a message source for storing a plurality of compressed message data of message, each corresponding to a message code specifying a message to be emitted as a synthesized message. An input message code selector converts a message code signal into the count of a ring counter by taking, as its inputs, a count output emitted from the ring counter, with the total number of these compressed message data corresponding to its maximum count number, a message code signal for specifying a message to be emitted and an input message code selector signal for setting a randomizing condition for randomly altering the message code signal. The system controller reads out the compressed message data corresponding to the random message code from the compressed message data memory, which is then converted into a specific synthesized message.

Abstract: A multiprocessor system with power-on reset, comprising a plurality of printed circuit boards each provided with at least one processor, is provided. A power supply voltage monitor circuit is mounted on at least one of the printed circuit boards to provide a reset signal by detecting change of voltage when a power supply is energized. A first signal line serially connects the power supply voltage monitor circuit to all printed circuit boards, and a second signal line returning from the last printed circuit board may be provided, the processors having reset signal lines connected to the second signal line.

Abstract: High-speed inference method and system for a production system represented by an expert system. A knowledge base comprised of a rule and a fact possessing a plurality of attributes is converted into machine language instructions executable by a processor to execute inference. The machine language instruction of the fact has the function of transferring a value of the fact to a specified location and the machine language instruction of the rule has the function of performing matching decision by referring to the specified location. The number of pattern matching operations can be decreased and the interpretation overhead can be reduced to ensure high-speed inference.

Abstract: A noise signal prediction system includes a signal detector for receiving a mixed signal having a voice signal and a background noise signal and for detecting the presence and absence of the voice signal contained in the mixed signal. A noise level detector is provided for detecting an actual noise level at each sampling cycle during the absence of the voice signal. A storing circuit stores the noise levels for a predetermined number of past sampling cycles. A predicting circuit predicts a noise level of a next sampling cycle based on the stored noise levels in the storing circuit. The storing circuit receiving and stores the actual noise levels during the absence of the voice signal, but stores the predicted noise levels during the presence of the voice signal.