Abstract: A software-only real time text-to-speech system includes intonation control which does not introduce discontinuities into output speech stream. The text-to-speech system includes a module for translating text to a sequence of sound segment codes and intonation control signals. A decoder is coupled to the translator to produce sets of digital frames of speech data, which represent sounds for the respective sound segment codes in the sequence. An intonation control system is responsive to intonation control signals for modifying a block of one or more frames in the sets of frames of speech data to generate a modified block. The modified block substantially preserves the continuity of the beginning and ending segments of the block with adjacent frames in the sequence. Thus, when the modified block is inserted in the sequence, no discontinuities are introduced and smooth intonation control is accomplished. The intonation control system provides for both pitch and duration control.

Abstract: A novel and improved apparatus for encoding a signal which is bursty in nature. In a code excited linear prediction algorithm, short term redundancies and long term redundancies are removed from digitally sampled speech, and the residual signal which is bursty in nature must be encoded. The residual signal is encoded using three parameters a burst shape index corresponding to a burst shape in a codebook of burst shapes, a burst gain, and a burst location. Together the three parameters specify a waveform to match the residual signal. Further disclosed is a closed loop exhaustive search method by which to find the best match to the residual waveform and a partially open loop method wherein the burst location is determined by an open loop analysis of the residual waveform, and the burst shape and gain parameters are determined in a closed loop fashion.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for automatically generating and adjusting fuzzy reasoning, i.e. logic, rules based on changes in the reasoning error. The apparatus includes a fuzzy reasoning section that performs fuzzy logic based on the fuzzy reasoning rules stored in the a rule memory. The parameters of the fuzzy reasoning rules are adjusted in a parameter tuning section based on the output of the fuzzy reasoning section and predetermined input and output data. A reasoning error calculation section calculates a reasoning error and a change in the reasoning error based on the results from the fuzzy reasoning section and the predetermined input and output data. The reasoning error calculation section also disables the parameter tuning section when the calculated reasoning error is less than a predetermined first threshold value.

Abstract: A fuzzy syllogistic inference processing system for use with a chain of implications when links in the chain have various measures between 0 and 1 of confidence. Analog signals that are linearly related to the confidence measures are generated and compared. The chain of implications is given a confidence measure that is equal to that of the inference consequence of the last major premise in the chain provided that each major premise in the chain has a confidence measure that is larger than the confidence measure of the complement or negation of its antecedent in the chain.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adaptive interrupt servicing is disclosed. The number of interrupts occurring within a predetermined time period is counted and stored as a value in an interrupt counter. At the end of each interrupt service, the interrupt counter value is compared to a predefined threshold value. If the value in the interrupt counter equals or exceeds the threshold value, further interrupt servicing is disabled.

Abstract: In an inference system, an inference mode and a knowledge editing mode can conduct inference with an inherent effect by using knowledge represented by frames in a hierarchical structure, the frames having a relationship of a parent frame being higher in the hierarchical structure than a child frame thereof. Such an inference system includes a mode determining section for selecting the knowledge editing mode or the inference mode, a storage area for storing only information intrinsic to a frame in the hierarchical structure into the frame when the knowledge editing mode is selected by the mode determining section, and a storage area for storing into the frame both information intrinsic to the frame and information inherited by the frame from frames higher in the hierarchical structure than the frame when the inference mode is selected by the mode determining section.

Abstract: Stacked generalization is used to minimize the generalization errors of one or more generalizers acting on a known set of input values and output values representing a physical manifestation and a transformation of that manifestation, e.g., hand-written characters to ASCII characters, spoken speech to computer command, etc. Stacked generalization acts to deduce the biases of the generalizer(s) with respect to a known learning set and then correct for those biases. This deduction proceeds by generalizing in a second space whose inputs are the guesses of the original generalizers when taught with part of the learning set and trying to guess the rest of it, and whose output is the correct guess. Stacked generalization can be used to combine multiple generalizers or to provide a correction to a guess from a single generalizer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to adaptive information processing systems, and in particular to associative memories utilizing confidence-mediated associations, and especially neural network systems comprising an auto-organizational apparatus and processes for dynamically mapping an input onto a semantically congruous and contemporaneously-valid, learned response. In particular the present invention relates to such an associative memory system in which provision is made for improving the congruence between an associative memory, by impressing a desired response on an associative memory mapping based on complex polar values.

Abstract: A control system for a robot including a teaching box having a hand alignment command section, and a control unit for controlling the robot. A hand-alignment movement-amount computing section computes an amount of movement of each axis of the robot in a hand alignment operation. A drive section commands operation directly to the robot. A present-position data memory section stores data indicating a present position of a hand, and a present-pose data memory section stores data indicating a present pose of the hand. The present-pose and present-position data are converted from a base coordinate system to a working coordinate system, and the hand-alignment movement-amount computing section computes a destination pose and position therefrom. The destination pose and position are then converted back to the base coordinate system and output to the drive section to move the hand of the robot.

Abstract: A signal processing method for efficiently searching an optimum solution in a neural network by including a term of a nonlinear resistance in an equation of motion and changing such nonlinear resistance periodically. According to the method, the range of absolute values of connection weights between units in the neural network is limited by the equation of motion, hence preventing a prolonged search time that may otherwise be caused by excessive extension of the search scope beyond the requisite. A plurality of patterns are previously embedded or stored in the neural network and, upon input of a predetermined key pattern, the nonlinear resistance is changed periodically to recall a pattern similar to the key pattern, whereby any desired pattern can be searched or retrieved with rapidity and facility out of the complicated patterns.

Abstract: Disclosed in this invention is a knowledge acquisition tool for facilitating a construction of a knowledge base in an expert system, including: a case preprocessing part 21 for checking whether or not data constituting individual cases on which a knowledge base is based satisfy a predetermined evaluation criterion and deleting or changing non-satisfying cases; a rule generation part 22 for generating rules by extracting regularities from the cases processed by preprocessing part 21; and a rule evaluation part 32 for evaluating the rules generated by the rule generation part 22.

Abstract: A transition signal detector switches the processing of a digital audio signal between a frequency optimized filter for normal operation and a transition optimized filter when a transition condition is detected.

Abstract: A neural network based control system includes a nominal control system augmented by adaptive control such as a neuro-controller which generates additional compensating control signals based on differences between a model and actual system output. The nominal control system provides basic stability and performance, while the adaptive controller provides performance enhancement. The adaptive control can rely on any neural network that can encode a-priori knowledge and employs a high resolution pattern discrimination capability suitable for real-time changes. To prevent unbounded adaptation, the output of the adaptive controller is constrained by a limiter, thus ensuring safety of the overall system.

Abstract: A microprocessor is disclosed herein with an idle mode of operation. The microprocessor provides a very quick interrupt that can be asserted externally. A Run/Stop (R/S) pin on the chip is asserted to access and hold the idle mode. The R/S pin is electrically connected to a central control unit. An additional pin, which may be termed an "acknowledge pin", is provided to indicate when the microprocessor is in the idle state. The R/S pin and the acknowledge pin can be useful for any operation in which the microprocessor must be stopped quickly, and can be used for bus control, debugging, diagnostics, multi-processor synchronization, and direct memory access operations.

Abstract: A fuzzy rule acquisition method for a fuzzy inference system in which a fuzzy inference is achieved based on fuzzy knowledge including fuzzy rules each described in a format having an IF part and a THEN part, and membership functions defining meanings of respective propositions described in the IF part and THEN part, and in which a fuzzy inference is performed for at least one input value by using the fuzzy rules of the fuzzy knowledge to obtain a result of the execution of the fuzzy inference, the result of the execution of the fuzzy inference is compared with a teaching value to obtain an inference error, the errors of the fuzzy rules are obtained by using the inference error, it is judged whether each of the fuzzy rules is contradictory, based on the errors of corresponding rules of the fuzzy rules, and a fuzzy rule judged as contradictory is modified to dissolve the contradiction.

Abstract: In a microcomputer including a processor, a data memory and a controller for controlling the processor and the data memory, the data memory includes a adaptivity degree data group indicative of the adaptivity degree to the fuzzy set, and an area for storing the result of processing. The processor includes an adaptivity degree data pointer, a result store area pointer, a conformity degree data storing register, and a processing number count register. The microcomputer internally includes a fuzzy inference exclusive-instruction, which causes to compare data in the conformity degree data storing register with data designated by the adaptivity degree data pointer, so as to select a smaller one, and compare the selected dam with data designated by the result store area pointer, so as to store a large one at the area for storing the result of processing, designated by the the result store area pointer.

Abstract: The invention relates to the control of robot manipulators comprised of a macro-manipulator combined with a micro-manipulator with a load grasping device. The control is accomplished from set-point values of force (F.sup.d) and set-point values of position (.chi..sup.d), which are compared to real values (F.sup.m, .chi..sup.m) in order to produce increments of displacement (.DELTA.x, .DELTA.y, .DELTA.z, .DELTA..theta.x, .DELTA..theta.y, .DELTA..theta.z) intended for the load grasping device. Added to values (.chi..sup.m) representing the actual position, these increments yield new set-point values of position (.chi.'.sup.d) of the load grasping device. These set-point values are distributed (at 29) between the macro-manipulator and the micro-manipulator, taking into account the deformation (.DELTA.X ) and the mobility that are acceptable for the macro-manipulator. Specific application: robot manipulator of large size and high capacity for outdoor use, especially on construction sites.

Abstract: The definition of membership functions which define a fuzzy set is easily and visually performed by using a pointing device. When a membership function shape model on a function graph display device is pointed to by the pointing device, a parameter value is computed from the pointed-to position, and this value is set in a parameter value memory area in a membership function memory area. The membership functions are defined by performing this operation repeatedly.

Abstract: The system for accessing a plurality of devices connected in a network by using a system call, said system capable of accessing a device connected with any one of nodes through the network, the system includes a unit for detecting a device requested to be accessed and a node connected with the device through the network, a unit for converting the system call into a protocol at a time when the device to be accessed is connected with a different node from which the access is not issued, a unit for transmitting the protocol from the node to the different node through the network, and a unit for reconverting the protocol transmitted into the system call so that the system call is executed.

Abstract: In a multitasking data processing system, I/O requests to a disk drive are staged in holding queues from which they are transferred to a service queue. Requests in the latter queue are directly serviced on a FIFO basis by a device driver module running on the system. The system maintains a set of holding queues and an associated service queue separately for each physical drive in the system. Holding queues in each set are prioritized in accordance with base priorities of tasks, and I/O requests to disk drives are entered into associated holding queues having priorities corresponding to those of task threads for which such requests are originated. Prioritization of the holding queues, and a starvation advancement process performed to advance "oldest" enqueued requests to higher priority holding queues, causes the requests to be presented to the disk drive in a sequence based in part on respective task priorities and in part on "fairness" servicing of "service starved" requests.