Abstract: An image compression apparatus includes an input section, a compression process section, a compression characteristics storing section, and an output section and performs a compression process on image data inputted through the input section to output compressed image data. Compression characteristics data indicating a relationship between a bit rate which is the ratio between the data volume and the number of pixels of image data and a compression parameter are stored in the compression characteristics storing section. The compression process section acquires an initial compression parameter based on compression characteristics data of an average image and a target bit rate and performs an initial compression process. When there is great difference between a bit rate resulting from the compression process and the target bit rate, a corrective compression parameter is acquired to perform a compression process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multimedia contents creating apparatus and a multimedia contents creating method are provided, which are capable of opening multimedia contents on a Web by a simple manner even in such a case that a user uses a compact terminal. In the apparatus, a mail relay server receives/repeats a first electronic mail transmitted from a mail transmitting terminal, and also, separates both a mail main text and an attached file from the first electronic mail. A contents creating device converts file data of the attached file into a composite multimedia content. A Web server 2 opens this composite multimedia content as a Web page. A second electronic mail constituted by the above-explained mail main text and a URL of the above-described Web page is created in the mail relay server, and then, this created second electronic mail is transmitted to a mail receiving terminal.

Abstract: A bit apparatus in which a cutter member having cutting teeth is axially supported on a shaft for rotation about the shaft, and a bearing mechanism is interposed between the cutter member and the shaft. The bearing mechanism includes at least a radial bearing for bearing a radially directed load and a thrust bearing for bearing an axially directed load. The radial bearing has a shaft-side split bearing member and a cutter-side split bearing member that are opposed to or in sliding contact with each other and capable of rotating relative to each other.

Abstract: Operability of an image database is improved. To achieve this, a manipulator is displayed on a horizontal axis at the center thereof. If the manipulator is dragged upward or downward, the scale of graduations on the horizontal axis is enlarged or reduced (e.g., month of photography becomes year of photography or day of photography). If the manipulator is dragged rightward or leftward, the values of the graduations on the horizontal axis increase or decrease (e.g., from January to December, 2000, to either January to December, 2001 or January to December, 1999). If a search command is applied, images that fall within a search range the graduations of which have been changed are searched. Merely dragging the manipulator makes it possible to change not only the values of the graduations but also the scale thereof.

Abstract: Ten representative images are extracted from an image database storing images of a number of frames. The extracted representative images are displayed in a coordinate area, along the coordinate axes of which the image characteristics of the images are plotted, in a form in which the images are distributed in accordance with the image characteristics possessed by the extracted representative images. An image having characteristics resembling those of a required image is designated from among the representative images displayed. Images of ten frames having characteristics resembling those of the designated image are again displayed in distributed form in a coordinate area having image characteristics plotted along the coordinate axes thereof. The coordinate axes of the coordinate area displayed the second time are made more detailed than those of the coordinate area displayed the first time.

Abstract: A photography supporting system is provided, while the photography supporting system is capable of performing photograph supporting operations of plural locations or objections as a gamely recreation. The system includes a photography supporting server connected to the communication line and a portable terminal, which is connectable to a digital camera and capable of transmitting/receiving information via the communication line with respect to the photography supporting server. The server transmits photography supporting information to the portable terminal in order to instruct a user to shoot a photograph of a designated object. By receiving/transmitting necessary information for this service between the server and the portable terminal, a user can easily obtain edited images by using photographs shot by himself with a digital camera. The edited image includes shot image information of the photograph, hint information indirectly indicates location information or object information, or such.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bit apparatus in which a cutter member having cutting teeth is axially supported on a shaft for rotation about the shaft, and a bearing mechanism is interposed between the cutter member and the shaft. The bearing mechanism includes at least a radial bearing for bearing a radially directed load and a thrust bearing for bearing an axially directed load. The radial bearing has a shaft-side split bearing member and a cutter-side split bearing member that are opposed to or in sliding contact with each other and capable of rotating relative to each other.

Abstract: In a pressurized fluidized bed boiler, furnace means is divided into at least two separate furnaces: a furnace with an evaporator and a superheater disposed therethrough, and a furnace with the superheater and a reheater disposed therethrough. The furnaces are accommodated in separate pressure vessels, respectively. Air is supplied into the pressure vessels through air pipes connected to the pressure vessels, where it is used for pressurizing the pressure vessels, and then supplied into the furnaces through their lower portions, where it is used as a combustion air. An oxygen concentration meter is mounted in an exhaust gas pipe in an outlet of the furnace, and an air flow rate adjusting valve 3 is mounted outside each of the pressure vessels.

Abstract: There is disclosed an Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 based ceramic which includes 5% to 50% by weight of a hard dispersed phase of at least one compound selected from metal carbide, metal nitride, metal carbonitride, metal oxy-carbide, metal oxy-nitride and metal carbo-oxy-nitride. The compound is represented by M(CNO), wherein M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr and Hf. The ceramic optionally contains 1% to 25% by weight of ZrO.sub.2, and balance Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 matrix, which contains an additive dissolved in the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 grains so as to form solid solution therewith. The additive is contained in an amount of 0.01% to 12% by weight with respect to the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 matrix and is at least one oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of Y, Mg, Cr, Ni, Co, and rare earth elements. The Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 grains have an average grain size no larger than 1.0 .mu. m while the hard phase constituent has an average grain size no larger than 0.6 .mu. m.

Abstract: There is disclosed an Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 based ceramic which includes 5% to 50% by weight of a hard dispersed phase of at least one compound selected from metal carbide, metal nitride, metal carbonitride, metal oxy-carbide, metal oxy-nitride and metal carbo-oxy-nitride. The compound is represented by M(CNO), wherein M is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr and Hf. The ceramic contains no greater than 25% by weight of ZrO.sub.2, and balance Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 matrix. which contains an additive dissolved in the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 grains so as to form solid solution therewith. The additive is contained in an amount of 0.01% to 12% by weight with respect to the Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 matrix and is at least one oxide of an element selected from the group consisting of Y, Mg, Cr, Ni, Co, and rare earth elements. The Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 grains have an average grain size no larger than 1.0 .mu.m while the hard phase constituent has an average grain size no larger than 0.6 .mu.m.

Abstract: A surface-coated wear-resistant member of cermet which includes a substrate of cermet and a hard coating vapor-deposited on a surface of the substrate. The coating is composed of at least one titanium compound selected from the group consisting of titanium carbide, titanium nitride, carbonitride of titanium, oxy-carbide of titanium, oxy-nitride of titanium and oxy-carbo-nitride of titanium. An atomic ratio of one of carbon, nitrogen, carbon plus nitrogen, carbon plus oxygen, nitrogen plus oxygen and carbon plus nitrogen plus oxygen to titanium(Ti) in the coating is in the range of between 0.3 and 0.8. The coating contains a compound of TiX and a compound of Ti.sub.2 X wherein X is one of carbon and nitrogen or at least two of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. The coating may further includes titanium metal. The coating having an average thickness of 1 to 10 .mu.m. There is also disclosed a process for producing such a surface-coated wear-resistant member.

Abstract: A sputtering apparatus for coating by the use of a target cathode within a vacuum chamber an article to be treated which is held on an article holding means within the vacuum chamber. The target cathode is of a tubular skeleton structure and is disposed so as to surround the article holding means.