Abstract: The method is disclosed of controlling a switch circuit which includes a first switching unit configured to switch between energy accumulation and energy release in a coil, and second switching units configured to connect or disconnect a plurality of corresponding storage batteries with the coil. The method comprises a first step of performing an operation to switch on the first switching unit and to switch off the second switching units; and a second step of performing an operation to switch off the first switching unit and to switch on only one of the second switching units.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a fisheye lens. The fisheye lens can include a first lens group near an object side, a second lens group near an imaging plane, and an aperture diaphragm disposed between the first and second lens groups. The first lens group can include, disposed sequentially from the object side to the imaging plane, a negative meniscus spherical first lens, an aspherical second lens, and an aspherical third lens. The second lens group can include, disposed sequentially from the object side to the imaging plane, a positive meniscus spherical fourth lens, a fifth lens formed of a positive biconvex spherical lens and a negative biconcave spherical lens, and an aspherical sixth lens.

Abstract: A balloon includes two joined plastic films. The balloon includes: a gas supply valve sandwiched between and joined to the first film and the second film; a first chamber receiving air supplied from the gas supply valve for expansion; and a second chamber communicating to the first chamber. The gas supply valve includes a gas passage that extends from a gas inlet positioned on an outer side of the second chamber to an inside of the first chamber through the second chamber. Part of the first film and the second film between the first chamber and the second chamber and between the gas passage and a peripheral edge of the balloon are joined together to form a first weld portion and a second weld portion. The first weld portion is formed on an opposite side of the second weld portion with the gas passage sandwiched therebetween.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a mechanism capable of characterizing data appropriately. [Solution] An information processing apparatus includes: an acquisition section that acquires first feature information, to which meaning is assigned, and second feature information, to which meaning is not assigned; and a generation section that generates time-series data having features indicated by the first feature information and the second feature information acquired by the acquisition section.

Abstract: There is provided an information processing apparatus that can perform learning of a neural network more efficiently, the information processing apparatus including: an acquisition section configured to acquire a semantic network, identification information of data, and a label; and a learning section configured to learn a classification model that classifies the data into the label, on a basis of the semantic network, the identification information, and the label that have been acquired by the acquisition section.

Abstract: To solve the problem of providing a black iron oxide that can yield sufficient blackness, opacifying effect and covering ability even if it is only added in a small amount for use with cosmetic materials, the invention provides a black iron oxide with a high tinting strength having an octahedral shape, a specific surface in a range of 8.0 to 20.0 m2/g, and a particle surface coated with a layer containing one type or two or more types of inorganic compounds, wherein an L* value of a colour on reduction is 31.0 or lower and a b* value of a colour on reduction is 1.5 or lower, a production method thereof, and cosmetic materials that incorporate the same.

Abstract: A manifold-aware ranking kernel (MARK) for information retrieval is described herein. The MARK is implemented by using supervised and unsupervised learning. MARK is ranking-oriented such that the relative comparison formulation directly targets on the ranking problem, making the approach optimal for information retrieval. MARK is also manifold-aware such that the algorithm is able to exploit information from ample unlabeled data, which helps to improve generalization performance, particularly when there are limited number of labeled constraints. MARK is nonlinear: as a kernel-based approach, the algorithm is able to lead to a highly non-linear metric which is able to model complicated data distribution.

Abstract: The two-step architecture of the supervoxel-based spatial temporal video segmentation method ensures speed and scalability. The computationally intensive first step uses a highly efficient super-voxel segmentation method. The second step is done over pre-grouped super-voxels, hence has much lower temporal and spatial complexity. The progressive segmentation scheme deployed in the first step enables segmenting huge input volume part by part, without loading all the data into the memory which may be infeasible. At the same time, the progressive segmentation is able to effectively prevent seam artifacts, leading to segmentation results virtually identical to those of whole volume processing.

Abstract: A QP mapping method is capable of preserving consistent visual quality across the encoded frame. It automatically assigns more bits to image blocks which are more sensitive to compression distortion. The texture-descriptive features employed for QP prediction are fast to compute and, together with a deep neural network, are able to effectively approximate the underlying QP mapping strategy deduced from a visual quality measure.

Abstract: The polishing apparatus has: a polishing pad that has a polishing surface to polish a semiconductor wafer; a polishing table to which a back surface of the polishing pad on an opposite side of the polishing surface can be attached; a top ring that is opposed to the polishing surface, and can hold the semiconductor wafer; and an eddy current sensor that is arranged in the polishing table, and detects an end point of polishing. The polishing table has on an attachment surface a projection member projecting from the attachment surface to which the polishing pad is attached. The back surface of the polishing pad has a concave portion in a portion opposed to the projection member, and at least a part of the eddy current sensor is arranged inside the projection member.

Abstract: An imaging lens is provided in which a total angle of view is 150 degrees or more, and which exhibits a high-image quality, is compact, is inexpensive, and keeps a stable quality under a harsh environment in an on-board camera or the like.

Abstract: Eddy current formable in a polishing target is detected as an impedance by an eddy current sensor. A resistance component and a reactance component of the impedance are associated with respective axes of a coordinate system having orthogonal axes, respectively. An angle calculator calculates the tangent of an intersection angle between a first straight line connecting a first point corresponding to an impedance for a zero film thickness, and a second point corresponding to an impedance for a non-zero film thickness, and a diameter of a circle passing through the first point. A film thickness calculator determines the film thickness from the tangent.

Abstract: An imaging lens is provided in which a total angle of view is 150 degrees or more, and which exhibits a high-image quality, is compact, is inexpensive, and keeps a stable quality under a harsh environment in an on-board camera or the like.

Abstract: To solve the problem of providing a black iron oxide that can yield sufficient blackness, opacifying effect and covering ability even if it is only added in a small amount for use with cosmetic materials, the invention provides a black iron oxide with a high tinting strength having an octahedral shape, a specific surface in a range of 8.0 to 20.0 m2/g, and a particle surface coated with a layer containing one type or two or more types of inorganic compounds, wherein an L*value of a color on reduction is 31.0 or lower and a b*value of a color on reduction is 1.5 or lower, a production method thereof, and cosmetic materials that incorporate the same.

Abstract: Provided is a miniaturized imaging lens with a wide angle of a full angle of view of 150 degrees or more and capable of providing high image quality with low cost, and further capable of maintaining a stable quality even in a harsh environment such as application as an on-board camera. The imaging lens includes, in order from an object side to an image plane side: a first lens having a negative refractive power and a meniscus shape with a convex surface facing an object side; a second lens having a negative refractive power and a meniscus shape with a convex surface facing an object side; a third lens having a positive refractive power and a meniscus shape with a convex surface facing an object side; an aperture diaphragm; a fourth lens having a positive refractive power and a biconvex shape; a fifth lens having a negative refractive power and a biconcave shape and; and a sixth lens having a positive refractive power and a biconvex shape.

Abstract: In a first step, an output of an eddy current sensor is measured while a polishing target whose film thickness has been known is in contact with the polishing face, thereby obtaining a measurement value of the eddy current sensor which corresponds to the film thickness. In a second step, an output of the eddy current sensor is measured when the polishing target is polished while pressed against the polishing face, thereby obtaining a measurement value of the eddy current sensor that corresponds to a film thickness during polishing. A correspondence relationship between the film thickness of the polishing target and the measurement value of the eddy current sensor is determined from the measurement value obtained in the first step and the measurement value obtained in the second step.

Abstract: A piezo-electric element includes a substrate; a lower electrode formed on the substrate; a piezo-electric film formed on the lower electrode; and an upper electrode formed on the piezo-electric film, wherein the upper electrode is formed on a surface on which a planarization process is performed.

Abstract: A balloon includes two joined plastic films. The balloon includes: a gas supply valve sandwiched between and joined to the first film and the second film; a first chamber receiving air supplied from the gas supply valve for expansion; and a second chamber communicating to the first chamber. The gas supply valve includes a gas passage that extends from a gas inlet positioned on an outer side of the second chamber to an inside of the first chamber through the second chamber. Part of the first film and the second film between the first chamber and the second chamber and between the gas passage and a peripheral edge of the balloon are joined together to form a first weld portion and a second weld portion. The first weld portion is formed on an opposite side of the second weld portion with the gas passage sandwiched therebetween.

Abstract: A substrate drying apparatus includes a drying gas nozzle configured so that, assuming that a surface WA of the substrate W is a projection plane, regarding the drying gas flow Gf in the nozzle moving direction Dr, a collision position Gfw with the substrate W is located downstream of a projected discharge position Gfv?, the projected discharge position Gfv? being a discharge position from the drying gas nozzle projected on the projection plane. In a three-dimensional space, the drying gas flow Gf is inclined, such that an angle ? formed by an axis Ga of the drying gas flow Gf and a vertical line Wp of the substrate W is in a range from a half contact angle ?/2 to an angle determined by deducting the half contact angle ?/2 from 90°, the half contact angle ?/2 being a half of the contact angle ?.

Abstract: A controller is configured to determine a current gear ratio step determined on the basis of gear ratio calculation Rg to be actual gear ratio of revolution Nm of main shaft 3a and revolution Nc of counter shaft 3b as well as gear ratio map for defining gear ratio variable allowance range for each of gear ratio steps. When making a decision of status of the determined current gear ratio step, the controller is configured to make delay timer get started when the gear ratio calculation Rg goes within the gear ratio variable allowance range of next step and halt to make a decision of the current gear ratio step while the delay timer is activated. The controller is also configured to make a decision of the status of the current gear ratio step after a predetermined delayed time Tn*(n=1, 2, . . . ) is elapsed.