Abstract: Picture data is compressed and encoded in consideration of visual characteristics of human beings against colors. A color of pixels is detected corresponding to color difference components Cb and Cr for each sub block into which a macro block is divided. Each sub block is composed of four pixels×four lines. The number of pixels from which a predetermined color is detected is counted for each sub block. When the count value is ⅔ or greater of the total number of pixels of each sub block, it is determined that the macro block which contains the sub block contains the predetermined color. An activity is obtained using a luminance component Y for the macro block. The activity is multiplied by a quantizer priority value corresponding to the predetermined color. As a result, the activity is corrected. Corresponding to the corrected activity, the quantizer scale value is changed to a smaller value. With the changed quantizer scale value, the macro block is quantized with a smaller quantizer step value.

Abstract: Highly weatherable, moisture-curable, one-component polyurethane composition which is curable with moisture in the air is provided at lower costs. The composition contains a main component which will form a polyurethane resin upon curing, and additives. The additives are one or more photocurable materials selected from the group consisting of unsaturated acrylic compounds, polyvinyl cinnamate, and azide-containing compounds; and a hindered amine photostabilizer. The additives may preferably further contain a thixotropy endowing agent comprising a blocked amine compound forming primary or secondary amino group with moisture, or a polyurea compound.

Abstract: An endoscope having an elongated insertion portion provided at a distal end thereof with a steerable bendable portion, includes at least one steering member which is rotated to bend the steerable bendable portion; at least one locking member which is rotated to lock the steering member, the steering member and the locking member being rotated about a common axis; and at least one axially-movable lock member which moves relative to the steering member along the common axis without rotating about the common axis to lock and unlock the steering member when the locking member is turned in a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction, respectively.

Abstract: An endoscope includes a hollow operational body, a hollow shaft provided on the hollow operational body, at least one hollow rotational control knob which is rotatably supported on the hollow shaft; and an air passage via which an inner space of the hollow operational body and an inner space of the at hollow rotational control knob have a communicative connection with each other, wherein the hollow shaft includes a portion of the passage.

Abstract: A flexible tube for an endoscope which has excellent insertion operability is disclosed. The flexible tube includes and an elongated flexible tubular body constructed from a core body having a hollow space and an outer cover which is provided over the outer periphery of the core body and formed into a laminated structure having a plurality of layers. The tubular body is formed with a plurality of easily bendable portions which are provided in a spaced apart manner along the longitudinal direction thereof, each of these easily bendable portion being adapted to bend locally with a smaller curvature radius when the flexible tube is bent in one direction. The average interval between the adjacent easily bendable portions is preferably in the range 50-400 mm. The easily bendable portions is formed by locally changing the flexural rigidity of the outer cover.

Abstract: A residue code amount is calculated. A threshold act_thrsh corresponding to the residue code amount is obtained. A variable mb that designates a macro block is initialized to zero. The variable mb is compared with the total number of macro blocks. When the variable mb matches the total number of macro blocks, the process is completed. Otherwise, the rank of the activity information of the macro block designated by the variable mb is compared with the rank of the threshold act_thrsh. When the rank of the activity information is lower than the rank of the threshold act_thrsh, since there is a possibility of which q_scale can be decreased, q_scale is calculated with the activity information of the macro block mb and min_qq. q_scale of the macro block is subtracted from the total code amount. The subtracted resultant data is stored in a variable tmp. Thereafter, the variable tmp is compared with a target code amount GEN_TGT.

Abstract: An optimum quantization rounding process can be executed regardless of which of a digital interface or an analog interface is selected. Which of the analog interface or the digital interface is used as an input interface of a video signal is selected by an operation panel. An input selection signal and a round setting signal are outputted from a system controller. The proper input interface is selected on the basis of the input selection signal and the round setting signal is supplied to an MPEG encoder. In the encoder, quantization rounding precision upon quantization is set in accordance with a quantization scale value and is set in accordance with the selection of the analog interface or the digital interface in response to the round setting signal.

Abstract: Conventionally, crowded network traffic occurs because duplicated data exchange is performed between network management software and network devices. A network-device management method according to the present invention includes a search step of searching a device connected to a network, an acquisition step of acquiring a value of a device attribute relating to the device detected in the search in the search step, and a storage step of storing values of a plurality of device attributes relating to the device detected in the search in a storage device. If the value of each of the plurality of device attributes relating to the device detected in the search is stored in the storage device, the value stored in the storage device is used. It is thereby possible to prevent crowded network traffic by transmitting and receiving only necessary packets in a network-device search sequence.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for performing data conversion between first-format encoded data in which orthogonal transform coefficients are arranged in an order of DC components and AC components from a low spatial frequency order to a high spatial frequency order in each orthogonal transform block when compression encoding which includes orthogonal transform is applied to video data and second-format encoded data in which orthogonal transform coefficients are arranged in an order of DC components and AC components from a low spatial frequency order to a high spatial frequency order in each block assembly member formed of a plurality of orthogonal transform blocks when compression encoding which includes orthogonal transform is applied to video data. The second-format encoded data may be decoded to obtain orthogonal transform coefficients which may be re-arranged from a low spatial frequency order to a high spatial frequency order in each orthogonal transform block of the first format.

Abstract: A quantizer scale value is detected with high accuracy. The number of effective samples of results of which DCT coefficients are quantized with each of quantizer scale values Q=1 to 31 is counted. In addition, fractional parts of quantized values are cumulated. When the number of effective samples of a cumulated value does not satisfy a predetermined value, the cumulated value is not used.

Abstract: When a stream encoded with a variable length code is output, a stream containing a syntax error and a format violation is prevented from being output.

Abstract: A network device control unit and method are provided in which, not all MIB objects under the control of the network management software are simultaneously acquired during startup of the network management software so the almost simultaneous flow of a large volume of SNMP packets in the LAN will not occur and along with a simultaneous reduction in the load on communications lines, the load on devices such as the printer and network board processing their SNMP packets will also become small. To accomplish this, windows allocated to individual network peripheral devices on a one to one basis and controlling the network device are utilized as device windows, and information to be displayed on the initial screen of the device window is acquired as the initial sheet and displayed. Device windows also acquire and display different sheet information on the device window when determined an entry has been made by the user requesting display of a different type of sheet information.

Abstract: Conventionally, crowded network traffic occurs because duplicated data exchange is performed between network management software and network devices. A network-device management method according to the present invention includes a search step of searching a device connected to a network, an acquisition step of acquiring a value of a device attribute relating to the device detected in the search in the search step, and a storage step of storing values of a plurality of device attributes relating to the device detected in the search in a storage device. If the value of each of the plurality of device attributes relating to the device detected in the search is stored in the storage device, the value stored in the storage device is used. It is thereby possible to prevent crowded network traffic by transmitting and receiving only necessary packets in a network-device search sequence.

Abstract: A flexible tube for an endoscope is provided with a spirally-wound tube, a braided tube covering the spirally-wound tube, and a sheath provided on the braided tube. The sheath material is fused and coated on the braided tube to form the sheath. When the sheath material is fused and applied on the braided tube, the sheath material passes through interstices of the braided tube, at the positions facing the clearances between windings, to form a plurality of protruded portions which protruded inward with respect to the braided tube.

Abstract: While a significant video signal is not being output, a stream that is decoded to a black picture signal is output along with a base band signal that causes a block picture to be displayed.

Abstract: When a stream that has been compressed and encoded with a variable length code, even if the stream has a syntax error, the operation can be stably performed. Depending on the position of an error flag on a stream of which the variable length code has been decoded, the correcting process is varied. When the flag is set at the position of a header portion followed by a DCT block is substituted with a prepared value. In addition, a DCT block is substituted with a predetermined coefficient of a DC component. EOB data is added after the coefficient. After the EOB data, the macro block is discarded. When the flag is set at the position of a DC coefficient portion, it is substituted with a coefficient that causes a gray to be displayed. When the flag is set at the position of an AC coefficient portion, EOB data is added after the AC coefficient portion. After the EOB data, the macro block is discarded.

Abstract: A flexible tube for an endoscope is provided with an outer tube member. A synthetic resin layer is formed on an outer circumferential surface of the outer tube member. A coating layer is further formed on the outer circumferential surface of the synthetic resin layer. The outer circumferential surface of the synthetic resin layer is provided with at least one groove or protrusion.

Abstract: An endoscope system is provided, including an endoscope having a flexible inserting tube to be inserted into a human body and a plurality of bending sensors distributed over the flexible inserting tube along the longitudinal direction thereof. Each of the bending sensors detects the local bending state of the flexible inserting tube at the location the bending sensor are provided. A computer adapted to receive data on the local bending state from each of the plurality of bending sensors is also provided. The computer generates a graphical image representing the geometrical configuration of the flexible inserting tube from the data on the local bending states. A monitor connected to the computer to display the graphical image generated by the computer.

Abstract: A forceps of endoscope comprises a clip that is provided with at least three arms and a base end portion. The arms are connected to the base end portion. Each of the arms has an open-close deforming portion located close to the base end portion. A core member is provided inside the clip to be in contact with an inner surface of the open-close deforming portion at least when the arms are open. A clip open-close ring is operated by remote control performed from the base end of the sheath. The clip open-close member is engaged with the open-close deforming portion to open and close the arms with a substantially equivalent angular interval and so as to prevent each of the arms from crossing each other.

Abstract: MPEG streams of different chroma formats are recorded and reproduced without need to recognize their formats. In an MPEG stream, a header is followed by DCT blocks. Time slots are generated in such a manner that when the chroma format detected from the header is 4:2:2, in all periods of DCT blocks, a process is performed and that when the chroma format detected from the header is 4:2:0, a process is not performed in periods for DCT blocks Cb2 and Cr2 that are not present in the chroma format 4:2:2. The read order of a stream is changed in a memory so as to improve an error resistance. DCT coefficients are rearranged in the order of DC components and AC components from the lowest order component to the highest order component over all DCT blocks. After the stream has been rearranged, time slots are generated in such as manner that when the chroma format is 4:2:0, the process is stopped in the periods for Cb2 and Cr2.