Abstract: A quantizer quantizes a “prediction error” as a difference value between a pixel X to be compressed and a prediction value X?. A variable-length encoder inputs a quantization number obtained from a quantization table of the quantizer, and outputs a variable-length code (compressed code). A prediction value candidate calculation module calculates candidates 1 through k for a prediction value on the basis of peripheral pixels A, C, and B, and transmits them to a multiplexer (MPX). A prediction value determination module determines a prediction value among the candidates 1 through k for a prediction value on the basis of an intermediate value correspondence table and an intermediate value—image format correspondence table depending on an image format, and transmits a control signal to the multiplexer (MPX). The multiplexer (MPX) outputs one of the candidates 1 through k for a prediction value as a prediction value X?.

Abstract: An image compression device having a prediction unit for predicting a value of a compressing target pixel from peripheral values, and quantizing prediction error between a prediction value of the prediction unit and a value of an actual pixel in a predetermined quantizing step, comprising: a specific pixel level difference evaluation unit sequentially calculating the difference value between the level values as a sum of the prediction values corresponding to each of the compressed pixel immediately before the compressing target pixel and peripheral compressed pixels adjacent to the pixel and the quantization value of the prediction error, and evaluating the sameness of the difference value; and a quantization switching unit controlling the quantization in the quantizing step more precise than the quantizing step used when the difference value continuously indicates the same value as a result of the evaluation by the specific pixel level difference evaluation unit.

Abstract: A new element is generated by joining the contents of elements relatively at the same position among a plurality of records of a structured document. Next, a new record that includes the new element and inherits the relative position relationship of the elements within the records is generated. The plurality of records are then replaced with the new record.

Abstract: An image compression device having a prediction unit for predicting a value of a compressing target pixel from peripheral values, and quantizing prediction error between a prediction value of the prediction unit and a value of an actual pixel in a predetermined quantizing step, comprising: a specific pixel level difference evaluation unit sequentially calculating the difference value between the level values as a sum of the prediction values corresponding to each of the compressed pixel immediately before the compressing target pixel and peripheral compressed pixels adjacent to the pixel and the quantization value of the prediction error, and evaluating the sameness of the difference value; and a quantization switching unit controlling the quantization in the quantizing step more precise than the quantizing step used when the difference value continuously indicates the same value as a result of the evaluation by the specific pixel level difference evaluation unit.

Abstract: A quantizer quantizes a “prediction error” as a difference value between a pixel X to be compressed and a prediction value X?. A variable-length encoder inputs a quantization number obtained from a quantization table of the quantizer, and outputs a variable-length code (compressed code). A prediction value candidate calculation module calculates candidates 1 through k for a prediction value on the basis of peripheral pixels A, C, and B, and transmits them to a multiplexer (MPX). A prediction value determination module determines a prediction value among the candidates 1 through k for a prediction value on the basis of an intermediate value correspondence table and an intermediate value—image format correspondence table depending on an image format, and transmits a control signal to the multiplexer (MPX). The multiplexer (MPX) outputs one of the candidates 1 through k for a prediction value as a prediction value X?.

Abstract: A tag information separating unit separates a tag identified from a character train stream and outputs as tag information. A tag code replacing unit arranges a tag code for identification to a position of the character train stream in which the tag was separated. A character train coding unit compression encodes the character train stream including a tag code which is outputted from the tag code replacing unit. A data reconstructing apparatus reconstructs the character train stream by the operation opposite to the compression.

Abstract: A technique aimed to decrease the resource required for operations on a structured document, decrease the amount of a memory used, and increase the processing speed when the structured document is processed. Elements constituting a structured document to be converted are separated into key elements and nonkey elements, a new element given a predetermined tag name and a predetermined attribute name is created, tag name conversion is performed to create a tag name character string and describe the tag name character string as an attribute value corresponding to the predetermined attribute name in the new element, content conversion is performed to create a content character string including contents of the nonkey elements and describe the content character string as a content of the new element, and the key elements are described unchanged in a converted structured document. The method is applied to a system handling structured documents such as XML.

Abstract: A character string retrieval apparatus classifies a plurality of characters following a prefix of a registration character string into a plurality of groups, and registers those following characters in an array structure using a different displacement amount for each group. The character string retrieval apparatus retrieves a given character string based on the displacement amount of a group corresponding to an input character.

Abstract: A character string retrieval apparatus classifies a plurality of characters following a prefix of a registration character string into a plurality of groups, and registers those following characters in an array structure using a different displacement amount for each group. The character string retrieval apparatus retrieves a given character string based on the displacement amount of a group corresponding to an input character.

Abstract: Anew element is generated by joining the contents of elements relatively at the same position among a plurality of records of a structured document. Next, a new record that includes the new element and inherits the relative position relationship of the elements within the records is generated. The plurality of records are then replaced with the new record.

Abstract: A data compressing/decompressing apparatus is suitable for compressing data containing plural-byte characters, for instance, a Japanese language text. The data compressing/decompressing apparatus owns a homonym dictionary in which KANJI-character idioms, KANJI-character-reading, and homonym discrimination information are stored in correspondence with each other. This data compressing/decompressing apparatus converts a KANJI-character idiom contained in declarative sentence data into phonetic data, and further compresses this phonetic data to output the compressed phonetic data. The phonetic data is such data that this KANJI-character idiom is replaced by information constituted by character number discrimination information indicative of the character number about KANJI-character idiom reading, the reading thereof, and the homonym discrimination information thereof.

Abstract: A data compressing method involves the use of a data string registering unit for registering a charactor or charactor string and the context and a code information registering unit for registering coding information of the character or character string following the context, the coding information following previous a input data. The data compressing method includes a data string new registering step of, when the input character or character string and the context set is not registering in the string registering unit, register the set in the data string registering unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for compressing/decompressing data, to improve the compression ratio of sliding-dictionary-type Ziv-Lempel codes. A sliding-dictionary-type data compression method finds a matching character string in a coding character string and in a coded character string stored in a dictionary 101. According to the length of the matching character string, the method chooses a raw data mode that codes the matching character string that must consist of a single character as it is, or a reproduction mode that codes the position and length in the dictionary 101 of the matching character string. The method allocates consecutive numbers to different codes to be prepared under the raw data mode and reproduction mode.

Abstract: An apparatus used in fingerprint identification for extracting minutia data from fingerprint image data. An optical sensor unit optically produces a sequence of fingerprint image data during a single operation of pressing a fingerpad onto an inspection plate in a direction substantially transverse to the plate and with increasing pressure over a time interval. A data storing unit stores the produced fingerprint image data in the form of a sequence of fingerprint image data obtained during the single operation of pressing the fingerpad onto the inspection plate. The stored fingerprint image data is utilizable for identification of the fingerprint.

Abstract: An uneven-surface data detection apparatus, includes a transparent plate having an uneven-surface contact portion against which an uneven surface to be detected is pressed. A light source illuminates the uneven-surface contact portion through the transparent plate. An uneven-surface image drawing out optical element draws out the light reflected on the uneven-surface contact portion of the transparent plate. A detector detects the light drawn out from the transparent plate by the optical element.Light reflected by a projection-facing portion of the uneven surface contact portion to be introduced into the detector diverges from a propagation direction of light reflected by a recess-facing portion of the uneven surface contact portion. The optical element is arranged to guide the light reflected by the projection-facing portion into the detector.