Abstract: A coding device is comprised of an initial resolution coding unit for coding an initial resolution image sub-sampled from an image at every interval of predetermined pixels, and a high resolution coding unit for coding images at sub-sampling intervals sequentially halved, wherein said high resolution coding unit comprises a pixel value predicting means for, out of the pixels that should be coded in present resolution, predicting a value of a pixel being positioned at a center of its adjacent four pixels already coded in previous resolution from said adjacent four pixels with a linear interpolation, and predicting a value of a remaining pixel from its adjacent four pixels having the above pixel at a center thereof with the linear interpolation, said adjacent four pixels being positioned in an upper, lower, left and right sides of the above pixel, a prediction error calculating means for obtaining a residual between the pixel value of the to-be-coded pixel and the predicted value, and a variable length coding m

Abstract: [Problems] To provide an encoding device capable of achieving a sufficient compression ratio even when using a prefix code such as a Huffman code as the entropy encoding method in the wavelet conversion encoding. [Means for Solving Problems] All the components of LH, HL, HH sub-band coefficients of the same hierarchy and the same space coordinate are extracted as a set from a wavelet sub-band space. Furthermore, it is judged whether each component of each coefficient is zero and as 1-bit judgment result, the respective judgment results are combined to obtain multi-bit flag information. Upon encoding, firstly, the Huffman information is subjected to variable-length encoding by the Huffman encoding code. After this, only the coefficient values which are not zero are similarly subjected to the variable-length encoding by the Huffman code or the like and outputted.

Abstract: The present invention provides a worked molybdenum-alloy material that can be used at higher temperatures than at least temperatures at which known TZM alloys are used. A worked molybdenum-alloy material having high strength and high toughness includes at least one of carbide particles, oxide particles, and boride particles and fine nitride particles dispersed by internal nitriding of an untreated worked molybdenum-alloy material in which a nitride-forming-metal element is dissolved to form a solid solution in a molybdenum matrix and at least one of carbide particles, oxide particles, and boride particles is precipitated and dispersed.

Abstract: There are included an image data storing means for accumulating image data of JPEG format; an image dividing means for dividing the accumulated JPEG images; and a distributing means for distributing the divided image data to a client. The image dividing means decides a title area containing an image area required for display at the client, and extracts coefficient data, which corresponds to the title area, from the image data accumulated in the image data storing means. The image dividing means then calculates, as coefficient data to be distributed to the client, the values of AC components of the extracted coefficient data as they are but, as to DC components thereof, a result of addition of the values of the DC components to those in the adjacent, immediately preceding title area. The distributing means distributes, as the image data, the coefficient data as calculated to the client.

Abstract: A refractory metal-based alloy material exhibiting high strength and high recrystallization temperature includes a worked material obtained by carburizing, while using a carbon source and coexisted oxygen, a material containing nitride particles of a solute metal dispersed and precipitated in a matrix by multi-step nitriding of a worked alloy material containing one metal selected from Mo, W, and Cr as a matrix and at least one element selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, and Ta as the solute metal, wherein the worked material contains carbon segregated at grain boundaries as a result of the carburizing and oxide particles converted from the nitride particles.

Abstract: An image is divided into subbands by wavelet transform using the Haar function as the base, and the lowest-frequency LL subband is entirely encoded. LH, HL, and HH subband coefficients which belong to the wavelet decomposition level of each hierarchy are then encoded such that coefficients at the same spatial position are encoded at once. The decoding side first decompresses the lowest-frequency LL subband, and then decodes sets of the LH, HL, and HH coefficients at the same spatial position in the subband of each wavelet decomposition level one by one. The decoding side immediately performs inverse wavelet transform by using the coefficient values, thereby obtaining the LL coefficient value of the next wavelet decomposition level. This makes it possible to sufficiently increase the processing speed even when the wavelet encoding/decoding is performed using a sequential CPU.

Abstract: A SiC-hexagonal ferrite type ceramic composite electromagnetic wave absorber for a high-frequency band, the electromagnetic wave absorber characterized by being composed of a composite sintered product of a hexagonal ferrite and SiC. The electromagnetic wave absorber is produced by a method including the steps of incorporating 1 to 5 percent by weight of SiC powder or fiber into a hexagonal ferrite together with a sintering additive, followed by molding and, thereafter, conducting sintering at 700° C. to 900° C., or a method including the steps of incorporating 1 to 5 percent by weight of curing-treated SiC precursor into a hexagonal ferrite, followed by molding and, thereafter, conducting sintering.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Y-type hexagonal ferrite thin film suitable for high frequency devices, having a crystal structure with the c-axis oriented perpendicular to the surface of the thin film. The present invention also provides a method of producing the Y-type hexagonal ferrite thin film, comprising the steps of preparing a viscous solution containing a metal-organic complex which is formed using a primary component including a Fe+3 ion, and a secondary component including a Ba2+ ion, at least one transition metal ion selected from the group consisting of Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Cu2+ and Mn2+; and optionally at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of Sr2+, Ca2+ and Pb2+, forming a film having a Y-type ferrite composition on a surface made of noble metal through a coating process using the viscous solution, and burning the film at a temperature of 750° C. or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Y-type hexagonal ferrite thin film suitable for high frequency devices, having a crystal structure with the c-axis oriented perpendicular to the surface of the thin film. The present invention also provides a method of producing the Y-type hexagonal ferrite thin film, comprising the steps of preparing a viscous solution containing a metal-organic complex which is formed using a primary component including a Fe+3 ion, and a secondary component including a Ba2+ ion, at least one transition metal ion selected from the group consisting of Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Cu2+ and Mn2+; and optionally at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of Sr2+, Ca2+ and Pb2+, forming a film having a Y-type ferrite composition on a surface made of noble metal through a coating process using the viscous solution, and burning the film at a temperature of 750° C. or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides an innovative material which has properties which cannot be achieved with conventional materials, i.e., having satisfactory high corrosion resistance and high strength in very severe corrosive conditions, for example, a 75% sulfuric acid (H2SO4) aqueous solution (180° C.) in addition to high strength at high temperatures and high toughness at low temperatures, and provides a method for effectively manufacturing the innovative material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a worked molybdenum-alloy material that can be used at higher temperatures than at least temperatures at which known TZM alloys are used. A worked molybdenum-alloy material having high strength and high toughness includes at least one of carbide particles, oxide particles, and boride particles and fine nitride particles dispersed by internal nitriding of an untreated worked molybdenum-alloy material in which a nitride-forming-metal element is dissolved to form a solid solution in a molybdenum matrix and at least one of carbide particles, oxide particles, and boride particles is precipitated and dispersed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing aluminum-substituted hematite represented by ?-(Fe1-xAlx)2O3 where x=0.01 to 0.15, by mixing an iron compound and an aluminum compound such that an atomic ratio of Fe to Al falls within the range of 99:1 to 85:15, adding citric acid and ethylene glycol to the mixture of the iron compound and aluminum compound to produce a gel, and pyrolyzing the gel, followed by calcining the pyrolyzed product.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Y-type hexagonal ferrite thin film suitable for high frequency devices, having a crystal structure with the c-axis oriented perpendicular to the surface of the thin film. The present invention also provides a method of producing the Y-type hexagonal ferrite thin film, comprising the steps of preparing a viscous solution containing a metal-organic complex which is formed using a primary component including a Fe+3 ion, and a secondary component including a Ba2+ ion, at least one transition metal ion selected from the group consisting of Fe2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, CU2+ and Mn2+; and optionally at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of Sr2+, Ca2+ and Pb2+, forming a film having a Y-type ferrite composition on a surface made of noble metal through a coating process using the viscous solution, and burning the film at a temperature of 750° C. or more.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing aluminum-substituted hematite represented by &agr;-(Fe1−xAlx)2O3 where x=0.01 to 0.15, by mixing an iron compound and an aluminum compound such that an atomic ratio of Fe to Al falls within the range of 99:1 to 85:15, adding citric acid and ethylene glycol to the mixture of the iron compound and aluminum compound to produce a gel, and pyrolyzing the gel, followed by calcining the pyrolyzed product.

Abstract: The present invention provides a refractory-metal-based alloy material having a remarkably enhanced toughness and strength, by internally nitriding a nitride-forming metal element incorporated as a solid solution into an alloy worked piece, which has a parent phase consisting of one element selecting from Mo, W and Cr, at a temperature equal to or lower than a recrystallization upper limit temperature of the worked piece to dispersedly yield ultra-fine nitride particles to the worked piece and thereby raise a recrystallization lower limit temperature of the worked piece, and then subjecting the internally nitrided worked piece to a second nitriding treatment at a temperature equal to or more than the raised recrystallization lower limit temperature, wherein at least in the surface region of the worked piece has a structure in which ultra-fine nitride precipitated particles are grown and stabilized with keeping the worked structure of the worked piece.

Abstract: An oxide superconductor consisting of an oxide which comprises, as constituent metal elements, bismuth, lead, strontium, calcium and copper having a molar ratio of lead to bismuth of at least 0.2:1, and having an internal structure in which domains having a relatively high concentration of lead and no long-period structure are contained in domains having a relatively low concentration of lead and a long-period structure. This oxide superconductor has a storing pinning function and a high critical current density Jc even at a high temperature and a high magnetic field, can be produced by industrial methods, and is easily processed to form wires.

Abstract: An oxide superconductor consisting of an oxide which comprises, as constituent metal elements, bismuth, lead, strontium, calcium and copper having a molar ratio of lead to bismuth of at least 0.2:1, and having an internal structure in which domains having a relatively high concentration of lead and no long-period structure are contained in domains having a relatively low concentration of lead and a long-period structure. This oxide superconductor has a storing pinning function and a high critical current density Jc even at a high temperature and a high magnetic field, can be produced by industrial methods, and is easily processed to form wires.

Abstract: An oxide superconductor having a composition of the formula: A.sub.n+1 Cu.sub.n O.sub.2n+1+.delta. in which A is at least one alkaline earth metal element selected from the group consisting of calcium, strontium and barium, n is an integer of at least one, and .delta. is a number larger than 0 and not larger than 1, a laminate structure in which a layer having a partial composition of A.sub.2 O.sub.1+.delta. and a layer having a partial composition of A.sub.n-1 Cu.sub.n O.sub.2n are alternately laminated, and a superconductive critical temperature equal to or higher than the liquid nitrogen temperature.

Abstract: The invention provides a temperature switch material capable of detecting a very low temperature not higher than 150 K. It also provides a light switch material for detecting light in the ultraviolet region. It further provides a switch material suited for use as a substrate for thin oxide layer formation thereon. The switching material utilizes an abrupt change in photoelectric current as produced upon phase transition of SrTiO.sub.3 at a low temperature. The photoelectric switch or temperature switch utilizes the change in photoconduction spectrum upon irradiation of SrTiO.sub.3 with light in the 3 eV-5 eV ultraviolet region. A switch is available by varying the intensity of irradiating light thereby controlling the transition temperature.

Abstract: This invention relates to a photovoltaic device, such as a solar cell or a photosensor, which comprises an amorphous silicon semiconductor photosensitive layer and, as disposed on respective sides thereof, a transparent electrode and a rear electrode. The rear electrode is a multi-layer structure constructed by alternately successive depositions, each in a thickness of 0.3 to 50 nm, of two or more metals selected from the group consisting of Cu, Ag, and Au. In using such a Cu/Ag multi-layer structure or an Au/Ag multi-layer structure as the rear electrode, the thickness of each Cu or Au layer is controlled at 0.3 to 20 nm and that of each Ag layer at 1 to 50 nm. The total thickness of the rear electrode is 20 nm to 1 .mu.m. This construction insures improved photoelectric conversion efficiency and improved reliability of the device.