Abstract: A chart 50 is formed of a density detecting pattern 51 and position detecting marks 52. The density detecting pattern 51 includes five different density areas A, B, C, D and E in form of belts arranged sequentially in Y-direction. The position detecting marks 52 are formed at intervals in X-direction which is a direction of arrangement of nozzles, at an end of the density area A of the density detecting pattern 51. These position detecting marks 52 are formed by suspending, for a fixed period of time, discharge from particular nozzles selected from a plurality of nozzles which discharge ink for forming the density detecting pattern 51, thereby producing ink-free portions (void portions) in the density area A.

Abstract: A driver model with higher precision is created as an evaluation standard for a driving condition in a normal condition. By detecting biometric information of a driver, whether a driver is in a usual condition or not is recognized. Then, data of driving conditions are collected while the driver is driving, and from the driving condition data, a part indicating that the driver operates in a usual condition is extracted to create a driver model. Further, the driver model is created taking only a case of driving in a normal condition as a driving action in normal times based on biometric information of the driver, and hence the driver model becomes more precise and neutral. Further, by using a GMM (Gaussian mixture model) for the driver model, a driver model for each driver can be created easily, and moreover, by calculation to maximize a conditional probability, a driving operation action is easily estimated and outputted.

Abstract: A white reference value and a corresponding transport speed are stored in memory. A black reference value and a corresponding imaging speed are also stored. Next, a printing operation is started and color values and a corresponding transport speed are stored. Accurately corrected color values are derived from the stored white reference value, transport speed, black reference value, imaging speed, color values and transport speed.

Abstract: A driver model with higher precision is created as an evaluation standard for a driving condition in a normal condition. Further, a driving action is estimated using a driver model which can be created easily and can represent driving characteristics of a driver more precisely. By detecting biometric information of a driver, whether a driver is in a usual condition or not is recognized. Then, data of driving conditions (own vehicle information such as, for example, operation amounts of accelerator, brake, and steering wheel, vehicle speed, inter-vehicle distance, acceleration, and the like) are collected while the driver is driving, and from the driving condition data, a part indicating that the driver operates in a usual condition is extracted to create a driver model. Thus, without making the driver aware, a driver model for normal times can be created automatically.

Abstract: A sound signal processor includes first and second framing sections, first and second frequency analyzing sections, and a cross-spectrum calculating sections, for detecting the phase of a cross-spectrum between the sound signals input to first and second microphones, a phase extracting sections, a phase unwrap processing sections, a frequency band dividing section, and first through N-th inclination calculating sections, for detecting the inclinations of the phase of the cross-spectrum detected by the cross-spectrum calculating section with respect to the frequency, and a histogram calculating section and a voiced/voiceless determining section, for detecting a speech section in the sound received by the first and second microphones based on the inclination with respect to the frequency detected by the first through N-th inclination calculating sections.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a disk device capable of writing highly accurate servo data using an extremely simple technique, and a manufacturing method therefor. According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a disk device includes: mounting a magnetic disk and each assembly for driving the magnetic disk, such as an SPM and a VCM, in a base and attaching a top cover so as to seal the enclosure (made up of the base and the top cover) with each assembly of the HDD therein; replacing the air within the hard disk assembly (HDA) with a gas having a lower density than air, such as He; writing servo data to the magnetic disk in a self servo track write operation; and replacing the gas within the HDA with air.

Abstract: An ink feeding rate control method for a printing machine includes a step of determining, from image data used in recording images, an average of image area ratios of images in areas on prints corresponding to ink keys, a step of determining, from the image data, an average of image area ratios of images in positions aligned in a printing direction with the detecting patches (i.e. rectangular areas having substantially the same width as the detecting patches and extending in the printing direction) printed in the areas on the prints corresponding to the ink keys, and a step of correcting the reference information based on the average of image area ratios of the images in the areas on the prints corresponding to the ink keys, and the average of image area ratios of the images in the positions aligned in the printing direction with the detecting patches printed on the prints.

Abstract: There is provided a patch measurement device which, even if the position of a patch in a control strip printed on a printed material is incorrectly detected, does not affect the controlling of the printing apparatus. A data storage section 271 in a patch measurement device 27 stores printed-image data Dpd. A reference mark detection section 272 detects a reference mark rm in the printed-image data Dpd, and generates position data thereof. A reference mark position data comparison section 273 compares the position data against past position data stored in a reference mark position data storage section 274 to determine the validity of the position data. If the position data is valid, a patch position detection section 275 detects a patch whose color density is to be measured. A color density measurement section 276 generates color density measurement data of the printed patch.

Abstract: An ink feeding method includes a density reading step for reading density data obtained by measuring densities of detecting patches on a first image, before an end of a printing operation, a first computing step for computing, from the density data, an ink feed film thickness remaining after prints having the first image are made, a second computing step for computing an ink feed film thickness required for making prints having a second image, from a target density for the prints having the second image, a third computing step for computing a preset ink feeding rate from the ink feed film thickness remaining after the prints having the first image are made, computed in the first computing step, and the ink feed film thickness required for making the prints having the second image, computed in the second computing step, and an ink feeding step for feeding the preset ink based on the preset ink feeding rate computed in the third computing step.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a disk device capable of writing highly accurate servo data using an extremely simple technique, and a manufacturing method therefor. According to one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a disk device includes: mounting a magnetic disk and each assembly for driving the magnetic disk, such as an SPM and a VCM, in a base and attaching a top cover so as to seal the enclosure (made up of the base and the top cover) with each assembly of the HDD therein; replacing the air within the hard disk assembly (HDA) with a gas having a lower density than air, such as He; writing servo data to the magnetic disk in a self servo track write operation; and replacing the gas within the HDA with air.

Abstract: A white reference value and a corresponding transport speed are stored in memory. A black reference value and a corresponding imaging speed are also stored. Next, a printing operation is started and color values and a corresponding transport speed are stored. Accurately corrected color values are derived from the stored white reference value, transport speed, black reference value, imaging speed, color values and transport speed.

Abstract: Service points liquidation system is provided, wherein a service point is provided to the customers and the accumulated service points are liquidated so as to stimulate their propensity to further consumption. This liquidation system comprises a conversion means 1 to convert an amount paid or the number of applications made by a customer into a service point and a host computer 2 in which the service points data are stored, which computer is provided with a database construction means 21, a storage means 22, a reference means 23 and a liquidation processing means 24, wherein the accumulated service points data arranged for each customer as individual accumulated service points databases by the database construction means 21 are subjected to the liquidation processing means 24 so as to be stored in the storage means 22.

Abstract: A speaker verification apparatus and method input an identity claim, select voice information of a registered speaker corresponding to the input identity claim, input a voice of the speaker, analyze the input voice so as to extract a feature parameter, calculate a verification distance between a feature parameter of the input voice and that of the voice of the registered speaker and the speaker distances between a feature parameter of the input voice and those of the voices of other speakers; and determine whether or not the input voice matches that of the registered speaker. A false acceptance error rate, is input as a threshold, and a probability distribution of interspeaker distances is functions to determine that the input voice is the voice of the registered person specified by the identity claim.

Abstract: An ink feeding method includes a density reading step for reading density data obtained by measuring densities of detecting patches on a first image, before an end of a printing operation, a first computing step for computing, from the density data, an ink feed film thickness remaining after prints having the first image are made, a second computing step for computing an ink feed film thickness required for making prints having a second image, from a target density for the prints having the second image, a third computing step for computing a preset ink feeding rate from the ink feed film thickness remaining after the prints having the first image are made, computed in the first computing step, and the ink feed film thickness required for making the prints having the second image, computed in the second computing step, and an ink feeding step for feeding the preset ink based on the preset ink feeding rate computed in the third computing step.

Abstract: An ink feeding rate control method for a printing machine includes a step of determining, from image data used in recording images, an average of image area ratios of images in areas on prints corresponding to ink keys, a step of determining, from the image data, an average of image area ratios of images in positions aligned in a printing direction with the detecting patches (i.e. rectangular areas having substantially the same width as the detecting patches and extending in the printing direction) printed in the areas on the prints corresponding to the ink keys, and a step of correcting the reference information based on the average of image area ratios of the images in the areas on the prints corresponding to the ink keys, and the average of image area ratios of the images in the positions aligned in the printing direction with the detecting patches printed on the prints.

Abstract: An ink supply controller capable of generating a proper ink curve from a result of printing even when there is a small difference in image area percentage between ink key regions is provided. The ink supply controller includes an old job data storing element for storing old job data; a new job data acquiring element for acquiring new job data; an ink curve generating element for generating an ink curve based on the old job data and the new job data; an ink curve display element for displaying the generated ink curve; and an updating element for updating the old job data by using the generating ink curve. The ink curve generating element acquires data parameters for generation of the ink curve from both the old job data and the new job data to set an approximate curve obtained from a distribution of these data parameters as a new ink curve.

Abstract: An ink supply controller capable of generating a proper ink curve from a result of printing even when there is a small difference in image area percentage between ink key regions is provided. The ink supply controller includes an old job data storing element for storing old job data; a new job data acquiring element for acquiring new job data; an ink curve generating element for generating an ink curve based on the old job data and the new job data; an ink curve display element for displaying the generated ink curve; and an updating element for updating the old job data by using the generating ink curve. The ink curve generating element acquires data parameters for generation of the ink curve from both the old job data and the new job data to set an approximate curve obtained from a distribution of these data parameters as a new ink curve.

Abstract: There is provided a patch measurement device which, even if the position of a patch in a control strip printed on a printed material is incorrectly detected, does not affect the controlling of the printing apparatus. A data storage section 271 in a patch measurement device 27 stores printed-image data Dpd. A reference mark detection section 272 detects a reference mark rm in the printed-image data Dpd, and generates position data thereof. A reference mark position data comparison section 273 compares the position data against past position data stored in a reference mark position data storage section 274 to determine the validity of the position data. If the position data is valid, a patch position detection section 275 detects a patch whose color density is to be measured. A color density measurement section 276 generates color density measurement data of the printed patch.

Abstract: A thin metal plate, which is a material for forming load beams, is integrally formed with carriages extending from flexures, VCM coil sections, and a support plate for a flexible substrate. The signal output lines from the magnetic heads, and the signal lines from the VCM coil sections are connected directly and integrally to the flexible substrate without a soldering connection.

Abstract: A coil encircling the ferrite core of a magnetic head attached to a slider used in a hard disk drive is formed using two mating chips. A first chip having layered wires and bonding bumps is inserted in the winding window between the ferrite core and the body of the slider. A second chip having layered wires, bonding bumps and a groove straddling the ferrite core is disposed outside the winding window and mates with the first chip. Bonding bumps, comprising low-melting solder, are heat bonded to form a continuous coil.