Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a scintillator which has a short fluorescence decay time, whose fluorescence intensity after a period of time following radiation irradiation is low, and which shows largely improved light-transmittance. A scintillator represented by the following General Formula (1), the scintillator including Zr, having a Zr content of not less than 1500 ppm by mass therein, and being a block of a sintered body. QxMyO3z:A . . . (1) (wherein in General Formula (1), Q includes at least one or more kinds of divalent metallic elements; M includes at least Hf; and x, y, and z independently satisfy 0.5?x?1.5, 0.5?y?1.5, and 0.7?z?1.5, respectively).

Abstract: A host apparatus that adjusts consumption of a device in accordance with the power supply capability of the host apparatus. The host apparatus includes a plurality of communication ports and devices connected to each communication port. A host controller of the host apparatus communicates with the devices to acquire equipment information including the consumption current of each device. A current supply circuit supplies current to the devices connected to the communication ports. An MPU changes the current supplied from the current supply circuit to the plurality of devices when a total value of the consumption current of a device newly connected to the plurality of communication ports and the consumption current of each device for which connection with the plurality of ports has already been recognized exceeds the current that the current supply circuit is capable of supplying.

Abstract: A front-going vehicle is recognized by using a camera image from a camera for monitoring the front of one's own vehicle and detection data from a radar for detecting position of an object in front of one's own vehicle and distance to this object. A front-going vehicle is recognized among photographed objects with object images contained in the camera image by extracting images in a specified area inside the camera image centered around positions of objects in detection data from the radar, binarizing the extracted images, matching patterns between an image figure contained in the binarized image and reference images and judging an image figure as a figure of a front-going vehicle if it is concluded that this image figure matches one of the reference images over a specified percentage. The reference figures are of a specified pattern, having a horizontally elongated part with downward protrusions from both its end parts so as to resemble a back view of a vehicle.

Abstract: An optical disk having an increased data storage capacity and accessible randomly, the positional shift of which can be quickly detected. An optical disk access device and access method are also disclosed. The optical disk (1) has a track (T1) constructed of two kinds of the first sector (S1) having an ID portion (12) and succeeding sectors (S2) having only a sector mark portion (13), and sector marks of the tracks are different from one another. The data area is increased by compressing the ID portion, and the different marks of the tracks enable quick detection of access positional shift.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of adjusting a monitor having a radar and a camera and correcting the positions and orientations of their detection areas based on intensity of reflected light from a target object. A single target having a specified pattern of bright and dark areas in placed in front of the monitor in the detection areas of the radar and the camera. The detection area of the radar is adjusted first based on measurements taken of the target by the radar and thereafter axial displacement of the detection area of the camera is determined a coordinate conversion parameter is obtained based on an image of the target taken by the camera.

Abstract: A forward direction monitoring device has a camera to take an image of road condition in front and a back-projection image is generated. A radar part receives reflected waves from objects in front and obtains their relative position data. These relative positions are mapped on the image taken by the camera. Portions of the image are specified with reference to these relative positions and brightness distribution of image portions is analyzed to distinguish the kinds of the objects. After those of the relative position data not related to a desired object are eliminated, the remaining relative position data are obtained sequentially to monitor the desired object based on the obtained data.

Abstract: A front image taking device uses a laser scan device to scan an area in front of an automobile to detect an obstacle and a vector representing its displacement over a period of one frame of the scan is obtained by a signal processor. A camera controller predicts from this vector the position of the obstacle at the time of the next frame and sets an image-taking area. A camera obtains a preliminary image of the area and its brightness histogram is obtained by an image processor. The camera controller adjusts the camera according to the histogram such that an image of the area with optimum brightness and contrast is obtained.

Abstract: An image processing system to be mounted to a vehicle includes a radar adapted to measure distance and direction to an object based on reflected electromagnetic waves which are outputted to scan the exterior of the vehicle, an image-taking device such as a camera for obtaining an image, and an image processor for carrying out image processing on a specified image processing area in an image obtained by the image-taking device. The image processor is adapted to determine a center position of the image processing area according to a measurement point of an object detected by the radar and the size of the image processing area according to a beam profile of electromagnetic waves outputted from the radar.

Abstract: An optical disk having an increased data storage capacity and accessible randomly, the positional shift of which can be quickly detected. An optical disk access device and access method are also disclosed. The optical disk (1) has a track (T1) constructed of two kinds of the first sector (S1) having an ID portion (12) and succeeding sectors (S2) having only a sector mark portion (13), and sector marks of the tracks are different from one another. The data area is increased by compressing the ID portion, and the different marks of the tracks enable quick detection of access positional shift.

Abstract: An optical disk having an increased data storage capacity and accessible randomly, the positional shift of which can be quickly detected. An optical disk access device and access method are also disclosed. The optical disk (1) has a track (T1) constructed of two kinds of the first sector (S1) having an ID portion (12) and succeeding sectors (S2) having only a sector mark portion (13), and sector marks of the tracks are different from one another. The data area is increased by compressing the ID portion, and the different marks of the tracks enable quick detection of access positional shift.

Abstract: A method for a monitoring apparatus using a radar and a camera to detect an object. The radar and the camera each have its own detection area and the method is for detecting and correcting the displacement of each detection area by using a single target having dark and bright parts formed in a specified pattern on its surface and placing it in front of the apparatus where the two detection areas overlap. The direction and orientation of the detection area of the radar are measured and corrected and then the detection area of the camera is corrected. The pattern includes an elongated dark part flanked by a pair of bright parts such that quantity of reflected light obtained by scanning the detection surface has a distribution with waveform having two peaks and a valley in between and corrections on the detection areas are made by analyzing their positions.

Abstract: An image processing system to be mounted to a vehicle includes a radar adapted to measure distance and direction to an object based on reflected electromagnetic waves which are outputted to scan the exterior of the vehicle, an image-taking device such as a camera for obtaining an image, and an image processor for carrying out image processing on a specified image processing area in an image obtained by the image-taking device. The image processor is adapted to determine a center position of the image processing area according to a measurement point of an object detected by the radar and the size of the image processing area according to a beam profile of electromagnetic waves outputted from the radar.

Abstract: A host apparatus that adjusts consumption of a device in accordance with the power supply capability of the host apparatus. The host apparatus includes a plurality of communication ports and devices connected to each communication port. A host controller of the host apparatus communicates with the devices to acquire equipment information including the consumption current of each device. A current supply circuit supplies current to the devices connected to the communication ports. An MPU changes the current supplied from the current supply circuit to the plurality of devices when a total value of the consumption current of a device newly connected to the plurality of communication ports and the consumption current of each device for which connection with the plurality of ports has already been recognized exceeds the current that the current supply circuit is capable of supplying.

Abstract: A signal processor used to process an analog read signal representing data stored on a magnetic disk allows for a faster read operation without requiring an increase in its circuit area or buffer memory space. The signal processor includes a decision feedback equalizer which selectively provides a feedback signal added to a read signal in reproducing data read from a storage medium. The signal processor also performs error correction. In performing error correction, the load of the error correcting process is detected and the processing speed is altered depending upon the detected load.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of adjusting a monitor having a radar and a camera and correcting the positions and orientations of their detection areas based on intensity of reflected light from a target object. A single target having a specified pattern of bright and dark areas in placed in front of the monitor in the detection areas of the radar and the camera. The detection area of the radar is adjusted first based on measurements taken of the target by the radar and thereafter axial displacement of the detection area of the camera is determined a coordinate conversion parameter is obtained based on an image of the target taken by the camera.

Abstract: A front-going vehicle is recognized by using a camera image from a camera for monitoring the front of one's own vehicle and detection data from a radar for detecting position of an object in front of one's own vehicle and distance to this object. A front-going vehicle is recognized among photographed objects with object images contained in the camera image by extracting images in a specified area inside the camera image centered around positions of objects in detection data from the radar, binarizing the extracted images, matching patterns between an image figure contained in the binarized image and reference images and judging an image figure as a figure of a front-going vehicle if it is concluded that this image figure matches one of the reference images over a specified percentage. The reference figures are of a specified pattern, having a horizontally elongated part with downward protrusions from both its end parts so as to resemble a back view of a vehicle.

Abstract: A radar device mounted to a vehicle includes a camera for obtaining images including the road surface in front of or behind the vehicle on which it is mounted, a sensor having for obtaining at least positional information on a target object of detection such as another vehicle in front or behind and a control unit for correcting the direction of the center axis of the sensor based on the image obtained by the camera. The control unit detects a line segment along a lane in which the vehicle is traveling, detects a vector indicative of the direction on a road-fixed coordinate system of the obtained line segment, and controls correction of horizontal and vertical directions of the center axis of the sensor so as to coincide with the direction of the detected vector.

Abstract: A method for a monitoring apparatus using a radar and a camera to detect an object. The radar and the camera each have its own detection area and the method is for detecting and correcting the displacement of each detection area by using a single target having dark and bright parts formed in a specified pattern on its surface and placing it in front of the apparatus where the two detection areas overlap. The direction and orientation of the detection area of the radar are measured and corrected and then the detection area of the camera is corrected. The pattern includes an elongated dark part flanked by a pair of bright parts such that quantity of reflected light obtained by scanning the detection surface has a distribution with waveform having two peaks and a valley in between and corrections on the detection areas are made by analyzing their positions.

Abstract: An optical disk having an increased data storage capacity and accessible randomly, the positional shift of which can be quickly detected. An optical disk access device and access method are also disclosed. The optical disk (1) has a track (T1) constructed of two kinds of the first sector (S1) having an ID portion (12) and succeeding sectors (S2) having only a sector mark portion (13), and sector marks of the tracks are different from one another. The data area is increased by compressing the ID portion, and the different marks of the tracks enable quick detection of access positional shift.

Abstract: A radar device mounted to a vehicle includes a camera for obtaining images including the road surface in front of or behind the vehicle on which it is mounted, a sensor having for obtaining at least positional information on a target object of detection such as another vehicle in front or behind and a control unit for correcting the direction of the center axis of the sensor based on the image obtained by the camera. The control unit detects a line segment along a lane in which the vehicle is traveling, detects a vector indicative of the direction on a road-fixed coordinate system of the obtained line segment, and controls correction of horizontal and vertical directions of the center axis of the sensor so as to coincide with the direction of the detected vector.