Abstract: A biometrics authentication device which detects body characteristics, performs verification against registered biometrics data, and performs individual authentication, by which confidentiality is improved even when biometrics data is separated, distributed and stored. A biometrics information key is created from biometrics data detected by a detection device, the biometrics data is divided into a plurality of portions, and the portions are stored on different media. The biometrics information key is stored on one media, and at the time of authentication, the separated biometrics data portions are combined and a biometrics information key is created and is compared with the biometrics information key, to judge the linked relationship. Hence confidentiality of the association of the individual separated data portions can be improved even when the biometrics data is separated, distributed and stored, contributing to prevent illicit use resulting from leakage or theft of biometrics data.

Abstract: A biometrics authentication system detect body characteristics, verify the characteristics against registered biometrics data to perform individual authentication. In 1:n authentication, a plurality of different type biometrics database sets of a user are registered in a database, and at the time of verification of one type biometrics data set with one type registered biometrics data set, the control unit judges whether similar biometrics data sets of other person are registered, and if other person's similar biometrics data sets are registered, performs verification of each of the another type biometrics data sets of the plurality of similar biometrics data sets with the detected another type biometrics data set, and identifies the individual in question.

Abstract: A chromatographic separator characterized in that two pumps are employed for controlling chromatographic separation that combines a first process for supplying at least one of feed solution and eluent into a circulation system and extracting the same quantity as that of liquid supplied into the circulation system from one position of a packed column where some component is enriched in the circulation system, and a second process for circulating liquid in the system without supplying the feed solution and eluent and extracting the separated component at all. Easy-to-control chromatographic separator, in which a total number of pumps to be used is decreased and high separation performance is attained through a simple structure, can thereby be provided.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a communication device, a volatile memory for storing a communication data therein, a first CPU for controlling communication processings of the communication device and the communication data stored in the volatile memory, a ROM memory in which a program of the first CPU is previously stored, a second CPU for controlling the whole apparatus, a non-volatile memory for storing a whole program of the second CPU therein, a ROM memory in which another program executable by the second CPU is previously stored; and an external input terminal adapted in such a manner that if program execution by the second CPU starts in the non-volatile memory or in the ROM memory is selectively set, wherein where the program execution starts is selected in accordance with the setting of the external input terminal when activated, and a rewriting program for the whole program of the non-volatile memory is stored in the ROM memory.

Abstract: An edge detecting method detects edge segments by searching all of the search lines forming an image from an end of the image in a direction perpendicular to the edges. If a line whose edge segment cannot be detected exists, a search is made in all of the search lines from the vicinity of the center of the image toward the end of the image, whereby edge segments are detected. A linear edge is determined from edge segments. A plurality of edge candidates are obtained from the edge segments for all of the search lines, and an optimum candidate is selected from among the edge candidates. Ruled lines are extracted from the source document in the image, and an optimum candidate is selected based on a comparison with a ruled line. As a result, an edge of the source document can be detected with high accuracy even if an image on a background side is unstable, or if materials of the background and the source document are similar.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to improve the compression ratio of a color image and to clearly display the outlines of characters and the like. A hue cluster classifying/unifying unit reduces the number of hue values of each pixel in a color image, based on a hue histogram, allocates the number-reduced hue value to each pixel and classifies pixels with the same hue value into one cluster. Furthermore, the unit unifies clusters whose hue values are below a predetermined value. The unit also traces the outline of a cluster whose size is below a reference value and determines that a cluster that has a lot of change points belongs to a character area. An encoding unit determines the characteristic of each cluster, based on both an area determined by an area determining unit and whether the cluster belongs to a ruled line area or a character area, and encodes pixels in each cluster by a coding method suitable for the characteristic of the cluster.

Abstract: An image processing device includes a feature emphasis unit for extracting first image frequency information from image data for each first unit area, a boundary provisional determination unit for defining a value obtained by adding a predetermined weight to the first image frequency information as representative feature information, and provisionally determining as a boundary a first unit area whose variance from the representative feature information of the adjacent area is at or higher than a predetermined level, and a boundary determination unit for extracting the second image frequency information for each second unit area smaller than the first unit area in the range of a provisionally determined position and the vicinity, and generating boundary information using as the boundary a second unit area whose value based on the variance from the second image frequency information of the adjacent area is at or higher than a predetermined level.

Abstract: A bislactone compound represented by the general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 6 or less carbon atoms, and R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group or an alkyl group having 6 or less carbon atoms, which is useful as a stabilizer for polymers and as a raw material of a positive type resist:a process for producing the bislactone compound; anda positive resist composition comprising the bislactone compound.

Abstract: A process for preparing the polyhydric phenol compounds represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## (wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 represent independently hydrogen atom, alkyl group, etc.) which comprises subjecting the compounds represented by the formula (II): ##STR2## (wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are as defined above) to a condensation reaction with pyrogallol in the presence of an organic solvent and an acid catalyst.