Abstract: For design of a speech interface accepting speech control options, speech samples are stored on a computer-readable medium. A similarity calculating unit calculates a certain indication of similarity of first and second sets of ones of the speech samples, the first set of speech samples being associated with a first speech control option and the second set of speech samples being associated with a second speech control option. A display unit displays the similarity indication. In another aspect, word vectors are generated for the respective speech sample sets, indicating frequencies of occurrence of respective words in the respective speech sample sets. The similarity calculating unit calculates the similarity indication responsive to the word vectors of the respective speech sample sets. In another aspect, a perplexity indication is calculated for respective speech sample sets responsive to language models for the respective speech sample sets.

Abstract: Provided is a method for canceling background noise of a sound source other than a target direction sound source in order to realize highly accurate speech recognition, and a system using the same. In terms of directional characteristics of a microphone array, due to a capability of approximating a power distribution of each angle of each of possible various sound source directions by use of a sum of coefficient multiples of a base form angle power distribution of a target sound source measured beforehand by base form angle by using a base form sound, and power distribution of a non-directional background sound by base form, only a component of the target sound source direction is extracted at a noise suppression part. In addition, when the target sound source direction is unknown, at a sound source localization part, a distribution for minimizing the approximate residual is selected from base form angle power distributions of various sound source directions to assume a target sound source direction.

Abstract: A noise reduction device is configured by use of: means for calculating a predetermined constant, and a predetermined reference signal R?(T) in the frequency domain, respectively by use of adaptive coefficients W?(m), and for thereby obtaining estimated values N? and Q?(T) respectively of stationary noise components, and non-stationary noise components corresponding to the reference signal, which are included in a predetermined observed signal X?(T) in the frequency domain; means and for applying a noise reduction process to the observed signal on the basis of each of the estimated values, and for updating each of the adaptive coefficients on the basis of a result of the process; and an adaptive learning means and for repeating the obtaining of the estimated values and the updating of the adaptive coefficients, and for thereby learning each of the adaptive coefficients.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a measuring method and a sensor unit of measuring temperature distribution of an object by using an optical fiber sensing technology of BOCDA system. In the measuring method, an optical fiber that functions as a BOCDA-type optical fiber sensor is disposed two-dimensionally or three-dimensionally with respect to a predetermined measurement region of the object, and thereby the temperature distribution of the object can be measured at a high speed and a high accuracy, in the predetermined measurement region configuring a surface or space where the optical fiber is disposed.

Abstract: This invention relates to optical sensing technology to measure and control a physical quantity of an object that exists on or within a microstructure object, utilizing Brillouin scattering decreases. The measurement method prepares an optical waveguide one-, two- or three-dimensionally, on or within a micro-chemical chip, IC chip, or other element, and measures a physical quantity of the object on the basis of a property variation of light attributed to Brillouin scattering occurring in the optical waveguide.

Abstract: A position detection method, system, and computer readable article of manufacture tangibly embodying computer readable instructions for executing the method for detecting the position of a sound source using at least two microphones. The method includes the steps of: emitting a reproduced sound from the sound source; observing the reproduced sound and an observed sound at the microphones; converting the reproduced sound and the observed sound into electrical signals; transforming the signals of the reproduced sound and of the observed sound into frequency spectra by a frequency spectrum transformer apparatus; calculating Crosspower Spectrum Phase (CSP) coefficients of the frequency spectra of the signals by a CSP coefficient calculator apparatus; and calculating distances between the position of the sound source and the positions of the microphones based on the calculated CSP coefficients by a distance calculating apparatus, thereby detecting the position of the sound source.

Abstract: To provide a method of specifying each of speakers of individual voices, based on recorded voices made by a plurality of speakers, with a simple system configuration, and to provide a system using the method. The system includes: microphones individually provided for each of the speakers; a voice processing unit which gives a unique characteristic to each pair of two-channel voice signals recorded with each of the microphones 10, by executing different kinds of voice processing on the respective pairs of voice signals, and which mixes the voice signals for each channel; and an analysis unit which performs an analysis according to the unique characteristics, given to the voice signals concerning the respective microphones through the processing by the voice processing unit, and which specifies the speaker for each speech segment of the voice signals.

Abstract: Method and computing apparatus for processing speech signal data. A speech signal is divided into frames. Each frame is characterized by a frame number T representing a unique interval of time. Each speech signal is characterized by a power spectrum with respect to frame T and frequency band ?. A speech segment and a reverberation segment of the speech signal is determined. L filter coefficients W(k) (k=1, 2, . . . , L) respectively corresponding to L frames immediately preceding frame T are computed such that the L filter coefficients minimize a function ? that is a linear combination of sum of squares of a residual speech power in the reverberation segment and a sum of squares of a subtracted speech power in the speech segment. The computed L filter coefficients are stored within storage media of the computing apparatus.

Abstract: A voice activity detection method in a low SNR environment. The voice activity detection is performed by extracting a long-term spectrum variation component and a harmonic structure as feature vectors from a speech signal and increasing difference in feature vectors between speech and non-speech (i) using the long-term spectrum variation component feature or (ii) using a long-term spectrum variation component extraction and a harmonic structure feature extraction. A correct rate and an accuracy rate of the voice activity detection is improved over conventional methods by using a long-term spectrum variation component having a window length over an average phoneme duration of an utterance in the speech signal. The voice activity detection system and method provides speech processing, automatic speech recognition, and speech output capable of very accurate voice activity detection.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system, method and program for speech recognition. In an embodiment of the invention a method for processing a speech signal consists of receiving a power spectrum of a speech signal and generating a log power spectrum signal of the power spectrum. The method further consists of performing discrete cosine transformation on the log power spectrum signal and cutting off cepstrum upper and lower terms of the discrete cosine transformed signal. The method further consists of performing inverse discrete cosine transformation on the signal from which the cepstrum upper and lower terms are cut off. The method further consists of converting the inverse discrete cosine transformed signal so as to bring the signal back to a power spectrum domain and filtering the power spectrum of the speech signal by using, as a filter, the signal which is brought back to the power spectrum domain.

Abstract: In a virtual space including a plurality of islands, location of the islands is mapped in two dimensions, preferably using multidimensional scaling such as Kruskal method, to keep the order of the distances between the feature vector including the information of profile and preference of the user and the feature vectors including the profiles and event information of the respective islands. The map server uses the mapping information to provide the user with the islands arranged in a manner more conforming to the user's feature vector, which allows the user to conveniently visit the islands suited to the user's preference, and hence, increases utilization of the virtual space.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of redundant memories includes a plurality of memory cells and is operable to be relieved when a defective cell exists. This plurality of redundant memories can operate independently of each other. A relief processing portion is shared by this plurality of redundant memories. A test circuit inspects the plurality of redundant memories. When the test circuit determines that a defective cell exists, the test circuit outputs relief information to relieve the defective cell. The relief processing portion has a plurality of defect relief portions each having a relief information storage portion operable to store the relief information and performs the processing of relieving the plurality of redundant memories.

Abstract: A gas-liquid separator for a fuel cell system onboard a vehicle includes an upper chamber, a lower chamber, a plate for separating the upper and lower chambers, a pipe for circulating the exhaust gas and connecting holes bored in the plate. The upper chamber receives exhaust gas from the fuel cell system to separate water contained in the exhaust gas. The lower chamber has a portion for discharging the water which is separated by the upper chamber. The pipe, which is attached to the upper chamber, has fluid communication with an inside of the upper chamber. The connecting holes provide fluid communication between the upper and lower chambers. The connecting holes are positioned off a center of the plate so that the connecting holes lie apart from the pipe.

Abstract: There is provided a decorated sheet having a good adhesiveness with a molding resin regardless of a pattern of a colored part. A decorated sheet comprising: a transparent layer coating on the entire surface of a thermoplastic substrate sheet or at least in the areas of said substrate sheet having no coloring layer formed, said transparent layer coated by a transparent ink with as common varnish composition as the ink for coloring layer formation, and an adhesive layer formed as the outermost layer of said decorated sheet on the side provided with the colored layers of the substrate sheet. A molded article is fabricated by integrating the decorated sheet with a molding resin.

Abstract: Provided is a method for canceling background noise of a sound source other than a target direction sound source in order to realize highly accurate speech recognition, and a system using the same. In terms of directional characteristics of a microphone array, due to a capability of approximating a power distribution of each angle of each of possible various sound source directions by use of a sum of coefficient multiples of a base form angle power distribution of a target sound source measured beforehand by base form angle by using a base form sound, and power distribution of a non-directional background sound by base form, only a component of the target sound source direction is extracted at a noise suppression part. In addition, when the target sound source direction is unknown, at a sound source localization part, a distribution for minimizing the approximate residual is selected from base form angle power distributions of various sound source directions to assume a target sound source direction.

Abstract: Method for processing speech signal data. A speech signal is divided into frames. Each frame is characterized by a frame number T representing a unique interval of time. Each speech signal is characterized by a power spectrum with respect to frame T and frequency band ?. A speech segment and a reverberation segment of the speech signal is determined. L filter coefficients W(k) (k=1, 2, . . . , L) respectively corresponding to L frames immediately preceding frame T are computed such that the L filter coefficients minimize a function ? that is a linear combination of sum of squares of a residual speech power in the reverberation segment and a sum of squares of a subtracted speech power in the speech segment. The computed L filter coefficients are stored within storage media of the computing apparatus.

Abstract: A solenoid-operated cutoff valve for use with fuel cells has a movable member disposed in a guide housing for displacement upon energization of a solenoid. When the movable member is displaced, a pilot valve is unseated from a pilot valve seat. A fluid in a communication chamber flows through a pilot passage into an output port. The communication chamber is divided into a first communication chamber and a second communication chamber by a diaphragm. Under a pressure difference developed between the first communication chamber and the second communication chamber, a main valve of a valve head is unseated from a valve seat of a valve housing, opening the solenoid-operated cutoff valve.

Abstract: Provided is a method for canceling background noise of a sound source other than a target direction sound source in order to realize highly accurate speech recognition, and a system using the same. In terms of directional characteristics of a microphone array, due to a capability of approximating a power distribution of each angle of each of possible various sound source directions by use of a sum of coefficient multiples of a base form angle power distribution of a target sound source measured beforehand by base form angle by using a base form sound, and power distribution of a non-directional background sound by base form, only a component of the target sound source direction is extracted at a noise suppression part. In addition, when the target sound source direction is unknown, at a sound source localization part, a distribution for minimizing the approximate residual is selected from base form angle power distributions of various sound source directions to assume a target sound source direction.

Abstract: Provision to reduce production of musical noise. A noise reduction device includes: means for calculating a rank for each element included in a first region having predetermined sizes in the time axis direction and in the frequency axis direction, depending on a value of the element, in a noise section of an observed signal indicating variation of a frequency spectrum with time; means for calculating a rank for each element included in a second region, depending on a value of the element, the second region having predetermined sizes in the time axis direction and in the frequency axis direction in the observed signal; and means for subtracting, from the values of the respective elements in the second region, values based on the values of the respective elements in the first region whose ranks correspond to ranks of respective elements in the second region.

Abstract: For design of a speech interface accepting speech control options, speech samples are stored on a computer-readable medium. A similarity calculating unit calculates a certain indication of similarity of first and second sets of ones of the speech samples, the first set of speech samples being associated with a first speech control option and the second set of speech samples being associated with a second speech control option. A display unit displays the similarity indication. In another aspect, word vectors are generated for the respective speech sample sets, indicating frequencies of occurrence of respective words in the respective speech sample sets. The similarity calculating unit calculates the similarity indication responsive to the word vectors of the respective speech sample sets. In another aspect, a perplexity indication is calculated for respective speech sample sets responsive to language models for the respective speech sample sets.