Abstract: Provided is a similarity search apparatus for searching data at a higher speed than that of the prior art without limiting the types of letter of a search key. A unit position correspondence memory stores therein a table that expresses the ordinal number among units at which each unit in a search key inputted by means of a keyboard has appeared within the search key. A search section refers to the table stored in the unit position correspondence memory and operates every time units are read out one by one from a database memory including a plurality of units to generate a plurality of status parameters each of which includes a similarity, a position of coincidence and a skip number, which express with what number of units from the top of the search key the units read out from the database have coincided at what degree of similarity, and express how many units in the database have been skipped over subsequently.

Abstract: In order to provide a front-end processor wherein additional functions for retrieving external resources can be easily supplemented optionally without user's complicated environment setting, a front-end processor of the invention, having a main processing section (2) and retrieval sections (4) controlled through the main processing section, comprises: notification means (10) provided in each of the retrieval sections for transmitting initialization information to the main processing section when a file of said each of the retrieval sections is deployed in a main memory area; and initialization means (7) provided in the main processing section for initializing default environments of the front-end processor according to the initialization information transmitted from each of the retrieval sections.

Abstract: In a processor for extracting information on a specified field from a text described in a natural language, keywords and structural analysis are jointly used to improve the performance. When a set of keywords is divided in more than one sentence, this set of keywords is assembled by context defining words in a sentence. A multi-language summary generator uses this type of a processor.

Abstract: The disclosure where the hydrogen peroxide vapor 4a is supplied to a treatment vessel, and a subject 1 to be treated in the treatment vessel 2 is subjected to a sterilization treatment by contact with the hydrogen peroxide vapor 4a, the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide vapor 4a in the treatment vessel 2 is detected directly and accurately on a real-time basis by a semiconductor gas sensor 8.

Abstract: A battery including a sealing member 10 for sealing an opening 7 of a battery housing 1, a current collecting pin 5 press-fitted in a through hole 11 formed through the sealing member 10, and a reinforcing member 20 for reinforcing the sealing member 10. The reinforcing member 20 is constituted of a thick-walled portion 21 for covering an outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical portion 12 of the sealing member 10 forming the through hole 11 and a disk portion 22 extending radially outwardly from the thick-walled portion 21. A space 8 is defined between the sealing member 10 and the reinforcing member 20, and a thin-walled portion 13 for preventing an increase in internal pressure in the battery housing 1 is formed in the sealing member 10 at a position opposed to the space 8. The sealing member 10 is reinforced by the thick-walled portion 21 to thereby prevent generation of cracks in the sealing member 10 and electrolyte leakage accompanied thereby.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for shaping a hollow blank member by a forging operation is provided. The interior of a hollow blank member is filled with a liquid pressure medium which is enclosed therein in sealed condition. An external pressure is applied to the hollow blank member, and the pressure of the pressure medium is maintained as an internal pressure which opposes the external pressure, and part of the pressure medium is discharged externally while applying a desired plastic deformation to the hollow blank member.