Abstract: An image forming apparatus to which a toner container is detachably mountable includes a mounting portion to which the toner container is detachably mountable and which includes a receiving port for receiving toner supplied from the toner container, a passage for permitting passing of the toner received through the receiving port and provided with a through hole, and a filter portion provided so as to cover the through hole and for permitting passing of air; and an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the toner received through the receiving port. At least a part of the through hole overlaps with the receiving port as viewed in a horizontal direction perpendicular to a direction of gravitation.

Abstract: A blood glucose measurement device comprises a sensor connector, a blood glucose value calculator, a barcode reader, a liquid crystal display, a data storage component, a report storage area, a central controller, and a touch sensor. The central controller causes the liquid crystal display to activate an input screen for inputting a comment for each measurement by the blood glucose value calculator. When a comment is inputted to the touch sensor, the central controller associates the comment with identification information in correspondence with each measurement by the blood glucose value calculator and stores the result in the report storage area. When a patient ID is read by the barcode reader, the central controller checks whether there is a comment on the basis of the information stored in the report storage area, and if there is a comment, the comment is displayed on the liquid crystal display.

Abstract: A blood glucose measurement device comprises a sensor connector, a blood glucose value calculator, a barcode reader, a liquid crystal display, a data storage component, a report storage area, a central controller, and a touch sensor. The central controller causes the liquid crystal display to activate an input screen for inputting a comment for each measurement by the blood glucose value calculator. When a comment is inputted to the touch sensor, the central controller associates the comment with identification information in correspondence with each measurement by the blood glucose value calculator and stores the result in the report storage area. When a patient ID is read by the barcode reader, the central controller checks whether there is a comment on the basis of the information stored in the report storage area, and if there is a comment, the comment is displayed on the liquid crystal display.

Abstract: A method for generating a medication regimen of a patient is disclosed. The method comprises receiving a plurality of prescriptions for the patient, wherein a prescription of the plurality of prescriptions indicates a medication and a frequency for administering a dose of the medication. The method further comprises mapping a plurality of doses of one or more medications to a prescription calendar based on the frequencies indicated in the plurality of prescriptions and determining a schedule for administering a plurality of doses of different medications corresponding to each prescription of the plurality of prescriptions based on the calendar and constraints regarding administering the plurality of doses.

Abstract: Provided is an image recognition method in which a first pattern area which is set inside a target to be recognized and a second pattern area which is set outside the target are used as a mask pattern. When a comparison circuit judges that a difference obtained by subtracting, by a differential circuit, the largest luminance value in the target image contained in the first pattern area, which is detected by a largest value detection circuit, from the smallest luminance value in the target image contained in the second pattern area, which is detected by the smallest value detection circuit, is larger than a certain offset amount, the matching judgement that a predetermined pattern is present is made. This recognition judgment is performed with the whole target image being scanned.

Abstract: A personal medication package is provided with an embedded user interface. The medication package includes an array of storage compartments for storing medication as well as visual indicia that is integrated into the medication package. The visual indicia are formed from color changing ink that is deposited onto the medication package. Consequently, the medication package can be manufactured and disposed of in an ecologically friendly manner.

Abstract: A patient centric medication dispensing device is herein disclosed. The dispensing device is configured to close the loop between a patient, a treating physician and a pharmacy by monitoring the medication intake of the patient and reporting information to the physician and/or the pharmacy or pharmaceutical company. The dispensing device is further configured to calculate adverse drug effects that may result if a patient takes a requested medication, based on medication that has already been dispensed and medication that is scheduled to be taken. The dispensing device is also configured to provide the patient with educational information based on the situation the patient has encountered, such as missing a scheduled dosage or suffering from side-effects.

Abstract: Low-pass filtering is applied only to the borders of an original mage to reduce the noise in the borders of image, thereby preventing errors in extrapolation. Then, an extended region is provided around the image by extrapolation, thereby eliminating the need for border processing in the borders of the image when performing the final low-pass filtering. Finally, low-pass filtering is applied to the regions where the original image exists. Thus, a filtering effect can be obtained in which the regions nearer to the center of the image and the border regions of the image have the same characteristics.

Abstract: Provided is an imaging apparatus which can detect an occurrence of a vibration using imaged images without a new constituent such as a vibration sensor being added thereto, wherein when imaging a position reference image for checking positions of observation targets on the image and a plurality of luminance reference images for checking the spectral distributions of the observation targets, a first vibration detection unit detects a vibration for the position reference image, a mask image for checking the positions is created on the basis of the position reference image for which no vibration is detected, and the luminance reference image is compared with the mask image every time the luminance reference image is imaged, thereby to judge whether positions deviate or not, and in a case where the positions deviate, the position reference image is re-imaged, thereby eliminating the image imaged with a vibration occurring.

Abstract: An image processing method comprises forming a histogram of an entire image, determining a ratio between a reference luminance value and a reference threshold value at a maximum frequency, dividing the image into local areas, forming a histogram of each local area, determining a luminance value at a maximum frequency, multiplying this luminance value by the ratio between the reference luminance value and the reference threshold value to obtain a threshold value of the local area, and performing binarization for the local area using the threshold value. Therefore, it is possible to determine an appropriate threshold value in each local area of a multiple gray-level image, and obtain, using this threshold value, a binarized image which enables accurate separation of an object from a background.

Abstract: Low-pass filtering is applied only to the borders of an original mage to reduce the noise in the borders of image, thereby preventing errors in extrapolation. Then, an extended region is provided around the image by extrapolation, thereby eliminating the need for border processing in the borders of the image when performing the final low-pass filtering. Finally, low-pass filtering is applied to the regions where the original image exists. Thus, a filtering effect can be obtained in which the regions nearer to the center of the image and the border regions of the image have the same characteristics.

Abstract: A color image pickup device is provided with image pickup elements having color separation filters, respectively, wherein one array pattern of the color separation filters corresponds to four pixels that are vertically and horizontally adjacent to each other; a storage circuit for storing filter-transmitted signals corresponding to the respective pixels and supplied from the image pickup elements; a signal processing circuit for obtaining a luminance value and a color-difference signal for each pixel, using the filter-transmitted signals corresponding to the respective pixels and stored in the storage circuit; and a resolution conversion circuit for performing interpolation using the luminance values and the color-difference signals outputted from the signal processing circuit, and the filter-transmitted signals corresponding to the respective pixels and outputted from the image pickup elements, thereby generating a luminance value and a color-difference signal corresponding to a pixel to be newly generated.

Abstract: In an image processor, an image processing method, and an image processing program recording medium, an intensity of a new pixel is calculated on the basis of an intensity of a pixel of interest, an intensity of an original pixel adjacent at an upper side of the pixel of interest, an intensity of an original pixel adjacent at a lower side of the pixel of interest, an intensity of an original pixel adjacent at a left side of the pixel of interest, and an intensity of an original pixel adjacent at the right side of the pixel of interest.

Abstract: Provided is an image recognition method in which a first pattern area which is set inside a target to be recognized and a second pattern area which is set outside the target is used as a mask pattern, and when the comparison circuit judges that a difference obtained by subtracting by a differential circuit the largest luminance value in the target image contained in the first pattern area, which is detected by the largest value detection circuit, from the smallest luminance value in the target image contained in the second pattern area, which is detected by the smallest value detection circuit, is larger than a certain offset amount, the matching judgement that a predetermined pattern is present is made, and this recognition judgement is performed with the whole target image being scanned, thereby substantially reducing the processing load for the pattern matching.

Abstract: Provided is an imaging apparatus which can detect an occurrence of a vibration using imaged images without a new constituent such as a vibration sensor being added thereto, wherein when imaging a position reference image for checking positions of observation targets on the image and a plurality of luminance reference images for checking the spectral distributions of the observation targets, a first vibration detection unit detects a vibration for the position reference image, a mask image for checking the positions is created on the basis of the position reference image for which no vibration is detected, and the luminance reference image is compared with the mask image every time the luminance reference image is imaged, thereby to judge whether positions deviate or not, and in a case where the positions deviate, the position reference image is re-imaged, thereby eliminating the image imaged with a vibration occurring.

Abstract: An image processing method comprises forming a histogram of an entire image, determining a ratio between a reference luminance value and a reference threshold value at a maximum frequency, dividing the image into local areas, forming a histogram of each local area, determining a luminance value at a maximum frequency, multiplying this luminance value by the ratio between the reference luminance value and the reference threshold value to obtain a threshold value of the local area, and performing binarization for the local area using the threshold value. Therefore, it is possible to determine an appropriate threshold value in each local area of a multiple gray-level image, and obtain, using this threshold value, a binarized image which enables accurate separation of an object from a background.

Abstract: A communication apparatus is provided for allowing any image contained in data exchanged between communication terminals such as mobile phones to be properly displayed in accordance with the capabilities of the receiving communication terminals. The communication apparatus can properly display an image according to the capabilities of a receiving communication terminal because the properties of the image are converted to suit the capabilities of the receiving communication terminal. When a plurality of images are combined or a modification is made to an image in communication terminals such as mobile phones and the resulting image or images are transmitted, the image properties of each image are converted to suit the capabilities of each receiving communication terminal before the combination or modification. Thus, any image can be properly displayed in accordance with the capabilities of the receiving communication terminal.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a monitor system for detecting occurrence of abnormal situation on the elderly living alone and the like, by using an inexpensive table tap alone, without modifying an electric appliance and a plug which are currently used. A table tap (100) contains an ammeter (103), a judgement unit (104), and a communication unit (105). After connecting an electric appliance which is currently used to the table tap, when the judgement unit (104) decides that the power consumption detected by the ammeter (103) is unusual, the communication unit (105) notifies a base station (109) that an abnormal situation occurs.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a monitor system for detecting occurrence of abnormal situation on the elderly living alone and the like, by using an inexpensive table tap alone, without modifying an electric appliance and a plug which are currently used.

Abstract: A manipulator whose economic efficiency and reliability are raised by reducing the size and weight of the system through the backup by a common specification drive circuit and actuator when a fault occurs is provided. Thus, the actuator of the end effector is made so as to have the common structure as the actuators of the multiple joints, so that they are driven by a common specification drive unit. Two systems which can be switched are provided in the actuator of the end effector and additionally, a spare drive unit is provided.