Abstract: A biometric authentication device includes: a biometric information acquisition unit which generates a first input biometric image representing the biometric information of a user, a storage unit which stores data relating to registered biometric information of at least one registered user, and a processing unit. The processing unit realizes a quality judgment function which judges if the first input biometric image is suitable or not for use for comparison of the biometric information represented in the first input biometric image with the registered biometric information, a selection function which selects registered biometric information which is similar to biometric information represented in the first input biometric image among registered biometric information when the first input biometric image is judged unsuitable, and a matching process function which compares the user's biometric information represented in a second input biometric image with the selected registered biometric information.

Abstract: An image pickup unit that does not have a movable system and is fixed at one point picks up an image. A subject region extraction unit detects a subject in the image, extracts a region of the subject, and generates a region extraction image. A region extraction image storage unit holds a plurality of recent region extraction images. Then, a stain level calculation unit compares the held region extraction images for each pixel, and increases a value of the stain level of a pixel when it is highly probable that a stain is present on the pixel, and vise versa. The subject region extraction and the stain level calculation are performed each time an image is picked up, and the value is updated. A stain determination unit outputs whether or not a stain is present and the degree that the stain is present on the basis of the value.

Abstract: A common-mode choke coil includes a core, external electrodes, a pair of wires, and a top plate. The core includes a winding core portion and a pair of flanges at both ends of the winding core portion. The upper surface of the winding core portion and the upper surfaces of the flanges are covered with a metal film. The external electrodes are provided on lower portions of the flanges. A pair of wires are wound on the winding core portion of the core, and the ends of the wires are connected to the external electrodes. The top plate is bonded to the upper surfaces of the flanges preferably via an adhesive.

Abstract: A biometric authentication device is provided with an input section for inputting identification information relative to a user, an imaging section which captures images of a hand of the user a plurality of times; a matching section which extracts vein information from each image of the hand captured by the imaging section and collates the vein information with prepared vein data corresponding to the identification information; a judgment data generation section which obtains data for judgment indicating whether the image of the hand is obtained by capturing the images of a living body, on the basis of the image of the hand; and a judgment section which authenticates the user when the result of the matching by the matching section relative to each image of the hand indicates normality and the data for judgment indicates that the image of the hand is obtained by imaging the living body, but which otherwise does not authentication the user.

Abstract: An image matching device includes: a mixed image generation portion generating a mixed image in an operation satisfying linearity, the mixed image being obtained by multiplying each of two or more recorded images and each of phase components of a complex plane different from each other and adding multiplied recorded images; a complex similarity image generation portion generating a complex similarity image through a similarity operation between one or more input image and the mixed image; and a similarity obtain portion obtaining similarity from a projected component of the complex similarity image toward a vector of the phase component.

Abstract: An apparatus for acquiring an internal-structure image of an object from a plurality of images of the object photographed by a photographing unit includes a control unit that controls the photographing unit to obtain the images under different photographing conditions; and an extracting unit that extracts a portion common to the images as the internal-structure image.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for transacting a product purchase by a user. The product purchase is processed by a purchase server that recorded a unique user identification and is connected to an information providing server and a client (connected to the user) via a network. The purchase server: receives (from the information providing server) purchase data including purchase identity information including a description of a product selected by the user for purchase; receives (from the client) redirect data comprising purchase identity information describing the selected product; sends (to the client) a request for the unique user identification; receives (from the client) identification data pertaining to the user; authenticates the received identification data pertaining to the user; and validates purchase identity information in the received redirect data. The purchase identity information in both the purchase data and the redirect data does not include the unique user identification.

Abstract: An apparatus for acquiring an internal-structure image of an object from a plurality of images of the object photographed by a photographing unit includes a control unit that controls the photographing unit to obtain the images under different photographing conditions; and an extracting unit that extracts a portion common to the images as the internal-structure image.

Abstract: The principal object of the present invention is to provide a liquid electrolyte for electrochemical device having a wide potential window. The invention solves the problem by providing a liquid electrolyte for electrochemical device, which comprises an electrolyte dissolved in an MFx complex being liquid at ordinary temperatures wherein “M” represents B, Si, P, As or Sb and “X” represents the valence of “M”.

Abstract: A disclosed capture device for biometrics authentication using an image of a person's palm includes an image sensor capturing the person's palm and acquiring an image of the person's palm and a guide member supporting the person's palm when the person's palm is captured by the image sensor. Further, the guide member has a V-shaped-type groove in which a finger of the person's palm is to be inserted.

Abstract: A common-mode choke coil has induction immunity characteristics that are improved by a coil structure preventing a transmitter IC and a receiver IC from malfunctioning during an induction immunity test and which controls a decrease in ESD resistance and a decrease in self-resonance frequency. The common-mode choke coil includes a core, external electrodes, a pair of coils, and a top plate. The core includes a core section and a pair of flange sections. The pair of coils are wound around the core section of the core, and the ends of the coils are connected to the external electrodes, respectively. An underside and a side surface of the top plate are plated with a metal film, and bonded to the top surfaces of the flange sections preferably by an adhesive agent. The metal film is segmented into two separate portions so as to define two separate metal sections with a gap therebetween so that the metal sections are electrically disconnected.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus causes an illuminating unit and an imaging unit to equally split a predetermined exposure time into a plurality of split exposure times, and acquire an image with illumination and an image without illumination in each of the split exposure time. A luminance difference image for a particular split exposure time is calculated by subtracting the image without illumination from the image with illumination of the exposure time. The luminance difference images of all the split exposure times are integrated.

Abstract: Worm gear mechanism includes a driving worm, a torque delivering worm wheel meshing with the worm, and an auxiliary worm wheel superimposed on the torque delivering worm wheel. The auxiliary worm wheel has a pitch diameter greater than that of the torque delivering worm wheel. The auxiliary worm wheel is biased against the driving worm wheel via a biasing member in the form of a leaf spring.

Abstract: A passage authorization system includes a plurality of gate management apparatuses that are individually provided with authentication sensors for acquiring biometric data from a presented hand and form paths, an authentication unit configured to output a result of authentication comparison performed with the biometric data acquired by each of the authentication sensors and a hand determination result of determining whether the biometric data is data of a left hand or a right hand, and a control unit configured to control opening/closing of a gate corresponding to the hand determination result on the basis of the result of authentication comparison.

Abstract: A common-mode choke coil includes a core, external electrodes, a pair of wires, and a top plate. The core includes a winding core portion and a pair of flanges at both ends of the winding core portion. The upper surface of the winding core portion and the upper surfaces of the flanges are covered with a metal film. The external electrodes are provided on lower portions of the flanges. A pair of wires are wound on the winding core portion of the core, and the ends of the wires are connected to the external electrodes. The top plate is bonded to the upper surfaces of the flanges preferably via an adhesive.

Abstract: A rewrite determining unit acquires, for every servo frame recorded on a magnetic disk, an amplification degree, i.e., a gain of an amplifier circuit by which a read signal read from the magnetic disk is amplified to a predetermined output, determines a rewrite sector count based on the amplification degree, and performs data rewriting according to the rewrite sector count.

Abstract: An apparatus for authenticating a user includes a detector for determining a state or a position of a bodily part placed by the user for biometric authentication, a unit capable of obtaining biometric data from different portion of the bodily part, a plurality of biometric authentication engines capable of authenticating the user by using one of a plurality of authentication algorisms by comparing the biometric data with reference data, respectively, and a controller for selecting one of the different portions of the bodily part so as to select associated biometric data, and determining one of the biometric authentication engines for authenticating the user on the basis of the state or the position of the bodily part placed.

Abstract: A method of authenticating a user includes storing a reference biometric data of the user, performing initial authentication by obtaining biometric data of the user and comparing the obtained biometric data with the reference biometric data, storing the obtained biometric data upon successful initial authentication, performing second and subsequent authentication by obtaining biometric data of the user and comparing instantaneously obtained biometric data with the reference biometric data and the stored obtained biometric data, and updating the stored obtained biometric data each time the second or the subsequent authentication is successful.

Abstract: A photographing section photographs a photographing object, a light-projector projects a light spot parallel to or approximately parallel to an optical axis of the photographing section onto the photographing object, and a detector detects, from an image of the photographing object photographed by the photographing section, a light spot from the light-projector reflected by the photographing object on the basis of an arrangement position of the light-projector relative to the photographing section. A reflected light spot of light projected onto a detection object can be detected with certainty, and erroneous detection of the reflected light spot, in particular, erroneous detection due to disturbance light, can be prevented at a low cost, without an increase in size of the apparatus.

Abstract: A common mode choke coil includes a core, external electrodes, a pair of windings, and a top plate. The core includes a winding core portion and a pair of flanges disposed at respective ends thereof. The external electrodes are provided at lower portions of the flanges. The pair of the windings is wound around the winding core portion of the core, and ends thereof are connected to the external electrodes, respectively. A lower surface and a side surface of the top plate are covered with a metal film and are adhered to upper surfaces of the flanges with an adhesive. Preferably, magnetic powder is mixed in the adhesive.