Abstract: A time measuring unit measures a duration time of a state relating to the detection of the abnormality when the head is retracted. A head-return determining unit determines whether to return the head onto the storage medium based on the measured duration time.

Abstract: A sample-information extracting unit acquires a fall signal indicating whether a storage device is falling, conducts a sampling in response to the fall signal, and sequentially extracts sample information including either one of first information indicating a falling state and second information indicating a non-falling state. A retraction determining unit determines whether to retract the head, based on features of an array of the extracted sample information.

Abstract: A fall sensor detects a fall of a storage device. A first moving unit moves the head to a predetermined position on a storage medium when a falling time exceeds a first threshold. A second moving unit retracts the head from the predetermined position to a ramp when the falling time exceeds a second threshold.

Abstract: A movement controlling unit performs movement control of a head toward a target track on a magnetic disk medium driving a head actuator, and a position controlling unit performs position control of the head actuator in accordance with proportional integral calculations such that a deviation of a head position relative to a track center is eliminated when the moving head arrives at the target track. A gain retaining unit retains an integral gain of the proportional integral calculations in an increased state during a predetermined retention time from the start of the position control, and a gain switching unit switches the increased integral gain smoothly to the original integral gain when the retention time has elapsed.

Abstract: A movement controlling unit performs movement control of a head toward a target track on a magnetic disk medium driving a head actuator, and a position controlling unit performs position control of the head actuator in accordance with proportional integral calculations such that a deviation of a head position relative to a track center is eliminated when the moving head arrives at the target track. A gain retaining unit retains an integral gain of the proportional integral calculations in an increased state during a predetermined retention time from the start of the position control, and a gain switching unit switches the increased integral gain smoothly to the original integral gain when the retention time has elapsed.

Abstract: A seek-information storing unit stores seek information including a correlation between a seek distance indicating a shift distance from a current track to a target track where a target frame for a data input/out is located and a seek time indicating a shifting time that takes for a head to shift from the current track to the target track, based on an actual measurement. A head-shift control unit controls a shift of the head based on an estimated time obtained by adding a rotational delay time that takes until the target frame arrives at the head position after the head arrives at the target track to the seek time acquired from the seek information.

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: The present invention has been made to provide a technique capable of easily preventing the third party from misusing the data related to an individual physical feature in the case where individual authentication is performed based on the physical feature.

Abstract: An image taking device (1), which takes an image of an object by focusing reflected light from the object on an image sensor (212), is provided with a distance measuring sensor (27) for measuring a distance between the object and the image taking device (1), and means for controlling exposure time of the image sensor (212) upon taking an image in accordance with a measurement result.

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: An image taking device with a lighting device includes a light irradiating portion for irradiating light to a subject and a light receiving portion for receiving reflected light from the subject that is irradiated by the light. The light irradiating portion is structured to have a plurality of light sources that are arranged so as to surround the light receiving portion. Each of the light sources is adjusted to emit light of an intensity corresponding to an arrangement position.

Abstract: In order to perform personal identification by matching a first body image that is obtained in advance by an image taking process with a second body image that is obtained when the identification is performed, an image taking device (1) for obtaining the second body image includes a shooting condition storage portion (203) for storing a shooting condition for each person in connection with an ID given to the person, the shooting condition being used when a body image of the person is taken for obtaining the first body image, an interface (24) for entering the ID of a person to be an object of the identification, and a shooting control portion (201) for controlling to take the body image under the shooting condition corresponding to the entered ID for obtaining the second body image of the person to be an object of the identification.

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: For automatically detecting a moving object in an input image taken using a monitor camera or the like, an apparatus includes an input image extracting section, an input image retaining section, a background image retaining section, a background difference calculating section, a moving direction recognizing section, and a united judging section. A movement of an object is detected with precision even in an environment where illumination varies, irrespective of the relative position of a ridge line of the object and a border of unit blocks. And only the moving object can be detected stably even when the camera encounters swing, vibration, etc.

Abstract: In order to provide an individual identification device for enabling good blood-vessel imaging even in a noncontact way and using an identifying method suitable for noncontact imaging, the device comprises an imaging device for imaging blood vessels of a hand of the user in a noncontact way including a position/direction/shape instructing unit for instructing the user to hold up his hand, one or more irradiating units for irradiating the hand with near infrared radiation, and one or more imaging units for producing an image by near infrared radiation; a blood-vessel image extracting unit for extracting the blood-vessel image from the produced image; a blood-vessel image storage unit for storing the hand blood-vessel image of each user; and an identifying unit for identifying the user by comparing the extracted blood-vessel image with the registered blood-vessel image.

Abstract: A capture device placed on, e.g., a desk, includes a camera in the center, and a plurality of distance sensors around the camera. By measuring distances to a capture target by use of the distance sensors, it is determined whether the capture target is held over the capture device in an attitude appropriate for the capture. When the attitude is not appropriate, a user is commanded to change the attitude of the capture target. When the attitude of the capture target becomes appropriate, the camera captures the capture target.

Abstract: An image capture apparatus is placed on a desk, etc., and an object to be captured is presented above the apparatus. An illumination device can emit light of a plurality of wavelengths, and a camera captures an image of an object to be captured using different wavelengths. By processing an image using different wavelengths, the material of the object to be captured can be obtained. The captured image is compared with a recorded image stored in the image capture apparatus, etc., and used in image determination.

Abstract: An image shot by a shooting unit is stored in a shot image storing unit. An expected shooting state storing unit stores expected shooting state information which represents an expected shooting state of an object to be shot. A guide direction determining unit references the image stored in the shot image storing unit and the expected shooting state information, and determines in which direction the object to be shot, which is shot by the shooting unit, is to be guided. A guide direction instruction outputting unit notifies a user of a result of the determination made by the guide direction determining unit.

Abstract: An image extraction method picks up an image of an object positioned in front of a background using wavelengths in a visible light region, picks up an image of the object positioned in front of the background using wavelengths in an infrared region, and extracts only the object based on the picked up images. At least a surface of the background is formed by an organic dye.

Abstract: After an air-core coil has been set inside a molding die, the molding die is filled with a magnetic powder which is coated with at least two types of resin layers. A pure iron powder having an average particle size of about 20 &mgr;m or less is desirable for the magnetic powder. A thermosetting resin is used for the inner resin layer and a thermoplastic resin is used for the outer resin layer of the resin layers of two kinds with which the surface of the magnetic powder is coated. Then, a substantially rectangular molded body in which the air-core coil is embedded is formed by molding the magnetic powder under a molding pressure of about 1 to about 10 tons/cm2. Next, a magnetic body is formed by heat-treatment of the molded body.