Abstract: A control device that is mounted in a second vehicle which a first vehicle having a following travel function is detachably connected to or loaded on is provided. The control device includes a control unit configured to perform: detecting another vehicle that is within a predetermined range from the second vehicle in a state in which the second vehicle has the first vehicle connected thereto or loaded thereon and of which some or all of a scheduled travel route is the same as some or all of a scheduled travel route of the first vehicle after the first vehicle has been disconnected from the second vehicle; and transmitting following instruction information to the first vehicle and disconnecting the first vehicle from the second vehicle such that the first vehicle travels with the detected other vehicle as a preceding vehicle by the following travel function.

Abstract: A communication assistance device (100) enables smooth and active communication between users, and includes a topic node generation unit (103) that calculates a topic appropriateness value based on the number of pieces of content from which meta information has been extracted or the number of times each piece of content including the meta information has been viewed, and generates a first topic node including the meta information and the topic appropriateness value, an integrated topic node generation unit (104) that obtains first topic nodes for a plurality of users, and generates, for every item of meta information, an integrated topic node storing the topic appropriateness value corresponding to each user, a topic node expansion unit (105) that generates an expanded topic node as a new topic node based on the item of meta information for the integrated topic node, a common-topic-candidate extraction unit (107) that extracts a common topic candidate between the users from the integrated topic node or the ex

Abstract: A relevance ratio adding unit (107) provides each landmark with a weight value according to the degree of relevancy with a shot still picture, using: the distance between each landmark and the shooting location, received from the landmark distance calculating unit (105); and a distance HL between the shooting location and the photographer's residential address, received from the parameter obtaining unit 106. A landmark identifying unit (108): designates one or several landmarks to be added to the still picture out of the landmarks with a weight value provided by the relevance ratio adding unit 107; and writes the designated landmark in a predetermined position of the picture data of the still pictures.

Abstract: A communication assistance device (100) enables smooth and active communication between users, and includes a topic node generation unit (103) that calculates a topic appropriateness value based on the number of pieces of content from which meta information has been extracted or the number of times each piece of content including the meta information has been viewed, and generates a first topic node including the meta information and the topic appropriateness value, an integrated topic node generation unit (104) that obtains first topic nodes for a plurality of users, and generates, for every item of meta information, an integrated topic node storing the topic appropriateness value corresponding to each user, a topic node expansion unit (105) that generates an expanded topic node as a new topic node based on the item of meta information for the integrated topic node, a common-topic-candidate extraction unit (107) that extracts a common topic candidate between the users from the integrated topic node or the ex

Abstract: A land mark used as a key for organizing images captured by, e.g., a digital camera is adequately selected. A association degree adding section (107) weights each landmark according to the degree of association between the captured still image and the landmark by using the distance between the landmark and the imaging place received from a landmark distance calculating section (105) and the distance HL between the imaging place and the address of the residence of the imaging person received from a parameter acquiring section (106). A landmark specifying section (108) specifies one or more landmarks added to the still image from among the landmarks weighted by the association degree adding section (107) and writes them at predetermined positions of the image data on the still image.

Abstract: In order to provide an Internet connection terminal apparatus which is capable of correctly determining the Internet connection status without the influences of a DNS cache or the like, an Internet printer (100) includes: a communication unit (102) which provides a communication interface with a network; a TCP/IP protocol stack (103) which provides a protocol processing function in TCP/IP communication; an Internet print application (104) which performs communication processing, print data analysis processing and the like required for a URI print function; a status inquiry processing unit (105) which performs processing for responding to an inquiry about the Internet connection status from another apparatus; an Internet connection checking unit (106) which performs processing for determining whether or not it itself is connected to the Internet; a connection status cache (107) which stores the result of the determination made by the Internet connection checking unit (106); and a DNS client (108) which request

Abstract: Provided is a printing apparatus which receives a print instruction, then obtains and prints print data including plural pieces of sub-data, and the printing apparatus includes: a print data obtainment unit (interpreter 1203) which obtains the sub-data; a determination unit (rasterizer 1202) which determines whether or not there is necessity of further obtaining of the obtained sub-data, by the interpreter 1203, in order to complete printing of the print data; and a notification unit (communication I/F 1204) which notifies a result of the determination, to a print instruction apparatus which issues the print instruction, when the determination is made that there is no necessity.