Abstract: Information in which a user is interested when viewing a program and a situation and a behavior of the user are to be associated with each other. A keyword dictionary defining program information and a user behavior model are provided, and thereby the scene interesting the user is registered and stored, and information on the interesting scene is presented in a situation optimal to the user.

Abstract: Information in which a user is interested when viewing a program and a situation and a behavior of the user are to be associated with each other. A keyword dictionary defining program information and a user behavior model are provided, and thereby the scene interesting the user is registered and stored, and information on the interesting scene is presented in a situation optimal to the user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus generates data concerning a partition of land such as farmland based on an observation image of the surface of the earth photographed by a high-altitude flying vehicle such as a satellite or airplane at high speed while reducing the burden on the user. The method comprises the steps of extracting edges in the observation image; extracting a rectangle region on the image by determining and connecting points of intersection of a plurality of straight lines extending radially from a point on the image and the edges; and adjusting the extracted rectangle region by refining and correcting it.

Abstract: A method and apparatus generates data concerning a partition of land such as farmland based on an observation image of the surface of the earth photographed by a high-altitude flying vehicle such as a satellite or airplane at high speed while reducing the burden on the user. The method comprises the steps of extracting edges in the observation image; extracting a rectangle region on the image by determining and connecting points of intersection of a plurality of straight lines extending radially from a point on the image and the edges; and adjusting the extracted rectangle region by refining and correcting it.

Abstract: A method for producing spherical metal particle uses a molten metal reservoir for containing a molten metal, a rotary drum having a number of teeth onto which the molten metal is to be adhered one after another and a driving means for rotating the rotary drum so that the molten metal adhered to each of the teeth can be scattered from the teeth before even a part of each molten metal adhered to the teeth solidifies. At least one tooth of the rotary drum is dipped into the molten metal contained in the molten metal reservoir. The molten metal adhered to the teeth is scattered from the teeth before any portion of it has solidified by means of centrifugal force acting on the rotary drum. The molten metal assumes a spherical or similar shape during its trajectory due to surface tension. It cools by atmospheric cooling to solidify as discrete metal particles of substantially uniform diameter.

Abstract: Produced flake like metal chip has a shape being convexed in one side and concaved in the other side in its cross section.These metal chips are produced by dipping spherical or cone shaped projections provided on an outer surface of a rotary drum into molten metal contained in a molten metal reservoir, the molten metal adheres to each projections being dipped then the adhered molten metal is stripped off of each projection after at least a part of the molten metal has solidified.The apparatus for working the above-mentioned method includes, a molten metal reservoir, a rotary drum carrying on its outer surface a number of aforesaid projections, to the tip end of which the molten metal is adhered, and a means for stripping off the adhered molten metal after at least a part of the adhered molten metal has solidified.

Abstract: A plurality of discrete small cooling surfaces are arrayed on the surface of a movably received heat extracting member in both the axial and rotational directions. The discrete small cooling surfaces are formed by a plurality of one set of parallel grooves formed obliquely to and between the two axial ends of the heat extracting member and are crossed by a plurality of another set of parallel grooves formed in a similar manner but in different direction. An opening of a nozzle is directed toward the outer peripheral surface of the heat extracting member. A continuing stream of molten material is projected upon the discrete small cooling surfaces of the rotating heat extracting member such that the heat of the molten material is extracted by each of the discrete small cooling surface to solidify the molten material into flake particles. Accordingly, the molten material can be applied concurrently onto a plurality of discrete small cooling surfaces.