Abstract: A controller optimizes an arrangement of component supply parts installed in a component supply unit while position information of mounting points on a circuit board is taken into account, and then optimizes a mounting path to the circuit board under the arrangement. Since the position information of mounting points is taken into account in obtaining the arrangement of component supply parts, wasteful mounting paths are reduced in comparison with the case of optimizing the mounting path on only the circuit board as in the conventional art, so that the mounting time can be shortened.

Abstract: In an e-commerce system which rearranges merchandise information pieces distributed to a consumer to match preferences of the consumer based on a personal profile with which various keywords contained in the merchandise information pieces and evaluation values corresponding to the keywords are registered where the evaluation values are learned in advance based on preferences of the consumer, while withdrawing a charge of merchandise from an account designated by the consumer to pay to the seller when receiving an order from the rearranged merchandise information pieces, an order for merchandise from the merchandise information pieces distributed to one consumer is placed using the personal profile of another consumer.

Abstract: A visiting plan generation method and system for promptly carrying out optimum formation of groups, optimum destination assignment to the groups, and optimum planning for each of the groups in an optimization problem of an action plan. In implementation, at least information on plural groups which are to take visiting actions, information on members of each of the plural groups, and information on destinations are received by input means, and optimum formation of the plural groups and optimum destination assignment to each of the plural groups are performed by cost calculation means which provides a cost function for evaluating a visiting plan. Thus, in preparation of a visiting plan for a plurality of groups to visit a plurality of destinations on a task-sharing basis, it is possible to carry out optimum formation or the plural groups, optimum destination assignment to the plural groups, and optimum planning for each of the plural groups.

Abstract: In an e-commerce system which rearranges merchandise information pieces distributed to a consumer to match preferences of the consumer based on a personal profile with which various keywords contained in the merchandise information pieces and evaluation values corresponding to the keywords are registered where the evaluation values are learned in advance based on preferences of the consumer, while withdrawing a charge of merchandise from an account designated by the consumer to pay to the seller when receiving an order from the rearranged merchandise information pieces, an order for merchandise from the merchandise information pieces distributed to one consumer is placed using the personal profile of another consumer.

Abstract: The following processing is performed when a line gang pickup head can simultaneously pick up a maximum of n (here, 4) components. First, groupings of components of the same type, out of all of the components to be optimized, are set as component tapes and the component tapes are arranged descending order of the number of components to produce a component histogram (406a). Next, a partial histogram (400), which is part of the component histogram (406a), is taken from the component histogram (406a), and is arranged at two-dimensional coordinates where a horizontal axis (the Z-axis) represents an arrangement of component cassettes and a vertical axis represents a number of pickup operations by the line gang pickup head. After this, the component tapes are lined up, by arranging the partial histograms (401a and 401b), so as to produce a diagram (406b) whose width (number of components) in the horizontal axis is n (=4).

Abstract: The following processing is performed when a line gang pickup head can simultaneously pick up a maximum of n (here, 4) components. First, groupings of components of the same type, out of all of the components to be optimized, are set as component tapes and the component tapes are arranged descending order of the number of components to produce a component histogram (406a). Next, a partial histogram (400), which is part of the component histogram (406a), is taken from the component histogram (406a), and is arranged at two-dimensional coordinates where a horizontal axis (the Z-axis) represents an arrangement of component cassettes and a vertical axis represents a number of pickup operations by the line gang pickup head. After this, the component tapes are lined up, by arranging the partial histograms (401a and 401b), so as to produce a diagram (406b) whose width (number of components) in the horizontal axis is n (=4).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for retrieving images which allows easy retrieval of a desired image from an image database stored in an electronic or optical recording medium or a communication network. As the first step of searching, through the menu entry section, the user enters multi-leveled retrieval requests for the keywords associated with an image. Received the requests, the retrieval section evaluates the user's necessity for the image based on at least the entered requests and the number of the requests. Then the retrieved image is displayed on the screen, according to the calculated necessity. The method and apparatus thus provide the user with a much-needed image in order of precedence by qualifying the user's necessity for the image.

Abstract: An electronic trading method that, over a data communication network connecting the broadcast center 101, a viewer terminal 111 and an order-receiving center 131 together, in case the viewer views an advertisement of from a broadcast center 101 and places an order of an advertisement product to the order-receiving center, the order-receiving center 131 issues points and notifies the points to at least one of the viewer terminal 111 and the broadcast center 101 whereby the broadcast center 101 discounts a pay-broadcast viewing fee in an amount of the notified points. Due to this, the sponsor can promote sale without causing product price erosion and, moreover, be free from causing useless points. Furthermore, the viewer, getting points without troublesome operations, is allowed to view a pay broadcast free of charge or at a discount rate. The broadcast center can obtain advertisement value improvement and pay-broadcast demand increase.

Abstract: An information inquiry support apparatus including means for creating a profile, that is, an evaluation table about each one of plural key words expressing the information content, relating to the user's concern, on the basis of the evaluation about plural pieces of information by the user evaluating presence or absence of concern about presented plural pieces of information, means for entering the specific information for inquiry, information evaluation means for calculating the need signal quantitatively expressing the degree of concern about the specific information for each user by using the profile, and means for quantitatively evaluating the fitness for inquiry, by the magnitude of the value of the need signal, and issuing each name of the plural individual and/or group users.

Abstract: A communication support system comprises an information terminal device (101) for inputting and outputting voices (or sentences) and a personal mixing section (111) for outputting voices (or sentences) input to a communication server (102) by synthesizing them according to the interest of an individual user. Thus, one of conversations flowing through the communication server that matches with a user's interest is directed to the user.

Abstract: The following processing is performed when a line gang pickup head can simultaneously pick up a maximum of n (here, 4) components. First, groupings of components of the same type, out of all of the components to be optimized, are set as component tapes and the component tapes are arranged descending order of the number of components to produce a component histogram (406a). Next, a partial histogram (400), which is part of the component histogram (406a), is taken from the component histogram (406a), and is arranged at two-dimensional coordinates where a horizontal axis (the Z-axis) represents an arrangement of component cassettes and a vertical axis represents a number of pickup operations by the line gang pickup head. After this, the component tapes are lined up, by arranging the partial histograms (401a and 401b), so as to produce a diagram (406b) whose width (number of components) in the horizontal axis is n (=4).

Abstract: In an information distribution system that rates distribution information pieces from a distribution information provider based on a personal profile to distribute to a client where the personal profile has registered therewith various keywords contained in the distribution information pieces provided from the distribution information provider and evaluation values corresponding to the keywords and the evaluation values are learned in advance based on preferences of the client, distribution information pieces from another distribution information provider different from the distribution information provider are rated based on the personal profile to distribute to the client.

Abstract: In an e-commerce system which rearranges merchandise information pieces distributed to a consumer to match preferences of the consumer based on a personal profile with which various keywords contained in the merchandise information pieces and evaluation values corresponding to the keywords are registered where the evaluation values are learned in advance based on preferences of the consumer, while withdrawing a charge of merchandise from an account designated by the consumer to pay to the seller when receiving an order from the rearranged merchandise information pieces, an order for merchandise from the merchandise information pieces distributed to one consumer is placed using the personal profile of another consumer.

Abstract: Search signal generating section 317 generates a search signal using a keyword contained in merchandise information on merchandise subject to market research requested from a seller. Search signal distribution section 318 distributes the search signal to consumer terminal 103 provided with a personal profile with which various keywords contained in the merchandise information and evaluation values corresponding to the keywords are registered, where the evaluation values are learned in advance based on a preference of a consumer. Reply signal processing section 319 receives from consumer terminal 103 a reply signal obtained from an evaluation value in the personal profile corresponding to the keyword contained in the search signal.

Abstract: The electronic commerce system enables a seller to register items composing a product in a combination of the items with an item database, further enables a coordinator to coordinate the combination of the items based on registered items, and stores the combination of items in a coordinate database. Meanwhile, the system opens the coordinate database to the public for a consumer to receive an order of an item from the consumer, and clears up payments of the charge from an account of the consumer to the seller when the transaction is completed.

Abstract: A solid-state image taking apparatus includes a photodiode converting incident light into a corresponding signal voltage. A measurement is given of a time until the signal voltage reaches a predetermined reference voltage. The measurement is executed by counting up pulses of a clock pulse signal during the time until the signal voltage reaches the reference voltage. The number of the counted pulses represents the time until the signal voltage reaches the reference voltage. The intensity of the incident light determines the time until the signal voltage reaches the reference voltage. Accordingly, the number of the counted pulses represents the intensity of the incident light.

Abstract: A picture processing apparatus is composed of an infrared ray sensor for producing an infrared picture in which a heat distribution of a measured area is recorded, a picture processing section for processing the infrared picture to extract pieces of personal characteristic data and environmental characteristic data from the infrared picture, and a picture information detecting section composed of a neural network for detecting pieces of personal information and environmental information according to the characteristic data. To be concrete, one or more human-areas respectively recording one or more persons are picked out from the infrared picture, and representative points of the human-areas, the number of human-areas, the number of pixels in each of the human-areas and shapes of the human-areas are extracted as the personal characteristic data.

Abstract: A pattern classification system includes a plurality of classification sections. Each of the classification sections includes a device for storing information of N coefficients W representing a reference pattern, a device for calculating an evaluation value V on the basis of N input signals S and the N coefficients W, the N input signals representing an input pattern, the evaluation value V representing a relation between the input pattern and the reference pattern, a device for storing information of a fixed threshold value R, and a device for comparing the evaluation value V and the threshold value R and for outputting an estimation signal depending on a result of the comparing, the estimation signal including a category signal P which represents a category. A selection section is operative for selecting one of categories in response to the category signals outputted from the classification sections and for outputting a signal Px representing the selected one of the categories.

Abstract: A pattern classification system includes a plurality of classification sections. Each of the classification sections includes a device for storing information of N coefficients W representing a reference pattern, a device for calculating an evaluation value V on the basis of N input signals S and the N coefficients W, the N input signals representing an input pattern, the evaluation value V representing a relation between the input pattern and the reference pattern, a device for storing information of a fixed threshold value R, and a device for comparing the evaluation value V and the threshold value R and for outputting an estimation signal depending on a result of the comparing, the estimation signal including a category signal P which represents a category. A selection section is operative for selecting one of categories in response to the category signals outputted from the classification sections and for outputting a signal Px representing the selected one of the categories.

Abstract: An automatic adjusting apparatus for adjusting equipment which comprises an adjustment state detecting section and a processing section. The detecting section detects an adjustment state of the equipment so as to output one or a plurality of adjustment state indexes on the basis of the detected adjustment state and the processing section performs the process on the basis of the adjustment state index to adjust the equipment. The processing section is equipped with an adjustment state evaluation section for calculating and outputting, on the basis of the adjustment state index, an adjustment evaluation value and an adjustment amount calculation section for calculating, on the basis of the adjustment state index, adjustment amounts for one or a plurality of portions of the equipment. Also included in the processing section is an adjustment control section for selecting, on the basis of the adjustment evaluation value, an adjustment amount from the outputs of the calculation section.