Abstract: An image processing method for reducing noise of an image to be filtered; the method includes a step of creating shrunken image of shrinking ratio r×r (where r is a natural number) by averaging the pixel values for each pixel in a block for every r pixels, a step of obtaining the pixel value in the shrunken image that correspond to the focus pixel in the source image by performing linear interpolation from the shrunken image pixels, a step of determining the noise reduction filter from the focus pixel and reference pixel in the shrunken image, and a step of computing the compensated pixel value of the focus pixel in the source image by weighted sum of each pixel value applying the filter to the focus pixel in the source image and the corresponding shrunken pixel.

Abstract: A method for partially up/downscaling an image encoded on a macroblock basis utilizing a computer, includes: a step of storing the encoded image in a storage device of the computer; a step of creating map data from bitstream of the encoded image, the map data being utilized to decode at least one macroblock of the encoded image, creating a shrunken image of a predetermined size based on a screen resolution of a display device, and storing the map data and the shrunken image so as to relate the map data and the shrunken image with the encoded image in the storage device; a step of outputting, to the display device, the shrunken image related with the encoded image to be displayed based on a control request received from an input device; a step of determining at least one macroblock to be decoded based on a display area of the shrunken image; a step of partially decoding the encoded image for the determined macroblock using the map data; and a step of outputting to the display device, the image data of the disp

Abstract: Provided in the present invention is a laminated plate in which a thin aluminum alloy plate having a remarkably lowered forming limit is laminated on each of the two sides of a core polypropylene based resin having foamable property which has inferior formability and shape stability, and which is able to be subjected to forming and is excellent in shape stability after this forming. A laminated plate 1 according to the present invention is one in which aluminum alloy plates 2a and 2b are laminated on each of the two sides of a core polypropylene based resin 3a having foamable property, and after forming, the core polypropylene based resin 3a having foamable property is foamed by heating, thereby forming a composite formed article. A plate thickness of this plated plate 1 is thin. Also, the aluminum alloy plates 2a and 2b and the core polypropylene based resin 3a having foamable property which constitute this laminated plate are each constituted so as to have a thin plate thickness.

Abstract: According to the method of evaluating prostatic disease of the present invention, amino acid concentration data on concentration values of amino acids in blood collected from a subject to be evaluated is measured, and the state of prostatic disease including at least one of prostatic cancer and prostatic hypertrophy in the subject is evaluated based on the concentration value of at least one of Tau, Thr, Ser, Asn, Glu, Pro, Gly, Ala, Cit, ABA, Val, Met, Ile, Leu, Phe, His, Trp, Orn, Lys, and Cys2 contained in the measured amino acid concentration data of the subject.

Abstract: An ink-feeding device is provided in which the pressure applied to the ink in the printing head can be adjusted arbitrarily irrespective of the relative positions of the ink container and the printing head. Inside the sub-tank 80, a pressure-adjusting pump 82 is installed for applying a suitable pressure to many nozzles 22Kn of the printing head 22K. This pressure-adjusting pump 82 is placed a little above the bottom face of the sub-tank 80 at a prescribed distance from the bottom face. Thereby the pressure-adjusting pump 82 is immersed in the ink held in the sub-tank 80. A drive unit 83 for driving the pressure-adjusting pump 82 is placed above the sub-tank 80. On the upper wall of the sub-tank 80, an air-vent valve 84 is fixed to bring the inside pressure in the sub-tank 80 to an atmospheric pressure. The inside pressure in the sub-tank 80 is made equal to the atmospheric pressure by opening the air-vent valve 84.

Abstract: An image processing method for reducing noise of an image to be filtered; the method includes a step of creating shrunken image of shrinking ratio r×r (where r is a natural number) by averaging the pixel values for each pixel in a block for every r pixels, a step of obtaining the pixel value in the shrunken image that correspond to the focus pixel in the source image by performing linear interpolation from the shrunken image pixels, a step of determining the noise reduction filter from the focus pixel and reference pixel in the shrunken image, and a step of computing the compensated pixel value of the focus pixel in the source image by weighted sum of each pixel value applying the filter to the focus pixel in the source image and the corresponding shrunken pixel.

Abstract: A pointing device comprises an omnidirectional pressure sensor positioned on a portion of instrument, and a click switch positioned on another portion of the instrument different from the position of said omnidirectional pressure sensor. The omnidirectional pressure sensor is positioned in front of the instrument and the click switch is positioned on the rear portion or the upper portion of the instrument. The omnidirectional pressure sensor moves the cursor on the screen of the instrument and the click switch functions as decision switch for deciding the position of movement of the cursor.

Abstract: The present invention realizes a card on which a secure IC chip (a first semiconductor chip) that operates on both of a high power source voltage and a low power source voltage, and a nonvolatile semiconductor storage chip that operates on the lower power source voltage are mounted. Means for operating the card without exerting an adverse influence of the nonvolatile semiconductor storage chip when the high power source voltage is supplied is realized. A card has a voltage supply interrupting unit which is coupled to a power source terminal to which a first power source voltage and a second power source voltage higher than the first power source voltage are supplied, and a grounding terminal to which a grounding voltage is supplied. The voltage supply interrupting unit, when the first power source voltage is supplied, supplies voltage to a nonvolatile semiconductor storage chip and, when the second power source voltage is supplied, stops supplying the voltage to the nonvolatile semiconductor storage chip.

Abstract: An ink-feeding device is provided in which the pressure applied to the ink in the printing head can be adjusted arbitrarily irrespective of the relative positions of the ink container and the printing head. Inside the sub-tank 80, a pressure-adjusting pump 82 is installed for applying a suitable pressure to many nozzles 22Kn of the printing head 22K. This pressure-adjusting pump 82 is placed a little above the bottom face of the sub-tank 80 at a prescribed distance from the bottom face. Thereby the pressure-adjusting pump 82 is immersed in the ink held in the sub-tank 80. A drive unit 83 for driving the pressure-adjusting pump 82 is placed above the sub-tank 80. On the upper wall of the sub-tank 80, an air-vent valve 84 is fixed to bring the inside pressure in the sub-tank 80 to an atmospheric pressure. The inside pressure in the sub-tank 80 is made equal to the atmospheric pressure by opening the air-vent valve 84.

Abstract: A program transmitting/receiving system has a center device and a terminal device connected through a communication device to the center device. The center device has a program information memory, a program information transmitter, a broadcasting device, and a request program transmitter. The terminal device has a program information receiver, a program receiver, an image information generator, a program request signal transmitter, and a request program receiver. The memory stores a program information. The program information transmitter transmits the program information to the terminal device. The broadcasting device broadcasts the program to the terminal device in accordance with a schedule, and stores the program. The request program transmitter receives a request signal of the program from the terminal device, and transmits the program corresponding to the request signal to the terminal device. Then, the program information receiver receives the program information.

Abstract: An ink-feeding device is provided in which the pressure applied to the ink in the printing head can be adjusted arbitrarily irrespective of the relative positions of the ink container and the printing head. Inside the sub-tank 80, a pressure-adjusting pump 82 is installed for applying a suitable pressure to many nozzles 22Kn of the printing head 22K. This pressure-adjusting pump 82 is placed a little above the bottom face of the sub-tank 80 at a prescribed distance from the bottom face. Thereby the pressure-adjusting pump 82 is immersed in the ink held in the sub-tank 80. A drive unit 83 for driving the pressure-adjusting pump 82 is placed above the sub-tank 80. On the upper wall of the sub-tank 80, an air-vent valve 84 is fixed to bring the inside pressure in the sub-tank 80 to an atmospheric pressure. The inside pressure in the sub-tank 80 is made equal to the atmospheric pressure by opening the air-vent valve 84.

Abstract: Terminal equipment has a master terminal (1) and a slave terminal (2), the master terminal (1) includes a first tuner (TA) receiving the cablecast signal for television programming delivered from the cable television station, and applying an image signal produced from the cablecast signal to a first television receiver (3); a second tuner (TB) receiving a cablecast signal, and applying an image signal produced from the cablecast signal; and a transmitter/receiver (RT) radio-transmitting the image signal output from the second tuner section, the slave terminal (2) includes a radio-receiving section for receiving the image signal transmitted from the transmitter/receiver (RT) of the master terminal (1), and applying the image signal, received by the radio-receiving section, to a second television receiver (5).

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus, using a printing head for ejecting ink drops on a sheet member, includes a conveying unit for conveying the sheet member, a cutting member for cutting the sheet member, and a carriage member having the printing head and the cutting member mounted thereon and scanning in a direction that intersects the direction of conveying the sheet member by the conveying unit. Dust generated by cutting the sheet member is prevented from scattering by cutting a cutting site with the cutting member after printing a predetermined pattern along the cutting site of the sheet member with the printing head.

Abstract: A capacitor element includes an anode chip body formed by sintering valve metal powder, an anode wire projecting from an end surface of the anode chip body, and a ring member made of a water-repellent thermoplastic synthetic resin and fitted around a root portion of the anode wire connected to the anode chip body. The ring member is fitted and attached to the anode wire. The ring member adheres closely to both of the anode chip body and the anode wire without a gap by thermally melting the ring member in its fitted state around the anode wire.

Abstract: A CATV station 1 for broadcasting a television program is connected to an internet network B. The CATV station 1 is connected to a terminal device 2. The terminal device includes a tuner section T for receiving a broadcasting signal for the television program transmitted from the CATV station, an interface section S for making transmission/reception of a telephone signal for the internet network B and a switching circuit 5 which is connected to the interface section, a telephone set 3 and a public switched phone network C. The switching circuit 5 selectively connects the telephone set 3 to the interface section S or the public switched phone network. In this configuration, the internet telephone can be used without doing troublesome operations, and the public switched phone network or internet network can be selected according to the facility of the internet terminal device on the side of a called party so that telephone call can be executed easily.

Abstract: A capacitor element includes an anode chip body formed by sintering valve metal powder, an anode wire projecting from an end surface of the anode chip body, and a ring member made of a water-repellent thermoplastic synthetic resin and fitted around a root portion of the anode wire connected to the anode chip body. The ring member is fitted and attached to the anode wire. The ring member adheres closely to both of the anode chip body and the anode wire without a gap by thermally melting the ring member in its fitted state around the anode wire.

Abstract: An image-forming apparatus, using a printing head for ejecting ink drops on a sheet member, includes conveying means for conveying the sheet member, a cutting member for cutting the sheet member, and a carriage member having the printing head and the cutting member mounted thereon and scanning in a direction that intersects the direction vector conveying the sheet member by the conveying means. Dust generated by cutting the sheet member is prevented from scattering by cutting a cutting site with the cutting member after cutting-site is printed along the cutting-site of the sheet member in a predetermined pattern with the printing head.

Abstract: An electroplating solution comprising copper ions and a complexing agent for the copper ions and has a pH in the range of 4 to 10. The electroplating solution of the present invention makes it possible to fill trenches or via holes on silicon wafers for providing copper wiring with copper in a defect-free manner by preventing the seed layer from dissolving in the plating solution.

Abstract: An unmanned contract system is constructed by connecting a contract processing apparatus, which is manipulated by a financial institute for processing contracts, with a contract terminal, which is manipulated by each user, via a communication line. The contract processing apparatus obtains required information for a contract from each user's cellular phone, prior to the user's operations at the contract terminal and performs a preliminary examination. The result of the preliminary examination is mapped to an MAC address of the user's cellular phone obtained as identification information and is kept in the contract processing apparatus. The contract terminal fetches the MAC address from the user's cellular phone and transmits the MAC address to the contract processing apparatus. The user is not required to write down any identification information but can utilize the result of the preliminary examination. This arrangement ensures quick conclusion of the contract.

Abstract: A disc reproducing apparatus for reproducing a disc on which at least audio data such as sound, music or the like and image data such as pictures, characters or the like are recorded is comprised of a reproducing device for reproducing audio data recorded on the disc, a memory for writing therein image data recorded on the disc, a video signal generating circuit for generating a video signal on the basis of image data stored in the memory, a display supplied with the video signal and displaying thereon the image data, and an image processor for writing the image data on the memory when the audio data is reproduced and selecting the image data written so that selected image data is sequentially displayed on the display.