Abstract: A two-dimensional photonic crystal laser includes: electrodes; an active layer; and a two-dimensional photonic crystal layer in which modified refractive index regions are disposed to be shifted by different shift amounts from respective lattice points or/and are disposed at the respective lattice points with different areas, the shift amount or/and the area is/are modified with a composite modulation period and expressed by a modulation phase ?(r?) expressed using a vector r? indicating a position of each lattice point of the two-dimensional lattice, a vector kn? indicating a combination of an inclination angle and an azimuthal angle of each of n laser beams mutually differing in the inclination angle and/or the azimuthal angle, and an amplitude An and a phase exp(i?n) determined for each n and the amplitude An and/or the phase exp(i?n) for each value of n differ(s) from each other in at least two different values of n.

Abstract: A two-dimensional photonic-crystal surface-emitting laser includes: a two-dimensional photonic-crystal layer; an active layer provided on one surface side of the two-dimensional photonic-crystal layer; and a reflection layer provided on the other surface side of the two-dimensional photonic-crystal layer or on a side opposite to the two-dimensional photonic-crystal layer so as to be spaced apart from the two-dimensional photonic-crystal layer, wherein a distance d between surfaces of the two-dimensional photonic-crystal layer and the reflection layer facing each other is set such that a radiation coefficient difference ??v=(?v1??v0), which is a value obtained by subtracting a radiation coefficient ?v0 of a fundamental mode having the smallest loss from a radiation coefficient ?v1 of a first higher order mode having the second smallest loss among the light amplified in the two-dimensional photonic-crystal layer, is 1 cm?1 or more.

Abstract: A press system includes a press portion and a controller configured to control the press portion. The controller includes a load pattern generator, an evaluation input unit, and an optimum load pattern setting unit configured to set an optimum load pattern based on a plurality of evaluations of the quality input by the evaluation input unit. The optimum load pattern setting unit includes a response surface generator configured to create from evaluation value data based on the plurality of load patterns and the plurality of evaluations of the quality, by using as an objective function, the evaluation value data with the load pattern being defined as a design variable, a response surface of the objective function, and an optimization calculator configured to find an optimum solution of the objective function of the response surface by optimization.

Abstract: A press system includes a press portion and a controller configured to control the press portion. The controller includes a load pattern generator, an evaluation input unit, and an optimum load pattern setting unit configured to set an optimum load pattern based on a plurality of evaluations of the quality input by the evaluation input unit. The optimum load pattern setting unit includes a response surface generator configured to create from evaluation value data based on the plurality of load patterns and the plurality of evaluations of the quality, by using as an objective function, the evaluation value data with the load pattern being defined as a design variable, a response surface of the objective function, and an optimization calculator configured to find an optimum solution of the objective function of the response surface by optimization.

Abstract: A speech synthesizing device, the device includes: a text accepting unit for accepting text data; an extracting unit for extracting a special character including a pictographic character, a face mark or a symbol from text data accepted by the text accepting unit; a dictionary database in which a plurality of special characters and a plurality of phonetic expressions for each special character are registered; a selecting unit for selecting a phonetic expression of an extracted special character from the dictionary database when the extracting unit extracts the special character; a converting unit for converting the text data accepted by the accepting unit to a phonogram in accordance with a phonetic expression selected by the selecting unit in association with the extracted special character; and a speech synthesizing unit for synthesizing a voice from a phonogram obtained by the converting unit.

Abstract: A speech synthesizing device, the device includes: a text accepting unit for accepting text data; an extracting unit for extracting a special character including a pictographic character, a face mark or a symbol from text data accepted by the text accepting unit; a dictionary database in which a plurality of special characters and a plurality of phonetic expressions for each special character are registered; a selecting unit for selecting a phonetic expression of an extracted special character from the dictionary database when the extracting unit extracts the special character; a converting unit for converting the text data accepted by the accepting unit to a phonogram in accordance with a phonetic expression selected by the selecting unit in association with the extracted special character; and a speech synthesizing unit for synthesizing a voice from a phonogram obtained by the converting

Abstract: According to an aspect of an embodiment, an apparatus for converting text data into sound signal, comprises: a phoneme determiner for determining phoneme data corresponding to a plurality of phonemes and pause data corresponding to a plurality of pauses to be inserted among a series of phonemes in the text data to be converted into sound signal; a phoneme length adjuster for modifying the phoneme data and the pause data by determining lengths of the phonemes, respectively in accordance with a speed of the sound signal and selectively adjusting the length of at least one of the phonemes which is placed immediately after one of the pauses so that the at least one of the phonemes is relatively extended timewise as compared to other phonemes; and a output unit for outputting sound signal on the basis of the adjusted phoneme data and pause data by the phoneme length adjuster.

Abstract: A voice interactive system includes an acoustic processing part 11 for performing acoustic signal processing with respect to an input voice signal, a voice recognizing part 12 for recognizing the contents of a voice contained in the voice signal after being subjected to the acoustic signal processing, a voice interacting part 13 for transmitting information to a user by using a voice output or a combination of a voice output and another information transmission unit based on the contents of the voice, and a barge-in control part 14 having a barge-in function of suspending the transmission of information based on an input of the acoustic processing part 11, an output thereof, or an input signal from an external input, in the course of transmission of information, wherein the barge-in control part 14 detects at least one feature value from the input signal from the input or the output of the acoustic processing part 11 or the external input, and determines the effectiveness of the barge-in function based on the

Abstract: The present invention provides wave signal processing systems and methods that estimate a wave source direction and use that information to realize sharp directivity even in the case of a device that is compact or that has limited calculating capacity. A wave signal processing system of the present invention is provided with at least one sensor group made of at least two sensors, determines a difference signal between wave signals detected by any two sensors in at least one of the sensor groups and determines a differential signal of a wave signal detected by at least one sensor, and based on a combination of a sign of the difference signal and a sign of the differential signal and a positional relationship of the sensors, determines the sign of a delay time between the wave signals that are detected by the two sensors and determines the direction of the wave source based on whether the sign of the delay time is positive or negative.

Abstract: An input signal is input via an input part. A plurality of signal section candidate detecting parts having different detection algorithms detect an intended signal section candidate and a noise signal section candidate from the input signal. A signal section classifying part is notified of detection results from the respective signal section candidate detecting parts, and classifies the respective signal section candidates based on a combination of the detection results.

Abstract: A voice interactive system includes an acoustic processing part 11 for performing acoustic signal processing with respect to an input voice signal, a voice recognizing part 12 for recognizing the contents of a voice contained in the voice signal after being subjected to the acoustic signal processing, a voice interacting part 13 for transmitting information to a user by using a voice output or a combination of a voice output and another information transmission unit based on the contents of the voice, and a barge-in control part 14 having a barge-in function of suspending the transmission of information based on an input of the acoustic processing part 11, an output thereof, or an input signal from an external input, in the course of transmission of information, wherein the barge-in control part 14 detects at least one feature value from the input signal from the input or the output of the acoustic processing part 11 or the external input, and determines the effectiveness of the barge-in function based on the

Abstract: An image sensor, a voice sensor, an auxiliary sensor part (infrared sensor, etc.), a total analyzing part, and an application communicate with each other through data/control signal communication units. Each sensor provides feedback on its signal detection results and control information used by the other sensors for determining a range of a detection target and a detection sensitivity at a time of subsequent signal acquisition, to the other sensors through the communication units. The total analyzing part investigates whether or not there is inconsistency among the results detected by the respective sensors, and provide control information to each sensor. Each sensor determines a range of a signal detection target and a detection sensitivity based on the obtained information, and acquires a signal in accordance with the determination.

Abstract: The present invention provides wave signal processing systems and methods that estimate a wave source direction and use that information to realize sharp directivity even in the case of a device that is compact or that has limited calculating capacity. A wave signal processing system of the present invention is provided with at least one sensor group made of at least two sensors, determines a difference signal between wave signals detected by any two sensors in at least one of the sensor groups and determines a differential signal of a wave signal detected by at least one sensor, and based on a combination of a sign of the difference signal and a sign of the differential signal and a positional relationship of the sensors, determines the sign of a delay time between the wave signals that are detected by the two sensors and determines the direction of the wave source based on whether the sign of the delay time is positive or negative.

Abstract: An input signal is input via an input part. A plurality of signal section candidate detecting parts having different detection algorithms detect an intended signal section candidate and a noise signal section candidate from the input signal. A signal section classifying part is notified of detection results from the respective signal section candidate detecting parts, and classifies the respective signal section candidates based on a combination of the detection results.

Abstract: An image sensor, a voice sensor, an auxiliary sensor part (infrared sensor, etc.), a total analyzing part, and an application communicate with each other through data/control signal communication units. Each sensor provides feedback on its signal detection results and control information used by the other sensors for determining a range of a detection target and a detection sensitivity at a time of subsequent signal acquisition, to the other sensors through the communication units. The total analyzing part investigates whether or not there is inconsistency among the results detected by the respective sensors, and provide control information to each sensor. Each sensor determines a range of a signal detection target and a detection sensitivity based on the obtained information, and acquires a signal in accordance with the determination.

Abstract: An image sensor, a voice sensor, an auxiliary sensor part (infrared sensor, etc.), a total analyzing part, and an application communicate with each other through data/control signal communication units. Each sensor provides feedback on its signal detection results and control information used by the other sensors for determining a range of a detection target and a detection sensitivity at a time of subsequent signal acquisition, to the other sensors through the communication units. The total analyzing part investigates whether or not there is inconsistency among the results detected by the respective sensors, and provide control information to each sensor. Each sensor determines a range of a signal detection target and a detection sensitivity based on the obtained information, and acquires a signal in accordance with the determination.

Abstract: An image sensor, a voice sensor, an auxiliary sensor part (infrared sensor, etc.), a total analyzing part, and an application communicate with each other through data/control signal communication units. Each sensor provides feedback on its signal detection results and control information used by the other sensors for determining a range of a detection target and a detection sensitivity at a time of subsequent signal acquisition, to the other sensors through the communication units. The total analyzing part investigates whether or not there is inconsistency among the results detected by the respective sensors, and provide control information to each sensor. Each sensor determines a range of a signal detection target and a detection sensitivity based on the obtained information, and acquires a signal in accordance with the determination.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus performs calculations for respective ultrasonic transducers to determine at which focal position a signal having just been received by the transducers is reflected in accordance with a lapse of time from a time when ultrasonic waves are transmitted. A delay time of respective received signals obtained from the transducers are determined in accordance with the results of the calculations. According to the present invention, control data which determines the delay time is stored in a first stored apparatus, compensation data which compensates the control data is stored in a second storage apparatus. The control data and compensation data read out respectively from these first and second storage apparatuses are added to one another, and the delay time for transmission and reception is determined according to the sum of the control data and compensation data.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for obtaining a tomogram image of an object to be diagnosed on a monitor includes electroacoustic transducers, a phasing unit, a phase detection unit, and an adding unit. The electroacoustic transducers are positioned in aligned relationship along a surface of the object, emit ultrasonic waves which penetrate the object, detect the ultrasonic waves reflected from the object and convert the reflected and detected waves to electrical detection signals. A phasing unit is connected to the electroacoustic transducers and receives the detection signals, delays them in accordance with delay amounts previously set therein and determined in accordance with the respective distances between the electroacoustic transducers and the object, and phase adjusts same to produce phase-matched detection signals.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus for obtaining a tomogram image of an object to be diagnosed on a monitor is provided. The apparatus includes electroacoustic transducers, a phasing unit, a phase detection unit, a reference signal generating unit, and an adding unit. Electroacoustic transducers are provided in a lie along a surface of the object, emit ultrasonic waves to the object, detect the ultrasonic waves reflected therefrom, and convert them to electric signals as detection signals; a phasing unit is operatively connected to the electroacoustic transducers for receiving the detection signals, delaying them in accordance with distance between the electroacoustic transducers and the object, and phasing them to match the phase of detection signals.