Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus and method for processing an image signal input from an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in a pixel-by-pixel basis and generating a bright signal corresponding to chrominance signals comprise a low pass filter (LPF), an subtractor, an adder, and a bright signal controller. The LPF cancels a high frequency component of the chrominance signals contained in the input image signal. The subtractor generates a high frequency component signal by subtracting an output signal of the LPF from the input image signal. The adder generates the bright signal by adding the high frequency component signal generated by the subtractor to the output signal of the LPF. The bright signal controller increases the high frequency component signal generated by the subtractor if a pixel position of the input image signal is within an object range, and decreases the high frequency component signal generated by the subtractor if a pixel position of the input image signal is out of the object range.

Abstract: A method of machine translation, using a bilingual corpus containing translation pairs each consisting of a sentence of a first language and a sentence of a second language, for translating an input sentence of the first language to the second language, including the steps of: receiving the input sentence of the first language and extracting, from the bilingual corpus, a sentence of the second language forming a pair with a sentence of the first language with highest similarity to the input sentence; applying an arbitrary modification among a plurality of predetermined modifications to the extracted sentence of the second language, and computing likelihood of sentences resulting from the modification; selecting a prescribed number of sentences having high likelihood from among the sentences resulting from the modification; repeating, on each of the sentences selected in the step of selecting, the steps of extracting, computing and selecting, until the likelihood no longer improves; and outputting, as a transl

Abstract: An outer shell structure surrounds a heat exchange unit formed of plates, which has first to third pairs of opposite planes. The structure has opposite end walls, opposite first walls and opposite second walls, and gap closure members. The end walls are placed on the pair of first opposite planes of the heat exchange unit. The first walls having openings are placed outside apart from the pair of second opposite planes of the heat exchange unit and connected water-tightly to edges of the end walls. The second walls having openings are placed outside apart from the pair of third opposite planes of the heat exchange unit and connected water-tightly to edges of the end walls. The gap closure members close a gap between the first walls and the heat exchange unit and a gap between the second walls and the heat exchange unit.

Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus and method for processing an image signal input from an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in a pixel-by-pixel basis and generating a bright signal corresponding to chrominance signals comprise a low pass filter (LPF), an subtractor, an adder, and a bright signal controller. The LPF cancels a high frequency component of the chrominance signals contained in the input image signal. The subtractor generates a high frequency component signal by subtracting an output signal of the LPF from the input image signal. The adder generates the bright signal by adding the high frequency component signal generated by the subtractor to the output signal of the LPF. The bright signal controller increases the high frequency component signal generated by the subtractor if a pixel position of the input image signal is within an object range, and decreases the high frequency component signal generated by the subtractor if a pixel position of the input image signal is out of the object range.

Abstract: Heat exchange plates are stacked, with a pressing force applied to the plates so as to maintain parallelism of them and prevent deformation of them during a diffusion bonding process. The stacking condition is maintained and adjacent plates come into contact with each other at projections and peripheral edges. Space surrounding the contact portions of the plates is put in a vacuum or low pressure state in which only an inner gas atmosphere exists. The plates are kept at a temperature at which the diffusion bonding occurs by a predetermined period of time to diffusion-bond portions of the plates, which are only brought into contact with each other and have not been bonded together.

Abstract: A heat exchange unit is composed of rectangular heat transfer panels with terraced flat portions, combined in parallel and integrally with each other to form first and second spaces. Outer and inner reinforcement members having respective serrations are welded to the panels so that the serrations are inserted into gaps between the heat transfer panels. The outer and inner reinforcement members are made of the same material as the heat transfer panels and have a larger thickness than the heat transfer panel, so as to bear high heat input given during the welding. The heat input caused by welding can be increased to enable portions of the heat transfer panels to be melted rapidly.

Abstract: A heat exchange unit includes first and second plates, which is identical to each other in configuration in a peripheral area thereof, but different from each other in a central irregularity pattern section. The irregularity pattern section has a projection-recess pattern on its surface and a recess-projection pattern corresponding thereto on another surface. These patterns are different from each other in configuration. The projection-recess pattern of the first plate has a reverse relationship in projections and recesses to the projection-recess pattern of the second plate so as to be symmetrical to each other. The first and second plates are placed alternately one upon another so that the peripheral areas of the first and second plates are directed to a same direction and projections of the irregularity pattern section of the first plate come, on peaks thereof, into contact with projections of the irregularity pattern section of the second plate.

Abstract: A heat exchange unit includes first and second plates, which are identical in configuration in a central irregularity pattern section, but different in configuration in a peripheral area. The first plate has first terraced sections projecting outward relative to a remaining part having a first flat section. The second plate has a second terraced section projecting outward relative to a remaining part having a second flat section. The first and second plates are placed alternately one upon another so that surfaces of said irregularity pattern sections face a same direction. The first terraced sections of the first plates come into contact with the second flat sections of the second plates and the first flat sections of the first plates come into contact with the second terraced sections of the second plates. The first and second plates are welded to each other at contact areas.

Abstract: An outer shell structure surrounds a heat exchange unit formed of plates, which has first to third pairs of opposite planes. The structure has opposite end walls, opposite first walls and opposite second walls, and gap closure members. The end walls are placed on the pair of first opposite planes of the heat exchange unit. The first walls having openings are placed outside apart from the pair of second opposite planes of the heat exchange unit and connected water-tightly to edges of the end walls. The second walls having openings are placed outside apart from the pair of third opposite planes of the heat exchange unit and connected water-tightly to edges of the end walls. The gap closure members close a gap between the first walls and the heat exchange unit and a gap between the second walls and the heat exchange unit.

Abstract: A heat exchange plate has protrusions and recesses. The protrusion having a curved outer peripheral surface is surrounded by adjacent protrusions placed at regular intervals on a circle around the protrusion with the same central angle relative to the center of the protrusion. The recess having a curved inner peripheral surface that partially extends to the curved outer peripheral surface of the protrusion is placed in a predetermined arrangement that is deviated by the same pitch from the predetermined arrangement of the protrusions. The recesses provide on the other surface of the plate with the same configuration as the protrusions. The protrusions provide on the surface of the plate with the same configuration as the recesses, so as to provide on the opposite surfaces of the metallic plate with the same pattern of irregularity.

Abstract: A heat exchange plate includes main protrusions, intermediate protrusions and non-protruded portions. The main protrusions having a truncated cone or pyramid shape are placed in positions based on a pattern on the plate. The intermediate protrusion is placed between two main protrusions that are adjacent to each other at a shortest distance so that the main protrusion is connected to two other main protrusions through two intermediate protrusions. The intermediate protrusion is defined by a flat portion extending to opposing surfaces of the two main protrusions. The intermediate protrusion has a peak portion placed in a lower position than a top of the main protrusion. The non-protruded portion is placed between adjacent intermediate protrusions. The non-protruded portion is placed in a lowest position relative to a protruding direction of the main and intermediate protrusions so as to provide a recess surrounded by the main and intermediate protrusions.

Abstract: A fitting for an end of a length of corrugated tubing forms a gas-tight metal-to-metal seal by rolling and folding an endmost corrugation into a axially extending annular groove in the fitting body. A ridged retainer grips the tubing corrugations above the endmost corrugation and is axially advanced into the fitting body by a nut. The cut end at the endmost corrugation of the tubing encounters the axially facing end of a tubular stub inside the fitting body and folds over itself and into the annular groove between the stub and the inside surface of the fitting body. A seal member is thus formed with a pair of substantially parallel sealing surfaces, and resides between the retainer and the outside surface of the tubular stub. The seal member forms a metal/metal seal with the tubular stub.

Abstract: A heat exchange unit is composed of rectangular heat transfer panels with terraced flat portions, combined in parallel and integrally with each other to form first and second spaces. Outer and inner reinforcement members having respective serrations are welded to the panels so that the serrations are inserted into gaps between the heat transfer panels. The outer and inner reinforcement members are made of the same material as the heat transfer panels and have a larger thickness than the heat transfer panel, so as to bear high heat input given during the welding. The heat input caused by welding can be increased to enable portions of the heat transfer panels to be melted rapidly.

Abstract: A fitting for an end of a length of corrugated tubing forms a gas-tight metal-to-metal seal by rolling and folding an endmost corrugation into a axially extending annular groove in the fitting body. A ridged retainer grips the tubing corrugations above the endmost corrugation and is axially advanced into the fitting body by a nut. The cut end at the endmost corrugation of the tubing encounters the axially facing end of a tubular stub inside the fitting body and folds over itself and into the annular groove between the stub and the inside surface of the fitting body. A seal member is thus formed with a pair of substantially parallel sealing surfaces, and resides between the retainer and the outside surface of the tubular stub. The seal member forms a metal/metal seal with the tubular stub.

Abstract: A heat exchange plate having a pattern of irregularity is combined with the other plates to constitute a heat exchanger. The plate has main and intermediate protrusions. The main protrusions have a quadrangular pyramid shape with a top, first and second pairs of side surfaces. The first and second pairs of side surfaces face each other in the first and second directions. The main protrusions are aligned in these directions so that these pairs of surfaces of the main protrusion face the corresponding surfaces of adjacent protrusions. The intermediate protrusion is placed between adjacent main protrusions and has opposite foot portions and a head ridge placed between them. The foot portion is placed in a lowermost position at which ridgelines of the adjacent two main protrusions intersect. The head ridge is placed in a level higher than the foot portions, but lower than the top of the main protrusion.

Abstract: A machine translation system includes: a distributing module for distributing an input sentence to a plurality of machine translation apparatuses for generating a translation of a second language of the input sentence of a first language, and receiving the translation of the second language from each of the plurality of translation apparatuses; a translation improving module, using each of the translations of the second language received by the distributing module as a starting point, improving the translation such that an evaluation in accordance with a prescribed evaluation method is improved; and a translation selecting module for selecting, as a translation of the input sentence, a translation satisfying a prescribed condition, among the translations improved by the translation improving module.

Abstract: A method of machine translation, using a bilingual corpus containing translation pairs each consisting of a sentence of a first language and a sentence of a second language, for translating an input sentence of the first language to the second language, including the steps of: receiving the input sentence of the first language and extracting, from the bilingual corpus, a sentence of the second language forming a pair with a sentence of the first language with highest similarity to the input sentence; applying an arbitrary modification among a plurality of predetermined modifications to the extracted sentence of the second language, and computing likelihood of sentences resulting from the modification; selecting a prescribed number of sentences having high likelihood from among the sentences resulting from the modification; repeating, on each of the sentences selected in the step of selecting, the steps of extracting, computing and selecting, until the likelihood no longer improves; and outputting, as a transl

Abstract: A disk-type recording medium is carried by a disk carrying section and accommodated into one of layered accommodation shelves of a disk accommodation section. A memory stores position information of the disk carrying section with respect to the accommodation shelves. A controller controls the disk carrying section in accordance with the stored position information to move to a position corresponding to each accommodation shelf. A stopping state detection section includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element provided on the disk carrying section adjacent the disk accommodation section and detects a stopping state of the disk carrying section with respect to each accommodation shelf based on a received light amount of the light receiving element depending upon a state of a light intercepting disk which is transferred between the disk carrying section and the accommodation shelf.

Abstract: Three air hammers are housed and arranged in a hammer case, and have bits at their respective ends. Each of the air hammers can be activated independently. In a normal excavation, the earth is excavated by activating all the air hammers. When correcting an excavating direction, only an air hammer positioned in the correct direction is activated first so that the earth in the correct direction is excavated in a predetermined amount. Next, all the air hammers are activated to excavate the earth. Thereby, a leading hammer can direct the excavation toward the correct direction, and thus the excavating direction is corrected.

Abstract: A disk-type recording medium is carried by a disk carrying section and accommodated into one of layered accommodation shelves of a disk accommodation section. A memory stores position information of the disk carrying section with respect to the accommodation shelves. A controller controls the disk carrying section in accordance with the stored position information to move to a position corresponding to each accommodation shelf. A stopping state detection section includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element provided on the disk carrying section adjacent the disk accommodation section and detects a stopping state of the disk carrying section with respect to each accommodation shelf based on a received light amount of the light receiving element depending upon a state of a light intercepting disk which is transferred between the disk carrying section and the accommodation shelf.