Abstract: A communication system is provided that is capable of flexibly dealing with conversations among agents. An agent includes a software part which performs operations that represent the functions of a human ear and a mouth. In generating a conversation, an agent communication language, which is similar to a human conversation, is prepared and sent to a conversation part as a message packet. The conversation part then generates a plurality of conversation threads one for each unit of conversation and converse with a plurality of nodes in parallel and asynchronously. On the other hand, in another node which receives the message packet, a protocol manager receives the data (message packet) from a network and passes it to the conversation part. The conversation part understands the message packet and executes the content. The conversation part can move to other places along with a mobile agent.

Abstract: A recording apparatus of this invention detects the state of management information, which pertains to a recording address of an image signal, and which is reproduced from a disk-like recording medium having a first area for the image signal and a second area for the management information. On the basis of the detection result, management data is reproduced from the first area of the disk-like recording medium. On the basis of the management data reproduced from the first area, the management information reproduced from the second area is modified. A modify unit records the modified management information in the second area.

Abstract: A bumper beam structure includes a beam extending transversely of a vehicle and right and left corned members attached to right and left ends of the beam. The beam is mountable to front ends of right and left vehicle frame members via the right and left corner members. The beam and the right and left corner members are all extruded members. The beam is disposed with its axis in an extrusion direction oriented transversely of the vehicle. The right and left corner members are disposed with their axes in an extrusion direction oriented vertically of the vehicle.

Abstract: A gas sensor comprising a first measuring chamber 11 for introducing a gas to be measured, a second measuring chamber 12 for detection of the gas to be measured, and as pump cells a first pump cell 31 having a pair of pump electrodes 21 and 22, and a second pump cell 32 having a measuring electrode 23 and an auxiliary pump electrode 24, wherein a porous alumina sintered body having communicating pores of 500-1100 ? in average pore diameter and 6-16% in porosity is formed as an electrode protective layer 50 on the surface of the measuring electrode 23 as at least one of a pair of the electrode 23 and 24 of the second pump cell 32 in such a manner that the alumina sintered body covers the measuring electrode 23. The gas sensor can be use for long period of time because of the protective layer.

Abstract: A recording apparatus of this invention detects the state of management information, which pertains to a recording address of an image signal, and which is reproduced from a disk-like recording medium having a first area for the image signal and a second area for the management information. On the basis of the detection result, management data is reproduced from the first area of the disk-like recording medium. On the basis of the management data reproduced from the first area, the management information reproduced from the second area is modified. A modify unit records the modified management information in the second area.

Abstract: An alumina sintered body having communicating pores of 400-1100 ? in average pore diameter and 4-16% in porosity and being obtainable by mixing first alumina particles 1 having a particle diameter of 0.2-0.7 ?m and a sphericity of 0.7-1.0 as an aggregate and second alumina particles having a particle diameter of 0.01-0.1 ?m as a pore forming material to embed a plurality of the second alumina particles 2 in the spaces between the first alumina particles 1, and sintering the mixture at a temperature of 1200-1400° C. The alumina sintered body can be used for a part for various gas permeable industrial materials inclusive of protective film for gas sensors, and the like.

Abstract: A high-voltage transformer includes a bobbin that holds a core at its center. This bobbin has eight winding grooves arrayed along the central axis of the core. A primary coil is wound around each of two outermost winding grooves with a predetermined number of turns. A secondary coil is wound around the six winding grooves near the center with a predetermined number of turns, which are distributed among these winding grooves. The cathode of a diode is connected through a terminal to one end of the secondary coil where the winding starts, while the anode of another diode is connected through another terminal to the other end of the secondary coil where winding ends.

Abstract: A method of forming a silicon oxide layer comprising initiating formation of a silicon oxide layer on a surface of a silicon layer by an oxidation method using wet gas at an ambient temperature at which no silicon atom is eliminated from the surface of the silicon layer, and then, forming the silicon oxide layer up to a predetermined thickness by an oxidation method using wet gas.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus is arranged to reproduce from a recording medium a data string including image data and motion data indicative of motion of an image related to the image data, and to control the speed of reproduction of the image data according to the motion data included in the data string reproduced.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus displays representative images of clips recorded on a recording medium in list form, reproduces part of data after a front end of the clip corresponding to the representative image selected from among the displayed representative images from the recording medium to store the part of the data in a memory, and starts readout of the part of data stored in the memory in response to a reproduction start instruction.

Abstract: A composite display device comprising a first display member 1 and a second display member disposed between the first display member 1 and an observer 14 wherein the second display member is an electro-optical element 2 which transmits light under application of no voltage and scatters light under application of a voltage, and the composite display device is clear and provides a feeling of open air in an unused state: allows an observer to see simultaneously a background scenery and a display effected by the electro-optical element in a used state, and provides to an observer an impression that a picture image is suspended in space.

Abstract: A high-voltage transformer includes a bobbin that holds a core at its center. This bobbin has eight winding grooves arrayed along the central axis of the core. A primary coil is wound around each of two outermost winding grooves with a predetermined number of turns. A secondary coil is wound around the six winding grooves near the center with a predetermined number of turns, which are distributed among these winding grooves. The cathode of a diode is connected through a terminal to one end of the secondary coil where the winding starts, while the anode of another diode is connected through another terminal to the other end of the secondary coil where winding ends.

Abstract: A digital audio decoder decodes or expands compressed data such as bit stream data, which are compressed based on the MPEG/Audio standard. Inverse quantization circuits perform inverse quantization on plural bit stream data, which are supplied thereto in connection with multiple channels respectively, thus producing inversely quantized data with respect to a prescribed number (e.g., thirty two) of sub-band samples respectively. The inversely quantized data are combined together among the multiple channels with respect to the prescribed number of the sub-band samples respectively. Then, a filter bank synthesizes together combined data corresponding to all of the sub-band samples, thus reproducing original digital audio signals. Multipliers are provided for use in gain control on the inversely quantized data with respect to the sub-band samples respectively.

Abstract: In a magneto-optical disk drive using a domain wall moving magneto-optical recording medium, the test-writing adjustment in operation to deal with dynamic fluctuation factors is minimized, and a reproducing or recording laser power is automatically optimized.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display element comprising a color filter having a plurality of colored portions each having a different spectral color and a reflector wherein the color filter is so adapted that transmitted light from the standard C light source is substantially achromatic and the transmittance of visible light by the standard C light source is 30-65%.

Abstract: In an image sensing apparatus using a non-interlace scanning type image sensing element, image data as well as a signal indicating whether the image data is sensed in a mode which is suitable for sensing a moving image (field image sensing mode) or sensed in a mode which is suitable for sensing a still image (frame image sensing mode) are recorded in a recording medium. In reproducing the image data from the recording medium, in a case where the recorded image data is sensed in the frame image sensing mode and a moving image output is required, an interpolation filter controller controls an interpolation filter to generate and output field images interpolated between consecutive frame images on the basis of the reproduced even or odd line field image data of the two consecutive frame images, thereby obtaining a smooth moving image.

Abstract: In an image sensing apparatus using a non-interlace scanning type image sensing element, in reproducing image signals from a recording medium, in a case where the recorded image signals are sensed in a frame image sensing mode and a moving image output is required, an interpolation filter controller controls an interpolation filter to generate and output field images interpolated between consecutive frame images on the basis of the reproduced even or odd line field image data of the two consecutive frame images, thereby obtaining a smooth moving image.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a silicon oxide film which has a process chamber and is for thermally oxidizing a surface of a silicon layer by introducing water vapor into the process chamber, and which further has dew-formation prevention/evaporation means for preventing dew formation in the process chamber and/or evaporating dew in the process chamber.

Abstract: Images are captured using a single camera in motion. A recognition process section detects a possible object in a photographed image, tracks the possible object within the moving image, and generates object shape information from the trajectory information. A motion and pose determination section determines camera motion and pose using the photographed images for recognition processing. The determined data are used for object recognition along with the tracking information. The motion and pose determination section converts the optical flow parameters obtained from the photographed images into physical parameters in three-dimensional space. An Extended Kalman Filter is used for both the determination of motion and pose and for object recognition.

Abstract: A recording apparatus, wherein in a photographing mode in which image data and audio data obtained using a camera section and microphone, respectively, built into the apparatus are recorded, a head element is moved at a first speed corresponding to the photographing mode, and in an external input mode in which image data and audio data input by external sources are recorded, a head mechanism is moved at a second speed.