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 present invention aims to effectively restrict access of a general user to an inappropriate information piece at the judgment of an information manager. In order to pick up a desired information from an information storage medium or an information communication network while excluding inappropriate information, an information manager inputs suitability of information (a teacher signal) to an information presented at a user terminal 21 to a group profile learning unit 16 and prepares a group profile reflecting suitability of the information as specified by the information manager using the teacher signal. At a score calculating unit 13, a score signal indicating suitability of information is calculated for each information using the group profile, and access of an information user in a group to inappropriate information is restricted.

Abstract: A user initially judges whether each of pieces of information input as learning information is necessary or unnecessary. Matrix elements of an affirmative metric signal indicating the records of the necessary information and matrix elements of a negative metric signal indicating the records of the unnecessary information are calculated in a learning unit from a plurality of keywords attached to the necessary information and the unnecessary information. Thereafter, a plurality of keywords attached to each piece of information data input to be estimated are converted into a vector in a vector generating unit, and an affirmative score signal and a negative score signal are calculated from the vector and the affirmative and negative metric signals in a score calculating unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided of adapting a dictionary into which a keyword effective for judging whether or not information provided from either one of an information recording medium or an information communication network is recorded preferentially. The information includes information data and one or more keywords attached to the information data. The method is implemented by providing a user with the information data, enabling the user to input a signal indicating that the provided information data is necessary or unnecessary; calculating a prediction value for predicting a user's necessity degree of each keyword attached to the provided information data on the basis of the signal inputted in the inputting step, and registering preferentially the keyword effective for the dictionary by using the prediction value.

Abstract: The information filtering apparatus has a configuration having a metric dividing section which divides a matrix indicating that what items a user needed and did not need into a plurality of matrixes, and a classification information filtering unit which calculates a plurality of classification necessities and a plurality of classification reliabilities using the plurality of matrixes divided in the metric dividing section.

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 user initially judges whether each of pieces of information input as learning information is necessary or unnecessary, matrix elements of an affirmative metric signal indicating the records of the necessary information and matrix elements of a negative metric signal indicating the records of unnecessary information are calculated in a learning unit from a plurality of keywords attached to the necessary information and the unnecessary information. Thereafter, a plurality of keywords attached to each piece of information data input to be estimated are converted into a vector in a vector generating unit, and an affirmative score signal and a negative score signal are calculated from the vector and the affirmative and negative metric signals in a score calculating unit.

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: An image judging device provided with a sampling unit for obtaining image data suitable for judging quality of an image by sampling image signals obtained by color separation, a calculation unit for calculating a statistic representing characteristics of a distribution of the sampled image data and a judgement unit for judging the quality of the image according to the calculated statistic. Thus, a statistical processing of the image data can be performed correctly. Further, an error rate, at which a wrong light source is deduced, can be decreased in comparison with a conventional device.

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.

Abstract: An apparatus for printing signal correction and printer operation control, for use in applications such as color copiers, utilizes a neural network to convert input image signals, derived for example by scanning and analyzing an original image, into printing density signals which are supplied to a printer. In addition, a detection signal expressing at least one internal environmental condition of the printer, such as temperature, is inputted to the neural network, so that the output printing density signals are automatically compensated for changes in internal environment of the printer.