Abstract: A non-clogging pump (100, 200, 300) includes: a pump casing (3); an impeller (4, 204) including a main plate portion (41), a vane portion (43), and a central protruding portion (42); and a rotating shaft (1), in which an end portion (431) on an inner peripheral side of the vane portion (43) is connected to an outer periphery of the central protruding portion (42) when viewed from the suction port (33a) side, and the impeller (4, 204) is provided with a groove portion (45) extending from an inner peripheral side to an outer peripheral side of the impeller (4, 204), between the central protruding portion (42) and the vane portion (43), when viewed from the suction port (33a) side.

Abstract: A three-phase AC control apparatus includes: an equal duty sensing circuit; and a PWM signal control circuit. The equal duty sensing circuit senses whether any two of a U-phase, a V-phase, and a W-phase of a three-phase AC current have an equal duty value. The PWM signal control circuit outputs, when it is sensed that any two of the U-phase, the V-phase, and the W-phase of the three-phase AC current have the equal duty value, a control signal that shifts a timing of start and a timing of stop of one of the two phases having the equal duty value.

Abstract: Power consumption needed to illuminate a subject is reduced and the subject is continuously monitored. Each of a plurality of light sources emits light to the subject. An imaging circuitry obtains a captured image by imaging the subject. A controller performs light emission control to change a light source that emits light from among the plurality of light sources and causes the imaging circuitry to image the subject. A determiner determines whether a detection target that is pre-determined exists in an image area that is a part of the captured image obtained by the imaging circuitry and corresponds to the light source that emits light during imaging for obtaining the captured image.

Abstract: A three-phase AC control apparatus includes: an equal duty sensing circuit; and a PWM signal control circuit. The equal duty sensing circuit senses whether any two of a U-phase, a V-phase, and a W-phase of a three-phase AC current have an equal duty value. The PWM signal control circuit outputs, when it is sensed that any two of the U-phase, the V-phase, and the W-phase of the three-phase AC current have the equal duty value, a control signal that shifts a timing of start and a timing of stop of one of the two phases having the equal duty value.

Abstract: A fatigue level calculating device includes an environment information acquiring unit that acquires environment information pertaining to an environment in the surroundings of equipment, and a fatigue level calculating unit that calculates a relationship between an operation condition of the equipment and a fatigue level of the equipment based on the environment information.

Abstract: Provided is a user identifying method using a bio-signal, the method including sensing a user input; detecting a bio-signal from the sensed user input; determining whether the detected bio-signal is valid, based on status information representing a status of a user at a moment when the user input is sensed; and identifying the user by comparing the bio-signal with at least one pre-stored reference bio-signal, according to a result of the comparing.

Abstract: Provided is a user identifying method using a bio-signal, the method including sensing a user input; detecting a bio-signal from the sensed user input; determining whether the detected bio-signal is valid, based on status information representing a status of a user at a moment when the user input is sensed; and identifying the user by comparing the bio-signal with at least one pre-stored reference bio-signal, according to a result of the comparing.

Abstract: Power consumption needed to illuminate a subject is reduced and the subject is continuously monitored. Each of a plurality of light sources emits light to the subject. An imaging circuitry obtains a captured image by imaging the subject. A controller performs light emission control to change a light source that emits light from among the plurality of light sources and causes the imaging circuitry to image the subject. A determiner determines whether a detection target that is pre-determined exists in an image area that is a part of the captured image obtained by the imaging circuitry and corresponds to the light source that emits light during imaging for obtaining the captured image.

Abstract: An image display apparatus that automatically adjust a pointing direction of a remote controller to almost match with a position of a pointer on a screen, and a pointing method performed by the image display apparatus are provided. The image display apparatus includes a reference angle detector configured to detect a reference angle formed by the pointing direction of the remote controller with respect to a reference direction set for a display; a remote control direction detector configured to detect a remote control direction which is a direction in which the remote controller is viewed, from a reference point set on the display; and a standard direction adjuster configured to adjust a standard direction set in the remote controller so that the standard direction reaches the reference point on the display as viewed from the remote controller, based on the reference angle and the remote control direction.

Abstract: Provided is a user identifying method using a bio-signal, the method including sensing a user input; detecting a bio-signal from the sensed user input; determining whether the detected bio-signal is valid, based on status information representing a status of a user at a moment when the user input is sensed; and identifying the user by comparing the bio-signal with at least one pre-stored reference bio-signal, according to a result of the comparing.

Abstract: An image display apparatus that automatically adjust a pointing direction of a remote controller to almost match with a position of a pointer on a screen, and a pointing method performed by the image display apparatus are provided. The image display apparatus includes a reference angle detector configured to detect a reference angle formed by the pointing direction of the remote controller with respect to a reference direction set for a display; a remote control direction detector configured to detect a remote control direction which is a direction in which the remote controller is viewed, from a reference point set on the display; and a standard direction adjuster configured to adjust a standard direction set in the remote controller so that the standard direction reaches the reference point on the display as viewed from the remote controller, based on the reference angle and the remote control direction.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus, a method, and a program for processing an image which reduces crosstalk and achieves high image quality. The method includes obtaining a differential signal by subtracting one input image signal of an object to be processed from another input image signal; applying a predetermined correction coefficient to the differential signal; determining, for each pixel, whether the differential signal is a negative value; selectively outputting, for each pixel, the differential signal, to which the predetermined correction coefficient is applied, as a correction signal based on a result of the determining; and correcting, for each pixel, the one input image signal based on the one input image signal and the correction signal that is selectively output if the differential signal is the negative value.

Abstract: To solve the problem that when a space with a set width is inserted after each character to regularize the spaces between characters the overall character spacing is widened, making text less easy to read, there are provided a character control code storage unit (5) for storing, for each character display position, a character control code (CTD) including a character code (CC) and character width data (CW), and a positional control unit (4) for reading the character control code (CTD) for the present character display position from the character control code storage unit (5), and controlling the occurrence interval of the present character display position according to the character width data (CW) in the character control code (5) that was read and the previous character display position.

Abstract: A first edge width correction process (2) is carried out in which edge widths are corrected by an interpolation process using zoom ratio control values (RZC) generated according to the edge widths in image data; an enlargement processing process (3) that enlarges the image data with edge widths corrected by the first edge width correction process (2) is carried out; a second edge width correction process (4) similar to the first edge width correction process is carried out on the enlarged image data; and an edge enhancement process that enhances edges in the image data with edge widths corrected by the second edge width correction process is carried out. An image processing apparatus is obtained that mitigates the loss of sharpness in an enlarged image and accordingly makes it possible to provide better picture quality.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus, a method, and a program for processing an image which reduces crosstalk and achieves high image quality. The method includes obtaining a differential signal by subtracting one input image signal of an object to be processed from another input image signal; applying a predetermined correction coefficient to the differential signal; determining, for each pixel, whether the differential signal is a negative value; selectively outputting, for each pixel, the differential signal, to which the predetermined correction coefficient is applied, as a correction signal based on a result of the determining; and correcting, for each pixel, the one input image signal based on the one input image signal and the correction signal that is selectively output if the differential signal is the negative value.

Abstract: Interpolation data for a missing pixel are obtained (4) after a correction (3) for variations in the characteristics of the imaging devices (8(1), 8(2)). The correction for variations in characteristics includes, for example, a black level correction (9) and a sensitivity correction (10). The interpolation includes, for example, interpolation calculations (14(1), 14(2)) such that a mean value of a plurality of pixels including the missing pixel and a mean value of a plurality of pixels not including the missing pixel become equal and an interpolation calculation (14(0)) that takes the mean of the pixels to the right and left of the missing pixel, the calculation with the least error being selected (13, 15). Thus missing pixels in highly periodic images can be properly interpolated, and interpolation can be performed with high precision even when there are variations in the sensitivity characteristics of the individual imaging devices constituting the contact image sensor.

Abstract: Missing-pixel interpolation data are obtained such that the mean value of a plurality of pixels constituting a group of pixels including a missing pixel is equal to the mean value of a plurality of pixels constituting a group of pixels not including the missing pixel. For example, missing-pixel interpolation data are obtained by (1) obtaining a sum (SL) of the values of pixels other than the missing pixel (L) in the k pixels constituting the group (LC) of pixels including the missing pixel, (2) obtaining a sum (SA) of the values of k pixels constituting a group (NA) of pixels not including the missing pixel, and (3) taking the difference between these sums. This makes it possible to reduce interpolation error when a highly periodic image with missing pixels is interpolated.

Abstract: An image display device comprises a first clock generator for generating and outputting a first clock based on input horizontal synchronizing signals corresponding to horizontal lines making up input image signals, a second clock generator for generating and outputting a second clock, storage configured so as to accumulate image data sampled from the input image signals based on the first clock using the first clock output from the first clock generator and read out the accumulated image data using the second clock output from the second clock generator, a controller for outputting control signals for controlling the cycle of output horizontal synchronizing signals at the time of reading out and displaying the accumulated image data from the storage, according to image size information of the input image signals, cycle information of the input horizontal synchronizing signals, display panel size information, and cycle information of the second clock, and a synchronizing signal generator for outputting the out

Abstract: An image signal generating unit supplies a single image signal to multiple image display units having different unit numbers. Embedded in the image signal is an index signal designating the image display units on which the image signal is to be displayed. Each image display unit compares its unit number with the index signal to select displayable frames of the image signal, preferably storing and displaying the most recent selected frame. Each image display unit can thereby display a different image. The image signal may have a standard format.

Abstract: A tone step detector detects whether the tone of n-bit input image data varies gradually, and generates a tone processing control signal indicating that a tone step is contained. A bit shifter bit-shifts the n-bit input image data to the left by ? bits, to generate (n+?)-bit image data. A tone processor smoothes the image data of the (n+?)-bit image data generated by the bit shifter, in the region where the tone processing control signal indicates that a tone step is contained, to generate (n+?)-bit image data having been smoothed in the above-mentioned region. Because of the selective smoothing, degradation in the image quality due to quantization is reduced even when an analog image signal whose tone varies gradually is input.