Abstract: To provide a device capable of determining uniquely the direction of rotation applied to an image and extracting digital watermark information correctly even in the case where a registration signal having a symmetric axis is embedded. A device for enabling digital watermark information to be extracted from image data having the digital watermark information embedded therein in such a manner that it can hardly be perceived by human eyes, in which processing for extracting rotation information and position information from the image data is performed plural times for rotation angles different from one another. For extracted position and rotation information, confidence coefficients indicating accuracy thereof are calculated. The position and rotation angle at which the digital watermark information is embedded are determined based on the confidence coefficients.

Abstract: A registration signal embedding method of embedding registration signals adaptively in accordance with image signals. The frequency property of image data is determined, and either a first registration signal or a second registration signal is selected in accordance with the frequency property, and is added to image data. The registration embedded in this way has the advantage of increased resistance and easy detection.

Abstract: The contours of openings of a solder resist defining exposed portions of electrode pads and the contours of openings of the solder resist defining the contours of register or patterns are simultaneously formed by photolithography using the same mask pattern. As a result, the patterns for registration can be easily formed on a main board or circuit boards. Also, it is possible to increase the positional accuracy of the register or patterns relative to the positions of the electrode pads.

Abstract: An image processing method is provided. This method comprises: a first information extraction step of extracting first information, including a registration signal used to correct the geometrical distortion of an image; a determination step of employing results obtained at the first information extraction step to determine whether second information is to be extracted from the image; a division step of dividing the image into at least one block; and a selection step of selecting the block. In this method, the first information and the second information are embedded in the image as invisible or less visible electronic watermarks, and are added to components of said image that are less easily discerned by a human's eyes. Further, the amount of said first information is smaller than the amount of said second information, and the first information is embedded more deeply in the image than is the second information.

Abstract: An edge vector extraction unit (122) extracts edge vectors from an input image, and a variable-magnification processing unit (123) performs smoothing/variable-magnification processing of the edge vectors. A vertex point adjustment unit (100) selects each of vertex points constituting an edge vector loop as a vertex point of interest, discriminates the directions of two vertex vectors, which sandwich the edge point of interest, and adjusts the coordinate position of the vertex point of interest sandwiched between the two edge vectors having a predetermined combination on the basis of the combination of the directions, thereby suppressing a deformation of an output image, which may be caused by the variable-magnification processing.

Abstract: In magnifying a multivalued image, binary images are generated by using the respective density levels of the multivalued image as thresholds. The contour of each binary image is equivalent to an equidensity curve corresponding to each density gradient of the original multivalued image. Outline vectors of each binary image are extracted and magnified/smoothed. The contour of each binary image represents an equidensity curve corresponding to each density gradient of the magnified multivalued image. In a binary image area corresponding to a black pixel of each binary image, a pixel having a density equal to the threshold used to generate the binary image is written. This processing is sequentially performed for all the binary images from a low-density binary image to a high-density binary image to generate a multivalued image. The objected multivalued image is subjected to density gradient smoothing processing. As a result, a magnified multivalued image is obtained.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus and method for deriving a digital watermark embedded in an image is provided which has a recognizing unit for recognizing a predetermined characteristic area in the image and a deriving unit for extracting the digital watermark from the image data in the recognized characteristic area.

Abstract: When determining whether or not an image of an original input from an image reading device is a copy-prohibition image, a mounting position, a mounting angle or the like of the original is detected, and it is determined whether or not exact determination can be performed. If an exact determination cannot be performed, a signal instructing to again read an image of the original is output, and the operator is provided with a warning.

Abstract: Contour vectors are extracted by an outline extraction unit from a binary image acquired by a binary image acquisition unit. An outline smoothing/zooming unit smoothes and zooms the image expressed by the contour vectors. The zoom ratio at this time is controlled by a zoom controller in such a manner that a zoom ratio obtained by combining this zoom ratio with the zoom ratio of a second zooming unit will become a desired zoom ratio. The smoothed and zoomed image data is converted to a binary image by a binary image reproducing unit. This binary image is zoomed by the second zooming unit. The zoom ratio here preferably is selected in such a manner that the zoom ratio of the smoothing zoom unit becomes unity or greater. As a result, zooming of image data expressed by vectors is no longer limited to enlargement, images can be reduced in size while still remaining faithful to the original image, and it is unnecessary to process extra data.

Abstract: The shapes of openings of a solder resist defining exposed portions of electrode pads and the shapes of openings of the solder resist defining the shapes of positioning signs are simultaneously formed by photolithography using the same mask pattern. As a result, the signs for registration can be easily formed on a main board or circuit boards. Also, it is possible to increase the positional accuracy of the signs relative to the positions of the electrode pads.

Abstract: An IC chip is mounted on a circuit substrate by the flip chip mounting. A projection is provided for forming an eccentric space between the IC chip and the circuit substrate at a position deviated from a center of the IC chip. A sealing resin is injected in a space between the IC chip and the circuit substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a network interface apparatus called a router or the like which is provided in a network system and relays the transmission of a data packet as a bundle of information. In order to know the permission or inhibition of communication of the data packet at a high speed while suppressing an increase in memory capacity, there is provided a coupling management table in which one VLAN ID is allocated to each terminal (each MAC address) and coupling information showing whether the communication from the terminal having a transmitting side VLAN ID to the terminal having a receiving side VLAN ID is permitted (logic “1”) or inhibited (logic “0”) has been stored at each of the coordinate points using the VLAN ID on the transmitting side and the VLAN ID on the receiving side as coordinates.

Abstract: Waste material containing combustible waste substances and incombustible waste substances along with carbonic massive combustibles are feed for passage in a furnace in the form of packed layers. Lower stage tuyeres feed burning support gas in the burning and melting zone of the furnace. Upper stage tuyeres feed burning support gas in the heat decomposing zone of the furnace. Total oxygen fed by the upper and lower tuyeres is 130 to 600 Nm3 per one ton of waste. The ratio of the quantity of oxygen fed from the upper stage tuyeres to the total quantity of oxygen fed from both the upper and lower stage tuyeres is 0.2 to 0.8. Oxygen fed from the lower stage tuyeres is at least 0.8 times the theoretical oxygen required for burning the carbonic massive combustibles.

Abstract: In an image processing method, contours of an image are represented in the form of vector coordinates, and calculation processing is performed based on the vector coordinate representation. In the method, noise present within the original image from which the vector coordinates are extracted is removed in the form of vector data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polishing method using a grindstone comprising abrasive grains and a bonding resin for bonding the abrasive grains, as well as to a polishing apparatus to be used for the polishing method. By using a resin for bonding abrasive grains, it is possible to obtain a grindstone having a desired modulus of elasticity. With such a grindstone, the surface of a substrate having concave and convex portions can be rendered uniformly flat, irrespective of the size of the concave and convex portions. Further, by first polishing the substrate surface with a polishing tool of a small elastic modulus and thereafter polishing it with a polishing tool of a large elastic modulus, it is possible to obtain a polished surface of reduced damage. The method of the invention is effective in planarizing various substrate surfaces having concave and convex portions.

Abstract: An organic resin film 27 having an opening on an electrode pad is formed on a main surface of an IC chip 10, and a protruding electrode 12 formed on the electrode pad is formed of a low melting point eutectic solder. As a result, the protruding electrode 12 is formed without melting the organic resin film while preventing a crack from being generated by a stress applied between the electrode pad and the IC chip. Thus, the reliability of a semiconductor package can be enhanced.

Abstract: There are provided image processing apparatus and method, in which an image signal expressed by a plurality of bits is continuously inputted every pixel, the input image signal is compared with a reference image signal, a change in image is detected, and when the change in image is not detected as a detection result, a quality improving process of the image signal is executed by using a plurality of image signals which are obtained for a period of time when the image change is not detected, and when the image change is detected as a detection result, the input image signal is outputted without performing the quality improving process, and when the image change is not detected as a detection result, the image signal which was subjected to the quality improving process is outputted.

Abstract: An associative memory device having a high speed and good performance is provided without degrading the simple design of a peripheral circuit of a conventional associative memory. The associative memory device has an N-bit first buffer and an M-bit second buffer in which W-bit data is stored through a data input port, detection device for detecting that the W-bit data is input to the first buffer k times or to the second buffer r times, a switch for alternately switching buffers in which the W-bit data is stored, and a search control for performing a search operation for a memory region by using data in the first or second buffer. By using data in the first or second buffer, during the search operation for the memory region of the associative memory, the W-bit data for the next search operation is input to the second or first buffer.

Abstract: An apparatus of this invention divides an image into stripe-shaped images. The image is input in units of divided stripe-shaped images, and outline pixels are traced in units of input stripe-shaped images to extract horizontal and vertical vectors. The extracted vectors are stored in the memory. A vertical vector to be connected to each of the extracted horizontal vectors, and a horizontal vector to be connected to each of the vertical vectors are searched, thereby extracting an outline vector which clarifies the connection relationship among these horizontal and vertical vectors.

Abstract: A method for forming a bump of a semiconductor device including an adhesive applying step of applying an adhesive to a pad electrode of a semiconductor device, a solder grain attaching step of attaching one or more solder grains to the portion of the pad electrode where the adhesive is applied, and a solder melting step of forming a bump by melting the solder grains. In the solder melting step, a metallic core is put in the bump. Therefore, a semiconductor device where a highly reliable bump is formed is obtained through simple steps.