We propose a prototype pedestrian-to-vehicle communication system which uses a cellular phone and wireless communication to improve the safety of pedestrians. One of the effectual measures against pedestrian-to-vehicle accidents is to make each of pedestrians and drivers find the others and recognize the risk from out of sight and with time to spare for avoidance of accidents. A pedestrian-to-vehicle communication system was developed by using a cellular phone and a car navigation system equipped with GPS and wireless communication function. We focused on intersections as a traffic scene to be covered by the system. After data was exchanged via FOMA in a wide area, information could be exchanged between a pedestrian and a vehicle via WLAN 20 m, 100 m away from an intersection to different directions in about 20 ms. And, the system could give an alarm to pedestrians and cars with collision risk.

This paper describes the performance of an outage free SDH (synchronous digital hierarchy) interface 256 QAM modem. An outage free DMR (digital microwave radio) is achieved by a high coding gain trellis coded SPORT QAM and super multicarrier modem. A new frame format and its associated circuits connect the outage free modem to the SDH interface. The newly designed VLSI's are key devices for developing the modem. As an overall modem performance, BER (bit error rate) characteristics and equipment signatures are presented. A coding gain of 4.7dB (at a BER of 10/sup /spl minus/4/) is obtained using SPORT 256 QAM and Viterbi decoding. This coding gain is realized by trellis coding as well as by increasing of transmission rate. Roll-off factor is decreased to maintain the same frequency occupation and modulation level as ordinary SDH 256 QAM modem.>

An experimental business card recognition system is described that recognizes Japanese business cards of a wide variety both in formats and fonts. It also classifies recognition results into several predefined categories so that a business card database is built automatically. The overall procedure divides into a character recognition phase and a linguistic processing phase. In the first phase, the system gives a strictly local approach toward line segmentation to cope with slanted images. In the linguistic processing phase, recognition result strings generated in the former phase are analysed, classified and verified with the help of built databases. Some experimental results are also discussed.>

This paper describes the performance of a 256 QAM modem with 400 Mbit / s transmission capacity. A variety of novel techniques are introduced as ways to achieve good performance. Key techniques include 1) an accurate 256 QAM modulator employing a new monolithic multiplier IC, 2) a carrier recovery circuit which satisfies such requirements: good phase jitter performance and no false lock phenomenon, 3) a highly stable high-level decision circuit, and 4) a forward error correcting code. As an overall modem performance, BER characteristics and signatures are presented. The equivalent CNR degradations of 1 dB(at BER of 10-4) and 2 dB (at BER of 10-9)are obtained using a single Lee-error correcting code and a seven-tap baseband transversal equalizer. The residual bit errors are decreased below the order of 10-10. The performance of a 256 QAM multicarrier modem has given prospect for the development of 400 Mbit/s digital microwave radio system.

This paper presents topics related to the 256 QAM modem for high capacity digital microwave radio. Specifications for modem circuitry are derived from the allowable carrier-to-noise ratio degradation point of view. In this process, various degradation factors are categorized so that the same evaluation is possible. Two representative circuits, the automatic threshold control (ATC) and carrier recovery circuits, of particular importance for developing a 256 QAM modem, are presented. For the ATC circuit, the operation principle as well as the presence of the false-lock phenomenon and its evasion method are described. The prototype 256 QAM modem performance indicates the prospect of a 400 Mbit/s 256 QAM modem.

The radio local distribution system (RLDS) has been proposed to transmit various business information signals. The proposed RLDS uses a 26 GHz band and time division multiple access (TDMA). The main features of the RLDS are the use of radio equipment containing the microwave integrated circuit (MIC) and the adoption of the demand-assigned TDMA (DA/TDMA) technique. The MIC is more suitable than conventional waveguide circuits for mass production because its components are miniaturized. The DA/TDMA system, operating in a fully variable demand-assignment mode, uses simple control systems with a low bit rate. As a result, the RLDS can serve a local distribution system of high-speed digital communications both expeditiously and economically.