Author: claimsbot

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing device for use in a robot, comprising:
voice recognizer means for recognizing a voice;
image recognizer means for recognizing an image, and
decision means for deciding the behavior of the robot based on at least one of the voice recognition result provided by the voice recognizer means and the image recognition result provided by the image recognizer means.
2. An information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing a table that describes the relationship of the voice recognition result provided by the voice recognizer means, the image recognition result provided by the image recognizer means, and the behavior of the robot that is uniquely decided in accordance with the voice recognition result and the image recognition result.
3. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the decision means decides the behavior of the robot in accordance with the image recognition result uniquely determined by the image recognizer means when the voice recognition is not uniquely determined by the voice recognizer means.
4. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the decision means decides the behavior of the robot in accordance with the voice recognition result uniquely determined by the voice recognizer means when a plurality of objects is present within the area of an image recognized by the image recognizer means.
5. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the image recognizer means recognizes an image of a scene which is present in a direction to which one of predetermined portions of a user, from among a finger, a face, an eye, and a jaw of the user, points.
6. An information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising storage means for storing data of gestures performed by a user,
wherein the image recognizer means recognizes the image of the user to detect a gesture matching the gesture data stored in the storage means, and regards the detected gesture as an image recognition result.
7. An information processing device according to claim 1, further comprising:
detector means for detecting the face of a user; and
range finder means for measuring a distance between the user and the robot based on the size of the face of the user detected by the detector means,
wherein the decision means decides the behavior of the robot using the measured distance.
8. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the voice recognizer means detects a rhythm contained in background sounds, and treats the detected rhythm as a voice recognition result.
9. An information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the voice recognizer means detects an acoustic phenomenon from background sounds, and treats the detected acoustic phenomenon as a voice recognition result.
10. An information processing method of an information processing device for use in a robot, comprising:
a voice recognizing step for recognizing a voice;
an image recognizing step for recognizing an image, and
a decision step for deciding the behavior of the robot based on at least one of the voice recognition result provided in the voice recognizing step and the image recognition result provided in the image recognizing step.
11. A software program for an information processing device for use in a robot, comprising program codes for performing:
a voice recognizing step for recognizing a voice;
an image recognizing step for recognizing an image, and
a decision step for deciding the behavior of the robot based on at least one of the voice recognition result provided in the voice recognizing step and the image recognition result provided in the image recognizing step.
12. A storage medium storing a software program for an information processing device for use in a robot, comprising program codes for performing:
a voice recognizing step for recognizing a voice;
an image recognizing step for recognizing an image, and
a decision step for deciding the behavior of the robot based on at least one of the voice recognition result provided in the voice recognizing step and the image recognition result provided in the image recognizing step.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1-10. (canceled)
11. A method for controlling at least one triggering element for a passenger protection unit, comprising:
providing a high-side control circuit which establishes a first connection from an energy source to the at least one triggering element;
providing a low-side control circuit which establishes a second connection from the at least one triggering element to ground; and
providing a regulating device for regulating a firing current for the at least one triggering element;
wherein a firing mode among multiple firing modes is selected as a function of the at least one triggering element, a first firing current having a first time characteristic being generated in a first firing mode for an essentially ohmic triggering element, and a second firing current having a second time characteristic being generated in a second firing mode for an essentially inductive triggering element, and wherein a current monitoring function which generates at least one control signal is performed, the at least one control signal limiting the output firing currents in time as a function of the instantaneous firing mode.
12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein, in the first firing mode, a first control signal having a constant first activation time period is generated and applied to the regulating device for regulating the first firing current.
13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein, in the second firing mode, a second control signal having a variable activation time period is generated and applied to the regulating device for regulating the second firing current.
14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the second control signal is generated in the second firing mode by a logic combination of at least two additional control signals.
15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein a maximum activation time period of the second control signal in the second firing mode is predefined by a third control signal, and a minimum activation time period of the second control signal is predefined by a fourth control signal in the second firing mode.
16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein a fifth control signal is generated from an output signal of a monitoring device, and wherein the second control signal in the second firing mode is generated by combining the fifth control signal, the fourth control signal, the third control signal, and a selected activation time period between the minimum and the maximum activation time periods.
17. A system for activating at least one triggering element for a passenger protection unit, comprising:
a high-side control circuit which establishes a first connection from an energy source to the at least one triggering element;
a low-side control circuit which establishes a second connection from the at least one triggering element to ground;
a regulating device for regulating a firing current for the at least one triggering element; and
an evaluation and control unit selecting, in response to a presetting, a firing mode for the at least one triggering element among multiple firing modes, wherein a first firing current having a first time characteristic is generated in the first firing mode for an essentially ohmic triggering element, and wherein a second firing current having a second time characteristic is generated in a second firing mode for an essentially inductive triggering element, and wherein the evaluation and control unit performs a current monitoring function and generates at least one control signal which limits the output firing currents in time as a function of the instantaneous firing mode.
18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the evaluation and control unit generates, in the first firing mode, a first control signal having a constant first activation time period via the current monitoring function and then applies the first control signal to the regulating device for regulating the first firing current.
19. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein the evaluation and control unit generates, in the second firing mode, a second control signal having a variable activation time period and then applies the second control signal to the regulating device for regulating the second firing current.
20. The system as recited in claim 19, further comprising a monitoring device, wherein the evaluation and control unit generates the second control signal in the second firing mode by a logic combination of at least two additional control signals, a maximum activation time period of the second control signal being predefined by a third control signal and a minimum activation time period of the second control signal being predefined by a fourth control signal, and wherein the evaluation and control unit generates a fifth control signal from an output signal of the monitoring device, and wherein the evaluation and control unit generates the second control signal having an activation time period which is between the minimum and the maximum activation time periods by combining the third, fourth and fifth control signals.

1. A neutral ring for use in a rotating electrical machine including:
a rotor coil;
a rotor core;
a bind that receives centrifugal force of the rotor coil; and
a lead-out wire that extends from the rotor coil and of which one end is connected to the rotor coil and the other end is connected to the neutral ring,
the neutral ring comprising a plurality of members in an arc shape that are connected with one another, wherein the neutral ring shunts the rotor coil in three phases and wherein a filling is filled between the rotor coil and the neutral ring.
2. The neutral ring for use in the rotating electrical machine according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of members forming the neutral ring are overlapped with one another.
3. The neutral ring for use in the rotating electrical machine according to claim 1, wherein the neutral ring extends with respect to a rotation shaft of a rotor.
4. The neutral ring for use in the rotating electrical machine according to claim 2, wherein the neutral ring extends with respect to a rotation shaft of a rotor.
5. A method for manufacturing a neutral ring for use in a rotating electrical machine, the rotating electrical machine including:
a rotor coil;
a rotor core;
a bind that receives centrifugal force of the rotor coil;
a lead-out wire that extends from the rotor coil and of which one end is connected to the rotor coil and the other end is connected to the neutral ring,
the method comprising steps of:
cutting off the neutral ring in part;
connecting the cut-off neutral ring to an arc-shaped connection element; and
filling an insulator between the cut-off neutral ring and the connection element, wherein
the neutral ring shunts the rotor coil in three phases.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
maintaining connections between users of a social networking system;
identifying a second user that is connected to a first user in the social networking system;
identifying a third-party content object associated with an interest of the second user, the third-part content object associated with a geographic location of an entity located at the geographic location;
determining a measure of likelihood for the third-party content object associated with the interest of the second user, the measure of likelihood describing whether the second user is interested in the third-party content object;
determining that the first user is nearby the geographic location associated with the third-party content object; and
providing a notification to the first user regarding the third-party content object associated with the interest of the second user responsive to determining that the first user is nearby the geographic location.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining that the first user is nearby the geographic location associated with the third-party content object comprises:
determining the geographic location associated with the third-party content object;
determining a geographic location of the first user;
comparing the geographic location of the first user and the geographic location associated with the third-party content object; and
determining that the first user is nearby the geographic location associated with the third-party content object based on the comparison.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining to provide the third-party content object associated with the interest of the second user to the first user based on the measure of likelihood.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the third-party content object comprises an informational content object describing one of movie show times, movie reviews, restaurant menus, restaurant reviews, product information, or product reviews associated with the common affinity.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the third-party content object comprises an incentive content object describing one of coupons, discounts, promotions, or gift certificates associated with the common affinity.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the measure of likelihood for the third-party content object comprises:
determining a location value for the third-party content object, the location value based on a proximity between the geographic location associated with the third-party content object and a location associated with the second user;
determining an interest value for the third-party content object, the interest value based on whether a category assigned to the third-party content object is included in one or more categories associated with affinity information for the second user;
determining a time value for the third-party content object, the time value based on whether a current time is within the delivery time range assigned to the third-party content object;
determining a connection value for the third-party content object, the connection value based on a number of connections of the second user associated with the third-party content object; and
combining the location value, interest value, connection value, and time value to determine the measure of likelihood.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
weighting the measure of likelihood for the third-party content object associated with the interest of the second user, the weighted measure of likelihood describing whether the first user is interested in the third-party content object.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising:
varying the weight applied to the measure of likelihood based on a measure of closeness between the first user and the second user.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein providing the notification comprising:
providing the notification in a search result responsive to a query from a client device of the first user.
10. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable code, the code when executed performs steps comprising:
maintaining connections between users of a social networking system;
identifying a second user that is connected to a first user in the social networking system;
identifying a third-party content object associated with an interest of the second user, the third-part content object associated with a geographic location of an entity located at the geographic location;
determining a measure of likelihood for the third-party content object associated with the interest of the second user, the measure of likelihood describing whether the second user is interested in the third-party content object;
determining that the first user is nearby the geographic location associated with the third-party content object; and
providing a notification to the first user regarding the third-party content object associated with the interest of the second user responsive to determining that the first user is nearby the geographic location.
11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein determining that the first user is nearby the geographic location associated with the third-party content object comprises:
determining the geographic location associated with the third-party content object;
determining a geographic location of the first user;
comparing the geographic location of the first user and the geographic location associated with the third-party content object; and
determining that the first user is nearby the geographic location associated with the third-party content object based on the comparison.
12. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the code when executed performs further steps comprising:
determining to provide the third-party content object associated with the interest of the second user to the first user based on the measure of likelihood.
13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the third-party content object comprises an informational content object describing one of movie show times, movie reviews, restaurant menus, restaurant reviews, product information, or product reviews associated with the common affinity.
14. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the third-party content object comprises an incentive content object describing one of coupons, discounts, promotions, or gift certificates associated with the common affinity.
15. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein determining the measure of likelihood for the third-party content object comprises:
determining a location value for the third-party content object, the location value based on a proximity between the geographic location associated with the third-party content object and a location associated with the second user;
determining an interest value for the third-party content object, the interest value based on whether a category assigned to the third-party content object is included in one or more categories associated with affinity information for the second user;
determining a time value for the third-party content object, the time value based on whether a current time is within the delivery time range assigned to the third-party content object;
determining a connection value for the third-party content object, the connection value based on a number of connections of the second user associated with the third-party content object; and
combining the location value, interest value, connection value, and time value to determine the measure of likelihood.
16. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the code when executed performs further steps comprising:
weighting the measure of likelihood for the third-party content object associated with the interest of the second user, the weighted measure of likelihood describing whether the first user is interested in the third-party content object.
17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the code when executed performs further steps comprising:
varying the weight applied to the measure of likelihood based on a measure of closeness between the first user and the second user.
18. A computer system comprising:
a computer-processor; and
a computer-readable storage medium storing executable code, the code when executed by the computer-processor performs steps comprising:
maintaining connections between users of a social networking system;
identifying a second user that is connected to a first user in the social networking system;
identifying a third-party content object associated with an interest of the second user, the third-part content object associated with a geographic location of an entity located at the geographic location;
determining a measure of likelihood for the third-party content object associated with the interest of the second user, the measure of likelihood describing whether the second user is interested in the third-party content object;
determining that the first user is nearby the geographic location associated with the third-party content object; and
providing a notification to the first user regarding the third-party content object associated with the interest of the second user responsive to determining that the first user is nearby the geographic location.