Automatic conversion from lexical words to prosodic words for mandarin text-to-speech system

In real speech, not like lexical words (LWs), prosodic words (PWs) are basic rhythmic units. The naturalness of a Text-to-Speech (TTS) system is directly influenced by the segmentation of the PWs. Most of the PWs are the combination of several LWs. In this paper, three Lexical Combination Models are proposed to combine LWs into PWs, including a Directed Acyclic Graph Model, a Segmentation Model and a Markov Model (MM). To cope with the situation where some long LWs should be segmented into two or more PWs, a Lexical Split Model (LSM) is applied to the long LWs. Experimental results prove that relatively constant results with various training data can be obtained from a MM. The Transformation-Based Error Driven Learning (TBED) algorithm, for its high performance of individual property, is applied in combination with the MM to improve the precision of PW segmentation. Experiments show that among the three proposed models, the MM combined with TBED and LSM, leads to the best performance, in which a precision of 93.00% and a recall of 93.23% are achieved. The perception test indicates that by using PWs as the lowest prosodic units a speech sounds more natural and acceptable than by using LWs. This paper is supported by NSFC Project (60503071); 973 Natural Basic Research Program of China (2004CB318102); Postdoctor Science Foundation of P. R. China (20070420275).     

Critical Configurations for 1-View in Projections from ℙ<Superscript>k</Superscript> → ℙ<Superscript>2</Superscript>

In this paper we describe, from a theoretical point of view, critical configurations for the projective reconstruction of a set of points, for a single view, i.e. for calibration of a camera, in the case of projections from ℙ^k to ℙ² for k ≥ 4. We give first a general result describing these critical loci in ℙ^k, which, if irreducible, are algebraic varieties of dimension k−2 and degree 3. If k=4 they can be either a smooth ruled surface or a cone and if k = 5 they can be a smooth three dimensional variety, ruled in planes, or a cone. If k≥ 6, the variety is always a cone, the vertex of which has dimension at least k − 6. The reducible cases are studied in Appendix A. These results are then applied to determine explicitly the critical loci for the projections from ℙ^k which arise from the dynamic scenes in ℙ³ considered in [13]. Marina Bertolini is currently Associate Professor of Geometry at the Department of Mathematics at the Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy. Her main field of research is Complex Projective Algebraic Geometry, with particular interest for the classification of projective varieties and for the geometry of Grassmann varieties. On these topics M. Bertolini has published more than twenty reviewed papers on national and international journals. She has been for some years now interested also in applications of Algebraic Geometry to Computer Vision problems. Cristina Turrini is Associate Professor of Geometry at the Department of Mathematics of Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy. Her main research interest is Complex Projective Algebraic Geometry: subvarieties of Grassmannians, special varieties, automorphisms, classification. In the last two years she has started to work on applications of Algebraic Geometry to problems of Computer Vision. She is author or co-author of about thirty reviewed papers. She is also involved in popularization of Mathematics, and on this subject she is co-editor of some books.     

Single-longitudinal-mode fiber ring laser employing an equivalent phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating

A novel single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) fiber ring laser that incorporates an equivalent phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating acting as an ultra-narrow bandpass filter in the laser cavity is proposed. The equivalent phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating has an ultra-narrow transmission bandwidth which ensures an SLM lasing. Stable SLM operation without mode hopping is demonstrated.     

The hot blow forming of AZ31 Mg sheet: Formability assessment and application development

The hot blow forming of magnesium sheet offers significant opportunity for forming complex, lightweight parts for automotive applications. This paper characterizes the elevated-temperature formability of AZ31 magnesium sheet materials and the effect of processing conditions on the performance of these materials. In addition, magnesium sheet application development at General Motors Corporation is reviewed.     

Simulation of Strength Distribution in Ground Ceramics by Incorporating Residual Stress Effect

Strength of ground ceramics may be affected by residual stress as well as surface flaws induced by grinding. Strength prediction for ground ceramics is convenient for mechanical design of ceramic components. In this article, a numerical procedure based on fracture mechanics was proposed to estimate strength distribution of ground ceramics by considering grinding-induced residual stress. Bending strength and residual stress of ground ceramics were measured for three grinding-conditions. By comparison of simulated results with experimental ones, it was revealed that strength characteristics in experiments were well simulated by using the proposed procedure.     

A general framework for debugging

The state of the art of debugging is examined. A debugged process model that serves as the basis of a general debugging framework is described. The relationship of the model to traditional debugging processes and support tools is discussed. A minimal set of requirements for a general debugging framework is described in terms of both the theory behind debugging methodologies and the support tools. An execution monitor, Eden, that serves as a debugging tool within this general framework is described     

Effect of polymerization conditions on the melt rheological properties of vinyl chloride–vinyl acetate copolymers

Mathematical models have been developed which predict the composition, molecular weight, and melt rheological properties for vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymers of inherent viscosity range 0.4–0.7 dL/g and bound vinyl acetate levels of 3.8–17.4%. The effect of polymer long chain branching on the viscous/elastic moduli ratio is discussed as well as the comparison of Tinius–Olsen melt index measurements vs. mechanical spectrometer results. The reactivity ratio for vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate comonomer pairs was remeasured and found to be significantly different from literature values.     

常用小水电工程地面控制测量方法

测量工作在小水电工程建设中起着重要的作用。小水电工程按其布置的方式分为堤坝式、引水式和混合式三种。堤坝式电站的测量工作比较简单,而引水式和混合式电站是高水头式,这类电站传统的地面控制测量方法是建立小三角网,但目前由于GPS和全站仪的全面普及,传统的小三角网控制已完全被GPS测量或与EDM导线结合的方法所代替。文章着重介绍引水式或混合式高水头小水电工程的地面控制测量。     

A subspace detection method of analog space-time codes for multiantenna ultra-wideband transmissions

In this letter, we propose a subspace based detection method for space-time block codes (STBC) wedded with ultra-wideband (UWB) transmissions. Without the need of channel information, the proposed algorithm yields the estimation of transmitted symbols by minimizing some quadratic form built on the orthogonality between signal and noise subspaces. Simulations in flat-faded application scenarios show that the subspace method can achieve the same diversity and a loss of about 2 dB at the 10/sup -3/ level with more than four successive space-time codes being decoded jointly, compared to the coherent decoding algorithm.