Abstract: A water music device is provided. In one embodiment, the device permits a child to play a song wherein the different tones of the song are generated by tubes filled to different levels using any liquid, such as water. In another embodiment, the water music device may be one or more water drum devices.

Abstract: The invention has as its object to selectively reproduce on an external apparatus apart of digital data with index that a user wants to reproduce out of the digital data being made up of audio data and/or video data without having to use an application program dedicated for the external apparatus. The present invention is characterized in that in a case that a data file linked with a position information file is to be transmitted to the external apparatus, there are provided a data file divider which performs division processing on the data file on the basis of predetermined positions on the time axis of the digital data specified by the position information to thereby create a plurality of divided data files and a data file transmitter for transmitting the divided data files created by the data file divider to the external apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a plug-in combination of appliances for protecting against overvoltages, said combination of appliances comprising: a socket-type lower part and at least one plug-in module, which can both receive overvoltage protection elements; contact elements and contact counter elements that are respectively arranged in the lower part and in the plug-in module; and complementary guide rails or guide grooves for inserting or pushing-on and fixing the respective plug-in module. According to the invention, functionally separated, mechanical catch or snap-in elements act between the respective plug-in module and the socket-type lower part independently of the forces which hold together the contact elements and the contact counter elements in a positively fixed and/or non-positively fixed manner when the plug-in module is in use. The catch or snap-in function can be cancelled without any mechanical auxiliary means when the respective plug-in module is to be replaced.

Abstract: A pipette tip includes a main body having an upper end, a lower end and a sidewall extending between the two ends. A bore extends axially through the main body between the upper and lower ends. The lower end has a bottom surface in which is formed a central opening that communicates with the axial bore to allow the passage of fluid therethrough. The bottom surface is formed with at least one groove that may be concentrically disposed or spirally disposed about the central opening. The at least one groove acts to inhibit fluid passing through the central opening from at least partially flowing along the outer surface of the sidewall from the central opening toward the upper end of the main body of the pipette tip.

Abstract: The invention relates to a miniaturizable motor (1) comprising a rotor (12) that is driven by a hollow cylindrical piezo oscillator (2). Said rotor is effectively connected to a frictional face (13) of the piezo oscillator while a main electrode or counter electrode (3) and excitation electrodes (4, 5, 6) are disposed on the surface of the hollow cylinder. The hollow cylindrical piezo oscillator is made of a monocrystalline material with a trigonal crystal system which is provided with three main electrical axes that are placed at a 120° angle relative to each other as well as an optical axis. Said optical axis encloses a 90° angle along with the point of intersection of the electrical axes while coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical piezo oscillator. Furthermore, the axial axis of symmetry of the respective excitation electrode intersects one of the main electrical axes while said axial axis of symmetry extends parallel to the optical axis.

Abstract: An image reproducing apparatus (10) includes a mode switch key (19) capable of switching a display mode between an image display mode and a related information display mode. When the image display mode is selected, an image reproduced from a recording medium (16) is displayed on a monitor (17), and when the related information display mode is selected, only a character relating to the image is displayed on the monitor (17). In either display mode, a monitor screen is renewed in response to an operation of a cross key (21). A CPU (15) identifies an operating manner of the cross key (21) and validates, when an on state of the cross key (21) continues more than a predetermined time period, the related information display mode.

Abstract: A plasma plug for an internal combustion engine includes a main body having an inner portion formed of ceramic and an outer portion formed of aluminum or other metal. A first electrode and a second electrode formed of Ruthenium dioxide are disposed axially within the electrically insulated portion of the main body. The plasma plug further includes a donut shaped toroidal capacitor situated circumferentially about the main body of the plasma plug, having an open center, an outer plate connected to a high voltage, direct current generator, an inner plate selectively connected to the first electrode through a spark switch and a dielectric situated between the outer plate and the inner plate. A resistive element connected in series to the first electrode and the second electrode is situated at the lower portion of the main body. The second electrode is either grounded or can float above ground to complete the circuit.

Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasound linear piezoelectric motor comprising an ultrasound oscillator (1) embodied in the form of a piezoelectric plate (4) or a cylinder shell part (3), acoustic oscillation generators (5) and a friction element (6) which frictionally interacts with a driven element (8) and is disposed in a holder. The inventive holder is embodied in the form of an elastic clamp (13) which embraces a driven element, is fixed to the ultrasound oscillator and made of a sound-conducting material.

Abstract: An electronic camera includes a shutter button. When the shutter button is half-depressed, a focal level of an object is determined on the basis of an image signal outputted from an imaging device, and a moving start position of a focus lens is settled on the basis of the determination result. More specifically, a correction amount of the moving start position is settled in accordance with the determination result of the focal level, and a position that subtracts the correction amount from a lens position at a time the shutter button being half-depressed is settled as the moving start position. The higher the focal level, the more reduced the correction amount. The focus lens gradually moves toward the imaging device from the settled moving start position, and a focal position is specified on the basis of the image signal outputted from the imaging device at each step.

Abstract: An electronic camera includes a shutter button. When the shutter button is half-depressed, a photographing condition such as an exposure time period and an aperture amount is adjusted by a main CPU, and characters indicative of the adjusted photographing condition are displayed on an LCD. When the shutter button is full-depressed, an image signal of an object is recorded in a recording medium. It is noted that a time difference between a timing of half-depressing the shutter button and a timing of full-depressing the shutter button is lower than a threshold value, a flag is set to “1”, and a display of the characters is prohibited. Prohibiting the characters from being displayed makes it possible to promptly execute a photographing of the object in response to the full-depression of the shutter button.

Abstract: A video content creating apparatus includes a computer. The computer registers photographic image data input from a photographic input device and meta-information set in relation to the data in a database. After retrieving photographs based on the meta-information, the apparatus selects the photographs to be used for a reminiscence video and decides the reproduction order of the photographs. After registering a BGM playlist, the apparatus reproduces the photographs and BGM for creating the reminiscence video. If there are any regions, the apparatus displays the regions on a monitor while aligning them in sequence according to the meta-information on them. Upon completion of generation (rendering) of a series of reminiscence video contents, the apparatus creates the reminiscence video by saving the rendering results in Flash movie format, for example.

Abstract: A system for selectively allowing and restricting access to websites requested by a user includes a computer having a central processing unit, a display, a keyboard and a web browser installed on the central processing unit. The web browser has a list of allowable top level domains (TLDs), and the central processing unit includes a database having a list of allowable uniform resource locators (URLs). The web browser compares the TLD and URL associated with a requested website to respectively determine if they are the same as a TLD or URL in the lists of allowable TLDs and URLs. If either the TLD or URL associated with the requested website is the same as a TLD or URL on the lists, the user is allowed to access the requested website on the computer. If neither the TLD nor the URL associated with the requested website is the same as a TLD or URL on the lists of allowable TLDs and URLs, the user is denied access to the requested website on the computer.

Abstract: A communication robot control system displays a selection input screen for supporting input of actions of a communication robot. The selection input screen displays in a user-selectable manner a list of a plurality of behaviors including not only spontaneous actions but also reactive motions (reflex behaviors) in response to behavior of a person as a communication partner, and a list of emotional expressions to be added to the behaviors. According to a user's operation, the behavior and the emotional expression to be performed by the communication robot are selected and decided. Then, reproductive motion information for interactive actions including reactive motions and emotional interactive actions, is generated based on input history of the behavior and the emotional expression.

Abstract: A hypochlorous acid generator includes a brine tank for holding salt and a brine solution, the brine tank having a water inlet in fluid communication with a source of pressurized water, a brine solution outlet and a salt fill port to allow salt to be added to the brine tank. The generator also includes an anode chamber in fluid communication with the brine solution outlet of the brine tank for receiving brine solution therefrom, and for generating anolyte, the anode chamber having an outlet for providing hypochlorous acid therefrom, and a cathode chamber in fluid communication with the brine solution outlet of the brine tank for receiving brine solution therefrom and for generating catholyte. The generator further includes a catholyte recirculating pump in fluid communication with the cathode chamber and the anode chamber, the recirculating pump being responsive to a control signal to recirculate catholyte generated by the cathode chamber to the anode chamber.

Abstract: A content reproducing apparatus includes a CPU. The CPU executes an authentication process with a memory card at a time of starting reproduction. The reproducing apparatus, when succeeding in the authentication process, can obtain from the memory card a decryption key of encrypted music data. Accordingly, by decrypting encrypted content data separately obtained by use of the decryption key, it is possible to reproduce the music data. In such the authentication process, certificate data is utilized in an order which starts from registered identification numbers and, every time failing in the authentication process, is renewed to a next identification number. Consequently, an identification number of certificate data which succeeds in the authentication process is registered and utilized in a next authentication process and the subsequent.

Abstract: A retaining clip for retaining reagent test slides in a stacked arrangement includes a first assembly having a first cover plate and at least two parallel, co-planar rails extending transversely from an inner surface of the first cover plate. A second assembly includes a second cover plate, and a rail receiving platform extending transversely from an inner surface of the second cover plate. The first cover plate and the second cover plate define between them a space for receiving the plurality of reagent test slides. The rails of the first assembly include ratchet teeth, and the rail receiving platform of the second assembly includes pawls. The pawls engage the ratchet teeth to prevent the separation of the first assembly and the second assembly and to securely but removably hold the plurality of reagent test slides in a stacked arrangement between the first and second cover plates.