Abstract: A noncontact communication apparatus is disclosed which includes: an antenna resonance circuit configured to have a coil for communicating with an opposite party through electromagnetic coupling; a changing block configured to change a Q-factor of the antenna resonance circuit; and a control block configured to control the antenna resonance circuit to transmit and receive data to and from the opposite party at one of a plurality of communication speeds prepared beforehand, the control block further controlling the changing block to reduce the Q-factor the higher the communication speed in use.

Abstract: A hands-free dental or surgical light system (150) is disclosed which includes a master unit (152) worn by the doctor and one or more subservient units (154) to be worn by an assistant or assistants. Each of the units (152, 154) has a light (12) which can be at full brightness, dimmed or off. The master unit (152) has a transmitter (156) that communicates with a receiver (158) on the subservient unit (154) so that the light (12) on the subservient unit (154) does not accidentally cure a light sensitive material. For example, when in range the master unit (152) can control the subservient unit (154) to turn the light on the subservient unit (154) dim or off when the light 12 on the master unit (152) is dimmed, and dim the light on the subservient unit (154) when the light 12 on the master unit (152) is off. When the master unit (152) is out of range of the subservient unit (154), the subservient unit (154) can be operated without restriction.

Abstract: A method for evaluating the current coupling factor between an electromagnetic transponder and a terminal, wherein a ratio between data representative of a voltage across an oscillating circuit of the transponder and obtained for two pairs of inductive and capacitive values of this oscillating circuit is compared with one or several thresholds, the two pairs of values preserving a tuning of the oscillating circuit to a same frequency.

Abstract: The present invention provides a connected sensor system which can be easily used by the user and which can give an external input to each sensor unit without making the wiring complicated, and also provides a network unit and a sensor unit used for the connected sensor system. A cyclic communication memory of a network unit is arranged with an external input request region, and an external input signal is stored to a corresponding memory in a host control apparatus. By performing cyclic communication between the network unit and the host control apparatus, the external input signal is stored to the cyclic communication memory of the network unit. Accordingly, the external input signal is transmitted to each sensor unit connected to the network unit, and each sensor unit executes the external input function.

Abstract: A rotationally-operated input device includes the following elements: (a) a magnetized cylindrical rotary magnet; (b) an operating shaft having the rotary magnet inserted and held thereon; (c) an upper case and a lower case for sandwiching the operating shaft therebetween rotatably; (d) an insulating substrate for fixing and holding the lower case; (e) a detection element mounted on the insulating substrate, for detecting rotation of the rotary magnet in a non-contact manner; and (f) a fixed magnet for generating an attractive and repulsive force between the fixed magnet and the rotary magnet. This structure allows detection of a rotation state of the operating shaft and provides click-feeling at rotating operation, in a non-contact manner. Thus a long-life small rotationally-operated input device can be provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a tire state variables management system where an external module can reliably receive data from a specific sensor module from which data is to be acquired when an external module transmits to the sensor module a command signal for requesting data transmission. Each sensor module 3 possesses a self-identifying code for distinguishing itself from other sensor modules; the command signal transmitted by the external module 2 includes the self-identifying code possessed by the sensor module 3 from which data is to be acquired; and the sensor module 3 is adapted to transmit the data only when the self-identifying code included in the command signal from the external module 2 coincides with the self-identifying code possessed by itself.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus used in an electronic device for providing haptic feedback. The apparatus includes a base defining a receiving space, a piezoelectricity vibrator suspended in the receiving space and being capable of vibrating in the receiving space, a pair of contacts partially accommodated in the base and electrically connected to the piezoelectricity vibrator, and a transmitting mass located above the piezoelectricity vibrator with a lower side abutting against the piezoelectricity vibrator.

Abstract: Tag data stored in a specific RFID tag is stored in a specific-data storing unit. Tag data is read from an RFID tag present in a communication area by an RFID reader through radio communication according to detection of a specific object by a sensor for detecting the object. When tag data same as the tag data stored in the specific-data storing unit is not included in the tag data read by the RFID reader, the read tag data is transmitted to a host apparatus.

Abstract: A monitoring system monitors and/or predicts drowsiness of a driver of a vehicle or a machine operator. A set of infrared or near infrared light sources is arranged such that an amount of the light emitted from the light source strikes an eye of the driver or operator. The light that impinges on the eye of the driver or operator forms a virtual image of the signal sources on the eye, including the sclera and/or cornea. An image sensor obtains consecutive images capturing the reflected light. Each image contains glints from at least a subset or from all of the light sources. A drowsiness index can be determined based on the extracted information of the glints of the sequence of images. The drowsiness index indicates a degree of drowsiness of the driver or operator.