Abstract: A message display system for a programmable controller having a function for displaying a message in different languages and an improved program processing efficiency. A message storing means for a plurality of languages includes a plurality of storing areas (1a-1c) for storing messages in the different languages. In the respective languages storing areas (1a-1c), messages having the same meaning in the different languages are stored in addresses having a sequence corresponding to one another. When a power is supplied to the PC, a message transfer means (3) transfers a message of a single language previously designated by a parameter (2) from the message storing means (1) for a plurality of languages to a message storing means (4) for a single language.

Abstract: A bonnet style hair dryer includes integral left and right speakers. Each of the speakers is positioned proximate a respective ear of the user when the bonnet is placed over the user's head. A stereo audio cable is connected to the speakers with the opposite end connected to a stereo audio jack positioned within the bonnet. The speakers can thus be connected, via a removable external audio cable, to any suitable audio source so that a user can receive audio entertainment or information while her or his hair is being dried. The external audio cable may have an in-line stereophonic audio amplifier incorporated therein. The speakers have speaker cones which are heat formed from a polyester film to increase the efficiency of the speakers. The speaker cones may also have radial or tangential ribs formed therein. A one-piece folding speaker holder provides for toolless mounting of the speakers within the hair dryer bonnet.

Abstract: A color active matrix display system allows random access of pixel electrodes. The control electronics is fabricated with the active matrix circuitry using single crystal silicon technology. The control electronics includes a random access data scanner and random access spec scanners. By selectively actuating pixel electrodes in the active matrix display region, compressed video information can be directly displayed on the active matrix display panel. Color stripes are used to generate sequential color systems to produce a color image from the active matrix display panel.

Abstract: An amplitude adjust circuit (10) provides a scaled representation (36) of an analog audio signal (28) with substantially zero DC offset relative to a reference voltage. A voltage reference generator (12) produces a voltage reference (20) that inputs to an operational amplifier (14). The offsetting circuit (16) offsets an analog audio signal (28) by a DC component substantially equal to the voltage reference (20) and provides the result as an input to the operational amplifier (14). The operational amplifier (14) produces an output with a DC component substantially equal to the voltage reference (20). The impedance network (18) operably couples to the operational amplifier (14) output and to the voltage reference (20) so that both sides of the impedance network (18) are held at the voltage reference (20) level.

Abstract: A system for reducing periodic noise, which includes a plurality of harmonically related noise signals, comprises an actuator for producing a canceling acoustic signal, a sensor for detecting a residual noise signal, a synchronizing signal generator and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry comprises a plurality of tunable harmonically related band pass filters, a tuning signal generator and a summer which sums the outputs of the filters. The tuning signal generator receives the synchronizing signal from the synchronizing signal generator and outputs the tuning signals to the band pass filters. As the frequency of the synchronizing signal changes, the tuning signal generator causes the tunable filters to track harmonics of the noise to be canceled. After summing by the summer and suitable amplification, the outputs from the filters are used to drive the actuator so as to reduce the residual noise detected by the sensor.

Abstract: A power supply circuit arrangement for electrical equipment, such as a loudspeaker with an integral power amplifier, which can be switched between an operational mode and a standby mode in response to a detected on/off signal, provides a desirable isolation of the main supply voltage from the detector. The arrangement comprises a transformer, having a primary winding and a secondary winding, and a switched impedance device between the transformer and the power supply input. The switched impedance device is switchable between high and low impedance states in response to the detected on/off signal. A control circuit for detecting the on/off signal and switching the variable impedance states is connected in common with a main circuit of the equipment to the secondary winding of the transformer, so that their respective supply voltages are both switched, in common, by switching of the impedance device. The control circuit and variable impedance device isolate the detector from the power supply.

Abstract: An active in the ear hearing protector having an ear piece (13) and a casing (12) attachable to the ear piece, the ear piece being positionable in the ear canal of a user so as to peripherally acoustically seal the ear canal and such that the attached casing (12) is positioned externally of the ear canal. The casing (12) incorporates a microphone (14) for receiving external acoustic sound signal and a signal processing circuit (15) for receiving electrical signal from the microphone and correspondingly causing a loudspeaker (16) in the casing to generate sound signal for direction down a tube (34) extending through the ear piece to be transmitted to the ear canal. The electrical circuit (15) is arranged to limit the electrical signal delivered to drive the loudspeaker whereby to limit the sound pressure of sound signal delivered from the loudspeaker to the ear canal via the tube (34).

Abstract: An integrated information processing apparatus is provided with a display device and a generally transparent input tablet having an input surface placed on a display surface of the display device for outputting a pointing coordinate which is a coordinate on the input surface pointed by a user's finger or an indicator. The apparatus includes a circuit for determining an indication direction extended point coordinate from the pointing coordinate output by the input tablet and a predetermined value, and a display processing section for displaying a point on the display surface of the display device corresponding to the determined indication direction extended point coordinate so that it is distinguishably displayed on the display device.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display comprises multiple capacitors which apply electric fields to liquid crystal material located between the capacitor plates. In the invention, each capacitor is associated with a sensor which detects the presence of a hand-held stylus. The detection can be done optically, acoustically, by pressure, by temperature, or by other means.

Abstract: In a radio receiver with digital signal processing, a stereo multiplex signal received and the useful signals derived therefrom are processed in digital form at a first sampling rate. The subsidiary signals derived from the stereo multiplex signal are at least partly processed at a second sampling rate that is smaller than the first sampling rate. The sampling rate of the processed subsidiary signals are reduced to the first sampling rate with the processed subsidiary signals, acting as control signals with the first sampling rate, affecting the stereo multiplex signal and the useful signals.

Abstract: Methods and systems for beamforming are disclosed that include a signal processor that can dynamically determine the relative time delays between a plurality of frequency-dependent signals. The signal processor can adaptively generate a beam signal by aligning the plural frequency-dependent signals according to the relative time delays between the signals. The signal processor can store one frequency-dependent signal as a reference signal and can align the remaining frequency-dependent signals relative to this reference signal. One advantage of the signal processor is that it can align the plural frequency-dependent signals generated by an array of microphones that can be arranged in a linear, two dimensional or three dimensional array and located in a room environment.

Abstract: This is a Braille display device which comprises: a plurality of cavities; and circuitry to individually excite the plurality of cavities. The plurality of cavities contain a positive and a negative electrode 18, 22, 26 and are filled with a quantity of polar organic gel 24 sensitive to electric fields. The cavities are sealed by an elastomeric film 14. The elastomeric film is held generally flat, by its own tension, in the absence of any voltage applied to the electrodes 18, 22, 26 in the plurality of cavities. The display device can also include circuitry to determine whether the cavity has been touched by person who is reading the display. The display device can also include circuitry to individually vibrate each cavity. Other devices, systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: In the state of the art, it is known to connect diaphragms (11) of cone loudspeakers to the loudspeaker frame (10) by means of so-called beads (13). Such beads (13) are predominantly made of plastic or rubber, and are connected to the diaphragm (11) or the loudspeaker frame (10) by means of suitable adhesives. This type of connection limits the free selection of the above named components, because not all elastic bead materials can be connected to the diaphragm (11) with the required mechanical stability. The selection of materials is further restricted when the loudspeaker is subjected to ambient temperatures above 100.degree. C., because the adhesive connections lose their strength under such conditions. The invention has therefore the task of presenting a high-strength suspension mount for the diaphragms of cone loudspeakers. This task is fulfilled in that the bead (13) is made of an injection-moldable and high-temperature resistant elastomer material (e.g.

Abstract: A fuel dispenser having a controllable audio/video program display includes a fuel pump and delivery path, a program media display, and a prerecorded program and a multi-media controller to direct program signals to the program media display. Apparatus is included for recovering multi-media control signals embedded in the program signals in the prerecorded program including a detector for detecting predetermined portions of the program signals having embedded control signals and rerouting means for rerouting the control signals in the program signals to an output. The multi-media controller is coupled to the rerouting means to act on the program signals as directed to the media display.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for locating a point in a list are provided. The method includes the steps of indexing the list into segments, placing the segments into a viewer on a display, and selecting a desired segment from the viewer to scroll the list to the desired segment. The method may be integrated into a graphical user interface.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display driving circuit comprises a plurality of transfer gates having their one end connected in common to a source line of a liquid crystal display panel and their other end connected to a plurality of driving voltages, respectively, for supplying a different voltage to the source line. A control circuit receives an image input data for selectively turning on the transfer gates, for the purpose of realizing a multiple gray scale display. The control circuit is configured to turn on one transfer gate selected from the plurality of transfer gates during a first period of one display period, and then, to maintain the turned-on condition of the selected transfer gate during the remaining period of one display period, or to simultaneously turn on two transfer gates which are selected from the plurality of transfer gates and which include the selected transfer gate during the remaining period of one display period.

Abstract: A display apparatus and method that provides a windowing interface that gives the user the capability to identify and locate the particular window associated with a bell tone emitted by an application program. When a particular application emits a bell tone, the system displays a locator icon on the display. The text associated with the locator icon contains the window title, which tells the user which window caused the tone to be emitted. To go directly to the window that issued the bell, the user positions the pointing device over the locator icon and activates it to bring the icon into focus. At this time the icon vanishes and the window that emitted the bell tone is prominently displayed so the user can attend to it. If the user does not activate the locator icon and no other bell tones are emitted from the same window, then the locator icon will be removed from the display after a time period, which may be set by the user.

Abstract: A video signal interface device that converts display data in serial format for a first display device, e.g. CRT display, to display data appropriate to a second display device, e.g. LCD panel. The second display device can execute binary display and carry out gray-scale display as a pseudo operation by switching with every frame.

Abstract: A memory storing image data at a m1.times.n1 (horizontal to vertical) dot resolution is read out at a horizontal scanning rate corresponding to a first clock signal at a frequency f.sub.1. Data read out from the memory is latched in a first storage device in response to the first clock signal. An output from the first storage device is latched in a second storage device in response to a second clock signal at a frequency f.sub.2. The rate f.sub.2 is selected to be less than f.sub.1 and to correspond to the desired display rate of the display device having a pixel resolution of m2.times.n2. f.sub.1 and f.sub.2 are related such that f.sub.1 /f.sub.2 =(m1/m2). The difference in frequencies causes some of the X address from the memory to be dropped and not stored in the second storage device thereby resulting in the desired data conversion in the X direction. The Y address is incremented by an amount equal to n1/n2 to affect the resolution conversion in the Y direction.

Abstract: A virtual image display management system using a head-up display that improves the ability of an operator of an automobile, or other equipment, to focus on primary functions, such as vehicle operation, while providing secondary information within the operator's primary visual field without requiring the operator to refocus. The present virtual image display management system integrates one or more secondary function displays into one reconfigurable virtual image head-up display. Several secondary functions are displayed sequentially using analog/digital symbology, icon representation, alphanumeric text or static/motion picture format. The operator may select secondary functions to be monitored, the display format, and the data acquisition intervals. A reconfigurable virtual image display processor accommodates more sophisticated sensor and communication functionality without penalizing efficiency and safety of the operator's primary functions.