Abstract: A ball joint 10 includes a first member 12 having a ball section 14 and a second member 15 having a socket 16. Ball section 14 is accommodated and supported inside socket 16. A pair of dies 20, 30 sandwich a wall 18 surrounding an opening 17 of the socket 16, and are configured to approach each other gradually, utilizing small repetitive vibrations that include an approaching and separating action, thereby intermittently pressing the wall in an inward radial direction. During each interval of the intermittent pressing action, a supporting and rotating device 40 rotates socket 16 (second member 15) in small increments about a central axis C2 of socket 16. Consequently, dies 20 and 30 successively press against a multitude of points on the circumference of the outer surface of wall 18 of the socket, thereby bending wall 18 inward so as to reduce the diameter thereof.

Abstract: A switch device includes a lid arranged between a tactile switch, which is arranged on a substrate, and an operation button, which is coupled to a retainer so that the operation button can be pushed. The lid includes an opening at a location corresponding to the tactile switch. A lower surface of the elastic member is coupled to a surface of the lid. The operation button, when pushed, activates the tactile switch with an elastic member. The operation body, when released from the pushed state, deactivates the tactile switch as a reaction force of the elastic member returns the operation button to an initial position. The switch device includes a projection that supports the operation button. The projection is formed on an upper surface of the elastic member at a location corresponding to the surface of the lid.

Abstract: Information capable of tracing a content distribution route, such as a user ID of a content destination, a content ID, a content provider ID, and a service provider ID, is superimposed on the content as additional information for digital watermarking or steganography before delivering the content. For example, the content ID and the user ID are detected from the delivered content. When both the content ID and the user ID are not detected from the content, it is determined that the content is illegally distributed, and the content distribution route is traced to identify the source of the illegally distributed content. In most cases, unique information, such as a user ID, still remains in copies of the content, thus effectively preventing illegal distribution of the content.

Abstract: A ball joint 10 includes a first member 12 having a ball section 14 and a second member 15 having a socket 16. Ball section 14 is accommodated and supported inside socket 16. A pair of dies 20, 30 sandwich a wall 18 surrounding an opening 17 of the socket 16, and are configured to approach each other gradually, utilizing small repetitive vibrations that include an approaching and separating action, thereby intermittently pressing the wall in an inward radial direction. During each interval of the intermittent pressing action, a supporting and rotating device 40 rotates socket 16 (second member 15) in small increments about a central axis C2 of socket 16. Consequently, dies 20 and 30 successively press against a multitude of points on the circumference of the outer surface of wall 18 of the socket, thereby bending wall 18 inward so as to reduce the diameter thereof.

Abstract: A ball joint 10 includes a first member 12 having a ball section 14 and a second member 15 having a socket 16. Ball section 14 is accommodated and supported inside socket 16. A pair of dies 20, 30 sandwich a wall 18 surrounding an opening 17 of the socket 16, and are configured to approach each other gradually, utilizing small repetitive vibrations that include an approaching and separating action, thereby intermittently pressing the wall in an inward radial direction. During each interval of the intermittent pressing action, a supporting and rotating device 40 rotates socket 16 (second member 15) in small increments about a central axis C2 of socket 16. Consequently, dies 20 and 30 successively press against a multitude of points on the circumference of the outer surface of wall 18 of the socket, thereby bending wall 18 inward so as to reduce the diameter thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for protecting the copyright of an information signal recorded on a recording medium such as a DVD (Digital Video Disc) for presenting the signal to the user or an information signal transmitted through transmission media such as the Internet and for preventing an illegal copy of such an information signal. To put it in detail, information on copyright protection which is read out from the recording medium and information on copyright protection which is encrypted to make the information difficult to alter is used. If both of the information do not match each other, the information on copyright protection is judged to have been altered in an attempt to play back the information signal which is obtained as a result of an illegal copy operation in which case, the operation to play back the information signal is disabled.

Abstract: A power window device for use in a vehicle for raising and lowering each window glass. The power window device includes a drive unit for each door operable for raising and lowering the associated window glass. Each drive unit includes an EEPROM for retaining mounting position information of the position in the vehicle at which the window glass driven by the associated drive unit is located. A processor in each drive unit retrieves steering wheel position information of whether the steering wheel is located in the right or left side of the vehicle. The processor recognizes the position in the vehicle at which the associated drive unit is installed based on the mounting position information and the steering wheel information. This enables the drive unit to be used for both right hand and left hand drive vehicles.

Abstract: When digital image signals inputted through an inputting terminal are recorded on a disc, a medium-related information (a serial number in an TOC) of the disc, read from the disc, with a medium-related information reading section is spectrum-spread in an SS additional information generating section and then digital image signals S2 on which the spectrum-spread medium-related information is superimposed in an SS additional information superimposing section are recorded on the disc. When the signals attempt to be reproduced, the reproduction can be performed in the case wherein the medium-related information superimposed on the image signals recorded on the disc is consistent with the medium-related information of the disc on which the image signals are recorded. Thus, copying of the information signals can be limited to the copying for private use.

Abstract: A content distribution system, a content distribution method and a terminal device are capable of effectively preventing disadvantages of users who formally bought content. In the content system in which a distribution server and a terminal device are connected through a network, even content is taken out from a storage means of the terminal device to the outside later, the content always carries user identification information, so that even the user having the content distributes the content over the network illegally, the distributor of the content can be found with sure.

Abstract: A digital watermark embedding apparatus divides data to be watermarked into a plurality of data areas on the basis of data characteristics, in time series, or on the basis of user selection and performs digital watermark embedding in which different algorithms are applied to the separate data areas. Unlike schemes that embed digital watermarks using an algorithm that is uniform with all data areas, a digital watermark can be embedded in accordance with each data area of an image. When the algorithm is selected in accordance with user input, the embedding algorithm can be selected in accordance with the characteristics of the human vision or auditory sense. Image/audio quality control and detection performance improvement are thus made possible, and deterioration in data quality can be prevented.

Abstract: A power window device for use in a vehicle for raising and lowering each window glass. The power window device includes a drive unit for each door operable for raising and lowering the associated window glass. Each drive unit includes an EEPROM for retaining mounting position information of the position in the vehicle at which the window glass driven by the associated drive unit is located. A processor in each drive unit retrieves steering wheel position information of whether the steering wheel is located in the right or left side of the vehicle. The processor recognizes the position in the vehicle at which the associated drive unit is installed based on the mounting position information and the steering wheel information. This enables the drive unit to be used for both right hand and left hand drive vehicles.

Abstract: A spread code string containing a plurality of chips per interval in one horizontal interval or containing a plurality of chips per interval in one vertical interval is generated synchronously with the vertical sync signal at the generation star timing having a period of one vertical period or having a period of a plurality of vertical periods. The generated spread code string repeats over a plurality of horizontal intervals or a plurality of vertical intervals so that the chips having the same data are arranged in spatial direction of the vertical direction or the time axis direction in picture unit. The additional information is spectrally spread so that the chips having the same data are arranged at least in the interval in each 1 horizontal interval or in each 1 vertical interval of the above-mentioned repetition interval, and the generated spectral spread signal is superimposed on the video signal.

Abstract: An information signal reproducing apparatus for reproducing an information signal from a recording medium on which the information signal, including added copy control information is recorded, comprising a first detector for detecting whether the information signal read out from said recording medium is encrypted and for producing an output representative thereof; a second detector for detecting said copy control information from the information signal read out from the recording medium and for producing an output representative thereof; and a controller for selectively restricting reproduction of the information signal based on the outputs of the first detector and the second detector.

Abstract: An information signal reproducing apparatus for reproducing an information signal from a recording medium on which the information signal, including added copy control information is recorded, comprising a first detector for detecting whether the information signal read out from said recording medium is encrypted or not-encrypted and for producing an output representative thereof; a second detector for detecting said copy control information from the information signal read out from the recording medium and for producing an output representative thereof; and a controller for selectively restricting reproduction of the information signal based on the outposts of the first detector and the second detector.

Abstract: This invention provides an image transmission method, image anti-duplication method, image anti-duplication device, and image recording medium in which the information for anti-duplication control is superimposed on the video signal without deterioration of the resultant video signal and the information is extracted accurately and quickly to perform anti-duplication control. The output device starts generation of PN code correspondingly to the PN code start timing signal T1 generated based on the video sync signal. One chip interval of the PN code is divided to a plurality of divided chips correspondingly to the PN code inversion timing signal HT, and the original value of the chip is inverted on alternate one divided interval to generate the PN inversion code. The anti-duplication control signal is subjected to spectral spreading using the PN inversion code and superimposed on the video signal.

Abstract: The imaging apparatus of the invention comprises: image pickup means for acquiring as an image a part of region of an optical image formed by a taking lens; camera shake correcting means for changing a relative position between the part of region and the optical image depending on a vibration of the imaging apparatus, and thereby suppressing a shake of the object image in the image; state detecting means for detecting a state of an environment where the imaging apparatus is located; and changing means for changing a control value of the camera shake correcting means which influences a driving sound level of the camera shake correcting means, depending on the state of environment. According to this configuration, the control value of the camera shake correcting means is changed depending on the state of environment. This permits appropriate balance between the silence performance and the camera shake correction performance.

Abstract: An apparatus for restricting a copy of digital information is provided with a detecting device for detecting a first watermark, which is buried in the digital information and comprises a first signal generated on the basis of a first rule. A burying device buries a second watermark, which comprises a second signal generated on the basis of a second rule and having a structure different from that of the first signal, into the digital information if the first watermark is detected by the detecting device. A recording apparatus is provided with: an inputting device for inputting the digital information; the above mentioned copy restricting apparatus; and a recording device for recording the digital information in which the second watermark is buried by the burying device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for embedding additional information embeds plural pieces of additional information on a signal as electronic watermark information. In detail, plural pieces of additional information to be embedded on a signal are generated, the additional information is converted into electronic watermark information, the sizes of embedding parts for respective electronic watermark information are defined under control, and the electronic watermark information is embedded on the signal based on the control signal. Therefore, the additional information are embedded so that additional information having a higher significance degree can be more reliably and rapidly detected.

Abstract: A method of superimposing additional information on a video signal, transmitting it, and detecting the additional information from the transmitted video signal. The additional information is synchronized with a sync signal in the video signal, and generated in N (N?1) unit intervals of one field of the video signal. Some predetermined unit intervals of the additional information generated in N (N?1) unit intervals of one field of the video signal, are phase-inverted. The additional information is identified by detecting the information in unit intervals based on the sync signal in the video signal, and detecting that information in some predetermined unit intervals is inverted. The additional information is identified by detecting the information in unit intervals, and integrating the detection results with the information in inverted predetermined unit intervals inverted.

Abstract: The output device generates the PN code string every second chip interval with reference to the video sync signal, and spectrally spreads the additional information using this PN code string. The spectrally spread additional information is superimposed on the video signal every second chip interval and outputted. Upon receiving the video signal, in the recording device for recording the video signal on a recording medium, the video signal component is canceled each other between the video signal component in the chip interval on which the additional information is superimposed and the video signal component in the chip interval on which the additional information is not superimposed because of the correlation of the video signal in the horizontal direction, and only the additional information is extracted.