Abstract: An image-taking apparatus is disclosed which has a mirror drive mechanism with a small number of constituent parts, easy assembly. The image-taking apparatus has a mirror movable to a first position in an optical path and to a second position outside the optical path, a first biasing member biasing the mirror from the second position to the first position, a second biasing member biasing the mirror from the first position to the second position, a holding member holding the first biasing member in a charged state, a first cam having a charge portion for charging the second biasing member and a release portion for releasing the charge of the second biasing member, a second cam releasing the holding by the holding member, and a motor driving both of the first and second cams only in one direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a camera including: an image-taking device; a shutter unit having a first shutter member that travels from a position where a shutter opening is closed to a position which is retreated from the opening, and a second shutter member that travels from the position which is retreated from the shutter opening to the position where the opening is closed; a lighting unit that lights a subject; and a control circuit that controls the shutter unit, the lighting unit and the image-taking device, in which the control circuit makes the first shutter member travel, and executes an accumulation operation of the image-taking device after the shutter opening is fully opened in an image taking mode in which the subject is lighted by the lighting unit, and makes the second shutter member travel in association with stop of the accumulation operation.

Abstract: In an information processing apparatus which is connected to an external terminal having an input unit via a network, can receive an input from the input unit of the external terminal, and has its own input unit, an exclusion manager (23) monitors an input from the input unit of the external terminal and that from the self input unit. As a result of monitoring, if an input from a given input unit is generated, the exclusion manager executes exclusion control that inhibits an input from the other input unit until that input is completed.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus having: an image pickup unit for picking up an image of an object; an information detection unit for detecting, in a contactless manner, object information regarding the object stored in a contactless ID tag; a recording unit for recording the object information detected by the information detection unit onto a recording medium together with image data of the object picked up by the image pickup unit; and a control unit for setting detecting conditions in the information detection unit in accordance with an image pickup condition in the image pickup unit.

Abstract: A compacting mechanism for fitting a surface over a refuse container comprising a support member (10) for fitting to the surface, the support member having an aperture (16) which in use is in register with an aperture in the surface. A compacting plate (12) is mounted under the support member, and is coupled to an actuator rod (14) through the aperture in the support member such that the rod may be manoeuvred from a storage position wherein the rod lies along the support member across the surface and the plate is drawn up under the surface to an operative position wherein the rod stands upright over the aperture in the support and may be pushed downwardly through the registering apertures to push the plate down into the container.

Abstract: A modular multi-stack fuel-cell assembly in which the fuel-cell stacks are situated within a containment structure and in which a gas distributor is provided in the structure and distributes received fuel and oxidant gases to the stacks and receives exhausted fuel and oxidant gas from the stacks so as to realize a desired gas flow distribution and gas pressure differential through the stacks. The gas distributor is centrally and symmetrically arranged relative to the stacks so that it itself promotes realization of the desired gas flow distribution and pressure differential.

Abstract: An optical apparatus having a first member and a second member rotating about an optical axis with respect to the first member. One of the members has a cam portion; the other has a cam follower portion engaged with the cam portion which drives the first and second members relatively in an optical axis direction. The first member has first and second portions protruding toward the second member side separated from each other in the optical axis direction; the second member has third and fourth portions protruding toward the first member side separated from each other in the optical axis direction and abuts on the first and second portions, respectively; and the fourth portions are provided in a circumferential direction of the second member and include protruding portions for transmitting power.

Abstract: A dielectric assembly for electrically insulating a manifold or other component from a liquid electrolyte fuel cell stack wherein the dielectric assembly includes a substantially impermeable dielectric member over which electrolyte is able to flow and a barrier adjacent the dielectric member and having a porosity of less than 50% and greater than 10% so that the barrier is able to measurably absorb and chemically react with the liquid electrolyte flowing on the dielectric member to form solid products which are stable in the liquid electrolyte. In this way, the barrier inhibits flow or creepage of electrolyte from the dielectric member to the manifold or component to be electrically insulated from the fuel cell stack by the dielectric assembly.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes an image pickup circuit having a plurality of photographic modes, such as television standards, a compression processing circuit for performing compression processing of an image pickup signal outputted from the image pickup circuit, the compression circuit having a plurality of compression modes, and a selecting circuit for selecting one of the compression modes of the compression processing circuit in accordance with a selected one of the photographic modes of the image pickup circuit.

Abstract: A charging management apparatus which allows constructing a charging system corresponding to various conditions when a plurality of apparatuses share a locally connected image reading apparatus and also allows use of the locally connected image reading apparatus as a chargeable peripheral device is disclosed. An image reading apparatus sharing server (302) serving as a charging management apparatus stores and manages a charging setting information structure based on charging setting related to sharing of an image reading apparatus (301) by a client PC (303), responds to a charging setting information structure acquisition inquiry from the client PC (303), collects, stores, and manages use information related to sharing of the image reading apparatus (301) from the client PC (303), and calculates, stores, and manages a charging result for actual use of the image reading apparatus (301) on the basis of the use information and charging setting information structure.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for encoding and decoding information in broadcast or recorded segment signals are described. In certain embodiments, an audience monitoring system encodes identification information in the audio signal portion of a broadcast or recorded segment using spread spectrum encoding. A personal monitoring device receives an acoustically reproduced version of the broadcast or recorded signal via a microphone, decodes the identification information from the audio signal portion despite significant ambient noise, and stores this information, automatically providing a diary for the audience member which is later uploaded to a centralized facility. A separate monitoring device decodes additional information from the broadcast signal, which is matched with the audience diary information at the central facility.

Abstract: In a system having an arrangement that a CPU (101) connected to a bus (107) via bus bridge (103) and a CPU 102 connected to a bus (107) via bus bridge (104), when the bus bridge (103) receives a semaphore acquisition request from the CPU (101), it controls acquisition of a semaphore on the basis of a semi_out signal received from the bus bridge (104) and a priority order received via a signal line (112).

Abstract: A surface position measuring method wherein measurement light is obliquely projected onto a substrate surface and on the basis of a position of the detected measurement light and a predetected offset, the position of the substrate surface with respect to a direction of an optical axis of the projection optical system is measured, memorizing a first position of a point on the substrate while using a reference mark provided on a substrate stage, measuring the position of the measurement light as a first measurement position; rotating the substrate by 180 deg. in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis; memorizing a second position of the measurement point on the rotated substrate with reference to the reference mark; measuring the position of the measurement light as a second measurement position; and detecting of the offset at the measurement point on the basis of the first and second measurement position.

Abstract: This invention discloses an apparatus having a base and a movable body which is driven to move along the base. The apparatus includes a generator configured to generate a driving signal for the movable body, a temperature adjusting mechanism configured to adjust temperature of the base, and a controller configured to control a manipulated variable for the temperature control mechanism based on the generated driving signal.

Abstract: A white balance correcting device for correcting white balance by using video signals is arranged to be capable of accurately obtaining white balance even in a case where a picture includes only a small white part therein. The white balance correcting device is arranged to divide a picture into a plurality of blocks, to obtain a mean value of signals by averaging signals of each divided block as representing the block and a peak value of luminance from a signal having the highest luminance among others in each divided block also as representing the block, and to use, for white balance control, either the mean value or the peak value according to the state of the object of shooting.

Abstract: A refuse bin comprises a refuse container (10) having a top opening (12) and a lid (14) hinged relative to the container to cover the opening. A compacting mechanism is fitted to the lid and comprises a compacting plate (22) mounted under the lid and an actuating rod (24) coupled to the compacting plate through an aperture (26) in the lid. The coupling is such that the rod (24) may be maneuvered from a storage position wherein the rod lies across the top surface of the lid and the plate is drawn up under the lid to an operative position wherein the rod stands upright over the aperture in the lid and may be pushed downwardly through the aperture to push the plate down into the container. The compacting mechanism further comprises a ratchet mechanism (50, 52, 54) for releasably locking the actuating rod (24) against movement upwardly through the aperture in the lid such that refuse in the container can be compacted by force applied to an edge (48) of the lid opposite the hinge.

Abstract: A camera, in which it is possible to adjust the position of two mirrors easily for striking a balance between the focus detection performances in an optical viewfinder state and an electronic image display state. The optical apparatus includes a first mirror movable between a first position for an optical viewfinder and a second position for focus detection, a second mirror movable between a third position for focus detection and a fourth position where a light flux is not led to the second mirror, a first positioning member for positioning the first mirror at the second position, and a second positioning member for positioning the second mirror at the third position. The second positioning member is a member independent of the first positioning member.