Abstract: A video game is provided in which a player can switch a player character in a battle to an enemy character by a switching operation. With such a switching operation, the player performs the battle with the enemy character. If a predetermined time elapses, the enemy character is switched back to the player character. At this time, an HP of the enemy character reflects on an HP of the player character. If a special ability of the enemy character is used, the special ability is inherited by the player character and can be used in battles thereafter.

Abstract: A video display device is provided with a video conversion circuit for extending an inputted video signal in horizontal and/or vertical directions, and a display unit including a display screen whose aspect ratio is longer in the horizontal direction than 16:9 and adapted to display the video extended by the video conversion circuit. The video conversion circuit includes a mode for extending the inputted video at a scaling factor of A, which is equal to or larger than 1, in the horizontal direction and at a scaling factor of B, which is equal to or larger than 1, in the vertical direction, so that videos effectively utilizing the aspect ratio of the video display device can be displayed while reducing incongruous feeling caused by the extension in the horizontal direction.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to increase measurement precision for measuring errors of a quadrature demodulator. An error measurement device 10 receives an I signal and a Q signal from a quadrature demodulator 4 for demodulating a signal to be demodulated including multiple carrier signals respectively different from each other in frequency, and measures a gain imbalance which is a ratio of the amplitude of the Q signal to the amplitude of the I signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a game apparatus, a game progressing method, and a recording medium that remove dissatisfaction of a player generated when an operation is not reflected on a progressing result of a game in spite of the operation being made at an appropriate timing and enhance entertaining potentialities. If an operation instruction on a player character is received from a player, a time period that has elapsed since a previous state has changed to a current state is measured. When the elapsed time is within a predetermined time, allowable actions in the current state and the previous state are inquired. When the elapsed time is not within the predetermined time, allowable actions in the current state are inquire. Based on an inquiry result, it is determined whether the operation instruction from the player is an allowable action.

Abstract: A playback device generates a virtual package in response to a construction request made by an application. After the virtual package is thus generated, a virtual file system 23 allows a file recorded on a removable medium in an 8.3 format to be accessed with use of an alias in a Long File Name format, based on a merge management information file that indicates a correspondence between a file path in the 8.3 format and a file path in the Long File Name format.

Abstract: A driving circuit drives a switching element such that an ON-period of the switching element is shorter when a power receiving device is detected not to be placed than when the power receiving device is placed.

Abstract: A post filter and a decoder enabling improvement of the sound quality of a decoded signal even when the sound quality of the decoded signal is different from the bands are disclosed. A frequency converting section determines a decoded spectrum. A power spectrum computing section computes the power spectrum from the decoded spectrum. A correction band determining section determines the band in which the power spectrum is corrected according to layer information. A power spectrum correcting section corrects the power spectrum in the corrected band in such a way that the variation along the frequency axis is suppressed. An inverse converting section subjects the corrected power spectrum to inverse conversion to determine an autocorrelation function. An LPC analyzing section determines an LPC coefficient of the determined autocorrelation function.

Abstract: In a grommet fitted around a wire harness wired in a vehicle, and mounted in a through hole of a vehicle body panel, a radially outward extending portion is provided on an outer peripheral surface at an end of a small diameter cylinder portion, in which the wire harness is tightly inserted. A large diameter cylinder portion is connected to an outer peripheral end of the radially outward extending portion. An annular stretchable portion is provided at a portion connecting the small diameter cylinder portion to the radially outward extending portion. A step is provided on an inner peripheral surface at a boundary position between the small diameter cylinder portion and the stretchable portion, such that a thickness of the stretchable portion is thinner than a thickness of the small diameter cylinder portion. An annular rib is provided on an outer peripheral surface of the boundary position.

Abstract: A variable power optical system, including a fixed negative first lens group, a second positive lens group and a third positive lens group, wherein the first lens group includes a deflecting element arranged to bend an optical path, and when d12w denotes a distance between an image side principal point of the first lens group and an object side principal point of the second lens group at a short focal length end, d12t denotes a distance between the image side principal point of the first lens group and the object side principal point of the second lens group at a long focal length end, fw denotes a focal length of the optical system at the short focal length end, ft denotes a focal length of the optical system at the long focal length end, and f1 denotes a focal length of the first lens group, the optical system satisfies: 2.5<(d12w/d12t)/|?{square root over (fw×ft)}/f1|<4.0.

Abstract: A loudspeaker system capable of simultaneously providing listeners with a listening environment not giving them a feeling of strangeness. The loudspeaker system (100) comprises drive motors (111 to 113, 121 to 123) for so driving at least first R-channel loudspeaker (101) that the current first listening position is substantially included in the perpendicularly bisecting plane of a line joining the intersecting point of the first R-channel speaker (101) and its directivity axis and the intersecting point of the second R-channel loudspeaker (120) and its directivity axis and so driving at least fourth L-channel loudspeaker (104) that the current second listening point is substantially included in the perpendicularly bisecting plane of the line joining the intersecting point of a third L-channel loudspeaker (103) and its directivity axis and the intersecting point of a fourth L-channel loudspeaker (104) and its directivity axis. The loudspeaker system (100) further comprises their motor driver section (130).

Abstract: A heating roller performs electromagnetic induction heating, and includes a first exciting coil that heats the heating roller, a first degaussing coil that decreases magnetic fields of the first exciting coil, and a first axial direction core that guides magnetic fluxes, to make up a magnetic circuit between the first axial direction core and the heating roller. The width of a heat zone is controlled in agreement with a sheet feeding area. Thus, the capability to control a temperature increase in a non-sheet-feeding area of the heating roller is enhanced. Power can be saved during continual feeding of small recording sheets.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aqueous composition for recording medium in a form of aqueous dispersion solution comprising a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin (A) having an average saponification degree of 80-89 mol % and an average polymerization degree of 1700-3500, and containing a polyvinyl alcohol having 1,2-diol structural unit on a side chain thereof, represented by a general formula (1); an inorganic microparticle (B); and a boron compound (C). The aqueous composition of the present invention is not likely to become gel and therefore exhibit excellent preservation stability. Furthermore, the aqueous composition provides a recording layer serving as an ink receiving layer/glossy layer satisfied with gloss, ink absorbency, and water resistance. Accordingly, the present invention may also provide an ink-jet recording medium satisfying surface gloss by forming a coating layer of the inventive aqueous composition on a substrate, even when the substrate has water resistance.

Abstract: The present apparatus includes a cross-flow filtration fuel separator having a separation membrane separating by permeation, fuel from lubricating oil flowing in an oil circuit of an internal combustion engine; a vapor-liquid separator separating the fuel separated by the fuel separator, into a gas component and a liquid component; and a fuel collector (canister) collecting the gas component of the fuel separated by the vapor-liquid separator.

Abstract: A digital camera includes an imaging system which performs a photographing operation and records captured image files in a buffer memory; an AF system which performs a focus-state detection process, in which the AF system detects a focus state, and a focusing lens group driving process, in which the AF system moves a focusing lens group to an in-focus position; and first and second switches which actuate the AF system and the imaging system, respectively. While the first and second switches are held ON, the digital camera performs a continuous shooting process in which the imaging system repeatedly performs the photographing operation and the AF system repeatedly performs the focus-state detection process. Upon the buffer memory becoming full during the continuous shooting process, the imaging system suspends the photographing operation and the AF system performs the focus-state detection process and the focusing lens group driving process.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to establish a system for reliably differentiating an ES cell into a hepatic cell. The present invention provides a method for inducing the differentiation of an ES cell into a hepatic cell, which comprises, in the presence of an M15 cell, culturing a mammal-derived ES cell in the presence of activin and bFGF, and then culturing the ES cell in the presence of dexamethasone, HGF, and oncostatin M.

Abstract: A method of arranging a surgical needle in an applicator. The needle is made of a hyper-elastic alloy which, after treatment, has two distinct states and includes a crimping zone for securing a suture to the needle, a free end having a tapered point which includes an inclined heel portion arranged on an inside portion of a curved profile. The method includes forcing the needle into a roughly elongated position when the needle is housed in an internal bore of the applicator. When the needle is not housed in an internal bore of the applicator, the needle adopts a curved profile as a result of superelasticity or hyper-elasticity of the needle.

Abstract: A cookie cup sandwich cookie having dissimilarly-sized base cakes is continuously produced by applying a layer of filler cream to a lower base cake and applying an upper base cake to the lower base cake so that the outer periphery of the upper base cake surrounds the layer of filler cream. The apparatus for the production of the sandwich cookies includes at least one rotary molder for producing lower base cakes and upper base cakes having different sizes, a filler cream depositor that deposits a layer of filler cream on each of the lower base cakes, and a conveyer system for transporting and at least substantially concentrically aligning the dissimilarly sized lower and upper base cakes.

Abstract: A transform coding apparatus includes an input scale factor calculating section that calculates an input scale factor having a predetermined number of scale factors associated with an input spectrum as an element, and a codebook that stores a plurality of scale factor candidates having a predetermined number of elements and outputs one scale factor candidate. The transform coding apparatus also includes an error calculating section that calculates an error on a per element basis, a weighted error calculating section that determines a weight on a per element basis and calculates a sum of products of the error and the weight to calculate a weighted error, and a searching section that searches for a scale factor candidate that minimizes the weighted error in the codebook.

Abstract: A photographic apparatus comprises a monitor, a face detector, and an electronic zoom controller. The monitor displays a first through-image based on image data. The face detector performs face detection on an image of an area displayed on the monitor, based on the image data. The electronic zoom controller performs first electronic zoom control that enlarges and displays a second through-image corresponding to a predetermined area including a face area detected by the face detector, to the size of a display area of the first through-image, on the monitor. The electronic zoom controller performs second electronic zoom control that enlarges and displays an intermediate through-image corresponding to an intermediate area including the predetermined area and larger than the predetermined area, to the size of the display area of the first through-image, on the monitor, before performing the first electronic zoom control.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an organic EL device which comprises a hole injection layer having a flat surface that is not contaminated. Specifically disclosed method for manufacturing an organic EL device, which comprises a step of forming an anode on a substrate; a step of forming a hole injection layer on the anode; a step of forming an inorganic film on the substrate and the hole injection layer; a step of forming a bank on the inorganic film in such a manner that at least a part of the inorganic film formed on the hole injection layer is exposed; a step of etching the exposed inorganic film by using the bank as a mask so that the hole injection layer is exposed therefrom; and a step of forming an organic light-emitting layer by applying an organic light-emitting material onto the exposed hole injection layer. The hole injection layer contains tungsten oxide or molybdenum oxide.