Abstract: The present invention provides a novel structure of a tape cartridge accommodating a printing tape and an ink ribbon used for printing, which prevents the printing tape from being stuck in a cartridge case or the ink ribbon from being slackened. The tape cartridge of the invention has a mechanism for preventing an end of the tape from being reversely moved back into the cartridge case. A typical structure of the mechanism includes an anti-inversion system which prevents a tape core having a tape wound thereon from rotating in a reverse direction, that is, a direction opposite to a normal rotating direction for printing. The anti-inversion effects are removed when the tape cartridge is set in a printing device such as a tape writer to ensure smooth feeding of the tape for printing. When the tape is forcibly pressed back into the cartridge case, a movable platen clamps the tape between the platen and a fixed wall to prevent reverse movement of the tape.

Abstract: A method characterized by the steps of: a) determining an action to be taken on an object on a computer screen which changes the status of the object; b) modifying the visual appearance of the object through animation to reflect the change in status; and c) automatically moving the modified object on the screen to indicate the disposition of the object. With a delete or "trashing" action, an object is crumpled on screen to indicate that the object has become trash, and the crumpled object is moved across the screen and into a trash can icon to indicate its final disposition. The apparatus of the present invention preferably includes a pen-based computer system, where a stylus may be used to select and activate the object on the screen.

Abstract: A single bit status register includes an input flip-flop, an asynchronous latch having an input coupled to an output of the input flip-flop, a comparator for comparing the outputs of the flip-flop and the latch, and an output stage which provides an error output when the comparator determines that the outputs of the flip-flop and the latch are not the same. In this fashion, it is known when a "read" of the status register is invalid due to the presence of the error output. Preferably, the register also includes a reset disabling mechanism which prevents the input flip-flop from being reset until a valid read has occurred. A n-bit status register includes n register sections, where each register section includes an input flip-flop, an asynchronous latch having an input coupled to an output of the input flip-flop, and a register section comparison mechanism for comparing the outputs of the flip-flop and the latch in that register section.

Abstract: A pen-based system for reflowing handwritten ink objects is disclosed. The system divides the ink objects into paragraphs by identifying groups of ink objects separated from other groups by predefined distances. Each such paragraph is classified as either a graphics paragraph or a text paragraph; graphics paragraphs are formatted according to a graphics formatting protocol and text paragraphs are formatted according to a text formatting protocol. In addition, the system writes formatted paragraphs to destinations where they are displayed. The destination may be a screen on which the ink objects were originally written by a user and/or a printed page, a computer monitor, etc.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for routing information with a pointer-based computer such as a pen-based computer. The routing actions may be faxing, printing, mailing (electronically), and beaming (by infrared light). The routed information may be document or other item produced by or associated with a particular application running on the computer. Routing actions that send items out of the computer system preferably are processed according to the following steps. First one or more menus or windows associated with the application of the document being routed are displayed on a display screen of the computer. At least one of these menus or windows contains a list of routing actions available to the application. The user selects one of these routing actions and, in some cases, provides additional information pertaining to the destination, format, etc. of the document being routed.

Abstract: A transmission system using multicarrier modulation applies FECC (forward error correcting code) coding and codeword interleaving differently to input signals from a plurality of different data channels to produce encoded data signals having different reliabilities and different coding delays. Bits of encoded data signals having relatively less delay are allocated to carriers that are subject to relatively more attenuation and/or channel noise, and hence that are allocated fewer bits for transmission in each symbol period, to reduce the effects of impulse noise. The data channels can comprise video, data, and control channels transmitted on an ADSL (asymmetric digital subscriber line) two-wire telephone line.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recognizing a gesture input on a display screen of a computer system. A stroke is input by a user on the screen, and the stroke is smoothed by reducing the number of points that define the stroke. The number of points are reduced by calculating a weighted position for a new point between two adjacent points that are within a threshold distance, and replacing a plurality of points that are separated by less than the threshold distance with the new point. The stroke is also normalized by dividing coordinates of the points by a scaling factor and storing selected points of the stroke in a prototype buffer. The normalized stroke is matched to one or more of a plurality of gesture prototypes by utilizing a correlation score that is calculated for each prototype. The gesture prototypes preferably include standard gestures having standardized shapes as well as gestures input by a user, and include bracket and pigtail gestures.

Abstract: A method for correcting recognized words in a computer system including the steps of: (a) entering an ink object into a computer system with a pointing device; (b) recognizing the ink object as a word object; (c) displaying the word object on a display of the computer system; (d) detecting a correction request made by a user pertaining to the displayed word object; and (e) displaying a list of alternative words for the word object on the display. Preferably, the list of alternative words includes a shifted-case version of the word object, a number of alternative words provided by a word recognizer, and the original ink object that was entered into the computer system. A user can select one of these alternative words to replace the misrecognized word object. Alternatively, a user may enter a word into the computer system by means of a keyboard image to replace the original word object with the newly entered word.

Abstract: A card game amusement device simulates a card game in which a card the number or the suit of which matches with a number or a suit of a card displayed on a second screen region of a graphic screen is selected from cards displayed on a first screen region, and in which the card is moved onto the card displayed on the second screen region, and in which selecting and moving a card is repeated until all cards are moved to the second screen region or until a card the number or the suit of which matches with the number or the suit of the card displayed on the second screen region is not present on the first screen region.

Abstract: A recognition system for a pen-based computer system characterized by: a tablet for inputting strokes from a stylus; a low-level recognizer responsive to the strokes and operative to perform low-level recognition on the strokes; a high-level recognizer responsive to at least some of the strokes and operative to perform high-level recognition on those strokes; and a recognition interface permitting communication between the recognizers and an application program. The high-level recognizer includes a controller capable of receiving units to be recognized; a number of recognition domains coupled to the controller, where each of the recognition domains can receive one or more units from the controller and is capable of providing an interpretation of the meaning of the one or more units to the controller; and an arbiter coupled to the controller which is capable of resolving conflicts between multiple interpretations developed by the recognition domains.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recognizing an ellipse-type gesture input on a display screen of a computer system. A stroke is input by a user onto a computer screen, and the stroke is smoothed by reducing the number of points that represent the stroke. It is determined whether the smoothed stroke includes at least a predetermined minimum number of points, and, if so, angles between adjacent segments of the smoothed stroke and derivatives of the angles are calculated. It is determined if the stroke substantially represents an ellipse by checking if the stroke curves in one direction or more than one direction utilizing the angles and the derivatives of the angles. In addition, the stroke represents an ellipse if the end points are within a predetermined distance of each other, and if a sum of the derivatives of the angles is within a predetermined range of values. The method preferably includes selecting an object on the screen if the object is substantially overlapped by the smoothed stroke.

Abstract: A distance measuring apparatus according to the present invention comprises two types of distance measuring units, which are a first distance measuring unit of the active method for receiving reflected light of measuring light returning from an object and performing distance measurement based on a focused position thereof, and a second distance measuring unit of the passive method for receiving the natural light reflected by the object through two optical systems and performing the distance measurement based on two optical images thus obtained. The apparatus further has a luminance determining unit for determining a luminance of the external field from a photometry result, and a distance selecting device for selecting and outputting either one of distance measurement results obtained by the first distance measuring unit and second distance measuring unit as a proper distance value, based on the luminance of the external field determined by the luminance determining unit.

Abstract: A method for manipulating notes on a screen of a computer display is provided. Each note area may include graphical, text, and data objects. An initial note area is provided with a header bar which includes the date of creation, the note number, and/or other indicia. When a user desires to make a new note, a division gesture is made on the computer display by moving a stylus horizontally across the screen. Once a division gesture is detected, the height of the preceding note is determined, and the height of the new note is considered to be indefinite or infinite. Each new division gesture creates a new header bar for the new note indicating the date of creation, the note number, and/or other pertinent information.

Abstract: A status bar characterized by a template generated independently of an application program and displayed on a computer screen in contact with an application window. The template carries at least one active area that can include an icon for controlling the application program or an area which displays information generated by the application program. Alternatively, or additionally, the active area can include "global functions" of the computer system. A method for providing a status bar is characterized by the steps of creating a status bar template having at least one area to be activated, activating at least one area to create a status bar, and displaying the status bar on a computer screen in contact with an associated application window displayed on the computer screen. The step of creating a status bar template can include the steps of creating a plurality of status bar templates, one of which is chosen to be attached to a particular application window.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a unified data approach to performing computational services, particularly in pen-based computer systems. The approach employs object oriented functions and establishes common data structures employable in the standardized form in particular defined functional domains of the computer system. The functional domains in which the common data structures are employable without adaptation include the view system, the scripting system, and the object store functional domains of the computational system, which preferably is a pen-based computer system. The apparatus according to the invention further includes an object system for creating, eliminating and managing the predetermined data objects and structures. The object store functional domain provides external storage with respect to the externally located operating system with which it cooperates through a minimal, i.e., narrow interface.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for determining the concentration of a fluid. In one aspect of the invention an apparatus for detecting the ionic concentration of a fluid is provided. The ionic concentration detecting apparatus may include a resonance coil or other suitable receiver that arranged to be influence by the fluid being monitored. The resonance coil is driven by a high frequency signal having a frequency in the range of 10-100 MHz. A detector is provided to measure the losses experienced by the resonance coil. In another aspect of the invention, an ultrasonic based density detecting apparatus for detecting the density of the fluid is provided. The ionic concentration detecting device may be used in conjunction with the density determining device to provide concentration detecting capabilities for solutions having multiple constituents.

Abstract: A method for implementing I/O in a frame-based computer system, including the steps of: a) determining whether there is a communication pertaining to a frame-based computer system; b) determining which frame the communication is associated with, if any; and c) causing the frame to implement a script, including sequence of computer-implemented process steps which causes with input to or output from the frame-based computer system. The frame-based computer system includes a CPU, a memory system coupled to the CPU, an input system coupled to the CPU, and an output system coupled to the CPU. A frame system stored in the memory system and implemented on the CPU provides a basic data structure for the frame-based computer system. A mechanism for detecting an output request initiated within the frame-based computer system causes an associated frame to execute a sequence of computer-implemented process steps to cause the output system to make an output.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a housing having a window surrounded by an opening edge; a light source arranged in the housing; a total reflection mirror arranged in the housing; and a diffusion reflection mirror for reflecting part of light emitted from the light source toward the window and at the same time reflecting another part of the light emitted from the light source toward the total reflection mirror, wherein light reflected by the total reflection mirror is guided to the window, thereby a target object can be uniformly and brightly irradiated, and good image information can be obtained.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for packaging for an integrated circuit having lead frames with closely spaced leads that are configured in such a way that the bonding wires must cross over other leads prior to bonding to the appropriate lead. The method includes the formation of a modified lead frame such that the likelihood of electrical contact between the bonding wires and leads crossed over by bonding wires is reduced. In one embodiment, insulating film is placed on an adjacent lead, or additionally on a number of crossed over leads, directly under the path of the bonding wire such that the potential for electrical contact is reduced. In a second embodiment, a depression is formed on an adjacent lead, or additionally on a number of crossed over leads, causing additional clearance is created between the bonding wire and the lead such that the likelihood of contact is reduced.

Abstract: An integrated circuit with power conservation includes a number of functional blocks, each of which includes digital circuitry and at least one output control line, and a power controller coupled to the control lines. The output control lines develop clock control signals based upon a functional block's knowledge of the direction of data flow. The power controller the reduces power by deactivating functional blocks that are not needed as indicated by the clock control signals. More specifically, a system with power conservation includes a number of functional blocks capable of processing data, each of the functional blocks including a modulated clock input and N+1 clock control lines which reflect the direction of data flow, where N is a number of neighbors of a particular functional block, and a clock controller having an input clock, the clock controller being coupled to the modulated clock inputs and the clock control lines of the functional blocks.