Abstract: An ellipsometer for evaluating a sample includes a light generator that generates a beam of light having a known polarization for interacting with the sample. A polarimeter of the ellipsometer includes a compensator, an analyzer and a detector. The compensator is formed of an optically uniaxial material. The compensator has a planar front face, and a planar rear face that is substantially parallel to the front face. The compensator is configured such that one ordinary axis of the crystal, but not the second ordinary axis of the crystal, lies in the plane of the front face. The compensator is positioned in the path of the light beam such that the light beam is normally incident to the front face of the compensator. As such, the ordinary ray is not displaced as it passes through the compensator. The ellipsometer further includes means for rotating the compensator about an axis that is perpendicular to both the front face and to the rear face.

Abstract: An apparatus for and method of assigning a VLAN tag to a frame received at a port of a switch are disclosed. The apparatus includes a content addressable memory, a data frame memory, a search circuit, and a tagging circuit. The content addressable memory stores tagging information, the tagging information including lookup data and associated tag data. The frame memory stores at least part of a data frame, the part including data frame information. The search circuit is connected to the content addressable memory and the data frame memory. The search circuit reads the data frame information, searches the content addressable memory for the lookup data corresponding to the data frame information, and reads a corresponding subset of the associated tag data. The tagging circuit is connected to the search circuit and the data frame memory. The tagging circuit writes in the data frame memory a VLAN tag including the corresponding subset of the associated tag data.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a disc reproducing apparatus in which a signal recorded on a disc is optically read out from the disc and reproduced as an audio signal. This disc reproducing apparatus includes a memory in which digital data is stored temporarily, a controller for controlling write and read of the memory such that the digital data is intermittently written in the memory at the first transfer rate and the digital data is continuously read out from the memory at a second transfer rate lower than the first transfer rate and a display device for displaying an amount of the digital data stored in the memory so that an increase or decrease of the amount of the digital data can be visually confirmed. Further, the present invention is directed to a disc recording apparatus in which an input digital audio signal is encoded and recorded on a disc. This disc recording apparatus includes a memory in which compressed data is temporarily stored.

Abstract: A system and method which generates amplified signals indicative of left and right stereo channels, and uses the signals to drive transducers for each of subwoofer, left stereo, and right stereo channels. The amplification circuitry is operable with a power supply having low peak current capability (i.e., low peak to average current rating) even when amplifying an input signal pair having highly correlated frequency components, since it spreads the peak current demands imposed on the power supply over a full cycle of each of the highly correlated frequency components. A series-connected pair of left and right channel transducers is driven by left and right channel power amplifiers of the amplification circuitry, and the subwoofer channel transducer is connected in parallel with this transducer pair so that all three transducers are driven by two power amplifiers, thus eliminating the need for a third power amplifier to drive the subwoofer channel transducer.

Abstract: An EEPROM cell having a double-poly memory-transistor stacked-gate structure and a double-poly access-transistor stacked-gate structure is formed in a process that utilizes a thick layer of oxide as an etch stop when the layers of material are etched to form the memory-transistor stacked-gate structure and the access-transistor stacked-gate structure.

Abstract: A line driver outputs a pair of transmit signals TX+ and TX− that have substantially reduced output level variations due to variations in process, voltage, and temperature. The reduced output level variations are provided by varying the magnitude of the current that sets up the voltages of the transmit signals in a manner that offsets variations in the power supply voltage, temperature, and process, and by limiting variations of the bandgap current source to process and temperature only.

Abstract: A system produces, based on samples of a single-channel input audio signal and an indication of a particular orientation of the listener relative to a source of the audio signal, a multi-channel output audio signal that emulates an audio signal as emanating from the source having the particular orientation to the listener. Interaural time delay (ITD) circuitry generates, from the single-channel input audio signal, a first left channel audio signal and a first right channel audio signal, wherein the first left channel audio signal and the first right channel audio signal are each based on the single-channel input audio signal but differ from each other at least with respect to phase based on the indication of the particular orientation. Azimuth frequency compensating (AFC) circuitry modifies the first left channel audio signal and the first right channel audio signal based on an azimuth, relative to the listener's left ear and right ear, respectively, of the particular orientation.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a molding flask having at least one bar and a squeeze board having a pressing member. The pressing member has at least one vent hole, and defines at least one groove that divides the pressing member into at least two parts. Each groove is positioned and shaped such that it corresponds to the position and shape of one bar. The apparatus also includes an actuator-connecting member to which each part of the pressing member is attached, and an actuator that vertically moves each part of the pressing member.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotary disk loading mechanism. A disk loading mechanism according to the present invention includes a recording medium holder which is rotatably supported by a chassis and into which a storage medium such as a mini disk (trademark) or the like is inserted, an eject lever as a rotation operation member disposed on one side of the recording medium holder and movably supported by the chassis, an operation converting means formed of a cam and so on for converting movement of the eject lever into rotation of the recording medium holder, a holder locking member rotatably provided on the chassis and biased by a first springy member, and an engagement portion provided on the eject lever and biased by a second springy member in a predetermined direction to thereby be engaged with the holder locking member.

Abstract: The accumulation of a small positive charge on the source of a MOS switch which occurs after the switch has been turned off due to the parasitic capacitance that exists between the gate and the source of the transistor, known as clock feedthrough, is reduced by utilizing a split-gate MOS transistor, and by continuously biasing one of the gates of the split-gate transistor.

Abstract: In an image processing method and an image processing apparatus in which information on the distance to a subject is successively allocated to each pixel of a processing target picture to generate a distance image, a key signal is generated from the processing target picture, and a distance image is subjected to keying processing on the basis of the key signal, whereby the outline can be displayed clearly when pictures are superimposed to generate a composite image on the bass of the distance image.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting and shaping food products consisting of a filling and a crust from bar-shaped food material. The apparatus comprises shutter members, each having a convex cutting surface and a sliding surface, a holding member that bridges and holds two adjacent ones of the shutter members, shafts coupled to the shutter members, and a driver for synchronously rotating the shutter members in a horizontal plane by rotating the shafts.

Abstract: A line driver circuit capable of operating in 100Base-T mode and 10Base-T mode includes a 1:1 transformer having a primary winding, the primary winding having a center tap. A current source couples to the center tap. A current steering circuit steers drive current from the current source in first and second directions to provide a differential output signal at the output nodes. The current steering circuit includes two switches. Input signals control the opening and closing of the switches such that the switches are never both open at the same time. Thus, during a time period, one switch closes to pull one output node up toward the supply voltage, while the other switch opens to pull the other output node down toward circuit ground. Since the current source couples to the center tap of the transformer, the current source is only pulled down to a voltage half that of the supply voltage rather than to circuit ground. Therefore, the current source has sufficient headroom to drive the output current.

Abstract: An optical axis correcting apparatus for correcting the optical axes of light beams from a communicating party in an optical space transmission system that transmits and receives the light beams to/from the communicating party, comprises, in order to further accurately correct an optical axis with a simple configuration, optical axis changing means for changing the angle of a reflecting mirror placed in the optical path of the light beam and for changing the optical axis of the light beam to be reflected by the reflecting mirror, optical axis direction detecting means for detecting the direction of the optical axis of the light beam that is changed by the optical axis changing means, optical axis adjusting means for adjusting the angle of the reflecting mirror based on the direction of optical axis of the light beam detected by the optical axis direction detecting means through the optical axis changing means in order to adjust the direction of the optical axis of the light beam toward the communicating party

Abstract: A method and apparatus for concealing errors during decoding of a video bit stream utilize estimates, if possible, motion vectors in the temporal domain. If estimation in the temporal domain is not possible, motion vectors are estimated in the spatial domain. A macroblock is then estimated based upon the estimated motion vector. If estimation in the spatial domain is not possible, macroblock estimation is made without the use of an estimated motion vector.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus for a disc employing an optical disc for recording information signals as a recording medium. The apparatus includes a disc tray mounted for movement between a position protruded from a casing via an aperture formed in the casing and a position housed within the casing. The disc tray has a recess in which to set the disc. The apparatus includes a movement mechanism for moving the disc tray between the protruded position and the housed position. The movement mechanism has a control gear for moving the disc tray across the inner and the outer sides of the casing. The apparatus also includes an optical pickup for illuminating a light beam on a disc transported by the disc tray and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the tilt relative to the disc of the optical axis of the light beam illuminated by the optical pickup on the disc. The adjustment mechanism is driven by the control gear.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing attached E-mail data and storage medium for processing a program for attached data in which, in sending/receiving an E-mail using a virtual pet displayed on a real world oriented GUI screen as an agent, in which parameters controlling the behavior of the agent are processed on the side of a server and returned to the user to enable the user to change the agent behavior. A user appends agent parameters to an E-mail to send the resulting mail to a pre-set address. An Internet service provider receives the E-mail to judge whether the title (Subject:) of the mail header is (cocktail lounge). If the title is the cocktail lounge, the physical power parameter of the agent parameter is lowered to append it to the E-mail Magneto-optical disc to send the mail back to the user. On the user side, the tipsy behavior of the drunken pet is displayed on the basis of the agent parameters appended to the E-mail Magneto-optical disc.

Abstract: An optical recording medium in which a light transmission layer (12) is formed on an information recording surface (11A) having formed an information recording pit, a laser light with a wavelength (&lgr;) of 380 nm≦&lgr;≦450 nm is irradiated on the optical recording medium from the light transmission layer side through a lens system having a N.A. (numerical aperture) equal to or more than 0.76 to read the information. In the signal information area thereof, a thickness t of light transmission layer is set to be 3 &mgr;m to 182 &mgr;m, and its thickness irregularity &Dgr;t is set within ±5.26 &lgr;/&mgr;m(N.A.)4. Also, a track pitch (TP) on the information recording surface (11) is set to be 0.27 &mgr;m to 0.404 &mgr;m, the minimum pit length Pmin of the information recording pit is set to be 0.13 &mgr;m to 0.219 &mgr;m, a recording line density LD is set to be a pit string equal to or less than 0.

Abstract: A technique for modulating pixels of a display panel for forming an image. Each pixel has an associated pixel frame, which is a period of time during which the pixel is modulated to achieve an appropriate greyscale level for the pixel. Each pixel frame includes a plurality of sub-frames. During each of the sub-frames, the pixel is placed in ‘on’ condition or in an ‘off’ condition according to a selected one of a plurality of predetermined greyscale sequences. Each greyscale sequence corresponds to a greyscale level for the pixel frame. A display frame is formed when each pixel in the display is appropriately modulated according to an image to be displayed. The displayed image is continually updated by displaying a sequence of display frames. The display panel is divided into blocks of sixteen pixels arranged in a four-by-four array. The greyscale sequences for pixels in a block are offset from one another by various numbers of sub-frames. This offset is termed pixel dispersion.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus includes a main shutter for closing a cartridge-holder opening, which is rotated in the cartridge-inserting direction when inserting one of the large and small cartridges so as to open the cartridge-holder opening. An auxiliary shutter is disposed in front of the main shutter with respect to the cartridge-inserting direction so as to restrain the position of the small cartridge with respect to the cartridge-holder opening.