Abstract: Provided are a process for the production of a precision press-molded article having a high transmittance a method of treating a glass to color or decolor the glass, the process comprising heat-treating a press-molded article containing at least one selected from WO3, Nb2O5 or TiO2 in an oxidizing atmosphere to produce a glass molded article, and the method comprising heat-treating a colored glass containing at least one oxide of WO3 and Nb2O5 in an oxidizing atmosphere to decolor the glass, or heat-treating a glass containing at least one oxide selected from WO3, Nb2O5 or TiO2 in a non-oxidizing atmosphere to color the glass.

Abstract: Angular velocity data for specifying the position and the orientation of the first controller is inputted to a game apparatus. Based on the angular velocity data, the swing direction of the first controller is determined, and whether or not a sword object that acts in a virtual game space will collide with an enemy object is determined. If it has been determined that the sword object will collide with the enemy object, whether or not to perform hitting processing for the enemy object is determined based on the swing direction of the first controller.

Abstract: The surrounding length of a junction separation portion can be shortened to improve an insulating resistance in order to provide a solar cell with highly efficiency. In a photoelectric transducer of the type where a light-receiving surface electrode is wired to another electrode on a back surface via a through electrode passing through a semiconductor substrate of a first conductive type, the photoelectric transducer comprises: a junction separation portion made around the through electrode on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate; a dielectric layer formed for covering the junction separation portion, the through electrode penetrating the dielectric layer; and a back electrode provided on the dielectric layer and coupled to the through electrode which is connected to the light-receiving surface electrode.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photoreceptor comprising: a conductive support, a photosensitive layer and an intermediate layer interposed between the conductive support and the photosensitive layer, wherein the intermediate layer contains metal oxide microparticles surface-treated with silicon dioxide anhydride and a binder resin; and the binder resin contains a polyamide resin containing a piperazine-based compound.

Abstract: A human-machine interface involves plural spatially-coherent visual presentation surfaces at least some of which are movable by a person. Plural windows or portholes into a virtual space, at least some of which are handheld and movable, are provided by using handheld and other display devices. Aspects of multi-dimensional spatiality of the moveable window (e.g., relative to another window) are determined and used to generate images. As one example, the moveable window can present a first person perspective “porthole” view into the virtual space, this porthole view changing based on aspects of the moveable window's spatiality in multi-dimensional space relative to a stationary window. A display can present an image of a virtual space, and an additional, moveable display can present an additional image of the same virtual space.

Abstract: A backlight (illumination device) 2 is disclosed including: light sources (5); light guide plates (7) for causing surface emission of light from the light sources (5); and a diffusing plate (8) for diffusing light from the light guide plates (7), the diffusing plate (8) facing a light-emitting surface (7a) of each of the light guide plates (7) at a predetermined distance. The illumination device further includes at least one maintaining section between the light-emitting surface (7a) of the light guide plate (7) and the diffusing plate (8), the maintaining section (10) maintaining the predetermined distance. The maintaining section (10) is provided on either of first and second end sections of the light-emitting surface (7a) of a light guide plate (7), the first end section being closer to a corresponding light source (5), the second end section being farther from the corresponding light source (5).

Abstract: A rotary sprinkler includes a housing supporting a nozzle and a nozzle tube, the nozzle tube located axially adjacent an orifice of the nozzle with an axial gap therebetween. A water-deflection plate assembly is carried by the nozzle tube for rotation relative to the nozzle tube. The housing is formed with an exterior substantially annular funnel surrounding the nozzle and forming a collection trough for collection of excess water, and the housing formed with one or more apertures directing excess water in the collection trough to an internal area surrounding the orifice to be aspirated through the gap into a stream of water emitted from the nozzle orifice and through the nozzle tube such that the excess water is distributed by the water-deflection plate along with water emitted from the nozzle orifice.

Abstract: A method for alleviating burn-in effect and enabling performing a start-up process in respect of a device comprising a plurality of challengeable memory elements, wherein the memory elements are able to, upon start-up, generate a response pattern of start-up values useful for identification as the response pattern depends on physical characteristics of the memory elements, the method comprising the step of, after start-up of the memory elements, writing a data pattern to the memory elements which is inverse to a response pattern that was previously read from the same memory elements. Thus, degradation of the PMOS transistors due to NBTI can be alleviated.

Abstract: A tile-based graphics system, and method of operation of such a system, are provided for generating graphics data for a frame comprising a plurality of tiles. Graphics processing circuitry is provided which is arranged to be switched between a first mode of operation and a second mode of operation. In the first mode of operation, the graphics processing circuitry receives the plurality of graphics primitives for the frame, and performs a binning operation to determine, for each of the plurality of tiles, a tile list identifying the graphics primitives which intersect that tile. In the second mode of operation, the graphics processing circuitry receives the tile list for an allocated tile, and performs a rasterization operation to generate the graphics data for the allocated tile dependent on the tile list.

Abstract: A game apparatus repeatedly calculates a gravity center position based on load values detected by respective load sensors of a load controller. The game apparatus sequentially reproduces each of measures of a musical piece by reproducing a next measure when the gravity center position moves beyond a reference line. In this case, the game apparatus changes a reproduction sound volume in accordance with the gravity center position and a speed at which the gravity center moves.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for an additive composition comprising an amidized or imidized polymer. The invention further relates to a highly grafted, multi-functional lubricant additive useful to improve the viscosity index and dispersancy properties of a lubricating oil composition. The present invention also relates to a method of extending lubricant drain intervals and improving fuel economy and fuel economy durability. The additive composition is prepared by: (A) reacting an olefin copolymer of ethylene and at least one C3 to C23 &agr; -olefin comprising from about 15 to 80 mole percent of ethylene, from about 20 to 85 mole percent of said C3 to C23 &agr; -olefin and from about 0 to 15 wt percent of a polyene, said copolymer having a number average molecular weight ranging from 1,000 to 500,000, with an olefinic carboxylic acid acylating agent, said process comprising heating said polymer to a molten condition at a temperature in the range of 60° C. to 240° C.

Abstract: Audio encoding method and device comprising the transmission, in addition to the data representing a frequency-limited signal, of information relating to a temporal filter that is to be applied to the entire enhanced signal, both in its transmitted low-frequency part and in its reconstituted high-frequency part. The application of this filter for reshaping the reconstituted high-frequency part and the correction of compression artefacts present in the transmitted low-frequency part. In this way, the application of the temporal filter, simple and inexpensive, to all or part of the reconstituted signal, makes it possible to obtain a signal of good perceived quality.

Abstract: A lighting device, suitable for example for urban lighting of interiors or exteriors, or for lighting of interiors and exteriors of motor vehicles, said device comprising a substantially plane substrate and one or more LED or chip-LED semiconductor light sources distributed over the substrate and electrically connected to conductive supply paths, an optical means associated to the semiconductor source or sources, designed to modify the direction of the rays of light emitted by said semiconductor source, said device being characterized in that said optical means is of a substantially semicylindrical shape and consequently has a substantially plane base, two side faces and a substantially cylindrical outer surface, said optical means has a cavity obtained starting from said base within the body of said optical means and designed to house the source or sources, said side faces and said cavity are obtained by means of a rotation about a longitudinal axis of a two-dimensional profile and are designed to reduce the

Abstract: The present invention relates to modified mevalonate kinases that are less sensitive to feedback inhibition, and to polynucleotides encoding them. The invention further pertains to vectors comprising these polynucleotides and host cells containing such vectors. The invention provides a process for producing the modified enzyme and for producing isoprenoid compounds using the modified enzymes.

Abstract: The present invention therefore provides an image forming apparatus, comprising: a photoconductor; a charge means for charging the photoconductor; an exposure means for irradiating a surface of the photoconductor with light to form an electrostatic latent image; a development means for developing the electrostatic latent image formed; a transfer means for transferring the image developed onto a paper sheet; and a discharge means for irradiating the surface of the photoconductor with light to eliminate charges, wherein the photoconductor contains a titanylphthalocyanine having absorption bands in a wavelength region of 380 nm to 420 nm and a wavelength region of 600 nm to 850 nm as a charge generation material, the exposure means irradiates the surface of the photoconductor with light having a wavelength of 380 nm to 420 nm to form the electrostatic latent image, and the discharge means irradiates the surface of the photoconductor with light having a wavelength of 600 nm to 850 nm to eliminate the charges.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing vessel, first and second conveying passages for conveying a developer, first and second conveying members for agitating and conveying the developer, a developing roller, a toner supply port for receiving a supply of toner and an agitator arranged under the toner supply port. The first conveying member has a rotary shaft and first and second conveying blades formed on the periphery of the rotary shaft. The agitator is arranged coaxially with the first conveying member so as to be rotatable independently from the first conveying member. The agitator includes a circular helical blade formed around the outer periphery of the second helical blade.

Abstract: An active matrix liquid crystal display device includes: a liquid crystal layer; two substrates sandwiching the liquid crystal layer; and electrodes respectively provided in the two substrates, the electrodes applying voltage across the liquid crystal layer. A first electrode (15) in the substrate including a pixel selecting element (11) has a striped electrode pattern (15c) aligning liquid crystal molecules along a stripe line direction when voltage is applied across the liquid crystal layer. A contact (25h) of the first electrode (15) with the selecting element (11) is formed in a region opposed to, along a film thickness direction, a first region to which a signal liner (GLi) is allocated. This provides a liquid crystal display device in which a contact is made with the pixel electrode having the striped electrode pattern having the periodical arrangement, while alignment disorder of the liquid crystal molecules is not reflected on display.