Abstract: An optical-pickup apparatus includes: a laser diode having a first-laser element, which emits a first-laser beam, and a second-laser element, which emits a second-laser beam having a wavelength shorter than a wavelength of the first-laser beam, arranged in the same package; an objective lens to condense the first- and second-laser beams emitted from the laser diode to signal-recording layers of first- and second-optical discs, respectively, the second-optical disc being of a standard different from a standard of the first-optical disc; and a collimating lens arranged in an optical path between the laser diode and the objective lens, the collimating lens configured to change the first- and second-laser beams from divergent light to parallel light, the collimating lens being inclined with respect to optical axes of the first- and second-laser beams so that astigmatism in the first- and second-laser beams is corrected.

Abstract: A video signal processing integrated circuit comprising: a test signal generation circuit configured to generate a test signal in conformity with video additional data superimposed on a video signal; a data slicer configured to binarize the test signal through comparison with a slice level, the test signal being supplied from the test signal generation circuit; and a data processing circuit configured to perform data processing of the video additional data binarized by the data slicer.

Abstract: The subject application is directed to a system and method for color printer calibration employing measurement success feedback. Color input data is received corresponding to a color printout from an associated color measurement device, the color input data including M×N discrete color areas corresponding to M rows and N columns on the printout, with M and N representing integers greater than 2. A display including a color image comprised of each of the areas arranged in M rows and N columns is then generated on a display device. Color input data is tested to determine successful measurement of colors corresponding to the color areas and a row-based indicator is generated for a successful measurement of color areas within a row. Calibration data is received of a comparison of the color printout to the display and an associated color printer is calibrated based upon the calibration data.

Abstract: There is disclosed a support pillow. The support pillow includes a body with a head rest and a neck rest along with a pair of arms extending outward and forward from the body to thereby surround the sides of the head and neck of a user. The support pillow may also incorporate a storage bag for compressing and storing the body and arms of the support pillow.

Abstract: There is disclosed a stereographic camera system including a first camera and a second camera including respective first and second lenses. A zoom mechanism may synchronously set focal lengths of the first and second lenses to a selected focal length of a plurality of predetermined focal lengths.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus comprising: a laser light source configured to emit a laser beam; an objective lens configured to apply the laser beam to an optical recording medium; and a beam splitter including a first reflective film configured to reflect the laser beam so as to be directed to the objective lens, the beam splitter interposed in an optical path between the laser light source and the objective lens, an incidence polarization angle of the laser beam relative to the first reflective film being set such that a P-polarization component is greater than an S-polarization component in linear polarization components of the laser beam incident on the first reflective film.

Abstract: The present invention describes an automatic dialer for determining relative rankings of network access numbers from within a group of available network access numbers known as an available NAN list, and for facilitating selection of a network access number to use for a connection from a client device to a data network. Various factors are considered in determining the rankings of the network access numbers. The factors include connection costs, quality of connection.

Abstract: There are disclosed methods and apparatus for testing a network. A plurality of packets may be transmitted over the network from one or more source port units. Each transmitted packet may include a packet group identifier (PGID) corresponding to a unique combination of values for a plurality of tracking factors. The packets may be received at one or more destination port units. Each destination port unit may extract the PGID from each received packet and may accumulate traffic statistics for each of the plurality of PGIDs. The accumulated traffic statistics for at least some of the plurality of PGIDs may be aggregated to report summary statistics for a selected tracking factor.

Abstract: The subject application is directed to a system and method for detecting backlit images. Encoded color image data is first received into a computer having a processor and associated data storage. Histogram data is then calculated from the received encoded color image data, and a mid-tone range in normalized histogram data is then detected. A zone of normalized pixel counts within the mid-tone range is then selected. Data representing an entry point and an exit point of the normalized histogram data relative to the selected zone is then generated. A plateau area is detected in the histogram data in the selected zone between the entry point and the exit point. Thereafter, a backlit image detection signal is generated indicating whether a backlit image portion is present in the color image data according to the plateau detection.

Abstract: A light emitting element control circuit comprising: a variable current generation circuit configured to generate a variable current varying in a direction of increase or in a direction of decrease; a fixed current generation circuit configured to generate a fixed current smaller than a predetermined current of a light emitting element; and a mode setting circuit configured to selectively set a first mode of prohibiting supply of the variable current and the fixed current to the light emitting element, a second mode of supplying the variable current to the light emitting element, and a third mode of supplying the fixed current to the light emitting element, for the variable current generation circuit and the fixed current generation circuit.

Abstract: A light-emitting diode driver circuit includes: a first-rectifier circuit to output a first-rectified voltage; a transformer including primary and secondary coils and an auxiliary coil inductively coupled to the primary or secondary coils, the primary coil being applied with the first-rectified voltage; a transistor connected in series to the primary coil; a second-rectifier circuit to output a second-rectified voltage obtained by rectifying a voltage generated in the auxiliary coil; a capacitor to be charged with the second-rectified voltage; and a control circuit to control on and off of the transistor based on a charging voltage of the capacitor so that the charging voltage becomes equal to a predetermined voltage, the secondary coil outputting a voltage that varies with a frequency corresponding to a frequency of the first-rectified voltage and that corresponds to a turns ratio between the primary and secondary coils, as a voltage for driving a light-emitting diode.

Abstract: There is disclosed a single seat-kill camera system and method. The single seat-kill camera may include a camera head, a support structure, and an elevator configured to move the camera head relative to the support structure to position the camera head in one of a down position and an up position. An obstruction detector mounted to the support structure may determine whether or not a field of view of the camera head is obstructed, at least in part, when the camera head is in the down position. A controller coupled to the elevator and the obstruction detector may automatically cause the elevator to position the camera head in the up position when the obstruction detector determines that the field of view of the camera head in the down position is obstructed.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus includes: a circuit board; a laser diode mounted on one face of the circuit board; and a high-frequency superimposition integrated circuit arranged on the other face of the circuit board, the high-frequency superimposition integrated circuit including a high-frequency signal generation circuit, the circuit board having an area greater than or equal to an area occupied by a lead pin of the laser diode and a region smaller than or equal to twice a region where the laser diode is mounted, a high-frequency signal generated from the high-frequency signal generation circuit being superimposed on a driving signal to be supplied to the laser diode, in order to take a measure against noise caused by return light of the laser diode.

Abstract: A motor-driving-circuit comprising: a first to-fourth-transistors; a drive-control-circuit to control a energization-state of a motor coil so as to be a driving-state where either one group of groups of the first-and-fourth-transistors and the second-and-third-transistors is on and the other group is off, or so as to be a regeneration-state where the first-and-third-transistors are off and the second-and-fourth-transistors are on; a set-current-detection-circuit; an overcurrent-detection-circuit; and an overcurrent-protection-circuit to output a regeneration-instruction-signal for shifting the energization-state to the regeneration-state if an overcurrent-state does not occur and output a drive-stop-signal for stopping driving the coil if the overcurrent-state occurs, when a current amount flowing through the coil has reached a set-level in the driving-state, the drive-control-circuit shifting the energization-state to the regeneration-state to be maintained for a predetermined time period and thereafter retu

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and storage media for automatically segueing between a first audio track and a second audio track. The first audio track and the second audio track may be analyzed to determine a preferred transition window. Segueing from the first track to the second track may occur during the preferred transition window.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and storage media to build a music metadata library from music collections stored on a plurality of client computing devices. A music server may receive, from a first client computing device of the plurality of client computing device, a unique identifier for a track stored in the first client computing device. The music server may determine if the track is a known track corresponding to acoustic metadata that is already contained in the music metadata library. When the track is not a known track, the music server may send a message indicating the track is a new track to the first client computing device. The music server may then receive acoustic metadata for the track from the first client computing device and store the received acoustic metadata in the music metadata library.

Abstract: An operation device displays, in a display unit, an input screen to input setting information on an insertion sheet designated by a user, and sets the insertion sheet based on contents input in the input screen of an insertion sheet setting displayed in the display unit, in a case where a specific sheet designated by the user is set to be inserted as the insertion sheet in a mode to print a plurality of pages of images onto a plurality of sheets, and the operation device further displays, in the display unit, a check screen which displays set contents of the insertion sheet set by a setting unit, in a case where the input of the setting information on the insertion sheet by the user ends in the input screen.

Abstract: An operation device displays, in a display unit, an input screen to input setting information on an insertion sheet designated by a user, and sets the insertion sheet based on contents input in the input screen of an insertion sheet setting displayed in the display unit, in a case where a specific sheet designated by the user is set to be inserted as the insertion sheet in a mode to print a plurality of pages of images onto a plurality of sheets, and the operation device further displays, in the display unit, a check screen which displays set contents of the insertion sheet set by a setting unit, in a case where the input of the setting information on the insertion sheet by the user ends in the input screen.