Abstract: An optical guide inserted between a liquid crystal display panel and a diffusion plate is formed by using a large number of optical fibers each obtained by coating a core with a cladding layer, and its exit surface is inclined with respect to an incident surface by a predetermined angle .theta.1. Accordingly, in assembly, it suffices to incorporate this optical guide, thus facilitating the assembling operation. In this case, image light emerging from the exit surface of the optical guide obliquely upward to the left is refracted by a refractor in a direction perpendicular to the exit surface of the refractor.

Abstract: A developing device used in an image forming apparatus has a developing roller at a lower opening of a toner hopper, and the developing roller contacts a photosensitive drum to form a developing portion therebetween. The hopper stores nonmagnetic toner and is provided with a toner stirring member and a toner feed roller being in press-contact with the developing roller in a lower part of the hopper. A doctor blade contacts a circumferential surface of the developing roller on an upstream side of the developing portion in a rotation direction of the drum. A conductive scooping sheet contacts the circumferential surface of the developing roller on a downstream side of the developing portion. A residual toner not used to develop a latent image on the drum and left on the developing roller is passed under the sheet into the hopper with the rotation of the developing roller.

Abstract: In a tape cutting mechanism, when a tape is cut manually, a rack 58 which is lowered by pushing a push button 14 down meshes with a gear 48 by guidance of a guide groove 59 to thereby cause a scissors cam 46 to make a single complete rotation along with a pin 46b around a cam shaft 47. The pin 46b half rotates to raise a turnable arm 52b up so that a turnable blade 52a is turned toward a fixed blade 55 to cut a printed tape portion. By the remaining half rotation, the turnable arm 52b is returned to its reference position. When the rack 58 rises with the resiliency of a compression spring 57 due to release of the push button 14 from its pushed state, the rack 58 is disengaged from the gear 48 with the guide of the guide groove 59.

Abstract: In addition to a central paging controller, a database system includes a service center, connected to a public switched telephone network, for supplying voice information. A pager/pagers, which are to be paged from the central paging controller, have a data transmission function. The service center stores ID information containing code data, in association with the voice information. The stored ID information is transmitted to the pager(s) through the central paging controller and a transmitting base station. Using the transmission function, the pager(s) transmits the received ID information to the service center through the public switched telephone network. Thus, the voice information stored in the service center can be output through the public switched telephone network.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for composing a musical rhythm whereby an initial generation rhythm population having a plurality of individual rhythms is provided, and a new generation rhythm population is repeatedly generated from a preceding generation rhythm population, beginning with the initial generation rhythm population. In order to evolve the rhythm populations, individual rhythms of a rhythm population of interest are evaluated according to a predetermined evaluating function to thereby determine a rhythm valuation, and genetic operations are performed on the rhythm population of interest in a manner such that the rhythm valuation will generally increase with each new generation rhythm population. The evolving operation is stopped when a predetermined terminating condition is met.

Abstract: An organic electroluminescence device is placed as a back light of a liquid crystal display panel. The organic electroluminescence device is constituted by a front electrode (#112) having transparency to visible light, a rear electrode (#113) having reflection to visible light and an organic electroluminescence layer (#114) for emitting light as a predetermined voltage is applied between the front and rear electrodes. A scatter control member (#120), located between the liquid crystal panel and the organic electroluminescence panel, passes incident light within a predetermined range without scattering and passes light outside the predetermined range with scattering. Preferably, the scatter control member is constituted by a plurality of lightguiding portions (#121) having transparency to visible light and a plurality of reflection films (#122) having a reflection property to visible light.

Abstract: An agent computer block 16 analyzes and classifies the meaning of a request for advice on an individual's action, on the basis of voice recognition character data inputted by an input/output computer block 15, and requests a personal computer 2 to start up an information retrieval application program involving the request for advice on the individual's action.

Abstract: The inventive computer includes a RAM which sequentially stores a series of calculation expression data thereto, a proof unit which proves the series of calculation expression data by inputting those data again, and a display which displays calculation data found to be non-coincident in the proof operation. First, when a series of calculation expression data is input to the computer, the computer performs a required calculation on the series of calculation expression data and sequentially stores the data in the RAM. After the series of calculations on the data is completed, the user inputs data on designation of a proof operation to confirm whether the result of the calculation is correct. Thus, the proof mode is selected and a second series of calculation expression data is input.

Abstract: A musical performance training system includes a transmitter which transmits training musical note data for training musical performance, and a receiver which receives the training musical note data from the transmitter and instructs a trainee to practice a musical performance based on the received training musical note data. The transmitter produces musical note data based on a musical performance, for example, at a keyboard. The musical note data is converted to training musical note data by reducing velocity data contained in the produced musical note data, shifting pitch data in units of an octave, and changing the timbre and pitch data to respective particular values. If the musical note data is produced by a special key operation, control data which instructs the trainee to perform a pedal operation is added to the converted musical note data. The receiver displays or audibly outputs a performance instruction based on the received training musical note data.

Abstract: When a plurality of different effects are added to a plurality of musical notes at the same time, the plurality of musical notes are divided into a plurality of groups for musical notes, and the groups of musical note waveforms are delivered on a time divisional basis to an effect adding circuit, which adds the respective effects to the groups of musical note waveforms, accumulates at each waveform sampling period the musical note waveforms to which the respective effects have been added, and outputs a resulting musical note waveform. The sum of operation times required for adding the respective effects to the plurality of groups of musical note waveforms can exceed a sampling period depending on types of effect to be assigned. To avoid this situation, it is determined in advance whether the sum of the operation times required for adding the effects exceeds the sampling period. If so, addition of an effect to a musical note waveform where a depth of the effect is minimum is stopped.

Abstract: A form for printing print data, such as business data generated by an application program is generated by a form defining program. The form defining program designates a specific item (specific data item) in the form based on the predesignated print color of the form. A data discriminating section extracts data in a specific data item from the print data supplied from the application program. In accordance with the contents of the data in the specific data item, a color control command for changing the predesignated color of the form is generated. A printer controller change the color of the form in accordance with the color control command, supplied via a printer driver, and outputs the resultant data to a printing section. The printing section prints the print data in the color-changed form.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a display device which is used for various types of electronic apparatuses, e.g., an electronic watch, an electronic pocket notebook, and the like, and an electronic device. In the device or apparatus, a solar battery member having a lot of light passing openings for passing light is provided between a liquid crystal display member and a plate-like light emitting member disposed at a position lower than that of the liquid crystal display member.

Abstract: A communication system can maintain high security in communication between a communication apparatus and a terminal. The communication system includes the communication apparatus and the terminal provided with a memory unit for storing data for specifying function of the communication apparatus. The communication apparatus and the terminal include random number generators for generating random numbers, encryption/decryption key preparing units for preparing encryption/decryption keys on the basis of both random numbers and generated by the respective random number generators of the communication apparatus and the terminal and a secret key held in common by the communication apparatus and the terminal, and encryption/decryption processing units for encrypting or decrypting communication data between the communication apparatus and the terminal containing the data by means of the encryption/description key, respectively.

Abstract: When chat is performed with remote persons by using a personal computer communication service, even if the conversation data is displayed in a disordered chat style, a display having good visible readability can be performed such that conversation data of the persons who participate the chat are independently displayed in specific styles. For example, when the contents of the communication buffer in which all of the conversational data are stored are transferred to the storage device as a file, it is determined whether the data is transmission data or reception data. If the data is reception data, predetermined modification information, such as an inverted display, is added and the data is then stored in the file. When the contents of the file are output, the reception data is modified according to the modification information and then output.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device, for displaying pure white, has a first substrate having first electrodes formed thereon; a second substrate positioned to face the first substrate and having second electrodes formed thereon; a liquid crystal sealed between the first and second substrates; and first and second polarization plates arranged to sandwich the first and second substrates and having such polarization characteristics that when the first and second polarization plates are placed one on the other in such a way as to have substantially perpendicular transmission axes, a value acquired by dividing a transmittance of light with a wavelength of 500 nm by a transmittance of light with a wavelength of 440 nm becomes substantially smaller than 0.4.

Abstract: On one of a pair of substrates sandwiching a liquid crystal, a pair of signal lines, a pair of scanning lines intersecting these signal lines at right angles, a picture element electrode arranged in the region surrounded by the signal lines and the scanning lines, and a first alignment layer on which alignment treatment is applied in a first alignment direction, are formed. On the other of the substrates, a counter electrode, and a second alignment layer on which alignment treatment is applied in a second alignment direction, are formed. The alignment treatments on the first and second alignment layers are mutually carried out so that the side of the picture element electrode at which an optical leakage caused by disclination of a liquid crystal appears largest is near one of the pair of signal lines.

Abstract: A print head 20 is placed upstanding on a chassis 25 through a protective member 26. A support shaft 28 to which a platen roller 21 is attached through a support member 27 is fixed at a lower end to the chassis 25. The support shaft 28 is fixed at an upper end to an upper attaching portion 25a of the chassis 25. A space restricting member 31 is provided to the upper attaching portion 25a so as to engage with an engaging lug 35 on the protective member 26 to restrict the upper ends of the print head 20 and the platen roller 21 at a predetermined space from each other. Thus, the upper ends of the print head 20 and the platen roller 21 are maintained at the predetermined space during printing to press the print head 20 and platen roller 21 against each other with a uniform pressure along their lengths. As a result, there is no difference in printing state between the upper and lower portions of the print head 20 and the platen roller 21, and uniform printing and improved print quality can be achieved.

Abstract: An electronic digital still camera apparatus has a converter lens which is used in a wide angle imaging mode and which is rotatably moved so as to achieve a compact camera apparatus. The electronic digital still camera apparatus has a master lens for focusing an image of a photographing object onto an imaging plane thereof; a converter lens rotatably moved between a position on an optical path defined from the photographing object to the master lens, and another position outside the optical path defined from the photographing object to the master lens; and a reflection mirror arranged at a position substantially equal to a rotation center of the converter lens, for reflecting light derived from the photographing object toward the master lens.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cold-cathode for a discharging device by forming a film containing a rare earth element on a base plate; and oxidizing said rare earth element of said film. The oxidizing step can be accomplished by heating the rare earth element of said film in a gas atmosphere containing oxygen and/or oxygen-containing substance in a concentration of 1% or less by volume.