Abstract: An audio input/output device which executes an input/output operation of audio data is provided on its output side with a plurality of output channels. Audio data is divided into a plurality of sectioned data, each of which forms an event. A control track is stored, in which event identifying index data are disposed in the order of reproduction of the events and channel identifying index data for designating one of the output channels are assigned to respective events. A desired output channel is selected from the plurality of output channels in accordance with the channel identifying index data and audio signals involved in the relevant events are supplied to the selected output channel.

Abstract: A tonality extractor analyzes a chord progression (CP) to determine an available pitch class set (PCS) at each chord time of CP using stored musical knowledge base. The available PCS is determined differently depending on musical situations. A resultant PCS succession is most accurate and assures a natural stream of musical tonality free of a spurious modulation. An automatic accompaniment apparatus utilizes the tonality extractor for desired accompaniment performance. A modulation compensator avoids generation of a pitch range shift in the accompaniment line at the time of modulation (change of key). A style-grouped pitch change table in combination with a style-grouped reference accompaniment pattern memory optimizes accompaniment pitch contents to respective musical styles while requiring only a small storage space.

Abstract: In a compact electronic apparatus, a keyboard and a display unit are provided, and also either a function formula or an inequality inputted from the keyboard is displayed in a graphic representation on the display unit. The compact electronic apparatus further comprises a trace function for sequentially pointing a point on one of the displayed graphic representations and simultaneously for displaying coordinate data, and a control unit for moving one graphic representation to a trace of another graphic representation when a plurality of graphic representions are being displayed, and also for changing a movement amount of the trace.

Abstract: A time calculating device calculates a time which a user of the device requires to run a distance such as a whole distance of a marathon race. The time calculating device is provided with a pulse frequency memory which measures pulse frequencies of the user when the user runs a given distance at least twice at predetermined different paces, and which stores the measured pulse frequencies. The time calculating device is further provided with an age input key for inputting age data of the user, and a distance input key for inputting a distance. A running speed at which the user of an age can keep running continuously is calculated from the pulse frequencies stored in the pulse frequency memory and age data input by the age input key. Further, a time is calculated which the user requires to run the distance inputted by the distance input key at the calculated running speed. The calculated time is displayed on a display unit of the time calculating device.

Abstract: An anodizing method, wherein an aluminum based-system alloy film formed on an insulation substrate is soaked in an electrolytic solution of an ammonium borate water solution, and a voltage is applied between a to-be-anodized film of the aluminum system alloy film functioning as an anode and a cathode soaked in the same electrolytic solution, thereby forming a metal oxide film from the surface of the to-be-anodized film. A resistivity of the electrolytic solution is measured, and ammonia water is added to the electrolytic solution so that the measured resistivity does not exceed 120 .OMEGA.cm.

Abstract: An automatic playing apparatus is provided which is capable of executing an automatic performance using a complex combination of audio data and sequence data. In the apparatus, a buffer is provided between the hard disk and audio input/output devices and MIDI input/output device, and serves to temporality record and/or reproduce data to or from the hard disk. Event data of the hard disk are selectively read out to the buffer under control of the CPU, and the event data are further transferred to the audio input/output devices and the MIDI input/output device, for executing automatic performance based on audio data and MIDI data.

Abstract: A plurality of groups of tone parameters different in kind required for the generation of a musical sound is stored. The tone parameters of the same kind among those tone parameters are modulated with the same sway signal generated at the same time at a desired time or at fixed intervals of time when a key concerned is depressed. The modulated parameters are either restored in the original storage region or directly delivered to a sound source. The resulting musical sound has an acoustically natural comfortable tone quality. Even if musical sounds are generated simultaneously, no sways in the respective tones of the musical sound are canceled.

Abstract: A recording medium records performance data of a predetermined program piece. The recording medium is played back as a background performance, and auto-playing data is sequentially stored in synchronism with the playback operation of the recording medium program number data of the recording medium and present playback time data at the beginning of the storage operation are fetched from the recording medium, and are stored in a memory. For this reason, when the stored data is automatically played, the corresponding program piece of the recording medium can be automatically selected, and an auto-play can be synchronously started at the same timing as in a storage mode.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes a first substrate having a plurality of first electrodes formed thereon, a second substrate having at east one second electrode opposed to at least one of the plurality of first electrodes, an aligning film covering at least one of combinations, one combination of which being consisted of the surfaces of the first electrodes and at least one portion of a surface of the first substrate and the other combination of which being consisted of the surface of the second electrode and at least one portion of a surface of the second substrate, a sealing member for bonding the first and second substrates with a predetermined gap therebetween so that surfaces of the first and second substrates on which the first and second electrodes are formed respectively are opposed to each other, and a liquid crystal material sealed in a space area encircled by the first and second substrates disposed in an opposing fashion and the sealing member.

Abstract: In a stopwatch of this invention, when a lap switch is operated after time measurement is started, a lap time from the immediately preceding lap switch operation to the current lap switch operation is stored and compared with a measurement time after the current lap switch operation. Since an alarm tone is generated if the measurement time after the current lap switch operation coincides with the stored lap time, the immediately preceding lap time can be used as a target time of the time measurement. The stopwatch can be conveniently used when a running speed is increased or decreased in each lap in a track race or the like.

Abstract: Data input through a key switch is displayed on a liquid crystal display and is stored in an EEPROM. The data stored in the EEPROM is immediately read out to check whether the read data coincide with the input data. If the data stored in the EEPROM and read out therefrom does not coincide with the input data, the input data is stored again. If the input data cannot be stored in the EEPROM after storage operation is performed a predetermined number of times, a CPU determines, on the basis of a signal from a battery voltage detecting circuit, whether a voltage applied from a power supply circuit to the EEPROM exceeds a predetermined voltage. On the basis of this determination result, the CPU causes the liquid crystal display to display a cause for the disabled storage operation with respect to the EEPROM.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier which is rotated in a predetermined direction, a brush charger which charges a surface of the carrier, an exposure unit which forms an electrostatic latent image on the charged surface of the carrier in accordance with image information supplied thereto, a developer which develops the electrostatic latent image with a toner, and a transfer unit which transfers a toner image from the surface of the carrier onto a transfer medium supplied thereto. The image carrier includes a conductive main body, an undercoat having a predetermined electric resistance higher than that of the main body, and a photosensitive layer, which is formed on the undercoat, and on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by the exposure unit after charging is performed by the charger. The charger includes a main body constituted by bristles consisting of conductive fibers having electric resistance within the range from about 10.sup.6 to about 10.sup.9 .OMEGA.

Abstract: In a method for extending a wafer-supporting sheet of a wafer-supporting table for dicing, the wafer-supporting sheet can be extended by using a single tool, and a total height of a wafer-supporting device can be reduced while the sheet is extended. In this wafer-supporting sheet extending method, a substantially C-shaped extension spring is arranged on a lower surface of the wafer-supporting sheet, on which a wafer divided into chips is placed, so that the sheet is extended. Thus, since the wafer-supporting sheet can be extended by a single tool (the C-shaped extension spring) and the extension spring can be made thin, the total height of the wafer-supporting device can be reduced while the sheet is extended.