Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus includes a first liquid crystal display panel, a second liquid crystal display panel smaller in area than the first liquid crystal display panel. A flat backlight has an optical waveguide and a point light source placed near one side surface portion of the optical waveguide, and is placed between the first liquid crystal display panel and the second liquid crystal display panel. One reflecting layer is placed at least between the flat backlight and the second liquid crystal display panel.

Abstract: A PC supplies previously compressed print data to a printer. In the printer, image data are generated based on the supplied print data, and the generated image data are developed in an image memory. Since the print data are compressed, a compressor/decompressor decompresses the print data. If available free area in the image memory is insufficient for developing the image data, the compressor/decompressor compresses the image data previously stored in the image memory, and the image memory is refreshed with the compressed image data. The compressed image data are decompressed by the compressor/decompressor before output to a printer engine. The compressor/decompressor is available for decompressing the print data during a period since the data reception from the PC until a sheet of paper onto which an image is formed reaches a predetermined position. When the sheet of the paper reaches the predetermined position, the compressor/decompressor is switched to decompress only the image data in the image memory.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a plurality of connecting pads on one surface, an insulating film formed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate. The insulating film has holes each corresponding to one of the connecting pads, and a recess having a bottom surface depressed from the upper surface in the direction of thickness. Interconnections are formed on an upper surface of the insulating film or on the bottom surface of the recess, and connected to the connecting pads through the holes in the insulating film.

Abstract: In an ordinary shooting mode, when a user overlooks a shutter chance without conducting a shutter operation in a state in which a present through (finder) image is presented on a display section, or a user finds that the user has lost a shutter chance by confirming a shot still image or conducting another operation after operating a shutter button, if a prescribed operation (half pressing down of the shutter button or operation of a mode switching button) is conducted, a mode is switched to a through-image retrieving mode wherein, a through image displayed on the display section is replaced with past through images while being retrieved effective, and the user awaits a second shutter chance in a state in which a past through image is present on the display section and when the shutter button is operated, a past through image present at a time point of the operation of the shutter button is recorded for retention in a flash memory as a shot still image.

Abstract: This invention is related to a compact photographing lens wherein an aperture stop is arranged at a position closest to an object, a first lens group, a second lens group, and a third lens group are arranged sequentially from the object side, the first lens group is formed by arranging, sequentially from the object side, a first lens having a positive refracting power and a second lens having a negative refracting power and bonded to the first lens, the second lens being formed from a meniscus lens with a concave surface facing the object side, the second lens group is formed from only a third lens as a meniscus lens which has at least one aspherical refracting surface and a concave surface facing the object side, the third lens group is formed from only a fourth lens as a meniscus lens which has at least one aspherical refracting surface and a convex surface facing the object side.

Abstract: A color image forming method and apparatus using larger microcapsules each of which contains a plurality of kinds of smaller microcapsules scattered within the larger microcapsule, reacting substances that are mixed with each other to perform a coloring reaction being scattered inside and outside the smaller microcapsule. A protective wall of each smaller microcapsule is broken with a corresponding predetermined ultrasonic stimulus depending upon color component information to thereby cause the reacting substances to diffuse with each other to perform a coloring reaction and hence image printing. The conditions for breaking the protective walls of the respective smaller microcapsules that contain a color former component vary from smaller microcapsule to smaller microcapsule, or are determined depending upon the outer shapes, materials and thickness of the protective walls of the smaller microcapsules.

Abstract: A collected data providing apparatus and a portable data collecting terminal capable of collecting valuable effective data from object of data collection. When a server receives a data-collection request from a data collection requester's terminal, the server examines whether or not there is a data collector with a terminal in the vicinity of a place of data collection included in the request. If there is, the server sends a data collection request to the portable terminal, which receives the request, collects data on the place at the request, and then sends the server the collected data. The server then delivers this collected data to the data collection requester's terminal (FIG. 1).

Abstract: A speech of a registered speaker input from an input unit is converted by a converting unit to a sound spectrogram “A” and stored. As a speech of a speaker to be identified is input from the input unit and converted to a sound spectrogram “B” by the converting unit, a detecting unit detects a partial image including a plurality of templates placed in the registered speech image A by a placing unit, and each of areas on the unknown speech image B in which maximum correlation coefficients are calculated. Then, a determining unit compares a mutual positional relationship of the plurality of templates with a mutual positional relationship of the respective areas in which the maximum correlation coefficients are detected to determine from the degree of difference therebetween the identity between the registered speech and the unknown speech.

Abstract: A signal processor executes a required process based on a program stored in a RAM connected to the signal processor. The program is transferred from a ROM connected to a CPU, as requested. When the CPU determines based on the status of the RAM that the contents of a particular one of instructions which compose a particular program among the programs stored in the ROM should be changed, the CPU changes the contents of the instruction and transfers the changed instruction to the RAM. When a first one of a plurality of programs stored in the RAM is replaced with a second program transferred from the ROM, and the areas of the RAM used by the first and second programs are different, the CPU also changes the contents of instructions of other programs which are not required to be replaced.

Abstract: A logarithmic graph plotting apparatus capable of easily setting and displaying x- and/or y-axes as logarithmic ones to thereby display a logarithmic graph. A graph range setting picture (View Window) is displayed by operating a “range” key. The x- and y-coordinate ranges are inputted and set on the graph range setting picture. Graph plot data (x1, y1) (x2, y2), (x3, y3), . . . , (xn, yn) corresponding to any particular graph function expression are calculated based upon the coordinate ranges to thereby plot and display a corresponding a graph in a coordinate system with the x- and y-coordinate axes. When logarithmic graph display check boxes ([ ]x-Log) and/or ([ ]y-Log) on the setting picture (View Window) are checked off, logarithmic scale lines corresponding to the set x- and y-coordinate ranges are set and plotted. In addition, each of the graph plot data (x1, y1) (x2, y2), (x3, y3), . . .

Abstract: A semiconductor package includes a semiconductor substrate having a device region on one surface thereof, and a connecting pad electrically connected to the device region. A support substrate is formed on a side of one surface of the semiconductor substrate. An external electrode formed on a side of the other surface of the semiconductor substrate. A connecting wire is partially extended outside the semiconductor substrate for electrically connecting the connecting pad and external electrode.

Abstract: An image collation apparatus has stored therein first image (registered fingerprint) beforehand. Regarding second image (fingerprint to be collated) that is input when collation is performed, the apparatus thereby determines the identicalness between this second image and the first image. At this time, the apparatus defines with respect to the first image a plurality of regions each having a predetermined positional relationship with respect thereto. The apparatus searches from the second image an image region having a maximum correlation with the image of each of the respective defined regions. The identicalness between the first image and the second image is determined according to the difference between the positional relationship of each of the respective image regions defined on the first image and the positional relationship of the maximum correlation region that comprises been searched out on the second image.

Abstract: When it is determined that a shutter button has been depressed, it is determined if a moving image photographing mode is set. When a still image photographing mode is set, a still image photographing operation is performed. It is determined if a user sets a recording medium for recording a still image. When the recording medium has been set by the user, the still image data is transferred and recorded in the set recording medium. When it is determined that the moving image photographing mode has been set, a moving image photographing operation begins. When the shutter button is depressed again, the moving image photographing operation finishes. It is determined if the recording medium is set by the user for recording the moving image data. When the recording medium has been set, the moving image data is transferred and recorded in the recording medium.

Abstract: Portable information equipment has a device attachment detection section which detects whether or not a device is attached to a human body, an authentication data input section which inputs authentication data while the device is attached to the human body, a storage section which stores the authentication data inputted by the authentication data input section, a transmission section which transmits, the authentication data stored by the storage section, and an authentication data clear section which clears the authentication data stored by the storage section if the device attachment detection section detects that the device has been detached from the human body. After authentication data is inputted and stored in the portable information equipment, the authentication data can be transmitted by operating a switch once. Further, if the portable information equipment is detached from the human body, the authentication data is cleared. Thus, security can be ensured sufficiently.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device is provided which includes a scattering/transparent liquid crystal cell having a liquid crystal layer for controlling incident light in a scattered or transparent state in accordance with an applied electric field, and a selective reflector arranged on a side of the liquid crystal layer opposite to a side where observation is performed. The reflector has reflecting characteristics to cause light, which has come incident from a direction within a predetermined range of a viewing angle that allows observation of the liquid crystal cell, to reflect in a direction outside the range of the viewing angle on the side where observation is performed.

Abstract: A reformer includes a micro reactor in which a flow path is formed for a fluid to flow inside. A container accommodates the micro reactor and keeps an atmosphere on a periphery of the micro reactor at pressure lower than external pressure.

Abstract: In an electronic camera apparatus, a memory is provided. This memory is used to store a plurality of messages having the same meanings, which are expressed in different languages such as Japanese, English, and French. A user is previously required to designate a main language corresponding to a mother tongue of this user, and also, to designate a sub-language corresponding to a language which is used in a travel destination area. These main language and sub-language are previously stored in the memory. When a travel mode is set, for instance, a photograph request button is depressed, both a photograph requesting message written in the main language and another photograph requesting message written in the sub-language are displayed on a display screen at the same time. As a result, since such a user who is very weak in English shows the request messages to a third party, this user can simply request the third party to photograph a picture where the own user appears.

Abstract: An image and audio reproducing apparatus comprises a display device, means for storing a picked-up image data, audio data which is generated before and at a pick-up timing of the image data and time data indicating the pick-up timing, means for reproducing the audio data, means for reproducing the image data to display an image on the display device, and means for controlling the image reproducing device based on the time data to inform the pick-up timing.

Abstract: With a dial for a timepiece comprising a decoration member 21 having a plurality of through holes 22 formed vertically on a luminescent member 10, the cross-sectional area of lower-side holes 24 of the decoration member 21 is formed to be larger than that of upper-side holes 23. Therefore, even if a substrate is thick, the diameter of the upper-side holes 23 of the through holes 22 can be formed to be small sufficiently. Moreover, compared to a dial size 20 for a timepiece wherein the decoration member 21 is placed on the luminescent member 10, the diameter of the through holes 22 of the decoration member 21 is small. Thus, it is possible to take in enough light from the luminescent member 10 through the lower-side holes 24 to ensure the sufficient amount of light through the through holes 22. It is possible to obtain sufficient illuminance for the dial.