Abstract: A peripheral device for use with a data processing apparatus. The apparatus has a peripheral port with a set of terminal pins consisting of first to ninth pins disposed in a row. The first pin is assigned for one of a power source and the ground potential, the ninth pin for the other of the power source and the ground potential, the second, third, seventh and eighth pins for transmitting data signals, and the fourth to sixth for transmitting control signals. The apparatus has an element for selecting the communication mode of the peripheral device connected to the peripheral port, based on the data signals transmitted from the second, third, seventh and eighth pins.

Abstract: A game apparatus offers a game played by a plurality of players. The game apparatus uses an object having means for determining a result of the game, the result of the game being dependent on a movement of the object, a moving process of the object being observed by the players. Magnitude information indicative of a magnitude determined by one of the players is generated and detected in the game apparatus. A driving force is applied to the object so that the object is thrown toward a field defined by the game apparatus. A magnitude of the driving force is controlled in accordance with the magnitude of the hitting force. The object is collected by a collecting member moving on the field from a rear side to a front side. A pair of attracting members are provided on the front side of the field and move in opposite directions. The object is sandwiched between the attracting members and, thus, the object is placed on a throwing plate positioned in the center of the front side of the field.

Abstract: Respective ball directions from respective players to the ball B are computed, based on display coordinates of the respective players P and coordinates of the ball B. An input direction is computed based on input information from a cross key 18. The respective ball directions and the input direction are compared with each other to select a player P whose ball direction is in a prescribed range based on an opposite direction to the input direction. A game player can arbitrarily select a player, and the selected player is never moved in unintended direction. Player directions from the ball B to players P are computed based on display coordinates of the players P and coordinates of the ball B. An input direction is computed based on input information from a cross key 18. When an offset angle between the player direction and the input direction is in a prescribed range, the player P is moved in the input direction by the cross key 18. The players can be moved as intended by simple operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a simulator includes a substantially circular outer frame pivotally mounted on a base; an outer frame-driving tire which is pressed against an outer side of the outer frame by means of a spring disposed on the base and is adapted to drive the outer frame, an inner frase formed in a maneuvering seat and pivotally supported between opposing portions of an inner peripheral wall of the outer frame; and an inner frame-driving tire which is pressed against an inner side of the outer frame by means of a spring disposed within the inner frame and is adapted to drive the inner frame. Also disclosed is an occupant holding apparatus for use in the simulator.

Abstract: A data encoding and decoding device and method uses simple algorithms and keeps encoding error to a minimum. The data encoding device includes an original data splitting section for splitting data into "higher order data" and "lower order data," which represents the most significant portion of a digital data sample and the least significant portion of the digital data sample, respectively. Further, a differential calculation section calculates a difference between successive samples of the higher order data, and a number-of-items calculation section determines the number of data samples in the input data series. The lower order data and the differential data are then combined to obtain the encoded data.

Abstract: A simply-constructed data processing system for a karaoke machine can process data to display a plurality of languages. A data processing apparatus processes data composed of one-byte or two-byte character codes, each representing a character. A display can display characters represented by the character codes. A set of font memory can store the character font of each of the character codes for supplying font data. The font memory is divided into four regions, the first to the fourth, according to the combinations of the first two bits of a character code. Japanese characters can be assigned to the first region as the first character group of the first language based on a shift JIS standard, and Hankul characters can be assigned to the fourth region as the second character group of the second language. An identifying apparatus identifies one of the regions to which a character code corresponds, according to the first two bits of a character code.

Abstract: Security is ensured by judging agreement with a specific indication, such as a trademark, whose identity is socially recognizable to effectively expel counterfeits from the market. A game machine in which a CD-ROM 17 is mounted on a game machine 10 to play a game based on program information stored in the CD-ROM 17 comprises a recognition sensor 22 reading a trademark indication region 20 on the exterior surface of the CD-ROM 17, and a judging unit judging whether a specific trademark TM is displayed in a trademark indication region, the game based on the program information being prevented from starting, or if started stopped when the specific trademark TM is not displayed.

Abstract: An operation information input device comprises a control panel, and a pair of joystick each of which includes a control level projecting from the control panel. The joystick converts the direction and quantity of operation of the control level to corresponding electrical signals. The control panel has a pair of openings from which the control levers project with the covers being attached in the corresponding openings. Engagement pawls of a frame engage in opposite ends of one of elongated grooves in the cover so that the frame is attached removably to the cover. The frame has an elongated slot extending in one direction. When the frame is attached to the control panel, the control lever is restricted so as to move in a single channel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method, apparatus and computer readable medium for a race game. The method comprising the steps of: computing positions of first and second mobile bodies on a course defined within a predetermined coordinate space every predetermined sampling time; detecting whether the first or second mobile body, whichever is leading, passes a predetermined point on the course from computed positional information of the first and second mobile bodies on the course; detecting whether the following mobile body does not pass the predetermined point within a predetermined set time after the leading mobile body has passed the predetermined point, from the computed positional information; and indicating game over on a display when it is detected that the following mobile body does not pass the predetermined point within the set time. Also, the method relates to measure whether the distance between mobile modies exceeds a set value or not.

Abstract: A data transferring device transfers data via data buses between a plurality of data transmitting and receiving devices, and can continuously transfer data read out from a memory. The data transferring device includes a DMA (Dynamic Memory Access), which writes readable data in the memory per a plurality of bytes from a byte boundary. The data transferring device has the advantageous to be applied to a video game apparatus. The data transferring device has a basic structure having a plurality of data transmitting and receiving devices, a plurality of bus interface circuits connected via buses corresponding to each of the plurality of the data transmitting and receiving devices a direct memory access circuit (DMA), which transfers the data transmitted to one bus interface circuit to another bus interface circuit. Further, the plurality of bus interface circuits divide and unite data in correspondence with size of the connected buses to transfer the data to another bus interface circuit.

Abstract: A program operating apparatus comprises a body unit and a memory unit, attachable to and detachable from the body unit, for storing an application program. The memory unit stores sales area data indicating sales areas of the memory unit. The body unit stores sales area data indicating sales areas of the body unit. When executing software of the memory unit, there are checked the sales area data of this memory unit and the sales area data of the body unit. Thus, the memory unit sold in areas exclusive of the sales areas of the body unit is prevented from operating on that body unit. Similarly, the body unit sold in areas exclusive of the sales areas of the memory unit prevents an execution of the memory unit.

Abstract: A moving picture data compressing unit compresses picture data representing a moving picture in which a foreground moves in front of a predetermined background. A header adding unit adds a header to the compressed moving picture data obtained through the moving picture data compression unit, the header comprising a color code indicating the color of the predetermined background. A header removing unit removes the header from the compressed moving picture data and the header removing unit then extracts the color code indicating the color of the predetermined background from the header. A moving picture data expanding unit expands the compressed moving picture data, the header added to this data having been removed by the header removing unit.

Abstract: A compact head mount display where an image display means and a magnifying reflecting mirror are substantially symmetrically arranged to a combiner, so that an image displayed on the display means and an outside image can be observed in a magnified and superimposed manner. The magnifying reflecting mirror is arranged as a Fresnel reflecting mirror so that the display becomes more compact. An optical system for use in the head mount display where the magnifying reflecting mirror is arranged as an aspherical surface and the shape of the aspherical surface is so designed that aberrations can be suitably corrected.

Abstract: A head-up display apparatus includes a display device for displaying various items of information and a combiner provided in front of an eye of a viewer in a visual field of the viewer, which combiner allows an outside image lying in the visual field to be passed through it and which reflects an image displayed by the display device so that the outside image passed (transmitted) through the combiner and the displayed image reflected thereby are integrated in the same visual field of the viewer, the combiner being configured to be of a substantially spherical shape with a concave surface facing the viewer, and the display device being provided in such a position that a display can be directly observable from the outside through the combiner.