Abstract: In the present invention, winding units (19) as a stator (23) are fixedly mounted in a cylindrical housing (1). A rotor (29) is provided on vanes (26) for supplying wind. The rotor (29) is disposed to surround the stator (23), thereby forming a brushless motor (30) that provides a hair direr having low noise level and lighter construction. The rotor has a sufficiently larger dimension in a direction of flow of wind than the stator (23). The stator (23) and rotor (28) are positioned relative to each other such that the center of the stator (23) in the direction of flow of wind is at the same position as the center of the rotor (29) in the direction of flow of wind. Thus, even if the rotor (29) moves slightly in the direction of flow of wind when the rotor (29) is rotating, the torque will not change significantly.

Abstract: In order to reproduce signals from a double-layer optical disc having two signal recording surfaces, a focus jump that the focusing of an objective lens from the one signal recording surface to the other signal recording surface is quickly achieved, is necessary. When a focus error signal (FE) from a pickup (60, 70) reaches a predetermined threshold value (Vcomp), a deceleration signal for decelerating the objective lens (42) is supplied to an actuator (47). Preferably, a deceleration pulse voltage is lowered step by step. The deceleration pulse voltage is determined in accordance with the maximum value (DFEmax) of a differential focus error signal (DFE) generated by differentiating the focus error signal (FE). Preferably, the address seeking is done simultaneously with the focus jump. The focus jump is performed in accordance with the layer-to-layer distance which is measured beforehand. The focus jump is performed by using a lens (143) having a controllable focal distance.

Abstract: An LCD apparatus, when fed with images in a video format whose pixel configuration is smaller than that of the LCD screen, fills the resulting blank area with a particular color through simple and low-speed image data processing. This LCD apparatus has rewritable memories, 24-bit latch circuits that cooperate with a blue-fill circuit and a black-fill circuit to write data of a particular color to the memories at all the addresses corresponding to the LCD screen, an overwriter for overwriting the memories with input image data only at the addresses corresponding to the area of the LCD screen in which images are displayed, and a reader for reading all the data stored in the memories to feed it to an LCD module.

Abstract: A separation type feature expanding device comprises an attachment device comprising a bottom supporting flat portion on which a notebook personal computer is mounted, and a port replicator portion provided in a rear end of the bottom supporting flat portion and having a terminal portion to which a terminal portion provided on the back surface of the notebook personal computer is removably connected, and a feature expanding unit containing one or more feature expanding devices of the notebook personal computer, having its upper end surface on which the bottom supporting flat portion in the attachment device is mounted, and having a terminal portion to which the terminal portion of the port replicator portion in the attachment device is removably connected.

Abstract: A disk player includes comprises a magazine and a player portion. When a disk is played, the magazine is loaded in the player portion. A plurality of plates on which disks are to be put are stacked in the magazine. Each of the plates can be separated from each other by not sliding but moving upward and downward. In this separated state, a pickup arm which is equipped with a pickup and a chucking mechanism enters a portion between the plates. After the entrance, the plates in steps above the selected disk further rise, and the plate on which the selected disk falls. By the fall, the selected disk is put on a disk table in the chucking mechanism. Thereafter, a claw member protrudes from the disk table, to clamp the selected disk through a center hole of the selected disk. The necessity of a member for rotatably pressing the selected disk from above is eliminated. Consequently, the disk player can be made thin.

Abstract: To cope with differences in the evaluation depending on the user, or depending on the situation, by making it possible to alter the evaluation values used for automatically searching for the route, in a navigation system, which has a map reproduction means 4 storing segment data such as the distance and the road type, of the road segment forming a road network, a RAM 6 for storing the evaluation values corresponding to the segment data, and a control circuit 1 for searching for the route from a starting point to a destination, in accordance with a synthetic evaluation function using, as parameters, the evaluation values stored in the RAM 6, a setting means 7 is provided for altering the evaluation values stored in the RAM 6.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image receiving monitor using a liquid crystal display constructed by attaching a liquid crystal display panel (1) to a stand (2), in which the stand (2) includes a pedestal (3), a surface plate (4) in a semi-cylindrical shape provided on the pedestal (3), a cover (6) attached to the surface plate (4) so as to be detachable and constituting a space (5) in an approximately cylindrical shape together with the surface plate (4) when the cover is attached to the surface plate (4), and a hinge (10) fixed to the upper part of the base (7) and having one end projecting outward from the space (5), and the liquid crystal display panel (1) is attached to the one end of the hinge (10) so as to be detachable.

Abstract: A simple matrix drive type liquid crystal display device with enhanced display quality is provided. In line-at-a-time scanning, a scanning electrode group is supplied with two selecting voltages alternately; a signal electrode group is supplied with two voltages close to the intermediate value between the two selecting voltages. Which voltage is applied to the signal electrode is determined in accordance with the selecting voltage applied to the scanning electrode at that moment and a video signal in such a way that selected picture elements receive a large voltage and non-selected picture elements receive a small voltage. The output voltage of the power source circuit, which supplies power to the scanning circuit and the signal circuit that apply voltages to the scanning and signal electrode groups, is monitored so that, if the voltage is below a predetermined value, the liquid display device will not start display even when it receives a signal requesting starting of display from the outside.

Abstract: In a phase-locked loop with reference, feedback, and error signals, the trade-off between lock-up time and power dissipation is improved by one of the following methods: supplying a continuous error signal, instead of an intermittent error signal, to a charge pump during lock acquisition; employing a half-integer frequency divider and making multiple phase-and-frequency comparisons during each reference signal cycle; employing a prescaled feedback signal and making multiple phase-and-frequency comparisons during each reference signal cycle; providing multiple feedback loops and employing a selectable number of the loops during lock acquisition; and employing multiple feedback loops with prescaling of the reference and feedback signals.

Abstract: In a navigation device, the map information read by a map information reproduction device is displayed on the display device, and an intersection which the vehicle approaches is enlarged. The enlarged display of an intersection is continued if the speed of the vehicle is not more than a predetermined value even when the disk is moving away from the intersection. A place at which the classification of road changes may be treated like an intersection. An exclusion key may be provided for designating, during simulation, an intersection to be excluded from the enlarged display. During simulation, the vehicle may be slowed, or stopped when it is near an intersection to permit full examination. A multi-disk reproduction device may be used to selectively reproduce map information from a first disk for storing map information of a first area, and a second disk for storing map information of a second area.

Abstract: In an optical disk reproducing device capable of rotating an optical disk at a selected one of a plurality of preset linear velocities, vibration or shock of the device is detected during rotation of the disk, and the linear velocity of the disk is determined based on the result of the detection of the vibration or shock to restrain the vibration and shock within a permissible range. A limit rotational velocity above which the vibration or shock is excessive may be determined during a test conducted each time a disk is inserted, and the linear velocity of the disk during reproduction may be determined such that the rotational velocity does not exceed the limit rotational velocity.

Abstract: In an optical disk reproducing device capable of rotating an optical disk at a selected one of a plurality of preset linear velocities, vibration or shock of the device is detected during rotation of the disk, and the linear velocity of the disk is determined based on the result of the detection of the vibration or shock to restrain the vibration and shock within a permissible range. A limit rotational velocity above which the vibration or shock is excessive may be determined during a test conducted each time a disk is inserted, and the linear velocity of the disk during reproduction may be determined such that the rotational velocity does not exceed the limit rotational velocity.

Abstract: A hand-written character recognition apparatus includes a CIS, and image data of each character of addressing information hand-written on a transmission original, which is read by the CIS, is stored in a bit-mapped line buffer. A histogram of one direction, e.g. an X direction (main scanning direction) is produced on the basis of the image data, and the histogram is stored in the histogram buffer. A rough position of each of the characters is evaluated on the basis of the histogram, and a character width of each of the characters, preferably an average character width is evaluated with referring to the line buffer. Then, a blank portion having a size of 1.5 times or less the average character width is detected as a space between characters.

Abstract: A separation type feature expanding device comprises an attachment device with a bottom supporting flat portion on which a notebook personal computer is mounted, and a port replicator portion provided in a rear end of the bottom supporting flat portion and having a terminal portion to which a terminal portion provided on the back surface of the notebook personal computer is removably connected, and a feature expanding unit of the notebook personal computer, having its upper end surface on which the bottom supporting flat portion in the attachment device is mounted, and having a terminal portion to which the terminal portion of the port replicator portion in the attachment device is removably connected.

Abstract: A facsimile apparatus includes a transmission motor (90), and when an original to be transmitted is moved by the transmission motor in a sub-scanning direction, sequential lines in the sub-scanning direction are scanned by a contact image sensor (100) in a main scanning direction, and therefore, image data of a black dot or a white dot is outputted by the contact image sensor. A microcomputer (60) specifies a line in which a black dot outputted from the contact image sensor first exists as a start line, and specifies an area on the basis of the start line and an end line which is determined by a fact that three white lines in which no black dots are detected appear after the start line. Addressing information is recognized on the basis of the image data outputted from the contact image sensor which is scanning the area.

Abstract: In an optical disk reproducing device capable of rotating an optical disk at a selected one of a plurality of preset linear velocities, vibration or shock of the device is detected during rotation of the disk, and the linear velocity of the disk is determined based on the result of the detection of the vibration or shock to restrain the vibration and shock within a permissible range. A limit rotational velocity above which the vibration or shock is excessive may be determined during a test conducted each time a disk is inserted, and the linear velocity of the disk during reproduction may be determined such that the rotational velocity does not exceed the limit rotational velocity.