Abstract: In a data using apparatus, first data use history information is generated in accordance with every use of data. The first data use history information represents a starting time and an ending time of every use of data. The first data use history information is sent toward an external apparatus. Second data use history information is received from the external apparatus. Calculation is made as to first data use terms between the starting times and the ending times represented by the first data use history information. Calculation is made as to second data use terms between starting times and ending times represented by the second data use history information. Multiple apparatus use notice information is generated when at least one of the calculated first data use terms and at least one of the calculated second data use terms overlap each other.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display apparatus is composed of a plurality of pixels, a plurality of switches and a driver circuit for driving the plurality of switches. Each of the plurality of pixels is provided with a liquid crystal element in which a liquid crystal layer is sandwiched between a pixel driving electrode and a common electrode confronting with each other, a first sampling and holding circuit, a second sampling and holding circuit and a switching device. The switching device switches a positive image signal voltage and a negative image signal voltage, and supplies the positive and negative image signal voltages alternately to the pixel driving electrode.

Abstract: An optical unit for use in a backlight device of a liquid crystal display apparatus, includes a light-diffusing component to diffract incident light and a light-collecting component having multiple microlenses each having a shape of a hemisphere- or semi-oval-like protrusion on a light-emitting side of the light-collecting component. The components are provided in this order on an optical path of light emitted from a light source of the backlight device. The light-diffusing component includes a diffusing section having a first surface that faces the light source and an opposite second surface, and first and second prisms provided on the first and second surfaces, respectively. Each prism has a cross section like a teeth of a saw. Each first prism has a summit protruding towards the light source. Each second prism has a summit protruding in an opposite direction of the first prism.

Abstract: Received by a program display apparatus are: programs for each of which a receiving time has been determined; digest views corresponding to the programs; and receiving-time information for the programs. The received digest views and receiving-time information are stored in a memory. A moving picture is displayed on a main screen zone of a monitor screen, with the digest views that have been stored in the memory on a sub screen zone of the monitor screen, as being superposed on the moving picture, according to the user's operation. Each digest view is allowed to be displayed on the sub screen zone when a remaining time of the program corresponding the digest view, obtained based on the receiving-time information, is longer than the reference time. The digest view is, however, inhibited from being displayed on the sub screen zone when the remaining time is equal to or shorter than the reference time.

Abstract: A headphone has a speaker unit with a diaphragm and a driving source that vibrates the diaphragm along a driving axis that passes through the speaker unit. The speaker unit has a first face and an opposing second face along the driving axis. The diaphragm and the driving source are installed in the speaker unit between the first and second faces. First and second weighting members are fixed as being in contact with the first and second faces, respectively. The speaker unit and the weighting members are installed in a housing. At least either of the weighting members is fixed to the housing. The speaker unit is installed in the housing via the weighting members so that the speaker unit is not in direct contact with the housing. The weighting members have a higher specific gravity than the housing.

Abstract: An ear piece to be detachably attached to a sound tube protruding from a housing of an earphone has a base portion with a through hole. The through hole has an inner wall with a first, a second, and a third portion continuously provided in order when viewed from the housing. The first portion protrudes inwardly and has a first distance from a protruding inner surface of the first portion to an axis line passing through the cross section of the base portion and the through hole. The second portion has a circumferential inner surface having a second distance longer than the first distance to the axis line. The third portion is formed continuously with the second portion, having a circumferential inner surface with a third distance longer than the second distance to the axis line.

Abstract: A slender-type diaphragm longer in a longitudinal direction and shorter in a transversal direction in relation to the longitudinal direction, has a base member and a slant member. The base member has a pair of extending members provided in parallel in the longitudinal direction as facing each other, and a curved section that protrudes toward a first side of the diaphragm in a vibration direction of the diaphragm from a first plane that includes the extending members, the vibration direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal and transversal directions. The slant member has a slant surface in relation to the first plane and connected to the base member in a manner that the slant member surrounds the base member in a second plane parallel to the first plane, the slant member having a curved surface in a cross section thereof in relation to a cross section of the base member in the transversal direction.

Abstract: An information recording medium includes a recording area for an auxiliary signal, and a recording area for a main signal. The auxiliary-signal recording area and the main-signal recording area are successively arranged. The main-signal recording area stores first information, second information, and third information. The first information represents plural tunes. The second information includes playback control information for separating the tunes into groups and implementing playback of the tunes group by group. The third information includes interactive data for permitting an access to the first information of the tunes group by group.

Abstract: A compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal are multiplexed to get an AV multiplexing-resultant signal. A second audio signal is compressively encoded to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal. A sound-production-timing information signal is added to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to get a substitution playback audio signal.

Abstract: A compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal are multiplexed to get an AV multiplexing-resultant signal. A second audio signal is compressively encoded to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal. A sound-production-timing information signal is added to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to get a substitution playback audio signal.

Abstract: An audio signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant audio data. A video signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant video data. An audio time stamp for audio-vide synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant audio data. A video time stamp for audio-video synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant video data. The time-stamp-added audio data and the time-stamp-added video data are multiplexed into main data. To a plurality of first after-recording-purpose data for at least one of (1) the encoding-resultant audio data and (2) the encoding-resultant video data which form the main data, time stamps for reproduction synchronous with a portion of the main data and identification information for identifying the plurality of first after-recording-purpose data are added to convert the first after-recording-purpose data into second after-recording-purpose data.

Abstract: A compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal are multiplexed to get an AV multiplexing-resultant signal. A second audio signal is compressively encoded to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal. A sound-production-timing information signal is added to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to get a substitution playback audio signal.

Abstract: A compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal are multiplexed to get an AV multiplexing-resultant signal. A second audio signal is compressively encoded to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal. A sound-production-timing information signal is added to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to get a substitution playback audio signal.

Abstract: A compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal are multiplexed to get an AV multiplexing-resultant signal. A second audio signal is compressively encoded to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal. A sound-production-timing information signal is added to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to get a substitution playback audio signal.

Abstract: A compressively-encoding-resultant video signal resulting from compressively encoding a video signal, a first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal resulting from compressively encoding a first audio signal having a synchronized relation with the video signal, a reference clock information signal relating to synchronization between the compressively-encoding-resultant video signal and the first compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal, and an indication timing information signal designating an indication timing of the video signal are multiplexed to get an AV multiplexing-resultant signal. A second audio signal is compressively encoded to get a second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal. A sound-production-timing information signal is added to the second compressively-encoding-resultant audio signal to get a substitution playback audio signal.

Abstract: A pseudo 3D image generation device includes frame memories that store a plurality of basic depth models used for estimating depth data based on a non-3D image signal and generating a pseudo 3D image signal; a depth model combination unit that combines the plurality of basic depth models for generating a composite depth model based on a control signal indicating composite percentages for combining the plurality of basic depth models; an addition unit that generates depth estimation data from the non-3D image signal and the composite depth models; and a texture shift unit that shifts the texture of the non-3D image for generating the pseudo 3D image signal.

Abstract: A first domain ID information piece for a first domain is sent from a first domain managing entity to a second domain managing entity. The first domain managing entity manages the first domain. The second domain managing entity manages a second domain. A second domain ID information piece for the second domain is sent from the second domain managing entity to the first domain managing entity. The first domain is registered with the second domain as a domain higher in rank than the second domain in response to the first domain ID information piece sent from the first domain managing entity to the second domain managing entity. The second domain is registered with the first domain as a domain lower in rank than the first domain in response to the second domain ID information piece sent from the second domain managing entity to the first domain managing entity.

Abstract: An audio signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant audio data. A video signal is compressively encoded into encoding-resultant video data. An audio time stamp for audio-vide synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant audio data. A video time stamp for audio-video synchronous reproduction is added to every unit of the encoding-resultant video data. The time-stamp-added audio data and the time-stamp-added video data are multiplexed into main data. To a plurality of first after-recording-purpose data for at least one of (1) the encoding-resultant audio data and (2) the encoding-resultant video data which form the main data, time stamps for reproduction synchronous with a portion of the main data and identification information for identifying the plurality of first after-recording-purpose data are added to convert the first after-recording-purpose data into second after-recording-purpose data.