Abstract: The key comprises a movable part guided in a fixed support on a base plate and contacts which are closed when the key is depressed against the action of a return spring. The symbol associated with the key is displayed through a window in the key top by an LCD device with a matrix of display areas controlled by an integrated circuit bonded to the underside of the LCD device and fed with signals from the CPU via conductors which enable the integrated circuit to be programmed to define the symbol to be displayed, whereby the keys of a keyboard can be set to match the language currently being used. In an alternative embodiment the key is supported by a flat cable connected with an input circuit of the keyboard and the terminals of the LCD device.

Abstract: A display controller including a first ROM, a second ROM, a RAM, and an output circuit. The first ROM stores fixed data to be displayed on a fixed data area of a display screen. The RAM stores variable data to be displayed on a variable data area of the display screen and receives controlling addresses from the first ROM. The second ROM, under control of data from a preselected one of the first ROM or the RAM, outputs the display pattern data to be displayed on the display device. The output circuit latches the display pattern data and sends it to the display device at a predetermined timing.

Abstract: A display apparatus for displaying character information in various modes. This display apparatus allows the display modes to be changed by changing a character size and a display start address without changing the relative position of a cursor.

Abstract: A flat panel visual display system having orthogonally disposed display electrodes which are provided by display command signals from a computer to cause activation of portions of the display is provided with additional electrodes. The additional electrodes are orthogonally disposed in a plane parallel to the display electrodes and are interconnected so that an operator touching the additional electrodes will shunt at least a portion of the display command signals to ground or back to the computer. The computer is provided with sensor circuitry for sensing the shunting and providing an indication of the location of the simultaneous occurrence of the display command signals and the operator's touch.

Abstract: A touch panel system using modulated light beams to enable the system to detect when one or more of the light beams are blocked even in bright ambient light conditions. The system has a "touch sensitive" display surface with a defined perimeter. Surrounding the display surface are a multiplicity of light emitting elements and light receiving elements. These elements are located so that the light paths defined by selected pairs of light emitting and light receiving elements cross the display surface and define a grid of intersecting light paths. A scanning circuit sequentially enables selected pairs of the light emitting and light receiving elements, modulating the amplitude of the light emitted in accordance with a predetermined pattern. A filter generates a blocked path signal if the currently enabled light receiving element is not generating an output signal modulated in accordance with the predetermined pattern.

Abstract: A coordinate input device with a display includes a tablet composed of two position detecting units each formed by alternately arranged exciting and detecting lines parallel to each other on a magnetic member in the form of a sheet. These units are overlaid one upon the other so that exciting and detecting lines of one unit extend orthogonally with respect to those of the other. A planar display is overlaid on the tablet. The device further includes a position designating magnetic generator which locally applies a magnetic bias to the magnetic members of the tablet. The exciting lines of the tablet are supplied with an alternating current of a predetermined cycle by a driving current source. A position detecting circuit detects the coordinate values of a position designated by the position designating magnetic generator from the induced voltages respectively generated from the detecting lines of the tablet. The display is driven by a display control circuit.

Abstract: A transducer having opposed first and second conductive plates for application of an electrical potential difference therebetween. An elastomeric dielectric material such as neoprene rubber is disposed between the plates and in contact therewith. The dielectric material has a plurality of pockets of approximate average depth "d" such that, for a given gas maintained within the pockets at a pressure "P", the product Pd is significantly less than the value required to achieve the minimum breakdown voltage for the gas in the pockets. Alternatively, the elastomeric dielectric material disposed between the plates may take the form of a plurality of strips or nodules which separate the plates by a distance "d" as above.

Abstract: A video card using VRAMs for a computer which includes a CPU and main memory. The VRAM addresses are generated in a manner making it unnecessary to have an integer number of scan lines per memory row. A counter keeps track of the shift register position in the VRAMs and a new row address is generated in hardware independent of the scan line. A look-ahead feature detects the approaching end of the shift register data and initiates a timing sequence to reload the shift register.

Abstract: In a character display device for displaying characters on a display screen of a display unit (6): a refresh memory (2) stores character codes for respective display positions on the display screen; the refresh memory is supplied with addresses and thereby to sequentially produces character codes; a character generator (4) receives the character codes from the refresh memory and produces pixel signals representing character patterns of the character codes; a frame memory (8) receives and stores the pixel signals for display positions of the respective pixels; the frame memory is supplied with addresses and thereby sequentially produces pixel signals; and the display unit displays the pixel signals from the frame memory on the display screen.

Abstract: Disclosed is a variable capacitance type encoder for measuring the length of an object to be measured on the basis of the amount of a probe which is brought into contact with the object. The amount of the movement of the probe is detected by the variation of electrostatic capacity between a rotary disc which is secured to the shaft, e.g., threaded shaft of the probe, and fixed plates which are secured to a baseplate so as to be opposed to the rotary disc. Two fixed plates are opposed to the rotary disc, and at least one fixed plate is provided with first and second transmitting electrodes composed of a pluarlity of electrode elements to which voltages of different phases are applied and which are annularly arranged at regular intervals in the circumferential direction of the fixed plate. The phase difference between the voltages which are applied to both transmitting electrodes is 180.degree..

Abstract: A vehicle braking system having a servo booster connected to a brake pedal of a vehicle, a hydraulic braking system having a master cylinder which is connected to the servo booster, a booster control device for generating an output force on the servo booster independently of the actuation of the brake pedal, at least one detector for detecting at least one parameter which changes in response to the operating conditions of the vehicle, and a control circuit connected to the detector and controlling the booster control device.

Abstract: Driver brake valve for operating compressed air brakes of rail vehicles. An electropneumatic converter is used to generate a servopressure. The servopressure actuates a relay valve for pressurizing a main air line. An electronic regulation circuit receives a plurality of electrical control signals, including a signal proportional to the pneumatic servo-pressure. The regulation circuit generates an ideal value signal for controlling the electro-pneumatic converter and controls the starting behavior of the brake system. Brake demands which exceed a threshold value are applied to the electronic circuit which generates the ideal value signal. Pressure sensors connected to the main air line and a flow sensor connected to a main container line are used to derive the ideal values for controlling the pneumatic servopressure and the operation of the relay valve.

Abstract: A cathode ray tube controller holds a write-in address and displaying image data or a read-out address from a central processing unit. The cathode ray tube controller makes access to a memory by a write-in or read-out address from the central processing unit during a period in which the displaying image data in a horizontal scanning period are not read out from the memory, so that the read or write operation with respect to the memory can be carried out during the horizontal scanning period.

Abstract: A mouse for use in a video display system for controlling cursor movement on a display screen provided with feedback means which produces resistance to the motion of the mouse as the cursor moves across predetermined areas of the display screen. In its most straight forward realization it comprises an electromagnet and control circuit which operates independently of the pickup and location sensing control of the mouse to produce a magnetic field which acts cooperatively with a substantially planar magnetic surface to produce a resistance to the motion of the mouse when energized.

Abstract: The invention relates to the braking, by means of a control lever, of the winch of a derrick equipped with a band brake and located away from the lever. The lever and the band brake are included in a servo-control circuit and connected by an electric transmission line. A force return is provided on the lever by means of a torque motor receiving the position error signal relative to the mobile end of the band in relation to the control value position given by the lever.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the combining of image and graphics data in a high-performance raster graphics workstation. It allows the definition of windows on the screen, the dynamic control of the position of those windows, the magnification factor (integer zoom), and a color translation table, corresponding to each window. All these functions are under user control. Response time of 10 new frame buffers generated per second provides a "real" time response.

Abstract: A system for rapidly generating an image of a pattern in successive lines each being formed of a plurality of pixels, the system storing the previously generated line, producing one or more replacement pixels, and providing successively generated lines of the image by selectively delivering stored pixels or replacement pixels in accordance with commands defining the boundaries of the pattern. The pixels of the previously generated line are updated with the replacement pixels.

Abstract: A flat speaker device having a flat speaker unit fitted into a through-hole for mounting a speaker of a wall surface board having its back secured to a wall surface leaving a specific spacing therebetween, the flat speaker unit comprising a total-drive type flat speaker comprising a plurality of magnets juxtaposed on a plane and a diaphragm formed from a plurality of projections for respectively covering the plurality of magnets, a speaker frame with a mounting flange mounted on the flat speaker so as to encircle the outer periphery of the flat speaker, rod-like screw members mounted so as to pass through the speaker frame from the front surface towards the back, and swining blades each disposed on the back of the speaker frame with one end threadedly engaged with a respective rod-like screw member and having a length such that when the blade is swung outwardly of a diagonal line of the speaker frame, the tip portion of the blade extends outwardly from the speaker frame.

Abstract: An acoustic transducer has two partially annular resonators arranged in an ante-chamber of a transducer plate, the resonators being formed by annular channels which are provided in an upper housing component which are sealed from the exterior by a covering plate. The channels are linked to the ante-chamber of the transducer plate through openings.

Abstract: An interactive video display system with tight coupling between user-input and the images displayed to provide a feeling of real control by the user. A library of frames of video data is stored in randomly accessible data locations, such as an optical video disc. The video data in each frame in the library is assigned a virtual position in a pre-defined data space, such that the visual image in each frame is related to visual images in other frames by virtual position in the data space. User input is provided through track ball or mouse generating displacement signals. The input signal is translated to an updated virtual position in the data space relative to a previous virtual position and the next frame having the updated virtual position is displayed next.