Abstract: A remote transponder unit is secured to the front of an electricity meter which, in turn, is electrically connected to an electric distribution system. The remote transponder unit is adjacent the power measuring disk of the electricity meter without obscuring the analog display of the meter. The transponder transmits data over the electric distribution system, including data representing the energy used by a user. The transponder unit includes a housing which is secured to the base of the meter and is electrically connected through the electricity meter through the electric distribution system.

Abstract: A CRT (cathode ray tube) controller for controlling one CRT device in an interlace mode has a synchronizing circuit of bi-directional construction, in order to make possible synchronous operation of the CRT controller with other circuits (other CRT controllers or a TV system). When the CRTC is used as a master circuit of a CRT display system, a synchronizing signal is derived from the synchronizing circuit in synchronization with a count signal of a vertical scanning counter and an output of an interlace controller of the CRTC, and is supplied to a synchronizing terminal of the other CRTCs. Scanning counters and a flip-flop for controlling an interlace operation of the other CRTCs are reset to their initial state in synchronization with the synchronizing signal. When the CRTC is used as a slave circuit, scanning counters and a flip-flop of the CRTC are reset to their initial state in synchronization with the external synchronizing signal.

Abstract: A display system for displaying characters on a screen which is divided into a plurality of display areas and for allowing a scroll within each of the display areas with one chip of display data RAM without image confusion between the display area. The display data RAM is also divided into plural areas corresponding to the display areas. This system includes address conversion circuit provided between a display controller and the display data RAM for converting a virtual address outputted from the display controller into an actual address of the display data RAM. Here the virtual address is an address out of actual address of the display data RAM.

Abstract: A coordinate system input device provides automatic calibration between coordinates detected and display coordinates and also provides a mouse function wherein movement of an object adjacent a display screen acts to move a displayed cursor an amount proportional to the movement of the object adjacent the display screen. In its automatic calibration function, the coordinate input device compares the coordinates of a displayed test cursor with the coordinates of a detected object adjacent the display screen and calculates a correction amount to correct subsequent detected coordinate positions. In its mouse function, the coordinate input device detects movement of an object adjacent the display screen and amplifies this movement to control a cursor displayed on the display screen. When the object is removed from the display screen, the procedure to be implemented, as indicated by the position of the cursor, is automatically initiated.

Abstract: An interface circuit for reading data to a programmable message display is provided wherein input power is reduced through sampling techniques and circuit complexity is reduced through multiplexing. Stable operation is providing in the presence of noise when the interface circuit is coupled to a device, such as a programmable controller. The circuit includes a plurality of input circuits which receive and condition a like plurality of parallel input data signals. A reference signal generating circuit is responsive to control signals from a microprocessor of the display to provide reference signals. A like plurality of comparator circuits are coupled to their responsive input circuits and to the reference signal generating circuit. Different banks of the comparator circuits sequentially compare the conditioned input signals with the reference signals. Isolation circuits are coupled to the outputs of the comparator circuits.

Abstract: A message is selectively presented in several different languages on an alpha-numeric visual display device. The display device has surface segments each of which can be selectively and individually switched, by connection to a power supply, between two operational states one of which corresponds to visual perceptibility of the segment itself. Selective interconnection of the segments and power supply is effected via connecting lines, the number of such lines being the same as the number of sub-sets of the complete set constituted by the languages in which the message is to be presented, whereby each of the lines corresponds uniquely to one of the sub-sets. Each of these lines is connected to all the segments that are only required to be switched to their states of perceptibility during the presentation of the message in each and every language contained in the corresponding sub-set.

Abstract: A display device for copying machines and the like and having separate two display sections for displaying conventional numeric information, the two display sections being commonly used for displaying non-constant numeric data. The non-constant numeric data is divided into high-order multiple columns and low-order multiple columns, so that each multiple columns is displayed in a separate displaying section, respectively.

Abstract: In the matrix, a positive type liquid crystal of the twisted nematic type is driven by a thin film transistor arranged on a transparent substrate. The polarity of the video signal, originally generated for a cathode ray tube, is inverted within a driving circuit and the inverted negative video signal is used to drive the positive type liquid crystal display. In the range of voltages of the video signal which correspond to the white level, the active matrix panel is driven by stretching the voltage of the video signal such that comparable voltage-contrast characteristics are achieved with the liquid crystal display as with the cathode ray tube. Leakage current of the thin film transistor during off-periods is reduced by setting a gate voltage during the off-period which is within the range of voltage level of the power source.

Abstract: A cathode-ray tube control device displays data obtained from a personal computer on the screen of a television receiver in superimposing relation to the picture of a broadcast. Clock pulses are generated, and these are counted in synchronism with the horizontal and vertical synchronizing signals from the television receiver. Display timing signals including horizontal scanning display period signal, horizontal retrace period signal, vertical scanning display period signal, and vertical retrace period signal are delivered in response to the resultant counts. Then, read-out of data to be displayed is controlled in accordance with the produced timing signals, and the read data is displayed on the screen such that it is superimposed on the picture of a television broadcast. If desired, the frequency of the timing signals may be slightly varied so as to scroll said data across the television picture.

Abstract: A display device comprises a memory for storing article name data first and second character generators, a display unit, and a control unit. The character generators respectively generate character data of a normal character size and also of a character size smaller than the normal character size. The control unit detects the number of characters of the article name data stored in the memory, causing the character generators to generate character data, according to the stored article name data, of the smaller character size or of the normal character size, depending on whether the detected number of characters is greater or less than a predetermined value. The generated character data is displayed on the display unit.

Abstract: A stereoscopic graphics display terminal (10) having an image data processor (22) generates stereoscopic image data from three-dimensional image data. In a preferred embodiment, the graphics display terminal receives from a main or host computer (12) three-dimensional image data corresponding to a three-dimensional representation of an object. The three-dimensional image data are typically generated by an application program that resides in the host computer. The image data processor includes an image orienting system (74) that receives the three-dimensional image data and adaptes such data to represent a preselected orientation of the object and thereby provide an observer with a preselected view of the object. The adaptation of the three-dimensional image data by the image orienting system entails image manipulations that include rotating, translating, and scaling the size of the image.

Abstract: An image processing system and a method for manipulating images in an image processing system where each image in the system is subdivided into a plurality of sub-images which are processed independently of one another. Control of each image and sub-image is maintained by means of a view state word or table so that only those portions of an image which are being actively processed require modification of their view state. The images stored in the system are maintained in a secondary store and only portions of the image are available for manipulation at any one time in a primary store. Manipulation of sub-images is determined by a modified Least Recently Used algorithm which minimizes data swaps between the primary and secondary stores.

Abstract: An image data processing system operates so that foreground color codes are held in a foreground register, background color codes are held in a background register, and the foreground or background color codes are selectively output by a selector according to the patterns of the pattern data or character fonts to be extended to color codes. Accordingly the pattern data or character font patterns can be extended quickly to the foreground or background color codes.Also, to extend the same pattern data repetitively and quickly to the foreground or background color codes, a rotator or selector is used to enable the pattern data to be used repetitively, and according to the output value thereof the foreground or background register is selected.

Abstract: A system for computer vision is based upon an image sensor that maps an image to memory cells in association with a computer. An object orientation and position patch is attached to an object to be observed comprising a planar substantially coplanar and non-collinear reflective locations positioned upon the patch and a reflector having the reflective properties of the surface of a regular curved surface intersecting the planar surface. The computer has a task stored in main memory for detecting and quantifying a change in orientation and position of the object from the location of the image of the orientation and position patch.

Abstract: An acknowledge back (ack-back) pager is provided for use in a paging system including a central station which transmits a group of message signals to a group of ack-back pagers which are addressed as a group. The users of the group of addressed ack-back pagers indicate a response to their respective pagers thus providing ack-back data. The pagers in the group of addressed ack-back pagers then simultaneously transmit back to the central station their ack-back data on different frequency sub-bands, a different frequency sub-band being allocated to each of the pagers in the group. To accurately control the ack-back transmit frequency, the pager receives and down-converts the F.sub.RX signal thus producing a down-converted F.sub.C signal, the frequency of which is measured and stored. The pager selects which sub-band of a plurality of frequency sub-bands within a predetermined range of frequencies is to be used for transmission of the ack-back signal. The pager determines a frequency offset F.sub.

Abstract: A graphics generator is provided for overlaying changeable graphics data on a video display. The graphics generator is microprocessor controlled, and includes a graphics data positioning circuit which permits the microprocessor to vary the displayed graphics in real-time without itself operating at video rates.

Abstract: An improved computer graphic drawing apparatus having a housing unit adapted for being held in hand during graphic drawing operations, a coarse adjusting device movably disposed in the housing unit, and an IC arrangement disposed in the housing unit and electrically connected to the coarse adjusting device for being coupled with a host computer. The improvement resides in a few adjusting device movably disposed in the housing unit and includes: a tracking member movably installed on one side of the housing unit; a first and a second rotary member separately installed in the housing unit and rotatably engaged with the tracking member for being rotated on X and Y coordinate axes; and a first and a second encoding device respectively provided in the housing unit and electrically connected to the IC arrangement in conjunction with both rotary members so as to effect signal conversion and transmission in accomplishing fine adjustment operations.

Abstract: An electrostatic display element making use of electrostatic force acting between a movable electrode and a pair of fixed electrodes kept oppositely to each other with said movable electrode positioned therebetween. The movable electrode, which is made of a flexible film plated with thin metallic layers, is supported by a film holder consisting of two contact plates without using an electrically conductive adhesive for the purpose of preventing the movable electrode from being wrinkled owing to the use of the adhesive. To achieve a good electric contact between the movable elecrode and the film holder, at least one of said contact plates is made of electrically conductive elastomer.

Abstract: A technique is described for managing windows in a display system. The window manager allows a user to mark an area on the display to define the dimensions and contents of a resized window. All non-hidden text and attributes within the enclosed area are incorporated into the resized window; however, the original windows do not lose their original characteristics. The marked area may span multiple windows, so multiple windows may be incorporated into the newly resized window. For each position within the newly resized window, a check is made for a window below. If no window exists below this position, the default, or background, character and attribute are incorporated into the newly resized window. If there exists a window below, a determination is made as to whether the window below is visible or hidden. If hidden, the system continues to look for a visible window until no further window is found below, at which point the default character and attribute are incorporated into the newly resized window.

Abstract: A system for recognizing touch positions along an axis on a surface associated with a touch control apparatus comprises a substrate having a surface capable of propagating surface acoustic waves and so characterized that a touch on that surface causes a perturbation of a surface wave passing through the region of touch. An input surface wave transducer coupled to the substrate surface launches a burst of surface waves on the surface. An output surface wave transducer coupled to the substrate detects received surface waves. Wave redirecting gratings derive wave components from the launched wave and redirect them across the substrate surface to the output transducer. The wave components are caused to traverse the axis along a progression of paths associated with different touch positions along the axis.