Abstract: A method of displaying a symbol on a display area which is effectively a regular array of display elements wherein the symbol is defined by a multiplicity of equally spaced points on the display area and each point is represented by a group of display elements whose relative brightnesses are set so as to create a subjective impression of that point at its required position. The technique avoids the so-called "staircase effect" on symbols. Apparatus for generating brightness control signals for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: In an electric horn for an automobile, a diaphragm is bent at its periphery to define an effective vibration area and a flange portion of a housing is also bent to hold the peripheral edge of the diaphragm. As a result, good sound and sealing are ensured in a compact structure with less number of parts.

Abstract: A protective load disconnect unit is remotely controlled at a single control input terminal from a master controller and monitoring unit. A power switching circuit is actuated to switch a load to be controlled from on to off by a control signal from the master unit. The input terminal is maintained electrically isolated from the switching circuit. A load status response circuit senses the on-off conditions of the power switching circuit. A variable impedance circuit included in the load status response circuit is isolated from the power switching circuit and is connected to the input terminal. The on and off conditions of the power switching circuit changes the variable impedance circuit so that an electrical condition at the input terminal is varied to indicate the load status while the control signal concurrently actuates the switching circuit.

Abstract: A device for preventing a car driver from dozing during a long distance driving to avoid an accident is described. The device comprises two separate parts electrically connected together by means of an electric cord. One of said parts comprises a housing attachable to the dashboard (instrument panel) of an automobile and contains therein an electric circuit energized by a battery current for producing pulsative signals which are transmitted to the second part mounted on the upwardly projecting back of a driver's seat for physical contact with the driver's back and to transmit said pulsative signals to the driver to keep him awake while driving a car or a truck. Said electric circuit further contains therein a branch circuit to furnish current to said second part which then produces stimuli that cause relaxation in the tired muscles of the driver in contact with said second part.

Abstract: A device for the input of alphanumerical data for apparatus of small size. The device comprises a keyboard formed of zones and members for the introduction of data, a monitoring display having luminous segments and electronic memorizing and decoding means, with the introduction zones enabling composition of the data, segment-by-segment, actuation of a zone making it possible to activate the segment of the display corresponding to this zone, the geometrical arrangement on the keyboard of the said zones being directly related to the arrangement of the segments of the display.

Abstract: A sensing unit described in which the cable providing the unit with power also acts to transmit a signal representative of the parameter being sensed e.g. gas concentration. The unit comprises a switched mode voltage regulator the switching frequency of which corresponds to the value of the parameter being sensed.

Abstract: In an alarm system utilizing a bidirectional wired television system, a large number of subscribers are located in a plurality of group units, whereby first specified frequencies which are common to respective of the group units but are different for the subscribers in each group unit are assigned to the respective subscribers in the respective group units to which are assigned another second specified frequencies which are different from one another, and still another third specified frequencies which are different for a plurality of types of alarms are assigned to the plurality of types of alarms.

Abstract: An apparatus is described which permits a dual display on two pages one next to the other on a cathode ray tube. During the scanning of each line of n characters, the address of the character position k, where k is lower than n, is detected and in response to this detection, a signal is generated for stopping the counting of the character positions during a predetermined time. Thereafter, the address of the character position (k+1) is detected and in response to this second detection, an inhibit signal is produced for the duration of the stop signal for inhibiting the illumination of the spot on the CRT screen. Also the addresses of character positions o-k are converted into addresses of character positions n through (k+1) respectively in response to a select signal indicating the selection of one of the pages on the CRT screen.

Abstract: In a video game where several objects are moved across the screen in a horizontal axis in 16 different zones, a RAM type memory has memory locations exclusively dedicated to each zone to provide a starting address for the object in its zone. A single time shared horizontal counter responds to the various starting addresses to successively cause video signals to be generated which provides images of such objects.