Abstract: A mobile body system for managing a mobile body that moves within a predetermined area includes a mobile body associated with a guest group including one or more guests, and a managing apparatus configured to manage an outer appearance of the mobile body. The managing apparatus includes an activity collector configured to collect activity information indicative of an activity of the guest within the predetermined area, and an outer appearance manager configured to change the outer appearance of the mobile body viewed by the guest based on the activity information collected by the activity collector.

Abstract: A mobile body system for managing a mobile body that moves within a predetermined area includes a mobile body associated with a guest group including one or more guests, and a managing apparatus configured to manage an outer appearance of the mobile body. The managing apparatus includes an activity collector configured to collect activity information indicative of an activity of the guest within the predetermined area, and an outer appearance manager configured to change the outer appearance of the mobile body viewed by the guest based on the activity information collected by the activity collector.

Abstract: A movable body for transporting a visitor at a predetermined area includes a first display device configured to display a video on a virtual window being a display range defined on an inner surface of the movable body, and a display controller configured to partially altering a vehicle window view video which should be originally obtained from the virtual window when the virtual window is assumed to be a physical window, to generate an entertainment effect video. In an operation to generate the entertainment effect video, the display controller may partially or entirely convert a figure of a person contained in the vehicle window view video into that of a fictitious character or may convert at least one of persons contained in the vehicle window view video into an invisible form.

Abstract: A mobile unit system is lent to a user group consisting of at least one user in a park. The mobile unit system includes a first mobile unit configured to support an activity of the at least one user; and a second mobile unit configured to cooperate with the first mobile unit. The second mobile unit is smaller in size and has lower functionality than the first mobile unit. The first mobile unit has at least one of a baggage transportation function, a user transportation function, and a payment processing function.

Abstract: A thermal head and a thermal printer are disclosed. The head includes a substrate, heat generating members, an edge portion, and first and second reinforcing members. The substrate includes: first and second surfaces opposing to each other; and an end face connecting the first and second surfaces. The heat generating members are parallel to the end face and located on the substrate. The edge portion is located on the substrate, crosses an array direction of the heating generating members, and includes first, second and third edge portions on the first main surface, the second main surface and the first end face, respectively. The first reinforcing member is located on the first, second and third edge portions. The second reinforcing member is located on the first edge portion, and separated from the first reinforcing member.

Abstract: A thumbnail generating apparatus includes a moving image extracting portion, a reduction and enlargement ratio calculating portion and a reducing and enlarging unit. The moving image extracting portion extracts a moving image corresponding to a period shorter than a reproduction time of moving image based on the number and area of face detection regions obtained from face detection information generated by detecting a face of person included in the moving image. The reduction and enlargement ratio calculating portion integrates the face detection regions at intervals of certain time based on the face detection information of the moving image extracted by the moving image extracting portion, and calculates a reduction and enlargement ratio of the moving image based on the integration result such that a face of person included in the moving image extracted by the moving image extracting portion is largely displayed.

Abstract: A thermal head and a thermal printer are disclosed. The head includes a substrate, heat generating members, an edge portion, and first and second reinforcing members. The substrate includes: first and second surfaces opposing to each other; and an end face connecting the first and second surfaces. The heat generating members are parallel to the end face and located on the substrate. The edge portion is located on the substrate, crosses an array direction of the heating generating members, and includes first, second and third edge portions on the first main surface, the second main surface and the first end face, respectively. The first reinforcing member is located on the first, second and third edge portions. The second reinforcing member is located on the first edge portion, and separated from the first reinforcing member.

Abstract: An information signal is received, which includes a main information content signal carrying the contents of the information, a CM portion signal carrying commercial messages (CM) and an information mode discriminating signal used for discriminating information modes of the main information content signal and the CM signal from each other according to the contents. A video signal is encoded per plurality of several video frames, the video signal including the main information content signal and the CM portion signal. The encoded video signal is recorded in a storage medium. The video signal is reproduced, during the recording, from the storage medium while the CM portion signal is skipped. The received main information content signal and CM portion signal are recorded in the storage medium. The information mode discriminating signal is recorded in the storage medium or another temporary storage medium.

Abstract: A thumbnail generating apparatus includes a moving image extracting portion, a reduction and enlargement ratio calculating portion and a reducing and enlarging unit. The moving image extracting portion extracts a moving image corresponding to a period shorter than a reproduction time of moving image based on the number and area of face detection regions obtained from face detection information generated by detecting a face of person included in the moving image. The reduction and enlargement ratio calculating portion integrates the face detection regions at intervals of certain time based on the face detection information of the moving image extracted by the moving image extracting portion, and calculates a reduction and enlargement ratio of the moving image based on the integration result such that a face of person included in the moving image extracted by the moving image extracting portion is largely displayed.

Abstract: A controlled device (12) sends a signal to a intermediary server (21) at a predetermined time interval, and the intermediary server (21) receives the signal from the controlled device (12) with a private address allocated by a router (11) and changes an operation mode from a passive mode to an active mode. The operation of the controlled device (12) is changed to the passive mode. The intermediary server (21) continuously establishes a communication path with the controlled device (12). The intermediary server (21), which receives control information from a control terminal (41), relays data transmitted via two communication paths, that is, a communication path established with the control terminal (41) and a communication path established with the controlled device (12), to allow the control terminal (41) to control the controlled device (12) operating in the passive mode.

Abstract: Video signals received on TV channels are recorded and reproduced with time-division compression and decompression to and from a storage medium to allow the video signals to be reproduced while the signals are being recorded. A channel-switching signal is generated when a first TV channel is switched to a second TV channel. Recording of a video signal received on the second TV channel is inhibited for a specific period until a normal video signal received on the second TV channel is gained after the output of the channel-switching signal. Recording of the video signal received on the second TV channel is allowed when the specific period elapses.

Abstract: An information signal is received, which includes a main information content signal carrying the contents of the information, a CM portion signal carrying commercial messages (CM) and an information mode discriminating signal used for discriminating information modes of the main information content signal and the CM signal from each other according to the contents. A video signal is encoded per plurality of several video frames, the video signal including the main information content signal and the CM portion signal. The encoded video signal is recorded in a storage medium. The video signal is reproduced, during the recording, from the storage medium while the CM portion signal is skipped. The received main information content signal and CM portion signal are recorded in the storage medium. The information mode discriminating signal is recorded in the storage medium or another temporary storage medium.

Abstract: A controlled device (12) sends a signal to a intermediary server (21) at a predetermined time interval, and the intermediary server (21) receives the signal from the controlled device (12) with a private address allocated by a router (11) and changes an operation mode from a passive mode to an active mode. The operation of the controlled device (12) is changed to the passive mode. The intermediary server (21) continuously establishes a communication path with the controlled device (12). The intermediary server (21), which receives control information from a control terminal (41), relays data transmitted via two communication paths, that is, a communication path established with the control terminal (41) and a communication path established with the controlled device (12), to allow the control terminal (41) to control the controlled device (12) operating in the passive mode.

Abstract: Video signals received on TV channels are recorded and reproduced with time-division compression and decompression to and from a storage medium to allow the video signals to be reproduced while the signals are being recorded. A channel-switching signal is generated when a first TV channel is switched to a second TV channel. Recording of a video signal received on the second TV channel is inhibited for a specific period until a normal video signal received on the second TV channel is gained after the output of the channel-switching signal. Recording of the video signal received on the second TV channel is allowed when the specific period elapses.

Abstract: An information signal is received, which includes a main information content signal carrying the contents of the information, a CM portion signal carrying commercial messages (CM) and an information mode discriminating signal used for discriminating information modes of the main information content signal and the CM signal from each other according to the contents. A video signal is encoded per plurality of several video frames, the video signal including the main information content signal and the CM portion signal. The encoded video signal is recorded in a storage medium. The video signal is reproduced, during the recording, from the storage medium while the CM portion signal is skipped. The received main information content signal and CM portion signal are recorded in the storage medium. The information mode discriminating signal is recorded in the storage medium or another temporary storage medium.

Abstract: A superimposing video signal represents a superimposing shape. The superimposing video signal and a background video signal are mixed at a varible mixing rate. During an interval where the superimposing video signal corresponds to an edge of the superimposing shape, the mixing rate is varied. The superimposing video signal may be stored in a memory. The mixing rate may be varied in accordance with a mixing rate signal stored in a memory.