Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for producing 4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3[2H]-furanone and new uses thereof.4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3[2H]-furanone may be extracted from the plants of Pinaceae species and may advantageously be used as an anti-oxidant or for whitening the skin. The compound or extracts containing same is not irritative to the skin and can safely be applied to the skin.

Abstract: A method and device for enlarging or reducing an original image to obtain a copy image adjusted in magnification includes designating the image input parameters and calculating the control factors in accordance with the desired magnification, scheduling the function information of the magnification needed for the magnification process to be a form of look-up table, and executing the insertion or omission of the pixel or line which correspond to the desired magnification by an interpolation method. The device includes means for executing the magnification conversion in the main-scanning direction with the insertion or removal of the pixel data, and means for inserting or omitting the scanning line with a control for the phase shift of a motor. The pitches of the output pixels in the main and sub-scanning directions can be set arbitrarily and the magnification conversion can be achieved in a unit of 1%.

Abstract: An optical pick-up device capable of accurately detecting focus errors, tracking errors, magneto-optic signals and pit signals recorded on an optical disc by use of a dichotomous hologram and decreasing the number of optical elements used, thereby achieving a lightness and an improvement in reading rate.

Abstract: An optical pickup device for an optical disk includes a semiconductor laser, an optical waveguide for propagating the laser beam, at output grating coupler for focusing the propagated beam through the optical waveguide onto one point of a optical disk, an input grating coupler for coupling a beam reflected and diffracted from the optical disk into the optical waveguide and for dividing the beam to detect focus and tracking error signals, and photodiodes for detecting the beam coupled into the optical waveguide by the input grating coupler. The photodiodes include a 3-piece-divided photodiode for detecting readout signals and focus error signals, and a 2-piece-divided photodiode for detecting tracking error signals. The optical waveguide, output grating coupler, input grating coupler, and the photodiodes are integrated on the surface of a slab substrate, allowing the optical pickup to be miniaturized and made light, and thus allowing the access time to be faster.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a binary image processing method and apparatus for outputting a document image data inputted from an image input device through a binary image output device.

Abstract: The image data coding apparatus of the present invention includes a First-In, First-Out memory, a pixel color discriminating section, black and white run length calculating sections, black and white code look-up tables, parallel input/serial output shift resisters, and a valid bit detecting section. The FIFO memory sequentially reads binary image data, and outputs them in the inputted order. The pixel color discriminating section discriminates the color of the pixels outputted from the FIFO memory. The black and white run length calculating sections calculate the run lengths of the pixels after the discriminations of the color of the pixels by the pixel color discriminating section. The code look-up table outputs the relevant codes in byte units after receipt of the code address from the black and white run length calculating sections. The parallel input/serial output shift register converts the parallel output data of the look-up table into serial data.