Abstract: The present invention provides a signal reproducing apparatus having one special function button arranged on the apparatus body. An incorporated memory of a microcomputer 3 has stored therein a plurality of pieces of function information indicating a function to be performed when the special function button 6 is manipulated. With a recording medium placed therein, the microcomputer 3 specifies function information in conformity with function specifying information included in management information recorded on the recording medium from among a plurality of pieces of function information stored in the incorporated memory, and executes an operation in conformity with the specified function information when the special function button 6 is manipulated in this state. This can realize the signal reproducing apparatus for performing the manipulation with ease when a desired function is to be performed.

Abstract: A signal recording apparatus including a battery voltage detecting circuit. The battery voltage detecting circuit detects the voltage value of a battery. When a record button provided on an operation panel is pressed, a syscon detects, for 160 ms, voltage values given from the battery voltage detecting circuit. The detected voltage values are stored to a DRAM. An average calculated of the voltage values of for 160 ms by using the DRAM. The syscon compares the averaged voltage value with a threshold A that makes it possible for recording for one disk. When the averaged voltage value is equal to or higher than the threshold A, the syscon directly starts recording. When the averaged voltage value is lower than the threshold A, an insufficient remaining capacity of the battery is displayed on a liquid crystal panel by a display controller.

Abstract: A computer system comprises a microcomputer and external memory means in communication with the microcomputer for storing various programs and various items of data. The microcomputer comprises a nonerasable ROM having stored therein a basic program and basic data indispensable to the operation of the system, a RAM for storing various programs or various kinds of data, a CPU for executing programs and processing data, and an interface circuit for providing communications with external devices. The external memory means has stored therein a modification program for modifying a portion of program data contained in the basic program, and a modification starting address indicating a location in the basic program where the modification of the basic program by the modification program is to be started. The CPU has an address interrupt function for processing an interrupt at a predetermined interrupt address.

Abstract: The present invention provides a paint ink composition that does not require any special additives, that is designed so that only the paint ink portion burns off and does not remain when the candle is lit, and which enables three-dimensional expression in drawn (coated) areas. The present invention further provides a drawing implement that enables direct coating of this paint ink composition. The paint ink composition employs paraffin as a binder. A paint ink composition containing paraffin in the amount of 10 to 70 parts by weight, a volatile solvent in the amount of 10 to 70 parts by weight, a thickener and/or gelling agent in the amount of 0.1 to 30 parts by weight, and a dye and/or pigment, is desirable.

Abstract: A disk recording or playback device comprises a pickup movable along the rear surface of a disk, a motor for moving the pickup, arithmetic means for calculating the position of the pickup on the disk, and timer means for measuring the time taken for the movement of the pickup. Predetermined for controlling the operation of the pickup are a specified distance L1 the pickup is to be moved, and a standard period of time T1 taken for the pickup to move the distance L1. The pickup is moved the specified distance L1 by energizing the motor, and the time taken for the movement and measured by the timer means is compared with the standard time T1. The voltage to be supplied to the motor is calculated from the result of comparison. When the measured time is approximate to the standard time T1, the value of the voltage for the motor is temporarily stored in a nonvolatile memory.

Abstract: A disk recording or playback device first sets a target region, and a pickup is moved toward the disk inner periphery to turn on a sensor switch. The pickup is thereafter reversely moved, and further caused to overrun for a predetermined period of time from the position where the sensor switch is turned off. The pickup is returned after reading the address reached by overrunning. If the address is closer to the disk outer periphery than the target region, the overrun time is decreased, and the movement of the pickup toward the lead-in area is repeated again. When the overrun time becomes not greater than a specified value and if the address then read is closer to the disk outer periphery than the target region, the direction of overrun is reversed toward the disk inner periphery. The overrun time enabling the pickup to reach the target region accurately is saved.

Abstract: A disk recording or playback device has mounted on a chassis a pickup for detecting addresses on a disk, and a sensor switch SW for detecting the pickup as brought to the inner peripheral side of the disk. The pickup is moved toward a lead-in area of the disk to turn on the switch SW, thereafter reversely moved and caused to overrun for a predetermined period of time from a position where the switch SW is turned off. The pickup reads an address on the disk and is thereafter returned. When the address is outside a target region within the lead-in area, the pickup is repeatedly moved toward the lead-in area again with the overrun time altered. The overrun time is stored which enables the pickup to read an address within the target region upon overrunning.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for disk reproduction, in which information associated with an audio band signal for controlling the reproduction operation of the disk reproduction apparatus is read from a disk storing the information associated with the audio band signal independent of acoustic information, and the reproduction of the acoustic information and the information associated with the audio band signal is controlled on the basis of the information associated with the audio band signal thus read out. A predetermined track number and a predetermined index number are specified independently of each other using a card, and a command is outputted for accessing the area of the track number and the index number thus specified.

Abstract: A chassis has rotatably mounted thereon a magazine for accommodating a plurality of disks as positioned upright. A playback portion and an insertion-discharge portion are arranged respectively inside and outside the magazine radially thereof. Roller units for holding and transporting the disk are provided between the insertion-discharge portion and the magazine and between the magazine and the playback portion, respectively. The roller units are coupled together by a train of gears and driven by a motor M3 to rotate in directions opposite to each other. Control apparatus is disposed within the device main body for energizing the motor M3 for a specified period of time before the magazine is rotated to rotate the roller units in directions to draw the disk into the magazine.

Abstract: A disk playback device comprises a magazine having a plurality of disk spaces for accommodating disks in an upright position, and an inlet-outlet portion provided externally of the magazine for permitting the disk to pass therethrough into the magazine from outside a device main body. Sensors for detecting loading of the disk into the magazine are disposed beside a path of travel of the disk and connected to a processor for storing information as to presence or absence of the disk in each of the disk spaces. The device main body has an automatic loading mode wherein an empty disk space having no disk accommodated therein is searched for based on the information stored in the processor as to presence or absence of the disk, the magazine is rotated to position the empty disk space as opposed to the inlet-outlet portion and the operation to search for an empty disk space is repeated again after completely loading a disk into the empty disk space.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for disk reproduction are disclosed, in which information associated with an audio band signal for controlling the reproduction operation of the disk reproduction apparatus is read from a disk storing the information associated with the audio band signal independent of acoustic information, and the reproduction of the acoustic information and the information associated with the audio band signal is controlled on the basis of the information associated with the audio band signal thus read out. A predetermined track number and a predetermined index number are specified independently of each other using a card, and a command is outputted for accessing the area of the track number and the index number thus specified.

Abstract: A control system for a disc playing device which facilitates selection of playing of discs by assigning identification codes comprising consecutive numbers to all disc holding grooves of a magazine. A memory of a microcomputer has a first storage area for storing the identification code of the magazine groove positioned as opposed to a disc insertion-discharge portion or playing portion, and a second storage area for storing the identification code of the groove accommodating the disc to be played. The direction of rotation of the magazine is determined by an arithmetic procedure based on the two identification codes stored in the first and second storage areas and on the difference in position between the insertion-discharge portion and the playing portion around the center of the magazine.

Abstract: A magazine controlling method is disclosed for smoothly stopping a disk storing magazine. According to the method of the invention, the rotational speed of the disk storing magazine in rotation is reduced upon the magazine reaching a position a small distance short of a predetermined stop position, and the magazine is then stopped at the predetermined stop position.

Abstract: A disc player including a fixed chassis provided with a disc transport tray reciprocatingly movably, and a movable chassis liftably supported by the fixed chassis. The movable chassis has mounted thereon a disc rotating turntable and a signal reproduction pickup reciprocatingly movable along a radial line of a disc on the turntable. The tray and the movable chassis are driven by a loading motor serving as a common power source. First and second power transmission routes from the motor to the tray and movable chassis are changed over to each other by an intermediate gear mechanism provided between the tray and the movable chassis.

Abstract: In a semiconductor light emitting device comprising an active layer, a hole barrier layer is formed in contact with a first surface of the active layer to provide a barrier against holes in the active layer. The barrier layer does not provide a barrier against electrons tunnelling therethrough. A low energy band gap layer is formed on the barrier layer to have a conduction band minimum which is lower than the conduction band minimum of the active layer at least in a part adjacent to the barrier layer. First and second electrodes are in ohmic contact with an n-type and a p-type conductivity layers which are formed on the low energy band gap layer and a second surface of the active layer, respectively.