Abstract: A ball paddle game apparatus (10) has a game machine (12) connected to a television monitor. (18). A paddle key (28a-28d) is provided on a game machine (12). On the game screen of the monitor, a ball moves on the ball movement route in the number corresponding to the number of paddles. A paddle is displayed on the moving route. At the push of a paddle key (28), the corresponding paddle hits the ball. If the timing of operating a paddle key (28) and the timing of a ball movement agrees, then it is a success. If not, then it is a failure.

Abstract: A data server includes a client data management unit for managing data stored in each client apparatus, a server data storage unit for storing the data in each client apparatus, a distribution data storage unit for storing distribution data sent from an information provider, a related data extraction unit for extracting the distribution data related to the data stored in the server data storage unit, and a communication unit connected to a network for performing communications with each client apparatus and the information provider. Information useful for a user is extracted on the data server side so that increase in traffic is prevented, and a load on the client apparatus is reduced.

Abstract: In a disk reading/writing device, a chucking mechanism holds two types of disks having different outer diameters. The chucking area of a small-diameter disk is set to be less than the chucking area of a large-diameter disk. The disks are focused by an optical pickup placed on the side opposite the chucking surface. This configuration makes it possible to enlarge the data area of the small-diameter disk and to perform reading and writing from and onto the small-diameter disk with an enlarged data area.

Abstract: A database server 1 accessible to/from a client 9 via a network includes a reception and transmission portion 8 which sends/receives data to/from the clients 9, a data storage portion 2 having a client data storage region 3 which stores client data corresponding to the client 9, a data management portion 5 which manages the client data, an information collection condition set portion 6 which, when the client data is modified, sets an information collection condition for specifying such information data as to be required by the client 9 in the future based on the modification, and an information creation portion 7 which creates the information data by a search according to the information collection condition.

Abstract: An information providing system includes a mobile terminal and an information providing device. The mobile terminal includes a communication circuit transmitting positional information representing a position of the mobile terminal to the information providing device in response to an inquiry from the information providing device. The information providing device includes a storage circuit storing plan information representing a plan to be executed by the user of the mobile terminal, and a control circuit generating traveling information related to traveling for the user to execute the plan and transmitting the traveling information to the mobile terminal based on the positional information received from the mobile terminal and the plan information stored in the storage circuit. The mobile terminal further includes a display circuit displaying the traveling information received from the information providing device.

Abstract: The present invention provides virtual keyboard which can be used at the same number of operations as on a conventional keyboard and can allow a natural input operation at a minimized load. The virtual keyboard comprises a liquid crystal display for displaying thereon a keyboard having special keys and general keys, a transparent pressure-sensitive panel superimposed on the display and a computing portion that, when a special key and a general key on a pressure-sensitive panel are pushed at a time, detects the coordinate of a middle point between the two pushed positions from outputs of the pressure-sensitive panel, calculates a general key position from the special key point and the middle point and outputs a code corresponding to that position.

Abstract: An air damper has a cylinder member provided at its opposite ends with openings. One opening is formed with a seal surface. A piston member is movable in the cylinder member along an axial direction of the cylinder member so as to generate a variation in pressure in the cylinder member. A cap member is provided on the one opening of the cylinder member. At least a portion of the cap member is capable of moving between a state where the cap member is in contact with the seal surface and a state where the cap member is separated from the seal member in correspondence with the variation in pressure caused by the movement of the piston member. Further, in a state where the cap member is separated from the seal surface, air in the cylinder member can flow out from a space between the cap member and the seal surface.

Abstract: The noise removing device is used in a data communication system utilizing a transmitting signal modulated by a data signal to be transmitted. The noise removing device includes a receiving section for receiving the transmitting signal, and converting it into an electric signal, so as to supply an input signal, an analog signal processing circuit for selectively passing the input signal in a first frequency range including a carrier frequency of the transmitting signal, thereby removing a first noise, for converting the passed signal into a digital signal, and for outputting the digital signal, and a digital signal processing circuit for sampling the digital signal, and for selectively passing the digital signal in a second frequency range including the carrier frequency based on a result of comparison of a pattern obtained by the sampling with a predetermined pattern, thereby removing a second noise.

Abstract: A still picture display apparatus comprises a VRAM and a character ROM. The VRAM is allocated first coordinate addresses corresponding to display positions of a raster scan type display, and a character code representing a character to be displayed is stored in each of the first coordinate addresses. The character ROM is divided into a plurality of storage areas, and dot data of the character is stored in an address designated by the above character code in each of the storage areas. An extended RAM is also allocated second coordinate addresses similarly to the VRAM, and modifying data (character modifying data and/or color modifying data) corresponding to the character code stored in the VRAM is stored in each of the second coordinate addresses.

Abstract: An external memory cartridge for replaceable connection with a video game main unit contains a security device that prevents unauthorized memory cartridges from playing on the game main unit. The video game main unit connects to a television receiver, and includes at least one video graphics processing arrangement that controls the television receiver to display a changing picture defined by video game software contained in the external memory cartridge. The external memory cartridge has a cartridge housing that contains a video game memory device and a security device. The video game memory device contains video game software. An electrical connector couples the video game memory device with said video game main unit to permit the video game main unit to access and execute the video game software. The security device includes at least one input terminal and at least one output terminal connected to said electrical connector.

Abstract: A digital sound source apparatus includes a semiconductor memory connected to a central processing unit. The memory has a quantized data storage area and a program data storage area. A quantized data train and a stop code are stored in a series of addresses in the quantized data storage area, a start address is set in a certain address in the program data storage area. When the start address is read from the program data storage area, the quantized data are sequentially read from the quantized data storage area and are sequentially loaded into a data register. When the stop code is read from the quantized data storage area, loading of the data into the data register is inhibited by a read/write control circuit, the quantized data loaded into the data register are converted into an analog sound signal by a D/A conversion circuit.

Abstract: A memory cartridge having a case and a printed circuit board housed in the case connected, in use to a data processing unit including a microprocessor and a picture processing unit. A memory cooperating with the data processing unit is installed on the printed circuit board, and an area of the memory is divided into a plurality of banks. A multi-memory controller installed on the printed circuit board includes a plurality of registers into which microprocessing generated data, representing bank switching conditions, are loaded. An address for switching the memory banks is output in response to the content of at least one of a plurality of registers. Thus, by changing the above-described data, the microprocessor can specify a specific bank at a specific time and utilize that bank.

Abstract: A memory cartridge is loaded in a main unit of a personal computer when used. The memory cartridge comprises a case, and a printed circuit board which is installed therein and on which a large-capacity, one-chip ROM is mounted. Storage area of the one-chip ROM is divided into a plurality of banks respectively having memory addresses of a number accessible by a central processing unit of the main unit, and one specific bank among them is allocated to an address space accessible all the time by the central processing unit. Bank selecting data for selecting other banks is stored in that specific bank. The bank selecting data is read out with progress of a program stored in the specific bank, being loaded in a counter. The content of the counter is inputted to the most significant three bits of address of the one-chip ROM. The most significant three bits of the address function as bank designating bits.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a first electric conductive layer formed on an insulating base plate to form signal patterns and a ground pattern. An insulation layer covering the signal patterns and a second electric conductive layer connected to the ground pattern are sequentially formed on the plate. A large area ground land is formed in the vicinity of a ground terminal of a digital IC by the first electric conductive layer to be connected to the ground terminal, which is directly surface-connected to the second electric conductive layer so that a ground impedance of the ground terminal can be reduced.

Abstract: A system for determining a truth comprises a main unit which is employed together with an external memory, for example, ROM cartridge, floppy disk or the like. The main unit is operated following a program contained in the external memory. In the external memory and the main unit, the same semiconductor devices, for example, microprocessors are incorporated respectively, and the former device acts as a key device and the latter device acts as a lock device. The key device and the lock device are synchronized with each other, executing the same arithmetic operation following the same program. The results of this operation are exchanged with each other, and the two devices compare the result of operation by their own with the result of operation by the other, respectively. If the both coincide, software is determined to be true and the main unit is allowed to operate, but if not coincide, software is determined to be false and the main unit is left reset intact.

Abstract: A printed circuit board includes a first electric conductive layer formed on an insulating base plate to form signal patterns and a ground pattern. An insulation layer covering the signal patterns and a second electric conductive layer connected to the ground pattern are sequentially formed on the plate. A large area ground land is formed in the vicinity of a ground terminal of a digital IC by the first electric conductive layer to be connected to the ground terminal, which is directly surface-mounted to the second electric conductive layer so that a ground impedance of the ground terminal can be reduced.

Abstract: A memory cartridge is loaded in a main unit of a personal computer when used. The memory cartridge comprises a case, and a printed circuit board which is installed therein and on which a large-capacity, one-chip ROM is mounted. Storage area of the one-chip ROM is divided into a plurality of banks respectively having memory addresses of a number accessible by a central processing unit of the main unit, and one specific bank among them is allocated to an address space accessible all the time by the central processing unit. Bank selecting data for selecting other banks is stored in that specific bank. The bank selecting data is read out with progress of a program stored in the specific bank, being loaded in a counter. The content of the counter is inputted to the most significant three bits of address of the one-chip ROM. The most significant three bits of the address function as bank designating bits.

Abstract: A memory cartridge having a case and a printed circuit board housed in the case is connected, in use, to a data processing unit including a microprocessor and a picture processing unit. A memory cooperating with the data processing unit is installed on the printed circuit board, and an area of the memory is divided into a plurality of banks. A multi-memory controller installed on the printed circuit board includes a plurality of registers into which microprocessor generated data, representing bank switching conditions, are loaded. An address for switching the memory banks is output in response to the content of at least one of a plurality of registers. Thus, by changing the above-described data, the microprocessor can specify a specific bank at a specific time and utilize that bank.

Abstract: A bicycle type training machine includes a crank arm secured to a rotation shaft, pedals being attached to the both free ends of the crank arm. A rotation shaft of a generator is coupled to the rotation shaft of the crank arm. Data of load amount to be loaded to the rotation shaft of the crank arm is outputted by a microcomputer. The load value data is then compared with a count value of a counter to which a pulse train is applied from a reference oscillator, and a pulse signal having the high level and the low level in accordance with a result of the comparison is outputted from a comparator. A duty ratio of the outputted pulse signal is decided by the periods of the high level and the low level and changed in accordance with the load value data. A switching transistor electrically connected in parallel to an armature of the generator is turned-on or -off in response to the high level or the low level of the pulse signal.

Abstract: A cartridge for a gaming machine includes a case having tapered surface formed along a side edge of the rear face thereof which cooperates with a protrusion in the cartridge receiving tray in the gaming machine main unit to prevent an inverted insertion of the cartridge into the machine. A character ROM, a first semiconductor memory storing a program for determining authenticity of the cartridge and a first microcomputer for executing that program are mounted on a printed circuit board accommodated in the case. The gaming machine includes a picture processing unit generating an image signal based on data from the character ROM, a second semiconductor memory which stores the same program for determining authenticity of the cartridge as the program in the first semiconductor memory, and a second microcomputer identical to the first microcomputer for executing the program stored in the second semiconductor memory. The second microcomputer determines authenticity of the loaded or inserted cartridge.