Abstract: An apparatus for bending a workpiece comprises a stretching device for stretching the workpiece. In the process for bending the workpiece, an inclination angle made by a direction a tension force is acted to the workpiece and a direction a stretching forth is applied to the workpiece by the stretching member is detected. The tension force acted to the workpiece is controlled in such a manner that the stretching force from the stretching member is controlled in consideration of the inclination angle. Accordingly, the amount of the spring back after bending is uniform and an accuracy of the dimension of the bent workpiece is improved.

Abstract: In designing wiring for semiconductor integrated circuits, wiring channels are assigned to reduce a signal delay time developed parallel traces. The selection of the wiring channels for all of the wiring oriented nets of the circuits is based on the trunk trace length between the terminals. For the longer trunk trace lengths, a double-pitch wiring channel is assigned. First, the determined trunk-trace lengths are sorted in decreasing order of length. Then, a double-pitch wiring channel is assigned for the trunk-trace lengths that are greater than a predetermined length. When no double pitch channels remain, single pitch channels are used.

Abstract: The inventive computer includes a RAM which sequentially stores a series of calculation expression data thereto, a proof unit which proves the series of calculation expression data by inputting those data again, and a display which displays calculation data found to be non-coincident in the proof operation. First, when a series of calculation expression data is input to the computer, the computer performs a required calculation on the series of calculation expression data and sequentially stores the data in the RAM. After the series of calculations on the data is completed, the user inputs data on designation of a proof operation to confirm whether the result of the calculation is correct. Thus, the proof mode is selected and a second series of calculation expression data is input.

Abstract: An optical communication system for a printer includes an infrared light emitting diode for emitting a radiation for transmitting a printing data, an infrared receiver for receiving the printing data transmitted with the radiation, a printer body to which the printing data is supplied through the infrared receiver, a microcomputer for detecting a state of data transmission of the printing data, an indicator light emitting diode for indicating the state of transmission in accordance with the microcomputer so that the state of printing data transmission is visible to a user.

Abstract: A printer has a rechargeable battery and an electrically driven device required for printing. The device is powered by the battery. The printer uses the device as a load for discharging the battery without performing a printing operation.

Abstract: A thermal printer for forming an image on a sheet includes a thermal head having a plurality of linearly arranged thermal elements. A total number of thermal elements to be energized to form the line image is determined. A difference between the total thermal elements to be energized to form the line image, and previous number of the thermal elements that were energized to form a previous line image is calculated. The thermal elements are then driven for a period of time which is a function of the difference between the total number and the previous number that was calculated.

Abstract: A thermal printer that forms an image on a sheet. The thermal printer includes a thermal head having a plurality of linearly arranged thermal elements, a device for converting image information into bit-map image data, and a device for storing the bit-map image data. A predetermined portion of the stored bit-map image data is transmitted to the thermal head, and a remaining amount of the stored bit-map image data which has not been transmitted to the thermal head is detected. A time interval between a transmission of the predetermined portion of the stored bit-map image data and a subsequent transmission of the predetermined portion of the stored bit-map image data is set, in response to the detected remaining amount of the stored bit-map image data.

Abstract: A thermal printer for forming an image on a sheet, with the image having a plurality of line image data. The thermal printer includes a thermal head having a plurality of linearly arranged thermal elements for forming the image. The total number of the thermal elements to be driven is determined. The thermal elements are driven for a predetermined time period in accordance with the line image data if the number of thermal elements to be driven is not greater than a predetermined value. If the total number of the thermal elements to be driven is greater than the predetermined value, then the predetermined time period is divided into a number of fractional time periods and the thermal elements are intermittently driven for each of the fractional time periods. The predetermined value is determined to avoid sticking between the thermal head and a thermosensitive sheet due to excess heat.

Abstract: A portable printer forms a portion of an image in accordance with image data. A built-in battery provides energy to form the portion of the image. The portable printer predicts whether a remaining capacity of the battery, after the portion of the image has been formed, will be larger than a predetermined reference termination value. The portion of the image is not formed if the remaining capacity of the battery is predicted to be less than the predetermined value.

Abstract: A thermal printer for forming an image on a sheet includes a thermal head having a plurality of linearly arranged thermal elements. A number of thermal elements to be driven to form a line image is determined. A time period that the thermal elements are to be driven to form the current line image is then calculated in accordance with a number of thermal elements driven to form a previous line image and the number of thermal elements determined to be driven to form the current line image. The thermal elements are then driven for the calculated time period to form the current line image.

Abstract: A thermal printer has a thermal head provided with a plurality of thermal elements arranged linearly. The thermal printer also includes a power source capable of supplying a predetermined power level to the plurality of thermal elements which generate heat, a drive for driving the thermal elements with power, and a controller for dividing the plurality of thermal elements into at least two groups. The grouping of the thermal elements is determined such that a difference in power consumption between the groups is minimized.

Abstract: A thermal line printer with a page-width print head includes a page-width ink film ribbon that feeds in the same direction as paper inserted in the printer. The thermal line printer may print on ordinary untreated paper, and the ink film ribbon may be stored in a cassette.

Abstract: A compact thermal line printer includes a guiding portion that releases a thermal line printing head from contact with a platen roller responsive to opening of a cover member. The edges of the cover member are recessed to form paper insert and discharge slots when the cover member is closed. The guiding portion is arranged to hold the cover member open when the cover member opens past a predetermined point.

Abstract: A thermal printer has with a cover member which swings away from the printer. A thermal line printhead is separated from a platen roller in response to the swinging of the cover member. A paper detector on the cover member swings away from the printer with the cover member. Accordingly, a single sensor detects when paper is loaded in the printer, when the cover is open, and when the thermal line printhead is separated from the platen roller, all of which result in the an interruption or prohibition of printing.

Abstract: An interconnection path layout in a circuit structure having terminals arranged in rows, such as a semiconductor integrated circuit. Paths are first assigned to selected obstruction-free terminal pairs to be interconnected, and then bypasses are assigned to the remaining obstruction-existing terminal pairs to be interconnected. This minimizes the occurrence that the terminal pairs are left un-interconnected. Also, longer vertical paths are assigned to selected terminal pairs with priority. This prevents the reserved paths from becoming obstructions to vertical paths which are later assigned to selected terminal pairs.

Abstract: A method of automatic wiring in a semiconductor integrated circuit device having four or more wiring layers, with the lowest layer being a terminal layer, is intended to overcome the prior art problem in which lower layers are mostly used for wiring and upper layers are not used efficiently. The method is designed to assign longer lines to upper layers distant from the terminal layer, and upper layers can have increased wiring densities with minimal numbers of lines, bends and through holes, thereby using upper layers efficiently.

Abstract: A novel wiring method for multilayered semiconductor integrated circuits is disclosed. For example, a semiconductor integrated circuit of a 6-layered wiring structure can be formed with a first layer covered with gates, a second layer, a third layer, a fourth layer and a fifth layer making up logic wiring layers, and a sixth layer making up a power layer. Lattice-shaped wires are formed in a longitudinal direction on the second layer and the fourth layer, and in a lateral direction on the third layer and the fifth layer. The second layer forming the bottom layer and the fifth layer forming the uppermost layer, or a combination of the second layer and the fifth layer of a general wiring structure are used as main layers of wires requiring consideration of signal transmission delay time.

Abstract: In interconnecting signal wires between circuit elements of a semiconductor integrated circuit chip having a multilayered wiring structure, the signal wires are divided or classified into a first group of signal wires with lower modification-requisite possibilty and a second group of signal wires with higher modification-requisite possibility. The first group of signal wires are allocated to a lower wiring layer and wired therein. Then, the second group of signal wires are allocated to an upper wiring layer and wired therein. The second group of signal wires are allocated to and connected in the upper wiring layer, so that a laser is allowed to be fired directly to the upper wiring layer for disconnecting the signal wire or a laser CVD is allowed to be easily implemented on the upper wiring layer for connecting the signal wire, thereby enhancing reliability of modification. The first group of signal wires not to be modified are allocated to and connected in the lower wiring layer.

Abstract: A method and a system for assisting mending of an LSI after it has been formed into a chip which is necessitated by modification of logic etc. The mending includes corrections by connecting or cutting interconnections of the LSI. The assisting method and system provides a method and a system for detecting which interconnection or connections should be subjected to mending according to the logic modification, or a method and a system for detecting an area or areas where the intended mending can be carried out, or a method and a system for advising a mending-allowable rate of the LSI. This invention further provides a wiring structure suited for mending of the LSI and a wiring method for the same. By this method, a wiring structure which preliminarily has a mending area in preparation for possible modification in logic is produced.

Abstract: An audio signal processing apparatus for processing an audio signal. The apparatus includes an audio signal input circuit into which the audio signals are input, an analyzer which analyzes the input audio signal and generates an output control signal, a sound effect processor which performs a prescribed sound effect processing on the input audio signal and outputs a resulting audio signal, a control circuit which controls the sound effect processor to optimize the sound effect processing in response to the control signal from the analyzer, and an audio signal output circuit for outputting the resulting audio signal.