Abstract: During a normal update process, a password transmitted from a personal computer is compared with password already stored in a flash memory. When the passwords match, a transmitted program is written over the stored program. When a change mode is set by a user, the transmitted password is not compared with the stored password. The transmitted program is written over the stored program. Alternatively, even when the two passwords are compared and the, two passwords do not match, if the change mode is being set, the transmitted program is written over the stored program. Accordingly, during the change mode, regardless of whether or not the transmitted password matches the stored password, the transmitted program is written over the stored program.

Abstract: An improved liquid crystal display apparatus for low power consumption is provided, within each of the regions surrounded by a plurality of scanning electrodes and a plurality of signal electrodes, with a display data holding circuit connected to the corresponding scanning electrodes and signal electrodes, for fetching and storing a display data from the signal electrode in response to a scanning signal; a switching device connected to the display data holding circuit, its switching operation being controlled by the holding circuit; and a display electrode connected to the switching device.

Abstract: While the answering machine is recording a message from a remote caller, if it is determined that an automatic reproduction request code has been inputted over the telephone, the time and day designated by the remote caller on which the message is to be reproduced is inputted as reproduction time data. Afterward, the message spoken by the remote caller is recorded as sound data. Also the time and day designated for reproduction is stored as automatic reproduction time data. When, by passage of time, the time registered by the clock circuit matches the time and day designated for reproduction, an alarm is sounded by the speaker 14. Then the message is reproduced.

Abstract: A facsimile device stores a list of a caller ID (i.e., telephone number of the calling station) and a signal reception procedure to be used for receiving signal transmitted from the calling station. If the signal reception procedure on the list does not correspond to the transmitted signal, an appropriate reception procedure is determined based on the transmitted signal, and the list is updated. The updated list is used for the next calling from the calling station. If the calling station is not on the list, the signal reception procedure is determined based on the transmitted signal, and the telephone number and corresponding reception procedure is registered in the list.

Abstract: While the answering machine is recording a message from a remote caller, if it is determined that an automatic reproduction request code has been inputted over the telephone, the time and day designated by the remote caller on which the message is to be reproduced is inputted as reproduction time data. Afterward, the message spoken by the remote caller is recorded as sound data. Also the time and day designated for reproduction is stored as automatic reproduction time data. When, by passage of time, the time registered by the clock circuit matches the time and day designated for reproduction, an alarm is sounded by the speaker 14. Then the message is reproduced.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improvement in a thin-film pattern manufacturing method which includes the steps of providing a thin film on a substrate, forming a mask having a desired pattern on the thin film, and patterning the thin film by removing an exposed portion of the thin film by etching. According to the improvement, the mask is manufactured by forming a layer of an organic resin on the thin film on the substrate and by forming the organic resin layer in the desired pattern by a mechanical forming member. In another embodiment, the organic resin is directly formed or moulded on the thin film by a forming or moulding member.

Abstract: A scanner device can be used in a facsimile machine or the like for reading a document on line basis. Each line of the document is read on pixel basis while irradiating a light onto the document. The scanner device includes an image sensor which receives a light reflected from the document and converts the light to an analog electrical signal. A controller controls the reading operation of the image sensor. A comparator translates the analog electric signal into a binary signal. The binary signal is stored in a shift register wherein the contents therein represents an image of a preceding line with respect to the present line being read by the image sensor. A threshold value applied to the comparator to read the present line image is varied depending upon the preceding line data stored in the shift register. As such, images on the document can be read with excellent fidelity, particularly when a fine line extending in a main scanning direction is present on the document.

Abstract: An optical reading including a device for effecting discrimination between a dither-matrix reading area and a non-dither-matrix reading area on a subject copy, an irradiating device for irradiating local segments of the subject copy with light beams having different intensities, a reading device for obtaining image data representative of the presence or absence of an achromatic tone in each local segment based on an amount of the light beam reflected by each local segment, a control device for operating the irradiating and reading devices to irradiate the local segments in a predetermined discriminating zone of the subject copy with the light beams having different intensities at different times, to obtain first and second image data, a device for comparing the first and second image data of each local segment in the discrimination zone, to determine whether the first and second image data agree with each other or not for each local segment, and a device for determining that the discrimination zone is the dit

Abstract: A thermal printer for printing on a planar recording medium, by heating and thereby coloring a thermally fusible material on the medium. The printer has a thermal print head having heat-generating elements each of which produces heat in contact with the surface of the recording medium, a feeding device for feeding the print head and the recording medium relative to each other, and an anti-sticking device for moving the print head and the recording medium relative to each other, to thereby prevent the print head and the surface of the recording medium from sticking to each other, when the heated thermally fusible material is solidified.

Abstract: The liquid crystal cell (30) for the optical change-over switch comprises a pair of transparent substrates (1), a pair of transparent flat electrodes (2) provided on the respective opposing surfaces of the substrates, orientation control films (3) provided on the flat electrodes (2), two pair of comb shaped electrodes (33) respectively provided on the orientation control films (3), and a ferroelectric liquid crystal layer (4) confined between the substrates (1). The optical incidence plane (31) to the cell (30) is so selected that the plane (31) is away from the helical axes (9) of the ferroelectric liquid crystal in the cell (30) in the order of somewhat greater than the tilt angle (.theta..sub.t) of the ferroelectric liquid crystal.