Abstract: A method for detecting a foreign particle trapped between substrates of a liquid crystal display panel, by which a potential short caused by the particle can be made into a short with reliability, and thus it is possible to make a display defect manifest itself that is caused by the particle. The method is for detecting the presence of a foreign particle trapped between flexible substrates (21, 26) of a liquid crystal display panel (20), between the substrates liquid crystals filled, and the method includes making the panel pass between supporting rollers (3) arranged to support one surface of the panel, and a pressing roller (4) disposed at a position opposed to a space between the supporting units and arranged to press the other surface of the panel, bending the panel, and displacing the substrates with respect to each other in their surface directions.

Abstract: A method for detecting a foreign particle trapped between substrates of a liquid crystal display panel, by which a potential short caused by the particle can be made into a short with reliability, and thus it is possible to make a display defect manifest itself that is caused by the particle. The method is for detecting the presence of a foreign particle trapped between flexible substrates (21, 26) of a liquid crystal display panel (20), between the substrates liquid crystals filled, and the method includes making the panel pass between supporting rollers (3) arranged to support one surface of the panel, and a pressing roller (4) disposed at a position opposed to a space between the supporting units and arranged to press the other surface of the panel, bending the panel, and displacing the substrates with respect to each other in their surface directions.

Abstract: In optical two-way communication using a single optical fiber, part of the light transmitted from an apparatus is received as stray light by the apparatus itself. This occasionally hampers accurate detection of disconnection from the partner apparatus and of the start of data communication by the partner apparatus after the establishment of connection. To overcome this, the timing with which an apparatus transmits a tone signal after the establishment of connection is compared with the timing with which the apparatus receives a tone signal from the partner apparatus, and the two apparatuses use different sets of data transmission properties (for example, different wavelengths) to accurately detect disconnection. Moreover, based on the properties of the received light and the characteristics of the receiving amplifier, repetition of the same code for longer than a predetermined period is detected to accurately detect disconnection.

Abstract: A transmission method uses multiple kinds of control codes to be exchanged on a serial transmission path between a sender side and a receiver side, and each of the multiple kinds of control codes has bits smaller in number than a predetermined fixed length.

Abstract: A method of half duplex transmission of a packetized digital data includes the steps of inputting a new packet to be transmitted to a first-in-first-out storage, determining whether the new packet contains time information related to synchronization with other electronic device, responsive to the determination that the new packet contains time information, updating a local timer of the electronic device with a prescribed value, continuously incrementing the local timer, responsive to a timing enabling transmission of the new packet by the transmitting/receiving unit of the electronic device, reading the new packet from the first-in-first-out storage, determining whether the new packet contains time information or not, changing the time information by using a value of the local timer to prevent mismatch in synchronization with other electronic device, and outputting to the bus through the transmitting/receiving unit.

Abstract: In optical two-way communication using a single optical fiber, part of the light transmitted from an apparatus is received as stray light by the apparatus itself. This occasionally hampers accurate detection of disconnection from the partner apparatus and of the start of data communication by the partner apparatus after the establishment of connection. To overcome this, the timing with which an apparatus transmits a tone signal after the establishment of connection is compared with the timing with which the apparatus receives a tone signal from the partner apparatus, and the two apparatuses use different sets of data transmission properties (for example, different wavelengths) to accurately detect disconnection. Moreover, based on the properties of the received light and the characteristics of the receiving amplifier, repetition of the same code for longer than a predetermined period is detected to accurately detect disconnection.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus comprising a detecting unit, a communications unit, and a power control circuit. The power control circuit supplies power to a communication circuit unit based upon a result of detection of the detecting unit.

Abstract: Between two nodes, data in the form of two different signals are transmitted bidirectionally, in accordance with IEEE1394 through one optical fiber cable. At the time of data transmission, data of two different signals is converted to data of one type of signal at one node, and transmitted to the optical fiber cable, and at the other node, the data received from the optical fiber cable is converted to the original data of two different signals, and transmitted to a subsequent processing circuit in accordance with IEEE1394. At this time, in a transmission sequence for requesting and granting priority of transmission over the optical fiber cable between both nodes, the priority of transmission is granted alternately to both nodes.

Abstract: A waveform encoding and decoding apparatus is disclosed which comprises a memory, a coding device, a packing unit, and a storage device. The coding device encodes an analog waveform into digital coded data having digital coded data words each having a predetermined length. The packing device "packs" groups of more than one of the coded data words into packed data words each having a predetermined length. The storage device stores the packed data words into respective segments located in the memory. The segments which are located in the memory each have a bit length equal to the predetermined length of the packed data words. A data transfer device may also be provided for transferring and rearranging data between segments located in the memory.