Abstract: A laser therapeutic apparatus having an oscillator for generating a laser beam, a condenser lens for condensing the laser beam radiated from the oscillator, a plurality of optical fiber cables for guiding the condensed laser beam, and a probe connected to the distal end of each of the optical fiber cables to apply the laser beam to an affected part of a human body. The probe may be detachably connected to the distal end of the optical fiber through an optical connector. A plurality of optical fibers may have their respective laser beam emergent ends dispersedly disposed over the distal end portion of a probe casing constituting the probe. There may be prepared detachable cap-shaped attachments having various sizes which are conformable with various affected parts of patients, and a selected one of the attachments may be attached to the distal end portion of the probe casing. Thus, it is possible to carry out laser therapy efficiently and effectively.

Abstract: A programmable operator's console adapted to control an external apparatus comprises a display panel, having a display screen and a plurality of transparent touch-sensitive switches disposed in the display screen, and a central processing unit, connected with the external apparatus and the display panel. The display panel displays an image of a plurality of switch regions superimposed on the touch-sensitive switches, and displays labels, each of which indicates the function of each of the touch-sensitive switches in its respective switch regions, indicates control data based upon which operation of the external apparatus is controlled, and indicates apparatus data indicative of the result of the control and the operational status of the external apparatus.

Abstract: A monitoring system for a serial transmission line which analyzes serial data received from a serial transmission line on the basis of a protocol or a data format for serial transmission and converts the serial data into display data, thereby monitoring the serial data. The system converts all or a portion of the data being displayed in one coding format and displays the fresh display data (for example, data displayed in HEX coding is converted and displayed in ASCII coding).

Abstract: A serial transmission line monitoring device is disclosed, in which data flowing along a serial transmission line is received and analyzed by setting a protocol or data format of the serial transmission to convert it into a data for display and to display it for a monitoring purpose. The device has a break function for terminating a supply of the display data to an external display unit in response to an occurrence of a specific data. The break function is controlled so that it is possible to display data discriminatively after the occurrence of the specific data to thereby facilitate an analysis of transmission error. The received data or the data for display is supplied to the external display unit and an external memory unit simultaneously to make a display of a data reproduced from the memory unit possible later on.

Abstract: A wired commodity vending system which comprises a plurality of slave stations each having an automatic vending machine including an outer door and an inner door and a controller for preparing and storing commodity sales data, and a master station for managing the slave stations to which the slave stations are commonly connected through data transmission lines so that the items of commodity sales data in the respective vending machines are processed by the master station.

Abstract: A vending machine system for hotels or the like is disclosed in which a plurality of remote vending machines communicate with a central processing unit to transmit thereto information on article sales. Each of the vending machines includes sensors for sensing the presence of articles in an article store and a memory for storing data indicating the number of articles which can be accommodated in the article store, the number of articles sold and the number of articles remaining to be sold for each kind of article. Counting means are provided for counting articles sold and articles added to the vending machines and for modifying the stored data. The sales number data for each type of article is transmitted from the vending machines to the central processing unit for processing.

Abstract: A beverage vending machine makes use of a microcomputer to compute the time duration for supply of component materials in accordance with stored data and supplied input data.

Abstract: In a wire data transmission system which transmits data from a master station to a number of slave stations or vice versa through a pair of signal wires connected in parallel with each other, only the master station need be provided with a data transmission power source. Signal lines receiving DC voltage from the power source through a resistor are periodically short-circuited within the master station, thereby to transmit "1" or "0" encoded data according to the duration of the short-circuiting time of the signal lines, along with an identification code which designates a slave station. In the slave station, a variation of a voltage between the signal lines is detected, so that the slave station receives the identification code and encoded data from the master station, and a state of short circuit between lines corresponding to encoded data or a clock pulse from the master station is changed by short-circuiting the signal lines, so that the slave station transmits the encoded data to the master station.

Abstract: An automatic vending machine having a control circuit for controlling the quantity of ice in an ice storage chamber. A signal generating circuit is provided for producing digital signals in response to ice being supplied to, and discharged from, the ice storage chamber. A counting circuit comprising an up-down counter receives the digital signals and adjusts a count value which represents the quantity of ice in the storage chamber. The counter produces an output signal when sufficient ice is available to supply vending needs, but not when the ice quantity falls below a predetermined value. The vending operation is suspended when the counter output signal is not produced.