Abstract: The present invention enables permanent biometric authentication without the risk of forgery or the like. The present invention enables living-tissue discrimination as well as biometric authentication. The roughness distribution pattern of deep-layer tissue of the skin covered with epidermal tissue is detected, thereby extracting a unique pattern of the living tissue. Then, biometric authentication is performed based upon the detected pattern. The roughness distribution pattern of the deep-layer tissue of the skin is optically detected using difference in optical properties between the epidermal tissue and the deep-layer tissue of the skin. In this case, long-wavelength light, e.g., near-infrared light is used as illumination light cast onto the skin tissue. A fork structure of a subcutaneous blood vessel is used as the portion which is to be detected, for example. The portion which is to be detected is determined based upon the structure of the fork structure.

Abstract: In the case that a telephone communication line of a portable type wireless telephone terminal is formed between a data transmission terminal apparatus and a data acquisition apparatus with respect to a data communication counter party, the data transmission terminal apparatus sends out data as a dial signal via the wireless telephone terminal to the telephone communication line. As a result, the data is received in the form of the DTMF signal to the data acquisition apparatus.

Abstract: A GPS receiver communicates with a management center through a portable telephone terminal. The management center is connected to a telephone unit and a facsimile unit in a house through a telephone line. When the user presses a predetermined button with the telephone unit, a request for location information of the receiver is transmitted to the management center. The management center transmits the location information request as a DTMF signal to the receiver. The receiver measures the location thereof. The measured result and time information of a navigation message thereof are transmitted as a DTMF signal. When the management center determines that the message is old corresponding to the time information, the management center compensates the measured result. The management center transmits the location information to the telephone unit. The management center transmits image data with map information to the facsimile unit.

Abstract: A steering device, a method for authenticating a driver, and a vehicle are disclosed. The steering device is equipped with an identification information acquisition unit. When a driver takes a position for operating the steering device, namely, a home position to the steering device, the identification information acquisition unit acquires a venous pattern of the driver as identification information. The steering device then outputs the identification information.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for personal identification include an image pickup section for picking up an image of a blood vessel pattern of a wrist, a storage unit for storing, in advance, an image of a blood vessel pattern of a certain person as a registered image, and a control section (CPU) for computation of degrees of similarity according to data differences between the image of the blood vessel pattern picked up by the image pickup section and the registered image to determine identification according to the relationship between the computed degrees of similarity and a threshold, thereby eliminating the need to carry out processing by a characteristic extraction section or the like.

Abstract: A gait detection apparatus includes a microphone for picking up low-frequency-band sounds which are transmitted through the body of a pedestrian while walking and an analyzer for performing analysis. Accordingly, the gait of the pedestrian is detected. It is also possible to distinguish the gait pattern on the basis of the stance-phase time of a foot sole, the signal intensity, etc. The gait detection apparatus can accurately estimate the step length on the basis of a detected gait cycle, the height of the pedestrian, and signals detected during walking. On the basis of low-frequency-region sounds picked up by the microphone while the pedestrian is walking, the pedestrian can be identified.

Abstract: A GPS receiver communicates with a management center through a portable telephone terminal. The management center is connected to a telephone unit and a facsimile unit in a house through a telephone line. When the user presses a predetermined button with the telephone unit, a request for location information of the receiver is transmitted to the management center. The management center transmits the location information request as a DTMF signal to the receiver. The receiver measures the location thereof. The measured result and time information of a navigation message thereof are transmitted as a DTMF signal. When the management center determines that the message is old corresponding to the time information, the management center compensates the measured result. The management center transmits the location information to the telephone unit. The management center transmits image data with map information to the facsimile unit.

Abstract: A sorting device for sorting out a multiplicity of pieces such as tickets according to their size including a cylindrical sorting drum rotatably mounted in a frame for storing therein pieces having different sizes to be sorted out, a first row of openings and associated tapered tongues for only passing therethrough pieces of a first particular size, a second row of openings and associated tapered tongues for only passing therethrough pieces of a second particular size, and a motor for rotating the sorter drum about its own axis to cause the pieces of the particular sizes to be discharged through the first and second rows of openings in the sorter drum.

Abstract: Tickets carrying information indicative of ticket fares are effective for use on different transportation routes run by different transportation entities. After the tickets have been retrieved at terminal ends or stations of the transportation routes, the information is read from the tickets, and the transportation entities are billed for ticket fares or fare differences calculated on the basis of the read information.

Abstract: A sorting device for sorting out a multiplicity of pieces such as tickets, for example, according to their size includes a frame, a drum rotatably mounted in the frame for storing therein pieces such as tickets having different sizes to be sorted out, a sorter on the drum including openings of different dimensions for passing therethrough pieces of different sizes, respectively, and a collector disposed peripherally around the drum in radial alignment with those openings of one dimension for collecting pieces of a particular size passing through the last-mentioned openings. The drum is rotated by a motor about its own axis to cause the pieces of the particular size to be discharged through the openings of the one dimension out of the drum. The sorting device also has a separator for separating superimposed sorted-out pieces from each other. Magnetic or optical information recorded on sorted-out pieces is read by a magnetic or optical reader.

Abstract: Each of sorting mechanisms on a sorter drum comprises a substantially trapezoidal slit defined in a cylindrical wall of the sorter drum and providing a substantially trapezoidal tongue displaced radially outwardly from the cylinderical wall, and a substantially trapezoidal guide body having a holder plate held against the trapezoidal tongue and a pair of slide webs bent from and extending along opposite side edges of the holder plate and fitted in the slit, the holder plate and the slide webs having edges projecting radially outwardly from the cylindrical wall and defining an opening in the cylindrical wall. A detector for detecting pieces sorted out is mounted on each collector guide extending around the sorter drum. An electric control circuit is responsive to a signal from the detector for automatically stopping a motor which rotates the sorter drum.

Abstract: A sorting device for sorting out a multiplicity of pieces such as tickets according to their size, comprises a cylindrical sorter drum rotatably mounted in a frame for storing therein pieces having different sizes to be sorted out, means on the sorter drum including openings for passing therethrough pieces of a particular size only; and a motor for rotating the sorter drum about its own axis to cause the pieces of the particular size to be discharged through the openings out of the sorter drum.