Abstract: An optical receiving apparatus according to the present invention comprises an optical signal branching circuit for receiving a signal light input from an optical transmission line, a discriminator for discriminating an output signal of the optical signal branch circuit, an evaluator for evaluating characteristics of another output signal of the optical signal branching circuit. The evaluator includes a saturable absorber for determining the discrimination threshold of the discriminator.

Abstract: A transmission wavelength band in an optical transmission line is divided into a plurality of sub-bands and signal lights or an ASE dummy light is disposed per sub-band as a unit. The optical power of the ASE dummy light in each sub-band is controlled so as to realize the gain profile at a full implementation in the optical transmission line. While new signal lights are being added, the optical power of whole ASE dummy lights or the optical power of the ASE dummy lights in sub-bands adjacent to the sub-band in which the new signal lights are to be added is controlled while increasing the optical power of the new signal lights so that the transmission characteristics of the existing signal lights are not affected by the signal addition.

Abstract: A semiconductor acceleration sensor comprises: a frame having an opening inside thereof; flexible beams extending from the frame to the inside of the opening of the frame; a weight suspended from and supported by the beams so that the weight can freely move; piezoresistors to be mounted on the beams and to vary the resistance values in response to accelerations which work on the piezoresistors. The frame comprises damper plate portions, each of which covers a part of the opening spanning from a corner portion of two neighboring sides of the frame on the side of the opening to the inside of the opening, and each of which serves serve as a stopper to limit movement of the weight. The weight has corner portions which face the corner portions, respectively, and each of which is chamfered to have a shape of arc or a polygonal line consisting of at least three sides as seen in plan view.

Abstract: A massaging apparatus in which a position of a specific portion such as a user's shoulder with respect to the massaging apparatus can be determined automatically and accurately in a simple construction. The massaging apparatus includes a supporting arm having a therapeutic member pivotally supported thereon and freely movable along the user's body. The position of the specific portion of the user with respect to the massaging apparatus is determined from the relation between the vertical position of the supporting arm and the pivotal position of the supporting arm. A pivotal movement detecting system detects that the supporting arm reaches a prescribed range of pivotal movement is provided. The position of the specific portion of the user with respect to the massaging apparatus is determined from the position of the supporting arm at the moment when the pivotal movement of the supporting arm reaches the prescribed range.

Abstract: A method to expand a transmission capacity in a WDM optical transmission system including a first optical transmission unit to output to an optical transmission line a plurality of existing signal lights having existing wavelengths different from each other. The method comprises steps of providing a second optical transmission unit to output a plurality of additional signal lights having additional wavelengths different from each other and the existing wavelengths at an error correction ability higher than that of the existing signal lights, and controlling at least one of optical powers of the additional signal light and existing signal light so that the optical power of the additional signal light becomes lower than that of the existing signal light on the optical transmission line.

Abstract: An optical receiving apparatus according to the present invention comprises an optical receiver for receiving a signal light input from an optical transmission line, a discriminator for discriminating an output signal of the optical receiver, an evaluator for evaluating transmission characteristics of the optical transmission line according to the received signal of the optical receiver, and a threshold controller for controlling the discrimination threshold of the discriminator according to the evaluated result of the evaluator.

Abstract: An optical receiving apparatus according to the present invention comprises an optical receiver for receiving a signal light input from an optical transmission line, a discriminator for discriminating an output signal of the optical receiver, an evaluator for evaluating transmission characteristics of the optical transmission line according to the received signal of the optical receiver, and a threshold controller for controlling the discrimination threshold of the discriminator according to the evaluated result of the evaluator.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to realize almost the same transmission characteristic in all wavelengths at a transmission rate of 10 Gb/s or more. An optical transmitter 10 outputs WDM signal light multiplexed with signal light of a plurality of wavelengths toward an optical transmission line 12. The optical transmission line 12 comprises an optical transmission fiber 14, an optical repeating amplifier 16 and a dispersion compensating fiber 18. The gain characteristic of the optical repeating amplifier 16 is set so that the gain becomes the maximum at the effective zero dispersion wavelength of the optical transmission line 12 and that lowers inversely proportional to the distance from the effective zero dispersion wavelength. The whole optical transmission line 12 is set so that the peak power deviation between the effective zero dispersion wavelength &lgr;0 and the wavelength &lgr;1 or &lgr;n on both end becomes approximately 4 dB.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a massaging apparatus that faithfully incorporates the rhythm or melody of a music source and performs massage with accents arranged more effectively based on these. A massaging apparatus of the present invention comprises massaging mechanisms (4, 5) that give mechanical impulses to a body by driving motors (5a, 10, 11), and a control device (13) that controls operations of the motors. The control device (13) comprises a waveform converter (18) having a waveform converting circuit for converting a waveform of an audio signal input from a sound source (A), such as a smoothing circuit, a differentiating circuit, or an integrating circuit, and a specific frequency band signal selecting unit (17) having a low pass filter, a high pass filter, and a band pass filter. In accordance with a control signal output from the waveform converter (18) and the specific frequency band signal selecting unit (17), the operations of the motors are controlled.

Abstract: A frequency deviation detecting apparatus for detecting frequency deviation of a dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) signal includes frequency deviation analyzers for analyzing a received signal for frequency components proximate fixed frequencies in analytical blocks, each analytical block having a length that ensures the precision required for detecting the frequency deviation. Each of the analytical blocks of the deviation analyzers partially overlays an adjacent block so that analysis by at least one analytical block is ensured within a minimum duration of a DTMF signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor acceleration sensor is provided, which has the capability of preventing a situation that detection accuracy of acceleration deteriorates due to undesirable thermal stress induced when a metal layer wiring is used in the acceleration sensor. This sensor comprises a frame, a weight, at least one pair of beams made of a semiconductor material, via which said weight is supported in the frame, and at least one resistor element formed on each of the beams to thereby detect acceleration according to piezoelectric effect of the resistor element. The sensor also includes a doped semiconductor layer formed in a top surface of each of the beams as a wiring for electrically connecting with the resistor element.

Abstract: To control a gain profile in an optical fiber line to become a desirable form, a C-OTDR measuring apparatus (36) outputs a probe pulse light having a wavelength &lgr;m for an optical fiber line (14). A power level on the input or output side of a variable gain equalizer (22) can be measured according to a C-OTDR waveform of a return light of the probe pulse light entered through a C-OTDR path (20c) and an optical fiber line (16). By sweeping the measurement wavelength &lgr;m, the gain file is measured. The equalizing characteristics of the variable gain equalizer (22) are remotely controlled so that the gain profile becomes a desirable form according to the measured result.

Abstract: Two integrated circuit chips, for instance, are disposed on a substrate such that the top surfaces of these integrated circuit chips are located within the same plane surface. A spacer having substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the one of the integrated circuit chips is disposed between the integrated circuit chips. Wiring is formed on the spacer by means of lithography technology.

Abstract: An optical receiving apparatus according to the present invention comprises an optical receiver for receiving a signal light input from an optical transmission line, a discriminator for discriminating an output signal of the optical receiver, an evaluator for evaluating transmission characteristics of the optical transmission line according to the received signal of the optical receiver, and a threshold controller for controlling the discrimination threshold of the discriminator according to the evaluated result of the evaluator.

Abstract: To extend a distance of polarization-multiplexing, an optical transmitter in an optical transmission system has a first signal light output unit (24A, 124A) to output a first signal light (S1) of linear polarization to carry a first data (D1) using VSB modulation having one of sideband on a short wavelength side and sideband on a long wavelength side, a second signal light output unit (24B, 124B) to output a second signal light (S2) of linear polarization to carry a second data (D2) using VSB modulation having the other of sideband on a long wavelength side and sideband on a long wavelength side, and an optical coupler (26, 126) to couple the first signal light (S1) and the second signal light (S2) under different polarizations and output the coupled signal lights onto the optical transmission line (12, 112).

Abstract: An object of this invention is to manufacture an optical fiber cable having optical fibers with small characteristic differences at a high yield. Optical fibers in a first span are manufactured (S1), and each fiber is coated with a different color (S2). Each optical fiber is numbered in order of its chromatic dispersion value (S3). Optical fibers in a next span are manufactured (S4), and each optical fiber is arranged in order of its chromatic dispersion value (S5). Each optical fiber of the next span is coated with a color in inverse order to that of the antecedently connected optical fibers (S6). The optical fibers in the next span are connected to the antecedently connected optical fibers so that each optical fiber having a same color couples up (S7). Each connected optical fiber is renumbered in order of its chromatic dispersion value (S8). The operations of S4-S8 are repeated until reaching to a predetermined span number S9).

Abstract: In a state in which plural public folders are set in a digital multi-functional peripheral (MFP) and made public on a network, a first PC transmits, at the time of activation, designated to-be-monitored folder list data on first PC to a second PC. When second PC has received the designated to-be-monitored folder list data from first PC, second PC collates the received designated to-be-monitored folder list data with its own designated to-be-monitored folder list data. Second PC returns to first PC permission/non-permission data that rejects designation of a public folder as a to-be-monitored folder, if the public folder has already been designated as a to-be-monitored folder (“exclusion process”) and permits access to other public folders.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to manufacture an optical fiber cable having optical fibers with small characteristic differences at a high yield.

Abstract: An optical transmission line monitoring apparatus, comprising: monitor wavelength extracting means for extracting a predetermined monitor wavelength from input light; and judging means for judging whether any trouble is present in the optical transmission system by comparing the intensity of output light from said monitor wavelength extracting means with a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: In an optical transmission, system, a trunk cable having two pairs of optical fibers is provided between first and second trunk stations to use one of the two pairs of the optical fibers for communication between the first and second trunk stations and the other for communication with first and second branch stations. Two branching units of first and second, and third and forth, are respectively provided for the first and second branch stations, and connected to each of the associated first and second branch stations, by first and second or third and forth branching cables. The first branch station connects to the first branching unit via the first branching cable having two pairs of optical fibers, and connects to the second branching unit via the second branching cable having two pairs of optical fibers.