Abstract: The present invention provides a game system which utilizes player's experience efficiently in a competition game to make the competition game more entertaining. A category/style selecting unit 1606 of a terminal 1 enables a player to select one of categories and styles of quizzes selectable for the player who played an academy stage (#5), and sends the category and style of quiz and a difficulty-level of quiz selectable for the player to a center server 3 (#6). A battle stage quiz deciding unit 3616 of the center server 3 selects a predetermined number of quizzes which are in the category and style and the difficulty-level sent from the terminal 1 from a Q&A information storing unit 3625 and decides the quizzes to be set in a battle stage (#7).

Abstract: A purpose of the present invention is to remove dryness and unpleasantness in eyes of contact lens wearers and to obtain favorable moist feel and wearing feel by stabilizing a lacrimal fluid layer on the surface of eyeballs of the wearers. By using an ophthalmic composition containing polyvinyl pyrrolidone, the lacrimal fluid layer existing on ionic contact lenses can be stabilized via adsorption of polyvinyl pyrrolidone on the ionic contact lenses. By adding a viscosity-increasing agent to the ophthalmic composition, the lacrimal fluid layer can be maintained in a stable state over a long period of time.

Abstract: At a data receiving terminal, if a received-data of a particular time section received from a data sending terminal does not satisfy a predetermined accumulation quality as the result of discrimination by a received-data quality discriminating section, an alternative-data sending requesting section requests a data sending terminal for alternative data satisfying the accumulation quality for the unsatisfied data of the particular time section. The result is that the data receiving terminal can realize both reproduction of data with less sending delay and accumulation of high-quality data.

Abstract: Provided is an input device for a billiard game comprising: a simulative ball provided as an object to be shot by a player; a link portion having a ball axis on which the simulative ball is mounted; a support portion for movably supporting the link portion; and a sensor for outputting a signal that corresponds to an operation of the link portion, wherein at least either one of rotational motion of the simulative ball around an axle of a ball axis and linear motion of the simulative ball in a predetermined range along an axial direction of the ball axis is permitted.

Abstract: An encoded video data synthesis apparatus includes: a decoding unit having N, that is, two or more, decoders for decoding input encoded video data; an encoding unit having N encoders for encoding image data from the decoding unit; a buffer unit having N buffers which can store the encoded video data as a process result of the encoding unit for a predetermined number of frames; a stream synthesis unit for performing a synthesizing process on the encoded video data of one frame from each buffer; and a control unit for issuing an instruction to perform a synthesizing process to the stream synthesis unit. The encoded video data synthesis apparatus can further include a frame memory unit having N frame memory which can store a predetermined number of pieces of image data from a decoding unit between a decoding unit and an encoding unit.

Abstract: Provided is an input device for a billiard game comprising: a simulative ball provided as an object to be shot by a player; a link portion having a ball axis on which the simulative ball is mounted; a support portion for movably supporting the link portion; and a sensor for outputting a signal that corresponds to an operation of the link portion,

Abstract: A purpose of the present invention is to remove dryness and unpleasantness in eyes of contact lens wearers and to obtain favorable moist feel and wearing feel by stabilizing a lacrimal fluid layer on the surface of eyeballs of the wearers. By using an ophthalmic composition containing polyvinyl pyrrolidone, the lacrimal fluid layer existing on ionic contact lenses can be stabilized via adsorption of polyvinyl pyrrolidone on the ionic contact lenses. By adding a viscosity-increasing agent to the ophthalmic composition, the lacrimal fluid layer can be maintained in a stable state over a long period of time.

Abstract: At a data receiving terminal, if a received-data of a particular time section received from a data sending terminal does not satisfy a predetermined accumulation quality as the result of discrimination by a received-data quality discriminating section, an alternative-data sending requesting section requests a data sending terminal for alternative data satisfying the accumulation quality for the unsatisfied data of the particular time section. The result is that the data receiving terminal can realize both reproduction of data with less sending delay and accumulation of high-quality data.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel substance which promotes the production and secretion of mucin in ophthalmic tissues.The therapeutic agent for keratoconjunctiva diseases according to the present invention contains gefarnate as an active ingredient. This therapeutic agent for keratoconjunctiva diseases is applicable to dry eye, keratitis, conjunctivitis, corneal erosion, corneal ulcer, etc. The dosage form is preferably an ophthalmic solution. Concentration of gefarnate is, for example, 0.1-3% (w/v).

Abstract: A medal game machine has a fixed table for placing medals thereon, a medal acquisition opening defined alongside of the fixed table and communicating with a medal outlet slot accessible by the player, a pusher table for pushing a medal on the fixed table toward the medal acquisition opening, and a supply mechanism for supplying medals onto the fixed table. The supply mechanism includes a turntable for placing medals thereon, a drive mechanism for rotating the turntable, a medal supply mechanism for supplying medals onto the turntable, and a transfer mechanism for transferring medals from the turntable onto the fixed table.

Abstract: An image encoding control system includes an orthogonal transform encoder for carrying out orthogonal transform coding for each block which includes transform coefficients related to a plurality of blocks, each block obtained by dividing one picture of an input image signal into the plurality of blocks, a code control for controlling the transform coefficients obtained for each block so that the number of variable-length code words obtained for each block is equal to or smaller than a predetermined number of variable-length code words, a variable-length encoder for converting the transform coefficients obtained for each block into variable-length code words, and a buffer memory for temporarily storing the variable-length code words output by the variable-length encoder for each block.

Abstract: An image encoding and transmitting system is an image transmission system for transmitting digital data such as TV telephones. The system for dividing input frame data into a plurality of blocks before transmitting them comprises on its sending side an intra-frame/inter-frame determiner for receiving intra-frame data and inter-frame data and selecting either of them for output, and a difference collator for having the intra-frame/inter-frame determiner compulsorily output intra-frame data at the time of data input for the next frame when one or more data in each block forming inter-frame data are larger than a predetermined threshold. The system also comprises on its receiving side an picture element domain frame data storage for storing received data in the picture element domain, and a motion vector detector for detecting according to the contents in the storage a motion vector using the data in the block surrounding the discarded block in order to guess the data in the discarded block.

Abstract: A method of obstructing the lacrimal canaliculi by infusing therein a solution or liquid dispersion containing a gel forming material, such having collagen as the main ingredient in the range of 1 mg/ml to 70 mg/ml for improving the symptoms of dry eye.

Abstract: A medal inserted from an insert slot is guided by a gap between a rear plate and a cover plate so as to fall onto a slide table. Upon allowing the medal to pass through a medal detection section, a slot game is started on a display. Then, when the patterns are not made uniform at all, then five medals are thrown in the vessel of the medal discharge unit. Also, after the medals are thus thrown in, when three of the same pattern are aligned with respect to all the symbols, the medals stored within the vessel of the medal discharge unit up to the time are discharged onto the slide table at one time.

Abstract: A medal inserted from an insert slot is guided by a gap between a rear plate and a cover plate so as to fall onto a slide table. Upon allowing the medal to pass through a medal detection section, a slot game is started on a display. Then, when the patterns are not made uniform at all, then five medals are thrown in the vessel of the medal discharge unit. Also, after the medals are thus thrown in, when three of the same pattern are aligned with respect to all the symbols, the medals stored within the vessel of the medal discharge unit up to the time are discharged onto the slide table at one time.

Abstract: A prize catching game machine having a table; a prize catcher for catching a prize carried on the table and transferring the prize which has been caught to a predetermined position and releasing the prize at the position; and a prize receiver movable between a first position and a second position for changing a receiving area to receive the released prize. The relative predetermined position at which the prize is released is set such that the position from the top view is in the receiving area of the prize receiver at least at one point between the first and second positions.

Abstract: A CPU, a main memory, a network interface section and a control section are connected to an internal bus. The control section is connected to a storage device to control read-out and write-in processes relative to the storage device. The network interface section receives an access request to the storage device transferred through a network and sends it to the control section through the CPU. The network interface section and the control section are connected to each other by an exclusive line. Data read out of the storage device and data to be written into it is transferred through the exclusive line.

Abstract: Each of processor units 31-1-31-n comprises a CPU, memory, and interface function. A high-speed communications network 32 interconnects the processor units for inter-processor communications. Each of input/output units 33-1-33-n stores multimedia data and transmits the multimedia data through the network under the control of the corresponding processor unit. A processor control unit 34 controls the process of each of the processor units 31-1-31-n according to the process request received through the network. A switch 35 connects each of the input/output units 33-1-33-n to the network and exchanges data through the network. A communications line 36 transfers an instruction, etc. from the processor control unit 34 to each of the processor units 31-1-31-n.

Abstract: A token discriminating device includes: a rolling member having two guide walls and a bottom for defining a rolling passage in which a token is rolled; and a smaller unacceptable token discriminating portion having: a cut-away portion formed in one of the two guide walls; a deflective wall provided in an upper portion of the cut-away portion to define a discriminating opening, a discriminating distance between the bottom and a lower end of the deflective wall being smaller than the diameter of an acceptable token, the deflective wall being bent outward of the rolling passage; a deflector provided on the other guide wall at a position facing the discriminating opening for deflecting a rolling token to the discriminating opening.