Abstract: For an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second operational current, which is smaller than the first operational current, a first power source regulator for stepping down a predefined output power supply voltage from an input power supply voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to the first operational current of the internal circuit and a second power source gulator having a current supply ability corresponding to the second operational current are combined in order to, under the control of a power supply control unit, operate the first step-down type regulator in response to a first control signal instructing the first operation mode in the internal circuit and to operate the second step-down type regulator in response to a second control signal instructing the second operation mode.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor integrated circuit that hardly causes an unnecessary operation time for variable control over an operating frequency and an internal power supply voltage. A CPU specifies an operational clock signal frequency to a clock generation circuit and an internal power supply voltage to a power supply circuit. The power supply circuit comprises a voltage regulator and a determination circuit to determine a transition state to a specified internal power supply voltage. The CPU uses a first signal to notify which time point the power supply voltage variable control start to the power supply circuit. The power supply circuit returns a second signal to the CPU to notify at which time point the power supply voltage variable control terminated.

Abstract: For an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second operational current, which is smaller than the first operational current, a first power source regulator for stepping down a predefined output power supply voltage from an input power supply voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to the first operational current of the internal circuit and a second power source gulator having a current supply ability corresponding to the second operational current are combined in order to, under the control of a power supply control unit, operate the first step-down type regulator in response to a first control signal instructing the first operation mode in the internal circuit and to operate the second step-down type regulator in response to a second control signal instructing the second operation mode.

Abstract: For an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second operational current, which is smaller than the first operational current, a first power source regulator for stepping down a predefined output power supply voltage from an input power supply voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to the first operational current of the internal circuit and a second power source gulator having a current supply ability corresponding to the second operational current are combined in order to, under the control of a power supply control unit, operate the first step-down type regulator in response to a first control signal instructing the first operation mode in the internal circuit and to operate the second step-down type regulator in response to a second control signal instructing the second operation mode.

Abstract: For an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second operational current, which is smaller than the first operational current, a first power source regulator for stepping down a predefined output power supply voltage from an input power supply voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to the first operational current of the internal circuit and a second power source gulator having a current supply ability corresponding to the second operational current are combined in order to, under the control of a power supply control unit, operate the first step-down type regulator in response to a first control signal instructing the first operation mode in the internal circuit and to operate the second step-down type regulator in response to a second control signal instructing the second operation mode.

Abstract: For an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second and smaller operational current, a first regulator for providing a predefined voltage from an input voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to the first operational current and a second regulator having a current supply ability corresponding to the second operational current are provided. A power supply control unit operates the first regulator in response to a first control signal instructing the first operation mode and operates the second regulator in response to a second control signal instructing the second operation mode. The internal circuit and power supply control unit are provided in one semiconductor integrated circuit device.

Abstract: For an internal circuit having a first operation mode consuming a first operational current and a second operation mode consuming a second operational current, which is smaller than the first operational current, a first power source regulator for stepping down a predefined output power supply voltage from an input power supply voltage and having a current supply ability corresponding to the first operational current of the internal circuit and a second power source gulator having a current supply ability corresponding to the second operational current are combined in order to, under the control of a power supply control unit, operate the first step-down type regulator in response to a first control signal instructing the first operation mode in the internal circuit and to operate the second step-down type regulator in response to a second control signal instructing the second operation mode.

Abstract: An integrated circuit formed on a semiconductor chip includes voltage regulators for stepping down an externally-supplied power voltage to produce an internal power voltage, and internal circuits which operate based on the internal power voltage. The voltage regulators are laid in the area of the buffers and protective elements for the input/output signals and power voltages so that the overhead area due to the on-chip provision of the voltage regulators is minimized. The internal power voltage is distributed to the internal circuits through a looped main power line, with an electrode pad for connecting an external capacitor for stabilizing the internal power voltage being provided on it, so that the internal power voltage is stabilized and the power consumption of the integrated circuit is minimized.

Abstract: In an optically scanning displacement detector for determination of an object's profile, the detector comprises a light projecting unit for radiating a light beam on the object, a light receiving unit for receiving a reflected light beam from the object to output an object position signal, and a distance determining unit for determining a distance between the projecting unit and the object in accordance with the object position signal. The light projecting and receiving units are mounted in a carrier which is movably supported to a frame. The carrier can be moved in a scanning direction to scan the light beam across the object by the use of an electric motor such as a voice-coil linear motor. Since the present detector does not use a scanning mirror for deviating the light beam, the object's profile can be determined with improved accuracy of measurement, while preventing a formation of dead space in which the light beam can not be radiated during the scanning operation.

Abstract: An optical sensor discriminating the presence of an object or detecting distance to an object which includes a light projecting element for projecting light to a detection area, a light receiving element for receiving light reflected from an object present in the detection area and an anamorphic light receiving lens for expanding a condensed light spot received on the light receiving element in a direction perpendicular to a direction of movement of the light spot on the light receiving element. The light receiving element outputs a detection signal which discriminates the presence of the object in the detection area. The light receiving element can be rectangular in shape and comprise two or more triangular shaped photodiodes which output detection signals that can be processed to determine a distance between the object and the light receiving element.

Abstract: An optical sensor comprises a sensor circuit having parts which are optically interconnected with each other through an optical interconnection board interposed therebetween. The interconnection between the sensor circuit parts is thereby simplified remarkably, so that the mass-producibility of the sensor can be increased to lower its manufacturing costs.

Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic recording-playback apparatus suitable for recording and reproducing a signal including a broad-band composite video signal and a method therefor. The broad-band signal is time-sliced into signals in two channels, and each divided signal is expanded on the time axis so that it is converted into a lower-band signal before being recorded on a magnetic tape. In the time axis expansion process, the vertical blanking signal and/or horizontal blanking signal is not expanded, whereby the divided video signals have a still lower frequency band.

Abstract: The invention relates to a control signal recording apparatus of a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus for recording a video signal on a video track on a magnetic tape and reproducing the recorded video signal. There is provided control signal recording means for inserting a cue signal and a desired address signal as two kinds of pulse signals having different duty ratios onto a control track and the head portion of each video information. Due to this, various kinds of control signals such as cue signal, address signal, and the like can be easily recorded, erased, rewritten, and the like. Also, the address signal can be inserted after the recorded cue signal. Therefore, the editing and head search of the tape can be easily performed.

Abstract: A motor driving circuit includes an equivalent power PNP transistor constituted by a Darlington connection of a small-current PNP transistor and a large-current NPN transistor, and a switching regulator of a step-down and variable type is provided between the collector of the NPN transistor and the emitter of the PNP transistor. Electric power loss in the motor driving circuit can be reduced, and the electric power required to operate the motor driving circuit can be saved.

Abstract: An apparatus for driving a brushless motor, in which a ripple appearing in the rotation torque of the motor is cancelled by driving the motor with a signal current whose phase is opposite to that of and which has a waveform symmetrical with that of the torque ripple waveform, so that the motor can rotate accurately without any speed variation. In order to obtain such a signal current waveform, counter-electromotive forces induced in the stator coils of the motor are detected, and the level of the signal indicative of the detected counter-electromotive forces is controlled depending on the load and rotation speed of the motor to provide a control signal for controlling the motor drive current.

Abstract: A power supply in which a single variable voltage supply device is used as a power source for a plurality of motors which are simultaneously or successively rotated, in which each motor is subjected to constant current driving by a current control device connected to the motor, and in which the variable voltage supply device is controlled so as to produce a voltage which is the sum of the highest one of the voltages required for driving the motors and necessary and minimum voltage with which all the current control devices are operable.