Abstract: This invention relates to an image processing method for improving the quality of an image to be displayed on a display device and to a liquid-crystal display device using the same, and aims at providing an image processing method for providing wide viewing angle and excellent tonal-intensity viewing angle characteristic and a liquid-crystal display device using the same. Combined together are a higher-luminance pixel to be driven higher in luminance than the luminance data of an image to be displayed and a lower-luminance pixel to be driven lower in luminance than the luminance data, to determine a luminance on the higher-luminance pixel and luminance on the lower-luminance pixel as well as an area ratio of the higher-luminance and lower-luminance pixels in a manner obtaining a luminance nearly equal to a desired luminance based on the luminance data.

Abstract: This invention relates to an image processing method for improving the quality of an image to be displayed on a display device and to a liquid-crystal display device using the same, and aims at providing an image processing method for providing wide viewing angle and excellent tonal-intensity viewing angle characteristic and a liquid-crystal display device using the same. Combined together are a higher-luminance pixel to be driven higher in luminance than the luminance data of an image to be displayed and a lower-luminance pixel to be driven lower in luminance than the luminance data, to determine a luminance on the higher-luminance pixel and luminance on the lower-luminance pixel as well as an area ratio of the higher-luminance and lower-luminance pixels in a manner obtaining a luminance nearly equal to a desired luminance based on the luminance data.

Abstract: The antenna apparatus comprises an antenna (1), and a resin material (2) provided between the antenna (1) and a reflector (windshield (3)). The resin material (2) includes portions, and the thickness (or dielectric constant) of each portion of the resin material (2) is determined in accordance with a length of a straight line connecting a feeding point 1a of the antenna (1), each portion of the resin material (2), and the reflector (3). Therefore, a phase of a reflected wave can be easily adjusted, thereby improving a performance of the antenna.

Abstract: A charging device for electrically charging an image bearing member, includes a contact charging member contactable to the image bearing member to charge the image bearing member, the contact charging member being supplied only with a DC voltage; and a contact member contacted to the charging member, wherein the image bearing member is adapted to carry a toner image of toner which contains an externally added material comprising silica, wherein work functions of the charging member, the contact member and the silica satisfy, (the work function of the contact member)>(the work function of the silica)>(the work function of the charging member).

Abstract: Disclosed are novel isoflavone derivatives having the structure of Formula I which are useful as ALDH-2 inhibitors for treating mammals for dependence upon drugs of addiction, for example addiction to dopamine-producing agent such as cocaine, morphine, amphetamines, nicotine, and alcohol.

Abstract: In a battery pack manager that manages series-connected rechargeable unit cells, a cell equalizer equalizes the cell voltages by individually discharging the unit cells according to deviations from reference voltages. An overcharge/overdischarge detector detects an overcharge and an overdischarge state of each unit cell. An inhibit circuit prevents the cell equalizer from discharging the unit cells when the overcharge/overdischarge detector is activated to reduce the cell voltage variability, which would otherwise occur as a result of interference from the overcharge/overdischarge detector, so that the overcharge/overdischarge states of all unit cells can be determined with precision. Connecting lines of the unit cells are monitored to detect a line-cut.

Abstract: A voltage having the positive polarity and a voltage having the negative polarity are alternately applied to a pixel between a counter electrode and a pixel electrode. A counter electrode voltage (Vcom) generating circuit or a source signal generating section is provided each of which controls effective voltages to be applied to the pixel for an identical tone so that an effective voltage having the positive polarity and an effective voltage having the negative polarity are asymmetrically applied to the pixel for all of the tones which can be displayed. The counter electrode voltage (Vcom) generating circuit or the source signal generating section shifts a counter electrode voltage Vcom-A or a source voltage by 0.3 V or more from a voltage causing the effective voltages to be symmetrically applied to the pixel.

Abstract: A display device includes a backlight having a discharge tube and a reflector. A heat conduction member is attached to the reflector in contact with the discharge tube, so that a part of the discharge tube is locally cooled by the heat conduction member. Liquid mercury is collected at a first position in the discharge tube, and the backlight is assembled so that the heat conduction member or other cooling device is located at the first position. Also, the display device includes an optical sheet having a diffusion portion having projections containing scattering material particles.

Abstract: A lighting unit including a light-reflecting reflector, a plurality of cold cathode tubes disposed inside the reflector and an optical waveguide connected with an open end of the reflector to guide the light emitted by the cold-cathode tubes. The reflector has a reflective surface that reflects the light having been emitted by the cold-cathode tubes in the direction nearly perpendicular to the wall of each tube, and only in a direction in which the light reflected does not re-enter the cold-cathode tubes. In another embodiment, the lighting unit may include a second optical waveguide disposed in the space between the cold-cathode tube and the reflector, wherein a space is formed between the cold-cathode tube and the second optical waveguide.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a charging member, and a transfer member. A charging potential of the charging member is different between when the charging member provides a first region on the image bearing member with a potential and when the charging member provides a second region on the image bearing member with a potential, thus providing a predetermined potential difference between the first region and the second region. A third region on the image bearing member, with the transfer member being supplied with a voltage to provide a predetermined potential difference between a potential of the third region before being charged by the charging member and a potential of the third region after being charged by the charging member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a charging member for being supplied with a charging voltage which is a DC voltage not having an AC voltage component and for contacting the bearing member to electrically charge a surface of the bearing member using an electric discharge; a transfer member for transferring onto a transfer material a toner image formed on the surface of the bearing member by developing the electrostatic latent image, at a transfer position; wherein the charging potential of the charging member is different between when the charging member provides a first region with a potential and when the charging member provides a second region with a potential, thus providing a predetermined potential difference between the first region and the second region, and wherein the transfer member is not supplied with a voltage when the second region is at the transfer position, where the first region is a region on the image b

Abstract: Disclosed are novel isoflavone derivatives having the structure of Formula I which are useful as ALDH-2 inhibitors for treating mammals for dependence upon drugs of addiction, for example addiction to dopamine-producing agent such as cocaine, morphine, amphetamines, nicotine, and alcohol.

Abstract: A trigger-type liquid sprayer of the present invention is provided with a liquid sprayer body 2 having a nozzle 21 and a trigger lever 22 and a shroud 3 covering the liquid sprayer body 2 and sprays a liquid from a spray hole 211 in the nozzle 21 by a pulling operation of the trigger lever 22. The nozzle 21 is rotatable with respect to the liquid sprayer body 2 and provided so as to open/close a flow passage for the liquid according to a rotational position of the nozzle 21 when an operation lever 24 mounted on the nozzle 21 is rotationally moved, and an abutment portion 31 for positioning the nozzle 21 at a position where the flow passage is opened through abutment of the operation lever 24 is provided at the shroud 3.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel compounds that are A2A adenosine receptor antagonists, and to their use in treating mammals for various disease states, such as CNS disorders, including the “movement disorders” (Parkinson's disease, Huntington's Chorea, and catalepsy), and cerebral ischemia, excitotoxicity, cognitive and physiological disorders, depression, ADHD, hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis of the liver, and drug addiction (alcohol, amphetamine, cannabinoids, cocaine, nicotine, and opioids) and to their use in the enhancement of immune response. The invention also relates to methods for the preparation of such compounds, and to pharmaceutical compositions containing them.

Abstract: The invention relates to a liquid crystal display device used as a display part of an information equipment and a method of manufacturing the same, and has an object to provide the liquid crystal display device which can obtain excellent display characteristics without raising the manufacture cost and the method of manufacturing the same.

Abstract: A drive control circuit supplies a gate voltage so that display quality is not degraded even in a case where a vertical scanning frequency or a horizontal scanning frequency is changed. The circuit includes a timing controller for detecting a change of a horizontal scanning frequency, a gate voltage generating circuit for generating two kinds of gate-on voltages Va and Vb (Va<Vb), and a switch for outputting one of the gate-on voltages Va and Vb from the gate voltage generating circuit in accordance with an output of the timing controller. The timing controller includes a counter for counting the number of clocks for one horizontal period, and a comparator for comparing a count result with a threshold value. When the horizontal scanning frequency is in a normal state, the low gate-on voltage Va is outputted, and when the horizontal scanning frequency exceeds a predetermined threshold value, that is, the count value falls below a threshold value, the high gate-on voltage Vb is outputted.

Abstract: In a flying capacitor type battery voltage detector on a circuit substrate, a large number of photo MOS switches having performance highly depending from temperature are dividedly disposed on front and back surfaces of the circuit substrate such that the photo MOS switches of the back surface are lying over the photo MOS switches of the front surface. Each of pairs of photo MOS switches connects a pair of surface lines with first and second floating lines to transmit an output voltage of each cell of a battery pack connected with the surface lines to a differential amplifier through a flying capacitor connected with the floating lines. Because of the division of the photo MOS switches on the surfaces of the circuit substrate, temperatures of the photo MOS switches have less dispersion, and an S/N ratio of each signal indicating the output voltage can be improved.

Abstract: There is provided a liquid crystal display having good display characteristics and a method of driving the same. Pixel data is written in plural pixels on one gate bus line at a top end of a display area at a first point in time on a line sequential basis. At a second point in time, the writing of pixel data in pixels in an upper part of the screen is completed, and writing of pixel data in pixels in a lower part of the screen is started. At a third point in time, the writing of pixel data in the pixels in the lower part of the screen is completed. A fluorescent tube on the upper side of the screen is turned on for a period between a third point in time after the writing of pixel data in the upper part of the screen and a fourth point in time before writing of pixel data for the next frame is started and is turned off in other periods.

Abstract: A display device includes a backlight having a discharge tube and a reflector. A heat conduction member is attached to the reflector in contact with the discharge tube, so that a part of the discharge tube is locally cooled by the heat conduction member. Liquid mercury is collected at a first position in the discharge tube, and the backlight is assembled so that the heat conduction member or other cooling device is located at the first position. Also, the display device includes an optical sheet having a diffusion portion having projections containing scattering material particles.

Abstract: A drive control circuit supplies a gate voltage so that display quality is not degraded even in a case where a vertical scanning frequency or a horizontal scanning frequency is changed. The circuit includes a timing controller for detecting a change of a horizontal scanning frequency, a gate voltage generating circuit for generating two kinds of gate-on voltages Va and Vb (Va<Vb), and a switch for outputting one of the gate-on voltages Va and Vb from the gate voltage generating circuit in accordance with an output of the timing controller. The timing controller includes a counter for counting the number of clocks for one horizontal period, and a comparator for comparing a count result with a threshold value. When the horizontal scanning frequency is in a normal state, the low gate-on voltage Va is outputted, and when the horizontal scanning frequency exceeds a predetermined threshold value, that is, the count value falls below a threshold value, the high gate-on voltage Vb is outputted.