Abstract: An antibacterial resin is allowed to contain an inorganic antibacterial agent so as to retain the quality of cosmetics and improve the applicability, where the antibacterial rein is of a mean particle size of 0.1 to 1,000 &mgr;m and is produced preferably by methods such as emulsion polymerization and suspension polymerization of a calcium phosphate-series antibacterial agent added to a monomer component of a resin.

Abstract: In the communication system, when viewing and listening of distribution contents of a distribution server connected to a network is conducted by a viewing and listening terminal connected to a network with an AV gateway device provided therebetween, the AV gateway device notifies the viewing and listening terminal of the distribution contents in the distribution server as contents held by the AV gateway device itself, and when the viewing and listening terminal requests acquisition of distribution contents from the AV gateway device, the AV gateway device obtains distribution contents corresponding to the request made by the viewing and listening terminal and converts the viewing and listening contents to have a data format receivable by the viewing and listening terminal to transmit the converted contents to the viewing and listening terminal.

Abstract: A physical layer interface for an IEEE-1394 serial bus node includes multiple port transceivers connected to respective serial buses. A controller, connected to a link layer and the port transceivers, supplies control signals to an encoder/decoder for performing data conversion between the link layer and the port transceivers and to a repeater for repeating bus traffic between the port transceivers. A speed setting circuit is provided for storing a lowest value of transmission speeds of the port transceivers in a register map of the controller as a top speed of the node. The controller is arranged to read the stored speed value from the register, receive a speed value from another node and begin packet transmission at a lower one of the stored and received speed values.

Abstract: There is provided a connection control apparatus which, even when a plurality of such connection control apparatuses are connected to a bus such as the 1394 bus through which packet-based bidirectional serial communication is possible and to which a plurality of AV devices can be connected, makes it possible to know to which connection control apparatus the right of controlling each device connected to the bus belongs by collecting information about the control status of each connection control apparatus, thereby to carry out a high level of management of connections to and controls of the bus.

Abstract: An optical isolator device is provided which is free from polarization dispersion. The optical isolator device presents an optical path which is equidistant for both an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray. The optical isolator device of the present invention comprises a first and second optical isolator, each of identical thickness and each comprising a birefringent for separating an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray, a polarization rotator for rotating the plane of polarization of these rays and a birefringent for continuing the ordinary ray and the extraordinary ray. In an embodiment of the present invention, an optical isolator device comprises two optical isolators in series, each comprising a first birefringent element for separating an input beam into an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray, a polarization rotor for rotating the planes of polarization of the ordinary and extraordinary rays by (2m .+-.1/2).times.

Abstract: An output signal of an opto-electric conversion element 1 is amplified by a differential type pre-amplifier 3 to a predetermined level and input to an ATC circuit 5 as a positive phase signal and an inverted phase signal. These signals are held in respective peak holding circuits 51 and 52 of the ATC circuit 5. The positive phase signal held in the peak holding circuit 51 is added by an adder 57 to the inverted phase signal from the pre-amplifier 3 and the inverted phase signal held in the peak holding circuit 52 is added by an adder 58 to the positive phase signal from the pre-amplifier 3. Resultant sum signals are compared by a comparator 7 with a reference and discriminated as logical "1" and "0". The positive phase signal from the pre-amplifier 3 is input to a self-reset circuit 9 including a level detector 91, a reset pulse generator and a reset circuit 93. The level detector 91 detects a signal from the pre-amplifier 3.

Abstract: An optical communication transmission system including an optical amplifier lumped repeater system of the present invention includes, for the purpose of preventing degradation of the transmission characteristic arising from wavelength dispersion of optical fibers due to raised power of the optical signal, transmission optical fibers provided for all or most of the repeating sections and having wavelength dispersion values set to different values from zero, and optical fibers provided for the individual sections to compensate for the sum of wavelength dispersion of the sections so as to reduce the total wavelength dispersion to zero. The optical fiber for compensation for each section may be replaced by a substitutive compensation element. Alternatively, very small wavelength dispersion which remains due to failure in compensating to zero dispersion may be compensated for using a dispersion equalizer of an electric system in the reception section.

Abstract: In an optical amplification system of the present invention, an ASE (amplified spontaneous emission) light included in a signal light band is removed to provide low noise characteristics. The signal light is amplified by an optical amplification unit, and is supplied to an ASE removal unit. In the ASE unit, the signal light is transmitted therethrough, and the ASE light is reflected in the orthogonal direction to the light propagation direction. Consequently, the optical amplification system having low noise characteristics is obtained.

Abstract: A signal light and a clock light which is generated by a clock light generator are propagated through a non-linear optical medium of, for instance, a silica based single mode optical fiber, from which the signal and clock lights and a four-wave mixing light are obtained. One light, for instance, the four-wave mixing light is extracted from the output lights of the non-linear optical medium, and a control signal which is dependent on a time-mean value in power of the extracted light is applied to a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) for driving the clock light generator. Thus, a clock light which is locked in phase to the signal light is obtained.

Abstract: A calcium tertiary phosphate is used as a carrier, and the carrier is caused to carry silver and zinc. The result is an antibacterial ceramic exhibiting an ultra high degree of whiteness and suppressed discoloration. This material may be heat fired at a temperature above 960.degree. C. to obtain a further improvement.

Abstract: A calcium phosphate ceramic such as hydroxyapatite or calcium tertiary phosphate or calcium carbonate is used as a carrier, and the carrier is caused to carry silicon in addition to silver, or silicon and zinc in addition to silver. The result is an antibacterial ceramic exhibiting an ultra high degree of whiteness and suppressed discoloration. This ceramic material may be heat-fired at a temperature above 960.degree. C. to obtain a further improvement.

Abstract: A plurality of transmitting signal lights are supplied from a semiconductor laser light source which is modulated by a current having adjusted amplitude and phase injected thereinto in an optical transmitting apparatus. The signal lights are modulated in intensity by a plurality of external modulators, and a time-difference is applied among the signal lights. Thus, the signal lights are combined to provide a transmitting signal light which is propagated through a transmission line. At this time, a frequency component having a low transmission speed is supplied to the transmission line earlier than a frequency component having a fast transmission speed in compliance with a wavelength dispersion property of the transmission line.

Abstract: An antibacterial ceramic material wherein at least one ceramic selected from the group consisting of hydroxyapatite, calcium phosphate, calcium hydrogen phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium silicate and zeolite is made to absorb and tightly retain at least one liquified metal salt selected from the group consisting of salts of silver, copper and zinc, after which heat firing at elevated temperatures is performed.

Abstract: A hub setting device for a hub onto which a magnetic tape is wound with which the hub can easily be attached to and removed from a rotary shaft with substantially no play between the hub and shaft when engaged. A divided ring is retained in a recess formed in a boss portion of the shaft, and the ring is urged radially outwardly by an elastic member such as a pair of elastic tubular members. An elastic retention member is fitted around the divided ring, received completely within a recess formed around the outer circumferential surface of the ring.

Abstract: In a magnetic tape wind-up system for winding up a magnetic tape into a roll shape around a wind-up core, a feed direction of the magnetic tape to a tape roll, which is formed by winding up of a preceding portion of the magnetic tape, is controlled by a position control roller before the magnetic tape arrives at the tape roll. The position of the magnetic tape in the tape width direction is controlled by an edge control roller at a position where the magnetic tape arrives at the tape roll. Air between turns of the magnetic tape in the tape roll is discharged by pushing the magnetic tape against the tape roll by use of a push roller while the magnetic tape is present at the outermost circumference of the tape roll.

Abstract: An optical communication transmission system including an optical amplifier lumped repeater system of the present invention includes, for the purpose of preventing degradation of the transmission characteristic arising from wavelength dispersion of optical fibers due to raised power of the optical signal, transmission optical fibers provided for all or most of the repeating sections and having wavelength dispersion values set to different values from zero, and optical fibers provided for the individual sections to compensate for the sum of wavelength dispersion of the sections so as to reduce the total wavelength dispersion to zero. The optical fiber for compensation for each section may be replaced by a substitutive compensation element. Alternatively, very small wavelength dispersion which remains due to failure in compensating to zero dispersion may be compensated for using a dispersion equalizer of an electric system in the reception section.