Abstract: A display portion 3 and a camera portion 4 are disposed in a main body 1. A housing of the main body 1 is made of an non-electroconductive material. One side surface of the main body 1 is an information input surface 5 of an input apparatus. Disposed in the housing on the side surface of the information input surface is a light, thin-film shaped electrostatic sensor. By moving a finger tip 6 on the information input surface 5 upward and downward while contacting thereon, a cursor moves on the display portion 3. Tap positions U, C, and L into which the information input surface 5 is divided in its height direction are defined. When each tap position is lightly tapped one time, releasing and touching states of the finger tip 6 are detected by the sensor and a tap operation is recognized. The tap operation includes a confirmation of a menu at the cursor position, a shutter operation, and so forth. The difference of tap positions can be detected by the sensor.

Abstract: A method of producing a semiconductor apparatus, the method including forming metal ball bumps in direct contact with a circuit pattern of a semiconductor device, forming a resin film to seal spaces between the metal ball bumps, cleaning the surfaces of the metal ball bumps projecting out from the resin film using plasma cleaning by removing components inviting a rise in a connection resistance and a decline in a joint strength, forming eutectic solder layers different in composition from the metal ball bumps on the surfaces of the metal ball bumps, cutting the semiconductor substrate into unit semiconductor chips, and mounting at least one of the chips on a mounting board from a bump forming surface side of the chip so as to connect the eutectic solder layers to the mounting board with the resin film directly contacting the chip and not directly contacting the mounting board.

Abstract: Biogenic information of the user is obtained through a camera unit and an authentication sensor and compared with biogenic information of a person with use authority has previously been stored, thereby discriminating whether or not the user has the use authority. When the user is authenticated, that is, if it is determined that the user is the person with the use authority, an electronic apparatus permits the user to use each function and operate. The authentication of the user is executed when the user wears the electronic apparatus. After he removes it, the authentication result is not held, thereby disabling a person without the use authority to use the electronic apparatus. The biogenic information (physical feature) of the user is detected and the personal authentication can be executed without requiring the user to execute the annoying inputting operation for the personal authentication.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a human body communication system for communicating data via an electric field formed by intervention of a human body, the human body communication system including: a transmitter for generating the electric field by transmitting a potential difference signal corresponding to transmission data from a transmitting electrode; and a receiver for receiving the data by reading the potential difference signal in the electric field by a receiving electrode; wherein the transmitter and the receiver use the potential difference signal in a frequency band such that a quasi-electrostatic field formed within the human body is dominant over a radiation field formed outside the human body when the transmitting electrode and the receiving electrode are each disposed in very close vicinity to the human body.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus is comprised of a light controller including a liquid crystal element and a polarizing plate located in front of an optical low-pass filter in the optical path of the imaging apparatus. The polarization direction of the polarizing plate and the orientation for the liquid crystal element are selectively chosen with respect to the rotation of the optical low pass filter elements in order to achieve a desired improvement in the device performance.

Abstract: To provide a light control device including a liquid crystal element which does not need a polarizing plate and an alignment layer and is compact and high in contrast ratio, and can be driven at low applied voltage and can exhibit stable performance even if environmental temperature varies, and a driving method for the light control device, as well as an image pickup apparatus using the light control device. A liquid crystal cell (1) is fabricated by injecting a mixture in which liquid crystal, a polymer precursor, and a polymerization initiator into an empty cell constituted by two transparent substrates (8) which are stuck together with a gap of 4-11 ?m and on each of whose opposed surfaces a transparent electrode (9) is formed, and the polymer precursor is polymerized and then a random three-dimensional network polymer (3) is formed in the continuous layer of liquid crystal (2). The liquid crystal cell (1) is driven by applying a voltage according to the environmental temperature.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus and recording method that can further improve ease-of-use for the user creates directories according to shooting situations selected from multiple predetermined types of shooting situations, assigns image data produced as a result of photographing a subject to the directories according to the selected shooting situations, attaches identification information to the image data according to the selected shooting situations, and stores the image data to which the identification information is attached, together with an application program of one or more specified applications, so as to associate the image data with the applications.

Abstract: An electrical dimmer device and its driving method applicable to, for example, an image pickup unit and a display unit operate so that when a control signal for stop adjustment is changed from its current value of stop adjustment to a larger value, which occurs when the light transmissivity of a positive type liquid crystal is raised, or when the light transmissivity of a negative type liquid crystal is lowered, the control signal is temporarily varied to an intermediate value that is larger than the larger value. The energy of the varied larger value and a time during which that varied value is applied are determined in accordance with predetermined values. By doing so, it is possible to make a response speed when changing the light transmissivity extremely faster and thus attain a response time, of for example, one field period of time or less required for a stop mechanism of a video camera.

Abstract: There are provided a base member 14, a position restriction mechanism 15, a height restriction mechanism 17, an evenness holding mechanism, and an alignment mechanism 20, 22. A plurality of semiconductor modules is serially layered on the base member. Each semiconductor module comprises a semiconductor chip 7 mounted on a printed-wiring board 6 and a bump 13 formed on an interlayer connection land 8. The position restriction mechanism 15 restricts respective positions of the semiconductor modules 2 to be layered on the base member 14. The height restriction mechanism 17 restricts the height of the entire layered semiconductor module unit 4 layered on the base member 14. The evenness holding mechanism maintains evenness of the semiconductor module 2. The alignment mechanism 20, 22 aligns a mother substrate 5 on which a multilayer semiconductor module unit 4 is mounted.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a human body communication system for communicating data via an electric field formed by intervention of a human body, the human body communication system including: a transmitter for generating the electric field by transmitting a potential difference signal corresponding to transmission data from a transmitting electrode; and a receiver for receiving the data by reading the potential difference signal in the electric field by a receiving electrode; wherein the transmitter and the receiver use the potential difference signal in a frequency band such that a quasi-electrostatic field formed within the human body is dominant over a radiation field formed outside the human body when the transmitting electrode and the receiving electrode are each disposed in very close vicinity to the human body.

Abstract: A display portion 3 and a camera portion 4 are disposed in a main body 1. A housing of the main body 1 is made of an non-electroconductive material. One side surface of the main body 1 is an information input surface 5 of an input apparatus. Disposed in the housing on the side surface of the information input surface is a light, thin-film shaped electrostatic sensor. By moving a finger tip 6 on the information input surface 5 upward and downward while contacting thereon, a cursor moves on the display portion 3. Tap positions U, C, and L into which the information input surface 5 is divided in its height direction are defined. When each tap position is lightly tapped one time, releasing and touching states of the finger tip 6 are detected by the sensor and a tap operation is recognized. The tap operation includes a confirmation of a menu at the cursor position, a shutter operation, and so forth. The difference of tap positions can be detected by the sensor.

Abstract: A process of production of a semiconductor apparatus which can suppress a rise in the electrical resistance and a decline in the joint strength at the bump connection interfaces and improve the connection reliability when using the method of reinforcing the bases of the bumps by a resin film. Bumps are formed on a semiconductor wafer formed with a pattern circuit of a semiconductor chip so as to connect to the circuit pattern, a resin film is formed on the bump forming surface of the semiconductor wafer to a thickness giving a surface lower than the height of the bumps while sealing the spaces between the bumps, plasma cleaning etc., is used to remove the sealing resin components deposited on the surface portions of the bumps or natural oxides or other insulating impurities to clean and activate the surfaces of the bumps, and the chip is mounted on a mounting board.

Abstract: To provide a light control device including a liquid crystal element which does not need a polarizing plate and an alignment layer and is compact and high in contrast ratio, and can be driven at low applied voltage and can exhibit stable performance even if environmental temperature varies, and a driving method for the light control device, as well as an image pickup apparatus using the light control device. A liquid crystal cell (1) is fabricated by injecting a mixture in which liquid crystal, a polymer precursor, and a polymerization initiator into an empty cell constituted by two transparent substrates (8) which are stuck together with a gap of 4-11 ?m and on each of whose opposed surfaces a transparent electrode (9) is formed, and the polymer precursor is polymerized and then a random three-dimensional network polymer (3) is formed in the continuous layer of liquid crystal (2). The liquid crystal cell (1) is driven by applying a voltage according to the environmental temperature.

Abstract: A light control device and an imaging device suitable for the effective and stabilized driving of a Guest-Host type liquid crystal element. A light control device which is provided with a light controlling GH cell and a UV cut filter provided on the light incident side of the GH cell and which is therefore reduced significantly in the quantity of ultraviolet ray applied to the GH cell, thereby preventing the photodecomposition or photodegradation of materials constituting a liquid crystal layer in the GH cell; and an imaging device such as a CCD camera having this light control device disposed on the optical path thereof.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus and recording method that can further improve ease-of-use for the user creates directories according to shooting situations selected from multiple predetermined types of shooting situations, assigns image data produced as a result of photographing a subject to the directories according to the selected shooting situations, attaches identification information to the image data according to the selected shooting situations, and stores the image data to which the identification information is attached, together with an application program of one or more specified applications, so as to associate the image data with the applications.

Abstract: The invention relates to a light control device and an imaging device those are enabled to realize the enhancement of optical functions thereof. The light control device is provided at a front position of an optical lowpass filter 55b in an optical path of an imaging system of an imaging device, and comprises a liquid crystal element and a polarizing plate. Further, the light control device is configured so that the direction of a polarization axis 14 of the polarizing plate and the direction of liquid crystal alignment of the liquid crystal element differ from light ray separation directions of an ordinary ray and an extraordinary ray, which are separated by an optical lowpass filter 55b. The light control device can be applied to the optical diaphragm of the imaging device, such as the CCD camera, MOS image sensor and the like.

Abstract: A light control device and an imaging device suitable for the effective and stabilized driving of a Guest-Host type liquid crystal element. A light control device which is provided with a light controlling GH cell and a UV cut filter provided on the light incident side of the GH cell and which is therefore reduced significantly in the quantity of ultraviolet ray applied to the GH cell, thereby preventing the photodecomposition or photodegradation of materials constituting a liquid crystal layer in the GH cell; and an imaging device such as a CCD camera having this light control device disposed on the optical path thereof.

Abstract: A light control device and an imaging device suitable for the effective and stabilized driving of a Guest-Host type liquid crystal element. A light control device (23) which is provided with a light controlling GH cell (12) and a UV cut filter (65) provided on the light incident side of the GH cell (12), and which is therefore reduced significantly in the quantity of ultraviolet ray applied to the GH cell (12), thereby preventing the photodecompositon or photodegradation of materials constituting a liquid crystal layer in the GH cell (12); and an imaging device such as a CCD camera (50) having this light control device disposed on the optical path thereof.

Abstract: Biogenic information of the user is obtained through a camera unit and an authentication sensor and compared with biogenic information of a person with use authority has previously been stored, thereby discriminating whether or not the user has the use authority. When the user is authenticated, that is, if it is determined that the user is the person with the use authority, an electronic apparatus permits the user to use each function and operate. The authentication of the user is executed when the user wears the electronic apparatus. After he removes it, the authentication result is not held, thereby disabling a person without the use authority to use the electronic apparatus. The biogenic information (physical feature) of the user is detected and the personal authentication can be executed without requiring the user to execute the annoying inputting operation for the personal authentication.

Abstract: An adhesion layer made from Al film or Ti film is formed on Cu electrode pad portions as external connection terminals of a Cu interconnection layer of an LSI formed on the surface layer of a semiconductor substrate. A BLM film having a stacked structure of Cr/Cu/Au or Ti/Cu/Au is formed on the adhesion layer. Solder ball bumps made from Pb and Sn are formed on the BLM film. The adhesion layer ensures a high adhesion strength and a high electric contact characteristic between the Cu electrode pad portions and the BLM film, that is, between the Cu electrode pads and the solder ball bumps.