Abstract: An ink cartridge has an ink bag which changes in thickness in accordance with a change in an amount of ink. The bag is accommodated in a housing having a guide groove and a window portion. A plate is mounted on the bag for movement therewith and has a pin undergoing movement in the guide groove during movement of the plate. A reflecting plate with a first reflectivity is displayed by the window when bag contains ink. A slide member has a reflecting portion with a second reflectivity different from the first reflectivity and engages the plate pin for sliding movement relative to the housing during movement of plate pin. In a first position relative to the housing, the slide member does not cover the window portion and the reflecting plate is displayed from the window portion which corresponds to a state in which the bag contains ink.

Abstract: To perform a regular movement every time in an ink residual amount detector of an ink cartridge so as to prevent error detection of the ink residual amount. Provided is an ink cartridge including: a housing having a window at a side surface, for accommodating a flexible ink bag a thickness of which changes according to an ink amount; a plate being fixed to a surface of the ink bag to be movable with the ink bag, and including a pin protruding toward the side surface of the housing; a guide groove being provided at the side surface of the housing and enabling a linear movement of the pin, and a slide plate which engages the pin and slidably moves on the side surface of the housing by the movement of the pin, where the slide plate is moved according to a volume of the ink, and a different reflecting plate is displayed from the window for when the ink is left and for when the ink is consumed.

Abstract: An information processing system has a first information processing device having a first wireless communicator for receiving and sending data information from and to a base station by wireless communication and a display for displaying first level information. A second information processing device has a second wireless communicator for receiving and sending data information from and to the first information processing device by wireless communication and a display for displaying second level information corresponding to a sub-level of the first level information displayed by the display of the first information processing device.

Abstract: An information processor and a personal authentication method arranged to easily and securely perform authentication using living-body information on a person whose identification is to be authenticated. The information processor has an input section for inputting living-body information (fingerprint pattern) representing a unique feature of a person whose identification is to be authenticated, a collation section for collating the input living-body information with living-body information registered in a collation data storage section in advance, and a transmission section for transmitting authentication data to an external unit on the basis of the result of the collation.

Abstract: An information provision method effectively utilizes a mobile communication infrastructure to offer a user-friendly communication service. A portable telephone is carried in a state of being separated from a user's body while a wrist-worn portable terminal is carried in a state of being maintained in direct contact with the user's wrist like a wristwatch. When the portable telephone receives service information during a main communication process, e.g., telephone conversation, it transfers the service information to the wrist-worn portable terminal. The wrist-worn portable terminal outputs and displays the transferred service information. A portable telephone company enables communication through the user's portable telephone by using a portable telephone communication infrastructure, and transmits service information to the portable telephone during intervals between time periods for the main communication process.

Abstract: An appliance management system includes an electronic device having some functions useful to a user, and an appliance management device designed to be always carried by the user. The electronic device receives a predetermined signal from the appliance management device, and extracts an ID code of the appliance management device. The electronic device becomes unusable when the signal receiving condition is bad. The functions of the electronic device are restricted according to the result of collation between management information registered in the electronic device and the ID code in the received signal.

Abstract: An electronic device has a housing having a first transparent surface and a second transparent surface opposite to the first transparent surface. A timepiece movement is disposed in the housing and has a display for displaying time through the first transparent surface of the housing. A thermoelectric generator is disposed in the housing for generating electric power in response to a temperature difference across the thermoelectric generator. At least one solar generator is disposed on the second transparent surface of the housing for receiving light transmitted through the second transparent surface to generate electric power. An electrical power storage device stores electric power generated by at least one of the thermoelectric generator and the solar generator and supplies the electric power to the timepiece movement.

Abstract: A thermoelectric generating electronic timepiece comprises a thermoelectric generator for generating electric power in response to a temperature difference thereacross. A heat radiating case is thermally connected to a cold pole of the thermoelectric generator for radiating heat. A heat absorbing case is thermally connected to a hot pole of the thermoelectric generator for absorbing heat. A heat insulating case thermally insulates the heat absorbing case and the heat radiating case. A band is provided for securing the thermoelectric generating electronic timepiece to the arm of a user. The band has a heat absorbing member thermally connected to the heat absorbing case for absorbing heat and a heat insulating member for restraining radiation and transfer of heat.

Abstract: An electronic equipment power charging system has a temperature difference producing device for converting external electrical energy to heat. The temperature difference producing device has heat sources for outputting heat having different temperatures to produce a temperature difference. An electronic equipment has an electrothermal power generator for generating electrical power using the temperature difference produced by the temperature difference producing device to drive the electronic equipment. A measurement device measures the temperatures of the heat outputted by the heat sources of the temperature difference producing device. A control device controls the temperatures of the heat outputted by the heat sources of the temperature difference producing device in accordance with the temperatures measured by the measurement device.

Abstract: A radio wave-corrected timepiece permitting one to easily determine whether radio waves containing correct time data or radio waves containing abnormal time data are being received includes a receiver for receiving a broadcast time signal containing encoded time data and producing a rectangular pulse train containing encoded time data, a memory for storing pulse widths of the encoded data, a comparison circuit for comparing the output signal of the receiver with the output of the memory, and a processor for receiving the output of the comparison circuit, calculating the time, and providing an output permitting correction of a measured time.

Abstract: An analog electric timepiece having a stop watch, and in the movement of hands when timepiece is used as the stop watch. The motion of the second hand, which moves to indicate one second at the time of the ordinary time display, is converted to the motion of a 1/10 second hand and moreover, the 1/10 second hand is allowed to move repeatedly only inside the range corresponding to the range from the zero-hour position to the 9-minute position of the dial of the timepiece. Furthermore, the minute hand and the hour hand for the ordinary time display are switched to operate as the second hand and to the minute hand, respectively, so as to accomplish an analog stop watch capable of measuring and displaying the 1/10 second.