Abstract: For providing an optical pick-up device, in which can prevent sound noise, the optical pick-up device includes a moving base, actuator assembly, an elastic rod and a buffer sheet. The moving base can move freely in a radial direction of an optical disk. The actuator assembly mounted on the moving base reads data on the optical disk. The elastic rod supports the actuator assembly movably in a focusing direction and a tracking direction. The buffer sheets are bonded on the moving base to abut on the actuator assembly. The buffer sheets are provided separately to each other in a direction perpendicular to lengthwise of the elastic rod to place a center of gravity CG of the actuator assembly therebetween.

Abstract: The optical pickup moving mechanism includes: a feed screw and a guide shaft, which are arranged in parallel with each other, for movably supporting an optical pickup; and a drive motor for giving a drive force to the feed screw so that the optical pickup can be moved along a recording medium. The skew adjusting mechanism of the optical pickup for adjusting a skew of the optical pickup adjusts a skew of the optical pickup when the feed screw and the guide shaft are respectively moved and adjusted.

Abstract: A clamp mechanism comprises a turntable, a plurality of chuck claws, and a driving element. The turntable is rotatably driven by a motor. A disc serving as a recording medium is placed on the turntable. The chuck claws are used to hold, that is, clamp the disc on the turntable. The driving element drives the chuck claws both in both a first direction determined to clamp the disc and a second direction determined to unclamp the disc. The driving element includes a pressing portion so that travel of the chuck claws in the first direction in cases where the chuck claws are driven in the second direction. This offers stable clamping and unclamping operations of the chuck claws to detachably hold the disc on the turntable, independently of which attitude the disc takes.

Abstract: An information intermediary apparatus for communicating through a communication network with an information management apparatus having user information stored therein, the information intermediary apparatus, which includes: a first communication section for establishing communication through the communication network with the information management apparatus; a second communication section for communicating with a portable communication apparatus having identification information for identifying a user; an identification information-obtaining section, connected with said second communication section, for obtaining said identification information from said portable communication apparatus through said second communication section; a user information input unit, connected with said first communication section, for inputting user information for the user of the portable communication apparatus; and a data-identifying section, connected with said identification information-obtaining section and said user informa

Abstract: An imaging device for receiving a radio signal output from an RF tag attached to a subject to acquire identification information of the subject, includes: an imaging unit for continuously imaging a plurality of subjects to acquire a moving image; a radio receiver for receiving a plurality of radio signals respectively output from RF tags attached to the subjects to acquire a plurality of units of subject identification information respectively indicated by the radio signals, the subject identification information identifying a corresponding subject, the radio receiver moving together with the imaging unit and having directivity in a direction approximately the same as an imaging direction of the imaging unit; a moving amount calculation unit for calculating a moving amount of the radio receiver based on the acquired moving image; and a subject direction specifying unit for specifying directions of the subjects respectively identified by the plurality of units of subject identification information based on cha

Abstract: During an ejecting or unloading operation of an information recording medium by a conveying roller, if detection signals are output from detecting sensors indicating that the object being ejected or unloaded has already been discharged from an insertion hole although it has not, then the insertion hole is closed by the door. If, for some reasons, the door fails to close the insertion hole within a predetermined time, the conveying roller performs a forcible ejecting operation, whereby the object left inside is forcibly ejected to the outside. Thus, ejection or unloading of a medium is carried out without failure.

Abstract: A call by a video telephone can be made appropriately. A video telephone for transmitting and receiving a voice and an image comprising: an imaging unit for picking up an image of a speaker who speaks by a video telephone; a displaying unit for displaying an image of the speaker that is picked up by the imaging unit before starting to call when a video telephone receives an incoming call; and a transmitting unit for transmitting an image, which the imaging unit is picking up together with a voice of a speaker to a video telephone of an opposite party in a state that speaking is being made.

Abstract: A user orders prints of pictures in a relatively easy manner. In a place such as a convenience store, a print order device and a print order receiver are installed with a one-to-one correspondence therebetween. The user orders prints of images from the print order device. The contents of order are sent to the print order receiver. The receiver produces prints of pictures according to the order. A store clerk passes the prints to the user.

Abstract: There is provided a clamp mechanism for clamping and unclamping an information recording disk to be loaded on a loading plane of a turntable. The clamp mechanism comprises a plurality of holders and a driving device. The holders each holds the disk loaded on the loading plane of the turntable. The driving device drives the holders in both of a holding direction along which the disk is held and an un-holding direction along which the disk is released from being held. At least one of plural holders is configured to press, in a direction parallel to the loading plane, the disk loaded on the turntable.

Abstract: A recording-medium transfer device having a anti-rattle construction is provided. A transfer roller 6 of the recording-medium transfer device is arranged above a chassis 5 to be perpendicular to a direction X of transferring recording medium. The transfer roller 6 has a structure in which a shaft is inserted in rolling member made of a material having flexibility. Projecting portions 13 and 14 are formed on the chassis 5 to oppose to both ends of the rolling member. In both ends of the rolling member, clearances are respectively formed to permit the deformation produced by its abutment with the projecting portions 13 and 14. In the process for inserting the disc, the projecting portions 13 and 14 are moved away from the transfer roller 6. Upon receiving a driving force from a driving motor 7 and gears 8 to 11, the rolling member of the transfer roller 6 is rotated keeping in contact with the disc so as to transfer the disc toward a clamping position.

Abstract: A clamp/alignment mechanism has: a turntable on which a recording medium is mounted, the turntable being rotated by a rotation driving device; a holding device for holding the recording medium mounted on the turntable; an aligning device for aligning the recording medium mounted on the turntable; and a driving device for driving both the holding device and the alignment device. The driving device is configured to drive the aligning device in an aligning direction along which the recording medium is subjected to alignment thereof, in cases where the holding device is driven in a holding direction in which the recording medium is to be held.

Abstract: The optical pickup moving mechanism includes: a feed screw and a guide shaft, which are arranged in parallel with each other, for movably supporting an optical pickup; and a drive motor for giving a drive force to the feed screw so that the optical pickup can be moved along a recording medium. The skew adjusting mechanism of the optical pickup for adjusting a skew of the optical pickup adjusts a skew of the optical pickup when the feed screw and the guide shaft are respectively moved and adjusted.

Abstract: Inputting a profile of a user; detecting a current position of the user; previously recording service information on shops or the like in a recording device associated with the current position of the user and the profile of the user; and retrieving and selecting the service information on the shops or the like recorded in the recording device according to the inputted profile and the detected current position of the user to notify the user permit providing appropriate service information required by the user to the user by a push type information notification system.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus is provided with: a clamping device (900) capable of clamping and clamp-releasing a recording medium (100), a rotating device (20) for rotating the recording medium clamped by the clamping device; a reading device (30) disposed opposite to an information record surface of the recording medium for reading information recorded on the information record surface of the recording medium; a driving device (34, 34D, 32) capable of moving the reading device in a radial direction of the recording medium; and a linkage device (24, 83, 85) for linking a clamping or clamp-releasing action by the clamping device with a movement of the reading device by the driving device.

Abstract: The feed mechanism has a lead screw 11, a pickup assembly 12, an engagement piece 13, and a restrictor piece 14, a compressed coil spring 15, and a bearing portion 16. The engagement piece 13 has a thread portion 41 engaged with a screw groove 23 of the lead screw 11. The engagement piece 13 moves along the lead screw 11 and can come close to and off from the lead screw 11. The pickup assembly 12 moves together with the engagement piece 13. The restrictor piece 14 prevents the engagement piece 13 from disengaging from the lead screw 11, except when the screw groove 23 moves apart from the thread portion 41. The compressed coil spring 15 urges the engagement piece 13 toward the lead screw 11. The bearing portion 16 rotatively supports the lead screw 11 and allows the lead screw 11 to move apart from the engagement piece 13 when the engagement piece 13 has reached an end thereof.

Abstract: During an ejecting or unloading operation of an information recording medium by a conveying roller, if detection signals are output from detecting sensors indicating that the object being ejected or unloaded has already been discharged from an insertion hole although it has not, then the insertion hole is closed by the door. If, for some reasons, the door fails to close the insertion hole within a predetermined time, the conveying roller performs a forcible ejecting operation, whereby the object left inside is forcibly ejected to the outside. Thus, ejection or unloading of a medium is carried out without failure.

Abstract: Positioning means (5) for positioning a recording medium at a predetermined position on a read mechanism of a device after the recording medium loaded into a loading opening (11) has been transported to the read mechanism or a detector means for detecting that the recording medium has been positioned is provided pivotably about one end thereof inside the device. The positioning means (5) comprises first positioning portion (52) for positioning a recording medium of a smaller diameter and a second positioning portion (53) for positioning a recording medium of a larger diameter. The detector means comprises a first detector member (52a) for contacting with the rim of the recording medium of the smaller diameter and a second detector member (53a) for contacting with the rim of the recording medium of the larger diameter.

Abstract: A white balance control for a video camera compensates for a large change in brightness level, color of an object and photographic conditions by controlling the timing of output control signals for controlling gains of amplifiers to control white balance and changing the signal processing of a picture image in accordance with a percentage of white color shared in the picture image.

Abstract: A clamp mechanism comprises a turntable, a plurality of chuck claws, and a driving element. The turntable is rotatably driven by a motor. A disc serving as a recording medium is placed on the turntable. The chuck claws are used to hold, that is, clamp the disc on the turntable. The driving element drives the chuck claws both in both a first direction determined to clamp the disc and a second direction determined to unclamp the disc. The driving element includes a pressing portion so that travel of the chuck claws in the first direction in cases where the chuck claws are driven in the second direction. This offers stable clamping and unclamping operations of the chuck claws to detachably hold the disc on the turntable, independently of which attitude the disc takes.

Abstract: A main chassis is provided to mount a system for reproducing a large diameter disc and a small diameter disc, a pair of disc carrying rollers is mounted on the main chassis for carrying an inserted disc to the system, and a large diameter disc detector arm is provided to be pivoted by a large diameter disc carried by the disc carrying rollers so that the large diameter disc is clamped. An adapter is detachably mounted on the main chassis. A pair of centering arms are mounted on the adapter for centering a small diameter disc carried by the disc carrying rollers, and a small diameter disc detector arm mounted on the adapter for operating the large diameter disc detector arm for clamping the carried small diameter disc.