Abstract: A musical tone data communications system having a unit for generating MIDI data of a musical performance by a player, a unit for transmitting the generated MIDI data over a communications network and a unit for receiving the transmitted MIDI data and reproducing musical tones corresponding to the MIDI data in real time.

Abstract: A music data providing apparatus comprises a memory that stores a plurality of music data and a plurality of advertisement data, a receiver that receives a request for a desired music data from a user via a network, an advertisement appending device that appends at least one advertisement data among the plurality of advertisement data stored in said memory to the music data corresponding to the received request, and a transmitter that transmits the music data appended with the advertisement data to the user via the network.

Abstract: A user accesses a sound data distribution server by operating a client terminal. The sound data distribution server transmits data for displaying a list of distributable music. The data are displayed on a display unit of the client terminal. While referring to the display on the display unit, the user requests the sound data distribution server for distribution of regular music data. This request is issued from the client terminal. A cellular phone to which the regular music data are to be distributed is specified by data (e.g., a mail address of the cellular phone) input at the client terminal. This enables the sound data distribution server to recognize the cellular phone and distribute the regular music data to the cellular phone.

Abstract: The fee for practicing to play a musical instrument is charged on a user so that the user may practice to play the musical instrument with eagerness when the user practices to play the musical instrument using a terminal device that can be connected to a server. A terminal device 10 can be connected to a server 30 via a network NW. A keyboard instrument 26 is connected to terminal device 10, and the user practices to play the musical instrument with the use of keyboard instrument 26. Practice information representing a state of the user's practicing to play the musical instrument is transmitted to server 30 to be stored within server 30. Server 30 determines the fee for the user's playing practice and the fee for materials used for practicing to play by discounting the fees in accordance with the practice information, and charges the determined fees on the user.

Abstract: A restriction canceling apparatus comprising: a memory that stores content consisting of a plurality of relating parts whose functions are restricted and a plurality of restriction canceling data, each corresponding to one of said parts; a first receiver that receives a first request of a client for transmission of the content; a first transmitter that transmits said content to said client upon said first request; a second receiver that receives a second request of said client for transmission of at least one of the restriction canceling data; and a second transmitter that transmits the restriction canceling data to said client upon said second request.

Abstract: In accordance with a request from a portable telephone 60, a sound data delivering server 20 delivers a trial-listening music data to the portable telephone without charging a fee to a user of the portable telephone, or delivers a regular music data to the portable telephone upon charging a fee to the user. The delivered trial-listening music data is actually reproduced by the portable telephone; however, the number of reproduction times is limited, and the trial-listening music data is erased from a memory (RAM 63) of the portable telephone after the trial-listening music data is reproduced for the predetermined number of reproduction times. Thus, a system is provided in which the user of the portable telephone can obtain the trial-listening music data of an incoming call melody without being charged for the fee, and can actually reproduce the trial-listening music data with the use of the user s portable telephone.

Abstract: Supplied text data set is classified into any one of a plurality of categories in accordance with the substance of the supplied text data set, and a musical composition data set is selected or generated which corresponds to the category of the text data. Content information contains first position information indicative of a stored position, such as an URL, of the supplied text data set, and second position information indicative of a stored position, such as an URL, of the selected or generated musical composition data set. One set of the content may include a plurality of text data sets and a plurality of musical composition data sets, and these text data sets and musical composition data sets may be reproduced in sequence.

Abstract: A structure having fine ribs with a high dimensional precision is used as the rear panel of a plasma display or as a micro organism carrier for use in a chemical device. The present invention aims to provide a method for manufacturing such a structure at low cost. According to the invention, a composite sheet comprises a surface layer of silicone rubber and a base layer of a steel sheet. Grooves are formed in the surface layer, and filled with a paste material. The paste material is cured to form ribs. After a substrate is placed on the surface layer of the composite sheet, the composite sheet is pressed against the substrate from the base layer side, thereby compressing the ribs and adhering them to the substrate. Thereafter, the ribs and the substrate are removed from the composite sheet. As a result, a structure with fine ribs is obtained.

Abstract: An improved wireless telephone including a main body having a generally rectangular shape, the main body further including a first surface and a first width. The first surface having disposed thereon a plurality of input data entry keys, a visual display, a plurality of function entry keys, and a microphone. A speaker is mechanically coupled to the main body. A means for grasping the wireless telephone or a grasping device is coupled to the main body. The means for grasping or the grasping device also includes a first surface and a second surface, the first surface having an undulating surface including a plurality of alternately disposed flat and concave portions, and the second surface being generally convex or curved. The means for grasping or the grasping device is rotatably connected to the main body, is aligned along or parallel to a longitudinal axis of the wireless telephone, and further includes a second width which is narrower than the first width.

Abstract: There is provided by the present invention an image forming apparatus including a one-chip microcomputer having white reference data for a first sheet of copy fetched with shading gate arrays in a stable region for a halogen lamp, using said white reference data when forming an image for a first sheet of copy, and also having shading-corrected white data fetched for a second or subsequent sheet of copy each time an image is formed.

Abstract: A variable-displacement inclined plate compressor includes a crank chamber defined by a cylinder block and a front housing connected to the cylinder block. The cylinder block has cylinder bores, each opening toward the crank chamber. A rounded edge of each cylinder bore extends circumferentially around the cylinder bore at a crank chamber-side axial end of the cylinder bore. By the formation of the rounded edge of the cylinder bore, the sliding resistance of the piston may decrease. The decreased sliding resistance may prevent the piston coating from being scratched. Further, the decreased sliding resistance may decrease the load on the compressor, thereby achieving a smooth control of the inclination angle of the inclined plate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electron tube comprising, at least, a cathode electrode, a face plate having a photocathode, and an electron entrance surface provided at a position where the electron emitted from the photocathode reaches. The object of the present invention is to provide an electron tube which can reduce its size and has a structure for improving the workability in its assembling process. In particular, the electron tube according to the present invention has a bonding ring, provided between the face plate and the cathode electrode, for bonding the face plate and the cathode electrode together. The bonding ring is made of a metal material selected from the group consisting of In, Au, Pb, alloys containing In, and alloys containing Pb.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is disclosed for providing accurate shading corrections. The apparatus includes an illumination source for illuminating an image, and a photoelectric converter that receives reflected light from the image and photoelectrically converting the reflected light. The output signal from the photoelectric converter is amplified and converted to a digital signal. The digital signal is then subjected to shading correction. A controller is provided for ensuring that white reference data for a first sheet of copy is fetched from a stable region of the illumination source during shading correction. The white reference data is subsequently used when forming an image for a first sheet of copy.

Abstract: A telephone including a boom which is pivotally connected to the telephone body. The boom is connected to the telephone body such that it may be pivoted from a retracted position to an extended position. In the retracted position, the telephone has a small size such that the telephone may be placed in a user's pocket. In one embodiment, the sides of the telephone body are tapered from the top of the telephone to the bottom of the telephone. A microphone is located near one end of the boom. The boom is aligned such that, when the boom is moved into the extended position, the boom angles inward such that the microphone is located near the center line of the telephone. This allows a user to more easily speak into the microphone and allows for both right and left handed users to easily use the telephone.

Abstract: An extension provided on a wireless telephone unit allows the unit to be compact while still providing an enhanced display, a keyboard, and a data input device. The keyboard is disposed on the extension which is slidable between a retracted and an extended position. When in the retracted position, the extension covers the data input device and most of the display. A single line of text remains uncovered for use when the extension is retracted. In the extended position, the extension uncovers a large display and data input device for use by the user.

Abstract: A telephone which includes a keypad housing. The keypad housing slides in and out of an opening in the telephone. In the retracted position, the keypad housing is held within the opening. This gives a telephone which is small and compact. In fact, the telephone of the present invention is small and compact enough to fit within a user's pocket. The keypad housing may be pulled out and latched in the extended position. In the extended position, the user has access to the keypad which is disposed in the top of the keypad housing. The resulting telephone is small and compact when the keypad housing is retracted, yet allows for the user access to a full sized keypad when the keypad housing is extended.