An apparatus and a method for character string recognition for correctly recognizing a character string placed on a medium, even in a recognition process system in which a plurality of formats are handled. A surface-emitting type semiconductor laser in accordance with exemplary embodiments the present invention includes a light emitting element section, and a photodetector section that is provided above the light emitting element section and includes an emission surface. Recrystallization of melted Si starts from a periphery of a bottom surface of the dent, hence a Si layer formed of a single crystal or uniformed crystal grains which serves as an active region of the TFT can be obtained. By matching these pieces of latitude and longitude information to the map data, points of interest information can be laid out on the map and displayed. The controller on the substrate controls the system operation. The switch mechanism includes a latch member and at least one switch terminal.