Abstract: An information management method collects log information of one or more home electrical apparatuses corresponding to service providers. Display screen data is generated which indicates a status of the log information. The display screen data includes groups of information which each contain information on an apparatus, a service provider corresponding to the apparatus, and log information output from the apparatus. Provision of the log information of each group is individually selectable. The display screen data is provided via a network to a display terminal that performs access to a server device. Information is received from the display terminal, which indicates that selection on whether or not provision of the log information is performed. Provision of the log information is not performed on the selected group when a determination is made that refusal of provision of the log information on the selected group is performed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vacuum pump system which, even when a plurality of vacuum pumps are arranged, is capable of preventing a beat and low-frequency vibration by matching the RPM and phases of the rotary members of the vacuum pumps with each other. Control is performed such that the rotating conditions of the rotary members detected by a slave detecting device are in synchronism with the rotating condition of the rotary member detected by a master detecting device. Alternatively, control is performed such that the rotating conditions of the rotary members detected by a detecting device are in synchronism with a synchronous signal output from a synchronous signal generating device.

Abstract: A composition suitable for slush molding is disclosed. The composition comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (A) having a number average molecular weight of 10,000 to 50,000 and mainly comprised of a diol component including an aromatic ring-containing diol and a non-aromatic diisocyanate; a plasticizer (B); and optionally an additive. The composition provides a molded article excellent in durability such as thermal/light aging resistance and chemical resistance, soft touch at low temperature, and appearance.

Abstract: A composition suitable for slush molding is disclosed. The composition comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (A) having a number average molecular weight of 10,000 to 50,000 and mainly comprised of a diol component including an aromatic ring-containing diol and a non-aromatic diisocyanate; a plasticizer (B); and optionally an additive. The composition provides a molded article excellent in durability such as thermal/light aging resistance and chemical resistance, soft touch at low temperature, and appearance.

Abstract: A composition suitable for slush molding comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (A) having a number average molecular weight of 10,000 to 50,000 and a heat softening initiation temperature of 120 to 200° C., a plasticizer (B), a compound (C) containing a radical polymerizable unsaturated group, and optionally an additive. The composition provides a molded article excellent in durability such as thermal/light aging resistance, soft touch at low temperature, and appearance.

Abstract: A composition suitable for slush molding is disclosed. The composition comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (A) having a number average molecular weight of 10,000 to 50,000, a glass transition point of not higher than −35° C. and a heat softening initiation temperature of 100 to 160° C.; a plasticizer (B); a blocked polyisocyanate (C); a pigment (D); and a blocking inhibitor (E) comprising a resin powder which is not heat-softened even at 160° C. and has an average particle diameter of not more than 10 &mgr;m. The composition has a wide mold temperature range, and provides a molded article excellent in properties at low temperature, anti-fogging, thermal aging resistance and light aging resistance.

Abstract: A thermal asperity detection method includes the steps of (a) converting an analog signal reproduced from a magnetic recording medium into a digital signal using an analog-to-digital converter, (b) detecting thermal asperity based on the digital signal, and (c) automatically recognizing and managing detection of the thermal asperity by the step (b) by firmware.

Abstract: A filter device includes at least two filter elements provided in a package, each of the filter elements passing only signals within a predetermined frequency band, the predetermined frequency bands of the filter elements having center frequencies which are distinct from each other. An input terminal is connected to and shared by respective inputs of the filter elements. An output terminal is connected to and shared by respective outputs of the filter elements.

Abstract: A method is provided to adjust a bias current flowing through a magneto-resistive effect type magnetic head. An examining current is supplied to the magneto-resistive effect type magnetic head, and a voltage applied to a pair of terminals of the magneto-resistive effect type magnetic head is measured. In addition, a resistance of the magneto-resistive effect type magnetic head is calculated according to the examining current and the voltage, and an allowable range of the bias current flowing through the magneto-resistive effect type magnetic head is determined according to a relationship between a life time of the magneto-resistive effect type magnetic head examined in advance and the resistance of the magneto-resistive effect type magnetic head. An optimum bias current is determined within the allowable range in condition that a slice level margin is maximized.

Abstract: A composition suitable for slush molding is disclosed. The composition is mainly comprised of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (A) with a number average molecular weight of 20,000 to 50,000 and a glass transition point of not higher than -35.degree. C., a plasticizer (B), a blocked polyisocyanate (C) and a pigment (D), wherein each of(B), (C) and (D) is respectively contained in a prescribed quantities. The polyurethane-type slush molding composition provides a molded article of low hardness, high elongation at low temperature, and excellent thermal aging resistance and light aging resistance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a PRML regenerating apparatus for regenerating a signal read by a head from a storage medium. This PRML regenerating apparatus has a waveform equalizing circuit for waveform-equalizing the read signal, a maximum-likelihood decoder for maximum-likelihood-decoding, after obtaining a determination value by comparing the equalized output with upper and lower slice levels, this determination value and a control circuit for setting variable a distance between the upper slice level and the lower slice level of the maximum-likelihood decoder. The distance between the upper and lower slice levels can be thereby set variable in accordance with an equalization characteristic. A ternary determination circuit of the maximum-likelihood decoder is constructed of a memory for storing a correspondence table of the equalized output and the upper or lower slice level versus the determination result and the next upper or lower slice level.

Abstract: An AGC circuit is used for read channels of a disk storage apparatus, by controlling a level of a reading output of a head to be kept constant. This AGC circuit has a gain control amplifier and a feedback circuit for digitally feeding back an output thereof. A maximum current value of a current type D/A converter is varied for every zone in zone bit recording. A gain adjusting time of the AGC circuit can be therefore minimized in each zone. A GAP length in the respective zones can be thereby reduced, and a storage capacity is increased. A maximum current value of the current type D/A converter is varied in a read/write area and a data surface servo area on a disk storage medium. It is therefore feasible to minimize the gain adjusting time of the AGC circuit in each of the servo area and the read/write area. The current type D/A converter is set so that a plus-side maximum current value is different from a minus-side maximum current value.

Abstract: A process for producing an N-vinyllactam by reacting a lactam with acetylene in the presence of a particular catalyst (an alkali metal alcoholate between an alicyclic alcohol and an alkali metal) in a nonaqueous system at an acetylene partial pressure of 0 to 10 kg/cm.sup.2 .multidot.G.In the above process, the vinylation of lactam with acetylene is conducted at a low acetylene partial pressure in one step while the formation of by-product is kept minimum, whereby a high conversion and a high selectivity of lactam can be achieved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hot-melt resin composition which comprises 1 to 30% by weight of a compound represented by the general formula (1)Q-(X-A)n (1)(wherein X is a urethane or urea group, Q is a group with a valence of n, A is a univalent group, one of Q and A being an isocyanate residue and the other being an amine or alcohol residue, and n is an integer of 1 to 3) and 70 to 99% by weight of a thermoplastic polyurethane resin (B); a method of producing a powder form of said hot-melt resin composition; and a hot-melt resin powder composition which comprises said powder-form hot-melt resin composition.

Abstract: Disclosed is a PRML regenerating apparatus for regenerating a signal read by a head from a storage medium. This PRML regenerating apparatus has a waveform equalizing circuit for waveform-equalizing the read signal, a maximum-likelihood decoder for maximum-likelihood-decoding, after obtaining a determination value by comparing the equalized output with upper and lower slice levels, this determination value and a control circuit for setting variable a distance between the upper slice level and the lower slice level of the maximum-likelihood decoder. The distance between the upper and lower slice levels can be thereby set variable in accordance with an equalization characteristic. A ternary determination circuit of the maximum-likelihood decoder is constructed of a memory for storing a correspondence table of the equalized output and the upper or lower slice level versus the determination result and the next upper or lower slice level.

Abstract: A terminated cable portion inspection device (8) for a stripped terminal crimping machine, which is located on a bidirectional path (P) between a stripping portion and a terminal crimping portion and includes: an image pickup camera (11) having a high shutter speed; an illuminating device (12) including a pair of illuminating portions (20) on opposite sides of a photographing path (19) of the image pickup camera (11) for directing illumination in substantially the same direction as a photographing direction toward a cable end passing therethrough along the bidirectional path (P) and elongated in substantially the same direction as a longitudinal direction of the cable, and optical fibers (22) for guiding light to light projecting portions (23) of the illuminating portions (20); and a detector (13) including first and second sensors (31, 32) for detecting the cable end.

Abstract: Disclosed are a partial-response record signal regenerating method of and an apparatus for regenerating a record signal of a data area which is read from a storage disc by use of an equalizing circuit after training a circuit constant of said equalizing circuit with a training signal of the record signal read from the storage disc. The record signal regenerating method comprises: a Viterbi decode step of Viterbi-decoding an output into which the record signal is equalized by the equalizing circuit; a decode step of converting an m-bit output which is Viterbi-decoded into n-bits (m>n); and a synchronism detecting step of detecting the training signal from the m-bit output which is Viterbi-decoded and indicating a start of decoding the record signal of the data area.

Abstract: An illuminating device for use in a terminated cable part inspection device for a stripped terminal crimping machine is of a reflected image capturing type and can ensure a satisfactory illuminance required for photographing. The stripped terminal crimping machine includes a stripping portion and a terminal crimping portion between which the terminated cable part inspection device (8) is located on a bidirectional path (P). The terminated cable part inspection device (8) includes an image pickup camera (11) having a high shutter speed, an illuminating means (12), and a detecting means (13) including first and second sensors (31, 32) for detecting the cable.

Abstract: A magnetic disk module adapted to be inserted in a data storing device body which is in use. The module includes two sets of disk drive units and printed wiring boards in one housing so that are disk drive unit or printed wiring board can be easily attached or detached in one set while the other set is in an operating state. The module includes a first connector attached to the disk drive unit, a second connector attached to the printed wiring board, a third connector at the rear end of the housing for plug-in connection to a connector of a data storing device body, a fourth connector arranged in the housing for plug-in connection to the first connector, and a fifth connector arranged in the housing for plug-in connection to the second connector.

Abstract: A processor of a drive unit positions a head to a designated cylinder position of a disk medium on the basis of a command notified from an upper controller through a data bus and amplifies a read signal by a read amplifier and, after that, transmits the amplified read signal to the upper controller through a read signal line. A data disconnecting circuit is provided for the data bus from an upper apparatus to the processor. The data disconnecting circuit switches the data bus to a disconnection state by a control signal which is generated from the upper apparatus during the data reading operation. When the control signal is interrupted by the end of the data reading operation, the data bus is returned to the connection state.