Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a stack portion having recording materials, an image forming unit, a basis weight detection unit, an operating sound detection unit, and a mode selection unit. The basis weight detection unit detects a recording material basis weight based on an ultrasonic wave. The operating sound detection unit detect an abnormality of a generated operating sound. The mode selection unit selects, for each recording material fed to the image forming unit, between transmitting to the basis weight detection unit a first instruction for detecting the recording material basis weight and transmitting to the operating sound detection unit a second instruction for detecting the operating sound abnormality. In determining an interval at which each second instruction is transmitted, the mode selection unit determines the interval so that the interval and a cycle, in which properties of recording materials on the stack portion are repeated, do not continuously coincide.

Abstract: A leasing method includes obtaining first data representing a history of a current that flows in a power storage mounted on a vehicle, obtaining second data representing a history of an amount of accelerator operation in the vehicle, obtaining third data representing a travel distance or a time period of travel of the vehicle, obtaining an accident risk of the vehicle based on the first data, the second data, and the third data, and obtaining a degree of exhaustion of a consumable including the power storage based on the first data, the second data, and the third data, the consumable being provided to the vehicle by lease.

Abstract: A server includes: a communication unit (acquisition unit) that acquires information about a degree of degradation of a battery (secondary battery); and a processor (control unit) that calculates a lease fee of the battery using the information about the degree of degradation of the battery. The processor performs suppression processing for suppressing an increase of the lease fee, the increase of the lease fee being based on deterioration of a degree of discharging-caused degradation caused by discharging in response to a request for adjusting a power demand/supply state in a power system (PG).

Abstract: A server includes: a communication unit (acquisition unit) that acquires information of a capacity retention (degree of degradation) of a battery (secondary battery); and a processor (control unit) that calculates a lease fee of the battery using the information of the capacity retention. The processor performs suppression processing for suppressing an increase of the lease fee, the increase of the lease fee being based on deterioration (decrease) of the capacity retention due to an environment in which the electrically powered vehicle is used.

Abstract: A server includes: a communication unit that communicates with a mobile terminal (terminal) of a user; and a processor (control unit) that controls the communication unit. When the communication unit has not received deterioration information (battery information) on a battery from the mobile terminal for greater than or equal to a cycle (predetermined period), the processor performs control for obtaining the deterioration information through the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A management method for a power storage device includes: when energy management by charging or discharging of a power storage device is requested from an aggregator, determining whether or not requested power for charging or discharging exceeds a predetermined value; when the requested power exceeds the predetermined value, if the aggregator having requested is a registered aggregator, performing charging or discharging of the power storage device in accordance with the request; and when the requested power exceeds the predetermined value, if the aggregator having requested is not the registered aggregator, not performing charging or discharging of the power storage device in accordance with the request.

Abstract: A management method for managing a power storage device includes: when information indicating that an accident has occurred with regard to a target vehicle including a power storage device, obtaining first owner information indicating an owner of the power storage device from a data management device that manages information about a plurality of vehicles including the target vehicle; specifying the owner of the power storage device using the obtained first owner information; and providing, to a terminal of the specified owner of the power storage device, a notification that informs the occurrence of the accident of the target vehicle.

Abstract: The objective of this invention is to provide a test device that can perform a variety of function tests with a relatively simple constitution. The test device is for testing semiconductor device 1, which contains input terminal IN, output terminal OUT and control terminal CTRL, and whose output terminal is in the high-impedance state corresponding to the control signal applied to control terminal CTRL. The test device comprises test signal supply circuit 20, comparator 30 that compares the output signal from the output terminal with a reference voltage, reference voltage setting part 40 that sets the reference voltage to the voltage on the high-level side or on the low-level side, and load voltage supply circuit 50 that applies the load voltage to the output signal when the control signal is input.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium having two magnetic layers, which comprises an upper magnetic layer and a lower magnetic layer, said lower magnetic layer having a coercive force of at least 100 oersteds, preferably 100 to 500 oersteds, lower than that of the upper magnetic layer, the thickness of the upper and lower magnetic layers being in the ratio of the thickness of the upper magnetic layer to that of the lower magnetic layer of 1/1 to 1/9, and the total coercive force of the upper and lower magnetic layers being 1,000 oersteds or more. The magnetic recording medium has excellent sensitivity and frequency characteristics at low and high frequency bands with less noise.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium suitable for high-density recording which comprises a substrate and a magnetic layer thereon, the magnetic layer containing acicular magnetic metal particles having a particle size of not more than 0.3.mu. and a squareness ratio in the vertical direction of the layer being not less than 0.4.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium which comprises a base material and a magnetic layer provided on its surface, said magnetic layer comprising metallic magnetic particles, a binder and a salt of lanolin fatty acid wherein the oxidation resistance of the metallic magnetic particles is highly improved and the metallic magnetic particles are in a good dispersion state so that the magnetic recording medium shows an increased maximum magnetic flux density is disclosed.

Abstract: Magnetic recording medium comprising a support or carrier sheet and a magnetic layer formed on one side of the support, wherein there is provided between the support and the magnetic layer at least one intermediate layer of resinous polymeric material including particles of carbon black having large specific surface area and high oil absorption so that electrification of the recording medium can be prevented with good adhesiveness of the magnetic layer to the support.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium improved in durability which comprises a substrate and a magnetic layer of about 1.0 to 10.mu. in thickness comprising magnetic particles and a binder and being formed on the substrate, characterized in that the magnetic layer further comprises (a) a liquid hydrocarbon having a melting or flowing point of about -20.degree. to -60.degree. C. with (b) .alpha.-iron oxide particles having a particle size of 0.5 to 2.mu. and/or (c) a higher fatty acid having a melting point of about 45.degree. C. or higher.