Abstract: A software updating device according to an aspect includes: an apparatus controller in which software for controlling at least some of apparatuses mounted in a vehicle is installed; a communicator configured to communicate with an external device; an update controller configured to update the software installed in the apparatus controller according to communication with the external device through the communicator; and a communication state manager configured to manage a communication state between the communicator and the external device, wherein the update controller curbs communication in states other than a predetermined communication state on the basis of a communication history managed by the communication state manager.

Abstract: A software updating device according to one aspect includes: an apparatus controller in which software for controlling at least some of apparatuses mounted in a vehicle is installed; a communicator configured to communicate with an external device; an update controller configured to update the software installed in the apparatus controller according to communication with the external device through the communicator; and a communication state manager configured to manage a communication state between the communicator and the external device, wherein the update controller causes communication with the external device to be executed in an area in which communication has been performed in a communication state having a predetermined speed or higher from among past communication states managed by the communication state manager.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided on a semiconductor substrate and has a main element of a gate driven type and a sensing element for current detection disposed across an isolation region. In a configuration in a forming region of the sensing element formed on the semiconductor substrate, at least a part of a resistance component contributing to a resistance of the sensing element has a resistance value higher than a resistance value of an equivalent configuration part of a resistance component contributing to a resistance of the main element.

Abstract: A process for producing a thin film field-effect transistor includes providing a gate electrode, a gate insulating film, and source and drain electrodes, treating entire surfaces of the source and drain electrodes with a mixture of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide, and providing an organic electronic material layer containing an organic electronic material on the gate insulating film to be in electrical contact with the source and drain electrodes. A reaction product of the organic electronic material, sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide containing a sulfonated product of the organic electronic material is present only at an interface between the source electrode and the organic electronic material layer and an interface between the drain electrode and the organic electronic material layer to thereby increase the electroconductivity of the organic electronic material and reduce a charge injection barrier from the source electrode to the organic electronic material.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes at least a soft-magnetic underlayer, a non-magnetic underlayer, a ferromagnetic intermediate layer, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer sequentially stacked on a non-magnetic substrate. In an embodiment, the ferromagnetic intermediate layer is formed of a CoCr based alloy, a product Bs·t of a saturation magnetic flux density and film thickness of the ferromagnetic intermediate layer is within a range of 0.15 to 3.6 T·nm, and the non-magnetic intermediate layer has a film thickness of 3 nm or more.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a lateral diode includes a semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor region in the semiconductor layer, a contact region having an impurity concentration greater than that of the first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region located in the semiconductor layer and separated from the contact region, a first electrode electrically connected through the contact region to the first semiconductor region, and a second electrode electrically connected to the second semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region includes a low impurity concentration portion, a high impurity concentration portion, and an extension portion. The second electrode forms an ohmic contact with the high impurity concentration portion. The extension portion has an impurity concentration greater than that of the low impurity concentration portion and extends in a thickness direction of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a lateral diode includes a semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor region in the semiconductor layer, a contact region having an impurity concentration greater than that of the first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region located in the semiconductor layer and separated from the contact region, a first electrode electrically connected through the contact region to the first semiconductor region, and a second electrode electrically connected to the second semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region includes a low impurity concentration portion, a high impurity concentration portion, and an extension portion. The second electrode forms an ohmic contact with the high impurity concentration portion. The extension portion has an impurity concentration greater than that of the low impurity concentration portion and extends in a thickness direction of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An on-vehicle remote control apparatus includes a use-state determining device configured to determine whether a vehicle is in use. The vehicle has a remotely controllable on-vehicle device. An emergency-mode determining device is configured to determine whether the vehicle is in an emergency mode. A remote-control-execution determining device is configured to determine whether a remote-control executing device is permitted to execute remote control of the on-vehicle device. If the use-state determining device determines that the vehicle is in use, the remote-control-execution determining device prohibits the remote-control executing device from executing the remote control of the on-vehicle device.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device in which a first electrode and a second electrode are disposed on a surface of a first conductivity-type semiconductor layer of a semiconductor substrate and a lateral element is formed to cause an electric current between the first electrode and the second electrode, a scroll-shaped resistive field plate is disposed on the semiconductor layer across an insulation film. The resistive field plate extends toward the second electrode while surrounding a periphery of the first electrode in a scroll shape. A resistance value of a total resistance of the resistive field plate is in a range between 90 k? and 90 M?.

Abstract: A synchronous-rectifier type DC-DC converter includes a high-side main switch element, a low-side rectifying switch element, and a control drive circuit. The rectifying switch element includes a rectifying transistor element and a rectifying diode element connected in antiparallel with the rectifying transistor element. The control drive circuit detects an input voltage to the main switch element and determines the input voltage or a rate of increase in the input voltage. When the determined value exceeds a predetermined reference value, a complementary ON/OFF operation of the main switch element and the rectifying transistor element is released, and a state where both the main switch element and the rectifying transistor element are kept OFF for a time period that is longer than a dead-time during the complementary ON/OFF operation is set.

Abstract: A non-aqueous ink-jet ink which has printability on non-absorbing recording media such as polyvinyl chloride (abrasion resistance and water resistance), is excellent in ejection stability and safety, is free from problems concerning odor, does not cause operational abnormality in an ink-jet head even in long-term use, and can be stably used even after long-term storage. Also provided is a method of ink-jet recording with the ink. This non-aqueous ink-jet ink comprises a pigment, a binder resin, and an organic solvent. It is characterized in that at least 60 mass % of the organic solvent is accounted for by a water-soluble organic solvent and that the content in the ink of a metal salt which is the highest in content among the salts of metals selected among sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium is 3-50 ppm in terms of metal-ion concentration.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a lateral diode includes a semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor region in the semiconductor layer, a contact region having an impurity concentration greater than that of the first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region located in the semiconductor layer and separated from the contact region, a first electrode electrically connected through the contact region to the first semiconductor region, and a second electrode electrically connected to the second semiconductor region. The second semiconductor region includes a low impurity concentration portion, a high impurity concentration portion, and an extension portion. The second electrode forms an ohmic contact with the high impurity concentration portion. The extension portion has an impurity concentration greater than that of the low impurity concentration portion and extends in a thickness direction of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: An on-vehicle remote control apparatus includes a use-state determining device configured to determine whether a vehicle is in use. The vehicle has a remotely controllable on-vehicle device. An emergency-mode determining device is configured to determine whether the vehicle is in an emergency mode. A remote-control-execution determining device is configured to determine whether a remote-control executing device is permitted to execute remote control of the on-vehicle device. If the use-state determining device determines that the vehicle is in use, the remote-control-execution determining device prohibits the remote-control executing device from executing the remote control of the on-vehicle device.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes at least a soft-magnetic underlayer, a non-magnetic underlayer, a ferromagnetic intermediate layer, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer sequentially stacked on a non-magnetic substrate. In an embodiment, the ferromagnetic intermediate layer is formed of a CoCr based alloy, a product Bs·t of a saturation magnetic flux density and film thickness of the ferromagnetic intermediate layer is within a range of 0.15 to 3.6 T·nm, and the non-magnetic intermediate layer has a film thickness of 3 nm or more.

Abstract: A non-aqueous ink-jet ink which has printability on non-absorbing recording media such as polyvinyl chloride (abrasion resistance and water resistance), is excellent in ejection stability and safety, is free from problems concerning odor, does not cause operational abnormality in an ink-jet head even in long-term use, and can be stably used even after long-term storage. Also provided is a method of ink-jet recording with the ink. This non-aqueous ink-jet ink comprises a pigment, a binder resin, and an organic solvent. It is characterized in that at least 60 mass % of the organic solvent is accounted for by a water-soluble organic solvent and that the content in the ink of a metal salt which is the highest in content among the salts of metals selected among sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium is 3-50 ppm in terms of metal-ion concentration.

Abstract: A switching element with bistable characteristics which has switching characteristics stabilized by raising transition probability. The switching element has an organic bistable material layer between at least two electrodes. The organic bistable material layer contains an organic bistable compound having two stable resistance values to an applied voltage, wherein the switching element has thin films of a first electrode layer, a metal microparticle-containing layer, the organic bistable material layer, and a second electrode layer, formed on a substrate in this order, and the metal microparticle-containing layer contains metal microparticle and the organic bistable compound.

Abstract: Disclosed is an oxide semiconductor having an amorphous structure, wherein higher mobility and reduced carrier concentration are achieved. Also disclosed are a thin film transistor, a method for producing the oxide semiconductor, and a method for producing the thin film transistor. Specifically disclosed is an oxide semiconductor which is characterized by being composed of an amorphous oxide represented by the following a general formula: Inx+1MZny+1SnzO(4+1.5x+y+2z) (wherein M is Ga or Al, 0?x?1, ?0.2?y?1.2, z?0.4 and 0.5?(x+y)/z?3). This oxide semiconductor is preferably subjected to a heat treatment in an oxidizing gas atmosphere after film formation. Also specifically disclosed is a thin film transistor which is characterized by comprising the oxide semiconductor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a switching element that has a stable bistable characteristic and a high transition voltage and demonstrates excellent cyclic performance. The switching element has two stable resistance values with respect to the voltage applied between electrodes, wherein a first electrode layer, an organic bistable material layer, and a second electrode layer are successively formed as thin films on a substrate and the organic bistable material constituting the organic bistable material layer is a quinomethane-based compound or a monoquinomethane-based compound. A metal constituting the second electrode layer is diffused into the organic bistable material layer. It is preferred that the second electrode layer be formed by vapor deposition and the temperature of the substrate during the vapor deposition be 30-150° C.

Abstract: An illumination unit 6 illuminates a scene object (i.e., mail) 2 moved in a predetermined direction by a transport means (transport conveyor) 1, the imaging distance up to the scene object 2 is detected before imaging, and auto-focusing is made according to distance data detected at the time of the imaging.

Abstract: An on-vehicle remote control apparatus includes a use-state determining device configured to determine whether a vehicle is in use. The vehicle has a remotely controllable on-vehicle device. An emergency-mode determining device is configured to determine whether the vehicle is in an emergency mode. A remote-control-execution determining device is configured to determine whether a remote-control executing device is permitted to execute remote control of the on-vehicle device. If the use-state determining device determines that the vehicle is in use, the remote-control-execution determining device prohibits the remote-control executing device from executing the remote control of the on-vehicle device.