Abstract: According to one embodiment, a reading device includes a communication interface for communication with a commodity registration device. A commodity reader of the reading device reads commodity information from a commodity and the commodity information can be used for identifying the commodity. An output device signals that the commodity reader has read commodity information. A controller causes the communication interface to transmit the commodity information read by commodity reader, initialize the communication interface when it is determined that transmission of the commodity information has failed, and signal a communication failure when transmission of the commodity information has failed.

Abstract: A bridge pier structure includes a damper having damping characteristics, a substructure joined with a lower end portion of the damper, and a pillar member provided upright on the substructure, a side surface of the pillar member being joined with an upper end portion of the damper. The damper is substantially parallel to the side surface of the pillar member.

Abstract: A bridge pier structure includes a damper having damping characteristics, a substructure joined with a lower end portion of the damper, and a pillar member provided upright on the substructure, a side surface of the pillar member being joined with an upper end portion of the damper. The damper is substantially parallel to the side surface of the pillar member.

Abstract: A repair and strengthening system for a reinforced concrete structure has a ribbed steel plate, and a filler. The ribbed steel plate is disposed facing a strengthened area with a predetermined space therebetween. The strengthened area is an area to be strengthened in a structure surface that is a surface of a reinforced concrete structure. The filler is injected in the space between the structure surface and the ribbed steel plate. Ribs are formed on the ribbed steel plate by hot rolling. The ribs protrude from a steel-plate front face that is a side of the ribbed steel plate facing the structure surface.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus is disclosed. A reproduction section reproduces video data from a record medium, the video data being managed in a unit of a clip composed of a plurality of frames which are chronologically successive. A first decode section decodes a first clip which is currently being output and stores the decoded first clip. A second decode section pre-decodes at least a frame which is output at beginning of a second clip adjacent to the first clip in a reproduction order and stores the decoded frame. A control section controls a clip adjacent to a decoded position side of the first clip in the reproduction order to become the second clip for an early region and a late region of a time length based on a center position of a reproduction time length of the first clip.

Abstract: Main arrays (MA1-MAm) of solar cells (2) are provided so as to correspond to shunt circuits (SM1-SMm), respectively. Charge arrays (CA1-CAn) are provided so as to correspond to shunt circuits (SC1-SCn) and charging circuits (CH1-CHn), respectively. Each shut circuit operates independently from other shunt circuits, and each charging circuit operates independently from other charging circuits.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus is disclosed. A reproduction section reproduces video data from a record medium. The video data are managed in a unit of a clip composed of a plurality of frames which are chronologically successive. A first decode section decodes a first clip which is currently being output and stores the decoded first clip. A second decode section pre-decodes at least a frame which is output at beginning of a second clip adjacent to the first clip in a reproduction order and stores the decoded frame. A control section which controls a clip adjacent to a decoded position side of the first clip in the reproduction order to become the second clip for an early region and a late region of a time length based on a center position of a reproduction time length of the first clip.

Abstract: A vibration damping device having a rubber heat-insulating cover wherein the rubber heat-insulating cover is formed as a separate component from a stopper member and is disposed between the stopper member and a main rubber elastic body connecting a first and second mounting member. The rubber heat-insulating cover is fixed to the stopper member with a center section of the rubber heat-insulating cover juxtaposed from an inner face side against a strike plate portion of the stopper member to be supported by the strike plate portion. With a peripheral wall section of the rubber heat-insulating cover juxtaposed from the inner face side against leg portions of the stopper member to be supported by the leg portions. A cushioning rubber is integrally formed with the center section of the rubber heat-insulating cover supported on the strike plate portion, and projects towards the first mounting member.

Abstract: A playback apparatus is capable of playing back video data at a variable speed ranging from a forward normal speed to a reverse normal speed, the video data having been encoded for compression through inter-frame compression based on predictive coding and recorded on a recording medium that allows random access. The playback apparatus includes a frame buffer configured to temporarily store video data of a plurality of frames; a target-pattern generator configured to generate a target pattern of the frame buffer for a target playback frame to be played back next; a comparator configured to compare a current state of the frame buffer with the target pattern; and a frame-buffer controller configured to extract a frame to be newly decoded and a frame no longer used in the current state of the frame buffer, on the basis of a result of the comparison by the comparator.

Abstract: Main arrays (MA1-MAm) of solar cells (2) are provided so as to correspond to shunt circuits (SM1-SMm), respectively. Charge arrays (CA1-CAn) are provided so as to correspond to shunt circuits (SC1-SCn) and charging circuits (CH1-CHn), respectively. Each shut circuit operates independently from other shunt circuits, and each charging circuit operates independently from other charging circuits.

Abstract: A vibration damping device having a rubber heat-insulating cover wherein the rubber heat-insulating cover is formed as a separate component from a stopper member and is disposed between the stopper member and a main rubber elastic body connecting a first and second mounting member. The rubber heat-insulating cover is fixed to the stopper member with a center section of the rubber heat-insulating cover juxtaposed from an inner face side against a strike plate portion of the stopper member to be supported by the strike plate portion. With a peripheral wall section of the rubber heat-insulating cover juxtaposed from the inner face side against leg portions of the stopper member to be supported by the leg portions. A cushioning rubber is integrally formed with the center section of the rubber heat-insulating cover supported on the strike plate portion, and projects towards the first mounting member.

Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell system having a moisture mixture separating mechanism capable of separating produced water in high purity. While a sheet member closes an outlet port of a drain port and an inlet port of a drain passage by closely adhering to an outlet-side opening end of the drain port and an inlet-side opening end of the drain passage in a state when hydraulic pressure within a Pitot tube is low, it elastically deforms and separates from the opening ends of the drain port and drain passage when the hydraulic pressure within the Pitot tube increases, thus communicating the outlet-side opening end of the drain port with the inlet-side opening end of the drain passage and discharging water in the drain port to the drain passage.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus is disclosed. A reproduction section reproduces video data from a record medium. The video data are managed in a unit of a clip composed of a plurality of frames which are chronologically successive. A first decode section decodes a first clip which is currently being output and stores the decoded first clip. A second decode section pre-decodes at least a frame which is output at beginning of a second clip adjacent to the first clip in a reproduction order and stores the decoded frame. A control section which controls a clip adjacent to a decoded position side of the first clip in the reproduction order to become the second clip for an early region and a late region of a time length based on a center position of a reproduction time length of the first clip.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus is disclosed. A reproduction section reproduces video data from a record medium, the video data being managed in a unit of a clip composed of a plurality of frames which are chronologically successive. A first decode section decodes a first clip which is currently being output and stores the decoded first clip. A second decode section pre-decodes at least a frame which is output at beginning of a second clip adjacent to the first clip in a reproduction order and stores the decoded frame. A control section controls a clip adjacent to a decoded position side of the first clip in the reproduction order to become the second clip for an early region and a late region of a time length based on a center position of a reproduction time length of the first clip.

Abstract: A playback apparatus is capable of playing back video data at a variable speed ranging from a forward normal speed to a reverse normal speed, the video data having been encoded for compression through inter-frame compression based on predictive coding and recorded on a recording medium that allows random access. The playback apparatus includes a frame buffer configured to temporarily store video data of a plurality of frames; a target-pattern generator configured to generate a target pattern of the frame buffer for a target playback frame to be played back next; a comparator configured to compare a current state of the frame buffer with the target pattern; and a frame-buffer controller configured to extract a frame to be newly decoded and a frame no longer used in the current state of the frame buffer, on the basis of a result of the comparison by the comparator.