Abstract: An alternative method for efficiently producing lactic acids from a carbohydrate-containing raw material such as cellulose is provided. The method for producing lactic acid and/or lactic acid ester comprises performing heat treatment on a carbohydrate-containing raw material in a solvent containing a catalyst, wherein the catalyst is at least one type of compound selected from the group consisting of a tin compound, an indium compound, and a rhenium compound, and the solvent contains water and/or alcohol.

Abstract: An alternative method for efficiently producing lactic acids from a carbohydrate-containing raw material such as cellulose is provided. The method for producing lactic acid and/or lactic acid ester comprises performing heat treatment on a carbohydrate-containing raw material in a solvent containing a catalyst, wherein the catalyst is at least one type of compound selected from the group consisting of a tin compound, an indium compound, and a rhenium compound, and the solvent contains water and/or alcohol.

Abstract: An administrative system provided with surveillance equipment, which is arranged in a plurality of locations on a patrol surveillance route, for (1) reading identification information stored in an information storage medium carried by surveillance staff, and (2) transmitting the identification information. The system is also provided with management devices for (1) receiving the identification information transmitted by the surveillance equipment and (2) storing the identification information in relation to identification information that identifies the surveillance equipment.

Abstract: When an IC card 1 is inserted into an IC card reader 2 of an emergency notification box 101, the name and so on of an aged person are read to be inputted to a controlling section 4, and this information is sent out as an emergency notification signal from a communication section 6 by a controlling section 4 via a public telephone line 7 to a receiving device 102 of a place to be contacted which is stored in advance. In the receiving section 102, the name and so on of an aged person is outputted from a speaker 12, and furthermore, a warning light 13 is lighted and a vibrator 14 is vibrated to notify an emergency.

Abstract: A management system is provided with a sensor control means located in each region of a multiple occupancy building and a management apparatus connected to and able to communicate with the sensor control means. The sensor control means are connected with sensors for detecting the state in each area and send to the management apparatus detection information output by the sensors along with mounting location information of the sensors. Also, the management apparatus correlates and manages the detection information and mounting location information received from the sensor control means.

Abstract: A management system for managing a facility that is available to users includes a network provided in the facility and connectible to a terminal, a communication part for communicating with the terminal through the network, a first memory for storing first information on an availability and status of use of the facility and service associated with the facility, the first information being able to be updated, and a control part for allowing the user of the terminal to access first information.

Abstract: When an IC card 1 is inserted into an IC card reader 2 of an emergency notification box 101, the name and so on of an aged person are read to be inputted to a controlling section 4, and this information is sent out as an emergency notification signal from a communication section 6 by a controlling section 4 via a public telephone line 7 to a receiving device 102 of a place to be contacted which is stored in advance. In the receiving section 102, the name and so on of an aged person is outputted from a speaker 12, and furthermore, a warning light 13 is lighted and a vibrator 14 is vibrated to notify an emergency.

Abstract: Various kinds of sensors 5-1 to 5-n are disposed inside a house of an aged person. When a value of a detection subject of each of the sensors 5-1 to 5-n exceeds a predetermined threshold value set respectively for a predetermined length of time, a sensor controlling section 3, judging this state to be an occurrence of abnormality, generates an abnormality notification signal including a number for identifying the aged person and the like, and including a kind of the abnormality such as gas leakage, overheating, or the like, and the abnormality notification signal is sent to a notification destination, which is registered in advance, by an interconnecting device 4 via a public telephone line 11, and when the abnormality notification signal is received by a receiving section 2, display by a display device 12a and so on are executed. Thereby, an occurrence of abnormality inside the house of the aged person can be found without delay and an appropriate countermeasure can be taken.

Abstract: Each athlete wears an individual information obtaining device 51 around his/her wrist and thereby, data on his/her heartbeat and blood pressure is obtained while the data on the heartbeat and so on, with time information and an athlete's registration number being added thereto by a data processing section 52, is packet-transferred to a wireless interconnecting device 2 in a competition headquarter from a terminal equipment 14 via wireless interconnecting devices 1-1 to 1-n and collected in an administrative server 4 connected to this wireless interconnecting device 2 so that the data is processed in an administrative computer 5.

Abstract: A management system is provided with a sensor control means located in each region of a multiple occupancy building and a management apparatus connected to and able to communicate with the sensor control means. The sensor control means are connected with sensors for detecting the state in each area and send to the management apparatus detection information output by the sensors along with mounting location information of the sensors. Also, the management apparatus correlates and manages the detection information and mounting location information received from the sensor control means.

Abstract: An administrative system is provided with surveillance means, provided in a plurality of locations on a patrol surveillance route, for reading first identification information that is stored in an information storage medium carried by the surveillance staff, and for transmitting this first identification information. The system is also provided with management means for receiving the first identification information transmitted by the surveillance means and storing this first identification information in relation to second identification information that identifies the surveillance means.

Abstract: A memory testing apparatus is provided, which can test in short time a memory having a block function like a flash memory. In addition to a failure analysis memory AFM capable of storing failures of all bits of a memory under test MUT, are provided a first bad block memory BBM and a second bad block memory CFM each having its storage capacity corresponding to the number of blocks that the memory under test has. The results of an initial test are stored in the first bad block memory. Utilizing the results of the initial test as mask data, bad blocks which have been determined to be failure in the initial test are masked by the mask data, respectively, so that a functional test for the bad blocks are omitted and the functional test for only pass blocks is performed. The results of the functional test are stored in the second bad block memory, and only the blocks having their bad block data stored in the second bad block memory are determined as to whether they are repairable or not.

Abstract: A data writing apparatus for writing data to a plurality of electric devices, comprising: a pattern memory which stores a plurality of said data to be written to at least one of said electric devices; an ALPG and an address selector which output said plurality of said data sequentially from said pattern memory; a plurality of registers in a data writing controller which store sequence numbers, each indicating at least one of said electric devices; a counter in the data writing controller which counts times of said data being output sequentially; and a data writing control circuit which enables said one of said electric devices indicated by said sequence number that is equal to said times, to write said data.

Abstract: A semiconductor device testing apparatus is provided which includes an output voltage corrective circuit wherein a test voltage to be applied to a semiconductor under test (DUT) 14 is corrected through digital processing. An offset memory 1, a gain memory 2, an output level register 3, a tester processor 5, a selection register 15, a selector 16, a data register 17, an all-pin data setting sequencer 19, a load controller 20, a digital multiplier 21, and a digital adder 22 are provided in the main frame of the testing apparatus. A multi-channel D/A converter 23 for converting digital serial data from the main frame to analog parallel data for each channel and drivers 13 each for applying the test voltage to one of the pins of the DUT 14 are provided in the test head of the testing apparatus. The offset memory 1 prestores therein offset data contained in correction data and the gain memory gain data also contained in the correction data.

Abstract: A circuit breaker with a completely electromagnetic type overcurrent tripping device has a flexibility for changes in the production schedule of the overcurrent tripping device. An overcurrent tripping device for each pole is integrally housed in a common unit case, which is then inserted into a case of the circuit breaker. In this case, a yoke of the overcurrent tripping device is combined with an oil dash pot inserted into a coil, and the combined parts are pressed and fixed in the unit case without soldering. Thus, the coil, which is changed depending on the rated current, and the yoke and oil dash pot which are common products, can be separately stored prior to assembly, thereby enabling flexible responses to changes in the production schedule. In addition, the yoke and the oil dash pot need not be soldered and are fixed individually to the unit case, thereby reducing the number of assembly operations.

Abstract: A reagent for determination of .gamma.-GTP activity containing L-.gamma.-glutamyl-3-carboxy-4-nitroanilide or a salt as a substrate and a transition metal ion or salt, a method for stabilizing L-.gamma.-glutamyl-3-carboxy-4-nitroanilide using a transition metal ion salt, and a method for determining .gamma.-GTP activity using this reagent. The transition metal ion or salt effectively prevents non-enzymatic decomposition (hydrolysis) of the substrate, thereby making it possible to supply the reagent as a solution.

Abstract: A method for producing a thin-film solar cell having a thin-film active layer on a graphite sheet substrate includes the steps of adhering two sheets of graphite together, forming semiconductor thin films serving as active layers on second main surfaces of the two sheets of graphite, and separating the two sheets of graphite from each other. In this structure, stress caused by a difference in expansion coefficients between the upper sheet and the semiconductor thin film is cancelled by stress caused by a difference in expansion coefficients between the lower sheet and the semiconductor thin film. Therefore, curvature of the substrates is prevented whereby subsequent process steps are easily carried out. In addition, the number of products per unit time is doubled, thereby increasing productivity.

Abstract: A method for producing a thin-film solar cell having a thin-film active layer on a graphite sheet substrate includes the steps of adhering two sheets of graphite together, forming semiconductor thin films serving as active layers on second main surfaces of the two sheets of graphite, and separating the two sheets of graphite from each other. In this structure, stress caused by a difference in expansion coefficients between the upper sheet and the semiconductor thin film is cancelled by stress caused by a difference in expansion coefficients between the lower sheet and the semiconductor thin film. Therefore, curvature of the substrates is prevented whereby subsequent process steps are easily carried out. In addition, the number of products per unit time is doubled, thereby increasing productivity.

Abstract: A method for producing a thin-film solar cell having a thin-film active layer on a graphite sheet substrate includes the steps of adhering two sheets of graphite together, forming semi-conductor thin films serving as active layers on second main surfaces of the two sheets of graphite, and separating the two sheets of graphite from each other. In this structure, stress caused by a difference in expansion coefficients between the upper sheet and the semiconductor thin film is cancelled by stress caused by a difference in expansion coefficients between the lower sheet and the semiconductor thin film. Therefore, curvature of the substrates is prevented whereby subsequent process steps are easily carried out. In addition, the number of products per unit time is doubled, thereby increasing productivity.

Abstract: A metal diaphragm valve comprises a valve cage, a metallic valve seat integral with the valve cage, a metal diaphragm having a peripheral edge portion supported in a .[.liquid-tight.]. .Iadd.fluid-tight .Iaddend.manner by the valve cage and a central portion facing the valve to touch and leave the seat, a drive member for opening and closing the metal diaphragm, and a diaphragm pressing member interposed between the drive member and the metal diaphragm and adapted to press the diaphragm against the valve seat at a uniform sealing pressure.