Abstract: An ion source using a corona discharge for ionizing a sample at high efficient is provided. In the corona discharge generated at a tip end of a needle electrode by application of high voltage thereto, the direction in which the sample is introduced to the region of corona discharge and the direction in which ions are drawn out of the corona discharge region are substantially opposed to each other to improve the efficiency of ionization and to maintain a stable discharge for a long period of time.

Abstract: There was previously no monitoring method and monitoring apparatus which could measure dioxins at ppt levels and dioxin precursors at ppb levels with high sensitivity.

Abstract: There was previously no monitoring method and monitoring apparatus which could measure dioxins at ppt levels and dioxin precursors at ppb levels with high sensitivity. According to this invention, organic and inorganic compounds containing highly electronegative elements are selectively ionized by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization, the ions produced are detected by a mass spectrometer, and their amount is measured. As a result, interfering substances such as nitrogen, air, hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide which are the main components of flue gas are eliminated, and dioxins or organochlorine compounds such as dioxin precursors can be selectively monitored.

Abstract: An ion source using a corona discharge for ionizing a sample at high efficient is provided. In the corona discharge generated at a tip end of a needle electrode by application of high voltage thereto, the direction in which the sample is introduced to the region of corona discharge and the direction in which ions are drawn out of the corona discharge region are substantially opposed to each other to improve the efficiency of ionization and to maintain a stable discharge for a long period of time.

Abstract: An ion source using a corona discharge for ionizing a sample at high efficient is provided. In the corona discharge generated at a tip end of a needle electrode by application of high voltage thereto, the direction in which the sample is introduced to the region of corona discharge and the direction in which ions are drawn out of the corona discharge region are substantially opposed to each other to improve the efficiency of ionization and to maintain a stable discharge for a long period of time.

Abstract: Each embodiment of this invention implements step-by-step and empirical authentication of devices upon digital authentication among a plurality of devices. Each of a plurality of authentication devices of each embodiment can unidirectionally generate a hash value of a low experience rank from a hash value of a high experience rank, and receives a set of high experience rank and hash value in accordance with an experience. Upon receiving a certification request of the experience rank from another authentication device, the authentication device transmits a corresponding hash value to the authentication device as a request source. Upon sending a certification request of an experience rank to another authentication device, the authentication device verifies a hash value obtained from the other authentication device on the basis of a self hash value. In this way, the authentication devices authenticate each other's experience ranks.

Abstract: An explosive detection system includes an X-ray inspection apparatus, a mover for moving an object to be inspected to the X-ray inspection apparatus, a sample introduction probe for sampling a gas sample from the object to be inspected, a pipe for introducing the sampled gas into a corona discharge region and for subjecting the sampled gas to negative corona discharge to ionize the sampled gas and to generate negative ions. A mass spectrometer is provided to analyze the mass of the negative ions of the sampled gas and to provide results thereof. Inspection by the X-ray inspection apparatus is performed in relation to sampling of the gas sample, and explosive detection system inspects whether or not an explosive is present in the object to be inspected, from the analysis results of the sampled gas.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the minor constituents of a sample with high efficiency in positive and negative ion monitoring modes. The directions in which the sample gas is forced to flow in the ionized region within the ion source are properly switched in the positive and negative ion monitoring modes, respectively, thereby enabling both positive ions and negative ions to be detected with high sensitivity.

Abstract: To provide a mass spectrometer having a high sensitivity to dioxins. In the mass spectrometer including: a sample supply tube for supplying a sample solution containing a sample to be measured; a nebulizer for nebulizing the sample solution supplied from the sample supply tube; an ion source having a needle electrode for ionizing the sample nebulized and vaporized in the nebulizer; and a mass analyzer for analyzing ions formed in the ion source, and a gas of a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the sample solution is mixed to the vaporized sample, and a moving direction of the sample is made opposite to a moving direction of ions at a tip of the needle electrode.

Abstract: A sample introduction probe for introducing a gas sample to a mass spectrometer, having an inner pipe for conducting the sample to be analyzed, and an outer pipe installed outside of the inner pipe. An opening is installed at one end of the inner pipe for enabling entry of the sample into the inner pipe. A pump is installed on a side of the one end of the inner pipe, and a probe tip heater is provided for heating the one end of the inner pipe, a heater for heating the inner pipe.

Abstract: A digital television set can obtain electronic programming guide (EPG) services of various broadcast stations. A remote controller of the digital television set can input a natural language such as Japanese or English, which the human being reads and writes. A search engine searches for program information contained in the EPG services of the various broadcast stations, using, as a search key, the natural language input by the remote controller. As a result of a search operation, one or more program information items are arranged on a display in the order of rate of access, beginning from the highest one, or in the order of airtime.

Abstract: To provide a mass spectrometer having a high sensitivity to dioxins. In the mass spectrometer including: a sample supply tube for supplying a sample solution containing a sample to be measured; a nebulizer for nebulizing the sample solution supplied from the sample supply tube; an ion source having a needle electrode for ionizing the sample nebulized and vaporized in the nebulizer; and a mass analyzer for analyzing ions formed in the ion source, and a gas of a flow rate corresponding to the flow rate of the sample solution is mixed to the vaporized sample, and a moving direction of the sample is made opposite to a moving direction of ions at a tip of the needle electrode.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the minor constituents of a sample with high efficiency in positive and negative ion monitoring modes. The directions in which the sample gas is forced to flow in the ionized region within the ion source are properly switched in the positive and negative ion monitoring modes, respectively, thereby enabling both positive ions and negative ions to be detected with high sensitivity.

Abstract: There was previously no monitoring method and monitoring apparatus which could measure dioxins at ppt levels and dioxin precursors at ppb levels with high sensitivity.

Abstract: A keyboard device is provided with not only a number of keys thereon that are arranged in a known manner but also a disk drive for driving an optical disc in a cartridge and a display section including an indicator for notifying the user of the current status of operation of the optical disc in the disk drive. The disk drive is arranged at a rear and lower position of a lateral side of the keyboard device and therefore the optical disc in the disk drive is minimally affected by any vibrations that may take place while the optical disc is driven. Additionally, since the disk drive is placed in a space produced from a tilted arrangement of the keyboard device, it does not require any additional space to be provided for it.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inspection apparatus using an optical interferometer including splitting and combining means (3) for splitting light from a light source (1) into incident light (41) irradiated on a sample and reference light (40) and combining signal light which is light scattered or reflected by the sample (7, 42) and the reference light, a modulator (4, 5, 10) for subjecting the reference light to phase modulation and a photo detector (9) for detecting light combined by the splitting and combining means (3), the inspection apparatus further including first detecting means (12-1) for detecting amplitudes of first signal components having frequencies of multiples of odd numbers of a fundamental modulation frequency of the modulator in a signal from the photo detector (9), second detecting means (12-2) for separating and detecting amplitudes of second signal components having frequencies of multiples of even numbers of the fundamental modulation frequency i

Abstract: There was previously no monitoring method and monitoring apparatus which could measure dioxins at ppt levels and dioxin precursors at ppb levels with high sensitivity.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a remote controller capable of remarkably expanding the application of an IC card without increasing costs. The remote controller comprises a memory interface connected to the data section of the IC card when a memory chip is installed, a memory control section capable of reading and writing the data from and into the data section, a remote control circuit connected to the memory control section, a system control section for controlling the memory interface, memory control section, and remote control circuit, and means for, before sending a control signal, transmitting its own identification information or identification information about the IC card to a television set acting as a controlled device.

Abstract: A sample introduction probe for introducing a gas sample to a mass spectrometer, having an inner pipe for conducting the sample to be analyzed, and an outer pipe installed outside of the inner pipe. An opening is installed at one end of the inner pipe for enabling entry of the sample into the inner pipe. A pump is installed on a side of the one end of the inner pipe, and a probe tip heater is provided for heating the one end of the inner pipe, a heater for heating the inner pipe.

Abstract: An explosive detection system in which vapor leaking from luggage is sampled by a sampling probe, negative corona discharge is used to ionize the vapor, and a mass spectrometer is used to detect the ionized vapor, thereby judging whether an explosive is present or not.