Abstract: A server acquires a reception amount which is an amount of power that a power supply device received from an engine-driven type generator, converts the reception amount into a virtual currency, transmits, to the power supply device, a money transfer instruction in order to instruct a money transfer, to the engine-driven type generator, of a virtual currency that the conversion unit converted the reception amount into. The power supply device generates a money transfer request in order to, in accordance with the money transfer instruction, performs a money transfer of virtual currency to a virtual currency wallet associated with the engine-driven type generator a virtual currency wallet associated with the server, and transmits the money transfer request to a virtual currency network.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for increasing reflectivity of an aluminum layer on a substrate. In some embodiments, a method of depositing an aluminum layer on a substrate comprises depositing a layer of cobalt or cobalt alloy or a layer of titanium or titanium alloy on the substrate with a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, pre-treating the layer of cobalt or cobalt alloy with a thermal hydrogen anneal at a temperature of approximately 400 degrees Celsius if a top surface of the layer of cobalt or cobalt alloy is compromised, and depositing a layer of aluminum on the layer of cobalt or cobalt alloy or the layer of titanium or titanium alloy with a CVD process at a temperature of approximately 120 degrees Celsius. Pre-treatment of the layer of cobalt or cobalt alloy may be accomplished for a duration of approximately 60 seconds to approximately 120 seconds.

Abstract: The magnetic recording medium includes a long substrate body, and a magnetic layer including a powder of cubic crystal ferrite magnetic particles. The sum of a squareness ratio in the longitudinal direction and a squareness ratio in the vertical direction is 1.2 or more, and the difference of the squareness ratio in the longitudinal direction and the squareness ratio in the vertical direction is 0.15 or more.

Abstract: A relief valve for gas includes: a housing having a valve port connecting with an inflow passage and an outflow passage, and a tapered valve seat formed in the inflow passage to surround the valve port; a valve body having a tapered valve head part and movable between a closed position where the valve head part is seated and fits in the valve seat to close the valve port, and a full stroke position farthest from the valve seat; and a biasing member that biases the valve body to the closed position. The valve body has a seal member that is provided to externally fit on a seal groove formed on an outer circumferential face of the valve head part over an entire circumferential periphery, and to be seated on the valve seat in the closed position to seal between the valve seat and the valve head part.

Abstract: Method for forming tungsten gap fill on a structure, including high aspect ratio structures includes depositing a tungsten liner in the structure using a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process with high ionization and an ambient gas of argon or krypton. The PVD process is performed at a temperature of approximately 20 degrees Celsius to approximately 300 degrees Celsius. The method further includes treating the structure with a nitridation process and depositing bulk fill tungsten into the structure using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process to form a seam suppressed boron free tungsten fill. The CVD process is performed at a temperature of approximately 300 degrees Celsius to approximately 500 degrees Celsius and at a pressure of approximately 5 Torr to approximately 300 Torr.

Abstract: An information processing device includes: a reception unit configured to receive operation information on a power supply device from the power supply device that supplies power to an electric apparatus detachably connected thereto; a ranking unit configured to rank a user of the power supply device based on the received operation information; and a setting unit configured to set an incentive to the user based on a rank of the ranked user. The operation information includes: fuel consumption information indicating a fuel consumption amount of an engine generator; and measurement information indicating measurement results of voltage and current that the power supply device is supplying to the electric apparatus. The ranking unit identifies fuel consumption based on the fuel consumption information and the measurement information, and ranks the user based on the identified fuel consumption.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises acquiring information according to the usage circumstances of the portable electrical storage device; estimating a type of an electrical device that is connected, based on a measurement result with respect to a voltage and a current when the portable electrical storage device supplied electric power that is included in the information according to the usage circumstances; and, in a case where the type of the connected electrical device cannot be estimated, determining whether or not the connected electrical device is an electrical device that exhibits desirable load characteristics with respect to a storage battery that is provided in the portable electrical storage device, in accordance with whether or not an electric power supply amount indicated by the measurement result is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the formation of cobalt disilicide are described. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide in-situ methods of forming cobalt disilicide. The resulting films are smoother and have lower resistance and resistivity than films formed by similar ex-situ methods. Some embodiments of the disclosure provide apparatus for performing the described methods without an air break between processes.

Abstract: A process of smoothing a top surface of a bit line metal of a memory structure decreases resistance of a bit line stack. The process includes depositing a titanium layer of approximately 30 angstroms to 50 angstroms on a polysilicon layer on a substrate, depositing a first titanium nitride layer of approximately 15 angstroms to approximately 40 angstroms on the titanium layer, annealing the substrate at a temperature of approximately 700 degrees Celsius to approximately 850 degrees Celsius, depositing a second titanium nitride layer of approximately 15 angstroms to approximately 40 angstroms on the first titanium nitride layer after annealing, and depositing a bit line metal layer of ruthenium on the second titanium nitride layer.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises an acquisition unit configured to acquire information according to the usage circumstances of an portable electric power supply apparatus; an estimation unit configured to estimate a type of an electrical device that is connected, based on a measurement result with respect to a voltage and a current when the portable electric power supply apparatus supplied electric power that is included in the information according to the usage circumstances; a determination unit configured to determine whether or not an electrical device that is estimated by the estimation unit is a predetermined designated device; and a decision unit configured to decide on a user treatment with respect to a user that rented the portable electric power supply apparatus, in accordance with a determination result obtained by the determination unit.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises an acquisition unit configured to acquire information according to the usage circumstances of the portable electric generator; an estimation unit configured to estimate a type of an electrical device that is connected, based on a measurement result with respect to a voltage and a current when the portable electric generator supplied electric power that is included in the information according to the usage circumstances; and a calculation unit configured to calculate a rental fee associated with an electric power amount supplied by the portable electric generator at the rental destination, using a billing coefficient corresponding to an electrical device estimated by the estimation unit, and the measurement result.

Abstract: An information providing apparatus provides information concerning a lendable electric power supply device. More specifically, the information providing apparatus for providing information via a network in response to a request from a terminal, performs the following processes. The apparatus receives, from the terminal via the network, an information request concerning a lendable electric power supply device configured to supply electric power, acquires information concerning electric power that can be provided by the electric power supply device and a lending price of the electric power supply device by communicating with the electric power supply device via the network. The apparatus further edits, based on the acquired information, information to be provided to the terminal that has issued the information request, and transmits the edited information to the terminal that has issued the information request via the network.

Abstract: A load estimating device measures a voltage and a current supplied to a load connected with a generator, calculates a feature amount of the load, senses a remaining amount of fuel, outputs a time during which the load is continuously operable. The device estimates what the load connected with the generator is, based on the calculated feature amount and the feature amounts stored in a storage, and determines the time during which the estimated load is continuously operable, based on a power consumption of the estimated load, and the remaining amount of fuel. The device has a load registration mode for causing the storage to store therein a feature amount of a new load that is not stored in a storage.

Abstract: An information providing apparatus receives an information request concerning a lendable movable external power feeding apparatus (power feeder) for supplying electric power from a terminal via a network, provides, by communicating with such a power feeder via the network, lending/borrowing information acquired from a database for managing information including an electric power supply capability, a current location, and a weight of the power feeder, an identifier for specifying the power feeder, and lending/borrowing information of the power feeder, acquires information concerning a lending price of the power feeder set by the owner in response to the information request, and edits information to be provided to the terminal, based on the acquired information and transmits the edited information to the terminal via the network.

Abstract: The present invention provides an information providing apparatus including a providing unit configured to determine whether electric power stored in a storage battery, included in a portable electric power supply device, that stores electric power to be supplied to electrical equipment detachably connected, can be sold or whether to store electric power in the storage battery, and provide a result of the determination to a user of the electric power supply device, wherein in a case where the providing unit determines that stored electric power can be sold, purchase processing is performed on the stored electric power in accordance with a kind of the electrical equipment inferred, and in a case where the providing unit determines that electric power is to be stored in the storage battery, electric power storing processing is performed on the storage battery in accordance with the kind of the electrical equipment inferred.

Abstract: A system for promoting lending and borrowing of portable electrical energy storage devices is provided. The system acquires status information indicating an amount of stored electrical energy of the portable electrical energy storage devices and position information indicating a geographic position of it. The system extracts, from a user database, position information or a communication address of a portable electrical energy storage device of which stored electrical energy is sufficient on the basis of the status information, and extracts, from the user database, a communication address of a user of a portable electrical energy storage device of which stored electrical energy is insufficient on the basis of the status information, and transmits information including extracted position information or a extracted communication address.

Abstract: An information providing apparatus receives an information request concerning a dealer or rental trader holding a lendable electric power supply device from a terminal via a network, acquires information about a lendable electric power supply device by accessing a database configured to manage information about the lendable electric power supply device which includes an electric generator and a rechargeable battery that can be charged by electric power generated by the electric generator, and information about the lent electric power supply device and a lending period to be updated along with an elapse of time during lending of the electric power supply device, edits information to be provided to the terminal that has issued the information request, based on the acquired information, and transmits the edited information to the terminal that has issued the information request, via the network.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises acquiring information according to the usage circumstances of the portable electrical storage device; estimating a type of an electrical device that is connected, based on a measurement result with respect to a voltage and a current when the portable electrical storage device supplied electric power that is included in the information according to the usage circumstances; and, in a case where the type of the connected electrical device cannot be estimated, determining whether or not the connected electrical device is an electrical device that exhibits desirable load characteristics with respect to a storage battery that is provided in the portable electrical storage device, in accordance with whether or not an electric power supply amount indicated by the measurement result is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A load estimation device measures a voltage and a current supplied to a load connected to a portable power-supply, obtains a feature amount of the load from the voltage and the current. The device obtains a stored feature amount of each of loads, and related load information indicating a plurality of loads which are used in association with each other. The device estimates a load connected to the power-supply on the basis of the obtained feature amount and a stored feature amount, and predicts a load which is not connected to the power-supply and which is a load related to the estimated load on the basis of the related load information.

Abstract: The present invention provides an information providing apparatus including a determining unit configured to determine an added value to be provided to a user of a portable electric power supply device including a storage battery that stores electric power to be supplied to electrical equipment detachably connected, wherein in a case where a kind of the electrical equipment is a specified kind of electrical equipment, the determining unit determines the added value to be provided to the user in such a manner that the added value to be provided to the user is higher than an added value in a case where the kind of the electrical equipment is not the specified kind of electrical equipment.