Abstract: Certain embodiments for a self-booting Ethernet controller chip (NAC) may comprise a processor within the NAC that determines whether legacy boot code is present in memory external to the NAC. If legacy boot code is present in the external memory, the NAC may boot from the legacy boot code. If the legacy boot code is not present in the external memory, the processor may boot the NAC from the self-boot code in the ROM within the NAC. The processor may also read network configuration data from the external memory. The network configuration data may be stored, for example, in a NVRAM. The processor may copy the network configuration data from the NVRAM to a RAM within the NAC while booting.

Abstract: Certain embodiments for reducing instruction storage space for a processor integrated in a network adapter chip may include generating MIPS instructions from corresponding new instructions. The new instructions may be in patch code instruction (PCI) format. The new instructions may be decoded and the MIPS instructions may be generated by a MIPS processor within a network adapter chip. Decoding the new instructions may also be referred to as interpreting the new instructions. The new instructions may comprise fewer bits than the generated MIPS instructions. The generated MIPS instructions may be executed by the MIPS processor within the network adapter chip.

Abstract: Certain embodiments for modifying operation of ROM based boot code may include modifying a bootup sequence for boot code resident in a ROM within a network adapter chip (NAC). The bootup sequence may be modified during booting of the NAC using code patches in memory external to the NAC. The boot code may comprise ROM loader code and/or self-boot code in the ROM within the NAC. Execution of the self-boot code may comprise execution of code patches. The code patches may comprise initialization code patches and service code patches. The code patches may be executed in place of functions in the self-boot code or in addition to the functions in the self-boot code. Additionally, the code patches may be configured such that a function in the self-boot code may be effectively deleted where no corresponding code patch may be executed in place of the function.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell with high conversion efficiency is provided. The dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention has, between an electrode (2) formed on a surface of a transparent substrate (1) and a counter electrode (6), a light-absorbing layer (3) containing light-absorbing particles carrying dye and an electrolyte layer (5), characterized in that the light-absorbing layer (3) containing light-scattering particles (4) different in size from the light-absorbing particles. In such a dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention, the energy of light, which passes through a light-absorbing layer in a conventional cell structure, can be strongly absorbed by the dye in the light-absorbing layer of the present invention. This will increase the conversion efficiency and output current of the dye-sensitized solar cell.

Abstract: The present invention is relative to a battery capacity calculating method including a reference discharge curve calculating step of finding a discharge curve, operating as a reference, a corrected voltage calculating step of correcting a measured voltage V1 of the battery with a component of an electrical resistance to find a corrected voltage V, and a capacity calculating step of finding the discharging capacity of the battery from the discharge curve, operating as a reference, using the corrected voltage V. The capacity calculating step includes a sub-step of calculating a capacity deterioration index S, as a ratio of capacity decrease caused by battery deterioration. The discharging capacity, calculated from the discharging capacity, operating as a reference, using the corrected voltage V, is further multiplied with the capacity deterioration index S to calculate the discharging capacity.

Abstract: A battery calculating method, apparatus, and program are provided. The battery capacity calculating method and apparatus can very accurately calculate a residual capacity of a secondary battery especially in the last stage of discharging independently of environmental conditions such as a temperature or a deteriorated state. the battery capacity calculating apparatus is equipped with a voltage measuring circuit which measures the terminal voltage (Vmea) of a battery at the time of discharging, a current measuring circuit which measures the current value (I) of the battery at the time of discharging, and a control circuit which calculates a residual capacity and/or residual power.

Abstract: Oscillation of a spindle motor caused by a shock is to be suppressed. In one embodiment, an HDD according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a base, a spindle motor for rotating a magnetic disk, the spindle motor being fixed to an inner surface of a base bottom, and a circuit board disposed on an outer surface of the base bottom. Plural outer screws fix the circuit board to the base bottom at outer end portions of the circuit board. Further, three or more inner screws fix the circuit board to the base bottom at inner positions of the circuit board with respect to the outer screws. The center of gravity of the spindle motor is positioned within a polygon defined by the three or more inner screws.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit includes a pair of external terminals to which an external resonator is connected, an inverter connected between the external terminals, and an internal feedback path paralleling the inverter between the external terminals. An internal switching element enables the internal feedback path to be opened so that leakage current at the external terminal connected to the input end of the inverter can be measured accurately. Further internal switching elements are preferably provided so that the resistance of the internal feedback path can be switched. The internal feedback path may include one or more resistors, or the internal switching elements themselves may have sufficient on-resistance to function as resistors.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell with high conversion efficiency is provided. The dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention has, between an electrode (2) formed on a surface of a transparent substrate (1) and a counter electrode (6), a light-absorbing layer (3) containing light-absorbing particles carrying dye and an electrolyte layer (5), characterized in that the light-absorbing layer (3) containing light-scattering particles (4) different in size from the light-absorbing particles. In such a dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention, the energy of light, which passes through a light-absorbing layer in a conventional cell structure, can be strongly absorbed by the dye in the light-absorbing layer of the present invention. This will increase the conversion efficiency and output current of the dye-sensitized solar cell.

Abstract: A battery calculating method, apparatus, and program are provided. The battery capacity calculating method and apparatus can very accurately calculate a residual capacity of a secondary battery especially in the last stage of discharging independently of environmental conditions such as a temperature or a deteriorated state. the battery capacity calculating apparatus is equipped with a voltage measuring circuit which measures the terminal voltage (Vmea) of a battery at the time of discharging, a current measuring circuit which measures the current value (I) of the battery at the time of discharging, and a control circuit which calculates a residual capacity and/or residual power.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell with high conversion efficiency is provided. The dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention has, between an electrode (2) formed on a surface of a transparent substrate (1) and a counter electrode (6), a light-absorbing layer (3) containing light-absorbing particles carrying dye and an electrolyte layer (5), characterized in that the light-absorbing layer (3) containing light-scattering particles (4) different in size from the light-absorbing particles. In such a dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention, the energy of light, which passes through a light-absorbing layer in a conventional cell structure, can be strongly absorbed by the dye in the light-absorbing layer of the present invention. This will increase the conversion efficiency and output current of the dye-sensitized solar cell.

Abstract: There is provided: a (meth)acrylic acid (salt) polymer which has high properties and is little colored; and a process which can produce this polymer with a high polymerization conversion without causing the corrosion of the reaction vessel.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit includes a pair of external terminals to which an external resonator is connected, an inverter connected between the external terminals, and an internal feedback path paralleling the inverter between the external terminals. An internal switching element enables the internal feedback path to be opened so that leakage current at the external terminal connected to the input end of the inverter can be measured accurately. Further internal switching elements are preferably provided so that the resistance of the internal feedback path can be switched. The internal feedback path may include one or more resistors, or the internal switching elements themselves may have sufficient on-resistance to function as resistors.

Abstract: A fuel cell which utilizes the biogenic metabolism to produce a high current density is provided. The fuel cell generates electric power in such a way that the fuel is decomposed stepwise by a plurality of enzymes and those electrons formed by oxidation are transferred to the electrode. The enzymes work such that the enzyme activity of the enzyme involved in decomposition in the early stage is smaller than the sum of the enzyme activities of the enzymes involved in decomposition in the later stage. In the case where a coenzyme is involved, the enzyme activity of the oxidase that oxidizes the coenzyme is greater than the sum of the enzyme activities of the enzymes involved in the formation of the reductant of the coenzyme, out of the enzymes involved in the stepwise decomposition of the fuel.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic composition which enables both of high fluidity and material separation reducing and can eliminate the delay of setting. The present invention is directed to a hydraulic composition comprising cement (A), a copolymer (B), a high-performance water reducing agent (C) and a powdery cement admixture (D), wherein the copolymer (B) comprises a repeating unit (I) represented by the following formula (1); (wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group. n is an integer of 2 to 4.), and a repeating unit (II) represented by the following general formula (2); (wherein R2, R3 and R4 are same or different and each represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl group or a (CH2)pCOOM2 group, and may form a structure of an anhydride when the total number of COOM1 groups and COOM2 groups are 2.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fuel cell system that has a fuel cell portion including one or more unit cells, a fuel tank for storing fuel used in the unit cells, and a control portion for controlling the fuel cell portion. The number of unit cells is optimized so that a total amount of energy, which is outputted from the fuel cell system as a function of the number of unit cells or of an electrode area, shows a maximum value or a nearly maximum value. Thus, the amount of energy may be maximized or made to be equal to or more than a predetermined value. Accordingly, target devices to be supplied with power from the fuel cell system may be used for a longer time.

Abstract: A dye-sensitized solar cell with high conversion efficiency is provided. The dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention has, between an electrode (2) formed on a surface of a transparent substrate (1) and a counter electrode (6), a light-absorbing layer (3) containing light-absorbing particles carrying dye and an electrolyte layer (5), characterized in that the light-absorbing layer (3) containing light-scattering particles (4) different in size from the light-absorbing particles. In such a dye-sensitized solar cell according to the present invention, the energy of light, which passes through a light-absorbing layer in a conventional cell structure, can be strongly absorbed by the dye in the light-absorbing layer of the present invention. This will increase the conversion efficiency and output current of the dye-sensitized solar cell.

Abstract: The polycarboxylic acid cement dispersant of the present invention can exhibit high dispersing ability and allow deforming in early stages in the case of producing concrete products, whereby the turnover of a formwork is increased so as to improve productivity, and the method of producing a concrete product of the present invention can allow deforming in early stages, whereby the turnover of a formwork is increased so as to improve productivity.

Abstract: The present invention is relative to a battery capacity calculating method including a reference discharge curve calculating step of finding a discharge curve, operating as a reference, a corrected voltage calculating step of correcting a measured voltage V1 of the battery with a component of an electrical resistance to find a corrected voltage V, and a capacity calculating step of finding the discharging capacity of the battery from the discharge curve, operating as a reference, using the corrected voltage V. The capacity calculating step includes a sub-step of calculating a capacity deterioration index S, as a ratio of capacity decrease caused by battery deterioration. The discharging capacity, calculated from the discharging capacity, operating as a reference, using the corrected voltage V, is further multiplied with the capacity deterioration index S to calculate the discharging capacity.

Abstract: A solar cell is provided, which comprises: a photoelectric conversion layer; a light receiving face electrode provided on a front surface of the photoelectric conversion layer; a rear electrode provided on a rear surface of the photoelectric conversion layer; and a metal foil bonded to a surface of the rear electrode and electrically connected to the rear electrode. With this arrangement, deterioration of performance of the solar cell is suppressed, even if the solar cell is cracked.