Abstract: A drive circuit performs switching between an on-state and an off-state of a PIN diode, the drive circuit being provided with a switching element and a switching element, a drive power supply, and a current limiting resistor that adjusts a forward current of the PIN diode. When the switching element is in an on-state and the switching element is in an off-state, the PIN diode is switched to the on-state by applying a forward voltage to the PIN diode from the drive power supply via the current limiting resistor, and when the switching element is in the off-state and the switching element is in the on-state, the PIN diode is switched to the off-state by applying, not via the current limiting resistor, a reverse voltage to the PIN diode from the drive power supply.

Abstract: An energy saving support system according to an embodiment is configured to provide a consumer, who has an electric load to which electric energy is supplied from an electric power supply system within a house, with energy consumption-related information through a photo frame or the like. The information providing apparatus is configured to acquire an acceptability level, which stepwise indicates a degree of interest of the consumer in the energy consumption-related information, and to determine the energy consumption-related information to be newly provided to the consumer based on the acceptability level.

Abstract: Provided is an impedance matching device for matching an impedance between a high-frequency power source and a load. The impedance matching device pertaining to the present invention is provided with: a matching circuit having variable capacitors, a capacitance of which is adjusted by an ON/OFF operation of a plurality of switches; a switch control unit for performing control for causing states of the switches of the variable capacitors to coincide with a target state in order to adjust the capacitance of the variable capacitors; and a switch state evaluation unit for evaluating whether a switch is in a state requiring suppression of a temperature increase. The switch control unit is configured so that when the switch state evaluation unit evaluates that a switch of the variable capacitors is in a state requiring suppression of a temperature increase, control is performed for suspending changing of a switch state of the switch for a set period and suppressing a temperature increase in the switch.

Abstract: A power supply management system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a fee setting unit configured to set power fee unit prices (first power fee unit price and second power fee unit price for each time slot, and a notification unit configured to notify a consumer of information on the set power fee unit prices. The first power fee unit price is a power unit price for a household electrical load, and the second power fee unit price is a power unit price in a case of using a charge/discharge device to charge a vehicle-mounted storage battery. The fee setting unit is configured to set, by predicting a load factor of a transformer, a discount rate of the second power fee unit price to become higher (second power fee unit price to become lower) as the predicted load factor becomes lower. The second power fee unit price is determined on the basis of the first power fee unit price and the discount rate.

Abstract: An energy saving support system according to an embodiment is configured to provide a consumer, who has an electric load to which electric energy is supplied from an electric power supply system within a house, with energy consumption-related information through a photo frame or the like. The information providing apparatus is configured to acquire an acceptability level, which stepwise indicates a degree of interest of the consumer in the energy consumption-related information, and to determine the energy consumption-related information to be newly provided to the consumer based on the acceptability level.

Abstract: A plurality of users of an on-demand bus each use an information terminal device to transmit, as a request, to an operation management center, reservation information including a desired boarding location at which to get on the bus, a desired boarding time, a boarding allowable additional time period for designating a desired boarding time slot, a desired drop-off location at which to get off the bus, a desired drop-off time, and a drop-off allowable additional time period for designating a desired drop-off time slot.

Abstract: An operation management center uses desired provision content and desired provision time of a commodity or service to determine a first operation schedule in which a user is moved to a location at which the commodity or the service is to be provided or a second operation schedule in which the commodity or the service is moved to a location at which the provision of the commodity or the service is to be received by the user. The center determines the first operation schedule or the second operation schedule so as to satisfy the desired provision time desired by the user.

Abstract: A garage appliance control system includes: at least one appliance installed in a garage that is provided as a portion of a building or a garage that is provided adjacent to the building; a first light emission portion which is provided in a vehicle that is parked in the garage, and which emits visible light; a first light reception portion that is provided in the garage, and that receives visible light emitted from the first light emission portion; and a control portion that controls the appliance based on light reception by the first light reception portion.