Abstract: An electric assist bicycle includes an electric motor that generates an assistance force to assist a human force of a rider, a handle to be gripped by the rider with a hand to steer the electric assist bicycle, a manipulation device provided on the handle and including an operation switch that receives a manipulation from the rider and an alternate switch that receives a manipulation from the rider to change functions to be assigned to the operation switch, and a control circuit that performs a control to alter an operation to be executed by the electric assist bicycle depending on whether the rider manipulates the operation switch in a state of keeping the alternate switch manipulated or the rider manipulates the operation switch in a state of not manipulating the alternate switch.

Abstract: An electric assist bicycle includes an electric motor that generates an assistance force to assist a human force of a rider, a handle to be gripped by the rider with a hand to steer the electric assist bicycle, a manipulation device provided on the handle and including an operation switch that receives a manipulation from the rider and an alternate switch that receives a manipulation from the rider to change functions to be assigned to the operation switch, and a control circuit that performs a control to alter an operation to be executed by the electric assist bicycle depending on whether the rider manipulates the operation switch in a state of keeping the alternate switch manipulated or the rider manipulates the operation switch in a state of not manipulating the alternate switch.

Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a vehicle body, an electric motor, a wheel, an operator operated by a user to drive the wheel to rotate by power from the electric motor, and a controller that controls the electric motor according to an operation of the operator. The controller includes a plurality of control states including a basic state, a drive-standby state which transitions to and from the basic state, and a driving state which transitions to and from the drive-standby state and causes transmission of power of the electric motor to the wheel. The controller is configured or programmed to transition to the driving state if the operator is operated in the drive-standby state and to transition to the basic state if it is judged in the drive-standby state that a user is not present in the vicinity of the vehicle body for a predetermined time or longer.

Abstract: An electric vehicle includes a vehicle body, an electric motor, a wheel, an operator operated by a user to drive the wheel to rotate by power from the electric motor, and a controller that controls the electric motor according to an operation of the operator. The controller includes a plurality of control states including a basic state, a drive-standby state which transitions to and from the basic state, and a driving state which transitions to and from the drive-standby state and causes transmission of power of the electric motor to the wheel. The controller is configured or programmed to transition to the driving state if the operator is operated in the drive-standby state and to transition to the basic state if it is judged in the drive-standby state that a user is not present in the vicinity of the vehicle body for a predetermined time or longer.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention relates to a probe. The probe includes a sheath, a flexible, bi-directionally rotatable, optical subsystem positioned within the sheath, the optical subsystem comprising a transmission fiber, the optical subsystem capable of transmitting and collecting light of a predetermined range of wavelengths along a first beam having a predetermined beam size. The probe also includes an ultrasound subsystem, the ultrasound subsystem positioned within the sheath and adapted to propagate energy of a predetermined range of frequencies along a second beam having a second predetermined beam size, wherein a portion of the first and second beams overlap a region during a scan.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention relates to a probe. The probe includes a sheath, a flexible, bi-directionally rotatable, optical subsystem positioned within the sheath, the optical subsystem comprising a transmission fiber, the optical subsystem capable of transmitting and collecting light of a predetermined range of wavelengths along a first beam having a predetermined beam size. The probe also includes an ultrasound subsystem, the ultrasound subsystem positioned within the sheath and adapted to propagate energy of a predetermined range of frequencies along a second beam having a second predetermined beam size, wherein a portion of the first and second beams overlap a region during a scan.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention relates to a probe. The probe includes a sheath, a flexible, bi-directionally rotatable, optical subsystem positioned within the sheath, the optical subsystem comprising a transmission fiber, the optical subsystem capable of transmitting and collecting light of a predetermined range of wavelengths along a first beam having a predetermined beam size. The probe also includes an ultrasound subsystem, the ultrasound subsystem positioned within the sheath and adapted to propagate energy of a predetermined range of frequencies along a second beam having a second predetermined beam size, wherein a portion of the first and second beams overlap a region during a scan.

Abstract: Detection output from a detection circuit 17 is converted to digital detection data D1 and supplied to an AGC circuit AGCC and a noise clamping circuit NCC that are formed by digital circuits. In the AGC circuit AGCC, a digital low pass filter 19 generates DC voltage data D2 from the detection data D1. A digital divider 20 performs division of the DC voltage data D2 by the reference detection level data D3 indicating the detection data level. A digital multiplier multiplies the division results D4 by the detection data D1 to generate multiplication data D5 that is constant irrespective of a variation in the detection data D1. In the noise clamping circuit NCC, a digital comparator 23 compares the size of the preset voltage data D6 and that of the multiplication data D5. A selector circuit 24 selectively outputs preset voltage data D6 or multiplication data D5 to generate signal wave data DAF.

Abstract: Such a digital receiver comprises a digital band-pass filter 16 for performing digital filtering on digital data DIF of the intermediate frequency, the digital data DIF frequency-converted by a frequency converter and undergone analog-to-digital conversion, at a first sampling rate equal to an exponentiation multiple of 2 of the intermediate frequency, and an interpolation filter 17 for performing digital filtering on digital data DBF output from the digital band-pass filter 16 at a second sampling rate equal to an exponentiation multiple of 2 of the intermediate frequency and outputting the resulting data to a detection circuit 18.

Abstract: An image forming and recording apparatus, having a fixing apparatus for fixing unfixed toner image on a recording medium, wherein the fixing apparatus includes a fixing roller integrating a heater therein, an endless belt wound around the fixing roller, and three pressure members for pressing the endless belt onto the fixing roller. A pressure member located nearest to a side of entry of paper among the three pressure members is made up with a non-rotary type pressure member, and other two pressure members are made up with either one of a rotary type pressure member and the non-rotary type pressure member.

Abstract: A noise detector extracts pulse noise. On the basis of the extracted pulse noise, a threshold generator generates a threshold. A gate pulse generator compares the pulse noise with the threshold and, when the waveform of the pulse noise exceeds the threshold, generates a gate pulse. During the gate pulse is generated, a gate inhibits outputting of a demodulated signal of a detector, and during the period, interpolates the signal to output the resultant, thereby eliminating pulse noise from an output signal of the gate.

Abstract: A D/A converter includes a ??modulator applying Delta-Sigma modulation to a digital signal in order to generate a code sequence, and first and second post-filters as a first-order analog low-pass filter, respectively, which is connected in cascade to the subsequent stage of the modulator, in which low-pass filtering on the code sequence is executed so as to output an analog signal. The post-filter is set to have a cutoff frequency which falls in the frequency range from fca to fHa, where the fca is a cutoff frequecy of the post-filter 11 and the fHa is a maximum frequency thereof. Since the respective attenuation characteristics of post-filters are synthesized, an overall attenuation characteristic between the both filters is able to have the characteristics of a desired second-order filter.

Abstract: A D/A converter includes a &Dgr; &Sgr;modulator applying Delta-Sigma modulation to a digital signal in order to generate a code sequence, and first and second post-filters as a first-order analog low-pass filter, respectively, which is connected in cascade to the subsequent stage of the modulator, in which low-pass filtering on the code sequence is executed so as to output an analog signal. The post-filter is set to have a cutoff frequency which falls in the frequency range from fca to fHa, where the fca is a cutoff frequecy of the post-filter 11 and the fHa is a maximum frequency thereof. Since the respective attenuation characteristics of post-filters are synthesized, an overall attenuation characteristic between the both filters is able to have the characteristics of a desired second-order filter.

Abstract: An image forming and recording apparatus, having a fixing apparatus for fixing unfixed toner image on a recording medium, wherein said fixing apparatus comprises: a fixing roller integrating a heater therein; an endless belt wound around said fixing roller; and three (3) pressure members for pressing said endless belt onto said fixing roller, wherein second one from a side of entry of paper is made at maximum in pressure loading, among said three (3) pressure members, thereby achieving stable fixing of oil-less toner at high speed.

Abstract: Pieces of information having different attributes are informed to a recipient. An information receiving apparatus includes receiving channel control units for respectively receiving pieces of article information respectively allocated to a plurality of transmission channels and having different attributes in units of channels, a display, and display control unit for displaying the pieces of article information respectively received by the receiving channel control units on the display.

Abstract: A digital filter for forming a feedback path including a delay unit, applying a filter operation to an input signal, giving a frequency characteristic having a predetermined time constant, and generating an output signal, is provided with: a selector having a multiplier for implementing time constants in at least two stages, and selecting the connection of the multiplier corresponding to a preset time constant to perform time constant switching; a timing generator for determining the timing when the time constant switching is performed by the selector; and a correction device for correcting the output of the delay unit to suppress variations in the output signal in the determined timing.

Abstract: A database link control method and apparatus capable of establishing a link between records related to each other and a database system including a database control function. The data base system includes a function for storing information regarding at least one record and a link relating records to each other holds at least one link generating information item necessary to generate a link to relate records to each other. The database system includes a database server including a storage to store information regarding at least one record and a storage to store links relating records to each other and a database client. The client holds at least one link generating information item necessary to generate a link to relate records to each other.

Abstract: A digital filter is provided in which, when switching the time constant, a stable operation can be ensured without generating noise at the switching timing.

Abstract: Such a digital receiver comprises a digital band-pass filter 16 for performing digital filtering on digital data DIF of the intermediate frequency, the digital data DIF frequency-converted by a frequency converter and undergone analog-to-digital conversion, at a first sampling rate equal to an exponentiation multiple of 2 of the intermediate frequency, and an interpolation filter 17 for performing digital filtering on digital data DBF output from the digital band-pass filter 16 at a second sampling rate equal to an exponentiation multiple of 2 of the intermediate frequency and outputting the resulting data to a detection circuit 18.

Abstract: Detection output from a detection circuit 17 is converted to digital detection data Dl and supplied to an AGC circuit AGCC and a noise clamping circuit NCC that are formed by digital circuits. In the AGC circuit AGCC, a digital low pass filter 19 generates DC voltage data D2 from the detection data D1. A digital divider 20 performs division of the DC voltage data D2 by the reference detection level data D3 indicating the detection data level. A digital multiplier multiplies the division results D4 by the detection data D1 to generate multiplication data D5 that is constant irrespective of a variation in the detection data D1. In the noise clamping circuit NCC, a digital comparator 23 compares the size of the preset voltage data D6 and that of the multiplication data D5. A selector circuit 24 selectively outputs preset voltage data D6 or multiplication data D5 to generate signal wave data DAF.