Abstract: A method for manufacturing a linear-chain beta-1,3-glucan is disclosed that comprises polymerizing glucose-1-phosphate serving as a substrate by contacting the glucose-1-phosphate with a beta-1,3-glucan phosphorylase derived from a species in the genus Ochromonas. A laminarioligosaccharide may be added to serve as a primer. A linear-chain beta-1,3-glucan having a degree of polymerization between about 30 to 70 is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle passage control device capable of suppressing damage and breakage of an opening/closing bar thereof to the minimum, and suppressing damage and the like of a vehicle to the minimum even if the vehicle collides with the opening/closing bar. The vehicle passage control device is a vehicle passage control device in which an opening/closing bar 12 that regulates passage of a vehicle is provided, the vehicle passage control device being installed at a passage gate of an entrance or exit of a toll road or the like. The vehicle passage control device performs opening/closing control for the opening/closing bar 12 to rotationally move and upspring obliquely upward in front in a passing direction of the vehicle. An inclined angle ? at which the opening/closing bar 12 rotationally moves and upsprings obliquely upward remains within a range from approximately 25 degrees to approximately 55 degrees with respect to a road surface.

Abstract: A hearing aid tailored to a hard-of-hearing person is designed using sampled-data control theory. The method is for designing an audio signal processing system for a hearing aid, wherein the system comprises an AD converter for converting an analog audio input signal (yc) inputted to the hearing aid into a digital audio input signal, a hearing aid digital filter (K(z)) for performing a signal processing on the digital audio input signal outputted from the AD converter, and a DA converter for converting a digital signal outputted from the hearing aid digital filter into an analog audio output signal to be outputted to the hard-of-hearing person.

Abstract: An FFT analysis is performed to the image data of one frame which has been decoded, and a cutoff frequency on the assumption that the original signal has first-order attenuation characteristics is obtained each in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction. A sampled-data H? filter (digital filter) which has been previously designed in such a manner as to have different parameters corresponding to different cutoff frequencies is selected. By using this filter, a filtering process is performed to the image data which has been decoded both in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction. Since the variety of the analog frequency characteristics of the original image is taken into account for every frame of image, the information that seems to be a noise yet actually exists in the original image is less likely to be removed, and a mosquito noise and block noise associated with a coding/decoding process can be efficiently removed.

Abstract: While a recording sheet is passing through a fixing nip formed between a heating roller 41 having a heating layer and a pressing roller 42 pressed against the roller 41, a coil 43 is exited by high-frequency power from a power source and causes the layer to generate heat. An unfixed image on the recording sheet is fixed by the heat. The power source detects a zero cross timing of a rectified alternating current, detects an instantaneous value at a point a predetermined period after the zero cross timing, calculates an effective power of the alternating current based on the instantaneous value, and controls the output power to be a desired value determined based on the effective power and the surface temperature of the roller 41. Thus power input to the power source can be quickly detected and power output to the coil can be quickly and stably controlled.

Abstract: A high frequency compensator configured to compensate high frequency component of a digital audio signal comprising a down sampler configured to perform ½ down-sampling for the digital audio signal. An up sampler is configured to perform double up-sampling for an output signal of the down-sampler. A digital low-pass filter is configured to filter an output signal of the up sampler, and to output the filtered digital audio signal.

Abstract: A magnetic head actuator includes a head-holding substrate having a pair of movable arms for clamping a magnetic head, and piezoelectric elements fixed along the pair of movable arms to move the pair of movable arms in response to an applied voltage. The head-holding substrate comprises a fired glass-ceramic compact containing at least one of SiO2, B2O3, and Al2O3. The piezoelectric elements are formed on the head-holding substrate with a piezoelectric material by printing and low-temperature firing.

Abstract: A high frequency compensator configured to compensate high frequency component of a digital audio signal comprising a down sampler configured to perform ½ down-sampling for the digital audio signal. An up sampler is configured to perform double up-sampling for an output signal of the down-sampler. A digital low-pass filter is configured to filter an output signal of the up sampler, and to output the filtered digital audio signal.

Abstract: A game apparatus causes a character object to perform a first hitting motion on the necessary condition that a to-be-hit object is present in a first area 104a which is set based on a position of the character object in a virtual game space, and causes the character object to perform a second hitting motion on the necessary condition that the to-be-hit object is present in a second area 104b, 104c, or 104d. Furthermore, the game apparatus adjusts a position of at least one of at least a part of the character object and the to-be-hit object, such that when the character object is caused to perform the second hitting motion, the character object and the to-be-hit object are in a predetermined positional relationship.

Abstract: A garnet ferrite used for a non-reciprocal circuit device contains Fe in an amount lower than the value derived from stoichiometry by 0.5% to 5%, and more preferably by 1% to 3%. The garnet ferrite can exhibit a low insertion loss in a high-frequency band of more than 5 MHz.

Abstract: A magnetic head actuator includes a head-holding substrate having a pair of movable arms for clamping a magnetic head, and piezoelectric elements fixed along the pair of movable arms to move the pair of movable arms in response to an applied voltage. The head-holding substrate comprises a fired glass-ceramic compact containing at least one of SiO2, B2O3, and Al2O3. The piezoelectric elements are formed on the head-holding substrate with a piezoelectric material by printing and low-temperature firing.

Abstract: In a circuit board comprising multiple layers and having an integrated circuit mounted on the outer layer thereof, a main power supply plane and a sub-power supply plane, which is disposed in an island fashion with a clearance that terminates electric connection with the main power supply plane, are formed on the same layer. The main power supply plane and the sub-power supply plane are connected by first power supply patterns that are formed on a layer different from the layer on which the power supply planes are formed and to which bypass condensers are connected. Power supply to some power supply terminals is achieved via second power supply patterns that are connected to the sub-power supply plane. The leakage of noise from the power supply terminals connected to the second power supply patterns is controlled by the first power supply patterns. Through this construction, the EMI noise radiated from the circuit board can be reduced while minimizing the number of bypass condensers.

Abstract: A hard magnetic alloy in accordance with the present invention is composed of at least element T selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co and Ni, at least one rare earth element R, and boron (B). The hard magnetic alloy has an absolute value of the temperature coefficient of magnetization of 0.15%/° C. or less and a coercive force of 1 kOe, when being used in a shape causing a permeance factor of 2 or more. A hard magnetic alloy compact in accordance with the present invention has a texture, in which at least a part or all of the texture comprises an amorphous phase or fine crystalline phase having an average crystal grain size of 100 nm or less, is subjected to crystallization or grain growth under stress, such that a mixed phase composed of a soft magnetic or semi-hard magnetic phase and a hard magnetic phase is formed in the texture, and anisotropy is imparted to the crystal axis of the hard magnetic phase.

Abstract: In a circuit board comprising multiple layers and having an integrated circuit mounted on the outer layer thereof, a main power supply plane and a sub-power supply plane, which is disposed in an island fashion with a clearance that terminates electric connection with the main power supply plane, are formed on the same layer. The main power supply plane and the sub-power supply plane are connected by first power supply patterns that are formed on a layer different from the layer on which the power supply planes are formed and to which bypass condensers are connected. Power supply to some power supply terminals is achieved via second power supply patterns that are connected to the sub-power supply plane. The leakage of noise from the power supply terminals connected to the second power supply patterns is controlled by the first power supply patterns. Through this construction, the EMI noise radiated from the circuit board can be reduced while minimizing the number of bypass condensers.

Abstract: An LED illuminating device that includes a light-guiding member formed of a translucent material; an LED element formed of at least one diode disposed on one end of the light-guiding member for emitting light therein; a light-emitting region along the length of the light-guiding member; and a plurality of grooves having a rectangular cross-section and formed in the circumferential surface of the light-guiding member at appropriate intervals in the axial direction. The present invention also provides an LED illuminating appliance of various configurations that employ the LED illuminating device as a light source.

Abstract: A garnet ferrite used for a non-reciprocal circuit device contains Fe in an amount lower than the value derived from stoichiometry by 0.5% to 5%, and more preferably by 1% to 3%. The garnet ferrite can exhibit a low insertion loss in a high-frequency band of more than 5 MHz.

Abstract: An LED illuminating device that includes a light-guiding member formed of a translucent material; an LED element formed of at least one diode disposed on one end of the light-guiding member for emitting light therein; a light-emitting region along the length of the light-guiding member; and a plurality of grooves having a rectangular cross-section and formed in the circumferential surface of the light-guiding member at appropriate intervals in the axial direction. The present invention also provides an LED illuminating appliance of various configurations that employ the LED illuminating device as a light source.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a metallic ribbon includes a cooling roll, a melt nozzle, and an air-cutoff unit provided to cover at least a portion of the periphery of the cooling roll and at least the melt blowout end of the melt nozzle, for preventing an inflow of air due to rotation of the cooing roll. The air-cutoff unit has a roll top air-cutoff plate provided above the cooling roll to extent from the front side to the rear side in the rotation direction of the cooling roll in such a manner that it approaches the cooling surface in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the cooling roll. The melt blowout end of the melt nozzle is arranged to pass through a nozzle mounting hole provided in the roll top air-cutoff plate and face the cooling surface of the cooling roll.

Abstract: A shift control system for an automatic transmission comprises a shift lever 201, which is shifted among a “P” position, an “N” position and an “S” position. A first shift guide path 211 is provided to guide the shift lever from the “P” position through the “N” position to the “S” position, and a second shift guide path 212 is provided to guide the shift lever which has been positioned at the “S” position in a direction different from that of the first shift guide path. Along this second shift guide path, the shift lever is shifted to select and set a plurality of ranges necessary for driving a vehicle, including a forward drive range, a neutral range and a reverse drive range.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a composite hard magnetic material, wherein a composite powder—prepared by mixing; a composite hard magnetic material produced by consolidating a composite powder prepared by mixing an alloy powder having an amorphous phase containing a main component Co and at least Sm, and an alloy powder comprising an amorphous phase as a principal phase and containing at least Fe and/or Co, rare earth elements R and B; an alloy powder having an amorphous phase containing a main component Co and at least Sm; and an alloy powder having an amorphous phase containing at least Fe and/or Co, rare earth elements R and B—is consolidated by taking advantage of softening phenomenon caused by crystallization of the amorphous phase in the alloy powder comprising an amorphous phase as a principal phase.