Abstract: In a tire air pressure warning device, an outside impact such as hydraulic brake pressure is intentionally applied in a pulsating way to a tire when the vehicle substantially stops so as to exert vibration (rotation variation) of the tire axle. Through data processes in analyzing signals of wheel speed sensors that reflect the rotation variation of the tire axle, tire air pressure is estimated for informing to a driver abnormal tire air pressure.

Abstract: A filter has a plurality of resonators formed regularly on a substrate and made of a superconducting material. In measuring resonance frequency of the resonators, the filter and a conductive metal plate having an opening are placed in a vacuum chamber so that all the resonators other than one resonator which faces the opening are covered with the metal plate. The metal plate has an input probe and an output probe at the opening of the metal plate. The resonance frequency of each resonator is measured in sequence while rotating the metal plate. Each resonator is adjusted in shape by a laser trimming or providing a dielectric film in correspondence with the measured resonance frequency so that all the resonators have a fixed resonance frequency.

Abstract: A capacitive semiconductor acceleration sensor capable of efficiently performing a self-diagnostic procedure without having to provide any separate electrodes for self-diagnosis purposes. The acceleration sensor includes a beam portion that is deformable upon application of acceleration thereto in a direction at right angles to the elongate direction thereof to thereby exhibit a spring function. The sensor also includes a movable electrode and fixed electrodes which are integrally formed with the beam portion. The sensor is operable to detect the acceleration while applying between the movable electrode and fixed electrodes a periodically changeable signal to derive an output voltage variable in potential with a differential capacitance change of capacitors between the both electrodes.

Abstract: A differential update method for vehicular navigation apparatus, which can precisely update map data stored in a storage medium to up-to-date contents. When a provider of CD generates original map data for each year, the provider puts a permanent identification information (ID) for each graphic data in the CD. When the provider generates the CD for each year from the original map data, the provider generates administration information in which the ID of each graphic data and storage position of the ID in the CD are associated with each other. After that, the provider also prepares a differential data by comparing a 20XX version original map data with a 20XY version original map data, and administration information for year 20XX. The provider generates the update information for updating the 20XX version CD to the 20XY version based on the differential data and the administration information, so that which graphic data in the CD is updated and is how is the graphic data updated.

Abstract: A semiconductor angular velocity sensor has a frame-shaped base portion, a detection oscillator connected to the base portion through a detection beam portion, and a drive oscillator connected to the detection oscillator through a drive beam portion. Each of the beam portions has a pair of beams each generally having a U shape and connected to each other through a bridge portion. Accordingly, the beam portions can have large rotational rigidity not to prevent oscillations of the oscillators.

Abstract: In a method for forming a semiconductor device having a power MOSFET and a diode, after a gate electrode and n+ type source regions for the power MOSFET and an n+ type region of a poly-Si layer for the diode are formed, an oxide film is formed by thermal oxidation. At that time, accelerated oxidation occurs where an n+ type impurity is heavily implanted, so that the oxide film becomes thick on the surfaces of the gate electrode, the source regions, and the n+ type region, as compared to the other region. Then, a p type impurity is self-alignedly implanted through the oxide film serving as a mask to form a p+ type contact region for the MOSFET and a p+ type region of the poly-Si layer for the diode.

Abstract: A respiration monitoring system monitors the state of disorder of the respiratory system of a sleeping patient based on the detection of respiratory body movement without the need of putting sensors directly on the patient's body. The system includes weight sensors that produce weight signals attributable to the patient's respiratory body movement. From weight signals having a frequency band of respiration, a respiratory body movement signal is produced, and the fall of blood oxygen saturation which occurs at obstructive apnea of the sleeping patient is determined based on the variation pattern of the amplitude of respiratory body movement signal. The occurrence and frequency of the fall of blood oxygen saturation are displayed on a display unit.

Abstract: A semiconductor physical quantity sensor from which a stable sensor output can be obtained even when the usage environment changes. A silicon thin film is disposed on an insulating film on a supporting substrate, and a bridge structure having a weight part and moving electrodes and cantilever structures having fixed electrodes are formed as separate sections from this silicon thin film. The moving electrodes provided on the weight part and the cantilevered fixed electrodes are disposed facing each other. Slits are formed at root portions of the cantilevered fixed electrodes at the fixed ends thereof, and the width W1 of the root portions is thereby made narrower than the width W2 of the fixed electrodes proper. As a result, the transmission of warp of the supporting substrate to the cantilevered fixed electrodes is suppressed.

Abstract: An airflow sensor including a micro-heater having a film structure, which can reduce a warpage of the film structure even when a thick ness of the film structure to improve a mechanical strength thereof. An airflow sensor is provided with a monocrystalline silicon substrate having a hollow portion therein; a thin film heater portion as a micro-heater arranged above the hollow portion; and a temperature sensor. The thin film heater portion has a laminated structure of a lower thin film, a heater layer, and an upper thin film. The lower and the upper thin film respectively have a tensile stress film and a compressive stress film laminated with the tensile stress film, and are symmetry laminated with respect to the heater layer. The tensile stress film is made up of a Si3N4 film having a great moisture-proof characteristic; and the compressive stress film is made up of a SiO2 film having a great adhesion.

Abstract: In a motor having a motor body and a speed reduction devise composed of gear housing, a worm wheel, worm shaft with a worm, and first and second bearings rotatably supporting the worm shaft on opposite sides of the worm, the first bearing on a side of the motor body inclines a given angle to a bending side of the worm shaft, when the worm shaft is bent by an overload transmitted thereto via the worm wheel. Accordingly, a locally concentrated frictional wear of the bearing is reduced.

Abstract: In interconnecting printed circuit boards: preparing a first and second printed circuit board is accomplished with the first having an insulating substrate of thermoplastic resin and a conductive pattern with a land, while the second has a conductive pattern with a land; overlapping the land of the first with the land of the second is done to form an interconnection portion; and heating the interconnection portion at a temperature approximately higher than a glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin while applying pressure to the interconnection portion to create an electrical interconnection sealed with a part of the thermoplastic resin constituting the insulating substrate of the first board is accomplished. The insulating substrate of the first board is overlapped with an insulating substrate of the second printed board to interpose a film, the film including material to reduce a modulus of elasticity of the insulating substrate of the first board.

Abstract: A motor device comprises a motor unit and a reduction unit. The motor unit comprises a yoke which is formed in a generally bottomed cylindrical shape, and a rotor having an armature and a rotary shaft. The reduction unit comprises a gear housing accommodating a reduction gear device for producing an output after reducing rotational speed of the rotor and fixed to the opening of the yoke. A commutator and brushes for the motor unit are disposed in the gear housing which is provided outside the opening of the yoke in the axial direction of the rotary shaft. The gear housing has a flange formed in a square shape, and the brushes are arranged along the diagonal lines of the square shape.

Abstract: While a regulation gear is positioned in a disengaged position where the regulation gear is disengaged from a pinion of a driving motor during running of a vehicle, a controller continuously applies a small holding voltage to a switching motor that drives the regulation gear to prevent engagement of the regulation gear with the pinion. The holding voltage is chosen to be relatively small, but enough to prevent engagement of the regulation gear with the pinion upon application of vibrations or shocks encountered during running of the vehicle.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate has a trench for forming a gate insulation film and a gate electrode therein, or an insulated isolation isolating a semiconductor element like a transistor from other elements. The trench is formed by anisotropic dry etching. After that, a shape of the trench is improved so that a bottom portion and an opening portion are rounded or tapered by a wet process using a mixed solution containing hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid. By modifying the shape of the trench, electrical characteristics of the trench are improved. For example, an oxide film formed in the trench has high quality, whereby a gate withstanding voltage is improved.

Abstract: A device for displaying a stereoscopic image in which cross-talk is suppressed. A left eye image and a right eye image alternately displayed on a liquid crystal display panel are viewed through an eye shutter having a left eye and a right eye shutter which are alternately switched. The image is displayed on the panel by sequentially supplying scanning voltages on a scanning electrode array and supplying image data voltages on a data electrode array in synchronism with the scanning voltages. The display panel is divided into an upper part and a lower part which are scanned separately in opposite directions. The left eye image is displayed in the first field during which all scanning electrodes in both parts are scanned, and the right eye image is similarly displayed in the second field following the first field. A certain time interval is provided between the first and second fields, while properly setting the eye shutter switching timing.

Abstract: Plural semiconductor chips such as acceleration sensor chips formed on the first surface of a substrate are separated into individual pieces by dicing the substrate from the second surface thereof. A groove surrounding each sensor chip, along which the sensor chip is diced out, is formed at the same time the sensor chip is formed on the first surface. Before dicing, a protecting sheet covering the first surface is pasted along the sidewalls and the bottom wall of the groove. The groove is made sufficiently wide to ensure that the protecting sheet is bent along the walls of the groove without leaving a space between the groove and the protecting sheet. Thus, dicing dusts generated in the dicing process are prevented from being scattered and entering the sensor chip.

Abstract: A radar wave reflected by a preceding automotive vehicle is received. The distance and the reception level of the received radar wave are repeatedly stored with relation therebetween. The reception levels are plotted with respect to distance. The distribution of the receptions levels is approximated with a linear equation as the characteristic of the radar apparatus. Variation in the distribution, that is, Y intercept of the linear equation represents the variation of the characteristic of the radar apparatus. A reference characteristic of the radar is measured with changing the distance to the preceding reflective object and the measured characteristic is measured with a moving preceding vehicle during actual traveling. The reference Y intercept is compared with the measured Y intercept to detect the deviation. Further, the divination amount or the measured value is classified to judge the cause of decries in the characteristic using conditional signals.

Abstract: A capacitive moisture sensor is made from an SOI, i.e., silicon-on-insulator, substrate. Two electrodes, between which moisture-sensitive material is interposed, are formed from a thick silicon layer of the SOI substrate by separating the layer with a trench vertically reaching an insulator layer of the SOI substrate. Two substantially vertical sidewalls defining the trench make up a capacitor for moisture sensing. Therefore, by using deep trench, i.e., thick silicon layer, capacitance sensitivity to moisture is readily increased without horizontally widening the electrode or using horizontal surface of the electrode, that is, without enlarging sensor size or complicating fabrication process. In addition, the electrodes are made of silicon, so that corrosion resistivity against moisture is significantly.

Abstract: A hybrid type compressor is provided that is drivable by an electric motor and an external driving source. The hybrid type compressor includes a housing and a compression mechanism. A shaft is rotatably supported by the housing for transmitting rotational driving force to the compression mechanism. The electric motor unit generates rotational driving force for rotating the shaft and includes a stator fixed to the housing and a rotor rotatable with respect to the stator. The hybrid type compressor also includes a pulley for receiving rotational driving force generated by the external driving source and for transmitting the rotational driving force to the shaft. Additionally, a one-way clutch is provided between the pulley and the shaft for allowing the rotational driving force generated by the external driving source to be transmitted only from the pulley to the shaft.

Abstract: The electronic control unit controls operation of actuators connected thereto based on sensor signals fed thereto and processed therein. The unit includes a control circuit substrate carrying control elements such as a microcomputer and a driving circuit substrate carrying driving elements such as power transistors. The driving circuit substrate handling power and the control circuit substrate handling only signals are separately positioned in a metal casing with a separating space therebetween to suppress heat transfer from the driving circuit substrate to the control circuit substrate. A connector electrically connecting the unit to outside sensors and actuators is positioned in the separating space to utilize the separating space also as a space for containing the connector.