Abstract: A method of reading data on a disk drive suited to an operating system that does not support the disk drive. First, the system allocates a free memory space in a memory thereof. Then the system reads the data in all the sectors of the disk with a reading routine, and saves the data in the free memory space. While receiving a disk drive reading command, the system processes the data saved in the free memory space according to the disk drive reading command. Thus, the drawback of the repeatedly turning on and off the disk drive is avoided while reading data with a length larger than a sector.

Abstract: A core assembly for a lock includes a core, a sleeve, and a housing. The core has a keyhole longitudinally defined therein. An elongated slot is defined beside and communicated with the keyhole. Multiple lower lock balls are received in the core and not aligned with the elongated slot. The sleeve is securely provided outside the core. The housing is provided outside the sleeve, and has multiple upper lock balls corresponding to the lower lock balls. The lower lock balls are not accessible directly through the keyhole and the elongated slot, so that it is impossible to unlock the lock by a tool without a correct key, and the lock has a high security.

Abstract: An iris registration unit being capable of preventing a double registration of a same person is provided. An iris degree of similarity judging device, when iris data to be newly registered is inputted into an iris data base, is adapted to judge similarity to all registered iris data stored in the iris data base. Only when the result of the judgement shows that no registered iris data having similarity exceeding a degree of predetermined similarity exist, the inputted iris data is allowed to be registered in the iris data base.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having resin formed on both surfaces of semiconductor elements, where a resin thickness ratio for the resin formed on the two surfaces at least 0.2 and not more than 1.

Abstract: Provided is an improved system and method for implementing a constellation of satellites in inclined elliptical orbits. The satellites are operated during the portion of their orbits near apogee to emulate the characteristics of geostationary satellites. The orbits are configured to form a number of closely spaced repeating ground tracks around the earth. In each ground track the satellites operate only in arcs well above or below the equator to provide a large number of non-geostationary orbital slots that substantially increase global satellite capacity without interfering with the existing geostationary satellite ring. Minimum spacing is maintained between satellites in each active arc and between satellites in the active arcs of adjacent ground tracks to ensure that the satellites in the non-geostationary constellation do not interfere with each other.

Abstract: A stretching apparatus for use on a golf course provides a wall with a top ridge, a reclined plane and a curb platform, each capable of supporting all or part of a human body. The top ridge may have at its opposite ends, multiple horizontal levels of differing heights. The wall has an obverse surface against which the reclined plane is disposed, and a reverse surface against which the curb platform is disposed. The stretching center may have stilts that elevate the reclined plane above the ground. The preferred embodiment of the stretching center includes a balancing handhold at a centered portion of the wall midway between it opposite ends, extending higher than the multiple levels of the top ridge, for providing balancing support to persons performing stretching exercises on the wall or the curb platform.

Abstract: A magnetic repulsion-actuated magnetic bearing is constructed to include a stator, two magnetic repulsion modules mounted inside the stator, a rotor having two annular permanent magnets at the ends corresponding to the two magnetic repulsion modules. A magnetic force of repulsion is produced between equiangularly spaced permanent magnets of the magnetic repulsion modules and the annular permanent magnets of the rotor to keep the rotor radially in position automatically upon power failure. A controller is electrically connected to windings of the magnetic repulsion modules for controlling the current of the windings to change the intensity of magnetic force so as to further control the radial magnetic force of repulsion of the magnetic repulsion actuators, keeping the radial bearing stiffness during rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: A data comparator using a dynamic reference voltage and an input buffer using the same. The data comparator comprises a comparator circuit for receiving a data signal and a pair of non-inverting/inverting signals, which are periodic and complementary. The output signal is generated by comparing twice the data signal with the sum of the non-inverting signal and the inverting signal. The non-inverting/inverting signals are used as a dynamic reference voltage in the data comparator.

Abstract: A method and a system for buffer management is provided. The system includes a central processing unit, a multimedia chip, a buffer, a beginning register, an ending register, and a pause register. The beginning register is employed to store a beginning address of the buffer, and the ending register is used to storing an ending address of the buffer or buffer length. Content of the pause register is a data address associated with a command data. In addition, the pause register includes a pause code. When the pause code is equal to a first value, after the multimedia chip reads command data associated with the content of the pause register, reading is stopped, and the command data next to the command data are to be read in the next reading. When the pause code is equal to a second value, after the multimedia chip reads the command data associated with the content of the pause register, the multimedia chip continues to reads command data associated with the beginning register.

Abstract: A production process for a semiconductor device having a metal electrode on a semiconductor substrate thereof. A metal electrode portion is formed on a surface of another substrate for electrode transfer. Then, the metal electrode portion is transferred from the electrode transfer substrate onto the semiconductor substrate by pressing together the electrode transfer substrate and the semiconductor substrate. The electrode transfer substrate has, for example, a seed film provided on the surface thereof, and the formation of the metal electrode portion on the electrode transfer substrate may be achieved by depositing a material for the metal electrode on the seed film by plating. The electrode transfer substrate may have an insulating film which covers a surface of the seed film except a portion thereof on which the metal electrode portion is to be formed.

Abstract: An option-identifying system identifies the locations of a plurality of options that are electrically connected in cascade and mounted to a main body such that the options are attachable to and detachable from the main body. The main body outputs a location-assigning signal having a plurality of bits to a first one of the plurality of options. Each option tray has a data-storing section and a location-identifying section. The data-storing section stores the locations of the plurality of options and corresponding location data that describes the locations. The location-identifying section receives the location-assigning signal and compares the received location-assigning signal with the location data to identify a location of a corresponding option. The location-identifying section changes the logic level of at least one bit of the received location-assigning signal or changes the number of bits of the received location-assigning signal, then outputs to a immediately lower option tray.

Abstract: A voltage regulator includes a constant current circuit which is connected between an input node with which a power supply voltage is supplied and an output node to which a load is connected and which supplies constant current to the output node. The voltage regulator also includes a first transistor which is provided in parallel to the constant current circuit and which flows insufficient current to the output node when current flowing through the load is larger than the constant current and a second transistor which is provided between the output node and a common potential node and which flows surplus current to the common potential node when current flowing through the load is less than the constant current. The voltage regulator also includes a control circuit which controls a conductive state of the first and the second transistors so that an output voltage of the output node is maintained at constant voltage.

Abstract: A system for transmitting messages comprises stations (S) having an operating system (4), a “network” stage (3) for processing and generating messages in a first format, a communication card (1) for exchanging messages in a second format with a network, a “driver” stage (2) for putting the messages received from the card (1) or the network stage (3) in the first format or second format and transmitting them to the network stage (3) or to said card (1). The stations further comprise a management stage (5) coupled to the operating system (4) and adapted to intercept messages in the first format which are to be exchanged by the network stage and the driver stage so as to analyse the information which they contain and decide to continue their transmission, subject to any required processing, and/or adapted to generate messages in the second format, intended for the stations of the network, when a chosen condition is met.

Abstract: An inkjet ink of multicolor dye set with high light-fastness and high water-fastness includes: a multicolor dye set, a surfactant, and an aqueous solvent. The multicolor dye set includes a cyan dye set, a magenta dye set, and a yellow dye set. The cyan dye set includes direct blue 199 dye, acid blue 9 dye, and direct blue 86 dye. The magenta dye set includes reactive red 180 dye, acid red 52 dye, and reactive red dye. The yellow dye set includes acid yellow 23 and direct yellow 86 dye. When the multicolor dye set of the invention is applied in ink-jet printing process, the high-quality printed image possesses great light-fastness and water-fastness high chroma, broad color gamut.

Abstract: An engine performance map which specifies the relation between running conditions and brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) is generated by estimating the BSFC relative to the engine rotation speed and accelerator depression amount, based on the BSFC characteristics predicted from the torque pattern of the vehicle being analyzed and the optimum BSFC. A vehicle mounted unit 1 computes the BSFC of the engine by looking up the engine performance map based on the engine rotation speed and accelerator depression amount, and computes the fuel consumption rate based on this BSFC.

Abstract: A computing unit 3 of an analysis device 1 calculates a weight of fuel consumed by an engine 10 based on the weight of intake air and air fuel ratio of an engine of a vehicle to be analyzed detected by an air flow meter 14 and an air-fuel ratio sensor 16, and computes a fuel consumption rate based thereon and the running distance. The computation of fuel consumption rate does not require an injection pulse signal, so the fuel consumption rate can be precisely computed even for a vehicle which does not have an injection pulse signal such as a non-EGI vehicle or a diesel engine vehicle.

Abstract: A method for overflow testing of a blind equalizer. The method uses the following steps; providing a primary located signal in a primary signaling point of a period by a signal generating loop; multiplying the primary located signal by a set of continuously decreasing signals to get a primary signal; providing a interfering located signal in a plurality of interfering signaling points of the period by a ISI generating loop, wherein the interfering signaling points are different from the primary signaling point; multiplying the interfering located signal by a set of continuously increasing/decreasing signals to get an interference signal; adding the primary signal and the interference signal to get the input signal; inputting the input signal to the blind equalizer to adapt the input signal, wherein the tap weights corresponding to the interference signal in a blind equalizer overflow.

Abstract: Articles to be brazed are preheated to an increased temperature in a preheating process and the temperature of the articles to be brazed is measured. Conversion data obtained and stored for different combinations of articles to be brazed is referred to on the basis of the measured temperature and a time for which brazing filler metal supply nozzles are kept in a wait state is set on the basis of the conversion data to define the timing for supplying the brazing filler metal wires (S40). A heating burner moves forward and then a timer starts counting the time for which the nozzles are kept in the wait state (S42). When the nozzle wait timer has counted the set time and expired, the brazing filler metal supply nozzles move forward and supply the wires to braze the articles (S43 to 45). In this way, the articles to be brazed, heated by the heating burner, are at an increased temperature suitable for brazing at the time when the brazing filler metal wires are supplied.

Abstract: A remote work supporting system includes a photographing device for photographing a work target machine that is to be worked on by a first operator, a first display for displaying an image of the target machine to the first operator, a second display for displaying the same image to a second operator, an operation device to be operated by the second operator, and an instruction displaying device for displaying contents of instructions in the first display based on operations made on the operation device. Since the instruction contents are displayed in the first display according to the operations made on the operation device by the second operator, the first and second operators can share considerable amount of information.

Abstract: A tilt steering apparatus has a pivot fixed to, for example, a pair of fixed side plates of a vehicle body. The pivot is inserted through a connection hole provided in a steering column. At the time of tilt adjustment, the steering column is swung around the pivot. In either one of an inner peripheral surface of the connection hole and an outer peripheral surface of the pivot opposite thereto, a projection extending in a substantially circumferential or axial direction is formed in contact with the other peripheral surface. Consequently, the contact area between the pivot and the connection hole is reduced, thereby reducing friction therebetween. When the pivot is pressed into the connection hole, the projection is suitably crushed, so that fitting between the pivot and the connection hole is loosened, which is useful for the reduction in the friction therebetween.