Abstract: A reverse sensing system displaying an overhead vehicle image includes a plurality of fisheye lenses, a trip computer, and a screen. The fisheye lenses are disposed on all sides of the vehicle to shoot the surrounding scene images of the vehicle. The trip computer reads the scene images, and executes a plurality of built-in image processing procedures to combine the scene images into an overhead vehicle image. The radially distorted scene images are corrected into the normal scene images through a distorted image correction procedure. The corrected scene images are rotated into projection scene images through a planar transition procedure. The images are retrieved according to the positions of the shooting lenses of the projection scene images so as to generate the overhead vehicle image through an image combining procedure.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus is provided that has a first pressurizing member, a heating member, and a belt member laid across the heating member and the first pressurizing member in a tensioned state, the belt member being heated by the heating member. The apparatus also includes a second pressurizing member arranged at such position that the second pressurizing member is pressed against the first pressurizing member via the belt member, a fixing unit for fixing a developer image on a medium between the belt member and the second pressurizing member, and a heating control unit for controlling heating of the heating member to drive a temperature of the heating member toward a predetermined target temperature. In addition, the apparatus includes a first temperature detection unit for detecting the temperature of the first pressurizing member. The heating control unit determines the targeted temperature based on the temperature of the first pressurizing member detected by the first temperature detection unit.

Abstract: A vehicle height adjusting device includes a cylinder (1), a rod (3) inserted in the cylinder (1), a piston (4) connected to the rod (3) and movable within the cylinder (1), and defining a rod side chamber (2a) and an non-rod side chamber (2b) in the cylinder (1), damping parts (4a, 4b) for generating a damping force by the movement of the rod (3), a high pressure chamber (18) and a low pressure chamber (16) charged with gas, a pump chamber (25) for adjusting the vehicle height by supplying the working fluid in the low pressure chamber (16) into the non-rod side chamber (2b), a communicating path (5a) for communicating the non-rod side chamber (2b) and the high pressure chamber (18), and a valve body (20) for increasing and reducing a channel area of the communicating path (5a) depending on the fluid pressure of the high pressure chamber (18).

Abstract: A film removal method and apparatus for removing a film from a substrate are disclosed. The method comprises the steps of disposing a plasma generator and a sucking apparatus over the substrate, projecting a plasma beam from the plasma generator onto the film obliquely, disposing the sucking apparatus on a reflection path of plasma projected by the plasma generator, and sucking a by-product of an incomplete plasma reaction occurring to the film so as to keep a surface of the substrate clean, with a view to overcoming the drawbacks of deposition of the by-product which results from using the plasma as a surface cleansing means under atmospheric conditions.

Abstract: In an AC motor driving circuit, a current source rectifier is provided on the output side of an AC generator and an AC motor is connected to the output side of the current source rectifier through a voltage source inverter. Along with this, one of terminals of each of a plurality of bidirectional switches is connected to its corresponding output terminal of the voltage source inverter, the other terminals of a plurality of the bidirectional switches are lumped together to be connected to one of terminals of a storage battery, and the other terminal of the storage battery is connected to one of DC input terminals of the voltage source inverter. This eliminates need for a large capacitor at a DC link and a reactor in a chopper which were previously necessary, by which the AC motor driving circuit is downsized.

Abstract: A hybrid balun apparatus are disclosed. The hybrid balun apparatus can support both the reception mode and the transmission mode and be advantageous for a high level of integration, by replacing two transformers disposed at a reception path and a transmission path with a single transformer and integrating a T/R switch and a balun into a one chip. Therefore, an IC according to integration extends to a front stage of an antenna to facilitate interfacing between elements, and a burden for designing at a rear stage (i.e., LNA in the reception mode, and PA in the transmission mode) can be reduced.

Abstract: Provided is a gain-clamped (GC) optical amplifier using a fiber Raman amplifier (FRA) having a Raman cavity. The FRA having a Raman cavity comprises a Raman fiber module (RFM) amplifying and outputting an input optical signal and a resonant cavity generating a Raman laser and a gain clamping laser (GC laser), wherein the resonant cavity is formed as a feedback loop between an input terminal and an output terminal of the RFM. Accordingly, a gain of an optical signal propagating along a core of RFM keeps a constant value regardless of input signal intensity by generating the GC laser for gain clamping between a wavelength band of the Raman laser and a gain band of input signals.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display (LCD) panel includes a liquid crystal (LC) layer interposed between top and bottom substrates. The LC layer includes a plurality of LC compounds and a stabilization-aligned polymer polymerized from a plurality of polymerizable monomers and formed on at least one surface of the top substrate or the bottom substrate. The plurality of LC compounds comprise first, second, and third LC compounds in which the third LC compound is selected from the group consisting of a compound 3A, a compound 3B, a compound 3C, and combinations thereof. As seen from the chemical formulae, the plurality of LC compounds have condensed rings so that sensitivity to light and heat is reduced and reliability of the LCD panel is improved.

Abstract: An image processing method and an image processing apparatus are provided. After receiving an image signal, the image and apparatus according to the invention first judge whether a target block in the image signal includes a non-chroma line. If the judging result is YES, a first edge detection procedure will be performed on the non-chroma line. If the judging result is NO, a second edge detection procedure will be performed on the target block.

Abstract: An echo canceler uses an adaptive filter to remove an echo of an incoming far-end signal from an outgoing near-end signal in the presence of ambient noise, updating the filter coefficients while the far-end signal is active and the near-end signal is inactive. The near-end and far-end signals are also sampled to obtain data vectors, which are averaged to generate simulated near-end and far-end signals, from which substitute filter coefficients are calculated and updated while the far-end signal is silent, the substitute filter coefficients being used when the far-end signal becomes active again. The number of data vectors averaged is varied according to the ratio of echo power to ambient near-end noise power, or according to the echo attenuation ratio, thereby speeding up convergence of the filter coefficients. Data sampled while the near-end and far-end signals are both active are excluded from the updating process.

Abstract: A light amount measuring apparatus including a light amount measuring circuit and a power supply for supplying power to the light amount measuring circuit; wherein the light amount measuring circuit includes a light receiving device for receiving light and outputting an electric signal corresponding to light amount of the received light; a first switch for switching between electrical connection and disconnection between the light receiving device and the power supply; and a drive controller for controlling the first switch so that the first switch electrically connects the light receiving device to the power supply when the light receiving device is set to an activated state and electrically disconnects the light receiving device from the power supply when the light receiving device is set to a deactivated state.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method including performing at least one of: processing, when forming the first redistribution layer, of forming the first electrically conductive material layer by growing the first electrically conductive material using electroplating, and polishing the first resist film and the first electrically conductive material layer from the main surface side to flatten their surfaces; and processing, when forming the second redistribution layer, forming the second electrically conductive material layer by growing the second electrically conductive material using electroplating, and polishing the second resist film and the second electrically conductive material layer from the main surface side to flatten their surfaces.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms images. A developer bearing body receives a first voltage and supplies developer to the electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing body. A supplying member receives a second voltage and supplies the developer to said developer bearing body. A detector detects at least one of an environmental condition, e.g., temperature and humidity outside of an apparatus and an environmental condition e.g., temperature inside of the apparatus. A controller controls the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage in accordance the environmental conditions. The controller makes a decision to determine whether the outside temperature is not lower than a first reference, whether outside humidity is not higher than a second reference, and whether inside temperature is not lower than a third reference. If the above criteria are met, the controller decreases the absolute value of the difference.

Abstract: An interactively authorizing access control method applicable to an access control center is disclosed. According to the present invention, an effective time interval can be set for the permit by an authorized person of the object according to his/her usual pass time such that when the access control center identifies the permit is valid, the effectiveness of the permit can be further determined according to the effective time interval set by the authorized person, thereby determining whether the object is allowed to pass.

Abstract: An optical clock signal recovery apparatus includes a mode-locked semiconductor laser that generates an optical pulse train polarized in a first direction. Optical components of the apparatus transmit a component of an input optical signal polarized in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, into the mode-locked semiconductor laser while blocking the component of the input optical signal polarized in the first direction, and transmit light exiting the mode-locked semiconductor laser polarized in the first direction, while blocking light exiting the mode-locked semiconductor laser polarized in the second direction. The transmitted exiting light is output as a recovered optical clock signal.

Abstract: The light sensor according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a multi-function light sensor that is equipped at low cost with both an ultraviolet light sensor and a visible light sensor and suppresses leak current between adjacent elements on the same substrate. The light sensor is equipped with a SOI substrate, formed from a silicon oxide insulating film and a silicon semiconductor layer made up from single crystal silicon, on a silicon substrate. Photodiodes PD1 and PD2 are formed on the silicon substrate, and a photodiode UV-PD, and main portions (source, drain and channel regions) of a MOSFET configuring a control circuit, are formed in the silicon semiconductor layer on the insulating film.

Abstract: An echo canceler has an adaptive filter that generates an echo replica signal from a far-end signal. The filter coefficients of the adaptive filter are updated according to a residual error signal, which is obtained by subtracting the echo replica signal from a near-end signal to cancel echo. A background noise estimator estimates the near-end background noise power level from the residual error signal. A step size calculator uses the estimated near-end background noise power in determining the step size of the adaptive updating of the filter coefficients. When the estimated near-end background noise level is high, a small step size is used, which improves echo cancellation under these conditions. When the estimated near-end background noise level is low, a larger step size is used to permit rapid convergence of the filter coefficients.

Abstract: In a code division multiplex transmitting and receiving system, the transmitting apparatus inserts a clock signal in the code division multiplex signal. The clock signal has a frequency equal to a null frequency in the frequency spectrum of the code division multiplex signal. The receiving apparatus extracts this frequency component from the received signal and recovers the clock signal, using an ordinary clock recovery device of the type designed to recover a clock signal from a bi-level signal. The recovered clock signal is used as a synchronizing signal in the processing of the received signal.

Abstract: An echo canceller uses an adaptive filter to remove an echo of an incoming far-end signal from an outgoing near-end signal. Filter coefficients are calculated and updated while the far-end signal is active so as to minimize the residual echo. In addition, the far-end signal and near-end signal are sampled to generate simulated far-end and near-end signals, from which substitute filter coefficients are similarly calculated while the far-end signal is silent. When the far-end signal changes from silent to active, the substitute filter coefficients are swapped in as initial values for the filter coefficients, thereby speeding up subsequent convergence of the filter coefficients without significant added computational cost.

Abstract: Provided is a method of fabricating a thin film transistor including source and drain electrodes, a novel channel layer, a gate insulating layer, and a gate electrode, which are formed on a substrate. The method includes the steps of forming the channel layer using an oxide semiconductor doped with boron; and patterning the channel layer. The channel layer formed is an oxide semiconductor thin film doped with boron. The electrical characteristics and high temperature stability of the thin film transistor are improved remarkably.