Abstract: A developer storing container includes a developer storing chamber storing a developer therein and having a side wall, and an agitating member having a shaft portion rotatably supported by the side wall. The side wall has a hollow portion surrounding the shaft portion of the agitating member. A seal member having an annular shape is provided between the hollow portion and the shaft portion. The seal member has an outer circumferential surface contacting the hollow portion, and an inner circumferential surface contacting the shaft portion. A contact pressure between the outer circumferential surface of the seal member and the hollow portion is larger than a contact pressure between the inner circumferential surface of the seal member and the shaft portion of the agitating member.

Abstract: An optical device includes a core sandwiched between two clads. The core includes a planar waveguide layer with ridges protruding into one of the clads, forming a ridge waveguide structure that guides the propagation of light in the core. The core dimensions satisfy the following conditions: the ridge width is less than the total core height; the ridge height is less than the ridge width; the thickness of the planar waveguide layer is equal to or less than one-fourth of the total core height. Dimensions satisfying these conditions can be selected to provide polarization independent operation. The ridges may be arranged to define a pair of optical waveguides forming a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, an optical wavelength filter, or various other optical devices.

Abstract: A method of displaying a shot image on a car reverse video system is described, which is applicable for adjusting an image displaying angle of the car reverse video system with a fixed lens according to a distance from an obstacle. Firstly, a scene image behind the car is shot through using the lens. Then, a distance detector is activated to detect a distance from the obstacle behind the car. If the distance from the obstacle is smaller than a preset distance, a scaling ratio is set according to a ratio of the preset distance to the distance from the obstacle. Finally, according to the scaling ratio and a distance between each pixel in the scene image and a reference point, all pixel pitches are adjusted, such that the scene image is deformed, and thus achieving an effect of switching a viewing angle of the scene image.

Abstract: A protection device of a slot-in optical disk drive is provided. The protection device is disposed between two linking parts of the slot-in optical disk drive. One of the two linking parts is formed with a slot, and the other one of the two linking parts is connected to an upper end of a guide pin. A lower end of the guide pin protrudes and is inserted into the slot, and a portion of the guide pin corresponding to a side of the slot is formed with a notch. As the notch engages with the slot, the situation that the guide pin slides out of the slot can be avoided.

Abstract: A battery module for a portable electronic device is disclosed. The battery module is connected with the portable electronic device with at least three contacts. The battery module includes a battery, a recognition circuit, and a thermal sensing circuit. The recognition circuit has an energy storage element and a current limiting element, and the thermal sensing circuit has a switch and a thermal sensing element. The thermal sensing element varies its electric parameter in accordance with the temperature of the battery module. With the charging curve of charging the energy storage element by way of the current limiting element, the portable electronic device can determine a battery type, and the thermal sensing circuit is then initiated to acquire the thermal information of the battery module.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus to read image of rectangle shape document set on a setting board, is supplied capable of assigning correct edge image to an output image. In the image reading apparatus, a image data storing section stores image data reading area lager than the rectangle shape document; an edge feature extracting section extracts edge feature according to the image data; a rectangle feature extracting section extracts edge feature of side regions respectively corresponding to each side of the rectangle shape document according to the edge feature; a region selecting section selects two regions from the side regions; a coordinates calculating section calculates coordinates specifying position of straight lines representing four sides through using inclination information of the selected respective two regions; and a compounded-image outputting section replaces the feature region with frame image according to the coordinates, compounds the frame image with image data, and outputs the compounded image.

Abstract: Provided are a differential voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and a quadrature VCO using center-tapped cross-coupling of a transformer. The differential VCO and the quadrature VCO can be driven by low power through a current reuse structure and have an excellent phase noise characteristic by center-tapped cross-coupling through a transformer. Further, variable capacitance units for frequency variation are divided into variable capacitance units for coarse tuning and variable capacitance units for fine tuning. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a wide tuning range while voltage oscillation gain is reduced. Further, the differential VCO and the quadrature VCO are configured in such a manner that the respective variable capacitance units operate linearly throughout the entire capacitance region due to control voltage distribution by resistors. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a linear control voltage-oscillation frequency characteristic.

Abstract: A motorcycle can include an engine, a fuel tank, a seat, and a canister. The fuel tank can have an upper surface and an inclined surface arranged to extend obliquely downward from a rear end of the upper surface toward a back of the motorcycle. The seat can include a seat front portion and a seat rear portion. The seat front portion can be provided on the inclined surface, and the seat rear portion can extend toward the back of the motorcycle. The canister can be arranged between the inclined surface and the seat front portion. The canister can store fuel gas generated in the fuel tank, and supply the fuel gas to the engine. At least one of the inclined surface and the lower surface can have a first cavity that stores the canister.

Abstract: In an AC motor driving circuit, a current-type rectifier circuit having a filter circuit and first bidirectional switches bridge-connected to the filter circuit is provided in an output of an AC power supply. An AC motor is connected to an output of the rectifier circuit through a voltage-type inverter. One terminal of each of second bidirectional switches is connected to corresponding one of output terminals of the current-type rectifier circuit. The other terminals of the second bidirectional switches are collectively connected to one terminal of a series circuit having a DC power supply and a reactor. The other terminal of the series circuit is connected to one output terminal of the current-type rectifier circuit. With this configuration, a large capacitor for a DC link can be dispensed with, so that a reduction in circuit size and weight can be attained.

Abstract: A mixed-voltage I/O buffer includes an input buffer circuit. The input buffer circuit includes a first inverter, a first voltage level limiting circuit, a first voltage level pull-up circuit, an input stage circuit, and a logic calibration circuit. The first inverter inverts an input signal to generate a first control signal. The first voltage level limiting circuit limits voltage level of an external signal to generate the input signal transmitted to the first inverter to prevent electrical overstress of the first inverter. The first voltage level pull-up circuit is controlled by the first control signal to pull up voltage level of the input signal inputted into the first inverter. The input stage circuit receives the first control signal to generate corresponding digital signals inputted into a core circuit. The logic calibration circuit calibrates voltage level of the first control signal when the first inverter mis-operates due to the input signal having a low voltage level.

Abstract: Provided is a laser device. In the laser device, an active layer is connected to a stem core of a 1×2 splitter on a substrate, a first diffraction grating is coupled to a first twig core of the 1×2 splitter, and a second diffraction grating is coupled to a second twig core of the 1×2 splitter. An active layer-micro heater is designed to supply heat to the active layer. First and second micro heaters are designed to supply heats to the first and second diffraction gratings, respectively, thereby varying a Bragg wavelength.

Abstract: Provided is a field emission device. The field emission device includes an insulated cathode substrate facing an anode substrate, a plurality of cathodes arranged on the cathode substrate and separated from each other, and an emitter formed on each of the cathodes. In order to prevent accumulation of charges on an exposed area of the cathode substrate between the cathodes due to electrons discharged from the emitter, the distance between the cathodes is equal to or smaller than a first threshold value, and the distance from the emitter to the end of the cathode is equal to or greater than a second threshold value. Accordingly, in the field emission device in which a plurality of cathodes are separated from each other on the same plane, it is possible to prevent abnormal field emission and arc generation due to accumulated charges between the cathodes, thereby performing stable operation.

Abstract: An image processing method includes the following steps. Firstly, foreground image data and background image data are received, wherein the foreground and the background image data corresponds to the same pixel in a display panel. Then, a foreground ratio and a background ratio are determined in response to an operational event. Next, a first value is obtained by multiplying the foreground image data by the foreground ratio, and a second value is obtained by multiplying the background image data by the background ratio. Then, an output image data is obtained by adding the first value and the second value. After that, the output image data is displayed at the pixel in the display panel.

Abstract: Provided are a thermoelectric device and a method of forming the same, a temperature sensing sensor, and a heat-source image sensor using the same. The thermoelectric device includes a first nanowire and a second nanowire, a first silicon thin film, a second silicon thin film, and a third silicon thin film. The first nanowire and a second nanowire are disposed on a substrate. The first nanowire and the second nanowire are separated from each other. The first silicon thin film is connected to one end of the first nanowire. The second silicon thin film is connected to one end of the second nanowire. The third silicon thin film is connected to the other ends of the first nanowire and the second nanowire. The first and second nanowires extend in a direction parallel to an upper surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A safety device for a juice extractor includes a switch unit connected to an outside of the feed channel and electrically connected to a power source of the motor. A collar is movably mounted to the feed channel and includes an insertion which is inserted into an opening in a handle of the juice extractor so as to activate the switch unit to drive the motor and the blade disc. When the collar is moved away from the handle, the insertion is removed from the switch such that the motor and the blade disc are stopped to ensure the safety for the users.

Abstract: In a switching power supply apparatus, multiplier 9 multiplies error voltage Verr generated in voltage error amplifier 8 and input voltage Vin to generate first threshold signal Vth1 in-phase with and similar to input voltage Vin and having an amplitude proportional to error voltage Verr. Second threshold signal generator circuit 14 generates second threshold signal Vth2 from first threshold signal Vth1. Switching device 7 is turned on and off so that the inductor current may change between first and second threshold signals Vth1 and Vth2. The switching frequency is detected and the proportional factor of first and second threshold signals Vth1 and Vth2 is changed to control the average switching frequency almost at a constant value for reducing the high frequency noises and the switching losses. The switching power supply apparatus facilitates reducing the noises and losses, improving the power factor thereof, and preventing the response performances thereof from being impaired.

Abstract: An LED bulb includes an LED module having a PCB on which at least one LED element is mounted. A housing has a plurality of heat dissipating protrusions which protrude from an outer circumferential surface thereof, with a thread being formed on a predetermined portion of the housing. A light transmitting cover has a thread by which the cover can be fastened to the thread which is formed on the predetermined portion of the housing, in a threaded manner. Further, the LED bulb includes a bottom case into which an inverter for supplying a direct current to the LED module is inserted. The bottom case is inserted into the housing to be fastened to the housing. A socket is fastened to the bottom case.

Abstract: A central information processing system for a service robot.

Abstract: A developer material holding apparatus holds a developer. A body holds a developer material and includes a first opening through which the developer material is discharged. A shutter is assembled to the body, and is movable either to an opening position where the developer material is discharged from the body or to a closing position where the developer material is not discharged from the body. The shutter includes a second opening such that when the shutter is at the opening position, the second opening is in alignment with the first opening. At least one of the first opening and the second opening is in the form a mesh including a plurality of openings.