Abstract: A printing system includes a host terminal apparatus (e.g., personal computer) and an image forming apparatus (e.g., printer). The personal computer transmits print data to the printer. The printer is connected to the host terminal apparatus over a network, the printer being capable of embedding a watermark pattern into the print data received from the host terminal apparatus. The watermark pattern contains an item of information that identifies a user who actually picks up a printed output of said image forming apparatus. The watermark pattern contains information that identifies a user who activates printing of the print data. The printer includes a user identifying section that identifies a user who actually picks up the printed output.

Abstract: A current limiting and averaging circuit for driving a peripheral core circuit with a lower limit current value in response to a supply signal, includes a current limiting module, an energy storage module, and a converter module. The current limiting module provides a limited supply signal whose current value is smaller than or equal to an upper limit value according to the supply signal. The energy storage module stores a storage signal according to the limited supply signal when the upper limit value is higher than the lower limit current value and provides a discharge signal according to the storage signal when the upper limit value is lower than the lower limit current value. The converter module provides a driving signal for driving the peripheral core circuit in response to the limited supply signal or the limited supply signal and the discharge signal.

Abstract: A variable displacement vane pump includes a first and a second fluid pressure chamber (31,32) where the cam ring (4) is made eccentric to the rotor (2) by a pressure difference between the first and the second fluid pressure chamber (31,32), a control valve (21) for controlling a pressure of the first and the second fluid pressure chamber (31,32) so that an eccentric amount of the cam ring (4) is reduced to be small with an increase in a rotation speed of the rotor (2), and a flow amount limiting member (22e) for limiting a discharge flow amount of the operating fluid in the second fluid pressure chamber (32) at the time the eccentric amount of the cam ring (4) to the rotor (2) becomes small by supplying the operating fluid to the first fluid pressure chamber (31) and by discharging the operating fluid from the second fluid pressure chamber (32).

Abstract: A variable capacity vane pump (100) has a pump housing (10) having a high-load bearing part (10a) on which a higher load is exerted than another part when the pump vane pump (100) operates. A control valve (21) for varying a capacity of the vane pump (100) is provided in a valve housing (28) which is formed integrally in the pump housing (10). By arranging the valve housing (28) on the same side of the pump housing (10) as the high-load bearing part (10a) with respect to the rotation axis of the vane pump (100), the high-load bearing part (10a) can be reinforced without increasing the size of the vane pump (100).

Abstract: A method for checking reading errors of a memory includes the following steps. A first data fragment is received. A first count index according to the first data fragment is generated, wherein the first count index is corresponding to a quantity of one kind of binary value in the first data fragment. The first data fragment is written into the memory. The first data fragment is read from the memory as a second data fragment. A second count index is generated according to the second data fragment. The first count index is compared with the second count index.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes an image reader, a document feeder, and a document retainer. A document feeder feeds the document to the image reader, and the image reader reads an image of a document. The document feeder discharges the document onto a stacker after the image of the document has been read. The document feeder is pivotal relative to the image reader. When the document feeder opens relative to the reader at an angle, the document retainer presses the document against the stacker.

Abstract: Structures of a supporting mechanism for a power source in a vehicle can include a seat portion and a fixing portion. The seat portion can be attached to a body of the vehicle. The fixing portion can extend from the seat portion. One or more stackable power sources can be accommodated within and secured by the fixing portion. The power source supporting mechanism can be easily mounted in available space in or on or otherwise associated with the vehicle, enabling the power source supporting mechanism to be readily adaptable to various different kinds of vehicles. The vehicles may be motorcycles, for example.

Abstract: A control system for a power factor correction circuit performs stabilized oscillation operation and suppresses switching frequency variation due to change of the AC power source. A control system includes a voltage error amplifier for outputting a voltage error signal obtained by amplifying a difference between a DC output voltage Vo and a command value Vref of the DC output voltage, a current command value generating circuit for outputting a current command value Vi for controlling the input current Iin, a comparator comparing an inductor current signal obtained by detecting an inductor current running in the switching element by a current detecting resistor with a magnitude of the output signal Vi from the multiplier, a timer circuit for setting an off-period of the switching element corresponding to the voltage Vd, and a reset-set type flip-flop circuit for setting an off-timing of the switching element after an elapse of the off-period.

Abstract: A metamaterial transmission line for transmitting an electromagnetic wave. The metamaterial transmission line may include a substrate including a substrate configured to include a an upper portion and a lower portion on which a ground plane is formed, a signal line configured to be formed on the substrate, and a defected ground structure configured to include an etched region and two metal portions, wherein the etched region is generated by etching a part of the ground plane and the metal portions extend from the signal line and are disposed on the etched region.

Abstract: Provided are resistive memory devices and methods of fabricating the same. The resistive memory devices and the methods are advantageous for high integration because they can provide a multilayer memory cell structure. Also, the parallel conductive lines of adjacent layers do not overlap each other in the vertical direction, thus reducing errors in program/erase operations.

Abstract: Power conversion equipment includes an electric power converting section that converts DC electric power to multiphase AC electric power and feeds the converted multiphase AC electric power to a multiphase AC motor. A first short-circuit section includes a first switch disposed between a first DC power supply and the electric power converting section. A second short-circuit section includes a second switch disposed between at least one of an electric power feeding section and the electric power input section in the first DC power supply, or between a multiphase AC output point of the electric power converting section and the multiphase AC motor. A switch control section controls the first switch and the second switch such that the first and second switches are prevented from being brought into the closed-state simultaneously.

Abstract: A vehicle steering apparatus (1) comprises: a control device (12) which controls an actuation of an electric motor (18); a control housing (H) which partitions an accommodation chamber (100) which accommodates the control device (12); an adjacent housing (27, 28; 280; 35A) which is adjacent to the control housing (H); and a heat-conducting member (96; 96A; 96B; 96C; 96D; 96E). The adjacent housing (27, 28; 280; 35A) is opposite to the electric motor (18) with the control housing (H) interposed therebetween. The heat-conducting element (96; 96A; 96B; 96C; 96D; 96E) comprises: an adjacent section (97) which is adjacent to a heat-generating element (83) of the control device (12) so that heat can be conducted; and a connected section (98; 98A; 98B; 98C; 98D; 98E) that is connected to the adjacent housing (27, 28; 280; 35A) so that heat can be conducted.

Abstract: A snap ring for fishing implements is provided. The snap ring includes a hook-like body having an opening on a portion thereof, a rotary shaft coupled on one side to a portion of the body such that the rotary shaft is rotatable around the opening, a hollow guide into which the rotary shaft is fitted and slides along, and a guide spring provided between the rotary shaft and the guide to elastically support the guide against the rotary shaft.

Abstract: Provided are an organic thin film transistor and a method of forming the same. The method comprises forming a gate electrode on a substrate, forming a gate dielectric, which covers the gate electrode and includes a recess region at an upper portion, on the substrate, forming a source electrode and a drain electrode in the recess region, and forming an organic semiconductor layer between the source electrode and the drain electrode in the recess region.

Abstract: A telescopic shaft (5) has an inner shaft (12) and a tubular outer shaft (13) that are fitted to each other so that they can move relative to each other in the axial direction and that they can transmit torque to each other. A plurality of balls (14) are aligned between respective raceway grooves (15; 16) of the inner shaft (12) and the outer shaft (13). Limiting mechanisms (20A; 20B) are provided that limit the amount of relative rotation to not more than a predetermined amount of the inner shaft (12) and the outer shaft (13) when a ball (14) comes off the raceway grooves (15; 16). The limiting mechanisms (20A; 20B) include a pair of engagement sections (21, 22; 23, 24) engageable with each other in a circumferential direction (C1). The engagement sections (21, 22; 23, 24) are provided at ridges (25, 26) and recesses (27, 28) that are adjacent to the raceway grooves (15; 16) of the inner shaft (12) and the outer shaft (13), respectively.

Abstract: In a media storing and feeding device for winding up or rewinding the tapes between reels attached to reel shafts and a drum 120 by torque limiters to feed or store the medium, at the time of feeding the medium, the reel shafts are rotated at a speed faster than a speed at which the drum rewinds the tapes, and at the time of storing the medium, the reel shafts are rotated at a speed slower than a speed at which the drum winds up the tapes. A difference between the rotational speeds of the reel shafts and the reels is absorbed by the torque limiters. The media storing and feeding device is thus implemented by inexpensive torque limiters which operate at low speed in place of expensive torque limiters supporting high speed.

Abstract: Provided are a monolithic microwave integrated circuit device and a method for forming the same. The method include: forming an HBT on a substrate; forming a wiring of the HBT and a bottom electrode of a capacitor on the substrate, with a first metal, the bottom electrode being spaced apart from the HBT; forming a first insulation layer on the substrate to cover the HBT and the bottom electrode; and forming a top electrode of the capacitor on the first insulation layer and forming a resistance pattern on the substrate, with a second metal, the resistance pattern being spaced apart from the capacitor, wherein an edge of the top electrode is spaced apart from an edge of the bottom electrode.

Abstract: Provided is a method of producing 1,3-propanediol by culturing a recombinant strain in which the glycerol oxidative pathway had been blocked, and more particularly a method of producing 1,3-propanediol by two-step culture of a recombinant strain in which the oxidative pathway that produces byproducts in the glycerol metabolic pathway had been blocked. When the recombinant strain in which the glycerol oxidative pathway that produces byproducts had been blocked is cultured in two steps, 1,3-propanediol can be produced with improved yield without producing products that result in an increase in purification costs.

Abstract: Provided are a method of manufacturing a normally-off mode high frequency device structure and a method of simultaneously manufacturing a normally-on mode high frequency device structure and a normally-off mode high frequency device structure on a single substrate.

Abstract: A dynamic bandwidth allocation method that can allocate bandwidth dynamically so as to guarantee communication in a minimum guaranteed bandwidth from each subscriber device and enable communication within a maximum communicable bandwidth from each subscriber device. A subscriber device asks a control functional unit at least once for bandwidth in which to transmit packets to switching office equipment, and the control function unit allows transmission in a minimum guaranteed bandwidth determined in advance for every subscriber device and generates control data for allocating to each subscriber device the bandwidth that it may use so as to maximize the bandwidth that can be used for packet transmission within the maximum transmittable bandwidth while maintaining fairness. The control functional unit transmits the control data to each subscriber device, thereby notifying each subscriber device of the bandwidth it can use, and each subscriber device transmits packets in the specified bandwidth.