Abstract: A diagnosis of deterioration and/or normality of an exhaust gas purifying catalyst is made by comparing a ratio of reversal frequencies of outputs from oxygen sensors disposed on opposite sides of the exhaust gas purifying catalyst with a threshold ratio. Discrimination is performed on both normality and deterioration in a standard gas quantity zone, on only normality in a large gas quantity zone, and on only deterioration in a small gas quantity zone, and nothing is made in an extra large gas quantity zone.

Abstract: A vehicle antitheft system has an immobilizer unit which reads in an identification code generated by and transmitted from an ignition key of the type having a built-in signal transmitter and compares the identification code read therein with an identification code having been entered therein to transmit an encoded word when there is a presence of coincidence between these identification codes, and an engine controlling unit which reads in the encoded word transmitted from the immobilizer unit and compares the encoded word read therein and an encoded word having been entered therein to permit itself to perform control of operation of the engine when there is a presence of coincidence between these encoded words.

Abstract: Robbery of a vehicle-mount electric apparatus can be prevented by only driving an operation panel to turn it upside down. The operation panel is disposed in front of the main body of the vehicle-mount audio apparatus, and is moved while being rotated about its rotary shaft. The operation panel moves between first and second states. In the first state, the normally used surface of the operation panel is used as the front surface of the apparatus, and in the second state, the surface other than the normally used surface is used as the front surface. When the operation panel takes generally a horizontal state during the motion of the operation panel 5, the rotary shaft thereof is positioned at one end of the motion range of the operation panel.

Abstract: There is disclosed a contact structure for electrically connecting conducting lines formed on a first substrate of an electrooptical device such as a liquid crystal display with conducting lines formed on a second substrate via conducting spacers while assuring a uniform cell gap among different cells if the interlayer dielectric film thickness is nonuniform across the cell or among different cells. A first conducting film and a dielectric film are deposited on the first substrate. Openings are formed in the dielectric film. A second conducting film covers the dielectric film left and the openings. The conducting spacers electrically connect the second conducting film over the first substrate with a third conducting film on the second substrate. The cell gap depends only on the size of the spacers, which maintain the cell gap.

Abstract: A thin-film transistor (TFT) which has a crystalline silicon active layer of excellent reliability and characteristics, and a method of fabricating such a TFT inexpensively are provided. In a TFT which has at least two low density impurity regions and a source/drain adjacent to a channel-forming region, catalyst elements which cause amorphous silicon to crystallize are included in the source/drain, and the density of said catalyst elements in the interface between the channel-forming region and the low-density impurity regions is less than that in the source/drain.

Abstract: A valve combination is proposed for use in plumbing applications which is suitable as a replacement for conventional solenoid valves with a plunger armature. The valve combination consists of a main valve (10), embodied as a diaphragm valve, a servo valve (14) integrated into a cable connector head (12), and a fluidic coupling (16) between the cable connector head (12) and the main valve (10). The cable connector head (12) is provided with an electrical quick connector (18).

Abstract: An improved method of forming insulated gate field effect transistors is described. In accordance with the method, gate electrodes are formed from metal such as aluminum together with wirings electrically connecting the gate electrodes. The gate electrodes are anodic oxidized by dipping them as an anode in an electrolyte to form an oxide of the metal covering them. Since the connecting wirings are covered with a suitable organic film before the anodizing, no aluminum oxide is formed thereon so that it is easy to remove the connecting wiring by usual etching.

Abstract: An apparatus for demodulating an AM data multiplexed modulated wave signal in which an analog modulated signal and digital modulated signals are multiplexed, in order to derive therefrom a baseband digital signal. The demodulation apparatus aims to derive the digital baseband signal from the AM data multiplexed modulated wave signal in which the analog modulated signal obtained by amplitude modulating a carrier having a frequency fc with an analog signal and the digital modulated signals at frequency position of (fc+f.alpha.) and (fc-f.alpha.) line-symmetrical with respect to a frequency axis of the frequency fc are multiplexed. A demodulation apparatus includes an AM type modulated wave signal eliminating circuit for removing an AM modulated wave signal from an input AM data multiplexed modulated wave signal, and a data demodulation circuit for receiving an output of the AM type modulated wave signal eliminating circuit and for deriving therefrom a baseband digital signal.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises the steps of forming a semiconductor film on a substrate, oxidizing a surface of said semiconductor film in an oxidizing atmosphere with said semiconductor film heated or irradiated with light, and further depositing an oxide film on the oxidized surface of the semiconductor film by PVD or CVD. The first oxide film has a good interface condition with the semiconductor film and a characteristics of an insulated gate field effect transistor can be improved if the first oxide film and the second oxide film are used as a gate insulating film.

Abstract: A novel structure of an active electro-optical device is disclosed. The device is provided with complementary thin film insulated gate field effect transistors (TFTs) therein which comprise a P-TFT and an N-TFT, P-TFT and N-TFT are connected to a common signal line by the gate electrodes thereof, while the source (or drain) electrodes thereof are connected to a common signal line as well as to one of the picture element electrodes.In case of driving the active electro-optical device, a gradation display can be carried out in a driving method having a display timing determined in relation to a time F for writing one screen and a time (t) for writing in one picture element, by applying a reference signal in a cycle of the time (t), to the signal line used for a certain picture element driving selection, and by applying the select signal to the other signal line at a certain timing within the time (t), and whereby setting the value of the voltage to be applied to a liquid crystal.

Abstract: A thin film transistor device incorporates a silicide film contacting the source and drain. The silicide layer substantially reduces parasitic resistance between the source and drain of the device, improving the performance of the TFT. The silicide layer may be formed by covering the silicon semiconductor with a metal and irradiating the metal with a laser to initiate a reaction with the adjacent silicon to produce a silicide film. The layer may also be formed by rigidly adhering a metal coating to the exposed source and drain regions using a triangular-shaped insulator, and allowing the metal to react with silicon.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus compatible with both CD and MD. First and second cartridge holding members are rotatably supported by a cover unit between a position where MD is held on a turntable and a position where the holding members are retracted not to contact CD held between the turntable and a clamper. The clamper is movable between a position where CD is clamped to the turntable and a position where the clamper is retracted not to contact MD held on the turntable. An optical pickup movably supported by a main unit reproduces both CD and MD.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus capable of automatically setting a pickup lens suitable for an optional optical disk selected from a plurality of optical disks having different thicknesses. Current flowing through an actuator is detected with a detector circuit, A/D converted, and supplied to a controller. The controller detects the in-focus positions at the surface and reflection film of an optical disk in accordance with an FOK signal and an FZC signal, calculates the current values flowing through the actuator at the in-focus positions, and judges the thickness of the optical disk in accordance with a difference between the current values.

Abstract: A semiconductor material and a method for forming the same, said semiconductor material having produced by a process comprising melting a noncrystal semiconductor film containing therein carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen each at a concentration of 5.times.10.sup.19 atoms.multidot.cm.sup.-3 or lower, preferably 1.times.10.sup.19 atoms.multidot.cm.sup.-3 or lower, by irradiating a laser beam or a high intensity light equivalent to a laser beam to said noncrystal semiconductor film, and then recrystallizing the thus molten amorphous silicon film. The present invention provides thin film semiconductors having high mobility at an excellent reproducibility, said semiconductor materials being useful for fabricating thin film semiconductor devices such as thin film transistors improved in device characteristics.

Abstract: Regions 106 which can be regarded as being monocrystalline are formed locally by irradiating with laser light, and at least the channel-forming region 112 is constructed using these regions. With thin-film transistors which have such a construction it is possible to obtain characteristics which are similar to those which employ monocrystals. Further, by connecting in parallel a plurality of such thin-film transistors it is possible to obtain characteristics which are effectively equivalent to those of a monocrystalline thin-film transistor in which the channel width has been increased.

Abstract: A coreless motor device having a rotor comprised of a cylindrical coil, a coil support, a rotary shaft inserted and stabilized in the center of the coil support, and a commutator installed either on the coil support or rotary shaft is disclosed. A cylindrical field magnet is positioned on the inside of the cylindrical coil, and one end of the cylindrical field magnet is affixed at a bottom of a cylindrical housing that surrounds the outer circumference of the cylindrical coil. The rotary shaft of the motor is supported by a thrust bearing at the end of the cylindrical field magnet opposite the end that is affixed at the bottom of the cylindrical housing, and it is also supported by a multiple number of radial bearings installed at intervals on the upper part of the cylindrical housing.

Abstract: In a peripheral driver circuit of a liquid crystal electro-optical device is comprised of a shift register circuit arranged by a plurality of registers, and a circuit for supplying power to each register. When an input signal is entered into an nth register, a supply of power to at least a portion of registers other than the nth register is stopped. The shift register circuit is constructed of a P-channel type TFT and a resistor. The circuit for supplying the power controls the supply of power to the shift register by using the output of the shift register circuit. This circuit for supplying the power is arranged by a P-channel type TFT and a resistor. The consumption power of the circuit for supplying the power is equal to and lower than that of the shift register circuit.

Abstract: A grey tone display and a driving method are described. The display comprises a light influencing layer, an electrode pad located adjacent to the layer at one side of the layer in order to define a pixel in the layer, an n-channel field effect transistors connected to the electrode pad at its source terminal, a p-channel field effect transistors connected to the electrode pad at its source terminal, a first control line connected to the drain terminal of the n-channel field effect transistor, a second control line connected to the drain terminal of the p-channel field effect transistor, a third control line connected to the gate terminals of the n-channel field effect transistor and the p-channel field effect transistor, and a control circuit for supplying control signals to the first, second and third control lines. By this configuration, the voltage of the electrode pad can be arbitrarily controlled by adjusting the input level at the gate terminals.

Abstract: An IGFET has differential crystallinity in offset regions near the source-channel and drain-channel boundaries. In one embodiment, an offset region with crystallinity different from that of an adjacent region is provided between the channel and at least one of the source and drain regions. An oxide film may be provided to cover the surface of the gate electrode, formed by anodizing the surface of the gate electrode, and this layer may be used as a mask when forming the crystallinity offset regions.