Abstract: An imaging device in which an autofocus function can be performed without using brightness information is provided. In an imaging device according to one aspect, a density of points obtained by plotting two-dimensional point data of a plurality of event data as points on a plane, the event data outputted from an imaging element in a predetermined period in a state in which a focal point of a light receiving lens is adjusted by an adjustment mechanism, is calculated as a point density. When the point density is calculated, a control unit drives and controls the adjustment mechanism based on comparison results between the point density currently calculated and the point density last calculated to thereby adjust the focal point toward the in-focus position. In another aspect, an imaging device having an autofocus function can be provided without using event data.

Abstract: A strain gauge has a mounting structure for use in mounting the strain gauge on a portion being measured in an object being measured. The strain gauge includes: a base member in a film form; a resistance element provided on the base member; a first wiring line provided on the base member and connected to the resistance element; a terminal provided on the base member and connected to the first wiring line; and a second wiring line connected to the terminal. The base member includes a first base portion on which the resistance element is provided and a second base portion on which the terminal is provided. The first base portion is configured to be adhered to the portion being measured, while the second base portion is configured not to be adhered to the portion being measured.

Abstract: A robot system includes: a robot; a plurality of operation terminals that receive an input of a password for acquiring operation authority of the robot and an operation input for operating the robot from a user; and a robot controller communicable with the operation terminals . The robot controller drives, in a controlled manner, the robot according to operation from a single operation terminal among the operation terminals . The robot controller includes a password storage unit that stores a password for granting operation authority of the robot to the operation terminal . The robot controller further includes an operation authority grant processing unit that grants operation authority of the robot to a single operation terminal to which a proper predetermined password stored in the password storage unit is first input in a state in which operation authority of the robot is not granted to any operation terminal.

Abstract: A relay fault diagnosis device includes: at least one C-contact relay that has a common terminal, a normally open terminal and a normally closed terminal; a read-back circuit that is connected to the normally closed terminal of the relay; and a diagnostic section that outputs a test signal to the common terminal to diagnose a fault in the relay.

Abstract: An optical information reader includes a main body portion in which a reading opening is formed; and a grip portion that is connected to a section of the main body portion other than a section in which the reading opening is formed, and is gripped by a user. The reader further includes a light-receiving sensor that captures an image of a predetermined imaging area AR through the reading opening; and a control circuit that performs an interpreting process of a code image of an information code imaged by the light-receiving sensor. An extending portion that extends towards the information code side is provided in a periphery of the reading opening. An opened portion is formed in a section of the extending portion other than a section on the grip portion side.

Abstract: An output module includes a first connection terminal, a second connection terminal, a power supply terminal, a controller, an output device, and a first cutoff switch. The first connection terminal is connected to a high potential side terminal of an external load. The second connection terminal is connected to a low potential side terminal of the external load. The power supply terminal is provided with an external power supply from an external power source. The output device is configured to operate by receiving a power supply generated by or based on the external power supply and to output an analog voltage or an analog current of a value instructed by the controller toward the first connection terminal. The first cutoff switch is configured to be controlled by the controller to open and close a first path between the second connection terminal and a ground.

Abstract: An output module for a PLC includes an output circuit. This output circuit is open or closed selectively between a power supply terminal (to which a power supply voltage is supplied) and an output terminal (connected to a solenoid). The output module includes a control apparatus which controls the operation of the output circuit. The output circuit includes switches connected in series to each other between the power supply terminal and the output terminal, and a current output section which performs an operation of short-circuiting terminals of the switch to pass a predetermined current through a path formed due to the short-circuiting. The control apparatus includes on/off control sections which controls on/off states of the respective switches, and diagnosis sections which perform a diagnosis on presence of a short-circuit fault in the respective switches based on diagnostic signals output from a low-potential terminal of the switches.

Abstract: An isolated signal transmission device includes a resistor element and a heat flow sensor. The resistor element generates heat as a result of a current based on an inputted signal being applied to the resistor element. The heat flow sensor is provided such as to be electrically isolated from the resistor element. The heat flow sensor detects an amount of heat flowing to the heat flow sensor itself when the resistor element generates heat. The heat flow sensor outputs a signal based on the detected amount of heat.

Abstract: The laser radar includes a clock generator, a projection unit configured to project pulse laser light in synchronization with a clock signal, a light reception unit configured to receive reflected light, a counter configured to count a counter value which is the number of clock signals generated from a projection timing until a light reception timing, a delay circuit in which a plurality of stages of delay units are connected and to which the clock signal is successively input, and a time calculation unit configured to calculate a round trip time of the pulse laser light on the basis of the counter value and the number of hops which is the number of stages of the delay units to which a head of the clock signal is transmitted in a period of the clock signal including the light reception timing.

Abstract: An input module of an industrial control apparatus receives a digital signal from an external source, outputs a binary signal as an internal signal, and determines a level of the digital signal based on the internal signal. The input module determines that the digital signal has a low level when a low level of the internal signal continues for a certain time period, determines that the digital signal has a high level when the internal signal switches from the low level to a high level and then switches to the low level again, and determines an occurrence of a fixing failure when the internal signal switches from the low level to the high level and then fails to switch to the low level again.

Abstract: A housing cover structure for a security device includes: a base member made of an optically non-transparent resin; and a window member made of an optically transparent resin. The window member is positioned adjacent to one side of the base member. The window member has: a window body exposed to outside; a first flange extending from the window body on the one side; and a second flange extending from the window body on the other side. The first flange and the second flange are combined within the base member. Each of the first flange and the second flange has a bent shape.

Abstract: A user authentication system uses an information code such as a two-dimensional information code. The authentication system includes an authentication device, and the user is authenticated by combining the authentication device with a user's mobile terminal. In the mobile terminal, an authentication code in which facial feature points extracted from user's facial images are recorded is stored in the memory. In the authentication device, facial feature points are extracted from images of a human's face captured by an imaging unit, after being determined to be in a facial recognizable state, and the authentication code is displayed on the screen of the mobile terminal. The e facial feature points recorded in the authentication code are read from the captured images of the authentication code. The extracted facial feature points and the read facial feature points are subject to matching with each other in order to authenticate the user.

Abstract: A bottle includes a body, a cap mounted to a cap neck of the body. The cap has an outer peripheral portion which is provided with a protrusion. Around the cap, there is provided a position indicator indicating whether the cap is at a correctly closed position, based on the positional relationship between the protrusion and the position indicator.

Abstract: The controlling apparatus for an industrial product of this disclosure has a couple of microcomputers each of which has a CPU and a memory and each of which runs the same controlling program as well as the same diagnostic program sequence parallelly and simultaneously. After the CPU of the microcomputer writes the calculated result of the diagnostic program sequence in the predetermined area of the storing area for monitoring value, such CPU send the same calculated result to the other one of the microcomputers (receiving microcomputer). The CPU of the receiving microcomputer makes a diagnosis for finding whether or not the received result is identical with its own calculated result.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a robot is provided. In this robot, direct teaching can be performed while updating a position command on the basis of an applied external force. In the method and apparatus, a proximity region is set inside a boundary of an operation-allowed range of the robot, the proximity region being indicative of a proximity of the boundary. Stored is an external force applied when a monitoring point provided in the robot reaches the proximity region as a reference external force. And performed is comparing the reference external force with a current external force when a current position of the monitoring point is in the proximity region, to thereby determine a direction that facilitates movement away from the proximity region.

Abstract: In a gas hot water heater, changes of the signal output of an A/F sensor are calibrated in the atmosphere, in which the A/F sensor detects an oxygen concentration in a combustion tube. The gas supplied via a gas supply pipe is injected, together with in-taken air, into a combustion tube, which is incorporated in a hot water supply tank, via an injection unit. A proportional valve controls a combustion state in the combustion tube based on the detected oxygen concentration to thereby heat water supplied in the hot water supply tank. A purging process is performed to supply air into the combustion tube, at a timing between an extinguishment operation first performed after the ignition the gas mixture in the combustion tube and a re-ignition operation. Changes of signal output characteristics of the A/F sensor are subject to the calibration after the purging process.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital converting device includes: a main analog-to-digital converter configured to convert an analog signal output from a sensor to a digital signal; and a monitoring unit configured to monitor the digital signal converted by the main analog-to-digital converter. The main analog-to-digital converter is provided by a special purpose IC arranged separately from a microcomputer for controlling the main analog-to-digital converter. The monitoring unit includes multiple sub analog-to-digital converters each of which having a conversion accuracy lower than that of the main analog-to-digital converter and converting the analog signal output from the sensor to a digital signal. The monitoring unit sets a predetermined threshold based on conversion values of the digital signals converted by the multiple sub analog-to-digital converters, and compares a conversion value of the digital signal converted by the main analog-to-digital converter with the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: In an optical information reader which optically reads an information code, a first polarizing unit arranged on the light-exit side of a lighting unit is configured to polarize illumination light therefrom in a predetermined polarization direction. In addition, a second polarizing unit arranged on the light-reception side of a light receiving sensor is configured as a switchable polarization unit, in which the switchable polarization unit is capable of performing a switchover between a polarized state in which light reflected from the information code is polarized in a direction different from the predetermined polarization direction and a passing state where the reflected light passes therethrough without being polarized.

Abstract: An arithmetic processor is provided to detect a background even when observed data values vary. The processor includes a background candidate data memory 20 storing data as a background candidate. In the data, an observation count, as the number of times of obtaining the same observation data, is correlated with distance data representing the observed data. The processor also includes a ranking section 11 ranking background candidates using the observation count as a basis; an observation count update section 12 comparing observed data with a background candidate stored in the memory 20 to find a match, counting observations of the background candidate if there is a match, and replacing distance data of a lowest-ranked background candidate with the observed data if there is no match; and a background determination section 13 determining there are two backgrounds if the top two background candidates remain unchanged for a predetermined period.

Abstract: A configuration that achieves stable wireless communication. In this configuration, electrical power according to transmission waves is reliably supplied to a wireless tag serving as a target of wireless communication. A first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device are provided. Both the wireless communication devices substantially simultaneously transmit transmission waves on different channels separated from each other by a predetermined frequency or more on a frequency band in the frequency axis, when performing wireless communication processing to wirelessly communicate with a wireless tag in a predetermined communication area.