Abstract: There is intended to provide an overvoltage-protective device capable of protecting a power system from overvoltage not destructively without using a fuse. An alarm signal from an MOS transistor Tr3, a structural element of a DC/DC converter 21, is inputted to a switching circuit 55, a structural element of the AC/DC converter 11. In case an alarm signal keeps high-level potential without indicating overvoltage-state, the switching circuit 55 connects a output current detecting circuit 53 having the smaller gain G1 to an output voltage detecting circuit 50 as well as a feedback circuit 51A, thereby to set large output-power-supply capability. In case an alarm signal inverses to low-level potential indicating overvoltage-state, the switching circuit 55 connects a output current detecting circuit 54 having the larger gain G2 to the output voltage detecting circuit 50 as well as the feedback circuit 51A, thereby to set small output-power-supply capability.

Abstract: A method and device for driving a plasma display panel is provided in which a drop of an increasing voltage rate due to discharge is prevented, and a reset period is shortened. In driving a plasma display panel by applying an increasing voltage to cells of a display screen during a reset period for equalizing charge of the cells, an increasing voltage signal is supplied to an impedance conversion circuit in which an output impedance is lower than an input impedance, and the output signal of the impedance conversion circuit is supplied to the cells.

Abstract: In a network 101, a relay 104 makes a name search of a communication destination node 102d based on a request from a communication source node 102s according to a condition into which at least one or a plurality of information effective for identifying the communication destination node 102d, such as the running state, the use state, the positional information, and the information representing the characteristic of the communication destination node 102d, information representing the information held by the communication destination node 102d, and the like are combined. The relay 104 makes a reply by searching a database of a DNS, etc. for information identifying the communication destination node 102d, or obtains and replies the information by actually inquiring the communication destination node 102d at the time of an inquiry.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an LCR extraction method for extracting LCR values from layout data having wiring pattern data in a plurality of wiring layers. The method has the steps of: generating the LCR values, for a wiring pattern, based on the layout data; finding the pattern congestion level in an area of the wiring pattern; and correcting the LCR values, based on pattern fluctuation values depending on the pattern interval between the wiring pattern and an adjacent pattern. Pattern width fluctuations occur in manufacturing processes in conjunction with the finer miniaturization of layout data, wherefore the precision of extracted LCR values can be enhanced by subjecting the LCR values found from layout data to corrections corresponding to those pattern width fluctuations.

Abstract: Hand-held information equipment provided integrally with an image reader reads out image data of a data storage unit by means of a retrieval data creation requesting unit and sends them to an information processor. The information processor converts the image data into text data for retrieval by means of a character recognition unit and creates indexes by means of an index creation unit. On receipt of thus created text data and indexes, the hand-held information equipment combines the text data and indexes with the image data for entry into a data storage unit by means of a retrieval data entry unit.

Abstract: Information indicating traveling states such as a traveling speed SPD is recorded in a computer for engine control. The recorded information can be read out using a self-diagnostic function after stopping of a vehicle. By a simple operation of grounding a certain terminal, it can also be displayed simply by blinking of a CE lamp. Since the record with high reliability remains, use can be made as materials on fair regulation.

Abstract: When an application program is started up, a computer system automatically creates a shortcut icon to be used to start up the application program, and automatically deletes a shortcut icon that is determined to be no longer wanted. Upon startup of the application program, program startup information is created or updated, and when a prestored shortcut creation condition is satisfied, the shortcut icon for starting up the application program is created. The created shortcut icon for starting up the application program is deleted if the computer system determines, based on a prestored shortcut deletion condition and the program startup information, that the shortcut icon is no longer wanted.

Abstract: In an optical switch comprising a plurality of input ports and output ports, and performing a path establishment between the input ports and output ports, interception means intercept an optical signal inputted to the optical switch during a path switchover. Alternatively, a controller of the optical switch controls input movable mirrors, during the path switchover, so as to prevent optical signals deflected by movable mirrors from being outputted to all of the output ports except an output port for a new path establishment, e.g. during a path switchover, so that optical signals reflected by the input movable mirrors may not be entered into other output movable mirrors except an output movable mirror necessary for a new path establishment.

Abstract: Rays of light having respective wavelengths angular-dispersed and output from a VIPA plate are collected by a lens, and diffracted by a grating pair which is an optical path shift generation unit and optical path shift amount variation unit, and have a shift in a path of rays having different wavelengths. When the rays are reflected by a dispersion leveling three-dimensional mirror and input into the VIPA plate again, they are received by portions having different dispersion compensation amount of the three-dimensional mirror, thereby realizing different amounts of wavelength dispersion for respective wavelengths, and independently adjusting an amount of wavelength dispersion of the entire wavelengths of the WDM rays and the wavelength dispersion slope.

Abstract: A questionnaire is created based on a questionnaire table, which contains elements characterizing a commercial article and options prepared for each element. A participant answers questionnaires, the answers are collected, and an option selected by a maximum number of participants is specified as an adopted option for every element. Then, an image of the article characterized by the adopted options is formed. Some portion of a profit acquired by selling the article is shared among the participants. The portion for the participant is determined with respect to a degree of contribution to the development.

Abstract: A computer system includes a central processing unit and a memory management unit having a plurality of functional units, such as a memory interface unit, a remote interface unit, a cache interface unit, and a translation unit. Each functional unit has a low priority error queue for storing error information for errors having a low priority. Some functional units also have a high priority error queue for storing error information for errors having a high priority error. Based on the status of the error queues, the memory management unit prioritizes and handles errors caused by hardware failures. For low priority errors, an interrupt request signal is sent to the central processing unit. For high priority errors, a RED ALERT signal is sent to the processing unit to cause the processing unit to give immediate attention to the error. For high priority error queue overflows, a failure signal is generated which causes the system to be halted and the contents of the system to be scanned out.

Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus and method for producing shallow trench isolation. The method includes the steps providing a semiconductor substrate member fabricated having a thin barrier oxide layer on which are fabricated a plurality of spaced apart silicon nitride pads. The regions between the spaced apart nitride pads delineate U-shaped regions for forming shallow isolation trenches and are layered with silicon oxide and polysilicon. The U-shaped regions provide a buffer region of oxide and polysilicon material adjacent opposing silicon nitride pads that prevent erosion of the nitride during etch formation of the isolation trench. The polysilicon is further etched to form a wider, second U-shaped region having sloped sidewalls that provide opposing spacer-forming buffer material that facilitates forming a V-shaped isolation trench region into the semiconductor substrate member a predetermined depth without eroding the silicon nitride pads.

Abstract: A magnetic field generator includes a top yoke having an opening, a back yoke fixed to the top yoke, a center yoke fixed to the back yoke in such a manner as to face to the opening of the top yoke, and a coil wound around the center yoke. The opening has a straight-line shaped central portion with its gap kept constant, and both end portions with their gaps becoming larger as going outwardly from the vicinities of both end portions of the center yoke.

Abstract: A first multi-quantum well structure 12 is formed on a GaAs substrate 10. The first multi-quantum well structure 12 is formed of an AlGaAs barrier layer and a GaAs well layer alternately laid one on the other to form a multi-quantum well. The GaAs barrier layer is not doped with an impurity. A second multi-quantum well structure 14 is formed on the first multi-quantum well structure 12. The second multi-quantum well structure 14 is formed of an AlGaAs barrier layer and a GaAs well layer alternately laid one on the other to form a multi-quantum well. The GaAs barrier layer is not doped with an impurity. Whereby a required electrode area can be smaller to thereby obtain higher detection sensitivity.

Abstract: In setting pre-emphasis at the transmitting end, each optical signal outputted from a laser diode and an amplified spontaneous emission noise outputted from an ASE output unit are multiplexed at a coupler, and the output power of the amplified spontaneous emission noise, at that time, is changed by an attenuator. In this case, the difference between a reference value, which is the value of an OSNR corresponding to the target lower limit of a Q-value at the receiving end, and the value of a current OSNR is calculated as a margin. Then, the attenuator is controlled so that the margin of an OSNR becomes equal to the average of the margins for all optical signals.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for managing electrical power flow among a plurality of loads or devices, which can be classified into critical loads (as to which maintaining power flow for a maximal period is a priority) and non-critical loads (as to which power flow may be cutoff when available power becomes limited). The invention is of particular use for rationing backup battery power among a plurality of data communications or telecommunications devices or services, whereby one or more less-crucial, and perhaps power-intensive, devices may be provided with a guaranteed duration of backup battery power (to perform an orderly shutdown, for instance), while a more-crucial, and perhaps less power-intensive, device is supplied with a longer duration of backup battery power, such that as the unavailability of primary power continues, crucial functions are maintained.

Abstract: A capacitor circuit has a first electrode, a second electrode, and a dielectric interposed between the first and second electrodes, and a plurality of first wiring lines, each functioning as the first electrode, and a plurality of second wiring lines, each functioning as the second electrode, are formed alternately one adjacent to the other within the same wiring layer. With this arrangement, the capacitance of the capacitor circuit can be made large without incurring an increase in the area it occupies.

Abstract: A base-station host system achieves high-speed routing to reduce a burden on a controller which carries out a routing process, and receives a cell containing a plurality of packets (an ATM cell of AAL Type 2) from a base station. A cell containing a plurality of packets is transmitted from the base station to the base-station host system. A packet extracting unit extracts the packets from the received cell. A cell generating unit generates an internally processable cell based on information carried by the payload of a packet. A switch unit switches internally processable cells depending on routes thereof. For reverse communications, internally processable cells are sent from the switch unit to a packet generating unit. The packet generating unit generates packets based on information carried by the payloads of the internally processable cells.

Abstract: A thin-film transistor of a liquid crystal display device includes an ohmic electrode such that the ohmic electrode is formed of a first conductor film of a refractory metal element defined by a first lateral edge and a second conductor film containing Al and defined by a second lateral edge, wherein the second lateral edge is receded with respect to the first lateral edge when viewed in a direction perpendicular to a substrate on which the thin-film transistor is formed.

Abstract: An information processing unit is provided which executes various information processing by using Christian calendar year/date information and comprises a memory part, an application processing part for performing processing by using lower-two-digit Christian calendar year information, and a file access control part for writing/reading file format data to/from the memory part in response to a request from the application processing part.