Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material is provided that has not only a higher thermoelectric performance as compared to conventional ones but also semiconducting temperature dependence, i.e. properties that the electrical resistivity decreases with an increase in temperature. The thermoelectric conversion material contains a substance having a layered bronze structure represented by a formula (Bi2A2O4)0.5(Co1-xRhx)O2, where A is an alkaline-earth metal element and x is a numerical value of 0.4 to 0.8. The thermoelectric conversion material of the present invention exhibits good thermoelectric properties over a wide temperature range.

Abstract: A PDP with superior light-emitting characteristics and color reproduction is achieved by setting the chromaticity coordinate y (the CIE color specification) of light to 0.08 or less, more preferably to 0.07 or less, or 0.06 or less, enabling the color temperature of light to be set to 7,000K or more, and further to 8,000K or more, 9,000K or more, or 10,000K or more. The PDP is manufactured by a method in which the processes for heating the fluorescent substances such as the fluorescent substance baking, sealing material temporary baking, bonding, and exhausting processes are performed in the dry gas atmosphere, or in an atmosphere in which a dry gas is circulated at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A magneto-optical medium has a recording layer having a plurality of columns extending in a lamination direction, and a reproduction layer which is placed below the recording layer and which functions as a nucleus for the columns.

Abstract: The present invention provides a central processing unit-containing large-scale integration (hereinafter, referred to as a “CPU-containing LSI”) in which software stored in an external memory is incorporated partially into a random access memory (hereinafter, referred to as “RAM”) and thereby the capacity of the RAM to be used can be held down, and an optical disk device including the same. In the CPU-containing LSI, the RAM includes a software storage region where software read in from the external memory on a module-by-module basis is stored, and an entry table in which entries are stored, with the entries each containing at least information as to a location and a size of a module stored in the software storage region. The CPU refers to the entry table to decide the location where a module to be read in from the external memory to the software storage region is to be stored, according to an incorporation-location search program.

Abstract: The rotary electronic component contains a case for accommodating a functional element section, a rotary shaft supported by a bearing for actuating the functional element section, with the upper portion of the shaft upwardly protruding, and a length-adjusting shaft attached to the upper portion of the rotary shaft. The rotary electronic component further contains a fixing member with a linear section extending in a direction axially of the rotary shaft. The linear section is inserted between the rotary shaft and the length-adjusting shaft, whereby a secure connection between the two shafts is obtained.

Abstract: Modulated signal A is transmitted from a first antenna, and modulated signal B is transmitted from a second antenna. As modulated signal B, modulated symbols S2(i) and S2(i+1) obtained from different data are transmitted at time i and time i+1 respectively. In contrast, as modulated signal A, modulated symbols S1(i) and S1(i)? obtained by changing the signal point arrangement of the same data are transmitted at time i and time i+1 respectively. As a result the reception quality can be changed intentionally at time i and time i+1, and therefore using the demodulation result of modulated signal A of a time when the reception quality is good enables both modulated signals A and B to be demodulated with good error rate performances.

Abstract: Transmission destination determiner 301 selects communication terminals to be candidates to transmit a packet to from a packet transmission control signal, and determines a transmission destination apparatus based on CQI signals from the communication terminal apparatuses selected. Packet channel quality estimator estimates the quality of a received packet at the transmission destination apparatus based on the CQI signal, and, based on the estimation result, calculates a request packet quality for achieving a target packet quality upon retransmission based on the estimation result. Transmission power determiner 304, when receiving an ACK signal from the transmission destination apparatus, sets transmission power at a predetermined level, and, when receiving a NACK signal, determines transmission power to fulfill the request packet quality.

Abstract: Methods are provided for improving servo-demodulation robustness. A SAM pattern is searched for in a servo wedge. If the SAM pattern is detected in the first servo wedge, a determination is made whether to characterize the detection of the SAM pattern as either a good SAM detection or a bad SAM detection. If the detection of the SAM pattern is characterized as a good SAM detection, at least one channel control value (e.g., servo AGC and/or PLL values) associated with the first servo wedge is used as a starting channel control value (or to predict a starting channel control value) when beginning to read a next servo wedge. However, if the SAM pattern is not detected, or a SAM detection is characterized as bad, at least one previously stored channel control value is used as a starting channel control value (or to predict a starting channel control value) when beginning to read the next servo wedge.

Abstract: An actuator comprises first and second structures each with a piezoelectric layer sandwiched between a main electrode layer and an opposed electrode layer, which structures are formed on two substrates, respectively. A first main electrode layer and a first opposed electrode layer are provided with layer two projections, and a second opposed electrode layer is provided with one layer projection. Connection wiring is arranged for establishing connection, with the above two structures bonded to each other, between the layer projection of the first main electrode layer and the second main electrode layer, and between the layer projection of the first opposed electrode layer and the layer projection of the second opposed electrode layer. Thus, it is possible to provide an actuator which may assure highly accurate position control.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an information terminal device. A memory card 14 stores a serial number MID of the memory card 14 and a MID register program for registering the serial number MID in the information terminal device 10. At starting the information terminal device 10, the MID register program is downloaded from the installed memory card 14 and the serial number MID stored in the memory card 14 is stored in a non-volatile flash ROM 30 in accordance with the program. Then, the MID register program is cleared out of the memory card 14 and the MID register program on a SDRAM 32 downloaded to the information terminal device 10 is made invalid. Such processing prevents the serial number of the memory card 14 from being thereafter stored in the other information terminal device 10.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to the present invention has a control gate electrode which is formed on the upper stage of a stepped portion formed in the principal surface of a substrate with a first insulating film interposed therebetween and a floating gate electrode which is formed to cover up the stepped portion, capacitively coupled to the side surface of the control gate electrode closer to the stepped portion with a second insulating film interposed therebetween, and opposed to the lower stage of the stepped portion with a third insulating film serving as a tunnel film interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A block matching system matches a motion block in one video image frame to a matching block another video image frame. The system includes a plurality of Hadamard transform processors which transform the motion block and a plurality of trial matching blocks from the other video image frame. The transformed matching blocks are then compared to the transformed motion block, and the transformed matching block which has the smallest difference relative to the transformed motion block is determined. The matching block which corresponds to the determined transformed matching block is selected as the matching block for the motion block. The block matching system may transform motion blocks having different numbers of rows and columns. In one application, the system matches a relatively large motion block in the one frame to a corresponding large matching block in the other frame and determines a displacement between the matching block and the motion block.

Abstract: When a user sets water power using a water power adjustment switch in a remote control device, a controller controls the period of pressure fluctuations, the width of pressure fluctuations, and the central pressure of the discharge pressure of a pump on the basis of a signal transmitted by radio from the remote control device. When the user sets the divergent angle of washing water using a washing area adjustment switch in the remote control device, the controller controls the divergent angle of the washing water sprayed from a posterior nozzle on the basis of the signal transmitted by radio from the remote control device. Consequently, the washing water supplied to a side surface of a cylindrical swirl chamber from a first flow path in the posterior nozzle is sprayed from a spray hole as dispersed spiral flow, and the washing water supplied to a lower part of the cylindrical swirl chamber from a second flow path in the posterior nozzle is sprayed from the spray hole as linear flow.

Abstract: Disclosed are a solder and a solder paste used for soldering an electronic part to a circuit board. This solder comprises 2.0 to 3.5 wt % of Ag, 5 to 18 wt % of Bi and Sn for the rest. Alternatively, it further contains at least one element selected from the group consisting of 0.1 to 1.5 wt % of In, 0.1 to 0.7 wt % of Cu and 0.1 to 10 wt % of Zn.

Abstract: An inserting apparatus inserts, into specified holes of a board, an axial type electronic component having a pair of lead wires extending from a main body and belonging to an assembly of electronic components which are connected by a tape and arranged at regular intervals. The apparatus includes chucks constructed so that the chucks can move forward and backward while grasping end portions of the axial type electronic component. A component carrying device is provided with the chucks and arranged at regular intervals in a circular form, each operating intermittently so that each chuck stops at least in a component supplying position and a component transferring position. A component supplying device is provided with a cutter for cutting the tape connecting the assembly of axial type electronic components, and operates to supply each axial type electronic component to each chuck located in the component supplying position.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compact optical pick-up head apparatus suitable for mass-production, which comprises a light radiation source, an element composed of photodetector split into a plurality of regions and integrated on the same base, an objective lens for focusing a beam from the above source on an optical disk, a blazed hologram integrated to the support member of the lens, a means for driving the support member to which the objective lens and blazed hologram are integrated in response to an output as servo signal output from the photodetector which receives a diffracted beam produced in such a manner that a return beam reflected or diffracted by the optical disk is incident on the objective lens integrated with the above hologram.

Abstract: A tape cassette has a shutter which can be opened and closed for accommodating a magnetic tape which records information such as music and reproduces recorded information. The shutter is made of thermoplastic resin and hardly generates abraded powders as a result of the sliding of the shutter in contact with the casing. The shutter has engaging portions in specific configurations so as to prevent the shutter from being dislocated from the casing.