Abstract: A sheet presence detecting apparatus includes a transparent plate for mounting a sheet, a light reflecting plate for reflecting light which passes through the transparent plate, a light source for emitting light to the transparent plate when an angle formed by the light reflecting plate and the transparent plate becomes a predetermined angle, an image sensor for detecting light emitted from the light source, a memory for storing a plurality of detection outputs which are detected by the image sensor and each associated with a speed of closing the light reflecting plate when the sheet is not mounted and a control circuit for calculating a difference between the detection outputs stored in the memory and detection outputs detected at time of detection, and for determining whether a sheet is mounted on the transparent plate or not based on the calculated difference.

Abstract: Deterioration of error rate at reproduction time is prevented even if a photodetector with a poor characteristic is included. An optical pickup unit (3) is provided with 4 photodetectors. A controller (13) obtains an error correction result of a reproduced signal, which is reproduced based on an RF signal generated while changing combination of the 4 photodetectors at startup time, and determines a combination at reproduction time in accordance with the obtained error correction result, to be given to an RF amplifier unit (10). The controller (13) is provided with a counter that counts for a fixed time period the error correction result per combination of the photodetectors, a comparator that compares a count result of the counter with a threshold set in advance, and an output controller that judges whether or not to use a combination of the photodetectors based on a comparison result of the comparator and performs change control of the combination of the photodetectors, of which there is a plurality.

Abstract: A photodetector amplifier circuit that converts a photodetector signal photoelectrically into a photocurrent and controls on or off state of an output transistor according to the photocurrent. The photodetector amplifier circuit has a first control circuit that is connected to a control terminal of the output transistor and controls on or off state of the output transistor according to the photocurrent and a switch that is connected between the control terminal of the output transistor and a ground voltage terminal and if the output transistor is turned off, discharges the control terminal of the output transistor by making the control terminal of the output transistor conductive with the ground voltage terminal.

Abstract: There are provided a battery control system and a battery control method which can eliminate a management device controlling voltages of individual cells in a battery pack, resist the influence of noise, prevent an increase in size, and reduce the load on a management device. A cell for a battery pack will be interconnected with another cell to be used as a battery pack, the cell comprises unit cell 5 and control circuit 1, unit cell 5 is one electrochemical cell, and control circuit 1 includes: measurement means 1a for acquiring cell-state information including at least a voltage of unit cell 5; transmission means 1f for transmitting the cell-state information to the outside; reception means 1f for receiving external information; and means 1d for discharging unit cell 5 based upon the cell-state information on unit cell 5 and the external information, to bring the voltages of interconnected cells closer.

Abstract: A cutting machine including a die, and a cutting punch having a cutting edge, and configured to bring the cutting punch close to the die to have the cutting edge face to a surface of the die thereby cut a work, the cutting punch being provided with a local slope, wherein the cutting machine is configured, using a light source, to irradiate a light such that the light transmit through the clearance between the cutting punch and the surface of the die and to reflect on the local slope such that the direction of the path of the light is changed so as to yield reflected light to be observed is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method of facilitating mobile radio communications device measurements within a mobile radio communications network, including the step of including within a Resource Block sent to the mobile radio communications device from the network an indication of the number of subsequent consecutive Transmission Timing Intervals with no allocated Resource Blocks and so as to provide to the mobile radio communications device a signal serving to indicate the time period available for device measurements.

Abstract: A wide-angle null-fill antenna with no null in the depression angle range, an omni antenna using the same, and radio communication equipment. A null-fill antenna comprises a first antenna array including antenna elements arranged with a prescribed point as the center, and a second antenna array having amplitude characteristics substantially equal to those of the antenna elements forming the first antenna array. The first antenna array is excited so that the excitation amplitude distribution is to have symmetry with respect to the prescribed point, while the excitation phase distribution is to have point symmetry with respect to the prescribed point. The phase center of the first antenna array is substantially coincident with that of the second antenna array.

Abstract: A semiconductor device is composed of a first circuit receiving a first power supply voltage; and a second circuit receiving a second power supply voltage. The second power supply voltage is higher than the first power supply voltage. Such device arrangement is effective for reducing the soft error rate, when the second circuit is more susceptive to a soft error than the first circuit, especially when the second circuit is a memory device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor memory device having memory cells that are in need of refresh for data retention, includes control circuits for necessarily generating the refresh immediately before the read/write operation, and for setting the latency to a first fixed value at all times, for the first mode during the testing, and for necessarily generating the refresh immediately after the read/write operation, and for setting the latency to a second fixed value at all times, for the second mode during the testing.

Abstract: There is provided a light-reflector used in a liquid crystal display device which uses an externally incident light as a light source by reflecting the externally incident light to a viewer, wherein the light-reflector is formed at a surface thereof with a rugged pattern comprised of an alternating pattern of pixel pattern areas, each pixel pattern area positioned to overlie a respective one pixel of the liquid crystal display device, each of the pixel pattern areas of the alternating pattern being different, wherein each pixel pattern area of the alternating pattern is comprised of alternately formed recessed and raised portions, and the alternating pattern is formed periodically repeatedly every two pixels.

Abstract: A LCD device includes a pair of polarizing films sandwiching therebetween a LC cell. The light-incident-side polarizing film includes a polarizing layer and a first retardation film, whereas the light-emitting-side polarizing film includes a polarizing layer and second and third retardation films. A specific combination of the first and third retardation films provides an optical compensation for achieving a lower leakage light and a lower chromaticity shift upon display of a dark state in the LCD device.

Abstract: Provided are: a method of manufacturing semiconductor device which has multilayer interconnection in a damascene structure and a conductive barrier film such as CoWP film, and which has more excellent electric characteristics than a conventional one. To this end, when a via hole reaching a lower wiring is formed, a reaction layer formed between a conductive barrier film and the lower wiring and remaining on the surface of the lower wiring is removed. Thus, at an interface where a lower surface of the via and the lower wiring are joined, the reaction layer, formed between the conductive barrier film and the lower wiring, does not exist, so that the via resistance can be sufficiently reduced.

Abstract: A first electronic circuit component and a second electronic circuit component are electrically connected to an electro-conductive member via a first solder and a second solder, respectively. The electro-conductive member is formed in a resin film. The electro-conductive member is configured as containing a second diffusion barrier metal film. The second diffusion barrier metal film prevents diffusion of the second solder. Between the electro-conductive member and the first solder, a first diffusion barrier metal film is provided. The first diffusion barrier metal film prevents diffusion of the first solder. On the first surface of the resin film and on the electro-conductive member, an adhesive metal film is formed so as to contact with the resin film and the electro-conductive member. The adhesive metal film has stronger adhesiveness to the resin film than either of those of the first solder and the first diffusion barrier metal film.

Abstract: A complementary signal generating circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: an inverting element inverting a first signal to generate a second signal; a first transistor connecting a first power supply potential and a first output terminal electrically in accordance with the first signal; a second transistor connecting the first output terminal and a second power supply potential electrically in accordance with the second signal; a third transistor connecting the first power supply potential and a second output terminal electrically in accordance with the second signal; and a fourth transistor connecting the second output terminal and the second power supply potential electrically in accordance with the first signal.

Abstract: An architecture and method for data storage and retrieval which also addresses a number of key problems associated with systems employing hash-based techniques. The architecture and method employs a collision-free hashing scheme called Bloomier filter while eliminates its false positives in a storage efficient way. Wildcard support is added through the use of a scheme called prefix collapsing, while introducing only a small additional storage requirement and reduced hardware complexity. Real update traces indicate that both fast and incremental updates are provided—features generally not available in prior-art collision-free hashing schemes.

Abstract: An audio processor chip includes a DSP for decoding audio data, a first DAC for performing a D/A conversion to the digital data obtained from the DSP, a PLL circuit for generating a clock signal for the first DAC to supply it to the first DAC and a clock output external terminal for outputting the clock signal obtained from the PLL circuit to a second DAC of an AFE. The first DAC 142 outputs an analog signal obtained from the D/A conversion to an analog mixer and the analog mixer performs a mixing process to the analog signal to output.

Abstract: An address generator holds a cell list of cell data of a central cell containing a central particle and a predetermined number of surrounding cells located around the central cell in a system. The address generator designates particle data of a central particle and particles that are present around the central particle, from the cell data of the cell list, and successively updates the cell list according to predetermined rules until all the cells in the system will serve as a central cell. A memory controller reads particle data of particles that are used to calculate short-range forces that have been designated by the address generator, from a storage unit, and transfers the read particle data to a force calculator for calculating short-range forces between particles.

Abstract: A signal generator generates a first internal signal including frequency f1, a second internal signal including frequency f2, and a third internal signal including frequency f3 twice as high as frequency f2, and selects and delivers one from among a first output signal including frequency f1, a second output signal including frequency f1+f2, and a third output signal including frequency f1+f3, using the first, second, and third internal signals.

Abstract: A flexible electronic device excellent in heat liberation characteristics and toughness and a production method for actualizing thereof in low cost and with satisfactory reproducibility are provided. A protection film is adhered onto the surface of a substrate on which surface a thin film device is formed. Successively, the substrate is soaked in an etching solution to be etched from the back surface thereof so as for the residual thickness of the substrate to fall within the range larger than 0 ?m and not larger than 200 ?m. Then, a flexible film is adhered onto the etched surface of the substrate, and thereafter the protection film is peeled to produce a flexible electronic device.

Abstract: In a method for driving a liquid crystal display apparatus in which in each field, scan lines are successively scanned in order to display an image, the scanning sequence or the polarity of a signal voltage is reversed between a first field and a second field. A liquid crystal display apparatus driven by the method is also disclosed. It is possible to provide a high contrast, high brightness liquid crystal display apparatus which is not affected by electrical asymmetry.