Abstract: An engine control program is not overwritten when an engine of a vehicle is in operation even if a memory writer sends an engine write request to an engine controller. When an operator stops the engine and the memory writer again requests to overwrite the engine control program, the engine controller receives a write control program from the memory writer and executes the same. After that, the engine controller starts a new engine control program after its CPU is reset. Therefore, since the engine is at a stop during the overwriting of the engine control program, there will be no unexpected operations in the mechanism of the vehicle even though the control program and data are changed.

Abstract: A cutting device capable of obtaining high speeds, approximately three times faster than known cutting devices by using a structure employing an internal positive cam. A rotary slider rotates upon rotation of a spline shaft via a gearbox, and the operation is such that a track of a wedge-shaped blade tip of a male cutter lies along a workpiece via cam followers slidably rotating over a sliding surface of an internal positive cam, cutting the workpiece.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus for recovering a steering wheel to its neutral position based on the speeds of the steered wheels of a vehicle. In response to a steering torque signal from a torque sensor, assisting torque by a motor is controlled in a torque servo system from a phase compensating filter to a current detecting unit. A microcomputer calculates a speed ratio of left and right wheels based on wheel speeds detected by wheel speed sensors. Recovery compensating torque is obtained from the speed ratio of the left and right wheels, and a corresponding signal is output to an addition calculating unit. The addition calculating unit adds the steering torque signal and the signal representing the recovery compensating torque to obtain a recovery compensated signal. Based on the recovery compensated signal, the assisting torque is controlled to recover the steering to its neutral position.

Abstract: An air cleaner, a throttle, a surge tank and air-intake pipes of an intake manifold are combined in a unit and a fuel delivery pipe and fuel injectors are installed in the unit before the unit of an air-intake device is assembled to an internal combustion engine. Cases of the above members are integrally formed thereby to reduce the size of the device and material used for the device. A dusty-side of the air cleaner is disposed under a filter element to prevent dust and water from getting into the clean-side of the filter element when the element is removed to have serviced or inspected.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a cooling apparatus using boiling and condensing refrigerant, includes a refrigerant tank placed in a sealed space formed in a casing, and a radiator placed in a non-sealed space in the casing. Refrigerant is sealed in the refrigerant tank. The refrigerant tank has a metal base plate joined to one wall surface of an extrusion member constituting the refrigerant tank. A base plate has a first heating element having a high heating density fastened thereto with bolts. To another wall surface of the extrusion member is joined a heat-receiving fin which transmits the heat received from the air in the sealed space to the refrigerant in the refrigerant tank and is covered with a cover which also serves as a passage for the air from a fan. In the sealed space where the refrigerant tank is placed, plural second heating elements having low heating densities are placed without being directly attached thereto.

Abstract: A mobile communication device can perform direct communication with another mobile communication device without providing a new communication circuit. The mobile device moves by driving wheels rotated by a motor. A pressure sensor is provided on an outer surface of the body of the communication device to detect contact pressure with another mobile communication device. A control circuit maintains a constant level of driving force of the motor when the communication device is in contact with another mobile communication device and receives data by determining changes in the detected contact pressure which correspond to the predetermined transmission data. Alternately, data exchanges maybe performed using the relative distance between the communication devices.

Abstract: A polysilicon thin film is formed on a silicon substrate by LPCVD technique. At this time, by a performing film formation at a low temperature of approximately 620.degree. C., for example, an irregularities portion is formed on the surface thereof. A silicon oxide film that serves as a sacrificial layer is formed thereon and, on this sacrificial layer, a polysilicon thin film that serves as a movable portion forming thin film is formed. Then, the silicon oxide film beneath this polysilicon thin film is removed by wet etching to thereby form a movable portion. As a result, the movable portion of a beam structure that is composed of the thin film is disposed over the silicon substrate at a prescribed distance therefrom. Although an etchant-replacing liquid enters between the movable portion and the substrate whereby the movable portion is attracted toward the substrate, the movable portion is prevented from adhering to the substrate by means of the irregularities portion.

Abstract: A shoe housing 3 is connected to and rotatable together with an input shaft. A vane rotor 9 is connected to an output shaft and accommodated in shoe housing 3 so as to cause a rotation within a predetermined angle with respect to shoe housing 3. Vane rotor 9 and shoe housing 3 cooperatively define hydraulic chambers 10, 11, 12 and 13 whose volumes are variable in accordance with a rotational position of vane rotor 9 with respect to shoe housing 3. A locking member 7 is accommodated in vane rotor 9 and shiftable in a direction parallel to a rotational axis common to shoe housing 3 and vane rotor 9. And, an engaging bore 20, formed on a front plate 4 secured to shoe housing 3, receives locking member 7 through a tapered surface.

Abstract: A micro computer, constituting a signature recognition apparatus, comprises an automatic signature creating section, a data extracting section, a recognition network section, a retrieval section, and a memory section. The data extracting section creates personal data representing a plurality of personal characteristics or features based on an input signature. The recognition network section selects the data to be used for evaluation from the personal data representing personal characteristics or features, and executes an evaluation of thus chosen data. The retrieval section, using the genetic algorithm, finds out a combination pattern having preferable evaluation result. Accordingly, in recognizing signatures, it becomes possible to know beforehand what kind of personal characteristics or features data should be utilized for the recognition of the given signatures, thereby increasing the accuracy in the recognition.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer, which can be divided into chips at a high yield and a low cost and easily handled during transfer thereof as well, is disclosed. In a semiconductor wafer of such structure that structures with a low mechanical strength, such as suspended microstructures, are exposed at a surface thereof, detachable adhesive sheet making up protective caps for the respective suspended microstructures are formed over the semiconductor wafer. By means of this, even if the semiconductor wafer is diced into the individual chips, respective microstructures on chips are protected from the external force, such as the pressure of cutting water, during the dicing process.

Abstract: Control units U.sub.i-1, U.sub.i and U.sub.i+1, each having a piezoelectric actuator 3, are aligned on a resilient substrate 1 at predetermined intervals, so as to constitute a united control system. An actuator controller, formed on a circuit substrate 4 of control unit U.sub.i, receives target displacements of neighboring other control units U.sub.i-1 and U.sub.i+1. Then, using a discrete difference equation derived from the partial differential equation describing the distributed parameter system model of the united control system, the displacement amount of control unit U.sub.i can be determined based on the target displacement of the control unit U.sub.i and the target displacements of the neighboring other control units U.sub.i-1 and U.sub.i+1 thereby driving piezoelectric actuator 3 smoothly.

Abstract: Magnetoresistive elements are disposed facing a gear to form a sensor for detecting rotation of the gear. The signal output from MRE sensor is an alternating amplitude signal. An operational amplifier has a differential gain exceeding its operational limit relative to the amplitude value of the sensor signal, and it amplifies and outputs the difference between the sensor signal and a reference voltage. Comparators judge whether an output of the operational amplifier is within a predetermined amplitude range relative to the amplitude center thereof. When the op-amp output deviates from the predetermined amplitude range, transistors either charge or discharge a capacitor, so that the reference voltage can be changed closer to the output of the operational amplifier. Another comparator compares the output signal of the operational amplifier with a threshold value to output a binary-valued signal.

Abstract: A brush holder is held between a yoke of a starter motor and an end frame made of resin. The brush holder has an engaging guide portion projecting axially therefrom and engaging the yoke and the end frame and a projected peripheral portion projecting outside from peripheral surfaces of the yoke and that of the end frame. The brush holder contacts the yoke and the end frame at cylindrical surfaces thereof and surfaces perpendicular to the cylindrical surfaces. This construction allows the brush holder to be prevented from loosening, thus improving the vibration proof and durability of the brush holder. Further, the brush holder contacts the yoke and the end frame at the cylindrical surfaces thereof and the surfaces perpendicular to the cylindrical surfaces, thus dissipating the heat of a brush through the brush holder and the yoke more efficiently.

Abstract: A starter dynamo having a pinion engageable with a ring gear and an armature for rotating the pinion is supplied at engine starting with an electric storage power from an electric double layered capacitor used exclusively for the starter dynamo. With this storage power, the armature rotates and, with this armature rotation, the pinion rotates. An engine ring gear is driven through the pinion to start the engine. After the engine starting, the ring gear rotation is transmitted to the armature through the pinion and the starter dynamo charges the electric double-layered capacitor. Thus, an electric storage power required for the next engine starting is charged in a short period of time.

Abstract: A rotation restricting member is driven to engage a pinion moving member by a magnet switch and restricts it to rotate, so that it advances under rotation of an output shaft accompanied with energization of a motor and is engaged with a ring gear. Since it is satisfactory to displace the rotation restricting member in order to cause the pinion restricting member to abut against the pinion moving member under application of residual plunger stroke after both contacts of the magnet switch are abutted, it is not necessary to arrange any resilient member between a plunger and the rotation restricting member, thereby simplifying configuration of the magnet switch.

Abstract: A basic cell structure of a gate array that allows wiring in a macro cell is implemented solely by using first layer metallic wires and entails neither performance deterioration nor an increase in sell size. The basic cell of the gate array comprises a pMOS transistor having two FETs connected in series to each other and an nMOS transistor also having two FETs also connected in series to each other. The pMOS transistor and the nMOS transistor are formed on a substrate and arranged in parallel to each other, and gate electrodes corresponding to the FETs are commonly provided for the pMOS transistor and the nMOS transistor. In this structure, a first auxiliary wire is provided between the gate electrodes on the same layer as the gate electrodes. A second auxiliary wire is provided between adjacent basic cells also on the same layer as the gate electrodes. Wiring in a macro cell can be completed by using the first and second auxiliary wires of different types to form a two-dimensional structure.

Abstract: An intermittent reception waiting time period is roughly counted by counting low frequency clocks using a low frequency clock counter and a remainder of the intermittent reception waiting time period which cannot be counted with a time resolution of the low frequency clocks is counted by counting high frequency clock pulses using a high frequency clock counter with a high time resolution. Outputs of the high frequency clocks are prohibited while the intermittent reception waiting time period is counted by the low frequency clock counter. As a result, accurate start timing of an intermittent reception can be set with reduced power consumption caused by prohibiting the outputs of the high frequency clock pulses.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium 10, being a reloadable optical information recording medium, has a first surface on which a pre-group is formed. A lower protective multi-layer film 2 consisting of a total of four film layers, a recording film layer 3, an upper protective film layer 4 and a reflective film layer 5 are successively accumulated on the first surface. On a second surface opposed to the first surface, there is formed an anti-reflective multi-layer film 6 consisting of an anti-reflective film (I) layer 6a and an anti-reflective film (II) layer 6b. Provided with the anti-reflective multi-layer film 6, the optical information recording medium 10 can eliminate reflections of irradiated light on the surface of its substrate.

Abstract: An electric motor has first and second power feed terminals. A power feed line connects a dc power supply and the electric motor. A switching element provided in the power feed line includes a MOS-FET having a gate subjected to a pulse width modulation signal with a controllable duty cycle. The switching element changes between its on state and its off state in response to the pulse width modulation signal. The first power feed terminal of the electric motor is connected to the switching element. A flywheel diode connected in parallel with the electric motor operates to absorb a voltage which appears across the electric motor and returning a current when the switching element changes to its off state. A capacitor connected between the gate of the switching element and the second power feed terminal of the electric motor operates to suppress radio-frequency noise occurring upon every change of the switching element between its on state and its off state.

Abstract: A differential amplifier circuit whose noise is reduced when used in a CMOS operational amplifier without increasing its cost includes a differential input stage circuit in which gate lengths of load transistors and gate lengths of differential input transistors are set to an optimal ratio to minimize internal transistor noise components.