Abstract: A method and system for managing a plug network based on appliance identification. In a basic implementation, when a new appliance is activated on the plug network, a power usage profile for the new appliance is computed based on current and voltage measurements. The new appliance is classified into an appliance class based on the power usage profile. A power management action message respecting the new appliance is generated based on the class and is outputted. By judiciously configuring the power management actions applicable to different appliance classes, a business can monitor which types of appliances are attached by employees to power outlets and/or set the terms and conditions under which such appliances operate.

Abstract: A secondary battery with improved life characteristics is provided. The secondary battery (lithium-ion secondary battery) has: an electrode assembly including positive electrodes and negative electrodes; and a package container for housing the electrode assembly along with non-aqueous electrolyte liquid. The package container includes a package can for housing the electrode assembly and a sealing plate sealing the opening of the package can. On the sealing plate, an elevated portion is formed that projects toward the electrode assembly and has, on the side opposite from the electrode assembly, a cavity portion for storing refill non-aqueous electrolyte liquid. The elevated portion has a hole for feeding the refill non-aqueous electrolyte liquid stored in the cavity portion toward the electrode assembly. The hole is sealed with a sealing stopper formed of a resin material letting the refill non-aqueous electrolyte liquid leak toward the electrode assembly.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to pyrazolo[4,3-c]cinnolin-3-one compounds of formula (I) which are M1 receptor positive allosteric modulators and that are useful in the treatment of diseases in which the M1 receptor is involved, such as Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, pain or sleep disorders. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds, and to the use of the compounds and compositions in the treatment of diseases mediated by the M1 receptor.

Abstract: A solid-state image capturing element includes, disposed in a surface portion from an upper part of the photodiode region to the electric charge detecting section: a second conductivity type first region; a second conductivity type second region; and a second conductivity type third region, one end of which is adjacent to the second conductivity type second region and the other end of which is adjacent to the electric charge detecting section, where each impurity concentration of the first, second and third regions is set in a manner to form an electric field being directed from the second conductivity type first region through the second conductivity type second region to the second conductivity type third region.

Abstract: A document feeding device of the present invention includes: a discharge roller pair that includes a first drive roller and a first idler roller; and a transport roller pair that includes a second drive roller and a second idler roller. Either one of the second drive roller and the second idler roller moves between a contact position where said roller is in contact with the other roller and a separation position where said roller is separated from the other roller. The transport roller pair is disposed on the other side of the discharge roller pair from a discharge tray. The transport roller pair transports a document that has passed through the reading position to the discharge roller pair by positioning said roller at the contact position in a case where the first drive roller rotates forward.

Abstract: Provided is a display device provided with a non-contact type touch sensor having excellent properties, in place of a contact-point type touch sensor. The display device includes a first circuit having a first electrode (62c) formed on a first substrate (2) having a display surface of a display panel, a field effect transistor formed on a second substrate (1) opposed to the first substrate (2) so that the first electrode (62c) is spaced from the field effect transistor on the back channel side, a gate terminal of the field effect transistor being connected to a first wiring (Vrstn) and a first drain/source terminal thereof being connected to a second wiring (Vsm), and a switch, one end of which is connected to a second drain/source terminal of the field effect transistor and the other end being connected to a third wiring (Vom).

Abstract: A search device includes a first search section and a second search section. The first search section searches, for second image data sharing a common attribute with first image data being processed by an image processing apparatus, a storage section in which image data processed by the image processing apparatus is stored. The second search section searches the storage section for third image data processed by the image processing apparatus within a time period from a predetermined time before a reference time to a predetermined time after the reference time, the reference time being a point of time at which the second image data was processed by the image processing apparatus. This makes it possible to prevent a search omission in the search device for searching for the second image data sharing a common attribute with the first image data.

Abstract: A signal processing device first decomposes an input signal into a plurality of frequency components in different frequency ranges, then causes a higher harmonic wave generating section to generate a higher harmonic for each of a part or all of frequency components obtained by removing a frequency component in the lowest frequency range from frequency components obtained by the decomposition, and finally composes (i) the higher harmonic thus generated and (ii) a frequency component for which no higher harmonic has been generated. The higher harmonic wave generating section adds the frequency component and a nonlinear process signal (i) in which positive and negative signs of a frequency component for which the higher harmonic is to be generated are retained and (ii) which broadly monotonically increases nonlinearly with respect to the frequency component when the frequency component is located at least in the vicinity of zero.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device which allows an improvement in contrast ratio by compensating retardation given in a liquid crystal layer, even if a retardation layer has an inclined portion, and a desired retardation is varied at the inclined portion. The present invention is a vertical alignment liquid crystal display device, including: a pair of substrates facing each other; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pair of substrates; a transmissive display region; and a reflective display region, wherein one of the pair of substrates includes a ?/4 retardation layer in the reflective display region, the ?/4 retardation layer protruding towards the liquid crystal layer, the ?/4 retardation layer includes an inclined portion inclined to a flat face of the substrate, and an azimuth of the inclined portion is substantially parallel to a slow axis azimuth of the ?/4 retardation layer.

Abstract: What is provided is an OCB mode liquid crystal display device (10), including: a plurality of gate bus lines (40); a plurality of source bus lines (42); pixels (58); and pixel electrodes (60) corresponding to the respective pixels (58). According to the OCB mode liquid crystal display device (10), a gap width (L22) between adjacent ones of the pixel electrodes (60) is wider at intersections (S30) of the plurality of gate bus lines (40) and the plurality of source bus lines (42) than in areas other than the intersections (S30).

Abstract: What is provided is a liquid crystal display unit (1), including: a first liquid crystal display element (2) for displaying an image; an accessory (4) provided behind the first liquid crystal display element (2); and a surface light source (3) provided between the first liquid crystal display element (2) and the accessory (4), the surface light source (3) being movable, and the surface light source (3) being moved (i) so that the accessory (4) is shielded in a first case where the image, displayed by the first liquid crystal display element (2), is viewed by a primary viewer of the first liquid crystal display element (2) and (ii) so that the accessory (4) is not shielded in a second case where the accessory (4) is viewed by the primary viewer. This makes it possible to fully shield, with a simple configuration, the accessory provided behind a liquid crystal display device.

Abstract: In a touch panel incorporating a display device, a first sensor line (120) narrower than a first dummy line (130) is disposed on an interlayer insulating film (240) formed on an insulating substrate (100) at a location corresponding to a first dummy line (130), and a second sensor line (150) narrower than the data line (140) is formed on the interlayer insulating film (240) at the location corresponding to the data line (140). The first sensor line (120) and the second sensor line (150) are disposed such that they do not extend beyond the widths of the first dummy line (130) and the data line (140), respectively, when observed in a plan view. Provided is a touch panel incorporating a display device in which the locations of the first sensor line (120) and the second sensor line (150) are adjusted to prevent the aperture ratio reduction in the display element section (11).

Abstract: A matrix type display device including: a photosensor, provided in a display region, for outputting a signal corresponding to an intensity of light emitted to the photosensor; a TFT of n-channel type, the TFT serving as a source follower including a gate to which the signal is inputted; and light intensity detecting means for detecting the intensity of the light by detecting an output of the source follower, which is the TFT. In at least one embodiment, the TFT includes a drain to which a first pulse signal (Vpulse2) having a first pulse is inputted, the first pulse rising from a low level to a high level in a state where the signal is inputted to the gate of the TFT.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a liquid crystal display device includes providing an LCD panel that includes a photopolymerizable compound in its liquid crystal layer; and forming alignment sustaining layers by polymerizing the photopolymerizable compound in the liquid crystal layer of the LCD panel with the liquid crystal layer irradiated with light and supplied with a voltage simultaneously. The forming the alignment sustaining layers includes the steps of: i) applying a predetermined voltage between a pixel electrode and a counter electrode while a switching element is in ON state; and ii) changing the voltage at a storage capacitor counter electrode into a voltage, of which the polarity is opposite to a voltage at the storage capacitor counter electrode in the step i), after the switching element in ON state has been turned OFF.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are related to systems and methods for identifying a document region in a non-scanned image. A first candidate document region-of-interest mask may be determined from a luminance-only image by foreground elimination, non-uniformity reduction and thresholding. A second candidate document region-of-interest mask may be formed by subtracting from the first candidate document region-of-interest mask an edge mask resulting from detecting edges in the luminance-only input image. The second candidate document region-of-interest mask may be refined, to form a final document region-of-interest mask, based on text features calculated from the luminance-only input image. The document region-of-interest may be extracted using the final document region-of-interest mask.

Abstract: A display device in which low power consumption is realized without lowering an aperture ratio is provided. A liquid crystal capacitive element Clc is sandwiched between a pixel electrode 20 and an opposite electrode 80. The pixel electrode 20, one end of a first switch circuit 22, one end of a second switch circuit 23 and a first terminal of a second transistor T2 form an internal node N1. The other terminals of the first switch circuit 22 and the second switch circuit 23 are connected to a source line SL. The second switch circuit 23 is a series circuit composed of a first transistor T1 and a diode D1. A control terminal of the first transistor T1, a second terminal of the second transistor T2 and one end of a boost capacitive element Cbst form an output node N2. The other end of the boost capacitive element Cbst and the control terminal of the second transistor T2 are connected to a boost line BST and a reference line REF, respectively.

Abstract: An LED drive circuit is provided that can be connected to an alternating current power source via a phase-control light controller and drives an LED load.

Abstract: A secondary transfer unit stretches a transfer belt in an endless form over a driving roller, a driven roller, a transfer roller, an auxiliary roller, and a support roller therebetween. The transfer belt moves, by rotation of the driving roller, along a circulation path which passes through a transfer position. The transfer roller and the auxiliary roller press the transfer belt from the inner peripheral surface of the transfer belt toward an intermediate transfer belt in the transfer position. The transfer belt has an outer peripheral surface thereof which is pressed against the intermediate transfer belt and is roughened so that the surface roughness of the outer peripheral surface becomes 6 ?m to 10 ?m.

Abstract: The invention provides a semiconductor memory device including a variable resistance element capable of decreasing a variation of a resistance value of stored data due to a large number of times of switching operations and capable of performing a stable writing operation. The device has a circuit that applies a reforming voltage pulse to a memory cell including a variable resistance element of a degraded switching characteristic and a small read margin due to a large number of times of application of a write voltage pulse, to return each resistance state of the variable resistance element to an initial resistance state. By applying the reforming voltage pulse, the variable resistance element can recover at least one resistance state from a variation from the initial resistance state, and can recover the switching characteristic. Accordingly, there is obtained a semiconductor memory device in which a reduction of a read margin is suppressed.

Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes first and second pixel electrodes (17a, 17b) in each pixel region, the first pixel electrode (17a) is connected with a data signal line (15) via a transistor (12), a second pixel electrode (17b) is connected with the first pixel electrode (17a) via a capacitor formed between the second pixel electrode (17b) and a coupling capacitance electrode (67) electrically connected with the first pixel electrode (17a), the second pixel electrode (17b) overlaps a retention capacitor line (18) via an insulating layer, and the insulating layer has a thin region (51a) positioned to be at least a part of a portion which does not overlap the coupling capacitance electrode (67).