Abstract: An internal combustion engine is equipped with a plurality of cam sensors that output cylinder discrimination signals during every uneven crank angle interval, and specific cylinders are discriminated based on said cylinder discrimination signals output from said plurality of cam sensors. Based on the discrimination result of said specific cylinder and said cylinder discrimination signals from cam sensors, the cylinders other than said specific cylinders are discriminated.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling ignition timing in an internal combustion engine includes a cam sensor for generating a standard position signal for each standard piston position, a position sensor for generating a single angle signal, a control unit for controlling ignition timing based on the standard position signal and the single angle signal, a timer for detecting a time from the standard position signal before the ignition timing, and a device for setting an ignition-starting timing after said standard position signal when an engine rotation speed is less than a predetermined rotation speed.

Abstract: A CD package includes a CD tray for removably holding a CD, and a paper mount to which the CD tray is affixed. The CD tray is formed of paper produced from raw material other than wood pulp; specifically, paper produced from a combination of kenaf and bamboo fibers. The paper mount is formed of paper that contains kenaf and/or bagasse fibers in an amount of about 5-30% by weight and wood pulp as the, balance.

Abstract: In a direct-injection gasoline engine which is so constituted as to execute a twice-injection mode for injecting the fuel in the intake stroke and in the compression stroke, respectively, at the time of change-over between the stratified mode and the homogeneous mode, the fuel injection amount is set to be constant in either the intake stroke or the compression stroke in the twice-injection mode, and an amount obtained by subtracting the above constant amount from the required injection amount is injected in the other stroke. Setting the fuel amount to be constant at one injection timing makes it easy to comply with the operation for controlling the fuel injection in the twice-injection mode.

Abstract: In the control method and apparatus of a direct injection gasoline engine, as for the uniform charge combustion mode performing only the intake stroke injection and the stratified charge combustion mode performing only the compression stroke injection, the injection timing is determined by referring to the injection timing map set for each mode. On the other hand, in the double injection mode performing the intake stroke injection and the compression stroke injection, the injection timing map for the intake stroke injection and the injection timing map for the compression stroke injection are both equipped, and the injection timing in the intake stroke injection is determined by the fuel quantity being injected by the intake stroke, and the injection timing in the compression stroke injection is determined by the fuel quantity being injected by the compression stroke.

Abstract: Radiating light from a semiconductor laser element is radiated in a direction normal to the surface of a photodetector substrate. The semiconductor laser element and photodetector are disposed on the same plane. Specifically, a reflecting mirror surface formed of a slanting surface of (111) lattice plane having a ridge line of <110> direction is disposed on a silicon substrate of (100) lattice plane having an off-angle of 4.degree. to 14.degree. about an axis of <110> direction or on a silicon substrate of (511) lattice plane having an off-angle of 1.degree. to 11.degree. about an axis of <110> direction. The semiconductor laser chip is disposed at a position opposing to the reflecting mirror surface.

Abstract: The heat generating ratio for every crank angle is calculated as a combustion ratio for the total amount of heat generated by the engine, and the ignition timing is so corrected that the crank angle corresponding to from 10% to 90% of the combustion ratio becomes minimal or is so corrected that the combustion ratio at a predetermined crank angle becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined value. This makes it possible to so control the ignition timing that the engine produces a maximum torque.

Abstract: Cylinder to cylinder variation in developed cylinder torque is suppressed by correcting ignition timings for the individual cylinders or by correcting fuel injection amounts allocated to the individual cylinders. Amounts of correction to be made to the individual ignition timings or fuel injection amounts are determined as results of comparison of individual cylinder pressure averages with a multiple cylinder pressure average that is an average of the individual cylinder pressure averages.

Abstract: A difference is obtained between a cylinder pressure during the compression stroke when an exhaust gas recirculation control valve is opened, and a cylinder pressure during the compression stroke when the exhaust gas recirculation control valve is closed. An estimated value for this difference is set from a cylinder pressure detected under the closed conditions and an exhaust gas recirculation proportion. When the difference is smaller than the estimated value, it is assumed that the exhaust gas recirculation quantity is not changing in accordance with open/close control, and the occurrence of a fault in the exhaust gas recirculation unit is thus judged.

Abstract: A exhaust gas recirculation control value is forcibly open/close controlled at the time of steady operation. An estimation of whether or not the actual exhaust gas recirculation quantity has changed with open/close control of the exhaust gas recirculation control valve, is then made based on whether or not a change in combustion pressure accompanying the open/close is a value estimated for the operating conditions.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device of low operating current and low noise for the 780 nm band to be used as the light source for an optical disc and its fabrication method. The device comprises: a certain conduction type Ga.sub.1-Y1 Al.sub.Y1 As first light guide layer, a Ga.sub.1-Y2 Al.sub.Y2 As second light guide layer of said certain conduction type, or an In.sub.0.5 Ga.sub.0.5 P or an In.sub.0.5 (GaAl).sub.0.5 P or an InGaAsP second light guide layer, successively formed one upon another at least in one side of the principal plane of an active layer; an opposite conduction type Ga.sub.1-Z Al.sub.Z As current blocking layer formed on the second light guide layer and provided with a stripe-like window; and a Ga.sub.1-Y3 Al.sub.Y3 As cladding layer of the same conduction type a said light guide layers formed on said stripe-like window, wherein relations of Z>Y3>Y2 and Y1>Y2 are established among Y1, Y2 Y3 and Z that define the AlAs mole-fractions.

Abstract: Radiating light from a semiconductor laser element is radiated in a direction normal to the surface of a photodetector substrate. The semiconductor laser element and photodetector are disposed on the same plane. Specifically, a reflecting mirror surface formed of a slanting surface of (111) lattice plane having a ridge line of <110> direction is disposed on a silicon substrate of (100) lattice plane having an off-angle of 4.degree. to 14.degree. about an axis of <110> direction or on a silicon substrate of (511) lattice plane having an off-angle of 1.degree. to 11.degree. about an axis of <110> direction. The semiconductor laser chip is disposed at a position opposing to the reflecting mirror surface.

Abstract: A deflection plate for deflecting laser beams includes a transparent plate on which two grating areas are formed on the same surface. The first grating area has a plurality of parallel grooves. The second grating area has a plurality of grooves in a predetermined pattern. The depth and/or the duty ratio of the grooves in the first grating area differs from that in the second grating area.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device suitable as a light source for an optical disk may be operated at a low operating current with low noise for the 780 nm band. The device comprises: a certain conduction type Ga.sub.1-Y1 Al.sub.Y1 As first light guide layer, a Ga.sub.1-Y2 Al.sub.Y2 As second light guide layer of said certain conduction type, or an In.sub.0.5 Ga.sub.0.5 P or an In.sub.0.5 (GaAl).sub.0.5 P or an InGaAsP second light guide layer, successively formed one upon another at least in one side of the principal plane of an active layer; an opposite conduction type Ga.sub.1-Z Al.sub.Z As current blocking layer formed on the second light guide layer and provided with a stripe-like window; and a Ga.sub.1-Y3 Al.sub.Y3 As cladding layer of the same conduction type as the light guide layers formed on the stripe-like window. The relations of Z>Y3>Y2 and Y1>Y2 define the AlAs mole fractions.

Abstract: In a semiconductor laser device, a Ga.sub.1-y Al.sub.y As cladding layer of a conduction type is provided on at least one principal plane of an active layer, while a Ga.sub.1-Z Al.sub.Z As current blocking layer of the other conduction type is provided on the cladding layer and has a stripe-like window. The AlAs mode fractions Y and Z has a relation, Z>Y. The semiconductor laser device has low noises and a low operating current value.

Abstract: A tape guide mechanism for a VTR includes a pair of first guides disposed respectively at a tape entrance side and a tape exit side of a cylinder and positioned immediately adjacent to the cylinder, a pair of second guides disposed adjacent to the pair of first guides, respectively, and a third guide provided in a path of travel of a tape extending between the first guides and the second guides, so as to prevent opposed surfaces of the tape, disposed respectively at the tape entrance side and the tape exit side, from being contacted with each other. The third guide may be of a rotary type and be disposed more remote from the cylinder than the first guides.

Abstract: A semiconductive laser device having a resonator which is formed with a dielectric film on at least one end face thereof is described. The dielectric film is in a thickness of at least three times a wavelength in the dielectric film by which the oscillation wavelength becomes very stable.

Abstract: A BTRS (buried Twin-Ridge Substrate) structure laser, wherein an oblong protrusion (10) is provided on a substrate (1) of a first conductivity type and two ridges (9, 9) divided by a groove (31) therebetween are provided on a second layer (2) of a second conductivity type, and thereon plural layers (3, 4, 5, 6) including an active layer (4) are provided is improved to have longer service life such that: the protrusion (10) is shortened so as to have its both ends apart inside cavity facet of the substrate (1), or further by width of each ridge (9, 9) is narrowed at both ends thereof thereby forming narrowed end parts (9', 9'), so that excessive current injection to the active layer near the cavity facet is eliminated.

Abstract: In a TRS (twin ridge substrate) type semiconductor laser, reflectivity at both facets of the resonator at the oscillation wavelength is selected to be higher than the reflectivity of the semiconductor crystal of the laser device, but smaller than 1, thereby stabilizing the light oscillation with a low S/N ratio.

Abstract: The invention provides a chemical etching method for a semiconductor device, which comprises a step of forming a first layer of Ga.sub.1-x Al.sub.x As (0.ltoreq.x<1) having a surface (100), a step of forming on the first layer a second layer of Ga.sub.1-y Al.sub.y As (0.ltoreq.y<1) having a surface (100), and a step of chemically etching the layers from a level above the second layer and along the direction of <011>. The slope angle of etch face of the second layer depends on the mol fraction y of the second layer, and the slope angle of etch face of the first layer depends on the mol fraction y of the second layer and the mol fraction x of the first layer. These facts are best utilized in the invention so that the etch profile of the first layer may have a desired slope angle.