Abstract: A method and apparatus of a spin-type magnetoresistance sensor having a free and pinned magnetic layer stacked with a non-magnetic interposed layer are disclosed.

Abstract: The quality and performance of the connectionless communications system are improved. When a BOM is received, the destination address DA of the L3-PDU stored in the payload of the BOM is retrieved, and the tag information is obtained from the DA (S11). The output message identifier MID is reserved (S12), and the tag information and output MID are assigned to the BOM (S13). Then, the tag information and output MID are written to the table. When a COM is received, the tag information and output MID are retrieved using the MID of the COM as a key, and the information is provided for the COM (S31 and S32). When an EOM is received, the tag information and output MID are retrieved using the MID of the EOM as a key, and the information is provided for the EOM (S41 and S42). Then, the output MID is released (S43).

Abstract: A current-limiting resistor is connected between a power-supply line and a heater provided near the oxygen-detecting element of limiting-current type oxygen sensor. A power MOSFET is connected between the heater and a ground line. The resistor and the heater have such resistances that a current I2 flowing through the resistor and the heater when the heater has a resistance R2 is about I1{square root}{square root over ((R1/R2))}, where I1 is a current flowing through the resistor and the heater when the heater has a resistance R1.

Abstract: The present invention provides a spin-valve magnetic resistance sensor in which an underlayer, which has a second underlayer film with an fcc structure consisting of an alloy formed by combining one or more elements selected from a set consisting of elements of group VIIIa and group Ib of the periodic table, and one or more elements selected from a set consisting of elements of groups IIa, IVa, Va, VIa, IIb, Ib and IVb of the periodic table, such as NiFeCrTi or NiCrTi, etc., is formed on the substrate, and a magnetic resistance (MR) film which has an antiferromagnetic layer consisting of a Pt1−xMnx alloy or an Ir1−xMnx alloy is laminated on top of this underlayer. The composition ratio of the element with the smallest free energy of oxide formation among the elements contained in the alloy of the second underlayer film is in the range of 0.1 atomic % to 15 atomic %.

Abstract: A dielectric waveguide designed to avoid the influence of reflection of electromagnetic waves at connected portions of dielectric strips and to have an improved characteristic. A third dielectric strip is inserted in a part of a connection section at which a first dielectric strip and a second dielectric strip are connected to each other, and the distances between the three connection planes in said connection section are determined so that a wave reflected at the connection plane between the first and third dielectric strips, a wave reflected at the connection plane between the first and second dielectric strips, and a wave reflected at the connection plane between the second and third dielectric strips are superposed with a phase difference of 2&pgr;/3 from each other.

Abstract: A disk drive unit includes a rotary member, which has a spindle, and has an information-recording disk fixedly mounted thereon, and a bearing unit rotatably supporting the spindle. The bearing unit includes a radial bearing device, provided in opposed relation to an outer peripheral surface of the spindle, and a thrust bearing device provided in opposed relation to a distal end surface of the spindle. The radial bearing device has a concentric arc-shaped bearing surface, which is concentric with the circular outer periphery of the spindle, and a non-concentric arc-shaped bearing surface which is non-concentric with the circular outer periphery of the spindle. The disk drive unit further includes a motor for imparting a rotational force to the spindle, and a lubricating fluid filled in the bearing unit.

Abstract: A customer support system uses information concerning device located at customer and supports the customer. A customer support center collects customer information using a communication line, and stores or transferring the information. Customer information systems connected with the customer support center via a communication line, use the information of the customer support center, and support the customer. The customer support center comprises a collector for collecting and distributing usage information and quality information of the device, and a memory storing the usage information and quality information of the device as it is or after modifying it. The customer information systems use the usage information and quality information of the device collected by the customer support center, and support the customers.

Abstract: If a large external impact is applied to a magnetic disc apparatus, a slider jumps from a disc surface and rotates. When the slider jumps and rotates, its edges re-contact the disc surface to damage this surface. To reduce the rotation angle of the slider to control its position if an impact is effected, the present invention provides a roof on a load arm to reduce the contact angle at which the slider contacts the disc surface in order to relax the impact upon a contact.

Abstract: A dielectric line switch is provided which is capable of easily controlling the propagation of an electromagnetic wave. Also provided is an antenna device employing said dielectric line switch. As an embodiment of the invention, a plurality of dielectric lines and a plurality of primary radiators are provided on a rotary unit. With the rotation of the rotary unit, the dielectric lines are switched ON and OFF by virtue of mechanical means, so that a desired change-over may be effected among the plurality of primary radiators in a time sharing manner, and the positions of the primary radiators may be shifted within a plane of the focal point of a dielectric lens, thereby enabling the transmission wave beam and/or reception wave beam to scan in a desired manner.

Abstract: An ATM exchange system which handles fixed-length cells, such as an ATM exchange, is designed in such a manner that even when a failure occurs particularly in an interface unit or an ATM switch section, downstream stations can be informed of the failure reliably and that when some failure is detected, counting of a charge counter is disabled to always ensure proper charging.

Abstract: Shock-absorbing material made from a mixture of solid particles and viscous elastic material is arranged at the periphery of an information storage and retrieval device. When an external shock is applied to the device, the shock-absorbing material is greatly deformed and dissipates the shock energy by inner friction sufficiently to prevent damage to the inner mechanism of the device. The deformed shock-absorbing material can be restored to the original shape so that it is repeatedly usable. Furthermore, by comparing the deformed shape and the quick reference table provided with the device, the amount shock acceleration can be roughly determined. The device conforms to one of a series of dimensional standards for information storage and retrieval devices.

Abstract: A disk drive unit includes a rotary member, which has a spindle, and has an information-recording disk fixedly mounted thereon, and a bearing unit rotatably supporting the spindle. The bearing unit includes a radial bearing device, provided in opposed relation to an outer peripheral surface of the spindle, and a thrust bearing device provided in opposed relation to a distal end surface of the spindle. The radial bearing device has a concentric arc-shaped bearing surface, which is concentric with the circular outer periphery of the spindle, and a non-concentric arc-shaped bearing surface which is non-concentric with the circular outer periphery of the spindle. The disk drive unit further includes a motor for imparting a rotational force to the spindle, and a lubricating fluid filled in the bearing unit.

Abstract: If a large external impact is applied to a magnetic disc apparatus, a slider jumps from a disc surface and rotates. When the slider jumps and rotates, its edges re-contact the disc surface to damage this surface. To reduce the rotation angle of the slider to control its position if an impact is effected, the present invention provides a roof on a load arm to reduce the contact angle at which the slider contacts the disc surface in order to relax the impact upon a contact.

Abstract: A device with a nonradiative dielectric waveguide which operates in a microwave band or in a millimeter wave band. The device with a nonradiative dielectric waveguide is, for example, an oscillator, a circulator, a coupler or the like. The device has a pair of parallel conductors, a dielectric strip which is disposed between the conductors and propagates a high-frequency electromagnetic wave in a specified mode, a mounting surface which is formed on one of the conductors, and an end surface which is defined by an end of each of the conductors so as to be vertical to a traveling direction of the electromagnetic wave propagated in the dielectric strip. An end of the dielectric strip is exposed at a corresponding end surface of the device.

Abstract: In a directional coupler comprising two separated dielectric guides, reflection and loss in the separation position (separated faces) is reduced. Furthermore, the beam of an antenna device comprising a primary emitter and a dielectric lens can be tilted quickly even by a low-torque motor. A moving portion and a fixed portion each comprise dielectric guides, and in addition, grooves are provided in opposing end faces of conductive plates thereof, at a distance from the electrode faces of the dielectric guides of approximately an integral multiple of half the wavelength of the transmitted waves. Furthermore, the dielectric guide of the directional coupler portion is a normal NRD guide, and the dielectric guide of another portion is a hyper NRD guide.

Abstract: In a millimeter wave module or the like having both a normal NRD guide and a hyper NRD guide, a conversion portion structure for non, radiative dielectric waveguides of different types has excellent conversion characteristics at the connection between the two types of NRD guides. In a first conversion portion, the width of a dielectric strip is changed from the width of a dielectric strip in the hyper NRD guide portion to the width of a dielectric strip in the normal NRD guide portion, grooves of approximately the same depth as grooves in the hyper NRD guide are provided extending as far as the second conversion portion, and in a third conversion portion, the width of these grooves widens perpendicular to the propagation direction of electromagnetic waves and parallel to the face of conductive plates. According to this structure, guide conversion can be achieved with low radiation in a predetermined frequency band.

Abstract: A normal NRD guide is constituted in the part to be coupled with a dielectric resonator, a hyper NRD guide for simply transmitting the LSM01 mode is constituted in a multipoints circulator part, the normal NRD guide is constituted in a coupler part, the hyper NRD guide is constituted in the mixer part, and the normal NRD guides are constituted in a dielectric line switch part and in a connection unit between components.

Abstract: A dielectric waveguide has a plurality of dielectric ceramic sheets each having a high-dielectric-constant portion and a low-dielectric-constant portion. The dielectric ceramic sheets are laminated and baked and electrode films are formed on the outer surfaces thereof. Thus, a dielectric waveguide is obtained in which the high-dielectric-constant portion serves as a propagating area and the low-dielectric-constant portion serves as a non-propagating area.

Abstract: A dielectric waveguide which has a pair of dielectric substrates affixed to each other and a pair of electrically-conductive layers on the external surfaces of the two dielectric substrates. Each dielectric substrate has a projecting part that is thicker than other parts. A propagating region is formed where the projecting parts on the two opposing dielectric substrates are put together. Furthermore, a circuit is formed on the contact surface between the dielectric substrates. The circuit may include an electronic component. A part of the circuit is arranged in the propagating region so as to provide electromagnetic-field coupling between the circuit and the dielectric waveguide.

Abstract: An antenna-shared distributor is provided such that a non-conductor section is provided in a part of two conductor planes, a dielectric resonator which resonates in the HE111 mode is disposed between the conductor planes, and first and second dielectric strips whose respective end portions face the dielectric resonator are disposed, forming first and second dielectric lines and further, a voltage-controlled oscillator and a mixer are connected to the first and second dielectric lines, respectively.