Abstract: A mobile station transmitted signal received at array antenna 11 is converted into an intermediate frequency signal in frequency conversion section 12, and converted into a digital signal in analog-digital conversion section 13. Arrival direction estimating section 15 estimates the number of mobile stations and directions thereof by processing the digital signal. Arrival direction tracking section 16 estimates a direction of a mobile station by sequential processing using an estimated result in arrival direction estimating section 15. Beam forming means 17 forms an antenna radiation beam to a direction of the estimated result in arrival direction tracking section 16.

Abstract: By smoothing a full-color image, staircasing of characters even in a gradation image is removed. An area to be smoothed is detected from image data having a plurality of color components, and image data included in the detected area is smoothed in units of color components.

Abstract: A display device comprises a main display device body incorporated into a frame constructed by assembling transparent plate members. Specifically, a plurality of display blocks are arranged in a matrix configuration in an opening of the frame. Further, a substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index, for example, a flexible type adhesive made of an acrylic material is allowed to intervene at end surface portions of the respective display blocks and between the display blocks and the inner wall of the frame.

Abstract: A large number of display components are arranged and fixed, for example, in a matrix configuration on a first principal surface of a large optical guide plate to construct a main display device body. A substance having a light-transmitting property adjusted for its refractive index is allowed to intervene at least between the large optical guide plate and the display components. The refractive index of the substance is preferably similar to the refractive index of the large optical guide plate as closely as possible. As for the light-transmitting property of the substrate, it is preferable that the transmittance is not less than 50% for the perpendicular incident light at the wavelength in the visible light region, and it is more preferable that the transmittance is not less than 70%, in order to successfully introduce the light into the display component in an efficient manner and suppress the electric power consumption.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator comprising a plurality of piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements arranged in alignment like teeth of a comb on a base plate and being driven by means of dislocation of piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements. The cell driving type actuator is characterized in that each of cells is formed independently from its adjacent cells by closing respective planes facing the base plate and being positioned between two adjacent piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements with respective cover plates. Thus, there is provided a piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator; wherein a heating process at a high temperature can be applied, mass production at low cost is possible; the actuator includes cells with slit portions having a width of 60 &mgr;m or less and a high aspect ratio, the cells can be activated with high electric field strength, and great displacement can be obtained with small electric field strength.

Abstract: A biochip manufacturing method can densely align spots of a plurality of samples in predetermined locations on a substrate using a discharge head equipped with one or more discharge modules composed of one or more discharge units, and a first moving table on which one or more trays with one or more substrates fixed thereon are detachably mounted. According to the biochip manufacturing method, the high precision in the operation for densely aligning and fixing droplets with a minute volume on a predetermined substrate (micro spot-forming operation) can be attained, and the time required for the micro spot-forming operation can be shortened as well.

Abstract: An optical switch disposed in intermediate positions of optical paths to define a channel of a light signal constitutes a cell member in whose interior cells are formed and a waveguide member having fine slits; and a gas is filled in cells of which side walls are formed by piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements or antiferroelectric elements, a liquid is filled in the fine slits, and the cells and the fine slits are communicated to each other via a communicating hole; optical waveguides intersect at the fine slits, and the cells are disposed at the crossing locations, and said side walls are expanded/constricted by applying an electric field to the piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements or antiferroelectric elements which form the side walls of the cells, and a part of the gas stored in each cell is ejected at a corresponding intersection area from said communicating hole into the corresponding fine slit.

Abstract: A fabrication method of an industrial part having high-aspect-ratio through-hole sections using a punch and a die, includes a first step of drilling a first hole section in a first sheet of sheet material with the above punch; a second step of lifting the above first sheet in tight contact with a stripper; a third step of lifting a tip section of the above punch so as to be slightly drawn in from a bottom section of the above lifted first sheet; a fourth step of drilling a second hole section in a second sheet of sheet material with the above punch; a fifth step of lifting the above second sheet in tight contact with the above first sheet; a sixth step of lifting the tip section of the above punch so as to be slightly drawn in from the bottom section of the above lifted second sheet, and, the subsequent steps of repeating the above fourth to sixth steps for lamination of a plurality of sheets of sheet material.

Abstract: By smoothing a full-color image, staircasing of characters even in a gradation image is removed. An area to be smoothed is detected from image data having a plurality of color components, and image data included in the detected area is smoothed in units of color components. Image data which places an importance on resolution is smoothed by increasing the resolution to reproduce smooth characters and figures. Image data which places an importance on gradation characteristic is output without increasing the resolution, thus attaining high-gradation recording. A character or figure is detected from bitmap image data input from external equipment, and is smoothed. In correspondence with the density of the smoothed image data, the pulse width is switched, thereby changing the resolution of image data.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator in which a plurality of piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements each consisting of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive body and at least one pair of electrodes are formed on a thick ceramic substrate, said actuator being activated by the displacement of said piezoelectric/electrostrictive bodies, is provided. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements are joined to said ceramic substrate into respective unified bodies, and are two-dimensionally arranged independently of each other. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator ensures providing a greater displacement with a lower voltage, a high responsive speed, and a greater generating force, as well as enhancing the mounting ability and the integration as well as a method for manufacturing such a actuator can be provided.

Abstract: Directed to an optical switch being disposed in intermediate positions of optical paths to define a channel of a light signal: being constituted of a cell member in whose interior cells are formed and a waveguide member having fine slits; and a gas is filled in cells of which side walls are formed by piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements or antiferroelectric elements, a liquid is filled in the fine slits, and the cells and the fine slits are communicated to each other via a communicating hole; optical waveguides intersect at the fine slits, and the cells are disposed at the crossing locations, and said side walls are expanded/constricted by applying an electric field to the piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements or antiferroelectric elements which form the side walls of the cells, and a part of the gas stored in each cell is ejected at a corresponding intersection area from said communicating hole into the corresponding fine slit: the optical switch thus produced being able to suppresses an increase in the

Abstract: A method for removing punched fragments usable in the method wherein perforations in a workpiece 3 are conducted by using a punch 10 and a die 12; comprising lifting workpiece 3 while tightly attaching to a stripper 11 without extracting punch 10 from perforations after its formation in workpiece 3, subsequently pushing back punch 10 lifted from the die 12 so as to make it protrude slightly from the bottommost end of perforation, and performing operation for removing punched fragments in that condition. The method for removing punched fragments can be easily performed even a very narrow space is available in a counterbore of a die, and can ensure no punched fragment remained inside perforations, and therefore can improve yield of a product being fabricated. Also presented is a method for producing an article by punching inclusive of the method for removing punched fragments.

Abstract: A chip peeling apparatus has a plurality of protrusions which include first protrusions and second protrusions lower than the first protrusions. A vacuum pump communicates through holes with grooves defined between adjacent ones of the protrusions. A UV sheet is attached to chips, and the chips are supported in the vicinity of their corners by the tops of the first protrusions. When the vacuum pump is actuated, the chips and streets disposed between the chips are lowered, and the chips are curved and supported in abutment against the tops of the second protrusions. Each of the chips is gradually peeled off the UV sheet under a force tending to recover the original shape of the curved sheet. The chip peeling apparatus is effective in preventing the chips from being damaged and positionally deviated when the chips are attracted and carried.

Abstract: A micro pump member, in which a plurality of cells formed in a base part is used as pressurizing chambers, and side walls forming said pressurizing chambers are constructed by piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements, and the volume of said pressurizing chambers is changed by the displacement of said piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements to produce a pressure in the pressurizing chambers. Said pressurizing chambers are formed to be independent of the adjacent pressurizing chambers. Activation can be carried out by applying a driving electric field having a high field strength to the pressuring chambers, so that a greater displacement and a higher response can be obtained with a smaller field strength.

Abstract: A micro pump having at least one pump member for conveying a fluid by action of pressure is provided; the pump member comprising a pump unit, and the pump unit being formed by at least one actuator member for generating a pressure fluctuation and a fluid channel member in which a fluid flows, and the actuator member provided with a cell formed by disposing two side walls made of piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements or antiferrodielectric elements on a connecting plate, and covering surface facing the connecting plate between said side walls with a cover plate; and the actuator member selectively forms a fluid channel and generates pressure fluctuation in the fluid channel member due to displacement of the cell caused by expansion/contraction of the side wall: present micro pump being small and thin in size, with attainment of increasing fluid ejection amount(move amount), and high speed in response.

Abstract: A light absorbing member is disposed on the periphery of a display element, a light absorbing layer is applied to an area that appears as a bright defect, and a projection is disposed on a surface of an optical waveguide panel of the display element which confronts a large-size light guide panel. If the projection comprises at least three projections, then the projections should preferably be disposed in respective positions spaced from the closest side of the display element by a distance of at most L/3 where L represents the length of a longer side of the display element.

Abstract: A piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator in which a plurality of piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements each consisting of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive body and at least one pair of electrodes are formed on a thick ceramic substrate, said actuator being activated by the displacement of said piezoelectric/electrostrictive bodies, is provided. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive elements are joined to said ceramic substrate into respective unified bodies, and are two-dimensionally arranged independently of each other. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator ensures providing a greater displacement with a lower voltage, a high responsive speed, and a greater generating force, as well as enhancing the mounting ability and the integration as well as a method for manufacturing such a actuator can be provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including an input circuit for selectively inputting a binary image signal and a multivalued image signal from an external device, a holding circuit for holding the serially input image signal for a predetermined period, outputting the image signal in units of a plurality of pixels, holding the image signal for a period corresponding to the number of the unit pixels and an information amount per pixel, and changing the number of the unit pixels in accordance with whether the input image signal is a multivalued signal or a binary signal for one pixel, a memory for storing the image signal from the holding circuit in units of the plurality of pixels, a readout circuit for reading out the image signal from the memory in units of the plurality of pixels, and an image forming circuit for forming an image on the basis of the image signal read out by the readout circuit.

Abstract: The present invention is a power supply device including a power input terminal which inputs a DC voltage, a DC/DC converter which has a feedback terminal and converts the input DC voltage from the power input terminal, a power output terminal which outputs the DC voltage converted by the DC/DC converter, a voltage generator which supplies a voltage, and a resistor which is connected between the power output terminal and the voltage generator. The feedback terminal is connected between the register and voltage generator.

Abstract: A stamping punch of a punching apparatus including a grip member provided with crosspieces formed between long grooves on side walls of a rectangular parallelepiped, and a plurality of punch members which are formed integrally with the grip member. The respective punch members are arranged in parallel to one another. A plurality of holes are defined on a punch holder. A large amount of adhesive is contained in the gap between joining surfaces when the grip members of the stamping punches are inserted and secured into the respective holes. Accordingly, the positional accuracy of the punch member is improved, the accuracy of the hole defined through a workpiece is improved, and it is possible to eliminate any fear of occurrence of defect in shape. Further, the rigidity of the punch member can be improved, the stripper is prevented from application of unbalanced load, and the punch is easily exchangeable.