Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a POS terminal comprises a connection section configured to connect with an I/O card; a card information acquisition section configured to acquire, when a first I/O card connected with a general-purpose component is connected with the connection section, hardware information of the I/O card containing a model number; a card information storage section configured to store a model number list of supportable I/O cards; and a card information comparison determination section configured to determine whether or not the model number of the first I/O card is recorded in the model number list.

Abstract: A shopping supporting system for supporting a customer in moving the purchased commodity comprises a shopping supporting management server, a sales settlement terminal, a store server and a reader/writer, wherein the shopping supporting management server comprises a customer information management section; a delivery number issuing section; a delivery number management section; a delivery information management section; and a delivery method determination section; the sales settlement terminal; a purchase amount calculation section; a delivery condition input section; and a delivery slip output section; the store server; and the reader/writer acquires.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, an information processing apparatus comprises a power supply section configured to be connectable to an AC power supply, a battery, a remaining battery level detection section configured to detect the remaining battery level, a first threshold value setting section configured to set a charge level lower than a full charge of the battery, a second threshold value setting section configured to set a charge level lower than the first threshold value, and a charging condition setting section configured to output an instruction on charging of the battery such that the remaining battery level changes back and forth between the first threshold value and the second threshold value.

Abstract: A dual power supply system includes a first power storage battery, a second power storage battery, and a power controller. The first power storage battery is to supply power to a load and has a first internal resistance. The second power storage battery is to supply power to the load and has a second internal resistance higher than the first internal resistance. The power controller is configured to control the second power storage battery to be charged and discharged. The power controller is configured to prohibit the second power storage battery from being charged while the load is in operation.

Abstract: A shopping supporting system for supporting a customer in moving the purchased commodity comprises a shopping supporting management server, a sales settlement terminal, a store server and a reader/writer, wherein the shopping supporting management server comprises a customer information management section; a delivery number issuing section; a delivery number management section; a delivery information management section; and a delivery method determination section; the sales settlement terminal; a purchase amount calculation section; a delivery condition input section; and a delivery slip output section; the store server; and the reader/writer acquires.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, an information processing apparatus comprises a power supply section configured to be connectable to an AC power supply, a battery, a remaining battery level detection section configured to detect the remaining battery level, a first threshold value setting section configured to set a charge level lower than a full charge of the battery, a second threshold value setting section configured to set a charge level lower than the first threshold value, and a charging condition setting section configured to output an instruction on charging of the battery such that the remaining battery level changes back and forth between the first threshold value and the second threshold value.

Abstract: A process of catalytic partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon fuel with an oxidant to produce partially-oxidized reaction products including hydrogen, with simultaneous in-situ coke removal. The process involves feeding a hydrocarbon fuel and an oxidant to a reactor in a fuel-rich feed ratio; reacting the fuel and oxidant for a fuel-rich cycle-time so as to produce a partially-oxidized reaction product; varying the fuel feed, or the oxidant feed, or both feeds to produce a fuel-lean feed to the reactor; maintaining the fuel-lean feed for a fuel-lean cycle-time sufficient to reduce coke deposits while maintaining a substantially constant yield of partially-oxidized reaction product; and alternating between the fuel-rich and fuel-lean operating cycles.

Abstract: An exhaust purification device for an internal combustion engine is provided that can promote the reduction of NOx in a NOx purification catalyst from immediately after startup of the internal combustion engine.

Abstract: Provided is a fuel reforming device, which can produce and supply a reformed gas in quick response to a demand for the reformed gas and which is so inexpensive as can be suitably mounted on a vehicle. The fuel reforming device feeds a material to a reforming catalyst and produces the reformed gas under a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure. The fuel reforming device comprises a material supply means for supplying the material to the reforming catalyst, a reforming means having the reforming catalyst, for reforming the material supplied from the material supply means, to produce the reformed gas, and a run control means for controlling the run of the fuel reforming device.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification device for an internal combustion engine, in which a catalyst installed in an exhaust passage is quickly heated to the activation temperature of the catalyst.

Abstract: An apparatus for fuel reforming is provided that utilizes pulsed injectors for a fuel flow controller and an air flow controller, and the injectors are integrated with an atomizing mixer thereby producing a fuel-air mixture having an O/C Ratio which, in turn, is passed to a Catalytic Partial Oxidation reactor. Use of this apparatus permits beneficial long term operation of this Catalytic Partial Oxidation reactor.

Abstract: Provided is an exhaust emission control device for an internal combustion engine capable of preventing NOx purification performance from degrading according to the operating condition. The exhaust emission control device comprises a NOx purification catalyst, a catalytic converter for continuously reducing the NOx in the exhaust emissions, a fuel reformer for reforming fuel to manufacture a reformed gas and supplying the reformed gas as the reducing gas from the upstream side of the NOx purification catalyst and the catalytic converter of the exhaust pipe, an operating condition detecting means for detecting the operating condition of an engine, and an enriching means for enriching the exhaust air-fuel ratio. The enriching means enriches the exhaust air-fuel ratio by supplying the reducing gas into the exhaust pipe by using the fuel reformer when the operating condition detected by the operating condition detecting means is a high-load operating condition.

Abstract: An exhaust cleaning method and exhaust cleaning apparatus for an internal combustion engine (1) in which a fuel is fed and burned under periodical rich/lean combustion conditions. In a fuel reformer (18) disposed independently of an exhaust channel (11) in the engine (1), the fuel for the internal combustion engine (1) is reformed to produce a reformed gas containing carbon monoxide. The reformed gas is supplied to the exhaust to be introduced into an exhaust converter (17) having, disposed therein, a catalyst which adsorbs and reduces nitrogen oxides. The nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust gas are adsorbed and reduced. Thus, the nitrogen oxides contained in the exhaust are removed at a high efficiency.

Abstract: A journal issuing system includes a purchase data storing unit, a journal issue requesting unit, a purchase history searching unit, a purchase amount determining unit, and a purchase history outputting unit. The purchase data storing unit stores purchase data of a customer. The journal issue requesting unit requests issuance of a journal representing a purchase history of the customer. The purchase history searching unit searches for the purchase history of the customer stored in the purchase data storing unit, when the request of the issuance of the journal representing the purchase history of the customer is made. The purchase amount determining unit determines whether the purchase amount searched by the purchase history searching unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The purchase history outputting unit outputs the purchase history of the customer if the purchase amount is equal to or greater than the predetermined value.

Abstract: A process of catalytic partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon fuel, such as diesel, with an oxidant, such as air, to produce a partially-oxidized reaction product, such as a hydrogen-containing fuel gas, with simultaneous in-situ coke removal. The process involves feeding a hydrocarbon fuel and an oxidant to a reactor in a fuel-rich feed ratio; reacting the fuel and oxidant for a fuel-rich cycle-time so as to produce a partially-oxidized reaction product; varying the fuel feed, or the oxidant feed, or both feeds to produce a fuel-lean feed to the reactor; maintaining the fuel-lean feed for a fuel-lean cycle-time sufficient to reduce coke deposits while maintaining a substantially constant yield of partially-oxidized reaction product; and alternating between the fuel-rich and fuel-lean operating cycles.

Abstract: Provided is an exhaust gas cleaner by which nitrogen oxides contained in an exhaust gas can be efficiently removed in a wide temperature range from a low temperature. The exhaust gas cleaner (10) is for use in purifying the exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine (15) in which fuel is fed under periodical rich or lean conditions and burned. The cleaner (10) comprises: a reforming means (11) which generates a reforming gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide; a means of low-temperature oxidation (12) which contains palladium and which thereby can oxidize and adsorb nitrogen oxides at low temperatures and oxidize the hydrogen and carbon monoxide; and a purifying means (13) which under lean conditions adsorbs nitrogen oxides and which under rich conditions releases the adsorbed nitrogen oxides and removes the released nitrogen oxides with the hydrogen and carbon monoxide present in the channel.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an optical touch device is disclosed. The device includes a housing having an opening through which a screen is exposed, light-emitting elements provided along a first side of the opening and configured to emit infrared light, and a drive unit configured to sequentially select and drive the light-emitting elements. The device further includes a detection control unit configured to output a timing signal synchronized with the timing of the driving operation of the drive unit and to detect a position of a blocking object on the screen. Further, the device includes light-receiving sensors, provided along a second side of the opening, opposite the first side of the opening, configured to be selected by the timing signal to output to the detection control unit a result of reception of the infrared light, the light-receiving sensors including different kinds of light-receiving sensors differing in a light-receiving characteristic.

Abstract: An apparatus for fuel reforming is provided that utilizes pulsed injectors for a fuel flow controller and an air flow controller, and the injectors are integrated with an atomizing mixer thereby producing a fuel-air mixture having an O/C Ratio which, in turn, is passed to a Catalytic Partial Oxidation reactor. Use of this apparatus permits beneficial long term operation of this Catalytic Partial Oxidation reactor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a control apparatus for a fuel reformer, which enables control with consideration of the nonlinearity of the thermal model of a reforming catalyst.

Abstract: Provided is a fuel reforming device, which can produce and supply a reformed gas in quick response to a demand for the reformed gas and which is so inexpensive as can be suitably mounted on a vehicle. The fuel reforming device feeds a material to a reforming catalyst and produces the reformed gas under a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure. The fuel reforming device comprises a material supply means for supplying the material to the reforming catalyst, a reforming means having the reforming catalyst, for reforming the material supplied from the material supply means, to produce the reformed gas, and a run control means for controlling the run of the fuel reforming device.