Abstract: A self-POS system (1) according to the present disclosure is a self-POS system whereby a customer registers a commodity and checks out and includes a sensor (2) that detects that the customer has retrieved the commodity in a display state, an imaging apparatus (3) that images the customer, and a control unit (4) connected the sensor (2) and the imaging apparatus (3). The control unit (4) is configured to record, as a problem image, an image including at least an image at the time of the retrieval of the commodity when the commodity detected by the sensor (2) as having been retrieved is not registered. Thus, it is possible to provide a self-POS system, a self-POS terminal apparatus, a control method, and a control program capable of recording a fraudulent act at the time of check-out.

Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient heat treatment such as activation treatment of impurities on a substrate such as a thick silicon wafer with large heat capacity by laser annealing. Provided is a laser annealing apparatus 1 for heat-treating a surface of a substrate 30 comprising: a pulse oscillation laser source 10 which generates a pulse laser with gentle rise time and long pulse width; a continuous wave laser source 20 which generates a near-infrared laser for assisting annealing; optical systems 12, 22 which shape and guide beams 15, 25 of the two types of lasers respectively so as to irradiate the surface of the substrate 30 therewith; and a moving device 3 which moves the substrate 30 relatively to the laser beams 15, 25 to allow scanning of the combined irradiation of the two types of laser beams.

Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient heat treatment such as activation treatment of impurities on a substrate such as a thick silicon wafer with large heat capacity by laser annealing. Provided is a laser annealing apparatus 1 for heat-treating a surface of a substrate 30 comprising: a pulse oscillation laser source 10 which generates a pulse laser with gentle rise time and long pulse width; a continuous wave laser source 20 which generates a near-infrared laser for assisting annealing; optical systems 12, 22 which shape and guide beams 15, 25 of the two types of lasers respectively so as to irradiate the surface of the substrate 30 therewith; and a moving device 3 which moves the substrate 30 relatively to the laser beams 15, 25 to allow scanning of the combined irradiation of the two types of laser beams.

Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient heat treatment such as activation treatment of impurities on a substrate such as a thick silicon wafer with large heat capacity by laser annealing. Provided is a laser annealing apparatus 1 for heat-treating a surface of a substrate 30 comprising: a pulse oscillation laser source 10 which generates a pulse laser with gentle rise time and long pulse width; a continuous wave laser source 20 which generates a near-infrared laser for assisting annealing; optical systems 12, 22 which shape and guide beams 15, 25 of the two types of lasers respectively so as to irradiate the surface of the substrate 30 therewith; and a moving device 3 which moves the substrate 30 relatively to the laser beams 15, 25 to allow scanning of the combined irradiation of the two types of laser beams.

Abstract: A remote monitoring system includes an object apparatus and a monitoring apparatus monitoring a current state of the object apparatus over a communications network. The object apparatus includes a state information reporting unit reporting information about the current state of the object apparatus, and a test data generating unit generating test data and controlling the state information reporting unit to output the test data to the monitoring apparatus via the communications network. The monitoring apparatus includes a test data returning unit returning the test data back to the object apparatus via the communications network so that the test data generating unit of the object apparatus compares the returned test data with the test data generated by the test generating unit to discriminate whether the state information reporting unit is in condition for normal reporting.

Abstract: A remote monitoring system includes an object apparatus and a monitoring apparatus monitoring a current state of the object apparatus over a communications network. The object apparatus includes a state information reporting unit reporting information about the current state of the object apparatus, and a test data generating unit generating test data and controlling the state information reporting unit to output the test data to the monitoring apparatus via the communications network. The monitoring apparatus includes a test data returning unit returning the test data back to the object apparatus via the communications network so that the test data generating unit of the object apparatus compares the returned test data with the test data generated by the test generating unit to discriminate whether the state information reporting unit is in condition for normal reporting.

Abstract: A remote monitoring system includes an object apparatus and a monitoring apparatus monitoring a current state of the object apparatus over a communications network. The object apparatus includes a state information reporting unit reporting information about the current state of the object apparatus, and a test data generating unit generating test data and controlling the state information reporting unit to output the test data to the monitoring apparatus via the communications network. The monitoring apparatus includes a test data returning unit returning the test data back to the object apparatus via the communications network so that the test data generating unit of the object apparatus compares the returned test data with the test data generated by the test generating unit to discriminate whether the state information reporting unit is in condition for normal reporting.

Abstract: A dispersing method carried out in a liquid feeding system includes passing a dispersing medium containing an oil droplet type emulsified material at a flow rate of not less than 5 cc/cm.sup.2.min through a filter with a plurality of pores having such a size as to permit an oil droplet type emulsified material having a predetermined particle diameter to pass therethrough to reduce the size of the coarse particles of the oil droplet type emulsified material to below a predetermined particle diameter. The dispersing method is particularly suitable for use in the production of photographic layers.

Abstract: A yellow dye developer having improved photographic properties represented by the formula (I) ##STR1## wherein X represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a nitro group, a hydroxyl group, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an acylamino group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; Z represents an atomic group necessary for completing a furan ring or a benzofuran ring; Y represents a hydroxyl group, an acyloxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an alkoxyacyloxy group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms; Ar represents an aromatic ring; R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an acyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 represents a hydroxyl group, an acyloxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or an alkoxyacyloxy group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms with the R.sub.2 group being at the ortho-position to the azo group; m and n each is an integer of 1 to 4; and at least one of X, Z, Ar and R.sub.

Abstract: A converter for the purification of exhaust gases from internal combustion engines and the like which comprises a first converting layer of a catalyst of a sintered body structure selected from the group consisting of nickel oxide-copper oxide; manganese oxide-cerium oxide; manganese oxide-lanthanum oxide; manganese oxide-iron oxide; manganese oxide-niobium oxide; manganese oxide-nickel oxide; and either niobium oxide or yttrium oxide or mixtures of both with cobalt oxide; and a second converting layer of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum; platinum-rhodium; platinum-palladium; and nickel oxide, chromium oxide, copper oxide, iron oxide and barium oxide; wherein the converter is constructed so that the exhaust gases pass through said first converting layer and then through said second converting layer. A copper-filled layer consisting of a copper-containing material may be further provided upstream of said first and second converting layers.

Abstract: A dye developer represented by the following general formula (I), ##SPC1##wherein X is a hydrogen atom, a bromine atom, a nitro group, an acylamino group, a hydroxyl group or an alkyl group having not more than 4 carbon atoms; n is 1, 2 or 3; Y is an acyl group having not more than 4 carbon atoms; and Ar is a mono- or polyaryl group; and wherein an aromatic ring can be condensed in the 4-and 5-positions of the furan ring nucleus, and at least one of X, the aromatic ring condensed with the furan ring nucleus and Ar being directly connected to or being connected through an atom or an atomic grouping to a polyphenol having developing activity for silver halide.