Abstract: A fuse element of a SCP is reliably fusion-cut with a simple circuit configuration to interrupt an electric current. In a power supply equipped with a battery unit, a control circuit (7) is configured to control turning on and off of a switch (6) configured to connect the SCP (3) which is connected in series to a battery unit (1) and is configured to interrupt charge and discharge currents in an abnormal state. Battery unit 1 includes battery cells (2) connected in series to one another. The SCP (3) includes fuse element 4 connected in series to an output end of the battery unit (1), and a heater (5) configured to fusion-cut the fuse element (4). The switch (6) includes switching elements (10) each of which has one terminal connected to the heater (5) and another terminal connected to a corresponding one of different-voltage terminals (11) of the battery unit 1.

Abstract: A battery pack includes: a charging voltage detector for detecting charging voltage applied to a charging path; a charging first transistor disposed in series on the charging path for controlling charging current flowing through the charging path; a charging second transistor for controlling operation of the charging first transistor; and a controller for controlling operation of the charging first transistor and the charging second transistor. Based on the charging current detected by a charging current detector and the charging voltage detected by the charging voltage detector, the controller can adjust the charging current for charging the battery block, by controlling second ON resistance that is ON resistance of the charging second transistor in a linear region of the charging second transistor, and by controlling first ON resistance that is ON resistance of the charging first transistor in a linear region of the charging first transistor using the second ON resistance.

Abstract: A battery pack includes: a charging voltage detector for detecting charging voltage applied to charging path; a charging first transistor disposed in series on the charging path for controlling charging current flowing through the charging path; a charging second transistor for controlling operation of the charging first transistor; and a controller for controlling operation of the charging first transistor and the charging second transistor. Based on the charging current detected by a charging current detector and the charging voltage detected by the charging voltage detector, the controller can adjust the charging current for charging the battery block, by controlling second ON resistance that is ON resistance of the charging second transistor in a linear region of the charging second transistor, and by controlling first ON resistance that is ON resistance of the charging first transistor in a linear region of the charging first transistor using the second ON resistance.

Abstract: An overcurrent detecting circuit includes: a voltage detecting unit that detects a terminal voltage of a battery; a variation detecting unit that detects a variation in the terminal voltage within a base time set in advance, based on a terminal voltage detected by the voltage detecting unit; and an overcurrent judging unit that judges that an overcurrent has flowed inside the battery in a case where a variation detected by the variation detecting unit exceeds a reference threshold value set in advance.

Abstract: A charging circuit includes: a battery connection terminal for connection to a secondary battery; a power supply connection terminal for receiving, from a power supply unit which outputs a current for charging the secondary battery, the current; first and second switching elements, connected in series between the power supply connection terminal and the battery connection terminal, and turning on and off the current flowing from the power supply connection terminal to the battery connection terminal; a current detection unit for detecting the current flowing from the power supply connection terminal to the battery connection terminal; a charging control unit for supplying a pulse-shape charging current to the battery connection terminal by repeating a process of turning on the first and second switching elements, a process of turning on the first switching element and turning off the second switching element, and a process of turning off the first switching element and turning on the second switching element;

Abstract: A image recognition device using pattern elements is disclosed. The device comprises an image recognition device, a recording medium, and an image processing device which is be capable of executing recognition processing accurately and evaluating an input image even when the input image data is a different size because the input image has been magnified or reduced. To achieve the objectives, the image recognition device of this invention has a pattern element recognizing means to recognize the pattern elements obtained by dividing the input image into a plurality of regions which are compared with corresponding target pattern elements, and a pattern detection means to detect the relative position of the pattern elements, which determines whether the pattern elements detected by the pattern element recognizing means are arranged properly with respect to each other.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide an image processing device and image input device which creates strong features, or enhanced pattern which could be recognized when the image was read and which would prove difficult to eliminate through subsequent image processing. When the image is generated at the later step, these features would be easily recognized by the processing according to this invention because the image is equipped with the enhanced pattern which is easy to detect. In order to achieve this object, the image processing device according to this invention is equipped with a data synthesizing unit to synthesize the clear target pattern on the candidate target pattern which is not fully clear when the recognition unit has detected a pattern similar to the target pattern.

Abstract: Fluctuation information produced by a fluctuation producing portion (36) is superimposed on given image data by a fluctuation superimposing portion (35). The superimposed image data where the fluctuation information is superimposed is subjected to an image recognition process by an image recognition portion (37). The results of the image recognition are sent to a printer body through a recognition result outputting portion (39). Even if the given image data is the same, fluctuation is superimposed, and therefore the image data on an object to be recognized is altered. As a result, the possibility of a recognition error is suppressed as much as possible.

Abstract: A printer (30) prints image data received from a personal computer (20). The printer stores a recognition program, which is installed for the printer driver of the personal computer. The personal computer executes the received recognition program to carry out recognition. Upon detecting a specific image, the personal computer instructs the printer to discontinue the printing operation. An image processing system is thus provided which prohibits the printer from producing printout if the personal computer connected with the printer detects a prohibited image.

Abstract: An ultrasonic wave receiver receives an ultrasonic wave outputted by an ultrasonic wave oscillator, and outputs a receiving signal. A level determining unit makes a determination as to the presence or absence of a sheet of paper based upon a level of the receiving signal. A CPU is informed of this determining signal through a processing unit. An oscillation peak detector detects a peak value of a transmission signal used for controlling an ultrasonic wave transmitter, which is transmitted from an oscillation amplifier. A receiving peak detector detects a peak value of the receiving signal received by the ultrasonic transmitter. The phase difference of the two signals is detected based upon the difference in count values of a loop counter between the timing in which the peak value of the transmission signal is detected and the timing in which the peak value of the receiving signal is detected.

Abstract: A computer (901) has a function of controlling operation of an image recognition unit (201) for counterfeiting prevention in a printer (902). According to this function, a control signal (S1) for instructing operation of the image recognition unit is output to the printer when the type of a command (C1) received from an application (102) is a command type of an image as an object of counterfeiting prevention, while the control signal is not output when the type of the received command is not the command type of an image as an object of counterfeiting prevention. The printer has a function of operating the image recognition unit for image data (D1) applied from the computer only when the control signal is received from the computer.

Abstract: An non-reproducible image formation preventing apparatus has a recognition section, a storage section and a comparison/determination section. The recognition section performs recognition processing for received image data, determines whether or not the image data is an non-reproducible image, and outputs the determination result to an image formation section. The storage section stores non-reproducible image data recognized as an non-reproducible image by the recognition section. The comparison/determination section compares the non-reproducible image data stored in the storage section with an image based on input image data given through an image process section and finding a match degree therebetween. If either of the comparison/determination section and the recognition section determines that the image is an non-reproducible image, a detection signal is sent to the image formation section for stopping normal print.

Abstract: An ultrasonic wave receiver receives an ultrasonic wave outputted by an ultrasonic wave oscillator, and outputs a receiving signal. A level determining unit makes a determination as to the presence or absence of a sheet of paper based upon a level of the receiving signal. A CPU is informed of this determining signal through a processing unit. An oscillation peak detector detects a peak value of a transmission signal used for controlling an ultrasonic wave transmitter, which is transmitted from an oscillation amplifier. A receiving peak detector detects a peak value of the receiving signal received by the ultrasonic transmitter. The phase difference of the two signals is detected based upon the difference in count values of a loop counter between the timing in which the peak value of the transmission signal is detected and the timing in which the peak value of the receiving signal is detected.