Abstract: A noncontacting power transfer apparatus, a noncontacting signal transfer apparatus(to be referred to below as a power coupler and a signal coupler, respectively), and a separate machine apparatus that uses these couplers are disclosed. The power coupler is composed of a primary side and a secondary side that are fixed to a static unit and rotatable unit of the machine apparatus, respectively, such that its output does not vary with arbitrary rotation by the rotatable unit. The signal coupler is composed of receiving side portion having a electric-to-light conversion device that converts an electric signal to an optical signal of rotational symmetry relative to the axis of rotation of the rotatable unit and a photoelectric conversion device that converts an optical signal to an electric signal. Accordingly, the rotatable unit can be supplied with power from the static unit even while rotating, and moreover, can communicate with the static unit.

Abstract: A noncontacting power transfer apparatus, a noncontacting signal transfer apparatus, and a separate machine apparatus that uses these couplers are disclosed. The power coupler is composed of a primary side and a secondary side that are fixed to a static unit and rotatable unit of the machine apparatus, respectively, such that its output does not vary with arbitrary rotation by the rotatable unit. The signal coupler is composed of receiving side portion having a electric-to-light conversion device that converts an electric signal to an optical signal of rotational symmetry relative to the axis of rotation of the rotatable unit and a photoelectric conversion device that converts an optical signal to an electric signal. Accordingly, the rotatable unit can be supplied with power from the static unit even while rotating, and moreover, can communicate with the static unit. Further, the rotatable unit can be easily attached to the static unit and can be removed from the static unit.

Abstract: In an image processing apparatus, classifications in an alias table can be integrated, at the same time, a new classification name can be defined and a title can be automatically corrected. With this apparatus, after similar classifications of an alias table have been registered, the classifications can be corrected, with the result that the confusion of classifications is prevented, an image can be accurately retrieved in the future and titles can be automatically corrected when aliases are integrated.

Abstract: A high-hardness metal skin film is formed of an aggregate of metal crystals. The area rate A of pyramid-shaped metal crystals in a surface of the skin film is in a range of A.gtoreq.40%. The aggregate contains at least one element selected from boron (B), carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) as an added element, wherein the B content is in a range of B.gtoreq.0.01% by weight, the C content is in a range of C.gtoreq.0.03% by weight, and the H content is in a range of H.gtoreq.0.01% by weight. The skin surface takes on an intricate aspect due to the presence of a large number pyramid-shaped metal crystals and hence, has a good oil retention. In addition, the wear of each pyramid-shaped metal crystal is inhibited by an increase in hardness produced with the containment of boron and/or carbon and/or hydrogen and therefore, the oil retention is maintained.

Abstract: An information recording-reproducing apparatus for optically effecting the recording and/or reproduction of information on a disk-like recording medium having a plurality of tracks thereon includes an optical head for applying a light beam for effecting the recording and/or reproduction of the information to a desired track on the medium, a guide for guiding the optical head radially of the medium to have access to the desired track on the medium, and a yoke and a permanent magnet fixed to the apparatus and a first linear motor coil for the rough driving and a second linear motor coil for the precise driving provided on the optical head to generate a driving force for moving the optical head along the guide.

Abstract: A shutter opening device for opening a shutter of a cartridge when the cartridge is loaded into an information processing apparatus such as a magneto-optical recording/reproducing apparatus has an engagement mechanism which is adapted to engage with a portion of the shutter when the cartridge is inserted. The engagement mechanism causes the shutter to be in an open state during the course of loading of the cartridge. The engagement mechanism is movable with the cartridge in the loading operation while the open state of the shutter is maintained until the completion of the loading to avoid any interference of the shutter with a magnetic field application device.

Abstract: A slide surface construction is formed of an aggregate of Fe crystals having a body-centered cubic structure. The aggregate includes {222} oriented Fe crystals with their {222} planes by Miller indices oriented toward a slide surface. The content S of the {222} oriented Fe crystals is in a range represented by S.gtoreq.20%, preferably in a range represented by S.gtoreq.40%. The {222} oriented Fe crystals form a trigonal pyramid shape on the slide surface, which provides good oil retention for the slide surface construction. Thus, the slide surface construction exhibits an excellent seizure resistance.

Abstract: An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus which records, reproduces or erases information by irradiating a disk-like optical information recording medium, supported on a turn table, with a plurality of beam spots through an optical system. A mechanism for moving the turn table in a direction substantially perpendicular to a tracking direction which extends radially from an axis of the information recording medium and intersects at least one of the beam spots, is used to effect tracking adjustment of the beam spots. A mechanism for rotating the plurality of beam spots on the optical axis of the optical system is also used in combination with the turn table moving mechanism to extend the range of tracking adjustment of the plurality of beam spots.

Abstract: A prefetch buffer adapted to be installed between a cache memory and a main memory in a computer system having a CPU. The prefetch buffer includes a buffer storage having at least one entry for storing prefetched data and an address tag, which is to be used for searching the data, as a pair; a data searcher for searching, from the data stored in the buffer storage, for data having an address requested by the CPU; and an address estimator for determining an address of data to be prefetched next from the main memory, based on the address requested by the CPU and also on a history of the addresses of data prefetched in the past from the main memory; and an address generator for generating an address of data to be prefetched from the main memory. With this arrangement, it is possible to improve the hit ratio of the prefetch buffer regardless of the direction in which the access address varies.

Abstract: A central control apparatus and a plurality of terminal apparatuses are connected through a line. In the central control apparatus, a plurality of images are stored in an optical disk in accordance with a hierarchical structure having four hierarchical levels of cabinet, binder, document, and page, and retrieval information constituted by a plurality of keys each for retrieving a corresponding image is stored in a magnetic disk with different title structures (key structures) in units of binders. A desired image is retrieved from the optical disk in accordance with designation of the retrieval information stored in the magnetic disk. A metabinder having a plurality of binders having the same title structure of the retrieval information has a level higher than that of the cabinet. In the central control apparatus, a title table group of the metabinders is stored in the magnetic disk independently of the binders.

Abstract: Before an optical disk is inserted into an electronic filing system, one of three mode-setting keys provided on a keyboard is pushed, thereby setting an automatic mode for permitting automatic updating of retrieval data items, an inhibit mode for inhibiting the automatic updating of retrieval data items, and a select mode for selecting the automatic updating of retrieval data items or the inhibition thereof. The mode, thus set, is recorded on a magnetic disk. When the optical disk is inserted into the system, the mode is read from the magnetic disk. The mode read from the magnetic disk controls the updating of the retrieval data items recorded on the magnetic disk.

Abstract: An image information search apparatus includes an input unit inputting a search start instruction and a search stop instruction, an image information storage unit for storing a plurality of pieces of image information, and a searching unit for, in response to the search start instruction, referring to the image information storage unit to sequentially read out predetermined some of the plurality of pieces of image information and display the readout image information, and in response to the search stop instruction, stopping referring of the image information storage unit and displaying image information a predetermined number of pieces of image information before image information displayed upon stop. In high-speed search/display such as page or document turn over search, when stop of a display is instructed, image information displayed when stop is determined can be displayed again.

Abstract: In an automotive four-wheel steering system having a control unit for operating in response to various sensors associated with the front-wheel and rear-wheel steering systems to control the steering of the rear wheels. The control unit includes a first sensor for detecting front-wheel steering force or front-wheel assist (power) steering force, or cornering force occurring in the front wheels, a second sensor for detecting front-wheel steering speed, and a sensor abnormality determination device for operating, when a difference occurs between the values detected by the first sensor and the direction of the front-wheel steering speed detected by the second sensor, to indicate that an abnormality has occurred in either of the first or second sensors. Thus fail-safe operation is assured.

Abstract: A processor performs a pipelined parallel processing by an operand effective address calculation unit for calculating an operand effective address necessary to execute an instruction and an instruction execution unit for executing the instruction. A 64 bit width data operation is performed in such a way that a high order 32 bit operation is performed in an arithmetic device in the operand effective address unit and a low order 32 bit operation is performed in another arithmetic device in the instruction execution unit. A carry is transferred from the low order 32 bit arithmetic device to the high order 32 bit arithmetic device. The arithmetic devices thus joined can perform the 64 bit with data operation as an arithmetic device.

Abstract: A method for controlling an AC induction motor in such a manner that the same degree of control as can be exerted on a DC motor is effected without requiring the use of a flux sensor or coordinate transformations. With reference to an asymmetrical-T type equivalent circuit of the AC induction motor, the input current or voltage to the stator coils of the motor is controlled so that an exciting current has a constant amplitude and continuous phase upon an abrupt change in an input torque instruction. It is demonstrated that this method produces essentially the same control as for a DC motor while methods based upon other equivalent circuits do not.

Abstract: To perform a binder through retrieval on binders which are set out on an optical disk and have different title structures, those binders containing the same key attribute data as a designated retrieval key are retrieved. When binders to be linked are selected from the retrieved binders, only those keys containing the same attribute data as the designated key are extracted from the selected binders. The extracted keys are sequentially arranged in the extracted order, thereby creating a title table for a link binder on a magnetic disk. This title table is retrieved to provide desired image imformation. Alternatively, a binder number/key correlation table is created on the magnetic disk, in accordance with the selection of the binders to be linked. This binder number/key correlation table includes the quantity of linked binders, the number of retrieval keys, the number of each binder and information relating to linked keys for each one of the linked binders.

Abstract: An operation unit capable of performing round processing at a high speed in a floating point operation. A circuit for detecting an overflow on the condition of a signal representing all 1's in an output of a mantissa shifter and a signal representing round-up, a carry look-ahead circuit and a circuit for generating a round precision signal are provided. When the overflow takes place, the mantissa is produced as "1". The operation unit is compatible to single, double and extended precisions recommended by Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).

Abstract: A valve operating device for the intake or exhaust valves of an internal combustion engine wherein a plurality of cam followers are disposed adjacent to each other for operation by different cams in mutually different modes dependent on the speed of rotation of a camshaft. A selective coupling mechanism disposed in and between the cam followers has switching pins movable between a connecting position in which the cam followers are interconnected and a disconnecting position in which the cam followers are disconnected. An oil passage is provided in one or more of the cam followers and the switching pin therein is arranged to control the rate of flow of oil through the oil passage defined in that cam follower in response to movement of the switching pin between the connecting and disconnecting positions. The oil supplied through the oil passage is used for lubricating the cam and cam following sliding surfaces in one embodiment and for operating hydraulic valve lash adjusters in another embodiment.

Abstract: An overcurrent protection circuit for an inverter device including three arms each composed of a pair of series connected electric gates, a junction therebetween being connected to a load and opposite ends being connected across a d.c. power source, and adapted to supply a three-phase a.c. power to the load by on-off controlling the electric gates sequentially according to on-off signals of the electric gates supplied from a control circuit. Majority logic circuitry is provided, and stress conditions in the electric gates which receive substantially a stress produced when the electric gates are turned off are detected in order to release these gates from a large stress exerted on the gates when an output short-circuit occurs. The majority logic circuitry control the sequence of turning off the electric gates so that the stress on the detected gate is reduced, to protect the gates from damage due to excess stress on the gates when the output short-circuit occurs.

Abstract: A bit slice multiplication circuit operating to slice a multiplier, produce products for the sliced multipliers and a multiplicand and sum the products to obtain the multiplication result. The circuit includes a slicing unit for slicing the multiplicand, multiplying units corresponding in number to the number of sliced multiplicands, and adding units provided in correspondence to the multiplying units and implementing summation for multiplication results from corresponding multiplying units while shifting the sliced portions of the multiplicand at each multiplying operation for sliced multipliers and multiplicands by the multiplying units, the multiplication result being obtained by summing all summation results produced by the adding units.