Abstract: When a ZnO layer is formed as a dielectric layer on an amorphous layer, a columnar crystal structure of ZnO is put into disorder whereby not only the amorphous layer but also the dielectric layer function as a barrier for preventing the invasion of moisture and gas from outside whereupon durability of a metal layer (Ag) is improved.

Abstract: An A/D converter comprises a pipeline stage array in which plural pipeline stages are connected in series, each pipeline stage performing a pipeline operation on an inputted analog voltage to output a digital voltage; a number-of-bits control circuit for outputting a number-of-bits selection signal which indicates whether the operation of each pipeline stage should be carried out or halted, according to a number-of-bits control signal which indicates a resolution; and a correction circuit for compensating a digital value to be output, according to the number-of-bits control signal. Therefore, when resolution of the A/D converter, which is requested by the system, is changed, only the pipeline stages required for realizing the requested resolution are operated while the other pipeline stages are halted, whereby a reduction in power consumption of the A/D converter is realized and, simultaneously, a breakdown of an output from the A/D converter is avoided.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit has a plurality of capacitor cells, and each capacitor cell has an upper electrode and a lower electrode. These electrodes are respectively connected to an upper electrode wiring and a lower electrode. When, for example, the upper electrode is connected to the upper electrode wiring and the electrode wiring is located at a side of the lower electrode of another capacitor cell or a side of the lower electrode wiring connecting these electrodes, a shield wiring is provided between the upper electrode wiring and the adjacently-located lower electrode of the other capacitor cell or between the upper electrode wiring and the adjacently-located lower electrode wiring. Thus, with this shield wiring, the capacitance coupling between each wiring of the capacitor cells and each upper electrode or each lower electrode of the capacitor cells are effectively suppressed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for imparting hydrophilicity to a substrate whereby high hydrophilic properties and water-holding properties can be maintained for a long period of time. According to the present invention, an SiO2 film is formed directly or through an undercoat layer on a substrate under a reduced pressure of 100 Pa or less and immediately after the SiO2 film is formed, the SiO2 film is treated with water. Before forming the SiO2 film, it is also desirable that an undercoat layer consisting of a TiO2 film, Al2O3 film, Nb2O5 film, a laminated film prepared by laminating the TiO2 film on the Al2O3 film, a laminated film prepared by laminating the TiO2 film on the Nb2O5 film, or a low emissivity film be formed on a substrate and the SiO2 film be then formed on the undercoat film to serve as an SiO2 composite film.

Abstract: A sub woofer system is constituted of a real time digital signal processing part 5 that includes an A/D converter 5a, a low pass filter block 5b, a delay block 5c, and a D/A converter block 5d, an analog power amplifier 6 and a speaker 7. The length of delay time of the delay block 5c is set so that the length of group delay time of the digital signal processing part 5 may equal an integral multiple of the length of time corresponding to one wavelength of the crossover point frequency between the digital signal processing part 5 and a main speaker 4. The signal processing is performed under the conditions that have been set as such. In this case, a construction is made up wherein the length of a group delay time produced in the digital type real time digital signal processing part can be set to a given value. By this construction, it is possible to provide a sub woofer system which can improve the phase interference between the main speaker and the sub woofer system at the crossover point between the two.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for adjusting a condition of using a collective site for a plurality of registrants who have been registered in advance, wherein at least one of advertisements and transactions is carried out regarding the registrants, is presented. A contributory degree of advertisements carried by each registrant is evaluated. If each registrant has their own advertising resources, such as a website or a mailing list, each registrant bestows slight cost and small effort to advertise the collective site. For example, they can use a part of spaces or times for their own advertisements to advertise the collective site. After evaluating the contributory degree, a condition of using for each registrant is adjusted in accordance with the contributory degree. The higher the contributory degree of advertisements carried by each registrant, the more the number of the audiences of the collective site will increase.

Abstract: A plurality of solar cell groups having a plurality of solar cells connected to each other electrically in serial. A plurality of diodes are connected to each of the solar cell groups electrically in parallel. The plurality of diodes are sealed between transmissive front surface members and transmissive rear surface members together with the plurality of solar cell groups.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a signal transmission circuit for receiving an input signal and outputting an output signal corresponding to the input signal is provided. The signal transmission circuit includes: a first capacitance; an electric charge supply section for supplying electric charge corresponding to the input signal to the first capacitance; a second capacitance; and a transfer section for transferring the electric charge from the first capacitance to the second capacitance. In the signal transmission circuit, the second capacitance is larger than the first capacitance.

Abstract: A reception data expander includes: an adaptive differential pulse code modulation (ADPCM) decoder activated when error detection information attains a reception data error nondetected state for expanding an input ADPCM code into a PCM (pulse code modulation) code, and inhibited of its decoding process operation when the error detection information indicates an error detected state; a memory circuit set to a write state when the error detection information attains an error nondetected state for sequentially storing generated ADPCM code, and outputting a stored PCM code when the error detection information is rendered to an error detected state; and a reconstructed output switch for selecting and providing to the next PCM decoder a PCM code when the error detection information attains an error nondetected state, and a PCM code read out from the memory circuit when the error detection information attains an error detected state.

Abstract: A speaker system is disclosed which is capable of supplying reproduced sounds vibrating in substantially the same manner as in the respiratory sphere to human's sense of hearing by using conventional unidirectional speaker units in combination in a contrived arrangement, and by applying real time digital signal processing by means of a digital signal processor to the speaker units to cancel a peak and a dip in frequency response and in phase response through inverse correction which cannot be canceled only by improving the arrangement of the speaker units, thereby forming a sound emitter capable of providing ideal reproduced sounds. The speaker system comprises an enclosure EC having a basic structure of a hollow 32-hedron composed of 12 pentagonal flat surfaces 1 and 20 hexagonal flat surfaces 2, speaker units 7, 8 or 78 mounted in all or 25-31 of the 32 surfaces, and a real time digital signal processing system inserted in a input line of each of the speaker units 7, 8 or 78.

Abstract: A fuel cell having a plurality of stacked single cells in each of which an electrolyte layer is held between an anode and a cathode and between which a separator is interposed, wherein the electrolyte layer includes a sheet for holding the electrolyte containing, as the main component thereof, fine powder having a function of holding the electrolyte, and reinforcing ceramic fiber disposed in the sheet for holding the electrolyte to substantially run parallel to the surface of the sheet for holding the electrolyte.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an improved latch circuit. In the latch circuit, a composite gate takes in a basic clock signal and a delayed clock signal which is delayed by a delay circuit for a specific amount with respect to the basic clock signal, and puts out to a second drive circuit a first signal identical in waveform with the basic block signal, and further puts out to a first drive circuit a second signal that is delayed in the rising timing with respect to the first signal. As a result of such arrangement, when a transition is made from a feedback period during which an input switch has an off state while a feedback switch has an on state to a sampling period during which the input switch has an on state while the feedback switch has an off state, neither the input switch nor the feedback switch has an on state.

Abstract: An analog memory circuit of the present invention includes: a recording circuit for recording and holding an input analog signal as a charge and for reading out the analog signal after deterioration of the analog signal caused by leakage of the charge in a holding operation is eliminated; a selecting circuit for controlling an operation of the recording circuit; and a driving circuit for supplying a predetermined constant voltage to the recording circuit, wherein the recording circuit includes: an input/output terminal for inputting and outputting the analog signal; a first capacitor having a first electrode and a second electrode, for recording and holding the analog signal as the charge; and a second capacitor connected between the second electrode of the first capacitor and a reference potential, for holding a charge leaked from the first capacitor, and wherein an amount of charge corresponding to an amount of leaked charge held in the second capacitor is restored to the first capacitor with predetermined

Abstract: There is provided an accicular ferromagnetic metal powder with which one can produce magnetic media for high-density recording that are improved in storage stability and magnetic characteristics.The improved ferromagnetic metal powder essentially consists of iron and 50 atm % based on the amount of iron of cobalt and at least one of aluminum and yttrium or any other rare earth element and contains no more than 0.05 wt % of an element of Group Ia of the periodic table (Li, Na, K). The amount of aluminum is in the range of 0.1-30 atm %, the amount of yttrium or any other rare earth element is in the range of and 0.1-10 atm %, each being based on the total quantity of the metal elements present. In either of these cases, the residue of an element of Group IIa of the periodic table (Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) is preferably 0.1 wt % or less.

Abstract: There is provided a metallic magnetic powder with which one can produce magnetic media for high-density recording that are improved in storage stability and magnetic characteristics.The improved ferromagnetic metal powder contains no more than 0.05 wt % of an element of Group Ia of the periodic table. The powder may optionally contain 0.1-30 atm % of aluminum and/or 0.1-10 atm % of Y or any other rare earth element based on the total quantity of the metal elements present. In either of these cases, the residue of an element of Group IIa of the periodic table is preferably 0.1 wt % or less.

Abstract: A method of locating a fault point in a parallel two-circuit transmission line in an n-terminal system. When a single fault occurs at one place in one circuit of the transmission line and when a multiple fault occurs at the same place in the two circuits, a distance to the fault may be calculated by the method of this invention.

Abstract: A fuel cell proper is constructed by superposing a plurality of unit cells having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane held between an anode and a cathode. This fuel cell proper is cooled with a liquid having a boiling point closely approximating the working temperature of the fuel cell. Water and a liquid fuel as liquid raw materials are gasified with a liquid raw material gasifying mechanism. This liquid raw material gasifying mechanism uses, as at least part of the heat source for gasification of water, the waste heat from the reformer and the heat possessed by the reformed gas. The gasified water and liquid fuel are reformed by the reformer into a hydrogen rich gas. The gas thus produced is supplied to the anode in the fuel cell proper. The cathodes are supplied with air to effect a reaction for power generation.

Abstract: A flexible photovoltaic device comprises a first, insulating and flexible resin layer; a first electrode formed on the first resin layer; a flexible resin type locking member formed having satisfactory adherence and formed along the inner periphery of the transparent electrode; a semiconductor layer formed to cover the first electrode and the locking member for photoelectric conversion; a second electrode formed on the semiconductor layer; and a second insulating and flexible resin layer formed on the second electrode.

Abstract: The new and distinct cultivar relates to a russet type Japanese pear tree that has a strong resistance to black spot disease and has substantially the same excellent qualities as the Japanese pear cultivar `Shinsui`. The new pear tree bears a yellowish brown fruit, is highly sweet, medium in acidity, and has a rich taste that is suitable for dessert use.

Abstract: The new and distinct cultivar relates to a Japanese pear tree that has a strong resistance to black spot disease and has substantially the same excellent qualities of `Osanijisseki` as a Japanese pear cultivar. This pear tree is self-compatible and bears a yellowish green fruit, is moderately sweet and acidic, and has a good taste that is suitable for a dessert pear.