Abstract: A separator is provided and includes a functional resin layer containing a resin material and an inorganic oxide filler, having a porous interconnected structure in which many pores are mutually interconnected and having a contact angle against an electrolytic solution of not more than 11 degrees.

Abstract: A valve reference position-learning device for an internal combustion engine, which is capable of accurately learning the reference position of a valve both before and after the warm-up of the engine, while properly reflecting thereon a deviation of the reference position caused by the thermal elongation of the valve and drive system after the warm-up of the engine. The valve reference position-learning device calculates and updates a learned value of the reference position of the wastegate valve both at and after the start of the engine, by first and second learnings, respectively. The learned value calculated by the first learning is stored as an existing learned value. Further, at the start of the engine, if the calculation of the learned value is not completed, the learned value is set to the existing stored learned value.

Abstract: Anode active materials, anodes, and batteries are provided. In one embodiment, an anode active material includes particles consisting essentially of a material selected from the group consisting of silicon and an alloy of silicon. An average degree of circularity of the particles is 90% or less.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, CONTROLLER includes a phase comparator that receives a data strobe signal outputted from a memory in response to a read enable signal, and a delayed data strobe signal formed by applying a delay to the data strobe signal, and outputs a result of comparison between phases of two signals. The controller also includes a Duty control unit that corrects a Duty of the read enable signal outputted to the memory based upon the comparison result of the phase comparator.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, CONTROLLER includes a phase comparator that receives a data strobe signal outputted from a memory in response to a read enable signal, and a delayed data strobe signal formed by applying a delay to the data strobe signal, and outputs a result of comparison between phases of two signals. The controller also includes a Duty control unit that corrects a Duty of the read enable signal outputted to the memory based upon the comparison result of the phase comparator.

Abstract: An anode active material capable of preventing shape deformation due to expansion and shrinkage and a battery using the anode are provided. An anode active material layer contains a powdery anode active material containing Si or Sn as an element. The average degree of circularity of the anode active material is 0.90 or less. By decreasing the average degree of circularity, the surface area becomes wide, and the reactive region becomes large. As a result, an intense local reaction is prevented, and the number of cracks resulting from expansion and shrinkage are reduced.

Abstract: A battery including a cathode, an anode, and an electrolytic solution. The electrolytic solution is impregnated in a separator provided between the cathode and the anode. The anode has an insulative coat on an anode active material layer provided on an anode current collector. The coat contains an insulating material such as a meal hydroxide and a metal oxide. The coat is in a form of plate divided into a plurality of portions. The insulation property of the coat prevents internal short circuit. A plurality of portions of the coat prevent separation of the anode active material layer and decomposition of the electrolytic solution. Further, even when short circuit occurs, heat generation is prevented by heat absorption characteristics of the coat.

Abstract: A battery capable of obtaining superior cycle characteristics and safety is provided. The battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolytic solution. The electrolytic solution is impregnated in a separator provided between the cathode and the anode. The anode has an insulative coat on an anode active material layer provided on an anode current collector. The coat contains an insulating material such as a meal hydroxide and a metal oxide. The coat is in a form of plate divided into a plurality of portions. The insulation property of the coat prevents internal short circuit. A plurality of portions of the coat prevent separation of the anode active material layer and decomposition of the electrolytic solution. Further, even when short circuit occurs, heat generation is prevented by heat absorption characteristics of the coat.

Abstract: Provided is a technology capable of improving the accuracy of determining a position of an own vehicle in the vicinity of a branch point, in a current position determining device. The current position determining device identifies a detection range according to states of a road on which a vehicle is traveling to detect a lane change, to thereby determine a current position of the vehicle based on information on the detected lane change.

Abstract: A separator is provided and includes a functional resin layer containing a resin material and an inorganic oxide filler, having a porous interconnected structure in which many pores are mutually interconnected and having a contact angle against an electrolytic solution of not more than 11 degrees.

Abstract: Provided is a technology capable of improving the accuracy of determining a position of an own vehicle in the vicinity of a branch point, in a current position determining device. The current position determining device identifies a detection range according to states of a road on which a vehicle is traveling to detect a lane change, to thereby determine a current position of the vehicle based on information on the detected lane change.

Abstract: A negative electrode includes a negative electrode collector and a negative electrode active material layer on the collector. The layer contains a negative electrode active material capable of occluding and releasing lithium. The material in a fully charged state satisfies a conditional expression (1) in 7Li-MAS-NMR analysis 0?(B/A)<0.1??(1). A represents a sum of integrated area of a first peak and integrated area of a side band peak of the first peak, the first peak indicating a chemical shift in a range of ?1 ppm or more and 25 ppm or less with respect to a reference position where a resonant peak of a LiCl aqueous solution having a concentration of 1 mol/dm3 appears. B represents integrated area of a second peak indicating a chemical shift in a range of 25 ppm or more and 270 ppm or less with respect to the reference position.

Abstract: A battery capable of improving cycle characteristics is provided. An anode active material layer is formed by a vapor phase method, and includes Si as an element. In the anode active material layer, a plurality of primary particles formed by growth in a thickness direction are included, and the plurality of primary particles are agglomerated to form a plurality of secondary particles. Each secondary particle is separated by a groove formed by charge and discharge, and some of primary particles are split particles split by the groove. The average number of the split particles per secondary particle in 5 or more adjacent secondary particles is 10 or more. Moreover, the primary particles and the secondary particles are inclined to the same side.

Abstract: A separator having a fine porous structure and including a polyolefin thermoplastic resin and a block copolymer as constituent materials is provided. The block copolymer including a monomer unit derived from a polyolefin resin and a monomer unit derived from a polymer component, The polyolefin resin has a melting point lower than that of the polyolefin thermoplastic resin, the polymer component being incompatible with polyolefin.

Abstract: A battery capable of obtaining superior cycle characteristics and safety is provided. The battery includes a cathode, an anode, and an electrolytic solution. The electrolytic solution is impregnated in a separator provided between the cathode and the anode. The anode has an insulative coat on an anode active material layer provided on an anode current collector. The coat contains an insulating material such as a meal hydroxide and a metal oxide. The coat is in a form of plate divided into a plurality of portions. The insulation property of the coat prevents internal short circuit. A plurality of portions of the coat prevent separation of the anode active material layer and decomposition of the electrolytic solution. Further, even when short circuit occurs, heat generation is prevented by heat absorption characteristics of the coat.

Abstract: A battery capable of improving cycle characteristics is provided. An anode active material layer is formed by a vapor phase method, and includes Si as an element. In the anode active material layer, a plurality of primary particles formed by growth in a thickness direction are included, and the plurality of primary particles are agglomerated to form a plurality of secondary particles. Each secondary particle is separated by a groove formed by charge and discharge, and some of primary particles are split particles split by the groove. The average number of the split particles per secondary particle in 5 or more adjacent secondary particles is 10 or more. Moreover, the primary particles and the secondary particles are inclined to the same side.

Abstract: An anode active material capable of preventing shape deformation due to expansion and shrinkage and a battery using the anode are provided. An anode active material layer contains a powdery anode active material containing Si or Sn as an element. The average degree of circularity of the anode active material is 0.90 or less. By decreasing the average degree of circularity, the surface area becomes wide, and the reactive region becomes large. As a result, an intense local reaction is prevented, and the number of cracks resulting from expansion and shrinkage are reduced.

Abstract: Provided are an anode capable of preventing an increase in impedance and variations in characteristics and a battery using the anode. An anode active material layer includes at least one kind selected from the group consisting of simple substances, alloys and compounds of silicon and the like capable of forming an alloy with Li. The anode active material layer is formed by a vapor-phase deposition method or the like, and is alloyed with an anode current collector. A coating including lithium carbonate is formed on at least a part of a surface of the anode current collector. Thereby, an increase in impedance can be prevented. Moreover, the anode is less subject to an influence by a difference in a handling environment or storage conditions, so variations in impedance can be prevented.