Abstract: A safety control system is provided, which is capable of monitoring many more drive circuits by using a single controller without modifying the configurations of the controller and the drive circuit. An a-contact of a relay is electrically connected between a FB (feedback) output terminal and a FB input terminal of a safety controller. A b-contact of the relay is electrically connected between a signal output terminal (safety output (1) terminal) of the safety controller and a signal input terminal (safety input (1) terminal) of a safety drive circuit. A coil of the relay is connected to a FB monitor output terminal of the safety drive circuit. No factor in a large voltage drop is present between the FB output terminal and the FB input terminal, thus making it possible to monitor many more drive circuits by using a single controller.

Abstract: A hydrodesulfurization catalyst supports one or more metals selected from elements in Group 6 of the Periodic table, one or more metals selected from elements in Group 9 or Group 10 of the same, phosphorus, and an organic acid on a composite oxide support having a specific content of both alumina and HY zeolite having a specific crystallite size. The catalyst includes 10% to 40% by mass of the Group 6 metal, 1% to 15% by mass of the Group 9 or Group 10 metal, and 1.5% to 8% by mass of phosphorus in terms of an oxide based on the catalyst. The catalyst includes 0.8% to 7% by mass of carbon derived from an organic acid and for 1 mole of the Group 9 or Group 10 element metal in terms of an element based on the catalyst, and includes 0.2 to 1.2 moles of the organic acid.

Abstract: For a manufacturing machine that moves in and out of a detection area of a multi-optical axis photoelectric sensor, floating blanking and blanking monitoring are activated without outputting a stop signal to stop the manufacturing machine every when the manufacturing machine moves out of the detection area. A detection processing unit performs, when at least one of the plurality of optical axes is constantly interrupted by the object, floating blanking of outputting the detection signal upon determining that the number of optical axes in an interrupted state is greater than a preset maximum optical axis number, and blanking monitoring of outputting the detection signal upon determining that the number of optical axes in an interrupted state is smaller than a preset minimum optical axis number, and activates or deactivates the floating blanking and the blanking monitoring based on the signals received by the signal reception unit.

Abstract: A detection processing unit determines, in a detection area including optical axes formed between emitter elements and receiver elements, whether each optical axis is in an interrupted state after optical axis selection corresponding to one scan, and outputs a detection signal based on the determination result. When at least one of the optical axes is constantly interrupted by an object movable within the detection area, the detection processing unit outputs the detection signal upon determining that the number of optical axes in an interrupted state is greater than a preset maximum optical axis number, and also outputs the detection signal upon determining that the number of optical axes in an interrupted state is smaller than a preset minimum optical axis number.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus that enables to prolong lives of device parts of which lives are limited by preventing unnecessary returns from the power saving mode, and reduce unnecessary power consumption. A first living body detection unit detects a living body that approaches the apparatus to input a trigger. A second living body detection unit detects a living body that approaches the apparatus for other purposes. A switching unit switches a mode from a first electric power mode to a second electric power mode when the first living body detection unit detects the living body and when the second living body detection unit does not detect the living body, and maintains the first electric power mode when the first living body detection unit detects the living body and when the second living body detection unit detects the living body.

Abstract: A gel actuator includes: a gel having a projected part made of an inductive high-polymer material; a positive electrode disposed so as to be in contact with a top of the projected part; and a negative electrode disposed in a position sandwiching the projected part in a height direction in cooperation with the positive electrode. When voltage is applied between the positive and negative electrodes, creep deformation occurs so that the projected parts adhere to the positive electrode side, and the gel contracts in the thickness direction.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus and a fault diagnosis method for monitoring signals relating to the start of a CPU to determine that a failure occurs, in a case where a predetermined signal is not output within a predetermined time period after the output of a predetermined signal, and determine the failure type based on the signal states at the time of the occurrence of the failure to display information corresponding to the failure type.

Abstract: In a wearable motion assist device, a motion assist device for generating a motion pattern synchronized with a wearer while maintaining a certain phase difference between a motion of the wearer and a motion of the device, and a synchronization based control method for the device are provided. The motion assist device acquires a phase of torque generated by the wearer's motion, applies a value of the phase to a phase oscillator model as an input, performs arithmetic processing, and calculates target torque and a target angle of the device with the motion of the device synchronized with the wearer. It is possible to improve an assisting effect of the device by controlling the device based on the calculated values.

Abstract: A system according to the present invention includes a server and a plurality of apparatuses each incorporating a device. The apparatuses control power supply ON and OFF states of the devices in accordance with an instruction from the server. The server collects pieces of operation state information indicating operation states of the apparatuses from the apparatuses, and groups, based on the collected information, the apparatuses into groups which respectively correspond to different operation states and respectively have different priorities. The server further sends an allowance notification indicating a device power supply allowance to apparatuses which belong to respective groups in descending order of priority taking into consideration a parameter associated with power consumption values of apparatuses to which the device power supply allowance is given. Each apparatus sets the device in a power supply ON state when the allowance notification is received from the server.

Abstract: A start-up time of a production facility is shortened while generation of a muting error is suppressed, whereby productivity is improved. A multiple-optical-axis photoelectric sensor system includes a projector, an optical receiver, a light blocking determination unit configured to make a light blocking determination whether each of optical axes formed between the projector and the optical receiver is in a light blocking state, and a muting processor configured to temporarily disable the light blocking determination on condition that a detection signal input from an external muting instrument changes according to a predetermined sequence. The muting processor determines the sequence of the detection signal from the muting instrument during the muting by dividing the sequence into a plurality stages. The muting processor accumulates and analyzes measurement information acquired in each stage, and decides an optimum setting value for a muting operation condition based on an analysis result.

Abstract: A connecting structure of a waveguide converter includes a circuit substrate in which a hollow waveguide that propagates a high frequency signal is formed in a pierced manner; and an antenna substrate that is layered on the circuit substrate, and in which a converter that is arranged at a connecting point with the hollow waveguide and a strip line that extends from the converter and that propagates the high frequency signal are provided. A choke circuit to shield a leak of the high frequency signal is arranged around the hollow waveguide on a surface of the circuit substrate opposing to the antenna substrate so as to surround the hollow waveguide keeping a predetermined interval from the hollow waveguide, and the circuit substrate and the antenna substrate are fixed to each other by adhesive that is arranged at a position outside the choke circuit, between the substrates.

Abstract: A method for controlling a displacement in the thickness direction of the contraction-type gel actuator having an effect of contraction in the thickness direction by applying a voltage between an anode and a cathode between which a gel which includes a dielectric polymeric material is interposed, which includes performing feedback control of an applied voltage, with a sampled value of a displacement when the applied voltage acts on the contraction-type gel actuator, according to the following equation (1): E=kp(xd?x)+Ed??(1) In the equation, xd represents a target displacement of the contraction-type gel actuator; Ed represents an applied voltage with respect to the target displacement xd obtained by the linear approximation of the applied voltage and the displacement from a measured result of the displacement in accordance with the applied voltage of the contraction-type gel actuator; and kp represents a proportional gain.

Abstract: Provided is a gel actuator having generation force comparable to biological muscle at a low voltage, that can be used in various applications as an actuator element. A gel actuator (10) comprises a unit structure composed of a gel layer (14) containing a dielectric polymer material, and an anode (12) and a cathode (16) which sandwich the gel layer (14) in a thickness direction thereof, and a face of the anode (12) facing the gel layer formed into a concave-convex face, a convex part of the concave-convex face touching the gel layer (14), and a concave part thereof being into a gap.

Abstract: In a method of controlling an image processing apparatus having a rechargeable secondary battery, in response to reception of a job, an amount of electricity stored in the secondary battery is detected and, whether the detected amount of electricity exceeds a specified value is determined. If it is determined that the stored electricity amount exceeds the specified value, a volatile memory is selected as a storage destination of information to be stored when the job is executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the stored electricity amount does not exceed the specified value, a nonvolatile memory is selected as the storage destination of the information to be stored when the job is executed.

Abstract: A vehicular air conditioner includes an evaporator bypass passage through which air is guided to a vehicle-compartment inside outlet with bypassing an evaporator, an inflow-side open-close door and an outflow-side open-close door that open or close the evaporator bypass passage and a cool-air passage through which air is guided to the vehicle-compartment inside outlet through the evaporator, an air-outlet door that opens or closes the vehicle-compartment inside outlet, and a controller. The controller controls the respective open-close doors to open the evaporator bypass passage and to substantially close the cool-air passage, and controls the air-outlet door to open the vehicle-compartment inside outlet, when an evaporation condition for evaporation of condensed water attached to the evaporator is satisfied.

Abstract: Disclosed is a monitoring device for a rotary encoder electronically connectable to the monitoring device. A pulse generating unit generates a comparison pulse signal by extracting a portion corresponding to a specific phase range from a first pulse included in a first pulse signal output from the rotary encoder. The rotary encoder detects rotation of a rotating body and outputs the first pulse signal and a second pulse signal, the first pulse signal and the second pulse signal having a phase difference from each other. A determining unit determines an abnormality of the rotary encoder, based on a state of a pulse of the comparison pulse signal at a specific timing of a second pulse included in the second pulse signal.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a first control unit, a detection unit configured to detect a person, a generation unit configured to, when a person is detected by the detection unit, generate power to be supplied to the control unit, a determination unit configured to determine whether the person detected by the detection unit is a user of the information processing apparatus, and a second control unit configured to, when the determination unit determines that the person detected by the detection unit is a user of the information processing apparatus, perform control to supply the power generated by the generation unit to the first control unit.

Abstract: An electronic component package includes a circuit board which has a mounting surface that does not show wettability for fluxless solder and on which a semiconductor element is mounted, a soldering pattern that shows wettability for the fluxless solder and is formed to surround an area on which the semiconductor element is mounted, a lid that has a shape such that a cavity is formed between the lid and the circuit board, a bonding surface to the soldering pattern is formed in a ring shape, and does not show wettability for the fluxless solder, a solder bonded part that is formed by heating a solder precoat formed of the fluxless solder on a bonding surface of the lid, and a ventilation hole that is formed by providing a bonding surface of the lid exposed in a discontinuous part of the solder precoat after the solder bonded part is formed.

Abstract: In a method of controlling an image processing apparatus having a rechargeable secondary battery, in response to reception of a job, an amount of electricity stored in the secondary battery is detected and, whether the detected amount of electricity exceeds a specified value is determined. If it is determined that the stored electricity amount exceeds the specified value, a volatile memory is selected as a storage destination of information to be stored when the job is executed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the stored electricity amount does not exceed the specified value, a nonvolatile memory is selected as the storage destination of the information to be stored when the job is executed.

Abstract: A apparatus (cloud) that transmits job data to a terminal (MFP), which is capable of causing the terminal to execute a job without wastefully consuming electric power immediately after completion of job data processing. The cloud generates job data, and determines whether or not the MFP is in a first state in which the MFP cannot process the job data immediately. Further, the cloud stores information on a time period required for the MFP to shift from the first state to a second state in which the MFP can process the job data immediately. The cloud transmits an instruction for causing the MFP to shift from the first state to the second state, to the MFP, based on a time period required for generating the job data, and the time period indicated by the information.