Abstract: A microcell used in analysis of very small amounts of liquid samples, the microcell comprising: a plate spacer having a plurality of small holes with notches widening toward sample injection openings in a side wall; and window plates made of a material passing measuring light, disposed to face each other on either side of the spacer to cover the plurality of small holes from the front and the back; wherein spaces formed by the plurality of small holes of the spacer and the window plates serve as a plurality of cell chambers for containing the liquid samples; and a dimension of the plurality of small holes and the thickness of the spacer are determined in accordance with the amounts of the liquid samples, and a dimension of parts joining the notches and the plurality of small holes is smaller than the dimension of the plurality of small holes.

Abstract: An optical disk drive for optimizing laser power to be used at the time of recording operation. In a DVD-R drive and a DVD-RW drive, a controller performs OPC to set recording power and records RMD serving as recording management data in an RMA serving as a recording management area. The RMD are verified. When the RMD can be read, the number of PI errors in the RMD is detected. If the number of PI errors is equal to or less than an allowable value, data are recorded in a data area at that recording power. If the number of PI errors exceeds the allowable value, OPC is again performed, to thereby reset the recording power.

Abstract: A Ni-free stainless steel product excellent in workability and corrosion resistance and a method for manufacturing such stainless steel product. A ferritic stainless steel product containing 18 to 24% by mass of Cr and 0 to 4% by mass of Mo is brought into contact with an inert gas containing a nitrogen gas at 800 degrees C. or above to subject it to nitrogen absorption treatment so that the product is austenitized partially or wholly to obtain such nickel-free product.

Abstract: A scan beam formed by the optical scanning unit is divided by the first scan beam dividing unit and the second scan beam dividing unit. The first scan beam dividing unit and the second scan beam dividing unit are disposed in such a manner that the scan beams divided by the first scan beam dividing unit traverse a rotation axis of the optical scanning unit before reaching the second scan beam dividing unit.

Abstract: A barcode reader outputs a beep sound upon successfully reading a barcode. The barcode reader includes separate buttons for changing an output volume level and output tine level of the beep sound. The buttons are provided on a surface of the barcode reader.

Abstract: A time for replacement of a laser diode is decided based on a value of operating current of the laser diode and a value of intensity of laser light output from the laser diode.

Abstract: Management information, which is information about hardware in or software installed in the bar-code reader, is stored in a storage unit in the bar-code reader. The management information may be acquired from an external unit or read from a bar code.

Abstract: A signal obtained by optically scanning a bar code is subjected to differentiation to obtain differential data. Peak-to-peak distances are calculated from the differential data. When a peak-to-peak ?Tx distance is y times of a basic width, frequency f(x,y) will be, f(x,y)=y/?Tx. A frequency map is prepared from the frequencies calculated. Transition routes in which one frequency each is selected. from each of the peak-to-peak distances, are formed. A transition route for which an error in frequencies is the least is taken as the most suitable transition route. An average of the frequencies included in the transition route is taken as a frequency f0 of the basic width.

Abstract: An extractor extracts a part that is apparently a bar-code signal from a signal that is subjected to opto-electric conversion. A narrow-band differential processor forms a waveform of an edge by differentiating by using a module frequency. The module point extractor extracts the module point from the waveform. The maximum likelihood judgment processor 5f performs ternarizing based on a maximum likelihood method by using broader information.

Abstract: A signal fetching unit fetches a signal that includes binarized information disposed with a predetermined information length, from a barcode. A module-frequency extracting unit extracts a module frequency equivalent to a basic unit length in the binarized information from the signal. A frequency shifting unit shifts a frequency to 0 Hz based on the module frequency for the signal. A low pass filter passes a low frequency component included in an output signal from the frequency shifting unit. A module-point extracting unit extracts a module point synchronized with the signal and that has the module frequency, based on the module frequency extracted and an output signal of the low pass filter. A demodulating unit demodulates a character of the barcode based on the module point extracted.

Abstract: A bar code reader has an arrangement to communicate with a host apparatus. The bar code reader includes a read unit that reads a bar code attached to an article, and outputs bar code information corresponding to the read bar code; a term information acquisition unit that acquires term information included in the bar code information; and a term expiration check unit that checks whether the term of the article has expired based on the term information. A notification unit notifies that the term of the article has expired upon determination by the term expiration check unit that the term of the article has expired.

Abstract: A signal obtained by optically scanning a bar code is subjected to differentiation to obtain differential data. Peak-to-peak distances are calculated from the differential data. When a peak-to-peak ?Tx distance is y times of a basic width, frequency f(x,y) will be, f(x,y)=y/?Tx. A frequency map is prepared from the frequencies calculated. Transition routes in which one frequency each is selected. from each of the peak-to-peak distances, are formed. A transition route for which an error in frequencies is the least is taken as the most suitable transition route. An average of the frequencies included in the transition route is taken as a frequency f0 of the basic width.

Abstract: A bar code reader has an arrangement to communicate with a host apparatus. The bar code reader includes a read unit that reads a bar code attached to an article, and outputs bar code information corresponding to the read bar code; a term information acquisition unit that acquires term information included in the bar code information; and a term expiration check unit that checks whether the term of the article has expired based on the term information. A notification unit notifies that the term of the article has expired upon determination by the term expiration check unit that the term of the article has expired.

Abstract: In a bar-code generally number of modules corresponding to each character is seven. However, if the number of modules judged from the data obtained by reading a bar code is, for example, six, the character is demodulated using a demodulation-pattern table corresponding to six modules.

Abstract: In an optical bar-code reader, an optical scanner optically scans a bar code to obtain optical power of light reflected from white bars and black bars of the bar code, a differentiation unit calculates a differential of the optical power to obtain a differential waveform, a dividing unit divides the differential waveform into a positive waveform and a negative waveform, a bar-code correcting unit calculates correct widths of black bars in the bar code from the positive waveform and the negative waveform to create corrected bar-code data, and a converter converts the corrected bar-code data into character data that is an array of numerals and alphabets.

Abstract: A signal obtained by optically scanning a bar code is subjected to differentiation to obtain differential data. Peak-to-peak distances are calculated from the differential data. When a peak-to-peak ?Tx distance is y times of a basic width, frequency f(x,y) will be, f(x,y)=y/?Tx. A frequency map is prepared from the frequencies calculated. Transition routes in which one frequency each is selected from each of the peak-to-peak distances, are formed. A transition route for which an error in frequencies is the least is taken as the most suitable transition route. An average of the frequencies included in the transition route is taken as a frequency f0 of the basic width.

Abstract: A method of reading information which makes it possible to suppress the size of hardware and a price thereof and to improve an S/N ratio of a reading signal and reading resolution, wherein even if depth of field for reading is enlarged or a concave/convex portion or a blurred portion is left on the reading face, reading precision can be improved. The method includes steps of acquiring from a medium 1, a signal containing binary digit information having a predetermined information length and a one-dimensional arrangement, extracting information concerning an elemental unit length of the information length of the binary digit information from the acquired signal, and reading a ratio of the binary digit information to the information length based on the extracted elemental unit length information.

Abstract: In an optical scanner, an optical scanner optically scans a bar code to obtain signal strength of light reflected from black bars and white bars of the bar code, an extracting unit extracts edge data, which includes a plurality of edges and the signal strength of which changes corresponding to a change from a black bar to a white bar and vice versa, an edge-emphasizing unit that emphasizes edge data of an edge that satisfies a predetermined condition, a ternary judgment unit that makes a ternary judgment of each edge based on the edge emphasized to obtain a ternarizing result, and a decoder that decodes bar-code characters from the ternarizing result.

Abstract: A signal fetching unit fetches a signal that includes binarized information disposed with a predetermined information length, from a barcode. A module-frequency extracting unit extracts a module frequency equivalent to a basic unit length in the binarized information from the signal. A frequency shifting unit shifts a frequency to 0 Hz based on the module frequency for the signal. A low pass filter passes a low frequency component included in an output signal from the frequency shifting unit. A module-point extracting unit extracts a module point synchronized with the signal and that has the module frequency, based on the module frequency extracted and an output signal of the low pass filter. A demodulating unit demodulates a character of the barcode based on the module point extracted.

Abstract: This invention provides methods and devices for spatially separating at least first and second components in a sample which in one exemplary embodiment comprises introducing the first and second components into a first microfluidic channel of a microfluidic device in a carrier fluid comprising a spacer electrolyte solution and stacking the first and second components by isotachophoresis between a leading electrolyte solution and a trailing electrolyte solution, wherein the spacer electrolyte solution comprises ions which have an intermediate mobility in an electric field between the mobility of the ions present in the leading and trailing electrolyte solutions and wherein the spacer electrolyte solution comprises at least one of the following spacer ions MOPS, MES, Nonanoic acid, D-Glucuronic acid, Acetylsalicyclic acid, 4-Ethoxybenzoic acid, Glutaric acid, 3-Phenylpropionic acid, Phenoxyacetic acid, Cysteine, hippuric acid, p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, isopropylmalonic acid, itaconic acid, citraconic acid, 3,