Abstract: A ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic body and an outer electrode. The outer electrode is disposed on the ceramic body. The outer electrode includes a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer. The first conductive layer includes a resin, a first metal component, and a second metal component having a higher melting point than the first metal component. The second conductive layer is disposed on the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer is includes a plating film. An alloy particle containing the first metal component and the second metal component protrudes to the second conductive layer side from a surface of the first conductive layer.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a switching device which suppresses surge voltages at the time of current shutoff of a switching device to protect from overcurrents although the switching device is not in an overcurrent state, including a current sensor, a comparator, a timer latch, a control circuit, and a transistor. The current sensor detects the current of a switching device and outputs a detected voltage. The comparator outputs a signal when the detected voltage is equal to or greater than a reference voltage. When the time duration of the output signal is equal to or greater than a setting time, the timer latch outputs a surge suppression detection signal, based on which the control circuit outputs to the transistor a driving signal to turn off the switching device. The reference voltage is smaller than a reference voltage used when detecting an overcurrent flowing in the switching device.

Abstract: Disclosed is technology for providing guidance in a manner that facilitates travel along a guidance route when there is a road which has a carpool lane. A navigation device (100) is provided with: a current-location calculation means for calculating the current location of a moving body; a recommended route search means for searching for a recommended route to a destination; a guidance-point setting means for setting a guidance point in the recommended route; and a guidance information notification means for notifying predetermined guidance information when a moving body reaches a set guidance point. When predetermined conditions are fulfilled, the guidance-point setting means sets in a road which has a carpool lane a guidance point for notifying information for guidance from said road to a branch road, before the guidance point that would be set in a road that does not have a carpool lane.

Abstract: A battery pack includes cylindrical columnar battery cells arranged at least in two rows and two columns along vertical and horizontal directions orthogonal to center axes of the battery cells. Each of the battery cells includes an electrode terminal formed in one end portion thereof. The battery pack further includes a connector plate to which the electrode terminals of four vertically and horizontally adjoining battery cells are joined. The connector plate is arranged to parallel connect each pair of the battery cells adjoining in the same direction to form battery cell blocks. The connector plate is configured to serially connect the battery cell blocks. The center axes of the battery cells are positioned at vertexes of a parallelogram when the vertically and horizontally adjoining battery cells are seen at one end side thereof. The connector plate has a contour conforming to respective sides of the parallelogram.

Abstract: A disclosed network communication apparatus for performing communication via an IP network includes: a packet generation unit generating packets for call connection including facsimile communication capability and voice capability; and a communication control unit requesting a target network communication apparatus for connection using the packets for call connection upon facsimile transmission and establishing a facsimile communication channel and a voice channel to perform the facsimile transmission. Upon facsimile transmission, the communication control unit requests the target apparatus for connection using the packets for call connection.

Abstract: A microchip having a substrate, a cover member joined to one surface of the substrate, and a flow path formed on at least one of joined surfaces of the substrate and the cover member, wherein the microchip includes: a well which is an first opening for communicating into the flow path with a surface opposite to the joined surface of the substrate and is arranged on the substrate; and a chimney which is a member arranged so as to project from the surface opposite to the joined surface of the substrate and has an second opening which communicating into the well, wherein a liquid rise prevention section is formed in the chimney to prevent the liquid from rising to a top portion of the chimney.

Abstract: A connected-device-information managing unit that obtains connection information that is predetermined information for connection from a connected device as a communication counterpart, holds it, and, when a communication process is completed normally, holds a parameter value used in the communication process as normal connection information which is a part of the connection information for each connected device, and a hands-free controller that performs a communication process based on the connection information. When a communication process is started with a device that normal connection information has been already stored in the connected-device-information managing unit, the hands-free controller sets a parameter based on the normal connection information to perform the communication process.

Abstract: A battery charger includes an attachment portion capable of being connected to a plurality of battery packs; a connection unit for connecting one of the battery packs connected to the attachment portion to a charging path; a state detection unit for detecting a state of each of the battery packs; a remaining capacity detection unit; and a charging control unit. The remaining capacity detection unit detects a remaining capacity based on the state of the battery pack detected by the state detection unit after each of the battery pack is charged for a specified period of time. Further, the charging control unit assigns priorities to the battery packs such that one whose remaining capacity detected by the remaining capacity detection unit is closer to a fully charged state thereof has a higher priority, and controls the connection unit to charge the battery packs according to the assigned priorities.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes first internal electrodes extending to a first end surface of a ceramic element assembly, a plurality of second internal electrodes extending to a second end surface, floating internal electrodes arranged so as to overlap the first and second internal electrodes with ceramic layers disposed therebetween to define first and second effective regions, inner conductors that are elongated from the first end surface beyond a region that overlaps the first effective region in the direction of layering, and a relationship X1<Y1<(L?E) is satisfied where L is the dimension in the longitudinal direction extending from the first end surface to the second end surface, X1 is the longitudinal-direction dimension of each of the first internal electrodes, Y1 is the distance between the first end surface and an end of each of the first internal electrodes, and E is the distance between the second end surface and an end of the second extended section.

Abstract: A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes first internal electrodes extending to a first end surface of a ceramic element assembly, a plurality of second internal electrodes extending to a second end surface, floating internal electrodes arranged so as to overlap the first and second internal electrodes with ceramic layers disposed therebetween to define first and second effective regions, inner conductors that are elongated from the first end surface beyond a region that overlaps the first effective region in the direction of layering, and a relationship X1<Y1<(L?E) is satisfied where L is the dimension in the longitudinal direction extending from the first end surface to the second end surface, X1 is the longitudinal-direction dimension of each of the first internal electrodes, Y1 is the distance between the first end surface and an end of each of the first internal electrodes, and E is the distance between the second end surface and an end of the second extended section.

Abstract: A coating device is provided with: a plurality of inkjet heads (31) staggered to cover an area to be coated in a width direction of a long-roll supporting body (10); a pressure adjusting mechanism (40) for adjusting the back-pressure of the coating solution to be applied from inkjet heads (31); a plurality of solution feeding pipes (43) for supplying the coating solution from the pressure adjusting mechanism (40) to inkjet heads (31); and storage tank (50) for storing the coating solution, wherein the feeding volumes of the coating solution from the solution feeding pipes (43) are adjusted equal (i.e. flow resistances of the piping are made equal), so that equal back-pressures are applied to the coating solution to be jetted from the inkjet heads.

Abstract: A battery pack includes a status detection unit for detecting a status of a battery; a switch unit for interrupting a discharging path of the battery; a notification unit for notifying a user of the status of the battery; an operation unit operable by the user; and control unit for opening and closing the switch unit. The control unit is configured to have the switch unit interrupt the discharging path of the battery when the status of the battery detected by the status detection unit is abnormal. Further, the control unit is configured to have the notification unit notify the user of the availability to restart a discharging operation and close the switch unit in response to an operation signal inputted from the operation unit to make the battery pack dischargeable when the status of the battery detected by the status detection unit is recovered from the abnormal status.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging unit; a detection unit for detecting a temperature and a temperature increasing rate of a rechargeable battery; a controller for controlling the charging unit to supply a charging current to the rechargeable battery; and a compensating unit for setting a value of the first threshold to be greater if the temperature of the rechargeable battery at the time of mounting the rechargeable battery on the charging device is equal to or smaller than a second threshold and smaller if otherwise. The charging unit stops supplying the charging current to the rechargeable battery if the temperature increasing rate is equal to or greater than a first threshold.

Abstract: A battery charger includes an attachment portion capable of being connected to a plurality of battery packs; a connection unit for connecting one of the battery packs connected to the attachment portion to a charging path; a state detection unit for detecting a state of each of the battery packs; a remaining capacity detection unit; and a charging control unit. The remaining capacity detection unit detects a remaining capacity based on the state of the battery pack detected by the state detection unit after each of the battery pack is charged for a specified period of time. Further, the charging control unit assigns priorities to the battery packs such that one whose remaining capacity detected by the remaining capacity detection unit is closer to a fully charged state thereof has a higher priority, and controls the connection unit to charge the battery packs according to the assigned priorities.

Abstract: A broadcast receiving apparatus A0 selects a scene which a user prefers from a plurality of broadcast programs being broadcasted. A broadcast data acquiring part A2 acquires broadcast data of each broadcast program in the same time period, based on a schedule stored in a monitoring schedule storing part A4. A preference information monitoring part A6 compare the broadcast data acquired by the broadcast data acquiring part A2 with preference information stored in a preference information storing part A5, and judges whether the broadcast program indicated by the compared broadcast data accords with the preference information of the user. A record processing part A72 records the broadcast data judged to be in accord with the user's preference information.

Abstract: A disclosed network communication apparatus for performing communication via an IP network includes: a packet generation unit generating packets for call connection including facsimile communication capability and voice capability; and a communication control unit requesting a target network communication apparatus for connection using the packets for call connection upon facsimile transmission and establishing a facsimile communication channel and a voice channel to perform the facsimile transmission. Upon facsimile transmission, the communication control unit requests the target apparatus for connection using the packets for call connection.

Abstract: A constant-current battery charger includes a power supply for supplying a charge current to a secondary cell, and a current monitor for monitoring a charge current being supplied to the cell. A controller is included for varying the charge current in accordance with the monitored charge current. The controller calculates a current difference between a predetermined target current and the instant charge current, and generates a demand of varying the charge current at a first charge rate when the current difference is out of a predetermined range, and varying the charge current at a second charge rate when the current difference is within the predetermined range. The controller generates the demand repeatedly at regular or varying intervals for varying the charge current. The first charge rate is set to be higher than the second charge rate in order to make a rapid charging until it comes close to the target current.

Abstract: A charging device includes a charging unit; a detection unit for detecting a temperature and a temperature increasing rate of a rechargeable battery; a controller for controlling the charging unit to supply a charging current to the rechargeable battery; and a compensating unit for setting a value of the first threshold to be greater if the temperature of the rechargeable battery at the time of mounting the rechargeable battery on the charging device is equal to or smaller than a second threshold and smaller if otherwise. The charging unit stops supplying the charging current to the rechargeable battery if the temperature increasing rate is equal to or greater than a first threshold.

Abstract: A constant-current battery charger includes a power supply for supplying a charge current to a secondary cell, and a current monitor for monitoring a charge current being supplied to the cell. A controller is included for varying the charge current in accordance with the monitored charge current. The controller calculates a current difference between a predetermined target current and the instant charge current, and generates a demand of varying the charge current at a first charge rate when the current difference is out of a predetermined range, and varying the charge current at a second charge rate when the current difference is within the predetermined range. The controller generates the demand repeatedly at regular or varying intervals for varying the charge current. The first charge rate is set to be higher than the second charge rate in order to make a rapid charging until it comes close to the target current.

Abstract: In a container for storing plural different kinds of photosensitive material processing agents provided with a first storing room having a first opening; a second storing room having a second opening; a third storing room having a third opening; a first flange section to enclose the periphery of the first opening; a second flange section to enclose the periphery of both the second opening and the third opening; and a cover member to cover the first opening, the second opening and the third opening, the second storing room is located between the first storing room and the third storing room and a first distance between the first storing room and the second storing room and is made larger than a second distance between the second storing room and the third storing room.