Abstract: An AC impedance meter measures an AC impedance of fuel cells against at least a specific frequency. A sensor group detects at least one operating condition of the fuel cells. A detection unit compares a degradation reference value corresponding to the detected operating condition with a resistance value led from the measured AC impedance and detects performance degradation in the fuel cells based on a result of the comparison. This arrangement enables easy detection of performance degradation in the fuel cells, irrespective of a variation in operating condition of the fuel cells.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a store system includes: an image output section configured to output an image picked up by an image pickup section; an object recognizing section configured to recognize a specific object by reading a feature value of the output image; a registering section configured to perform sales registration, concerning the recognized object, on the basis of a file that stores information related to the object and used for the sales registration; and a check-image display section configured to display an image concerning the object on a display section together with the information related to the sales registration of the object.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a store system includes: an image output section configured to output an image picked up by an image pickup section; an object recognizing section configured to recognize a specific object by reading a feature value of the output image; a similarity determining section configured to calculate similarity indicating to which degree the recognized object is similar to a reference image of the object determined in advance and determine whether the calculated similarity exceeds a threshold set in advance; and a defective informing section configured to inform, if the similarity determining section determines that the calculated similarity does not exceed the threshold set in advance, that the object is not recognized as a regular commodity.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a store system includes: an image output section configured to output an image picked up by an image pickup section; an object recognizing section configured to recognize a specific object by reading a feature value of the output image; a check-image display section configured to display, on a display section, at least an image concerning the recognized object; and a problem solving section configured to receive, when there is a problem in the recognition of the object, an instruction indicating the problem and solve the problem according to content of the received instruction.

Abstract: A label issuing device includes an imaging portion, an image output portion that outputs images captured by the imaging portion, an object recognition portion that recognizes a specific object by reading a feature amount of the output images, an information reading portion that reads information for the recognized object from a file storing information related to the object, and a label issuing portion that prints the read information for the object on a label and issues the label.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a store system includes: an image output section configured to output an image picked up by an image pickup section; an object recognizing section configured to recognize a specific object by reading a feature value of the output image; a registering section configured to perform sales registration, concerning the recognized object, on the basis of a file that stores information concerning the object and used for the sales registration; and a check-image display section configured to set an image concerning the recognized object in a state viewed from a customer side during counter selling and display the image on a display section together with the information related to the sales registration of the object.

Abstract: A power source system (1) includes a fuel cell (40) and a battery (20) connected in parallel. A DC-DC converter (30) is connected to the battery (20) side. A maximum output ratio of the fuel cell (40) and the battery (20) is set in a range in which the output of the fuel cell falls within 65 to 80% of the total output. Accordingly, electric power loss due to the DC-DC converter (30) is controlled, whereby a high energy efficiency can be achieved.

Abstract: An output limitation warning lamp is turned on when a possible output Qf of the fuel cell is less than a predetermined value L2. The output limitation warning lamp is provided at a combination meter in an instrument panel. The output limitation warning lamp is also turned on when a possible output Qb of the secondary battery is less than a predetermined value L3. Furthermore, the output limitation warning lamp is also turned on when an allowable drive output Qh, which is the sum of the possible output Qf of the fuel cell and the possible output Qb of the secondary battery, has been less than a required output Ed* calculated at a step before carrying out output limitation to more than a certain extent for longer than a predetermined length of time.

Abstract: An output limitation warning lamp is turned on when a possible output Qf of the fuel cell is less than a predetermined value L2. The output limitation warning lamp is provided at a combination meter in an instrument panel. The output limitation warning lamp is also turned on when a possible output Qb of the secondary battery is less than a predetermined value L3. Furthermore, the output limitation warning lamp is also turned on when an allowable drive output Qh, which is the sum of the possible output Qf of the fuel cell and the possible output Qb of the secondary battery, has been less than a required output Ed* calculated at a step before carrying out output limitation to more than a certain extent for longer than a predetermined length of time.

Abstract: An entrustee information transmitting method includes an entrustment managing storage storing entrustment relationship information indicating correspondence between entrusters who are voters performing entrustment and entrustees who are voters entrusted by the entrusters in an entrustment managing storage unit; an attendance managing storage storing attendance information of respective voters in an attendance managing storage unit in units of bills; an indirect-entrustment voter extracting operation of extracting one or more indirect-entrustment voter who indirectly entrust an attendee by using the entrustment relationship information and the attendance information; an entrustee determining operation of determining attendees who are indirectly entrusted by the indirect-entrustment voters to be recommended entrustees; and an entrustee information transmitting operation of transmitting information of the recommended entrustees.

Abstract: An optical device includes a plurality of light modulating devices for forming optical images and a color combining optical device. The optical device includes a first fixed member and a second fixed member for mounting the light modulating devices so as to face light flux incoming end surfaces of the color combining optical device. The first fixed member includes a plate-shaped first base portion mounted to oppose the light flux incoming end surface and having an opening for transmitting the light flux. The second fixed member includes a plate-shaped second base portion having an opening for transmitting the light flux. The first fixed member and the second fixed member are assembled in such a manner that the first base portion and the second base portion are opposed to each other.

Abstract: A heat sink has a first flat plate, a partition plate, and a second flat plate. The first flat plate has an upper surface in which a first recess is formed. The second flat plate has a lower surface in which a second recess is formed, and an upper surface on which a semiconductor laser element is mounted. These recesses form a part of a refrigerant channel. The partition plate has a lower surface covering the first recess, an upper surface covering the second recess, and at least one through hole having the first recess communicated with the second recess. The first flat plate and the second flat plate both have a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The partition plate has a second coefficient of thermal expansion lower than the first coefficient of thermal expansion.

Abstract: A cooking assistance terminal includes a display unit and an acceptance unit. The display unit displays a list of ordered items included in order information from a customer. The acceptance unit accepts a selection command to select an ordered item with cooking completed, from the ordered items displayed in the list. The display unit also displays the ordered item on which the selection command is given, identifiably from the other ordered items, as an ordered item that is already cooked.

Abstract: A wearable terminal device includes: a head mounted display including a monitor display unit; a line-of-sight detecting unit for detecting a line-of-sight position of a wearer; a sound collecting unit configured to collect sound uttered by the wearer; a sound recognizing unit configured to recognize a sound command from the wearer on the basis of the collected sound; an operation unit configured to receive operation corresponding to the detected line-of-sight position or operation instructed by the recognized sound command; a setting unit configured to set an operation mode corresponding to work of the wearer out of plural operation modes; and a control unit configured to control, in the set operation mode, display of the monitor display unit corresponding to operation by the wearer.

Abstract: A fuel cell system (10, 200) includes an intake pipe (45, 46) that admits an introduction of oxidizing gas upstream of an oxidizing gas supply source that supplies the oxidizing gas to a fuel cell (20), and an exhaust pipe (51, 52, 221, 222) that discharges exhaust gas which contains a vapor generated at an oxygen electrode side through an operation of the fuel cell (20). The fuel cell system (10, 200) is provided with a circulating pipe (61, 62, 220) that connects the intake pipe and the exhaust pipe (51, 52, 221, 222), a circulating valve (60) that is provided in the circulating pipe and operated to adjust a flow rate of the exhaust gas supplied from the exhaust pipe (51, 52, 221, 222) to the intake pipe, and a pressure generating member that is provided in the exhaust pipe (51, 52, 221, 222) at a position at which the circulating pipe and the exhaust pipe (51, 52, 221, 222) are joined and generates a pressure that is higher than at least an atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: A heat sink has a first flat plate, a partition plate, and a second flat plate. The first flat plate has an upper surface in which a first recess is formed. The second flat plate has a lower surface in which a second recess is formed, and an upper surface on which a semiconductor laser element is mounted. These recesses form a part of a refrigerant channel. The partition plate has a lower surface covering the first recess, an upper surface covering the second recess, and at least one through hole having the first recess communicated with the second recess. The first flat plate and the second flat plate both have a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The partition plate has a second coefficient of thermal expansion lower than the first coefficient of thermal expansion.

Abstract: A method utilizing the resistance of the electrolytic membrane of a fuel cell is known conventionally as a method for detecting abnormality occurring in the fuel cell. As shown on FIG. 4, resistance of the electrolytic membrane increases as the temperature thereof decreases or the moisture content thereof decreases (i.e. dry state), and decreases as the temperature increases or the moisture content increases (i.e. wet state), and thereby it was difficult to judge whether a deterioration in performance or a simple drop in performance has occurred by simply detecting an increase in resistance. A criterion for judging a deterioration in performance of a fuel cell based on the resistance of an electrolytic membrane is thereby set higher as the electrolytic membrane approaches a dry state and temperature thereof decreases and set lower as the electrolytic membrane approaches a wet state and the temperature thereof increases.

Abstract: An output characteristic of a fuel cell is estimated by detecting an output current of the fuel cell and a voltage between terminals of the fuel cell, and then estimating the output characteristic of the fuel cell on the basis of the detected output current and the detected voltage between the terminals, and a basic output characteristic of the fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a hydrogen path for supplying odorant-added hydrogen to the fuel cell, an estimating unit to estimate the depositing of the odorant in the fuel cell, and control unit to heat the fuel cell up to a temperature at which at least part of the odorant deposited in the fuel cell evaporates when-the depositing of the odorant is estimated.

Abstract: A power source system (1) includes a fuel cell (40) and a battery (20) connected in parallel. A DC-DC converter (30) is connected to the battery (20) side. A maximum output ratio of the fuel cell (40) and the battery (20) is set in a range in which the output of the fuel cell falls within 65 to 80% of the total output. Accordingly, electric power loss due to the DC-DC converter (30) is controlled, whereby a high energy efficiency can be achieved.