Abstract: The present disclosure promotes distribution of sensor data among a plurality of business operators. A controller that an information processing system according to the present disclosure includes collects first data including a plurality of items and personal information from mobile bodies belonging to a first business operator. The controller converts the first data to second data not being usable to identify individuals. The controller provides data in a range decided based on content of a predetermined data use contract, among the second data, to a second business operator. The controller calculates a consideration for the data that is to be paid by the second business operator, based on a data use record of the second business operator.

Abstract: There is provided a battery system made up by connecting multiple battery units in parallel with each other, the battery units having multiple battery banks, respectively, and multiple switching circuits connected in series to the battery banks, respectively. A switching circuit is made up by connecting a first circuit connected in series to a precharge resistor having a known resistance value, in parallel with a second circuit having a second switch. Timing for turning the second switch into the on state under an equal-current condition when the connection-target battery unit is connected to the battery system is controlled by a controller for controlling the respective outputs of the plural battery units.

Abstract: A drive control device for an electric vehicle that is driven by a motor-generator, includes: a detection unit that detects a fact that an accelerator pedal depression amount and a brake pedal depression amount of the electric vehicle are both zero; and a control unit that sets a regenerative braking torque command value for the motor-generator to zero, while the detection unit is detecting the fact.

Abstract: There is provided a battery system made up by connecting multiple battery units in parallel with each other, the battery units having multiple battery banks, respectively, and multiple switching circuits connected in series to the battery banks, respectively. A switching circuit is made up by connecting a first circuit connected in series to a precharge resistor having a known resistance value, in parallel with a second circuit having a second switch. Timing for turning the second switch into the on state under an equal-current condition when the connection-target battery unit is connected to the battery system is controlled by a controller for controlling the respective outputs of the plural battery units.

Abstract: A drive control device for an electric vehicle that is driven by a motor-generator, includes: a detection unit that detects a fact that an accelerator pedal depression amount and a brake pedal depression amount of the electric vehicle are both zero; and a control unit that sets a regenerative braking torque command value for the motor-generator to zero, while the detection unit is detecting the fact.

Abstract: The charge control system includes at least a battery temperature control device, a cooling device, a heating device, and an integrated control device. The battery control device detects SOC of a battery. Based on the detected SOC, the integrated control device switches between a first charging mode in which the battery is charged at a substantially constant current and a second charging mode in which the battery is charged at a substantially constant voltage. In the second charging mode, the battery temperature control device performs rapid cooling control to control the cooling device such that it has a cooling capacity in the second charging mode higher than a cooling capacity in the first charging mode. Thus, the battery temperature is appropriately controlled to increase a cruising distance even when the electric vehicle is run immediately after completion of charging.

Abstract: An optical recording medium comprising a phase change recording layer and a dielectric layer on a substrate is improved in reliability during storage at elevated temperature when the recording layer has a composition of the following formula.[{(Ag,Au).sub.a (Sb,Bi).sub.b (Te,Se).sub.c }.sub.1-d (In,Al,P).sub.d ].sub.1-e M.sub.eLetters a to e are: 0<a .ltoreq.0.20, 0.6.ltoreq.b<1, 0<c<0.40, a+b+c=1, 0<d<0.06, and 0.ltoreq.e.ltoreq.0.20. The recording layer should have an activation energy of at least 3.0 eV as determined from the crystallization temperature versus heating rate of the recording layer sandwiched between dielectrics.

Abstract: In an optical recording medium comprising a phase change recording layer on a substrate, the recording layer is essentially of the formula:[{(Ag,Au).sub.a (Sb,Bi).sub.b (Te,Se).sub.c }.sub.1-d (In,Al,P).sub.d ].sub.1-e (Si,Ge,Sn,Pb).sub.ewherein 0.001.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.0.20, 0.40.ltoreq.b.ltoreq.0.90, 0.10.ltoreq.c.ltoreq.0.50, a+b+c=1, 0<d.ltoreq.0.06, and 0.001.ltoreq.e.ltoreq.0.10. The medium can be overwritten at a high linear velocity and remains reliable when stored at elevated temperature.

Abstract: An optical recording medium is prepared by forming on a substrate a phase change recording layer comprising elements A, B, C and optional D wherein A is silver and/or gold, B is antimony and/or bismuth, C is tellurium and/or selenium, D is indium or a mixture of indium and aluminum and/or phosphorus. Formation of the recording layer is carried out by the step of sputtering an A--C base metal and the step of sputtering a B base metal optionally containing D in this successive order or reverse order; or by the step of sputtering an A--C base metal, the step of sputtering a B base metal, and the step of sputtering a D base metal in this successive order or reverse order. Since the resulting recording layer is already crystallized, the method eliminates a need for extra initialization.

Abstract: An optical information medium has on a substrate (2) with information-carrying pits (21), a light transmittance control layer (3) including a lower dielectric layer (31), a mask layer (32) and an upper dielectric layer (33). The mask layer has an original state before irradiation of reading light. Upon irradiation of a reading light beam to define a beam spot, the mask layer undergoes a crystal-to-crystal transition in a region (H) of the beam spot depending on the intensity distribution of the beam spot. Multiple reflection condition changes in the transition portion so that the beam spot contributing to read-out is limited to the transition or transition-free region (H or L). The transition temperature is in the range of 200.degree. to 450.degree. C. The mask layer returns to the original state after passage of the beam spot. The invention is also applicable to an optical recording medium having a recording layer above or below the transmittance control layer.

Abstract: A phase change type optical recording medium has a recording layer of a recording material containing elements A, B, and C wherein A is Ag and/or Au, B is Sb and/or Bi, and C is Te and/or Se. Information is recorded by directing a light beam to the recording layer to form recorded marks therein such that the recorded marks are amorphous or microcrystalline while an unrecorded portion of the recording layer remains crystalline, and the A concentration of the unrecorded portion is at least 0.5 atom % higher than the A concentration of the recorded marks. C/N and modulation factor are improved and such improvements are kept even after hot humid storage.

Abstract: In a phase change type of optical recording medium including on a substrate a lower dielectric layer, a recording layer, a first upper dielectric layer contiguous to said recording layer, a second upper dielectric layer and a reflective layer, the recording layer comprises a recording material containing an element A that represents silver and/or gold, an element B that represents antimony and/or bismuth, an element C that represents tellurium and/or selenium, an element indium, and an element M that represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, manganese, tungsten and molybdenum, with the atomic ratio of the elements in said recording material having the following formula:{(A.sub.a B.sub.b C.sub.1-a-b).sub.x (In.sub.0.5 C.sub.0.5).sub.y B.sub.1-x-y }.sub.1-z M.sub.zwherein 0.10.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.0.40, 0.10.ltoreq.b.ltoreq.0.40, 0.20.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.80, 0.01.ltoreq.y.ltoreq.0.60, and 0.001.ltoreq.z.ltoreq.0.20.

Abstract: An optical recording medium has a mask layer 4, an intermediate dielectric layer 5, a recording layer 6, and a reflective layer 8 on a transparent substrate 2. The recording layer 6 contains a recording material which changes its crystallographic structure upon exposure to recording light for recording information. The mask layer 4 contains a mask material which increases its light transmittance when melted and has a complex refractive index (n.sub.0 -ik.sub.0), of which the real part n.sub.0 drops by 1.0 or less and the imaginary part k.sub.0 drops by 0.25-1.0 when the mask material converts from a crystalline state to an amorphous or microcrystalline state. Signals can be reproduced from the medium with high C/N without resorting to reading light of shorter wavelength or an optical pickup objective lens having a larger numerical aperture and even when the linear velocity of the medium relative to recording and reproducing light is low.