Abstract: The present invention provides a technology which realizes a reliable semiconductor device including a photosensor device by preventing pent roofs of edges of a P+ layer from being generated and a metal wiring installed over the P+ layer from coming down while securing the electrical conductivity of the P+ layer. The semiconductor device includes a photosensor including a photodiode formed on a substrate. The photodiode includes: a cathode electrode; a laminated structure that is formed on the cathode electrode and in which an N+ layer, an I layer, and a P+ layer are laminated in this order; an anode electrode formed on the P+ layer; a first insulating film formed so as to cover a portion of the anode electrode and edges of the laminated structure; and a metal wiring connected to the anode electrode. The edges of the laminated structure are formed in forward tapered shapes in a cross-sectional view.

Abstract: An alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, a retro-stepped dielectric material portion overlying stepped surfaces of the alternating stack, and memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack are formed over a substrate. A patterned etch mask layer including discrete openings is formed thereabove. Via cavities through an upper region of the retro-stepped dielectric material portion by performing a first anisotropic etch process. Metal plates are selectively formed on physically exposed surfaces of a first subset of the electrically conductive layers by a selective metal deposition process. A subset of the via cavities without any metal plates therein are vertically extended downward by performing a second anisotropic etch process while the metal plates protect underlying electrically conductive layers. Via cavities can be formed without punching through electrically conductive layers.

Abstract: An alternating stack of insulating layers and electrically conductive layers, a retro-stepped dielectric material portion overlying stepped surfaces of the alternating stack, and memory stack structures extending through the alternating stack are formed over a substrate. A patterned etch mask layer including discrete openings is formed thereabove. Via cavities through an upper region of the retro-stepped dielectric material portion by performing a first anisotropic etch process. Metal plates are selectively formed on physically exposed surfaces of a first subset of the electrically conductive layers by a selective metal deposition process. A subset of the via cavities without any metal plates therein are vertically extended downward by performing a second anisotropic etch process while the metal plates protect underlying electrically conductive layers. Via cavities can be formed without punching through electrically conductive layers.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a power amplification apparatus includes an field effect transistor (FET), a first decoupling element, a power supply circuit, a second decoupling element, and a third decoupling element. The FET is arranged within a package having an input terminal and an output terminal, and power-amplify an input signal from the input terminal to a transmission signal. The first decoupling element decreases an inductance component of the transmission signal output from the FET. The power supply circuit supplies a driving power to the FET. The second decoupling element cut an RF component. The third decoupling element decreases an impedance of a drain bias circuit over a wide band.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a module connection structure designed to connect a module to other modules. The module includes a dielectric layer, a micro-strip path, a projection, and a plurality of gain adjusting lands. The dielectric layer is formed on a substrate. The micro-strip path is provided on the dielectric layer and configured to transmit a transmission signal input to one end portion, to the other end portion. The projection is formed at edges of the substrate, which are adjacent to the other modules, and protruding from the micro-strip path and the dielectric layer toward the other modules. The plurality of gain adjusting lands is formed adjacent to the micro-strip path, for use in adjusting an input/output gain of the module. The gain adjusting lands uncouple from the micro-strip path or other gain adjusting lands couple to the micro-strip path, thereby to adjust the input/output gain of the module.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a power amplification apparatus includes an field effect transistor (FET), a first decoupling element, a power supply circuit, a second decoupling element, and a third decoupling element. The FET is arranged within a package having an input terminal and an output terminal, and power-amplify an input signal from the input terminal to a transmission signal. The first decoupling element decreases an inductance component of the transmission signal output from the FET. The power supply circuit supplies a driving power to the FET. The second decoupling element cut an RF component. The third decoupling element decreases an impedance of a drain bias circuit over a wide band.

Abstract: A power amplifying apparatus according to an embodiment includes a first amplifying unit having a first amplifying element to amplify an input signal, a second amplifying unit having a second amplifying element to amplify an output signal from the first amplifying unit; and a bias supply unit giving bias values to the first amplifying element and the second amplifying element, respectively, the bias values causing the first amplifying element and the second amplifying element to operate in a non-linear region.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a variable attenuator is arranged in an input stage, a plurality of transistors are cascaded on the later part of this variable attenuator, temperature sensors are arranged in the vicinity of two or more of the plurality of transistors to detect temperatures, the amount of gain change of the plurality of transistors is calculated from the temperature detection results individually obtained by the temperature sensors, the variable attenuator is controlled in such a manner as to reduce the amount gain change so that the input signal level can be controlled, and thereby the gain that tends to vary in accordance with temperature changes can be stabilized.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle-mounted video display device that allows a vehicle occupant to intuitively ascertain the orientation of the video being displayed on a display in the vehicle among multiple videos of the vehicle perimeter captured by multiple cameras, was captured a video displayed in the vehicle interior, and thereby allowing the vehicle occupant to ascertain the situation around the vehicle at a glance. A central processing device (6) displays a video on a display device (4), changing the viewpoint of the video continuously or in stages from the viewpoint of a video created by a video processing device (5) and displayed on the display device (4), to the viewpoint of a video of a specific direction from among videos of the vehicle perimeter captured by a video capture means (1).

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for monitoring the area around a vehicle wherein, when a monitor output image is acquired by synthesizing bird's-eye-view images based on the captured images of a plurality of cameras, the skewness of a three-dimensional object that appears in the synthesized images can be alleviated. The device for monitoring the area around the vehicle is used together with the plurality of cameras (11) that capture images of the area around the vehicle. An image processing unit (2) acquires the output image by acquiring data indicating a plurality of the images captured by the plurality of cameras (11), and synthesizing a plurality of the bird's-eye-view images generated on the basis of the acquired data.

Abstract: A power amplifying apparatus according to an embodiment includes a first amplifying unit having a first amplifying element to amplify an input signal, a second amplifying unit having a second amplifying element to amplify an output signal from the first amplifying unit; and a bias supply unit giving bias values to the first amplifying element and the second amplifying element, respectively, the bias values causing the first amplifying element and the second amplifying element to operate in a non-linear region.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a variable attenuator is arranged in an input stage, a plurality of transistors are cascaded on the later part of this variable attenuator, temperature sensors are arranged in the vicinity of two or more of the plurality of transistors to detect temperatures, the amount of gain change of the plurality of transistors is calculated from the temperature detection results individually obtained by the temperature sensors, the variable attenuator is controlled in such a manner as to reduce the amount gain change so that the input signal level can be controlled, and thereby the gain that tends to vary in accordance with temperature changes can be stabilized.

Abstract: A torque damper can comprise a clutch piston arranged within a cover of a torque converter and can be adapted to be moved between a connected position and a non-connected position relative to the cover. Damper springs can be arranged along the circumference of the clutch piston. Connecting members can be arranged abutting against one end of the damper spring and adapted to connect a turbine arranged within the cover and the clutch piston via the damper spring. Damper holders can be arranged abutting against the other end of the damper spring and adapted to hold the damper spring against the compressive force applied to the damper spring from the connecting member. Guide sheets having wear resistance can be interposed between the circumference of the clutch piston and the damper spring and can be adapted to guide the damper spring. A torque input to the cover can be transmitted to the turbine via the clutch piston and the damper springs when the clutch piston is in the connected position.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a module connection structure designed to connect a module to other modules. The module includes a dielectric layer, a micro-strip path, a projection, and a plurality of gain adjusting lands. The dielectric layer is formed on a substrate. The micro-strip path is provided on the dielectric layer and configured to transmit a transmission signal input to one end portion, to the other end portion. The projection is formed at edges of the substrate, which are adjacent to the other modules, and protruding from the micro-strip path and the dielectric layer toward the other modules. The plurality of gain adjusting lands is formed adjacent to the micro-strip path, for use in adjusting an input/output gain of the module. The gain adjusting lands uncouple from the micro-strip path or other gain adjusting lands couple to the micro-strip path, thereby to adjust the input/output gain of the module.

Abstract: A bias controller which can adjust a bias voltage of a FET without accidentally setting the bias voltage to a voltage which damages the FET, is provided. The bias controller includes temperature detector 351 configured to detect ambient temperature of FET (Field Effect Transistor) 12, 1st voltage generator 2 configured to generate a voltage signal for temperature compensating of a positive voltage based on an output of temperature detector 351, 2nd voltage generator 3 configured to generate a bias voltage signal of a positive voltage, and operational amplifier 33 and 34. Each operational amplifier 33 and 34 is individually configured to add the voltage signal for temperature compensation and the bias voltage signal, and to perform inverting amplification to generate the bias voltage of negative voltage to be applied to FET 12 and 22.

Abstract: A torque damper can comprise a clutch piston arranged within a cover of a torque converter and can be adapted to be moved between a connected position and a non-connected position relative to the cover. Damper springs can be arranged along the circumference of the clutch piston. Connecting members can be arranged abutting against one end of the damper spring and adapted to connect a turbine arranged within the cover and the clutch piston via the damper spring. Damper holders can be arranged abutting against the other end of the damper spring and adapted to hold the damper spring against the compressive force applied to the damper spring from the connecting member. Guide sheets having wear resistance can be interposed between the circumference of the clutch piston and the damper spring and can be adapted to guide the damper spring. A torque input to the cover can be transmitted to the turbine via the clutch piston and the damper springs when the clutch piston is in the connected position.

Abstract: A lock-up clutch can include a clutch piston arranged within a cover of a torque converter and adapted to be moved between a connected position and a non-connected position relative to the torque converter cover. A containing recess can be formed on a circumferential edge of the clutch piston for containing damper springs and connecting members for connecting a turbine arranged within the torque converter cover and the clutch piston via the damper springs contained within the containing recess. An independent member forming an outer circumferential portion of the containing recess can be arranged oppositely to the outer surface of each damper spring.

Abstract: A speech synthesis apparatus (10) comprises speech segment disassembling means (101) for disassembling the speech segments each including at least one phoneme into a plurality of pitch waveforms, phase characteristic transforming means (103) for transforming the phase characteristics of the pitch waveforms into a uniformed phase characteristic, pitch waveform classifying means (104) for classifying the pitch waveforms into a plurality of groups, pitch waveform registering means (106) for registering the pitch waveforms in the database (111) by extracting one pitch waveform from among the pitch waveforms in each of the groups, and synthesizing means (107) for synthesizing the speech with the pitch waveforms registered in the database (111). The speech synthesis apparatus (10) thus constructed can synthesize a natural speech using a relatively small database capacity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for speech synthesis utilize a plurality of stored prosodic templates, each having been generated based on a series of enunciations of a single syllable executed in accordance with the rythm, pitch and speech power variations of an enunciated sample speech item, whereby the templates express rythm, speech power and pitch characteristics of respectively different sample speech items. Data representing an object speech item are converted to a sequence of acoustic waveform segments which respectively express the syllables of the speech item, the number of morae (syllable intervals) and the accent type of the speech item are judged and a prosodic template having the same number of morae and accent type is selected, and waveform shaping is applied to the waveform segments such as to match the rythm, speech power and pitch characteristics of the object speech item to those expressed by the selected prosodic template.

Abstract: Disclosed hereby is a microscopic system integrated with wide-screen television in which a medical information is combined with an image signal picked up by an imaging device including a microscope, a wide-screen television camera and an adaptor for mounting the camera on the microscope; the synthesized image signal is transmitted to be recorded/reproduced and the synthesized image is displayed as a stereoscopic image.