Abstract: A vehicle control device has a processor configured to estimate a direction of a source of a warning sound generated by another vehicle relative to the host vehicle based on an acoustic signal acquired by an acoustical sensor, and decide to drive the host vehicle in a direction perpendicular to a current traveling direction of the host vehicle and away from the source of the warning sound, when the direction of the source of the warning sound relative to the host vehicle is estimated.

Abstract: A vehicle control device has a processor configured to estimate an amount of rainfall per unit time based on an acoustic signal acquired by an acoustical sensor mounted on a vehicle, determine whether a present operation mode of the vehicle is a first operation mode with a lower level to which a driver is contributing to driving or a second operation mode with a higher level to which the driver is contributing to driving than the first operation mode, and decide a first time until the operation mode of the vehicle is transferred from the first operation mode to the second operation mode based on the amount of rainfall, when the operation mode of the vehicle is the first operation mode.

Abstract: A fixing unit or device that can be used in an image forming apparatus includes a first heater element that is formed of a material that increases in electrical resistance with increases in temperature. A controller of the fixing unit is configured to vary a duty ratio of electric power applied to the first heater element during a start-up operation in which the temperature of the first heater element is raised to a target operating temperature. By varying the duty ratio during the start-up operation, changes in the resistance of the first heater element with the heating can be compensated. For example, the duty ratio can be increased during the course of the start-up to achieve the target operating temperature faster.

Abstract: A binder composition includes a dispersion medium and a group of binder particles. The group of binder particles is dispersed in the dispersion medium. The group of binder particles include a polymer material. The polymer material includes a constitutional unit originated from vinylidene difluoride. The group of binder particles has a number-based particle size distribution. The particle size distribution satisfies the following conditions: “0.19?X?0.26”, “0.69?Y?0.76”, and “0?Z?0.05”. Here, “X” represents a frequency of particles each having a particle size of less than or equal to 40 ?m. “Y” indicates a frequency of particles each having a particle size of more than 40 ?m and less than or equal to 110 ?m. “Z” indicates a frequency of particles each having a particle size of more than 110 ?m and less than or equal to 250 ?m.

Abstract: Provided are a short circuit state analyzer to compare difference value when the AC excitation current is applied at a first frequency with a threshold value, to estimate a short circuit resistance from the difference value based on data indicating a relationship between the short circuit resistance and the difference value at the first frequency when the difference value is smaller than the threshold value, to cause an excitation power supply to apply the AC excitation current to the field windings at a second frequency lower than the first frequency when the difference value is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and to estimate the short circuit resistance from a difference value obtained by the AC excitation current at the second frequency based on data indicating a relationship between the short circuit resistance and the difference value at the second frequency.

Abstract: Provided are a short circuit state analyzer to compare difference value when the AC excitation current is applied at a first frequency with a threshold value, to estimate a short circuit resistance from the difference value based on data indicating a relationship between the short circuit resistance and the difference value at the first frequency when the difference value is smaller than the threshold value, to cause an excitation power supply to apply the AC excitation current to the field windings at a second frequency lower than the first frequency when the difference value is equal to or greater than the threshold value, and to estimate the short circuit resistance from a difference value obtained by the AC excitation current at the second frequency based on data indicating a relationship between the short circuit resistance and the difference value at the second frequency.

Abstract: A receiving circuit stops a one shot timer from generating an output signal immediately after the output signal is outputted to an external entity until a predetermined stretch time elapses. With this arrangement, the receiving circuit will not generate a new output signal even if (i) noises generated by a voltage fluctuation of the output signal appear on an amplified signal immediately after the output signal is outputted (at the end of the output), and (ii) the value of the amplified signal exceeds a threshold value. Therefore, the receiving circuit can make sure that an unnecessary output signal will not be generated due to the noises.

Abstract: An infrared transmitter circuit causes an output current to flow to a light emission diode via a current mirror circuit constituted of three transistors by using a current supplied from a power source circuit, so that the light emission diode emits light. When a voltage V1 varied by charging a capacitor with a current flowing from the power source circuit exceeds a reference voltage (voltage V2), an output of a comparator resets a D flip-flop, so that an output of the D flip-flop varies to “0”. Thus, an output of a NAND gate to which that output and a transmission signal are inputted causes a transistor (N-channel FET) to turn ON so as to stop operation of the current mirror circuit, and causes a transistor (P-channel FET) to turn OFF so as to cut a connection between the power source circuit and a power source line. Thus, it is possible to reduce power consumption in operation of a protection circuit which stops supplying the output current to the light emission diode.

Abstract: When a current mirror circuit is composed of transistors that inevitably form a parasitic photodiode between an epitaxial layer and a substrate layer because of structure of an integrated circuit, a photocurrent increases in proportional to an area of the epitaxial layer. Thus, the area of the epitaxial layer is adjusted in accordance with a current ratio of the current mirror, so as to allow the photocurrent to affect equally on both input and output sides of the current mirror circuit, i.e., so as to cancel the photocurrent. With this, in a current mirror circuit provided in an integrated circuit, it is possible to eliminate the influence of the photocurrent, without considerably increasing an element area or taking special measures to shield light.

Abstract: An infrared transmitter circuit causes an output current to flow to a light emission diode via a current mirror circuit constituted of three transistors by using a current supplied from a power source circuit, so that the light emission diode emits light. When a voltage V1 varied by charging a capacitor with a current flowing from the power source circuit exceeds a reference voltage (voltage V2), an output of a comparator resets a D flip-flop, so that an output of the D flip-flop varies to “0”. Thus, an output of a NAND gate to which that output and a transmission signal are inputted causes a transistor (N-channel FET) to turn ON so as to stop operation of the current mirror circuit, and causes a transistor (P-channel FET) to turn OFF so as to cut a connection between the power source circuit and a power source line. Thus, it is possible to reduce power consumption in operation of a protection circuit which stops supplying the output current to the light emission diode.

Abstract: A receiving circuit stops a one shot timer from generating an output signal immediately after the output signal is outputted to an external entity until a predetermined stretch time elapses. With this arrangement, the receiving circuit will not generate a new output signal even if (i) noises generated by a voltage fluctuation of the output signal appear on an amplified signal immediately after the output signal is outputted (at the end of the output), and (ii) the value of the amplified signal exceeds a threshold value. Therefore, the receiving circuit can make sure that an unnecessary output signal will not be generated due to the noises.

Abstract: When a current mirror circuit is composed of transistors that inevitably form a parasitic photodiode between an epitaxial layer and a substrate layer because of structure of an integrated circuit, a photocurrent increases in proportional to an area of the epitaxial layer. Thus, the area of the epitaxial layer is adjusted in accordance with a current ratio of the current mirror, so as to allow the photocurrent to affect equally on both input and output sides of the current mirror circuit, i.e., so as to cancel the photocurrent. With this, in a current mirror circuit provided in an integrated circuit, it is possible to eliminate the influence of the photocurrent, without considerably increasing an element area or taking special measures to shield light.