Abstract: A method of upgrading coal which comprises: pulverizing low-grade coal; mixing the pulverized low-grade coal with an oil to form a slurry; heating the slurry to or above the boiling point of water to vaporize the water contained in the low-grade coal and dehydrate the coal; compressing a vapor mixture of the steam resulting from the slurry heating and that part of the oil which has vaporized simultaneously and thereby elevating the temperature and pressure of the vapor mixture; and supplying the vapor mixture increased in temperature and pressure by the compression and utilizing this vapor mixture as a high-temperature heat source to heat the slurry. In the method, the vapor mixture before being compressed is brought into contact with an oil in a liquid state.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a telephone system includes a plurality of communication terminals and a server apparatus. The server apparatus includes a memory, a determination module, and a controller. The memory stores in a management table terminal IDs in association with terminal type identifying information representing whether the communication terminals are SIP terminals or non-SIP terminals. The determination module determines whether or not a third communication terminal is an SIP terminal based on the management table. The controller causes a display of the third communication terminal to show the terminal ID of the second communication terminal as caller's information.

Abstract: Provided is a manufacturing method for a briquetted solid fuel that can reduce the briquetting cost while maintaining the strength of the briquetted product. A mixed oil that includes a heavy oil and a solvent oil, and a porous coal are mixed to obtain a slurry. The slurry is dewatered by heating to obtain a dewatered slurry. Solvent oil is separated from the dewatered slurry to obtain a cake, the cake is heated, and solvent oil is further separated from the cake to obtain a modified coal. Moisture is added to the modified coal to obtain a moist modified coal with a moisture content of 3 wt % to 10 wt %, and then the moist modified coal is briquetted under pressure.

Abstract: An inattention determining device includes range changing unit and inattention determining unit. When a curve detection result is output from curve detector, the range changing unit changes a first predetermined range to a second predetermined range by the predetermined amount in the curve direction before a turning direction of an acquisition result is changed in the curve direction of the curve detection result. The inattention determining unit determines whether or not a driver is in an inattention state on the basis of the second predetermined range.

Abstract: Provided is a manufacturing method for a briquetted solid fuel that can reduce the briquetting cost while maintaining the strength of the briquetted product. A mixed oil that includes a heavy oil and a solvent oil, and a porous coal are mixed to obtain a slurry. The slurry is dewatered by heating to obtain a dewatered slurry. Solvent oil is separated from the dewatered slurry to obtain a cake, the cake is heated, and solvent oil is further separated from the cake to obtain a modified coal. Moisture is added to the modified coal to obtain a moist modified coal with a moisture content of 3 wt % to 10 wt %, and then the moist modified coal is briquetted under pressure.

Abstract: To improve reaction efficiency by increasing a contact area of first and second reactants per unit volume, without reducing dimensions of the inlet paths for the first and second reactants in a layer-thickness direction, a channel includes a first inlet path having the first reactant, a parallel second inlet path separated from the first inlet path and having the second reactant, a junction channel for causing the first and second reactants to join as separate laminar flows, and a parallel reaction channel connected with a downstream side of the junction channel for permitting the laminar flows of the first and second reactants to react at a contact interface thereof. A dimension of the reaction channel in the layer-thickness direction perpendicular to the contact interface is set to be smaller than the sum of the dimensions of the first inlet path and the second inlet path in the layer-thickness direction.

Abstract: An endoscope cleaning system of one aspect of the subject matter includes: a first cleaning device configured to clean an endoscope; a second cleaning device configured to clean the endoscope according to a method different from that of the first cleaning device; and a cleaning evaluation device configured to determine whether or not a cleaning level of the endoscope cleaned by one of the first cleaning device and the second cleaning device satisfies a predetermined criterion, wherein one of the first cleaning device and the second cleaning device cleans the endoscope in accordance with a determination result of the cleaning evaluation device.

Abstract: An inattention determining device includes range changing unit and inattention determining unit. When a curve detection result is output from curve detector, the range changing unit changes a first predetermined range to a second predetermined range by the predetermined amount in the curve direction before a turning direction of an acquisition result is changed in the curve direction of the curve detection result. The inattention determining unit determines whether or not a driver is in an inattention state on the basis of the second predetermined range.

Abstract: Provided are a modified solid fuel manufacturing method that reduces manufacturing costs and environmental impact while also realizing higher strength such as for transport, and modified solid fuels manufactured using the manufacturing method. When solid fuels are manufactured by crushing low grade coal, mixing the crushed low grade coal with solvent oil to prepare a slurry, heating the slurry to at least the boiling point of water to evaporate moisture included in the slurry, separating the solvent oil from the slurry to produce charcoal dust and compression compacting said charcoal dust, by heating the slurry to at least the boiling point of water, the non-volatile components included in the low grade coal are extracted with the solvent oil, the outer surface of the low grade coal and the internal surfaces of the pores are coated with the extracted non-volatile components, and the content of heavy oil added from the outside will be less than 0.

Abstract: There is provided a face image pick-up apparatus for a vehicle including an image pick-up unit installed in a vehicle having a steering wheel disposed in front of a driver's seat of a vehicle interior and a tilt mechanism adjusting a tilt angle with respect to a vertical direction of the steering wheel to image a face image of a driver seated on the driver's seat, wherein the image pick-up unit is disposed vertically above a central axis line of the steering wheel and vertically above the upper end of the steering wheel when the steering wheel is displaced to the upper limit position by the tilt mechanism, when viewing the steering wheel from the front.

Abstract: An inattention determination device includes a sight direction detecting unit that detects a sight direction of a driver, and an inattention determining unit that measures an inattention continuation time from a time point when the sight direction is a predetermined inattention direction to a time point when the sight direction deviates from the predetermined inattention direction and becomes a direction other than the inattention direction and determines that the driver is inattentive when the intention continuation time is equal to or more than a predetermined time. The inattention determining unit maintains measurement of the inattention continuation time when the sight direction is changed at a speed higher than a predetermined movement speed from the predetermined inattention direction to a direction other than the inattention direction or when the sight direction is momentarily a direction other than the inattention direction.

Abstract: A method of upgrading coal which comprises: pulverizing low-grade coal; mixing the pulverized low-grade coal with an oil to form a slurry; heating the slurry to or above the boiling point of water to vaporize the water contained in the low-grade coal and dehydrate the coal; compressing a vapor mixture of the steam resulting from the slurry heating and that part of the oil which has vaporized simultaneously and thereby elevating the temperature and pressure of the vapor mixture; and supplying the vapor mixture increased in temperature and pressure by the compression and utilizing this vapor mixture as a high-temperature heat source to heat the slurry. In the method, the vapor mixture before being compressed is brought into contact with an oil in a liquid state.

Abstract: A fluid path structure in which the flow rate of fluid flowing in each flow path is equal to each other and in which each flow path has an increased flexibility in shape. The flow path structure has flow paths into which fluid is introduced. The flow paths include flow paths having different flow path lengths. The equivalent diameter of each part of each fluid path is set according to the flow path length of the fluid path so that the entire pressure loss of each flow path is equal to each other.

Abstract: A technology for correctly detecting a rotating position of a rotator at the time of rotation start. A rotation control apparatus controls rotation of a motor, which includes a stator provided with a plurality of coils and a rotor having magnetism. At the time of detecting a position of the motor when the motor is stopped, a control part supplies a current to a plurality of different paths including the coils, a stopped position detecting part measures the current flowing in each of the plurality of paths, judges the order of the measured current values, and a rotating position of the motor is detected based on the order. Based on a combination of a path showing the highest current value and a path showing the second highest current value, the stopped time position detecting part judges a position of the motor.

Abstract: A load driving device according to the present invention includes: a first current generation section generating a first current in accordance with a driving current of a load; a second current generation section generating a predetermined second current; an integration section charging and discharging a capacitor in accordance with magnitude relation between the first current and the second current; a comparison section comparing a terminal voltage of the capacitor and a predetermined threshold voltage; and an output section generating a protection signal based on output logic of the comparison section. Such configuration permits appropriately preventing load burnout.

Abstract: A load driving device according to the present invention includes: a first current generation section generating a first current in accordance with a driving current of a load; a second current generation section generating a predetermined second current; an integration section charging and discharging a capacitor in accordance with magnitude relation between the first current and the second current; a comparison section comparing a terminal voltage of the capacitor and a predetermined threshold voltage; and an output section generating a protection signal based on output logic of the comparison section. Such configuration permits appropriately preventing load burnout.

Abstract: It is aimed to improve reaction efficiency by increasing a contact area of first and second reactants per unit volume without reducing dimensions of an inlet path for the first reactant and an inlet path for the second reactant in a layer-thickness direction. In a reactor, a channel includes a first inlet path having the first reactant introduced thereinto, a second inlet path arranged while being separated from the first inlet path and having the second reactant introduced thereinto, a junction channel for causing the first reactant flowing via the first inlet path and the second reactant flowing via the second inlet path to join in the form of the laminar flows separated from each other, and a reaction channel connected with a downstream side of the junction channel for permitting the laminar flow of the first reactant and that of the second reactant held in contact with each other and reacting the two reactants at a contact interface thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides microsphere manufacturing method and apparatus capable of stable obtaining microspheres of a desired size and reducing facility cost. According to the method and the apparatus, to manufacture microspheres made of a second liquid in a first liquid, the first liquid is supplied into a first channel to flow therein and the second liquid is supplied to an intermediate part of the first channel through a second channel. The supply velocities of the first and second liquids are set such that the second liquid closes the first channel and the closing part of the second liquid is cut off due to a pressure difference between an upstream side and a downstream side to form microspheres.

Abstract: A driver IC 1 has a bias terminal 20a via which a bias voltage fed from a microcomputer 2 to drive and control a loading motor 4 is fed in and a bias terminal 20b via which a bias voltage fed from a DSP 3 to drive and control a focus coil 5, a tracking coil 6, a sled motor 7, and a spindle motor 8 is fed in.

Abstract: The present invention provides a phthalocyanine compound represented by the following formula (PC-1): Formula (PC-1) (wherein M represents a hydrogen atom or a metal atom, R1, R4, R5, R8, R9, R12, R13, and R16 each represents independently a hydrogen atom or a substituent, at least one of R1, R4, R5, R8, R9, R12, R13, and R16 is a group represented by formula (II), and R2, R3, R6, R7, R10, R11, R14, and R15 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent); —SO2R17??Formula (II) (wherein R17 represents an alkyl group, aryl group or a heterocyclic group having a hydrophilic group). A novel phthalocyanine compound having high durability and useful as a functional dye is provided.