Abstract: In a traceability system, information of a change in distribution situation and form of an individual article, and information of identification of the individual article is collected from each of distribution sites, and collected information is strung in accordance with a predetermined rule. A flow of distribution is known and managed based on the strung information. This makes it possible to know a location from which the individual article is distributed and a route through which the individual article is distributed, thus allowing safety management of the individual article.

Abstract: The present invention has been made to provide a technique capable of easily preventing the third party from misusing the data related to an individual physical feature in the case where individual authentication is performed based on the physical feature.

Abstract: An aromatic-polyether-type ion conductive polymer membrane having improved mechanical strength is provided. An aromatic-polyether-type ion-conductive ultrahigh molecular weight polymer having an ion exchange capacity of 0.

Abstract: An image taking device (1), which takes an image of an object by focusing reflected light from the object on an image sensor (212), is provided with a distance measuring sensor (27) for measuring a distance between the object and the image taking device (1), and means for controlling exposure time of the image sensor (212) upon taking an image in accordance with a measurement result.

Abstract: A thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising (I) 100 parts by weight of at least one block copolymer formed by addition polymerization which is selected among block copolymers which comprise a polymer block (A) consisting of aromatic vinyl units and a polymer block (B) consisting of conjugated diene compound units and which have been crosslinked in the polymer block (A) preferably with a structural unit derived from a (C1–C8 alkyl)styrene and/or functional group and among products of hydrogenation of the copolymers, (II) 10 to 300 parts by weight of a polyolefin, and (III) 0 to 300 parts by weight of a softener (III) for rubbers; and a process for producing the composition. The composition has excellent strain recovery at high temperatures and satisfactory moldability, is flexible, and has satisfactory rubber properties. It is effectively useable in various applications.

Abstract: An image taking device with a lighting device includes a light irradiating portion for irradiating light to a subject and a light receiving portion for receiving reflected light from the subject that is irradiated by the light. The light irradiating portion is structured to have a plurality of light sources that are arranged so as to surround the light receiving portion. Each of the light sources is adjusted to emit light of an intensity corresponding to an arrangement position.

Abstract: In order to perform personal identification by matching a first body image that is obtained in advance by an image taking process with a second body image that is obtained when the identification is performed, an image taking device (1) for obtaining the second body image includes a shooting condition storage portion (203) for storing a shooting condition for each person in connection with an ID given to the person, the shooting condition being used when a body image of the person is taken for obtaining the first body image, an interface (24) for entering the ID of a person to be an object of the identification, and a shooting control portion (201) for controlling to take the body image under the shooting condition corresponding to the entered ID for obtaining the second body image of the person to be an object of the identification.

Abstract: A hydrogenated copolymer obtained by hydrogenating an unhydrogenated copolymer comprising conjugated diene monomer units and vinyl aromatic monomer units, the hydrogenated copolymer containing at least one hydrogenated copolymer block (B) which is obtained by hydrogenating an unhydrogenated random copolymer block comprised of conjugated diene monomer units and vinyl aromatic monomer units, wherein the hydrogenated copolymer has the following characteristics: the hydrogenated copolymer has a content of the vinyl aromatic monomer units of from more than 40% by weight to less than 95% by weight; at least one peak of loss tangent (tan 8) is observed at ?10 to 80° C. in a dynamic viscoelastic spectrum obtained with respect to the hydrogenated copolymer; and substantially no crystallization peak ascribed to the copolymer block (B) is observed at ?20 to 80° C. in a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) chart obtained with respect to the hydrogenated copolymer.

Abstract: In a traceability system, information of a change in distribution situation and form of an individual article, and information of identification of the individual article is collected from each of distribution sites, and collected information is strung in accordance with a predetermined rule. A flow of distribution is known and managed based on the strung information. This makes it possible to know a location from which the individual article is distributed and a route through which the individual article is distributed, thus allowing safety management of the individual article.

Abstract: An acrylic diblock copolymer of the general formula (I) useful in producing pressure-sensitive adhesives which are improved in cohesive force, tack and hot-melt applicability without impairing the heat resistance and weather resistance; and pressure-sensitive adhesive compositions containing the copolymer: X·Y (I) in which X is a polymer block composed of alkyl methacrylate units wherein the alkyl is one having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or one having a cyclic structure; Y is a polymer block composed of alkyl acrylate units wherein the alkyl has 1 to 20 carbon atoms and/or alkyl methacrylate units wherein the alkyl has 5 to 20 carbon atoms; the weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of X is 1,000 to 8,000; and the X/Y mass ratio ranges from 1/99 to 10/90.

Abstract: A modified hydrogenated copolymer comprising a hydrogenated copolymer and a functional group-containing modifier group bonded to the hydrogenated copolymer, wherein the hydrogenated copolymer is obtained by hydrogenating an unhydrogenated copolymer comprising conjugated diene monomer units and vinyl aromatic monomer units, the unhydrogenated copolymer having at least one polymer block (H) of the vinyl aromatic monomer units, and wherein the modified hydrogenated copolymer has the following characteristics (1) to (4): (1) a content of the vinyl aromatic monomer units of from more than 60% by weight to less than 90% by weight, based on the weight of the hydrogenated copolymer, (2) a content of the polymer block (H) of from 0.1 to 40% by weight, based on the weight of the unhydrogenated copolymer, (3) a weight average molecular weight of from more than 100,000 to 1,000,000, and (4) a hydrogenation ratio of 70% or more, as measured with respect to the double bonds in the conjugated diene monomer units.

Abstract: A bill receiving/paying device and an automated cash transaction apparatus, by which bills of different sizes are dealt and by which charging and recovery can be made together, are provided. A charging/recovery box capable of storing and discharging the bills of different sizes in an intermixed state are provided in the bill receiving/paying device to solve the problems involved in the prior art. For example, in the case of charging, the bills of different sizes stored in the charging/recovery box in the intermixed state are paid out onto a conveyance path to go thorough a bill discrimination portion so as to be discriminated thereby with respect to kinds thereof to be stored in the storage/discharge boxes every kind of bills, so that the bills packed in the charging/recovery box can be charged together in the bill receiving/paying device.

Abstract: A portable communication device is used in a digital money system so as to pay for purchase by digital money by using the portable communication device. A remote communication interface interfaces radio-frequency communication with a remote communication terminal. A short-distance communication interface interfaces wireless communication with a communication terminal located in the vicinity of the portable communication device. Data or instruction information is input to the portable communication terminal by an inputting unit such as a key panel. The data is stored in a memory and is displayed on a display unit such as an LCD. An enciphering and deciphering circuit enciphers or deciphers the data to be transmitted or received so as to maintain security.

Abstract: As to an object-oriented programming, reuse of softwares is enhanced and running speed is improved. There are made up a data element list in which pointers to data storage areas of object A are arranged and a pointer element list in which pointers to pointer storage areas of object B are arranged. A combination of the data element list and the pointer element list makes it possible to directly refer to data of the object A from the object B.

Abstract: An electronic money system of a token and value mixed type includes an electronic money card of a type in which a token type for preferentially paying the coin money and paying the bill money when a coin money balance is insufficient for payment, and for recording issuance numbers of bills paid/received in a transaction history in a memory area of the electronic money card. An automatic transaction machine (ATM) reads, from an electronic money card, issuance number of bills for deposit and an issuance number of an invalid bill, and transmits the numbers to a computer of a bank.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hydrogenated copolymer obtained by hydrogenating an unhydrogenated copolymer comprising conjugated diene monomer units and vinyl aromatic monomer units, the unhydrogenated copolymer having at least one polymer block (H) of vinyl aromatic monomer units, wherein the hydrogenated copolymer has the following characteristics (1) to (5): (1) a content of the vinyl aromatic monomer units of from more than 60% by weight to less than 90% by weight, based on the weight of the hydrogenated copolymer; (2) a content of the polymer block (H) of from 1 to 40% by weight, based on the weight of the unhydrogenated copolymer; (3) a weight average molecular weight of from more than 100,000 to 1,000,000; (4) a hydrogenation ratio of 85% or more, as measured with respect to the double bonds in the conjugated diene monomer units; and (5) substantially no crystallization peak observed at ?50 to 100° C. in a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) chart obtained with respect to the hydrogenated copolymer.

Abstract: A polyamide composition comprising 100 parts by weight of (A) a semiaromatic polyamide having dicarboxylic acid units mainly composed of aromatic dicarboxylic acid units and diamine units mainly composed of aliphatic diamine units having 4 to 14 carbon atoms and containing not more than 15 ?eq/g of terminal amino groups; and 0.01 to 5 parts by weight of (B) a copper compound.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer electrolyte composition excellent in radical resistance and/or proton conductivity. The polymer electrolyte composition comprises an aromatic polymer phosphonic acid derivative represented by the following formula (1); and at least one selected from the group consisting of a phosphoric acid derivative and a polymer electrolyte. (wherein -Z- represents —SO2— or —CO—, x and y each represent 0.01-0.99 provided that the sum of x and y is 1, —Ar— represents a divalent aromatic group of 4-18 carbon atoms which may contain a hetero atom and may contain one or more substituents, n represents the average number of substituents per unit structure of polymeric moiety containing the aromatic group and is a positive number of 8 or less, and R and R′ each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group).

Abstract: Provided is an aromatic polymer phosphonic acid derivative in which a phosphonic acid derivative group is directly bound to aromatic ring. Said aromatic polymer phosphonic acid derivative can be produced by brominating a specific aromatic polymer compound with a brominating agent, then acting thereon trialkyl phosphite in the presence of a nickel halide catalyst to give a phosphonic acid di-ester, and further, by hydrolyzing the di-ester. The aromatic polymer phosphonic acid derivative is excellent in radical resistance and used for a solid polymer type fuel cell.

Abstract: A banknote receipt and pay-out apparatus of a recirculation type for using received banknotes as those to be paid out, which can maintain the alignment of banknotes in a receipt and pay-out box in order when the latter is installed on the banknote receipt and pay-out apparatus which can deal with banknotes having different sizes, or when the receipt and pay-out box in which the banknotes are set is transported. That is, the banknote receipt and pay-out apparatus incorporating a receipt and pay-out box for replenishing the apparatus with banknotes, recovering banknotes therefrom, and storing banknotes in a standing posture, the receipt and pay-out box comprising an alignment mechanism for holding the banknotes aligned in order around the widthwise center thereof when the banknote receipt and pay-out box is not installed on the banknote pay-out apparatus.