Abstract: In a multi-directional antenna that is connected to a digital TV broadcast signal receiver, an RF amplifier in which its transmission gains are controlled is installed on the front of a tuner, a BER (BIT ERROR RATE) threshold is set as a reception determination standard to assess received images, and while auto-scanning, the amplification transmission gain level of the RF amplifier is controlled while changing in a phased manner to measure the BER value, and upon obtaining a BER value that is lower than the BER threshold, remaining scan and controlling transmission gains are stopped, and the receiving direction is determined. Thereby, by deleting scans in all directions in the adjustment of receiving directions for all channels, improving the reception sensitivity in a weak electric field, and determining the receiving direction by measuring and assessing the BER value, meaningless time for the direction adjustment can be saved, and the best reception condition can always be obtained quickly.

Abstract: A connector with a locator, which prevents cracks at solder connected portions between pin contacts and a circuit board, prevents noise even in use in an environment with vibrations, and prevents deformation of the pin contacts is provided. The connector includes a plurality of pin contacts, a housing that houses and retains the rear ends of the pin contacts while leading out the front ends of the pin contacts in the same direction, and a resin-made plate-shaped locator that is attached to the housing and has a plurality of insertion holes for inserting the pin contacts to regulate the leading-out directions of the front ends of the pin contacts, wherein the locator is attached in contact with the housing side surface while its side end surface is in a warped condition.

Abstract: In a fluid transmitting device, a plurality of first power transmission claws are inserted between adjacent ones of damper springs and secure to a clutch piston; and a plurality of second power transmission claws are inserted between adjacent ones of the damper springs so as to face the first power transmission claws, and has support portions which are connected to an outer peripheral surface of a shell of a turbine impeller via a weld formed by laser beams. The weld is formed into a linear shape extending along a circumferential direction of the shell so that the weld is melt by the laser beams to extend from an outer surface of the support portion to an inner peripheral surface of the shell. Thus, it is possible to easily perform welding between the support portions of the second power transmission claws and the shell of the turbine impeller, and to easily perform a visual inspection as to whether the welding condition is good or not.

Abstract: A circuit having a plurality of driver IC's 101-1 to 101-n provided corresponding to divided areas of a display panel 102, each driver having an output circuit for outputting a supplied reference current IREF as a drive current to corresponding divided areas DRVA1 to DRVAn of the display panel 102 and reference current source circuits 200-1 to 200-n for sampling and holding the reference current input from the reference current input terminal, then supplying the same to the output circuit, the reference current input terminal being connected to the reference current input terminal of another driver by a common current interconnect CML1, and the reference current being distributed to the reference current source circuits of drivers by time division.

Abstract: In a TV broadcast signal receiving system, setting up of a multi-directional antenna and a TV broadcast signal receiver is made simple and easy. The multi-directional antenna identifies a standard direction used as a standard for receiving a TV broadcast signal, at least latitude and longitude of a location of the multi-directional antenna. The TV broadcast signal receiver memorizes TV tower information including position information of latitudes and longitudes of positions of a plurality of TV towers and channel information of channels, TV broadcast signals of which are transmitted from each TV tower. The TV broadcast signal receiver decides an optimum signal receiving direction of each receivable channel with using the antenna information and the TV tower information, which is used for switching an effective signal receiving direction of the multi-directional antenna for receiving a TV broadcast signal of an optional channel chosen by a user.

Abstract: In multi-directional antennas connected to a digital TV broadcast signal receiver, when a receiving channel is selected, if an antenna is set to the same direction as a previously stored direction, and signals cannot be received, the previously stored direction data is deleted, and if the best receiving direction is searched by the auto-scan, and a receivable direction does not match the previously stored receiving direction, the stored direction information is all deleted, the entire area scan is performed over all directions for all channels, and a new receiving direction for each channel is determined by the obtained best receiving direction.

Abstract: An inkjet printing apparatus is adapted to use a non-contact method for detecting the presence and the amount of liquid, in the form of ink droplets discharged from a printhead or ink tank, using electromagnetic waves in the form of infrared rays. The apparatus and method employ an infrared sensor to detect infrared radiation emitted by the ink in proportion to the amount of ink present. The apparatus and method further employ one of various shielding members to prevent the intrusion of infrared radiation noise into the infrared sensor field of detection, and, in some aspects, a fan to control air flow within the field of detection. The result is less noise in the detection signals of the infrared sensor, and therefore a more sensitive and more reliable liquid detection method and liquid detection apparatus.

Abstract: A camera with a lens barrel is provided which includes a first frame member having on an inner surface thereof a female helicoid, and a cam groove which has substantially a same lead angle as a lead angle of the female helicoid and which is deeper than the female helicoid. A second frame member is placed inside the first frame member. The second frame member includes a male helicoid engaged with the female helicoid, and a cam follower engaged with the cam groove. The first frame member is rotatable relative to the second frame member, so as to cause forward or backward movement of the second frame member.

Abstract: Provides evaluating programs that enable problems to be identified in a manner that reflects actual conditions for an evaluation of contents of interest. In an example embodiment, there is provided a program for evaluating contents of interest that causes a computer to implement the functions of: performing a primary evaluation of contents of interest on the basis of one evaluation criterion; performing a primary evaluation of the contents of interest on the basis of another evaluation criterion; and performing a secondary evaluation of the contents of interest on the basis of a plurality of the first evaluations.

Abstract: There is provided a drive circuit of a display device using a capacitive load which includes a clamp circuit connected to a power source potential and clamping a potential of the capacitive load to the power source potential such that an electric power is supplied to the capacitive load in a temporally dispersed manner. For example, the clamp circuit includes a plurality of switches parallelly connected between the capacitive load and the power source potential, the plurality of switches being turned on at different times.

Abstract: A wireless communication system having wireless terminal stations to perform direct communication without passing through a wireless base station. This system includes a wireless communication device which performs either a first wireless communication using a first channel having a first frequency band or the second wireless communication using a second channel having a second frequency band with a bandwidth greater than that of the first frequency band. This system also includes a generation device which generates a switching control frame to control switching between a communication period by the first wireless communication and a communication period by the second wireless communication, and a communication control device which controls the wireless communication device so as to transmit the switching control frame. A wireless terminal station is selected as a temporal central control station having a switching control right to control switching between the first and second wireless communications.

Abstract: A Ag alloy reflective film for an optical information recording medium contains Ag as a main component, and at least one selected from Nd, Sn, Gd and In in a total amount of more than 3.0 atomic percent and less than or equal to 10 atomic percent. The reflective film can further contain 0.01 to 3 atomic percent of at least one of Bi and Sb, and/or can further contain comprising 20 atomic percent or less of at least one of Mn, Cu, La and Zn. An optical information recording medium includes the Ag alloy reflective film and can be subjected to laser marking. A Ag alloy sputtering target has a similar composition to that of the Ag alloy reflective film.

Abstract: A plurality of antenna elements, each of which has first and second linear conductors whose first ends are electrically interconnected are formed. The antenna elements are arranged in plane in such a way that the first and second linear conductors are alternated and separated from one another at regular intervals, thereby forming one or more array antennas which are disposed in a chamber. The second ends of the first linear conductors are connected to a high-frequency power supply, and the second ends of the second linear conductors are connected to ground. A plurality of substrates are parallel placed on both sides of the array antennas at distances approximate to the distances between the linear conductors. A film is formed by introducing an ingredient gas into the chamber.

Abstract: A fired spinel complex oxide is produced by firing a mixture containing a slag by-produced in chromium refining, a reducer, and a silica-containing material, and is essentially composed of: 29 to 40 percent by weight of Fe2O3; 15 to 20 percent by weight of Al2O3; 9 to 14 percent by weight of MgO; 0 to 4 percent by weight of Na2O; 9 to 17 percent by weight of Cr2O3; 14 to 20 percent by weight of SiO2; and 2 percent by weight or less of CaO. The fired spinel complex oxide shows a Cu—K? X-ray diffraction pattern in which the ratio (b/a) of the diffraction peak intensity of the silica-containing material (b) in the vicinity of 2?=26.7° to the {113} plane diffraction peak intensity (a) in the vicinity of 2?=36° is 0.1 or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor layer (3); a gate electrode (11) formed on the semiconductor layer (3) via a gate insulation film (10); and a first insulation film (13) formed at one or more of sidewalls of the semiconductor layer (3), the gate insulation film (10) and the gate electrode (11); wherein the first insulation film (13) overlies a part of the gate insulation film (10) surface. According to the semiconductor device, leakage current at the isolation edge can be suppressed and thus reliability can be improved.

Abstract: A TV broadcast receiver measures, at least two times, a signal intensity in a maximum receiving direction and a signal intensity in the 180 degree opposite receiving direction among 16 receiving directions of a smart antenna. If the signal intensity in the maximum receiving direction is significantly different from that in the opposite receiving direction, it determines that the smart antenna is connected. If the signal intensity in the maximum receiving direction is substantially the same as that in the opposite receiving direction, it determines that the smart antenna is disconnected. It displays messages of the connection and disconnection of the smart antenna on a monitor. This makes it possible to quickly determine whether the antenna connected to the TV broadcast receiver is a smart antenna or a stationary unidirectional antenna.

Abstract: A navigation system, portable information processing device and its control program, data server, information processing server, navigation method, traveling route establishing method, information providing method, and area information providing method are disclosed having a portable terminal (10,54,210) to read out code data, indicative of area information of a destination and routed spots, from a print product (112,114). The code data are converted into area information and stored in a storage unit (23,66,72, 123,223,232,323), from which particular area information is retrieved and transmitted to an on-vehicle navigation device (30,58,104,230) by which a traveling route of the vehicle is established on the basis of area information to guide the vehicle to the destination.

Abstract: There is provided a guide device for a machining head capable of machining a workpiece such as a cylinder head of an engine accurately, a machine having the guide device, and a guide method. At least one of guide posts formed in a guide post member has an air pressure controlling function capable of fitting and holding a guide bar in the guide post in a non-contact state, and other guide bars have a very small clearance with the guide post facing to the guide bar. Thereby, the position at which the machining head is held is accurately held.

Abstract: An image signal processing apparatus which is capable of preventing the “simultaneous display of an original image and the immediately preceding image” as well as dropping of frames. A signal processor subjects an image pickup signal corresponding to a subject outputted from an image pickup device to signal processing. A VRAM (Video Random Access Memory) section is composed of at least three storage areas that store image signals outputted from the signal processing circuit. A VRAM management information section stores management information indicative of storage states of the respective storage areas of the VRAM section. A compression circuit subjects an image signal read from the VRAM section to compression processing. An image display processing circuit subjects an image signal read from the VRAM section to image display processing. An image display section displays images based on the image signal outputted from the image display processing circuit.

Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system provided with a refrigeration cycle system is provided. The air-conditioning system includes an evaporator outlet air target temperature setting unit which sets the target temperature of air at an outlet of an evaporator at a predetermined temperature greater than or equal to a minimum temperature which is set for preventing freezing of the evaporator. The target temperature setting unit controls the predetermined temperature to the minimum temperature when the vehicle speed is lower than or equal to a predetermined vehicle speed.