Abstract: A photographing apparatus and method and a recording medium, the photographing apparatus including: an exposure control value calculator for calculating a first exposure control value for a first image obtained by performing non-flash photographing and a second exposure control value for a second image by performing flash photographing based on light received from a subject; a photographing unit for acquiring the first image by performing photographing based on the first exposure control value and acquiring the second image by performing photographing based on the second exposure control value; an exposure control value difference calculator for calculating an exposure control value difference that is a difference between the first exposure control value and the second exposure control value; and a subject brightness calculator for calculating a first subject brightness of the first image and calculating a second subject brightness of the second image.

Abstract: In an obstacle detection system, a wave transmitted by a transmitting element and received by receiving elements as a receiving wave includes extraneous waves, which are reflection waves from other than an obstacle, and obstacle reflection waves from an obstacle. It is determined that, an obstacle is present, if the reflection waves are detected as having an amplitude (voltage) greater than a threshold level and a reception time difference between time points at which the amplitude exceeds threshold level at the receiving elements is less than a predetermined time.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a transmitting device, a receiving device, and a circuit device. The circuit device determines that the receiving device receives an ultrasonic wave reflected from an object, when an output voltage of the receiving device is equal to or greater than a first threshold. The circuit device includes a humidity detection section configured to detect an ambient humidity of the transmitting and receiving devices and a threshold adjustment section configured to calculate, based on the detected ambient humidity, a sound pressure of the ultrasonic wave that is received by the receiving device after propagating over a round-trip distance between the ultrasonic sensor and the object. The threshold adjustment section reduces the first threshold, when the output voltage corresponding to the calculated sound pressure is less than a second threshold that is greater the first threshold.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes a transmitting device, a receiving device, and a circuit device. The circuit device determines that the receiving device receives an ultrasonic wave reflected from an object, when an output voltage of the receiving device is equal to or greater than a first threshold. The circuit device includes a humidity detection section configured to detect an ambient humidity of the transmitting and receiving devices and a threshold adjustment section configured to calculate, based on the detected ambient humidity, a sound pressure of the ultrasonic wave that is received by the receiving device after propagating over a round-trip distance between the ultrasonic sensor and the object. The threshold adjustment section reduces the first threshold, when the output voltage corresponding to the calculated sound pressure is less than a second threshold that is greater the first threshold.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor for detecting an object includes: a piezoelectric element having a piezoelectric body and first and second electrodes for sandwiching the piezoelectric body; an acoustic matching element having a reception surface, which receives an ultrasonic wave reflected by the object; and a circuit electrically coupled with the piezoelectric element via a wire. The piezoelectric element is embedded in the acoustic matching element so that the acoustic matching element covers at least the first electrode, a part of a sidewall of the piezoelectric element and a part of the wire between the circuit and the piezoelectric element, and the sidewall of the piezoelectric element is adjacent to the first electrode.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes a transfer belt that primarily transfers a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum; a secondary transfer unit including a transfer mechanism portion that secondarily transfers the primarily transferred toner image to a paper; an optical sensor that detects a reference toner image on the transfer belt; and a shutter that protects a detection face of the optical sensor, wherein a separation/contact mechanism portion disposed so as to be brought into contact with both of the shutter and the secondary transfer unit is provided, and the separation/contact mechanism portion allows the shutter to move so as to open and allows the secondary transfer unit to move so as to separate from the transfer belt when the reference toner image is detected by the optical sensor, and allows the shutter to move so as to separate from the transfer belt when the secondary transfer unit is drawn out from an apparatus main body.

Abstract: An information storage medium, a managed product and a management system in which the possible communication distance of an IC tag for wireless communication can be improved and the reading direction limitation can be reduced are provided. The information storage medium includes a wireless IC tag in which information is stored, a sheet body including a first spacer, an auxiliary antenna and a second spacer, and an elongated member formed of a conductive material. The elongated member is provided to be opposite to the wireless IC tag with respect to the sheet body. As the elongated member, for example, a part of a tool such as a body portion of a screwdriver can be used.

Abstract: A belt carrying device includes supporting rollers, an endless belt supported by the supporting rollers, and guiding members provided on the endless belt. The endless belt is rotated by rotation of the supporting rollers. An outer peripheral surface of the endless belt is in contact with a cleaning member. The guiding members are provided on those projecting areas of the endless belt, which project in an axial direction of the supporting rollers from both end surfaces of the supporting roller. A guiding member suppresses meandering of the endless belt by coming into contact with an end surface of the supporting roller. Formed on the end, surfaces of at least one of the supporting rollers are projecting sections and groove sections, which are rotated around a rotation axis of the at least one of the supporting rollers in response to rotation of the at least one of the supporting rollers.

Abstract: An ultrasonic flow meter includes a first ultrasonic sensor, a second ultrasonic sensor, a volume-flow operation portion, a temperature operation portion, a pressure operation portion, and a correction operation portion. The ultrasonic sensors transmit and receive a plurality of ultrasonic waves of different frequencies and are disposed on opposite sides of a flow channel in which fluid flows. The volume-flow operation portion calculates a volume flow of the fluid based on a propagation time difference of the ultrasonic wave. The temperature operation portion analyzes signals from one of the ultrasonic sensors and calculates a temperature of the fluid. The pressure operation portion analyzes signals from one of the ultrasonic sensors and calculates a pressure of the fluid. The correction operation portion corrects the volume flow with the temperature and the pressure.

Abstract: A belt transfer device according to the present invention includes an intermediate transfer belt, a transfer member, a shifter, a detector, and a controller. The transfer member primarily transfers a toner image from an image carrier to the intermediate transfer belt. The shifter reciprocates in specified opposite directions so as to shift the transfer member between a transfer position where the transfer member is in compressive contact with the inner surface of the intermediate transfer belt and a home position where the transfer member is away from the belt surface. The detector outputs a signal representing the position of the shifter. Based on the state of the signal output from the detector while the shifter is reciprocating each time in the opposite directions, the controller determines whether the tensile force of the intermediate transfer belt is proper.

Abstract: A first spacer has an arrangement surface on which a wireless IC tag is arranged, and an auxiliary antenna that resonates with electromagnetic wave used for wireless communication is provided on a surface opposite to the arrangement surface of the first spacer. A second spacer is provided opposite to the first spacer with the auxiliary antenna interposed therebetween. The first spacer and the auxiliary antenna are provided with a groove (opening) as an adjuster for resonance frequency so that the second spacer forms a bottom of the groove. Application to a plurality of communication frequencies is made possible by changing an arrangement position of the wireless IC tag with respect to the adjuster.

Abstract: A photographing apparatus and method and a recording medium, the photographing apparatus including: an exposure control value calculator for calculating a first exposure control value for a first image obtained by performing non-flash photographing and a second exposure control value for a second image by performing flash photographing based on light received from a subject; a photographing unit for acquiring the first image by performing photographing based on the first exposure control value and acquiring the second image by performing photographing based on the second exposure control value; an exposure control value difference calculator for calculating an exposure control value difference that is a difference between the first exposure control value and the second exposure control value; and a subject brightness calculator for calculating a first subject brightness of the first image and calculating a second subject brightness of the second image.

Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup unit that acquires a first image without a flash and a second image with the flash; a down-sampling unit that generates a third image by down-sampling the second image; a brightness difference calculator that calculates a brightness difference between the first image and the third image; a flash reflection intensity calculator that calculates a first flash reflection intensity from the brightness difference; and a white balance gain calculator that calculates a white balance gain based on the first flash reflection intensity. An image pickup method includes acquiring a first image without a flash and a second image with the flash, generating a third image by down-sampling the second image, calculating a brightness difference between the first image and the third image, calculating a first flash reflection intensity from the brightness difference, and calculating a white balance gain.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a transfer device controller for controlling the whole transfer device, a storage for storing various kinds of data etc. necessary for control, an intermediate transfer unit including a primary transfer power supply and its driver, a secondary transfer unit including a secondary transfer power supply and its driver, and a PTC unit. In the transfer device, a controller communicates with a main controller that controls the whole image forming apparatus, and acquires, for example, information on the total print count or the like. When PTC radiation is determined to be needed based on the above information, the controller controls to drive the PTC unit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a molding resin layer and a semiconductor element encapsulated with the molding resin layer. The molding resin layer has an opening. A surface of the semiconductor element is partially exposed outside the molding resin layer through the opening. A groove is located in the surface of the semiconductor element around the opening of the molding resin layer. The groove is filled with the molding resin layer to produce anchor effect that enhances adhesive force of the molding resin layer to the surface of the semiconductor element around the opening.

Abstract: A wireless communication improving sheet capable of improving a possible communication distance of an IC tag for wireless communication, a wireless communication IC tag, and a wireless communication system are provided. A first spacer has an arrangement surface for arranging a wireless IC tag. An auxiliary antenna, which resonates with respect to an electromagnetic wave used for wireless communication, is provided on a surface opposite to the arrangement surface of the first spacer. A second spacer is provided on an opposite side to the first spacer with the auxiliary antenna interposed therebetween. The first spacer and the auxiliary antenna is formed with a groove (a hole) having the second spacer as the bottom.

Abstract: A thin, light and soft electromagnetic wave absorber is disclosed exhibiting an excellent workability. The first conductor element group of a first conductor element layer consists of aligned cross conductor elements and square conductor elements in regions surrounded by cross conductor elements. A radio wave incident from the first conductor element layer side is received by each element, internally subjected to multiple reflection and then absorbed by a first loss material layer. Since the first conductor element group is realized by the cross conductor elements and the square conductor elements, receiving effect is enhanced and the radio wave can be collected with a high collection efficiency.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a wireless communication-improving sheet member capable of increasing a possible communication distance of an IC tag for wireless communication, a wireless IC tag, an antenna, and a wireless communication system. In at least one embodiment, a first spacer has an arrangement face on which on which the wireless IC tag is disposed without a wired connection, and an auxiliary antenna is disposed on the first spacer on an opposite side to the arrangement face, the auxiliary antenna resonating with electromagnetic waves used in the wireless communication. The auxiliary antenna has a first conductor layer as a resonant layer and a second spacer. The second spacer is disposed on an opposite side to the first spacer with the first conductor layer interposed therebetween. A discontinuous area is disposed in the first conductor layer of the auxiliary antenna.

Abstract: In an obstacle detection system, a wave transmitted by a transmitting element and received by receiving elements as a receiving wave includes extraneous waves, which are reflection waves from other than an obstacle, and obstacle reflection waves from an obstacle. It is determined that, an obstacle is present, if the reflection waves are detected as having an amplitude (voltage) greater than a threshold level and a reception time difference between time points at which the amplitude exceeds threshold level at the receiving elements is less than a predetermined time.

Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes an ultrasonic detecting element, an acoustic matching member, and an oscillation damping member. The ultrasonic detecting element detects an ultrasonic wave. The acoustic matching member has a receiving surface that is adapted on a side of the certain object to be exposed to a space, in which the detected body exists. The receiving surface receives the ultrasonic wave reflected by the detected body. The acoustic matching member is made of a material having an acoustic impedance larger than that of air and smaller than that of the ultrasonic detecting element. The oscillation damping member is disposed between an attachment portion and the acoustic matching member. The attachment portion is adapted for attaching the ultrasonic sensor to the certain object. The oscillation damping member damps transmission of oscillation from the certain object to the acoustic matching member.