Abstract: Provided is a variable conductivity film exhibiting a large change in conductivity so as to facilitate movement or sorting of micro-materials. Silicon semiconductor layers disposed between a first electrode and a second electrode include: a first silicon layer of a first conductivity type with a first impurity concentration; a second silicon layer of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type, contacting the first silicon layer and having a second impurity concentration smaller than the first impurity concentration; and a third silicon layer of the first conductivity type contacting the second silicon layer and having a third impurity concentration larger than the second impurity concentration. The first silicon layer and the second silicon layer form a first photodiode having a first polarity, and the second silicon layer and the third silicon layer form a second photodiode having a second polarity and being connected in series to the first photodiode.

Abstract: Provided is a power supply device, which is capable of coping with semiconductor light source loads to be set in various ways, and has high efficiency, in which a current to be supplied to each of the loads has a small ripple. The power supply device supplies power to a semiconductor light source load and lights the semiconductor light source load, and includes: a DC-DC converter; and a controller. The DC-DC converter includes an inductance element and a switching element, and performs voltage conversion by storing energy in the inductance element from an input power source when the switching element is on, and discharging the energy, the energy being stored in the inductance element, to a load side when the switching element is off. The controller controls ON/OFF operations of the switching element so that an output current of the DC-DC converter can be the same as a target value.

Abstract: Provided is a power supply device, which is capable of coping with semiconductor light source loads to be set in various ways, and has high efficiency, in which a current to be supplied to each of the loads has a small ripple. The power supply device supplies power to a semiconductor light source load and lights the semiconductor light source load, and includes: a DC-DC converter; and a controller. The DC-DC converter includes an inductance element and a switching element, and performs voltage conversion by storing energy in the inductance element from an input power source when the switching element is on, and discharging the energy, the energy being stored in the inductance element, to a load side when the switching element is off. The controller controls ON/OFF operations of the switching element so that an output current of the DC-DC converter can be the same as a target value.

Abstract: A digital pen includes a light emitting element configured to emit a light ray of a specific wavelength region; a pen tip configured to emit the light ray on a writing surface; a sensor configured to output information indicative of whether the pen tip contacts the writing surface; a controller configured to detect if the pen tip contacts the writing surface based on the information from the sensor; and a holding mechanism configured to hold pressure applied onto the sensor to be constant, through an elastic force of an elastic body. The controller determines that the pen tip contacts the writing surface when the sensor is free from the pressure, thereby dissolving a problem of an uncomfortable feeling for a user, which is caused by the fact that the track written by the digital pen is not immediately reflected on a screen.

Abstract: Provided is a power supply device, which is capable of coping with semiconductor light source loads to be set in various ways, and has high efficiency, in which a current to be supplied to each of the loads has a small ripple. The power supply device supplies power to a semiconductor light source load and lights the semiconductor light source load, and includes: a DC-DC converter; and a controller. The DC-DC converter includes an inductance element and a switching element, and performs voltage conversion by storing energy in the inductance element from an input power source when the switching element is on, and discharging the energy, the energy being stored in the inductance element, to a load side when the switching element is off. The controller controls ON/OFF operations of the switching element so that an output current of the DC-DC converter can be the same as a target value.

Abstract: An electromagnetic device and a high-voltage generating device which are thin and improved in the characteristics are provided in which a magnetic core is made of a cylindrical form of a ferrite material having a higher intrinsic resistance. A winding is provided by winding a flat rectangular wire conductor in an edge-wise winding form directly on substantially the entire length of the magnetic core. As any insulator such as a coil bobbin is not needed between the flat rectangular wire conductor and the magnetic core, the winding can be decreased in the overall size or thickness thus contributing to the dimensional reduction of the electromagnetic device. Also, as its flat rectangular wire conductor is wound directly on the magnetic core, the winding can be minimized in the length and thus the overall resistance. Moreover, as there is no gap between the winding and the magnetic core, the self-inductance can be reduced while the size and the number of turns of the winding remain unchanged.

Abstract: In a discharge lamp lighting apparatus, a power supplied to a discharge lamp La through a DC-DC converter 1 and an inverter 2 is controlled depending on detection results of a lamp voltage detection unit 6 and a lamp current detection unit 7, and in an electrode heating period an alternation time of an output to the discharge lamp when starting actuation of the discharge lamp is set longer than an alternation time in a steady lighting period, and the alternation time in the electrode heating period is increased depending on lowering of a supply power or current to the discharge lamp. Thus, even when a lamp current is suddenly changed, the discharge lamp is prevented from going off at the time of polarity inversion without lowering a life.

Abstract: In a discharge lamp lighting apparatus, a power supplied to a discharge lamp La through a DC-DC converter 1 and an inverter 2 is controlled depending on detection results of a lamp voltage detection unit 6 and a lamp current detection unit 7, and in an electrode heating period an alternation time of an output to the discharge lamp when starting actuation of the discharge lamp is set longer than an alternation time in a steady lighting period, and the alternation time in the electrode heating period is increased depending on lowering of a supply power or current to the discharge lamp. Thus, even when a lamp current is suddenly changed, the discharge lamp is prevented from going off at the time of polarity inversion without lowering a life.

Abstract: An electromagnetic device and a high-voltage generating device which are thin and improved in the characteristics are provided in which a magnetic core is made of a cylindrical form of a ferrite material having a higher intrinsic resistance. A winding is provided by winding a flat rectangular wire conductor in an edge-wise winding form directly on substantially the entire length of the magnetic core. As any insulator such as a coil bobbin is not needed between the flat rectangular wire conductor and the magnetic core, the winding can be decreased in the overall size or thickness thus contributing to the dimensional reduction of the electromagnetic device. Also, as its flat rectangular wire conductor is wound directly on the magnetic core, the winding can be minimized in the length and thus the overall resistance. Moreover, as there is no gap between the winding and the magnetic core, the self-inductance can be reduced while the size and the number of turns of the winding remain unchanged.

Abstract: An electromagnetic device and a high-voltage generating device which are thin with improved characteristics includes a magnetic core of a cylindrical form of a ferrite material having a high intrinsic resistance. A winding is provided by winding a flat rectangular wire conductor in an edge-wise winding directly on substantially the entire length of the magnetic core. As an insulator, such as a coil bobbin, is not needed between the flat rectangular wire conductor and the magnetic core, the winding can be decreased in the overall size or thickness thus contributing to the reduction in dimension of the electromagnetic device. Also, as its flat rectangular wire conductor is wound directly on the magnetic core, the winding can be minimized in the length and thus the overall resistance.

Abstract: An electromagnetic device and a high-voltage generating device which are thin and improved in the characteristics are provided in which a magnetic core 3 is made of a cylindrical form of a ferrite material having a higher intrinsic resistance. A winding is provided by winding a flat rectangular wire conductor 2 in an edge-wise winding form directly on substantially the entire length of the magnetic core 3. As any insulator such as a coil bobbin is not needed between the flat rectangular wire conductor 2 and the magnetic core 3, the winding can be decreased in the overall size or thickness thus contributing to the dimensional reduction of the electromagnetic device. Also, as its flat rectangular wire conductor 2 is wound directly on the magnetic core 3, the winding can be minimized in the length and thus the overall resistance. Moreover, as there is no gap between the winding and the magnetic core 3, the self-inductance can be reduced while the size and the number of turns of the winding remain unchanged.

Abstract: A server connected with a portable terminal via a network manages commodity data and quotation data in a database, sends the commodity data or the quotation data to a portable terminal and displays the commodity data or the quotation data on a screen in response to an inquiry from the portable terminal, and sends a sequence of ordering screens for commodities which have dimensional specifications to the portable terminal and displays the sequence of ordering screens on the screen at a request from the portable terminal, which in turn places orders by entering commodity specifications including dimensional specifications according to the displayed sequence of ordering screens.

Abstract: An electromagnetic device and a high-voltage generating device which are thin and improved in the characteristics are provided in which a magnetic core 3 is made of a cylindrical form of a ferrite material having a higher intrinsic resistance. A winding is provided by winding a flat rectangular wire conductor 2 in an edge-wise winding form directly on substantially the entire length of the magnetic core 3. As any insulator such as a coil bobbin is not needed between the flat rectangular wire conductor 2 and the magnetic core 3, the winding can be decreased in the overall size or thickness thus contributing to the dimensional reduction of the electromagnetic device. Also, as its flat rectangular wire conductor 2 is wound directly on the magnetic core 3, the winding can be minimized in the length and thus the overall resistance. Moreover, as there is no gap between the winding and the magnetic core 3, the self-inductance can be reduced while the size and the number of turns of the winding remain unchanged.

Abstract: A method processes a simplified order placement and reception in a system comprising a host computer and a PDA. The method includes storing stocked-product data and estimation data in an order placement and reception information database provided in the host computer, transmitting from the host computer to the PDA the stocked-product data which is accompanied by the estimation data of a relevant product distribution channel in response to an inquiry request from the PDA, displaying the stocked-product data transmitted from the host computer on a screen in the PDA, and placing an order from the screen on which the stocked-product data are displayed in the PDA.

Abstract: A host computer stores stocked-product data and estimation data in an order placement and reception information database. In response to an inquiry request from the terminal, the host computer permits a terminal to refer to the stocked-product data and estimation data of parties relating to a relevant product distribution channel. The terminal refers to the data, creates estimation data, and transmits the estimation data to the host computer. The host computer stores the received estimation data in the order placement and reception information database as order placement data, and performs delivery management on the basis of the order placement data.