Abstract: The image sensing device adapted to compose an appropriate single picture from a plurality of pictures of different exposures obtained from the same subject, wherein the camera operation is controlled using as a reference the signal of one of said plurality of pictures of different exposures.

Abstract: In a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device capable of the storage of multivalued data, fast writing can be realized with high reliability. In such a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device for storing multivalued information in one memory cell by setting a plurality of threshold voltages of data, writing of data having one threshold voltage that is the remotest to an erased state is performed prior to writing of the data having the other threshold voltages (write #1). Writing of the data having the other threshold voltages is then sequentially performed within groups of threshold voltages, starting from the nearer threshold voltage to the erased state within each group. When writing each of the data having the other threshold voltages, writing of the data is performed to a memory cell beginning with those groups having the remoter threshold voltages from the erased state.

Abstract: A bromine-impregnated activated carbon wherein the contents of any alkali metal, any alkali earth metal and iron are not higher than 0.3 wt % and the content of bromine is not lower than 3 wt %, with respect to the weight of a material activated carbon. The bromine-impregnated activated carbon has improved adsorption characteristics to the alkyl sulfides, which have not been sufficiently removed by activated carbons prepared by the conventional techniques. Further, variations in the absorption characteristics can be reduced and the activated carbon can exhibit a stable performance in removing the alkyl sulfides.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device (e.g., nonvolatile semiconductor memory device) and method of forming the device. The device includes a gate electrode (e.g., floating gate electrode) having a first layer of an amorphous silicon film, or a polycrystalline silicon thin film or a film of a combination of amorphous and polycrystalline silicon, on the gate insulating film. Where the film includes polycrystalline silicon, the thickness of the film is less than 10 nm. A thicker polycrystalline silicon film can be provided on or overlying the first layer. The memory device can increase the write/erase current significantly without increasing the low electric field leakage current after application of stresses, which in turn reduces write/erase time substantially.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a low-cost in-car sensor equipped with an aspirator fan motor, which is capable of detecting temperature and humidity. A thermistor for detecting temperature and a humidity sensor are arranged at desired positions on a mounting board, and the temperature and humidity of air drawn from an air inlet port and exhausted from an air outlet port are detected. At the same time, the use of electronic circuit components forming a voltage regulator circuit and a filter circuit for coping with electromagnet interference which have been employed in a brushless motor drive circuit for the aspirator fan motor is shared by the humidity sensor. This makes it possible to reduce the number of electronic circuit components necessary for the humidity sensor, and provide a low-cost in-car sensor equipped with an aspirator fan motor, enabling construction of a more inexpensive automotive air conditioner.

Abstract: When an outdoor machine 2 includes a signal line connector 21 for receiving ON/OFF signals for a compressor, an outdoor machine drive control unit 30 of an air conditioner includes an inverter device 32 for supplying power variable in frequency to the compressor 22, and a control device 33 for controlling the inverter device 32 to gradually increase the number of revolutions of the compressor 22 when the ON/OFF signal for the compressor received through the signal line connector 21 changes from the OFF condition to the ON condition. The air conditioner outdoor machine drive control unit 30 enables to construct an inverter-type air conditioner by using a general heat-pump-type indoor machine and merely mounting it in an outdoor machine.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, which ensures device reliability especially in fine regions and enables great capacitance and high-speed operations, has memory cells including, in a first region of a main surface of a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating film, a floating gate electrode, an interlayer insulating film, a control gate electrode, and source and drain regions of the second conduction type arranged in a matrix, with a shallow isolation structure for isolating the memory cells. When using a shallow structure buried with an insulating film for element isolation, the isolation withstand voltage in fine regions can be prevented from lowering and the variation in threshold level of selective transistors can be reduced. When the memory cells in a memory mat are divided by means of selective transistors, the disturb resistance of the memory cells can be improved.

Abstract: In a channel region between the source/drain diffusion layers, impurities of the same conductivity type as the well are doped in an area apart from the diffusion regions. By using as a mask the gate formed in advance, tilted ion implantation in opposite directions is performed to form the diffusion layers and heavily impurity doped region of the same conductivity type as the well in a self-alignment manner relative to the gate.

Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit device including a third gate, the present invention improves miniaturization and operation speed and reduces a defect density of an insulator film. In a semiconductor integrated circuit device including a well of a first conductivity type formed in a semiconductor substrate, a source/drain diffusion layer of a second conductivity type inside the well, a floating gate formed over the semiconductor substrate through an insulator film, a control gate formed and isolated from the floating gate through an insulator film, word lines formed by connecting the control gates and a third gate formed and isolated from the semiconductor substrate, the floating gate and the control gate through an insulator film and different from the floating gate and the control gate, the third gate is buried into a space of the floating gates existing in a direction vertical to the word line and a channel.

Abstract: The image sensing device adapted to compose an appropriate single picture from a plurality of pictures of different exposures obtained from the same subject, wherein the camera operation is controlled using as a reference the signal of one of said plurality of pictures of different exposures.

Abstract: A robot hand member mounted on an arm unit of an industrial robot and a method of producing the same, wherein there are successively executed a step of laminating prepreg sheets each containing a reinforcing fiber on the outer peripheral surface of a core member having a predetermined shape in cross section, a step of heating the laminated prepreg sheets to a predetermined temperature to thermally set, to form a fiber reinforced plastic, and a step of removing the core member from the fiber reinforced plastic to obtain a hollow structure.

Abstract: Described is a semiconductor device having a silicon oxide (SiO2) film into which nitrogen atoms, in a range between approximately 2×1020 atoms/cm3 or more and 2×1021 atoms/cm3 or less, are introduced, used as an insulator film in the semiconductor device. For example, the device can be a nonvolatile memory device, and the silicon oxide film can be used as an insulator film between, e.g., a floating gate electrode and control gate electrode of the nonvolatile memory device. Stable operations and a retention capability of a nonvolatile memory device are obtained even if the nonvolatile memory device is scaled. Moreover, a programming voltage can be lowered. Also described are methods of fabricating the semiconductor device.

Abstract: Disclosed is an inkjet recording sheet having a colorant-receiving layer on the surface of its support, in which the colorant-receiving layer contains at least one of compounds represented by the following general formula (1) and compounds represented by the following general formula (2), and contains a vapor-phase-process silica, a polyvinyl alcohol, a boron compound, and a mordant. In the formulae, R represents a saturated hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an unsaturated hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, or an acyl group, and n indicates an integer of 1 to 3.

Abstract: A GaN compound semiconductor laser includes an AlGaN buried layer which buries opposite sides of a ridge stripe portion formed on a p-type AlGaN cladding layer. The AlGaN buried layer is made by first patterning an upper part of the p-type AlGaN cladding layer and a p-type GaN contact layer into a ridge stripe configuration by using a SiO2 film as an etching mask, then growing the AlGaN buried layer non-selectively on the entire substrate surface to bury both sides of the ridge stripe portion under the existence of the SiO2 film on the ridge stripe portion, and thereafter selectively removing the AlGaN buried layer from above the ridge stripe portion by etching using the SiO2 film as an etching stop layer. Thus, the GaN compound semiconductor laser is stabilized in the transverse mode, intensified in output power, and improved in lifetime.

Abstract: In a system where a subject management server, a requester client, and a plurality of replier clients are connected via a network, when the requester client sends a subject modification request to a worksheet already defined: in the subject management server, a subject modifying module of the subject management server modifies a part of a corresponding file and, by referencing a status management table containing information about whether or not each replier has already replied, modifies a corresponding part of a replied worksheet file of the replier. When accessed by one of the plurality of replier clients, a reply managing module of the subject management server references the status management table and, depending upon whether or not the replier has already replied, sends a not-yet-replied worksheet file or a replied worksheet file. The reply managing module also registers a file or overwrites an existing file depending upon whether or not the reply from the replier is the first reply.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, which ensures device reliability especially in fine regions and enables great capacitance and high-speed operations, has memory cells including, in a first region of a main surface of a semiconductor substrate, a gate insulating film, a floating gate electrode, an interlayer insulating film, a control gate electrode, and source and drain regions of the second conduction type arranged in a matrix, with a shallow isolation structure for isolating the memory cells. When using a shallow structure buried with an insulating film for element isolation, the isolation withstand voltage in fine regions can be prevented from lowering and the variation in threshold level of selective transistors can be reduced. When the memory cells in a memory mat are divided by means of selective transistors, the disturb resistance of the memory cells can be improved.

Abstract: A multifunction acoustic device has a rotor rotatably supported in a frame, a stator provided in the frame. A permanent magnet is provided on the rotor, a coil is provided for forming magnetic fluxes between the rotor and the stator. Voltage detecting means is provided for detecting a voltage generating at the coil. A voltage detected by the voltage detecting means in the operation of the acoustic device is compared with a reference voltage which corresponds to a voltage generating at abnormal rotation of the rotor and for producing an abnormal signal when the detected voltage is equal or higher than the reference voltage. In response to the abnormal signal, the rotor is rotated from a low speed.

Abstract: An rotary electric machine 1 comprises stator 2 having a stator core 4 wounded with stator windings 5 and a rotor 3 having a rotor core 7 rotatable and opposite to the stator core 4 through a gap. The rotor core 4 of the roraty electric machine 1 is composed of a plurality of projecting pole magnetic core portions 73 arranged in a side of the gap and along the circumferential direction and a plurality of rotor yoke portions 76 for forming a magnetic path conducting magnetic fluxes of each of the projecting pole magnetic core portions 73, and the rotor core is divided in the circumferential direction on a unit of each of the projecting pole magnetic core portions 73 and each of the rotor yokes 76 opposite to each of the projecting pole magnetic core portions 73. It is possible to provide a rotary electric machine which is high in material use factor at manufacturing a rotor core and small in size and light in weight, and to provide an electric vehicle using the rotary electric machine.

Abstract: An information processing system comprises a main unit, an input means detachable there from, a storage means for storing a startup password set by the input means, a startup password presence checking means for determining whether or not the startup password is stored, and a startup password request means for requesting an operator to set a startup password. The startup password request means: (i) requests setting with the input means of a startup password for starting the main unit, if the input means is connected to the main unit, and when the startup password is absent, (ii) makes the main unit start, if the input means is connected to the main unit, and when the startup password is found present, and (iii) makes the main unit start regardless of presence or absence of the startup password, if the input means is not connected to the main unit.

Abstract: A process for producing a vinyl chloride polymer, including the steps of (a) subjecting a vinyl chloride monomer alone or a monomer mixture containing a vinyl chloride, to suspension polymerization in water; (b) subjecting the resultant vinyl chloride polymer slurry to stripping to remove an unreacted monomer remaining therein; and (c) dehydrating the polymer slurry having been subjected to stripping. In the polymerization step (a), the ratio of water/monomer is set in a weight ratio of from 0.80 to 1.50, and the viscosity at 20° C. of the polymer slurry to be fed to the stripping step is previously kept adjusted to 0.30 Pa·s or lower. In the stripping step (c), the residual unreacted monomer in the polymer slurry can efficiently be removed using steam in a smaller quantity, thus the vinyl chloride polymer can be produced at a high productivity.