Abstract: A semiconductor device according to this invention includes a support film that supports a lower electrode of a capacitor at an upper portion, and the support film includes a first insulating material having a stress within a range of +700 MPa to ?700 MPa. Use of such a support film prevents a phenomenon in which the capacitor lower electrode is twisted. Preferably, the support film has a rate etched by hydrofluoric acid of 1.0 nm/sec or less and more preferably, the support film includes a silicon carbon nitride film.

Abstract: A motor control device for a stepping motor including at least two phase coils and a rotor is provided. The motor control device includes a control unit which applies a pulse voltage subjected to pulse width modulation, to each of the at least two phase coils, a back electromotive voltage measuring unit which provides a halt period to temporarily halt the application of the pulse voltage to one of the phase coils when a direction of the coil current flowing in the one phase coil is switched, and which measures a back electromotive voltage induced in the one phase coil during the halt period, an out-of-step detecting unit which detects an out-of-step of the stepping motor if the measured back electromotive voltage satisfies a predetermined criterion, and a voltage control unit which sets a voltage for all phase coils other than the one phase coil to a constant voltage during the halt period.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. The method comprises forming a first silicon film on a semiconductor substrate, forming a second silicon film on the first silicon film, forming a third silicon film on the second silicon film, and forming a first diffusion barrier film on the third silicon film. The method further comprises performing a thermal treatment to diffuse an impurity included in the second silicon film into at least the first silicon film and the semiconductor substrate, respectively.

Abstract: A mobile terminal device that executes a function setting operation is disclosed. When a memory card that stores various file types is inserted into the mobile terminal device, a decision processing portion reads identification information of the memory card and compares the identification information with stored identification information in a storing portion. If the read identification information and the stored identification information coincide, a function setting controlling portion executes a resetting of a display or of a sound function of the mobile terminal device by using the various file types stored in the memory card.

Abstract: An electronic document storage and reference system, for providing an electronic document storage apparatus for performing a document transfer processing effectively, and providing means for restoring and enabling the transferred electronic document for a reference on an apparatus other than the electronic document storage apparatus, comprises a unit for transferring from the electronic document storage apparatus to an archive media an electronic document stored for more than a specified period of time, a unit for emigrating, from the electronic document storage apparatus, the information required for referring to the electronic document transferred to the archive media and a unit for restoring the transferred electronic document from the archive media for enabling the electronic document to be referred to.

Abstract: In a method of detecting synchronization loss in a stepping motor, a means for applying either control current or control voltage to a coil of each phase to thereby drive a stepping motor and a means for individually measuring a back EMF voltage induced at the coil of each phase are employed, wherein application of either the control current or the control voltage at the coil of each phase is halted by turns phase by phase for such a short time period as not to affect rotation of a rotor of the stepping motor at a predetermined timing within one step period of the rotor, the back EMF voltage at the coil is measured during the short time period, and the stepping motor is judged to lose synchronization when the measurement result of the back EMF voltage at the coil of at least one phase satisfies a detection criterion.

Abstract: A motor control device for a stepping motor including at least two phase coils and a rotor is provided. The motor control device includes a control unit which applies a pulse voltage subjected to pulse width modulation, to each of the at least two phase coils, a back electromotive voltage measuring unit which provides a halt period to temporarily halt the application of the pulse voltage to one of the phase coils when a direction of the coil current flowing in the one phase coil is switched, and which measures a back electromotive voltage induced in the one phase coil during the halt period, an out-of-step detecting unit which detects an out-of-step of the stepping motor if the measured back electromotive voltage satisfies a predetermined criterion, and a voltage control unit which sets a voltage for all phase coils other than the one phase coil to a constant voltage during the halt period.

Abstract: There is provided an actuator including a motor and a case adapted to house the motor. In the actuator, an output shaft of the motor is supported by a structured configured such that an elastic member is disposed between the case and at least one end of the output shaft, wherein the elastic member is in contact with a portion of the case in an engaging manner whereby the elastic member is prevented from shifting relative to the case in the rotation direction of the output shaft, and also wherein the elastic member is in contact with a portion of the motor in an engaging manner whereby a body of the motor is prevented from shifting relative to the elastic member in the rotation direction of the output shaft.

Abstract: A video output apparatus includes a video output unit which outputs a video signal while switching the format of the video signal between a first format and a second format for expressing color differently. The video output apparatus also includes a mute signal generation unit which generates, as a muting video signal, a specialized video signal expressing a color in which the difference between the color displayed when the specialized video signal is interpreted in its own format and the color displayed when the specialized video signal is interpreted in a different format is a minimum. The video output apparatus further includes a selection unit, which selects one of the video signal outputted by said video output unit and the mute signal generated by said mute signal generation unit and outputs the selected signal, and a control unit, which causes the selection unit to select the mute signal in a period including the switch performed by the video output unit.

Abstract: A data transmission circuit analyzes video data and a pixel clock input from a video/audio signal processor, and determines whether the signals are valid or not. If a signal is invalid, the data transmission circuit generates and outputs a TMDS signal based on dummy video data and a dummy pixel clock internally generated as pseudo signals. Accordingly, a state in which an invalid signal is being output can be prevented, and the time required to output video can be reduced because an additional device authentication is not performed.

Abstract: In a wireless network including a wireless LAN device having a base station function compatible with the IEEE 802.11e standard and a wireless LAN device having a terminal function compatible with the standard, a band-guaranteed data reception check timer 104? starts measuring a preset time when the terminal receives band-guaranteed data from the base station after a band acquisition response signal is transmitted from the base station to the terminal and a band-guaranteed data transfer is established between the base station and the terminal. If band-guaranteed data is not received from the base station before the measurement of the preset time is completed, the terminal determines that the wireless network connection has been disconnected to request the base station for re-connection of the wireless network after passage of the preset time.

Abstract: A video/audio encoding unit encodes an inputted video/audio signal in a format compliant with a predetermined technical standard. A differential signal output unit outputs the encoded data in the form of a differential signal defined by the predetermined technical standard. The differential signal output unit appends the data encoded by the video/audio encoding unit to a data transmission unallocated region of a communication line defined by the predetermined technical standard and then transmits the resulting data. Because the data transmission unallocated region, which is not directly used in normal data transmission, is thus effectively utilized in data transmission, a larger volume of information can be transmitted and received.

Abstract: The DVD player includes: a reproducing unit reproducing audio data and video data; a first transmission unit converting, into first data in accordance with a first standard, the audio data and video data reproduced by the reproducing unit, and transmitting the first data to the television; a second transmission unit converting, into second data in accordance with a second standard, the audio data and video data reproduced by the reproducing unit, and transmitting the second data to the television; a display determination unit determining whether or not to display an error message regarding an error occurring in the first transmission unit based on whether or not the video is displayed using the first data; and a display control unit causing the message display unit to display the error message according to a result of the determination by the display determination unit.

Abstract: A memory interface device has a write detection section that detects the write of a predetermined unit amount of data by a memory write unit into a memory. A signal generation section generates a signal to notify the memory write unit that readout of data from the memory by a memory readout unit has been completed. A data storage amount measurement device measures an amount of data stored in the memory during the memory write procedures. A memory readout control section generates an interrupt signal with respect to the memory readout unit when the stored data amount in the memory reaches a predetermined readout start storage amount. A timer counts a period in which writing of the predetermined unit amount of the data into the memory by the memory write unit is discontinued and outputs a timeout signal to the memory readout control section when a value of the period count reaches a predetermined timer period.

Abstract: In a mobile terminal device that executes a function setting by using a memory card, when insertion/removal of the same memory card are repeated, an original function setting can be restored automatically to omit a resetting and also the user's operational burden can be lessened. The volume number is read from an inserted memory card 10 and stored in a volume number storing portion 13, and also a particular JPEG image file stored in the memory card 10 is read and a wallpaper setting is done by a function setting controlling portion 16. Also, function setting information is stored in a function setting information storing portion 15 to be linked with the volume number stored in the volume number storing portion 13. Then, when the memory card 10 is inserted and removed, a status decision processing portion 14 reads the volume number and compares this number with the volume number stored in the volume number storing portion 13.

Abstract: An inter-record alteration detection code verification unit 36 calculates an inter-record alteration detection code by merging a record alteration detection code stored in a record to read from a database 34 and a record alteration detection code in the immediately previous record so as to generate a code and applying a predetermined hash operation to the generated code. The verification unit verifies whether the calculated inter-record alteration code coincides with the inter-record alteration detection code stored in the record to read. If they coincide with each other, data is determined to be not altered.

Abstract: A card type electronic device system has an adapter including a self-identification function compliant with a preselected recognition procedure for identifying the adapter. A card type electronic device is provided for selective connection to one of a first card slot of a host device without the adapter and to a second card slot of the host device via the adapter that has a maximum supply current standard value greater than that of the first card slot. The card type electronic device includes a recognition function via which the adapter is recognized in accordance with the preselected recognition procedure.

Abstract: In a method of detecting synchronization loss in a stepping motor, a means for applying either control current or control voltage to a coil of each phase to thereby drive a stepping motor and a means for individually measuring a back EMF voltage induced at the coil of each phase are employed, wherein application of either the control current or the control voltage at the coil of each phase is halted by turns phase by phase for such a short time period as not to affect rotation of a rotor of the stepping motor at a predetermined timing within one step period of the rotor, the back EMF voltage at the coil is measured during the short time period, and the stepping motor is judged to lose synchronization when the measurement result of the back EMF voltage at the coil of at least one phase satisfies a detection criterion.

Abstract: A silicon substrate having a first silicon oxide film formed via thermal oxidation and a second silicon oxide film formed via chemical vapor deposition and the like is subjected to preprocessing prior to selective epitaxial growth, wherein both the first and second silicon oxide films are etched with the same etching rate so as to completely remove the first silicon oxide film. Thus, it is possible to precisely control the sizes of contact holes formed in the silicon substrate, thus preventing contact plugs from short-circuiting with silicon epitaxial layers.

Abstract: In measurement of wireless channels in an IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network (WLAN), in the case of multi-channel measurement as in North America in which eight wireless channels Ch1 through Ch8 are available, channel measurement according to a predetermined algorithm is made in which odd-numbered channels Ch1, Ch3, Ch5 and Ch7 are first measured, and if radio interference occurs in channel Ch5, channels Ch4 and Ch6 adjacent to channel Ch5 are measured. This shortens the measurement time that conventionally corresponds to measurement of the eight channels to the time of six channels, i.e., the sum of the measurement time for the odd-numbered channels and that for the channels adjacent to the interference-occurring channel.