Abstract: An illumination device for an indicating needle includes a plurality of light sources, an indicating needle, a guiding member, and a luminance control unit. The indicating needle includes a needle body and a needle base. The base has an entrance surface and a reflection surface. A luminance control unit controls luminance of the light sources in response to turning of the indicating needle such that the luminance is lowest when a light emitted perpendicularly from a center of an emitting surface of the light source is reflected off a reflection surface's region which a longitudinal central line of the needle body intersects with, and that the luminance gradually increases as the light emitted by the light source from the center of the emitting surface thereof is reflected off a region that is more distant from the region which the longitudinal central line of the needle body intersects with.

Abstract: A power output apparatus for outputting power to a drive shaft includes a control unit that controls an internal combustion engine to perform an idle operation at a predetermined rotation speed, executes idle control amount learning, in which an idle control amount serving as a control amount obtained during the control is learned in accordance with establishment of a predetermined learning condition, within a range in which a rotation speed of the drive shaft is lower than a first speed, when the idle control amount learning is incomplete, and executes again the idle control amount learning within a range in which the rotation speed of the drive shaft is lower than a second speed, which is lower than the first speed, when the idle control amount learning is complete.

Abstract: A power output apparatus includes a control unit that controls an internal combustion engine, a generator, and an electric motor such that a required driving force is output to a drive shaft. The control unit learns an idle control amount, which is a control amount obtained during an idle operation of the internal combustion engine, in accordance with establishment of a predetermined learning condition when a rotation variation amount of the drive shaft is within a predetermined range including a value of zero, and does not learn the idle control amount when the rotation variation amount of the drive shaft is not within the predetermined range.

Abstract: A first insulating film is provided between a lower interconnect and an upper interconnect. The lower interconnect and the upper interconnect are connected to each other by way of a via formed in the first insulating film. A dummy via or an insulating slit is formed on/in the upper interconnect near the via.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first interlayer insulating film formed over a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of interconnects formed in the first interlayer insulating film; and a via and a dummy via, which are formed in the first interlayer insulating film so as to connect to at least one of the plurality of interconnects. A void is selectively formed between adjacent ones of the interconnects in the first interlayer insulating film. The dummy via is formed under an interconnect which is in contact with the void, so as to connect to the interconnect. The via and the dummy via are surrounded by the first interlayer insulating film with no void interposed therebetween.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first interlayer insulating film, and a plurality of first interconnects formed in the first interlayer insulating film. A void is selectively formed between adjacent ones of the plurality of first interconnects in the first interlayer insulating film, and a cap insulating film is formed in a region located over the void and between the interconnects. Respective widths of a lower end and an upper end of the void are substantially the same as a gap between the interconnects located adjacent to the void, and the lower end of the void is located lower than lower ends of the first interconnects located adjacent to the void.

Abstract: After completion of warm-up of an engine, upon satisfaction of an exhaust gas recirculation condition by setting the drive mode of a hybrid vehicle to a normal mode according to the driver's accelerator operation, when a power difference ?Pe representing a decrease rate of a power demand Pe* required for the engine is less than a preset reference value ?, the engine and motors MG1 and MG2 are controlled to ensure output of a power equivalent to the power demand Pe* from the engine with prohibition for exhaust gas recirculation via an EGR valve and to ensure output of a torque equivalent to a torque demand Tr* to a ring gear shaft or an axle (steps S300 to S330 and step S390).

Abstract: The pointer illuminator includes: an optically transparent pointer member having a reflecting surface for a pointer, which surface reflects, light incident on a predetermined surface of incidence and guides the light to a tip of the pointer; a light source arranged around a drive shaft of the pointer member; and an optically transparent light-guiding member, which guides light from the light source to the surface of incidence and includes a first light-guiding reflecting surface provided on a face of the light-guiding member, an angle which the face forms with a center axis of the light source becoming smaller as the face leaves the light source so that the first light-guiding reflecting surface reflects the light from the light source to convert the light into approximately parallel light rays, whereby the light-guiding member guides the parallel light rays to the surface of incidence.

Abstract: A head-up display apparatus includes a display unit outputting display light, a mirror for reflecting the display light toward an eye point, a mirror holder to be turned up/down for receiving and holding the mirror, a holder top cover extending toward the eye point when the mirror holder is turned up, and a holder rear cover so as to be placed at an opposite side of the eye point when the mirror holder is turned up. The holder rear cover has a surface shape to become in the same outline as that of the instrument panel when the holder rear cover covers totally an opening provided at the instrument panel in case that the mirror holder is turned down. The holder rear cover is continued to the holder top cover with an acute angle.

Abstract: An interlayer insulating film is formed on the upper surface of a semiconductor substrate, and lower-level interconnects are formed in the interlayer insulating film. A liner insulating film is formed on the upper surfaces of the interlayer insulating film and lower-level interconnects. An interlayer insulating film is formed on the upper surface of the liner insulating film. Upper-level interconnects are formed in the interlayer insulating film. The lower-level interconnects and the upper-level interconnects are connected with each other through vias. Parts of the liner insulating film formed in via-adjacent regions have a greater thickness than a part thereof formed outside the via-adjacent regions.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming an insulating film on a semiconductor substrate, forming a plurality of wiring trenches in the insulating film, forming a plurality of wirings in the plurality of wiring trenches, forming a resist mask having an opening for selectively exposing one of regions between the plurality of wirings, on the insulating film and the plurality of wirings, forming an air gap trench by removing the insulating film from the selectively exposed one of the regions between the plurality of wirings by etching using the resist mask, and forming an air gap in the air gap trench by depositing an inter-layer insulating film over the plurality of wirings after removal of the resist mask.

Abstract: An illumination device for an indicating needle includes a plurality of light sources, an indicating needle, a guiding member, and a luminance control unit. The indicating needle includes a needle body and a needle base. The base has an entrance surface and a reflection surface. A luminance control unit controls luminance of the light sources in response to turning of the indicating needle such that the luminance is lowest when a light emitted perpendicularly from a center of an emitting surface of the light source is reflected off a reflection surface's region which a longitudinal central line of the needle body intersects with, and that the luminance gradually increases as the light emitted by the light source from the center of the emitting surface thereof is reflected off a region that is more distant from the region which the longitudinal central line of the needle body intersects with.

Abstract: A head-up display device includes a housing; a display unit accommodated in the housing for emitting a projected image; a reflector for reflecting the projected image passing through an opening in the housing toward an eye range of a vehicle driver. The head-up display device further includes a movable member attached movably to the housing, and the display unit is fixed on the movable member. A position of the projected image is adjusted by only moving the movable member.

Abstract: The meter has a back light illuminating with a predetermined color, a display portion disposed in font of the back light and being changeable between a positive mode and a negative mode at a predetermined state, and a reverse control device determining whether an engine of a vehicle is in an initial starting step or the vehicle is in a running state. The control device reverses the display portion in response to a result of the determination. The control device changes the display portion from one of the positive and negative modes to the other at a lower speed when the control device determines that the vehicle engine is in an initial starting step than when the control device determines that the vehicle is in a running state. When the control device determines that the vehicle engine is in an initial starting step, the control device changes the display portion in one of the positive and negative modes from a neutral contrast state.

Abstract: Faulty bookbinding due to sheet-size, etc. setting errors when bundle-collated inner-leaf sheets and coversheets they are bound with are placed in respective trays is stopped before it occurs. In an inner-leaf tray and a coversheet tray: (1) sheet sensors are disposed, and when both detect sheet presence, the inner-leaf sheets are transported to an adhesive-application location, and (2) sheet-side detection sensors or (3) sheet length and width detection sensors are disposed, and in either case when from the detection information predetermined encased booklet formation is impossible, device startup is halted. Width detectors are disposed in the inner-leaf and coversheet trays for detecting opposing sides of sheets stacked therein, and a controller is configured to convey into the device interior inner-leaf sheets from the inner-leaf tray when predetermined encased booklet formation is possible with the inner-leaf sheets and coversheets.

Abstract: Affords a bookbinding method and bookbinding unit that attach the bookmarker string when binding inner-bound sheets coated with adhesive on the spine portion to the spine portion of the coversheet. Apply adhesive to a spine portion of inner-bound sheets collated and stacked into a bundle, join that sheet bundle to a spine portion of a coversheet, and fold the coversheet over the sheet bundle. At that time, the bookmarker string is attached to the booklet simultaneously by joining the sheet bundle to the coversheet with the bookmarker string placed over the inside spine portion of the coversheet.

Abstract: A first insulating film is provided between a lower interconnect and an upper interconnect. The lower interconnect and the upper interconnect are connected to each other by way of a via formed in the first insulating film. A dummy via or an insulating slit is formed on/in the upper interconnect near the via.

Abstract: Bookbinding unit that in binding an inner-leave sheet bundle together with a cover enables accurate binding of the cover onto the bundle's spine and meanwhile forms folding scores in the cover flaps. Furnished with: a stacking tray unit; a process path for sequentially transporting bundles from the tray unit into adhesive-application and cover-binding locations; an adhesive application unit, disposed in the adhesive-application location, that applies adhesive to bundles from the tray unit; a cover-supply unit that supplies covers to the cover-binding location; and a cover-binding unit, disposed in the cover-binding location, that binds sheet bundles from the adhesive-application location together with covers. The cover-binding unit has a shoulder-pressing unit that forms spine creases in the spine portion of the covers, and a flap-pressing unit that forms folds in the spine-creased sides of the covers.

Abstract: In a recording/reproducing apparatus having a large number of probes, being still usable continuously when several pieces of the probes are in trouble, wherein a plural number of probes are so disposed that they can make recording and/or reproducing onto the same recording area, which is in charge of the probes, respectively, and when defect, such as, a trouble is generated within a first probe, that defect is detected, automatically, so as to exchanged into a spare probe built within the frame, thereby compensating the defect.

Abstract: There is provided a physical sensor which ensures long-term reliability and can be miniaturized and increased in density, and a method of producing the same. A physical sensor includes a supporting substrate, an element substrate that includes a sensor element and is joined to the supporting substrate through an insulating layer, a glass cap that covers an area of the sensor element and is joined to the element substrate, and a built-in electrode that is electrically connected to the sensor element. The built-in electrode is formed in a through hole passing through the element substrate, the insulating layer and the supporting substrate. A portion of the glass cap that covers an area of the built-in electrode is anodically bonded to the element substrate.