Abstract: An internal combustion engine includes parallel first and second intake passages, and the intake passages respectively include first and second superchargers. A first airflow meter measures the intake air amount in the first intake passage. A second airflow meter measures the intake air amount in the second intake passage. An ECU obtains an air amount difference between the intake air amount measured by the first airflow meter and the intake air amount measured by the second airflow meter to compare the obtained air amount difference with a predetermined abnormality determination value. The ECU determines that an abnormality has occurred in one of the superchargers when the air amount difference exceeds the abnormality determination value. The abnormality determination of the superchargers is based on the air amount difference between the intake passages. This accurately determines the occurrence of an abnormality in the superchargers regardless of structure of the intake passages.

Abstract: A hair styling appliance is provided in order to prevent hair between a vibrating portion and a backing portion from spreading widely by ultrasonic vibration of the vibrating portion. The vibrating portion comprises a vibrator and an ultrasonic vibration horn. The horn has a contact end brought into contact with the hair and a mounting end on which the vibrator is mounted, and amplifies and transmits the ultrasonic vibration of the vibrator mounted on the mounting end to the contact end. The horn is formed so that amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration in both sides of the center of the contact end is larger than that in the center.

Abstract: The system for transmitting and receiving electronic mail of the present invention, comprises: a text input means for entering a text of the electronic mail to be transmitted; an extracting means for extracting a character string to specify a place from the text inputted by the text input means; an adding means for adding information to the electronic mail, the information corresponding to the place specified by the extracted character string; a text display means for displaying the text in the electronic mail; and a map display means for displaying map information indicating the specified place corresponding to the information added to the electronic mail.

Abstract: An information retrieval system is provided, by which necessary information can be easily and accurately obtained from among a large number of information items by using a communication terminal which is mounted to a movable object or is fixedly disposed. In the system, a communication terminal accesses a host server and sends the server the present position of the terminal so as to retrieve desired information stored in information servers connected to a network. The host server stores summary information, categories, and positional information on the information stored in the information servers, and the communication terminal identifies an information server according to the above information stored in the host server.

Abstract: A storage of DSP receives and stores a plurality of signal processing modules according to which a digital tone signal is processed. Each signal processing module includes a plurality of data groups (e.g., program, fixed data, work data). The storage has a plurality of storage areas, each assigned to a different one of the data groups. Each storage area is divided into a plurality of division areas for the plurality of signal processing modules. DSP receives address qualifying information on the difference between the size of a specified data groups (e.g., work data) for a signal processing module and the size of a specified division area which stores the specified data group. DSP sequentially executes the plurality of signal processing modules. When it has completed executing of the current signal processing module, DSP uses the address qualifying information to determine the start address of the specified division area for the next signal processing module.

Abstract: A signal processor executes a required process based on a program stored in a RAM connected to the signal processor. The program is transferred from a ROM connected to a CPU, as requested. When the CPU determines based on the status of the RAM that the contents of a particular one of instructions which compose a particular program among the programs stored in the ROM should be changed, the CPU changes the contents of the instruction and transfers the changed instruction to the RAM. When a first one of a plurality of programs stored in the RAM is replaced with a second program transferred from the ROM, and the areas of the RAM used by the first and second programs are different, the CPU also changes the contents of instructions of other programs which are not required to be replaced.

Abstract: A vehicle navigation system for selecting a suitable travel route based on transmitted traffic information. A server calculates a proposed travel route based on input data and defines communication points so as to newly extract traffic information for an area from each communication point to the destination from a traffic information storage device, where a point from which a detour around a place noted in the traffic information is included. The server stores data for identifying the registrant, the proposed travel route, and the communication points in a storage device and sends the traffic information and communication points to a vehicle navigation device. The sent traffic information includes detailed information about a section from the current or start position of the vehicle to the closest communication point to the vehicle on the way to the destination and simplified information about a section from this point to the destination.

Abstract: A vehicle mounted unit 1 has a WWW browser for analyzing and discriminating HTML files obtained from the Internet. The HTML files are provided with a tag for the navigation apparatus (extension tag) in addition to a normal tag. The normal tag includes a descriptive statement which is now widely used on the Internet. The extension tag includes a descriptive statement newly defined for the navigation apparatus, and controls the operation of the vehicle unit 1. The vehicle unit 1 discriminates the normal tag and the extension tag at the time of receiving the HTML file, and in the case of a normal tag, executes normal operation (screen display such as characters), and in the case of an extension tag, executes functions for the navigation apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a route guidance apparatus comprises: a mobile computer having a communication means, an input means, an output means, and a position sensor, the mobile computer being carried by a user; a host computer having a communication means and a data storage means; a user computer; and a communication network for establishing communication between the mobile computer, the host computer, and a user computer, wherein the host computer stores information corresponding to a travel route selected by a user in the data storage means, and transmits the information to the mobile computer through the communication network, the mobile computer outputting the travel route through the output means.

Abstract: A radio-frequency power amplifier of mobile communication equipment includes a differential amplifier arranged to balanced-input and amplify a radio-frequency signal delivered from a frequency converter of a transmission system of the mobile communication equipment located downstream of a modulator of the transmission system. The radio-frequency signal delivered from the differential amplifier is further amplified and balanced-output by a push-pull circuit. The differential amplifier and the push-pull circuit are respectively supplied with bias currents varying in dependence on a gain control signal, whereby respective amplification gains of the differential amplifier and the push-pull circuit are variably adjusted.

Abstract: An e-mail sending and receiving system is disclosed, by which positional data about a plurality of places can be included in an e-mail message to be sent, and further detailed data can be obtained based on the included positional data, thereby improving the convenience and effectiveness of the positional data. The system comprises a mail generating section for generating an e-mail message to be sent to an addressee; a positional data storage section for storing a plurality of positional data; and a positional data attaching section for attaching one or more of the positional data stored in the positional data storage section to the e-mail message generated by the mail generating section. The system may further comprise a section for generating detailed data relating to each positional data attached to the e-mail message, and attaching a URL for accessing the detailed data to the e-mail message.

Abstract: An information retrieval system is provided, by which necessary information can be easily and accurately obtained from among a large number of information items by using a communication terminal which is mounted to a movable object or is fixedly disposed. In the system, a communication terminal accesses a host server and sends the server the present position of the terminal so as to retrieve desired information stored in information servers connected to a network. The host server stores summary information, categories, and positional information on the information stored in the information servers, and the communication terminal identifies an information server according to the above information stored in the host server.

Abstract: An access network system capable of reducing loss probability in an access network which is connected on one hand to a service node of an existing network through subscriber lines, and on the other hand to multiple user terminals, and has a concentrating function. A WAC (Wireless local loop Access Controller, that is, a controller of the access network) connected with the service node (local switch) receives from a base station a notification that no idle wireless channel is present if a wireless circuit is busy when the service node makes a call request, and receives from the base station a notification that an idle wireless channel is present when the base station detects it in the wireless circuit. If the WAC receives the channel busy notification, or cannot detect an idle channel in a trunk line, the WAC reserves a call processing.

Abstract: An ultrasonic hair curling device capable of applying ultrasonic vibration efficiently to hairs for effective hair styling in a short time. The device includes a housing, an ultrasonic generator incorporated in the housing for generating ultrasonic vibrations, and a horn connected to receive and transmit the ultrasonic vibrations. The horn is formed at its end with a hollow barrel which projects from the housing for receiving therearound a strand of hair to be curled. The hollow barrel is provided at a portion intermediates at its longitudinal ends with a hair winding zone of which cross-section is smaller than the other portion of the hollow barrel. The hair winding zone of the reduced cross section can vibrate at an amplitude larger than at the front end of the barrel for applying the ultrasonic vibrations efficiently to the hair and making the hair curling effectively.

Abstract: A method for measuring ash content of food stuff is carried out by 1) preparing, with respect to food stuff samples whose ash content values are known, a calibration curve by a non-linear analysis of absorbance values and the known ash content of each sample, the absorbance values being obtained by irradiating light having particular wavelengths containing at least an ultraviolet ray band wavelength, the particular wavelength being specific to organic ingredients well coupled to inorganic ingredients which result in the ash content, and 2) deriving, with respect to a sample whose ash content value is unknown, an ash content value of the sample from absorbance values obtained by irradiating, on the sample, light having the particular wavelengths containing at least the ultraviolet ray band wavelength and from the calibration curve prepared in advance by the non-linear analysis.

Abstract: A method for measuring ash content of food stuff is carried out by 1) preparing, with respect to food stuff samples whose ash content values are known, a calibration curve by a non-linear analysis of absorbance values and the known ash content of each sample, the absorbance values being obtained by irradiating light having particular wavelengths containing at least an ultraviolet ray band wavelength, the particular wavelength being specific to organic ingredients well coupled to inorganic ingredients which result in the ash content, and 2) deriving, with respect to a sample whose ash content value is unknown, an ash content value of the sample from absorbance values obtained by irradiating, on the sample, light having the particular wavelengths containing at least the ultraviolet ray band wavelength and from the calibration curve prepared in advance by the non-linear analysis.

Abstract: A vibration sensor includes a first stationary magnet, a second stationary magnet, a movable magnet positioned between the first and second stationary magnets, and a sensor for sensing movement of the movable magnet. The movable magnet is disposed in a magnetically repulsive relationship with the first stationary magnet and a magnetically attractive relationship with the second stationary magnet.

Abstract: A map information regenerating device usable in a vehicle travel guiding apparatus, which device is capable of freely revising a road map, i.e., adding, changing and deleting a road on the road map without changing data stored in a basic map-information storage but correlating change data with existing roads to assure the possibility of performing map-data processing such as course searching according to the revised map data. The device is so constructed that the map information may be read-out from a map information storage and stored in a buffer memory wherein the data is revised in a specified procedure according to the map change data read-out from an additionally used storage medium or/and obtained by using transmitting/receiving means.

Abstract: A submarine, optical-fiber cable having a central metal wire, a slotted rod surrounding the wires, an absorbent sheath surrounding the slotted rod, a plurality of strength members helically wound around the absorbent sheath, a metal jacket surrounding the strength members, and a plastic sheath surrounding the metal jacket. The slotted rod includes peripheral helical slots, and each of the slots may receive at least one optical fiber or at least one optical ribbon. The optical ribbon includes at least two optical fibers. Each of the optical fibers has a tensile strain ranging from about 0.015 to 0.3% along its axis. The absorbent sheath includes a layer surrounding and contacting the slotted rod for absorbing water. The cable is suitable for operating in deep sea beds for a long period of time, for laying and recovering cables, and for quick repair. Modulated strain distribution in the optical fibers suppresses stimulated Brillouin scattering therein.

Abstract: A display board has a substrate, a transparent photopolymerization resin layer formed on the substrate, and a picture layer formed in a surface of the transparent photopolymerization resin layer. The picture layer is composed of at least one dots-shaped colored photopolymerization resin. This display board is produced by exposing a colored photopolymerization resin film supported by a support member through a negative having a predetermined picture pattern to form a dots-shaped colored photopolymerization resin layer on the support member, transferring the dots-shaped colored photopolymerization resin layer to a surface of a transparent photopolymerization resin layer formed on a substrate to form a picture layer in the surface of the transparent photopolymerization resin layer, and setting the transparent photopolymerization resin layer in which the picture layer is formed to fix the picture layer.