Abstract: A photosensor circuit comprises a photodiode PD, which converts a light signal into electricity, an n-channel MOS transistor QD1 which has a logarithmic characteristic in its weakly reversed condition and converts a sensor current generated by the photodiode PD into a detection voltage which has a logarithmic characteristic, and a capacitor which is connected to a detection terminal of this transistor QD1. A resetting voltage VG=VS is applied to the gate G of the transistor QD1 to lower the impedance between the drain and the source of the transistor for resetting the transistor to an initial condition. As the n-channel MOS transistor QD1 is a depletion type n-channel MOS transistor, when this transistor QD1 does not receive any gate voltage, the transistor stays in a weakly reversed condition and has a logarithmic characteristic. This photosensor circuit has a high SN ratio and is capable of detecting minute light signals in high precision.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has functions of tilt adjustments to a mirror for reflecting a laser beam and outputting an image after registration of a plurality of images.

Abstract: A catalyst able to overcome defects of an absorption reduction-type NOx purifying catalyst, such as poor NOx purifying capability at low temperatures and low SOx desorbing property, is provided. The catalyst is an absorption reduction-type NOx purifying catalyst where NOx absorbent particles and support particles having supported thereon a catalyst component are mixed. Preferably, acidic support particles are added to the support particle, the NOx absorbent particles are a metal oxide having a base point, and the metal oxide is rare earth-added zirconia. In conventional catalysts, the NOx absorbent such as alkali metal having strong basicity exposes the catalyst component present together on the same support to the basic condition to decrease the catalytic performance.

Abstract: An integrated optical head records and reproduces information to and from optical discs of different types, including CD and DVD, with use of a single information recording/reproducing apparatus. The optical head has a plurality of semiconductor lasers of different wavelengths integrated by index alignment onto a substrate formed with an optoelectric integrated circuit, photodetection patterns, and a reflecting mirror.

Abstract: An exhaust gas collecting apparatus, of an internal combustion engine including a collection vessel that can hold exhaust gas, an exhaust gas taking-out passage through which exhaust gas is introduced from an exhaust passage to the collection vessel, an exhaust gas introduction passage through which the exhaust gas is introduced from the collection vessel to the exhaust passage at a position upstream from the catalytic converter, a first valve that is switchable between a position where the introduction of the exhaust gas from the exhaust passage to the exhaust gas taking-out passage is permitted and a position where the introduction of the exhaust gas is prevented, and a second valve that is switchable between a position where the introduction of the exhaust gas through the exhaust gas introduction passage is permitted and a position where the introduction of the exhaust gas is prevented.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine emission control apparatus includes split passages that divide exhaust gas discharged from an internal combustion engine into a plurality of streams. Emission control catalysts are provided that individually divide the exhaust gas in the split passages, and remove a component present in the exhaust gas at a high removal rate if a temperature of exhaust gas that inflows via the split passages satisfies a predetermined temperature condition. A controller changes proportions of the amounts of flow of the exhaust gas into the split passages so that the predetermined temperature condition is satisfied in at least one split passage of the split passages. Therefore, the emission control can be performed in a broad range of changing temperatures of the exhaust gas.

Abstract: A particulate filter (22) for removing particulates included in an exhaust gas discharged from a combustion chamber (5) is arranged in an engine exhaust passage. The particulate filter has wall partitions (54) which the exhaust gas can pass through. The particulates included in the exhaust gas are removed by oxidation in the interior of the partitions. The particulates are fluidized in the interior of the partitions.

Abstract: A demand-and-supply intervening system which supports determination of a demand-and-supply relationship between users in association with demand resources and supply resources between a plurality of users, comprises an entry acquisition unit for creating an entry set by collecting a plurality of entries each of which has a plurality of resources as demand/supply objects and a combinatorial condition to be satisfied between resources, and a candidate group determination unit for extracting a candidate group of entries so that all entries included in the candidate group satisfy combinatorial conditions included in each entry when extracting the candidate group having a plurality of entry which includes at least one entry designated as a base point, and determining the presence/absence of demand-and-supply relationships between demand and supply resources between entries which belong to the candidate group and demand-and-supply quantities.

Abstract: A semiconductor light-emitting device has a pair of leads placed in parallel, a light-emitting element on the upper end of one lead, a bonding wire for electrically connecting the semiconductor light-emitting element of the upper end of another lead, and an envelope formed from a light-transmitting resin for sealing the semiconductor light-emitting element the bonding wire, and the upper end of the leads, provided with a non-circular lateral cross-sectional surface structure with a long axis and a short axis. In the device, when observed along a direction in which the plurality of light-emitting devices are mounted on a same lead frame a curvature of the lateral direction of said envelope is smaller than a curvature of the vertical direction of said envelope.

Abstract: A catalyst (22) suitable for reduction of the NOx in an exhaust gas by ammonia in the presence of excess oxygen is arranged in the exhaust passage (18, 21) of an internal combustion engine. An aqueous urea solution is fed through a flow control valve (33) to the inside of the exhaust passage (21) upstream of the catalyst (22). When the temperature of the catalyst (22) is low, a large amount of the aqueous urea solution is fed to make the urea contained in the aqueous urea solution be stored in the catalyst (22). When the engine is accelerated and the temperature of the catalyst (22) rises, ammonia is released at a little at a time from the inside of the catalyst (22) and the NOx in the exhaust gas is reduced by the released ammonia.

Abstract: An information input/output system capable of selecting an optimum service station is provided in accordance with various service requests. An information input/output system according to the present invention comprises: a service center for offering various services through a communication network, a plurality of service stations for transmitting/receiving information to/from the service center through the communication network; and a user terminal for transmitting/receiving information to/from the service center or the service station through the communication network. In the present invention, even if the user terminal is not equipped with a printer or a facility for download or upload, various services can be received by arbitrarily selecting the service station 3 having necessary devices or facilities. It is hence possible to rapidly and precisely meet diverse service requests from a user.

Abstract: A main particulate filter having a relatively large volume is arranged in an exhaust passage of an engine, and an auxiliary particulate filter having a relatively small volume is arranged in the exhaust passage upstream of the main particulate filter. The main and auxiliary particulate filters are arranged so that the open downstream ends of the single open end-type exhaust gas passages of the auxiliary particulate filter and the open upstream ends of the open upstream end-type exhaust gas passages of the main particulate filter substantially face each other, and the open downstream ends of the both open end-type exhaust gas passages of the auxiliary particulate filter and the closed upstream ends of the open downstream end-type exhaust gas passages of the main particulate filter substantially face each other. A catalyst having an oxidation function is carried on the auxiliary particulate filter.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes plural catalysts provided in parallel. In a case where temperatures of the catalysts need to be raised, a catalyst is selected from among the catalysts and the exhaust gas is allowed to flow in the selected catalyst. In addition, the temperature of the selected catalyst is raised without using a reducing agent when the temperatures of the catalysts are lower than a temperature range in which the reducing agent can be purified. Alternatively, the reducing agent is supplied to the selected catalyst so as to raise the temperature thereof when the temperatures of the catalysts are equal to or higher than the temperature at which the reducing agent can be purified.

Abstract: A device for purifying the exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The device includes a particulate filter arranged in the exhaust system, which carries a catalyst for absorbing and reducing NOx. The catalyst absorbs NOx when the air-fuel ratio in the surrounding atmosphere thereof is lean and releases the absorbed NOx to purify NOx by reduction when the air-fuel ratio is stoichiometric or rich. The device further includes a catalytic apparatus for purifying NOx arranged in the exhaust system upstream of the particulate filter, which has an oxidation function.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification device having a NOx absorbent includes a by-pass passage for by-passing the NOx absorbent, an exhaust gas flow rate control portion for regulating both a flow rate of exhaust gas flowing to the NOx absorbent and the flow rate of the exhaust gas bypassing the NOx absorbent, and a reductant addition portion for adding reductant into an exhaust passage upstream of the NOx absorbent. In this device, when it is necessary to discharge sulfur components from the NOx absorbent, a temperature rise control is executed such that a temperature of the NOx absorbent becomes higher than a predetermined temperature. Next, a rich condition control is executed such that an air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing to the NOx absorbent becomes one of a substantially stoichiometric condition and a rich condition. The flow rate of the exhaust gas to the NOx absorbent during the temperature rise control is controlled so as to be higher than that during the rich condition control.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification apparatus, for an engine having a combustion chamber, comprising an exhaust passage, a particulate filter arranged in the exhaust passage for removing particulate in exhaust gas exhausted from the combustion chamber by oxidation, and a device for controlling the characteristics of the exhaust gas flowing into the particulate filter, wherein, when the judging means judges that the particulate filter will be deteriorated by heat, the controlling device changes the characteristics of the exhaust gas flowing into the particulate filter to prevent the particulate filter from being deteriorated by heat.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification apparatus, for an engine having a combustion chamber, comprising an exhaust passage, a particulate filter arranged in the exhaust passage for removing particulate in exhaust gas exhausted from the combustion chamber by oxidation, and a device for controlling the characteristics of the exhaust gas flowing into the particulate filter, wherein, when the judging means judges that the particulate filter will be deteriorated by heat, the controlling device changes the characteristics of the exhaust gas flowing into the particulate filter to prevent the particulate filter from being deteriorated by heat.

Abstract: A particulate filter (22) is arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine. Whether the particulate deposited on the particulate filter (22) has changed in property to a property harder to oxidize compared with right after deposition is predicted or judged. When the fact that the particulate deposited on the particulate filter (22) has changed in property to a property harder to oxidize compared with right after deposition is predicted or judged, the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the particulate filter (22) is switched temporarily from lean to rich.

Abstract: A semiconductor light-emitting device has a pair of leads placed in parallel, a light-emitting element on the upper end of one lead, a bonding wire for electrically connecting the semiconductor light-emitting element of the upper end of another lead, and an envelope formed from a light-transmitting resin for sealing the semiconductor light-emitting element, the bonding wire, and the upper end of the leads, provided with a non-circular lateral cross-sectional surface structure with a long axis and a short axis. In the device, when observed along a direction in which the plurality of light-emitting devices are mounted on a same lead frame, a curvature of the lateral direction of said envelope is smaller than a curvature of the vertical direction of said envelope.

Abstract: A clock generating circuit generates a clock of a rate corresponding to a Dch rate in response to a specification from the exterior. A counting circuit detects completion of reception of one frame by counting the clock number up to “11” at timing at which a start bit detecting circuit detects a start bit in a serial signal. An S/P converting circuit fetches a serial Dch signal bit by bit in synchronism with the clock, outputs the latest fetched 10 bits in a parallel form and latches eight bits of a real data portion among the output data into a latch circuit at the time when reception of one frame is completed. In parallel with the above operation, a parity calculating circuit and flag/interruption generating circuit set various flags and generate a reception completion interruption.