Abstract: A checkout system includes a plurality of settlement apparatuses and a registration apparatus. The registration apparatus includes a scanner, a storage unit, a communication interface, and a processor. The processor controls the scanner, the storage unit and the communication interface to identify a commodity corresponding to a scanned code, generate the settlement information, and transmit the settlement information to a selected one of the plurality of settlement apparatuses. The selected one of the plurality of settlement apparatuses determines, with respect to itself, whether a settlement processing is currently being performed and whether a settlement processing was completed within a preceding predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a good cleaning liquid for semiconductor device which is used after a CMP step, and the present invention relates to a cleaning liquid for semiconductor device containing the following components (1) to (5) or (1)? to (4)?: (1) an inorganic alkali; (2) a chelating agent; (3) an anionic surfactant selected from sulfonic acid type and sulfuric acid type anionic surfactants; (4) an amine oxide type surfactant; and (5) water, or (1)? an inorganic alkali; (2)? a carboxyl group-containing chelating agent; (3)? an anionic surfactant selected from a benzenesulfonic acid substituted with an alkyl group having from 8 to 20 carbon atoms and a salt thereof; and (4)? water.

Abstract: A checkout system includes a plurality of settlement apparatuses and a registration apparatus. The registration apparatus includes a scanner, a storage unit, a communication interface, and a processor. The processor controls the scanner, the storage unit and the communication interface to identify a commodity corresponding to a scanned code, generate the settlement information, and transmit the settlement information to a selected one of the plurality of settlement apparatuses. The selected one of the plurality of settlement apparatuses determines, with respect to itself, whether a settlement processing is currently being performed and whether a settlement processing was completed within a preceding predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: An optical fiber monitoring system monitors an inter-building optical fiber connecting a first building and a second building. The optical fiber monitoring system includes a first visualization panel provided in the first building and optically connected to an one end of the inter-building optical fiber, a second visualization panel provided in the second building and optically connected to an other end of the inter-building optical fiber, and a monitoring light source provided in the first building to input a monitoring light into the inter-building optical fiber. The first visualization panel includes a first photosensor that partially leaks the monitoring light inputted into the inter-building optical fiber from the monitoring light source and detects an amount of a leaked light. The second visualization panel includes a second photosensor that partially leaks a light from the inter-building optical fiber and detects amount of a leaked light.

Abstract: This invention provides a mask blank in which a thin film for transfer pattern formation is provided on a main surface of a transparent substrate. The thin film is made of a material containing a transition metal and silicon and further containing at least one of oxygen and nitrogen. The thin film has as its surface layer an oxide layer with an oxygen content higher than that of a region, other than the surface layer, of the thin film. The thin film is formed so that the thickness of its central portion is greater than that of its outer peripheral portion on the main surface side. The oxide layer is formed so that the thickness of its central portion is greater than that of its outer peripheral portion on the main surface side.

Abstract: A checkout system includes a plurality of settlement apparatuses and a registration apparatus. The registration apparatus includes a scanner, a storage unit, a communication interface, and a processor. The processor controls the scanner, the storage unit and the communication interface to identify a commodity corresponding to a scanned code, generate the settlement information, and transmit the settlement information to a selected one of the plurality of settlement apparatuses. The selected one of the plurality of settlement apparatuses determines, with respect to itself, whether a settlement processing is currently being performed and whether a settlement processing was completed within a preceding predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: A liquid discharging apparatus includes a plurality of dischargers that discharge a liquid, a determination portion that determines discharge states of the liquid in the dischargers, and a controller that controls the plurality of dischargers, in which, in a case in which the determination portion determines that the discharge state of the liquid in one discharger is abnormal, the controller controls the plurality of dischargers so as to cause the liquid to be discharged from another discharger instead of causing the liquid to be discharged from the one discharger until a predetermined time has elapsed since determination, and controls the plurality of dischargers so that a repair operation, which repairs the discharge state of the liquid in the one discharger to normal, is caused to be executed after the predetermined time has elapsed since the determination.

Abstract: A duplex LC communication light detecting adapter for forming two parallel optical transmission lines therein when a duplex LC connector is inserted so as to extract as a leak light a portion of communication light transmitting through the optical transmission lines, including an adapter main body that is opaque to light. The adapter main body includes a first space defined by a first wall and isolated from other spaces to arrange a first optical transmission line of the two optical transmission lines, a first light extraction hole for extracting the leak light from the first space, a second space defined by a second wall and isolated from other spaces to arrange a second optical transmission line of the two optical transmission lines, and a second light extraction hole for extracting the leak light from the second space.

Abstract: A checkout system includes a plurality of settlement apparatuses and a registration apparatus. The registration apparatus includes a scanner, a storage unit, a communication interface, and a processor. The processor controls the scanner, the storage unit and the communication interface to identify a commodity corresponding to a scanned code, generate the settlement information, and transmit the settlement information to a selected one of the plurality of settlement apparatuses. The selected one of the plurality of settlement apparatuses determines, with respect to itself, whether a settlement processing is currently being performed and whether a settlement processing was completed within a preceding predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: Inspection processing is performed. The inspection processing includes a first driving step of driving a piezoelectric element corresponding to an inspection target nozzle, a first detection step of detecting vibration that is generated in ink in a pressure chamber corresponding to the inspection target nozzle by the driving in the first driving step, a second driving step of driving together the piezoelectric element corresponding to the inspection target nozzle and a piezoelectric element corresponding to at least one nozzle of nozzles adjacent to the inspection target nozzle, and a second detection step of detecting vibration that is generated in the ink in the pressure chamber corresponding to the inspection target nozzle by the driving in the second driving step.

Abstract: A liquid discharge apparatus includes a discharge unit including a piezoelectric element that is displaced in response to a drive signal, a pressure chamber of which an inner pressure is increased or decreased by the piezoelectric element, and a nozzle which is in communication with the pressure chamber and discharges liquid filling the pressure chamber, depending on an increase or a decrease in the inner pressure of the pressure chamber, a detection unit that detects residual vibration occurring in the discharge unit according to a potential change of the drive signal that is supplied to the piezoelectric element, and a determination unit that determines a discharge state, in which the detection unit outputs a first detection signal and a second detection signal, and the determination unit determines the discharge state, based on the first detection signal and the second detection signal.

Abstract: The present invention is a reflective mask blank used to fabricate a reflective mask, which has a laminated structure of a multilayer reflective film, an absorber film and an etching mask film in this order on a substrate, wherein the etching mask film comprises a material containing chromium, the absorber film comprises a material containing tantalum, a highly oxidized layer is formed on the surface layer of the absorber film on the opposite side from the substrate, and a Ta 4f narrow spectrum of the highly oxidized layer when analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has a maximum peak at a binding energy of more than 23 eV.

Abstract: A liquid ejecting apparatus includes: a liquid ejecting unit that ejects a liquid supplied through a liquid supply path from a nozzle; a maintenance unit that performs a maintenance operation of the liquid ejecting unit; and an ejection state detecting unit that is able to detect a state inside a pressure chamber communicating with the nozzle. The ejection state detecting unit detects a state inside the pressure chamber before the maintenance operation and at least one state inside the pressure chamber during the maintenance operation or after the maintenance operation, and is able to determine malfunction of at least one of the maintenance unit and function units arranged in the liquid supply path based on a change in a state inside the pressure chamber due to the maintenance operation.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises a transaction history database which stores transaction information which includes transaction history, tax exemption information indicating execution of a tax exemption processing for the transaction in association; a tax exemption sales achievement database which stores totalization information obtained by totaling the transaction history; a totalization module which totals the transaction history for each country in association with the commodity code of the commodity serving as the object of the tax exemption processing according to the transaction information stored in the transaction history database; and an update module which updates the totalization information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a charging device, an electric tool and a cell pack which is provided with an IC tag to make it possible to identify the type of cell group. A cell pack includes: a cell group, having one or more secondary cells; a case for accommodating the cell group and provided with a connection part that can be connected to a charging device for charging the cell group and can be connected to an electric tool driven by discharging of the cell group; and an IC tag for storing cell information pertaining to the cell group.

Abstract: This invention provides a mask blank in which a thin film for transfer pattern formation is provided on a main surface of a transparent substrate. The thin film is made of a material containing a transition metal and silicon and further containing at least one of oxygen and nitrogen. The thin film has as its surface layer an oxide layer with an oxygen content higher than that of a region, other than the surface layer, of the thin film. The thin film is formed so that the thickness of its central portion is greater than that of its outer peripheral portion on the main surface side. The oxide layer is formed so that the thickness of its central portion is greater than that of its outer peripheral portion on the main surface side.

Abstract: A duplex LC communication light detecting adapter includes an adapter main body to form two parallel optical transmission lines therein when a duplex LC connector is inserted, the adapter main body including a side in which a light extraction hole is formed, the light extraction hole being located at a vertex of a isosceles triangle having a base that is a line segment connecting centers of the two optical transmission lines in a cross section and opened in a direction perpendicular to the line segment, and a sleeve holder formed integrally with the adapter main body to hold a sleeve that houses a ferrule of the duplex LC connector. The sleeve holder includes an opening section that is opened toward the light extraction hole in a range of more than 30 degrees to less than 120 degrees relative to the line segment in a cross section.

Abstract: A microneedle unit includes a microneedle having a facing surface that faces a puncture target and an adhering surface opposite to the facing surface, the microneedle having at least one projection formed on the facing surface, a recessed container which houses the microneedle and has an opening that surrounds the microneedle, a cover having a sheet form and being connected to the recessed container, and an adhering structure positioned between the cover and the adhering surface. Upon receiving a force, the recessed container is releasable from the cover with the microneedle being adhered to the cover via the adhering structure. The adhering structure has a first contact surface and a second contact surface. When the projections pierce the puncture target, the second contact surface comes into contact with the puncture target at a position outside the facing surface.

Abstract: This invention provides a mask blank in which a thin film for transfer pattern formation is provided on a main surface of a transparent substrate. The thin film is made of a material containing a transition metal and silicon and further containing at least one of oxygen and nitrogen. The thin film has as its surface layer an oxide layer with an oxygen content higher than that of a region, other than the surface layer, of the thin film. The thin film is formed so that the thickness of its central portion is greater than that of its outer peripheral portion on the main surface side. The oxide layer is formed so that the thickness of its central portion is greater than that of its outer peripheral portion on the main surface side.