Abstract: An antenna switch apparatus and a switching method thereof including an antenna-input for cable broadcasting and an antenna-input for terrestrial broadcasting and satellite broadcasting, always receiving an OOB signal, and freely selecting one of a cable broadcasting channel and a terrestrial broadcasting channel or a satellite broadcasting channel is provided. In the antenna switch apparatus and the switching method, the terrestrial broadcasting signal is input to a select means, the cable broadcasting signal is split by a split means and the signals are input to an OOB tuner and the select means, then a signal selected by the select means is input to an A/D tuner. With this arrangement, one of the signal of the cable broadcasting channel and the terrestrial broadcasting channel or the satellite broadcasting is selected while keep receiving the OOB signal.

Abstract: A rolled steel plate 1 wound in a roll shape is unrolled and is cut in given dimensions to form a blank 2. In this case, a cut surface 2a is caused to incline at 1 to 3 degrees relative to the thickness direction of the blank 2, wherein the inclination direction of the cut surfaces 2a, 2a on each side is reversed. The blank 2 cut in this manner is roll-formed to cause the cut surfaces 2a, 2a to confront each other. Since the cut surfaces 2a, 2a on each side incline at 1 to 3 degrees in the opposite direction as described above, the cut surfaces 2a, 2a are caused to be parallel. Then, the confronting sections are laser-welded to form a cylindrical body 3.

Abstract: A decoding apparatus is provided for decoding transport streams in which compressed video and audio data, a program association table (PAT), and program map tables (PMTs) are multiplexed. The apparatus comprises a specification unit, a search unit, and decoding circuits. The specification unit allows a user to specify a service ID and program IDs corresponding to user's desired video and audio data. The search unit searches service IDs described on the PAT and program IDs on the PMT for the service ID and the program IDs specified through the specification unit. Determinations for consistency are made between the service ID described on the PAT and the user's desired service ID and between the program IDs on the PMT and the user's desired program IDs. The decoding circuits decode compressed video and audio data corresponding to the service ID and the program IDs searched by the search unit.

Abstract: A method of transmitting video data is characterized wherein plural pieces of video data of plural broadcast programs are divided into packets, respectively, and the plural packets of the video data and packets including information about the broadcast programs are multiplexed and transmitted, video data whose reproduction mode is non-interlace scanning and video data whose reproduction mode is interlaced scanning are transmitted as the pieces of video data of the plural broadcast programs, and the information for judging whether the video data of a broadcast program is of a non-interlace scanning type or of an interlaced scanning type being described in a packet including information about the broadcast programs is transmitted.

Abstract: Phenolic compound (a) is polycondensed with mixed aldehyde (b) consisting essentially of 5-30 mol % of unsaturated aliphatic aldehyde (b-1) and 70-95 mol % of saturated aliphatic aldehyde (b-2) to give alkali-soluble novolak resin (A) as the product of polycondensation reaction. The alkali-soluble novolak resin (A) is used with quinonediazido group containing compound (B) to produce a positive photoresist composition. According to the present invention, there are specifically provided a positive photoresist composition that has high feature integrity in spite of high sensitivity and which yet provides a great depth of focus, a process for producing such positive photoresist composition, as well as an alkali-soluble novolak resin that can advantageously be used in such composition, and a method of forming patterns with high reproducibility using such positive photoresist composition.

Abstract: Upper and lower shell members of aluminum-plated steel panels have respective flanges overlapping each other and welded to each other by a laser beam, thereby forming a fuel tank. One of the flanges has a stepped region spaced from the other of the flanges, thereby defining a gap between the stepped region and the other flange. The laser beam is applied to the flanges closely to the gap for discharging unwanted components such as aluminum from a welded area of the flanges into the gap. Therefore, the amount of aluminum contained in the welded area is reduced to increase the bonding strength of the welded area.

Abstract: An exhaust muffler comprising an outer cylindrical body, front and rear end plates mounted on each end of the outer cylindrical body, porous plates fitted on the insides of the outer cylindrical body and each of the end plates, and partition plates for dividing the internal space of the outer cylindrical body into several chambers, wherein when joining the component parts with each other, three or four component parts are superposed via their joint portions each on the other and integrally joined by laser beam welding so as to obtain a reduction of welding steps and minimize the thermal influence in the manufacturing process while ensuring an air-tight condition of the partitioned chambers. When an exhaust pipe and tail pipe are connected to the end plates, respectively, they are laser beam welded to the end plates in a superposed fashion.

Abstract: Upper and lower shell members of aluminum-plated steel panels have respective flanges overlapping each other and welded to each other by a laser beam, forming a fuel tank. One of the flanges has a stepped region spaced from the other of the flanges, defining a gap between the stepped region and the other flange. The laser beam is applied to the flanges closely to the gap for discharging unwanted components such as aluminum from a welded area of the flanges into the gap. Therefore, the amount of aluminum contained in the welded area is reduced to increase the bonding strength of the welded area.

Abstract: An edge protector for an electrolysis electrode onto which a thick-electrodeposited copper product is deposited for producing an electrolytic copper product, has an outer surface shape in the central portion thereof which reduces the thickness in that portion to improve uniformity of cooling, and thereby reduce stress cracking as a result of the reduced buildup of thermal stresses. The outer surfaces may be inclined planes or suitable curved shapes that converge from an outer jaw toward an inner jaw. In one embodiment an edge protector is taught such that its top end is angled downward from its center outward at an angle of less than twenty degrees to prevent creation of sharp edges and difficulty in removal. A spreader bar has a shape which enables clamping of the edge protector onto an electrolysis electrode without excessive expansion of the outer jaw, thereby lengthening service life, and easing installation. Both a hollowed and a tapered spreader bar are taught for end insertion.

Abstract: An edge protector for an electrolysis electrode, has an outer surface shape in the central portion thereof which reduces the thickness in that portion to improve uniformity of cooling, and thereby reduce stress cracking as a result of the reduced buildup of thermal stresses. The outer surfaces may be inclined planes or suitable curved shapes that converge from an outer jaw toward an inner jaw. In one embodiment an edge protector includes a sealing member made of a sealing material such as silicone rubber, either integrally formed with the inner jaws, or affixed after forming. A spreader bar has a shape which enables clamping of the edge protector onto a mother blank without excessive expansion of the outer jaw, thereby lengthening service life, and easing installation. A tapered spreader bar for end insertion, and embodiments of spreader bars having flattened surfaces for edgewise insertion and then rotation for tightening are disclosed.

Abstract: A heat-transfer material includes a tubular body made of a metal. The body includes on an inner surface thereof a porous electroplated layer having re-entrant cavities. A heat transfer material is produced by: preparing a body of a metal serving as a cathode and forming a hydrophobic film on a surface of the body; subsequently keeping the surface of the body and an anode in contact with a plating aqueous solution; and subsequently applying a direct electrical potential betwee the anode and the cathode to cause plating current to flow through the plating solution to lay deposits of plating metal on the surface of the body and laying a number of particulate bubbles on the hydrophobic film on the surface of the body so that the bubbles are enveloped by the metal deposits to form on the surface of the body a porous plated layer having re-entrant cavities.

Abstract: A heat-transfer material includes a tubular body made of a metal. The body includes on an inner surface thereof a porous electroplated layer having re-entrant cavities. A heat transfer material is produced by: preparing a body of a metal serving as a cathode and forming a hydrophobic film on a surface of the body; subsequently keeping the surface of the body and an anode in contact with a plating aqueous solution; and subsequently applying a direct electrical potential between the anode and the cathode to cause plating current to flow through the plating solution to lay deposits of plating metal on the surface of the body and laying a number of particulate bubbles on the hydrophobic film on the surface of the body so that the bubbles are enveloped by the metal deposits to form on the surface of the body a porous plated layer having re-entrant cavities.

Abstract: A heat-transfer material is produced by: preparing a body of metal serving as a cathode; subsequently keeping a surface of the body and an anode in contact with a plating aqueous solution; and applying a direct electrical potential between the anode and the cathode to cause a plating current to flow through the plating solution to produce slime from the anode and to lay deposits of plating metal on the surface of the body and moving the slime to the surface of the body to lay deposits of the slime on the surface of the body, so that the deposits of plating metal and the deposits of the slime jointly form on the surface of the body a porous layer which has minuscule projections of electrodeposits densely formed on one surface of the layer directed away from the body.

Abstract: A heat-transfer material is produced by: preparing a body of metal serving as a cathode; subsequently keeping a surface of the body and an anode in contact with a plating aqueous solution; and applying a direct electrical potential between the anode and the cathode to cause a plating current to flow through the plating solution to produce slime from the anode and to lay deposits of plating metal on the surface of the body and moving the slime to the surface of the body to lay deposits of the slime on the surface of the body, so that the deposits of plating metal and the deposits of the slime jointly form on the surface of the body a porous layer which has minuscule projections of electrodeposits densely formed on one surface of the layer directed away from the body.

Abstract: Methods for controlling blowing, controlling the slag formation and predicting sloping in the blowing of molten pig iron in LD converter are carried out by measuring acceleration of the horizontal movement of a detector, such as a lance provided in the converter, which is caused only by the slag impinging against the lance, by an accelerator, integrating the measured values to obtain integrated average values at every several seconds, and programming the integrated average values in a computer.