Abstract: A sales system using a credit card in which a card holder presents the credit card to a business that sells goods or services. The business, after confirming the validity of the credit card, supplies the goods or services to the card holder. The sales system includes a credit card containing coded information unique to the card holder and a credit card verification device possessed by the business. The credit card verification device including a zero-knowledge verification unit based on a zero-knowledge verification system and being capable of verifying the credit card containing coded information based on the zero-knowledge verification system. Accordingly, a transaction in the sales system using the credit card is carried out without a presentation of the personal information of the card holder to the business.

Abstract: An ultrasonic wave is oscillated from an ultrasonic generator toward a shadow mask to permit the ultrasonic wave to remove the foreign matter attached to the shadow mask, thereby cleaning the shadow mask. A part of the ultrasonic wave oscillated from the ultrasonic generator toward the shadow mask is reflected by a reflector toward the shadow mask so as to irradiate the shadow mask.

Abstract: The present invention is a signal processing device which performs parallel processes A and B efficiently. There is a deviation in the throughputs of the process A and B in processing an audio signal. First to Nth sub signal processing sections have capabilities to complete the process A within a period (N×T). A main signal processing sections has a capability to complete the process B within a period T. Efficient signal processing can be achieved by processing an input digital signal by means of distinct sub signal processing devices one after another and then processing the signal by the main signal processing section. (N×T).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a data storage processing apparatus and the object of the present invention is to provide storages including off-line media and to improve the usability of users as well as removing the unfairness among users. The resource of data storage processing will be divided and dynamically allocated and simultaneously various multiple storages in the resource of the data storage processing will be integrated in accordance with file systems and hierarchically arranged according to speeds and features, and file systems will be constructed on that hierarchical various multiple storages, and thus, users are able to access to the optional files making no distinction of various multiple storages and/or file system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a data storage processing apparatus and the object of the present invention is to provide storages including off-line media and to improve the usability of users as well as removing the unfairness among users. The resource of data storage processing will be divided and dynamically allocated and simultaneously various multiple storages in the resource of the data storage processing will be integrated in accordance with file systems and hierarchically arranged according to speeds and features, and file systems will be constructed on that hierarchical various multiple storages, and thus, users are able to access to the optional files making no distinction of various multiple storages and/or file system.

Abstract: A microcode controlled processor having an overwritable memory device for microcode storage includes a setting device for setting a virtual memory space and a conversion table device showing the relationship between the address information of the virtual memory space designated by the setting device and the address in a real memory space inclusive of the memory device. A predetermined address in the virtual memory space is designated to read out data and the contents of the conversion table device may be modified. In this manner, a large size program or a plurality of programs can be executed immediately without the size of the executable program being limited by the size of the real memory space.

Abstract: An electrode for a coulometric type of electrochemical detector, comprising a porous carbon product having the following physical properties (1) to (3):(1) an average pore size in the range of 5 to 70 .mu.m,(2) a specific surface area in the range of 0.1 to 3 m.sup.2 /g, as determined by the BET method, and(3) a stack thickness of crystallite (Lc(002)) of 40 .ANG. or less, as determined by X-ray diffractometry.

Abstract: An electrode for a coulometric type of electrochemical detector, comprising a formed product of a porous, graphitic carbon having the following physical properties (1), (2) and (3):(1) an average pore diameter of 0.1 to 50 .mu.m,(2) a specific surface area of 10 m.sup.2 /g or more, and(3) an average interlaminar spacing (d.sub.002) of carbon of 3.35 to 3.42 .ANG., as determined by X-ray diffraction analysis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing ultrafine metal particles by gas-phase pyrolysis of 0.1 to 30% by volume transition metal carbonyl compound diluted with a diluent gas to form a mixed gas, which comprises supplying 1 to 30% by volume of the mixed gas of up to 200.degree. C. and 99 to 70 % by volume of a second diluent gas. The second gas heated to at least 400.degree. C., serves as a heat feed source for gas-phase pyrolysis to a reaction zone. The gases are mixed together there to carry out gas-phase pyrolysis in the presence of a magnetic field of at least 100 gauss.

Abstract: There is provided a process for producing graphite whiskers by supplying a carbon source compound with a carrier gas into a heating zone in a reactor and decomposing the carbon source compound in a gas phase in the presence of a catalyst, characterized in that the catalyst comprises ultrafine particles of a transition metal which have been obtained by the gas-phase thermal decomposition of a carbonyl compound of a transition metal in the presence of at least one organic compound containing oxygen and/or sulfur.

Abstract: A magnetic metal powder comprising fine particles of a transition metal which contain 0.2 to 2.5% by weight of carbon substantially in the form of metal carbide and which are of such a geometry as a minor axis length of 100 to 300 .ANG. and a (major to minor) axial ratio of 1 to 50.

Abstract: In a process for producing an ultrafine powder of a metal by subjecting a transition metal carbonyl compound to gas phase pyrolysis reaction, the improvement which comprises diluting said carbonyl compound with an inert gas or hydrogen to a concentration of 3 vol. % or less with optional addition of an oxygen-containing organic compound and/or a sulfur-containing organic compound in an amount of 0.0001 to 0.1 mol per mol of said carbonyl compound to prepare a gas mixture, and then carrying out gas phase pyrolysis reaction at 300.degree. C. or higher by allowing said gas mixture to reside for 5 seconds or less in a reaction system to which a magnetic field of 100 gauss or higher is being applied, thereby obtaining the ultrafine powder of said metal having a length of 1 micron or less, a coercive force of 800 oersted or higher and a saturation magnetization of 120 emu/g or higher.