Abstract: A power-receiving device includes a secondary-side coil which can receive a first alternating current power without contact from a power-sending device having a primary side coil into which first alternating current power is input. The power-receiving device comprises a first power transmission path, a second power transmission path, a common path positioned in common with the first and second power transmission paths, and a voltage regulator arranged on the common path. The voltage regulator rectifies the first alternating current power received by the secondary coil or the second alternating current power from a connecting portion, converts the rectified power to a predetermined specific voltage value, and outputs the power.

Abstract: A contactless power transmission device includes a switching unit that switches a power transmission line so that a first power is transmitted through the first line when an AC power supply outputs a first AC power and so that a second power is transmitted through a second line when the AC power supply outputs a second AC power. An impedance conversion unit is arranged on the second line that converts an impedance from an output of the AC power supply to a variable load when the second power is transmitted through the second line to approach an impedance from the output of the AC power supply to the variable load when the first power is transmitted through the first line.

Abstract: A power receiving device receives alternating current power in a wireless manner from a power supply device including a primary coil that receives the alternating current power. The power receiving device includes a secondary coil, a variable load, a first impedance conversion unit, a second impedance conversion unit, a fixed load, and a switch. The switch switches an output destination, to which the alternating current power received by the secondary coil is output from the first impedance conversion unit, to the fixed load or to the second impedance conversion unit and the variable load.

Abstract: A power-receiving device includes a secondary-side coil which can receive a first alternating current power without contact from a power-sending device having a primary side coil into which first alternating current power is input. The power-receiving device comprises a first power transmission path, a second power transmission path, a common path positioned in common with the first and second power transmission paths, and a voltage regulator arranged on the common path. The voltage regulator rectifies the first alternating current power received by the secondary coil or the second alternating current power from a connecting portion, converts the rectified power to a predetermined specific voltage value, and outputs the power.

Abstract: A contactless power transmission device includes a switching unit that switches a power transmission line so that a first power is transmitted through the first line when an AC power supply outputs a first AC power and so that a second power is transmitted through a second line when the AC power supply outputs a second AC power. An impedance conversion unit is arranged on the second line that converts an impedance from an output of the AC power supply to a variable load when the second power is transmitted through the second line to approach an impedance from the output of the AC power supply to the variable load when the first power is transmitted through the first line.

Abstract: A parking assistance apparatus makes it easy for a driver to grasp a relative positional relation between a vehicle and a target parking position and makes it possible to park the vehicle at the target parking position in a parking space with accuracy. An image of a mark M in a parking space S is taken by a vehicle-side camera 7. A relative position calculation portion 8 calculates a relative positional relation between the vehicle and a target parking position T based on the taken image of the mark M. A backward locus calculation portion 9 calculates an expected locus when the vehicle moves based on the relative positional relation and based on a steering angle detected by a steering angle sensor 15. An image of the parking space S is taken by a parking-space-side camera 3 and transmitted to a vehicle-side apparatus 1. An image composition portion 12 composes the image of the parking space S from the parking-space-side camera 3 and the expected locus calculated by the backward locus calculation portion 9.

Abstract: An electric vehicle suppresses the discharge of an auxiliary battery for supplying electric power to a control circuit for controlling a charging process while performing timer-charging. When the charging start timing set by a user comes after specified elapsed time, the power supply from an internal power supply circuit 35 to a CPU 36 etc. is stopped until the power supply is started from a charging station 12 to an electric vehicle 13. When the stopped power supply is started, the power supply from the internal power supply circuit 35 to the CPU 36 etc. is resumed.

Abstract: Provided is a parking assistance apparatus utilizing a fixed target by taking an image thereof, the parking assistance apparatus being capable of recognizing the fixed target with high recognition accuracy while using simple image recognition processing. A mark (M) includes a plurality of illuminators (1). Sets of the plurality of illuminators (1) form characteristic points C1 to C4. Turn-ON request generation means (36) of a vehicle-side device (20) sequentially generates turn-ON requests for each characteristic point and transmits the generated turn-ON requests to a parking-lot-side device (10). A display control unit (11) of the parking-lot-side device (10) turns ON the characteristic points based on the turn-ON requests. An image recognition unit (31) of the vehicle-side device (20) performs image recognition for the characteristic points sequentially.

Abstract: A parking assistance apparatus makes it easy for a driver to grasp a relative positional relation between a vehicle and a target parking position and makes it possible to park the vehicle at the target parking position in a parking space with accuracy. An image of a mark M in a parking space S is taken by a vehicle-side camera 7. A relative position calculation portion 8 calculates a relative positional relation between the vehicle and a target parking position T based on the taken image of the mark M. A backward locus calculation portion 9 calculates an expected locus when the vehicle moves based on the relative positional relation and based on a steering angle detected by a steering angle sensor 15. An image of the parking space S is taken by a parking-space-side camera 3 and transmitted to a vehicle-side apparatus 1. An image composition portion 12 composes the image of the parking space S from the parking-space-side camera 3 and the expected locus calculated by the backward locus calculation portion 9.

Abstract: Images are taken by a fixed camera and a moving camera, and a relative position calculation unit recognizes a current position and orientation of the moving object based on a detection signal that is input from a sensor for obtaining positional information of a moving object and calculates a relative positional relationship of the moving camera with respect to the fixed camera by comparing the current position and orientation of the moving object with a given position at which the fixed camera is installed. Based on the relative positional relationship, the image taken by the fixed camera and the image taken by the moving camera are synthesized into one image by an image composition unit, and a composite image viewed from a virtual viewpoint is displayed on a monitor.

Abstract: An image of a mark M is taken by a camera (1) with positioning a vehicle at a location in the vicinity of a parking space, an image processing unit (2) extracts a characteristic point from the image of the mark M and recognizes two-dimensional coordinates on the image, a positional parameter calculation unit (3) calculates positional parameters including six parameters of the camera (1) with reference to the mark M, and a relative position identification unit (4) identifies a relative positional relation between the vehicle and the parking space. A parking locus calculation unit (5) calculates a parking locus for leading the vehicle to the parking space based on the relative positional relation between the vehicle and the parking space identified by the relative position identification unit (4), and a guide apparatus (6) outputs drive operation guide information for causing the vehicle to travel along the calculated parking locus to a driver of the vehicle.

Abstract: A parking assist apparatus has a camera for capturing an image of a mark from a vehicle, wherein the mark is fixed to a parking area with a predetermined positional relation to the parking area and has a predetermined figure, and the vehicle is supposed to park in the parking area. The parking assist apparatus further has a vehicle-position detecting device for detecting a position of the vehicle based on the image of the mark captured by the camera and outputting a position data of the vehicle, a vehicle position data-storing device for storing the position data of the vehicle, a data acquisition device for acquiring attribute data of the parking area and the vicinities of the parking area; and a vehicle guide device for guiding the vehicle in moving out of the parking area, based on the position data of the vehicle in the parking area stored in the vehicle position data-storing device and the attribute data of the parking area and the vicinities of the parking area given by the data acquisition device.

Abstract: A liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus forms on a toner-image-bearing body a plurality of color images developed by a plurality of developing units, one for each color, that use liquid toner. One or more carrier-removing units for removing excessive carrier from a toner layer that forms a toner image are disposed downstream of each developing unit and upstream of the next developing unit disposed upstream of the former developing unit with respect to a process progress direction. Each carrier-removing unit includes two or more conductive collection rollers to which a bias voltage is applied in such a direction as to press toner against the toner-image-bearing body and which is brought into contact with the toner-image-bearing body. The upstream roller is rotated in the same direction as the direction of surface movement of the toner-image-bearing body, whereas the downstream roller is rotated in the opposite direction.

Abstract: An electrode module in the form of a flexible sheet which contacts with a toner layer and to which a bias voltage is applied is provided on a developing roller before development. The electrode module is adapted to separate the toner layer largely into a toner-rich layer and a carrier-rich layer by utilizing electrical migration occurring in the toner layer when an electric field is applied to the toner layer on the basis of the bias voltage. The electrode module is constructed in such a manner that the sheet is pulled toward a surface of the developer bearer body by a force attributable to surface tension or wetting characteristic of the liquid developer existing between the sheet and the developer carrying body, whereby the sheet comes into contact with the surface of the developer bearer body. This electrode construction increases the contact area or nip width of a bias blade provided for the developing roller and enhances its contact stability.

Abstract: In the present invention, a toner image produced through a development process of supplying a liquid toner onto an image bearing body bearing an electrostatic latent image is transferred from the image bearing body onto an intermediate transfer body and then transferred from the intermediate transfer body onto a printing medium by use of a backup roller in a transfer-and-fixation zone. The printing medium is preheated to a temperature required for transfer and fixation before the printing medium reaches the transfer-and-fixation zone. No heating means is provided in the transfer-and-fixation zone, and the intermediate transfer body and the backup roller are pressed against each other at a high pressure ranging from 10 kg/cm2 to 60 kg/cm2.

Abstract: A defect inspection method and a defect inspection apparatus accurately determine whether potential defects on a surface of a wafer are true defects, and restrains the oversight or the like of defects, permitting reliable quality assurance and accurate quality control to be achieved. The number and positions of detected potential defects are used as the parameters for determining whether potential defects are true defects. The density of potential defects is determined, and the determined density is compared with a set value to decide whether the potential defects are true defects. A surface of a wafer is captured using a differential interference microscope, and the image is processed to count the number of potential defects observed on the surface. The potential defects are detected at the spots where luminance shifts in the captured image. A spatial filter is applied to the captured image to enhance the area where the luminance shifts, and the enhanced area is binarized.

Abstract: A fingerprint verification system for verifying input fingerprint data with pre-registered reference fingerprint data is disclosed, the reference fingerprint data being data containing the fingerprint data, the pre-designated rotated angles, and the rotated order thereof, the system comprising a rotation data and reference fingerprint data storing portion for storing the reference fingerprint data.

Abstract: A liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus utilizes a nonvolatile, high-viscosity, high-concentration liquid toner as a liquid developer. A developing section is in contact with photosensitive drums 11-14, on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, so that the liquid developer is supplied onto photosensitive drums 11-14. Toner particles contained in the liquid developer adhere to the photosensitive drums 11-14 according to an electric field established between the developing section and the photosensitive drums 11-14 to form toner images. The toner images are transferred from the photosensitive drums 11-14 to an intermediate transfer section. A transfer-and-fixation section includes a heater to melt-transfer the toner images onto the printing medium. A development section is disposed at a lower portion of the apparatus to prevent smudging of the printing medium and the intermediate transfer section even when the liquid toner spills.

Abstract: An electrode module in the form of a flexible sheet which contacts with a toner layer and to which a bias voltage is applied is provided on a developing roller before development. The electrode module is adapted to separate the toner layer largely into a toner-rich layer and a carrier-rich layer by utilizing electrical migration occurring in the toner layer when an electric field is applied to the toner layer on the basis of the bias voltage. The electrode module is constructed in such a manner that the sheet is pulled toward a surface of the developer bearer body by a force attributable to surface tension or wetting characteristic of the liquid developer existing between the sheet and the developer carrying body, whereby the sheet comes into contact with the surface of the developer bearer body. This electrode construction increases the contact area or nip width of a bias blade provided for the developing roller and enhances its contact stability.

Abstract: A liquid-development electrophotographic apparatus forms on a toner-image-bearing body a plurality of color images developed by a plurality of developing units, one for each color, that use liquid toner. One or more carrier-removing units for removing excessive carrier from a toner layer that forms a toner image are disposed downstream of each developing unit and upstream of the next developing unit disposed upstream of the former developing unit with respect to a process progress direction. Each carrier-removing unit includes two or more conductive collection rollers to which a bias voltage is applied in such a direction as to press toner against the toner-image-bearing body and which is brought into contact with the toner-image-bearing body. The upstream roller is rotated in the same direction as the direction of surface movement of the toner-image-bearing body, whereas the downstream roller is rotated in the opposite direction.