Abstract: In a current collector laminating step, a current-collector laminate unit 30 composed of current-collector materials 31 and 32 and a film material 33 is formed. Resist layers 34 having a predetermined pattern are formed on both surfaces of the current-collector laminate unit 30. An etching process is performed with the resist layers 34 used as a mask, whereby through-holes 20a and 23a are formed on the respective current-collector materials 31 and 32. The resist layers 34 are removed from the current-collector laminate unit 30. Since the etching process is performed on the plural current-collector materials 31 and 32, productivity of an electrode can be enhanced. During the application of the slurry, the film material 33 prevents the leakage of the electrode slurry. Therefore, the current-collector laminate unit 30 can be conveyed in the horizontal direction, whereby the productivity of the electrode can be enhanced.

Abstract: There is provided an audio/display apparatus including an audio unit (2) including speaker units (13L, 13R) that reproduce and output audio information, a display unit (3) including a display screen on which video information is displayed. It further includes a support frame (6) to support the display unit (3) fixedly, a carrier (7) which supports the audio unit (2) and is supported on the support frame (6) to be movable, and carrier moving mechanisms (34, 40) to move the carrier (7) in relation to the support frame (6). As the carrier (7) is moved by the carrier moving mechanisms (34, 40), the audio unit (2) is moved between a first position in which it will uncover the entire display screen of the display unit (3) and a second position in which it will overlap, and cover at least a part of, the display screen.

Abstract: A fluid pressure type actuator revolvable at high speeds and an exercise device using the actuator. The fluid pressure type actuator comprises an expansible/contractible body (1), which is sealed by plug members (2,3) at both ends and expanded and contracted by the supply and discharge of a fluid there to and therefrom, a net-like wrapping body (7) which wraps the outside of the expansible/contractible body (1) and is fastened and secured to the plug members (2,3) at both ends, and inlet and outlet for fluid formed in the plug members (2,3). It is characterized in having space reducing bodies (4,5) for filling at least a part of a space in the expansible/contractible body (1).

Abstract: A high reliability information transmission system which can continue transmission upon at the occurrence of multiple failures. The system includes two transmission lines and transmission terminals coupled to both of the transmission lines. Data can be transmitted between respective terminals using both transmission lines. The transmission terminals check the data reception status at the corresponding receiving terminals. When data is not being received, the data may be relayed to the receiving terminal using one of the other transmission lines.

Abstract: A semiconductor device has power supply pads including a first power supply pad and at least one second power supply pad that are connected to internal power supply wirings through an internal circuit so that the first and second power supply pads are set to the same potential. The first power supply pad is bonded by a wire to a lead to which a supply voltage is applied and is connected to the round power supply wiring through a round power supply connection wiring. A signal pad from which electrostatic noise enters into the semiconductor device is provided. An input protection circuit is connected between the signal pad and the internal circuit and is connected to the round power supply wiring through a protection circuit power supply wiring.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes a coding part that performs coding on image data based on the result of decomposing the image data into bit planes block by block, and a quantization part that reduces the values of the image data of a predetermined block to be compressed at an increased rate. The quantization part is provided at an earlier stage than the coding part.

Abstract: An encoding process is provided which can easily control the compression rate or guarantee a maximum required processing time when representing the factor data, obtained from a wavelet transformation, as codes corresponding to each of the bit planes. To this end, a plurality of sets of table data each specifying the bit planes to be discarded for each of the sub bands are provided, and by selecting one of these sets according to the various conditions set forth such as the desired compression rate or a maximum required processing time, the amount of data to be encoded can be optionally set and/or a maximum required processing time can be optionally set for an apparatus with a predetermined processing speed.

Abstract: A gate driver circuit of a voltage drive type power semiconductor switching device capable of speeding up di/dt and dv/dt even during large-current driving to thereby reduce the switching loss is disclosed. This power semiconductor switching device gate driving circuit includes a drive circuit which applies a drive signal to the gate electrode of the power semiconductor switching device and a measurement unit for measuring a flow current of the power semiconductor switching device. Based on a detected value of the flow current of the power semiconductor switching device, the gate is made variable in mirror voltage thereof.

Abstract: A steel material of 85 to 95 HRB exhibiting a ratio of area occupied by ferrite of 30% or higher, which steel material comprises given amounts of C, Si, Mn, S, Ti, Cr, Al and B and the balance of iron and unavoidable impurities, is subjected to induction hardening. After the hardening, the surface of the steel material exhibits an Hv value of 640 to 730. When t refers to the effective hardening depth, namely, the distance from the surface to a region exhibiting an Hv value of 392 and r refers to the radius of the steel material, the hardened layer ratio, t/r, is 0.4 or higher.

Abstract: An information signal reproducing apparatus which is capable of forming a suitable reproducing environment and building an easy-handling reproducing system regardless of differences such as signal format or recorded media of audio data to be reproduced is provided, in which: a medium type of an optical disc and signal format information of audio data to be read from the optical disc and to be reproduced are detected by an RF signal processing circuit and a video/audio decoding unit so that a system control unit estimates whether the audio data to be reproduced is a music sound, a movie sound or another type of audio data in accordance with the detected information, and, in accordance with this estimation result, the system control unit and an interface control unit control an audio signal processing unit, an audio volume unit and a speaker amplifier unit so as to carry out a signal processing suitable for the audio data to be reproduced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition containing as a main component, an epoxy resin which has a structure comprising a polyaryleneoxy structure such as polynaphthylene oxide as a main skeleton, (methyl)glycidyloxy group and aralkyl group being introduced on an aromatic ring of the polyaryleneoxy structure, and which has low viscosity, according to the present invention, there can be provided an epoxy resin composition which can impart remarkably excellent flame retardancy and dielectric characteristics to a cured article and a cured article thereof, an epoxy resin, a phenol resin as an intermediate of the epoxy resin, and a method for producing the epoxy resin.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an epoxy resin composition capable of realizing low dielectric constant and low dielectric dissipation factor, which is suited for use as a latest current high-frequency type electronic component-related material, without deteriorating heat resistance during the curing reaction. A phenol resin, which has the respective structural units of a phenolic hydroxyl group-containing aromatic hydrocarbon group (P) derived from phenols, an alkoxy group-containing condensed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon group (B) derived from methoxynaphthalene and a divalent hydrocarbon group (X) such as methylene and also has a structure represented by —P—B—X— wherein P, B and X are structural sites of these groups in a molecular structure, is used as a curing agent for the epoxy resin, or a phenol resin as an epoxy resin material.

Abstract: In order to improve its durability, a fluid pressure type actuator is comprises an expansible/contractible body having opposite ends sealed by plug members and expands/contracts when fluid is supplied to and discharged from the body; a wrapping body for wrapping the outer peripheral surface of the expansible/contractible body and having its opposite ends fastened and fixed to the plug members; an inlet/outlet for fluid formed in the plug members; and an auxiliary member for preventing or suppressing local deformation in which the wrapping body expands outward when the fluid is supplied to the expansible/contractible body.

Abstract: Provided is a random number generating circuit having a simple circuit structure, for generating a physical random number based on a noise. The random number generating circuit includes a reference voltage section, an inverting amplifier section having a threshold voltage equal to a reference voltage level, and a semiconductor switch provided between an output terminal of the reference voltage section and an input terminal of the inverting amplifier section. A thermal noise produced from the reference voltage section is held by the semiconductor switch and a capacitor and amplified by the inverting amplifier section to generate the physical random number.

Abstract: Provided is a charge pump circuit whose power efficiency is not reduced even when a threshold voltage of a transistor is increased by a substrate effect with an increase in the number of stages. A depletion transistor is used as an N-channel transistor included in an inverter of a high-voltage clock generating circuit. A P-channel enhancement transistor is used as a charge transfer device.

Abstract: An image coding method is disclosed by which plural code data sets each having a different code amount are generated from one image data set that includes a target code amount setting step for setting a different target code amount for each of the code data sets; an entropy code generation step for applying entropy coding processing to the image data set or data obtained by applying predetermined processing to the image data set so as to generate plural entropy codes; a code amount control step for specifying one of the entropy codes to be truncated so as to control a code amount for each different target code amount; and a code data generation step for truncating the one of the entropy codes specified in the code amount control step and generating the corresponding code data set.

Abstract: Provided is an oscillation circuit capable of obtaining a plurality of oscillation frequencies using a single oscillation resonator. The oscillation circuit includes the oscillation resonator, an oscillation inverter, a dumping resister connected between an output of the oscillation inverter and an output terminal, a feedback resistor connected with input and output of the oscillation inverter, and a feedback resistor switch for varying a feedback resistance value or an oscillation inverter switch for varying a mutual conductance value of the oscillation inverter. When the feedback resistance value or the mutual conductance value of the oscillation inverter is varied by the feedback resistor switch or the oscillation inverter switch, a frequency band of the oscillation circuit is adjusted to select a harmonic component of the oscillation resonator. Therefore, an oscillation frequency can be switched, so it is possible to obtain a plurality of oscillation frequencies using a single oscillation resonator.

Abstract: Provided is a wearable joint driving device in which a plurality of frame members are attached to a wearing body so as to be in contact with the outer surface of the wearing body. Between the frame members, there is mounted a fluid pressure type actuator. The fluid pressure type actuator has an expansion/contraction member and a net-like covering member covering the outer periphery of the expansion/contraction member. The fluid pressure type actuator undergoes a reduction in length through expansion of the expansion/contraction member to thereby generate a driving force. The frame members have a predetermined level of rigidity.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device is provided and includes: a semiconductor substrate; a plurality of photoelectric conversion sections disposed in a row direction and a column direction orthogonal to the row direction in the semiconductor substrate; vertical charge transfer sections that transfers signal charges generated in the photoelectric conversion sections in the column direction, the vertical charge transfer sections including: a plurality of vertical charge transfer electrodes disposed in the column direction and between columns of the photoelectric conversion sections; and charge reading regions that read the signal charges generated in each of the photoelectric conversion section into the vertical charge transfer electrodes on both sides adjacent to the each of the photoelectric conversion section; and a horizontal charge transfer section that transfers the signal charges from the vertical charge transfer sections in the row direction.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus (1) is adapted to carry out a heavy-load operation that requires a longer processing time as compared with other ordinary operations. The apparatus comprises multiple heavy-load processing units (14, 15, 16, 17) arranged in parallel with each other, a data distribution unit (13) configured to distribute image-related data to each of the heavy-load processing units, and a data synthesizing unit (18) configured to synthesize multiple data sets output from the heavy-load processing units so as to produce a sequence of heavy-load processed data that is substantially the same as one obtained if a single heavy-load processing section were employed.