Abstract: An angle detector 25 detects a rotor angle &thgr; of a DC brushless motor 1 using a current value Iu_s detected by a U-phase current sensor 23 and a current value Iw_s detected by a W-phase current sensor 24 when high-frequency voltages vu, vv, vw for detecting a rotor angle are applied by a high-frequency adding unit 21. The high-frequency adding unit 21 determines the high-frequency voltages vu, vv, vw so that the direction of rotation of the motor 1 and the direction of a revolving magnetic field generated by the high-frequency voltages vu, vv, vw will be opposite to each other. A three-phase/dq converter 26 converts the current values Iw_s, Iu_s into a detected d-axis current Id_s and a detected q-axis current Iq_s using the rotor angle &thgr; detected by the angle detector 25.

Abstract: A sensorless detector 25 uses a rotor angle finally detected by a sensor interpolation detector 24 as an estimated value (&thgr;{circumflex over ( )}) of the rotor angle of a motor 3 in a first control cycle upon changing from a rotor angle detecting process carried out by the sensor interpolation detector 24. In subsequent control cycles, the sensorless detector 25 uses estimated values (&thgr;{circumflex over ( )}, &ohgr;{circumflex over ( )}) of the rotor angle and a rotor angular velocity in a preceding control cycle as calculation parameters, updates the calculation parameters with an observer which sequentially updates the calculation parameters depending on a phase difference (&thgr;−&thgr;{circumflex over ( )}) calculated in the preceding control cycle in order to eliminate the phase difference, for thereby calculating the estimated value (&thgr;{circumflex over ( )}) of the rotor angle of the motor 3 in the present control cycle.

Abstract: A novel method and apparatus for analyzing a mass spectrum having the peaks of impurity adduct ions. The molecular weight of the sample molecule is determined based on the mass-to-charge ratios of the detected adduct ions. In addition, the peaks of the detected adduct ions are deleted from the detected data. Peaks of a given height are added to peak positions of molecular ions corresponding to the adduct ions. Then, a database search is performed.

Abstract: An image forming method, comprising passing a toner image-bearing sheet through a nip defined between two rollers including a heater roller to fix the toner image on the sheet, wherein the toner image is formed from a toner comprising a binder resin, and a colorant, wherein the toner image before the passage through the nip has a toner volume V1 and a toner image area S1, wherein the toner image after the passage through the nip has a toner volume V2 and a toner image area S2, and wherein a volume change Vt and an area change St defined by the formulas shown below are 30% or less and 20% or less, respectively:

Abstract: A lens barrel according to the present invention includes a first lens group; a second lens group; a third lens group; a first actuator for driving the first lens group; a second actuator for driving the second lens group; and third and fourth actuators for driving the third lens group. At least one of the first through fourth actuators is provided at a position such that magnetic flux leakage from at least one of the first through fourth actuators is canceled.

Abstract: A toner for a two-component developer comprising the toner and carrier particles, the developer being used for an oilless fixing-type image forming apparatus comprising a developer carrier rotatable at a linear speed of 360-1,680 mm/sec, and a developer adjusting member extending in a lateral direction parallel to the rotational axis of the developer carrier and disposed adjacent to the developer carrier to define a gap therebetween of 0.3-1.0 mm, said image forming apparatus being operated so that the amount of the developer conveyed by the developer carrier and passing through the gap per 1 second is 5.0-25.0 g per 1 cm of the lateral width of the gap, the toner comprising a wax dispersed therein and the toner having a coefficient of dynamic friction in the range of 0.18-0.45.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for decoding a compressed video stream. In one aspect of the invention, a method to decode a variable length encoded bit stream includes: concurrently processing first data obtained from variable length decoding a first code word in a register while variable length decoding a second code word in the register. In one example, processing the first data includes: looking up an inverse zigzag index; computing an Inverse Direct Cosine Transformation (IDCT) coefficient; storing the IDCT coefficient in a buffer in a transposed inverse zigzag order; and branching conditionally based on a condition encountered in variable length decoding the first code word.

Abstract: A frequency synthesizer (100) that may have reduced spurious noise caused by a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) (4) output sneaking into an input side of a phase comparison circuit (1) has been disclosed. A beat frequency component that may be generated by mixing of a portion of a VCO output sneaking into an input side of a phase comparison circuit (1) through a reference signal (REF) or a comparison signal (SIG) may be shifted to a high frequency region by providing a modulator circuit (7) on a reference signal side or a comparison signal side. Thus, a low pass filter circuit (3) may provide attenuation to the spurious noise. In this way, spurious noise in the VCO output may be reduced.

Abstract: A sensorless detector 25 uses a rotor angle finally detected by a sensor interpolation detector 24 as an estimated value (&thgr;ˆ ) of the rotor angle of a motor 3 in a first control cycle upon changing from a rotor angle detecting process carried out by the sensor interpolation detector 24. In subsequent control cycles, the sensorless detector 25 uses estimated values (&thgr;ˆ , &ohgr;ˆ ) of the rotor angle and a rotor angular velocity in a preceding control cycle as calculation parameters, updates the calculation parameters with an observer which sequentially updates the calculation parameters depending on a phase difference (&thgr;−&thgr;ˆ ) calculated in the preceding control cycle in order to eliminate the phase difference, for thereby calculating the estimated value (&thgr;ˆ ) of the rotor angle of the motor 3 in the present control cycle.

Abstract: A rotor angle detecting apparatus for a DC brushless motor is capable of detecting the angle of the rotor of the DC brushless motor with accuracy without the need for a position detecting sensor. A motor controller has a high-frequency voltage imposer, an angle detector, a U-phase current sensor, and a W-phase current sensor for detecting the rotor angle of the DC brushless motor. The angle detector detects the rotor angle &thgr; using a current value IU_s detected by the U-phase current sensor, a current value IW_s detected by the W-phase current sensor, and high-frequency components depending on high-frequency voltages vu, vv, vw, when the high-frequency voltages vu, vv, vw are imposed on command values VU_c, VV_c, VW_c for three-phase voltages by the high-frequency voltage imposer.

Abstract: A lens barrel according to the present invention includes a first lens group; a second lens group; a third lens group; a first actuator for driving the first lens group; a second actuator for driving the second lens group; and third and fourth actuators for driving the third lens group. At least one of the first through fourth actuators is provided at a position such that magnetic flux leakage from at least one of the first through fourth actuators is canceled.

Abstract: A lens barrel according to the present invention includes a first lens group; a second lens group; a third lens group; a first actuator for driving the first lens group; a second actuator for driving the second lens group; and third and fourth actuators for driving the third lens group. At least one of the first through fourth actuators is provided at a position such that magnetic flux leakage from at least one of the first through fourth actuators is canceled.

Abstract: In a low-pass filter (10) having a filter input terminal (10-i1) supplied with a filter input signal (V1) and comprising an operational amplifier (11) and other peripheral passive elements (Rin, Cin, Rf, Cf, R1-1), the low-pass filter (10) further has an additional filter input terminal (10-i2) supplied with an additional filter input signal (V2) and comprises an additional filter input resistor (R1-2) connected between the additional filter input terminal (10-i2) and a common node (a0). The operational amplifier (11) has an inverting input port (11-1), a noninverting input port (11-2) connected to the reference voltage terminal (12), and an amplifier output port (11-3) for producing an amplifier output signal. Connected to the amplifier output port (11-3) of the operational amplifier (11), a filter output terminal (10-o) produces the amplifier output signal as a filter output signal.

Abstract: A conventional film-type magnetic recording medium having a overall thickness of 7 &mgr;m or less has unsatisfactory stiffness, and when surface undulations are suppressed and the thickness of the substrate is reduced, clogging at the rotary head is frequently observed. The invention solves this problem by a tape-type magnetic recording medium which comprises a nonmagnetic substrate and at least a magnetic layer thereon and has the overall thickness of 7 &mgr;m or less, wherein the width of the tape is 6.5 mm or more and the difference in the centerplane average roughness (SRa) of said magnetic layer is in the range defined below: 3 nm≦SRa (Cutoff: 800 &mgr;m)−SRa (Cutoff: 80 &mgr;m)≦15 nm Especially, the nonmagnetic substrate is an aromatic polyamide.

Abstract: A supplier for supplying mechanical components supports aggressively the business activity of the sales agency over the Internet, thereby promoting the sales activity of the agency while making use of the function of the agency and improving customer services as well. A communication device of a supplier connected to an open network such as the Internet is provided with technical information service means for allowing a purchaser having accessed thereto to select a mechanical component and with means for introducing to the purchaser the sales agency that sells the selected mechanical component. A communication device of the sales agency connected to the open network is provided with means for performing processing electronically such as price quotation for inquiry, acceptance of orders, payment reclaim, and delivery.

Abstract: A portable heat transfer apparatus including a combustion device, a thermoelectric convertor for receiving the heat of the combustion device at its high temperature side, transferring the heat from its low temperature side to a heat exchanger, and generating electric power depending on the temperature difference between the high temperature side and low temperature side. A heat medium forced circulating device is driven by the power generated from the thermoelectric converter for transferring heat medium to the heat exchanger. Also provided is a heat releasing device for circulating and releasing the heat medium exchanged of heat in the heat exchanger. Therefore, the heat exchanger can be heated through the thermoelectric converter while heating the thermoelectric converter with the combustion device, and by heating with the heat exchanger. The temperature difference between the high temperature side and low temperature side of the thermoelectric converter can be obtained rationally and sufficiently.

Abstract: An unnecessary film is removed by cleaning gas flowing in a treatment vessel 8 for depositing a film on an object W to be processed such as a semiconductor wafer. In this case, the cleaning gas is preheated and activated by the gas heating mechanism 52 and the cleaning gas flows in the treatment vessel 8 in this state. By doing this, an unnecessary film in the treatment vessel made of quartz is removed effectively without damaging the treatment vessel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to sustained-release pharmaceutical compositions for ionic pharmaceutically active substances (excluding ionic prostanoic acid derivatives) containing ionic compounds having opposite charges to those of the active substances and increasing hydrophobicity of the active substances. More specifically, the invention relates to sustained-release pharmaceutical compositions comprising the ionic pharmaceutically active substances and the ionic compounds having opposite charges to those of the active substances and increasing hydrophobicity of the active substances that contain hydrophobic groups in the molecule thereof. The pharmaceutical composition of the invention can exhibit excellent sustained release effect of the active substance, irrespective of water solubility possessed by the ionic pharmaceutically active substances.

Abstract: This invention is an oxynitride film forming method including: a reaction chamber heating step of heating a reaction chamber to a predetermined temperature, the reaction chamber containing an object to be processed; a gas heating step of heating a process gas to a temperature not lower than a reaction temperature at which an oxynitride film can be formed, the process gas consisting of dinitrogen oxide gas; and a film forming step of forming an oxynitride film on the object to be processed by supplying the heated process gas into the heated processing chamber. The temperature to which the reaction chamber is heated in the reaction chamber heating step is set at a temperature below a temperature at which the process gas undergoes a reaction.

Abstract: The Colpitts circuit is configured so that an equivalent capacitance of the voltage-dividing first and second capacitors connected in series through the output of the transistor amplifier is variable under the condition that the ratio of the capacitance of the first capacitor to that of the second capacitor is kept unchanged at a prescribed value. The first and second capacitors are, as a whole, configured as a matrix of elemental capacitors with 2 rows and a plural number n of columns, an array of the elemental capacitors in the first row being allotted to the first capacitor and an array of the elemental capacitors in the second row being allotted to the second capacitor. Two elemental capacitors in each column j (j=1, 2, . . . n) are connected in series and the ratio of the capacitance of the elemental capacitor corresponding to the 1j element of the matrix to the capacitance of the elemental capacitor corresponding to the 2j element has the prescribed value.