Abstract: A method of compensating for degradation of an optical source includes in part, generating a first model of the optical source at a first point in time, generating a second model of the optical source at a second point in time occurring after the first point in time, determining the difference between the first and second models, and varying a dose of the optical source if the determined difference is greater than a first threshold value. The compensation method optionally includes, in part, varying a focus distance of the optical source if the determined difference is greater than the first threshold value. The generation of the first model optionally includes, in part, generating wafer data from the optical source, and generating an optical proximity correction (OPC) model from the wafer data. The optical source may be an extreme ultraviolet optical source.

Abstract: To provide a cleaning apparatus advantageous for cleaning, for example, an original plate used to transfer a pattern to a substrate. Provided is a cleaning apparatus that cleans an original plate used when a pattern is transferred to a substrate, the cleaning apparatus including a region dividing unit which divides the original plate into a plurality of regions on the basis of information of the original plate, a conditions generator which generates cleaning conditions for each of the separate regions, and a cleaner which cleans the original plate on the basis of the cleaning conditions.

Abstract: Combination of a stage and a level sensor configured to sense a height level at a target location on an object is described, the stage comprising an object table configured to hold the object and a positioning device for displacing the object table relative to the level sensor in a first direction, the level sensor comprising a projection system configured to project a measurement beam onto a measurement area of the object, the measurement area having a measurement area length in the first direction, a detector system configured to receive different portions of the measurement beam after being reflected off different sub-areas within the measurement area, the different sub-areas being arranged in the first direction, and to supply output signals representative of the different portions received, a signal processing system configured to process the output signals from the detector system.

Abstract: A carrier core material is represented by a composition formula MXFe3-XO4 (where M is at least one type of metal element selected from Mg, Mn, Ca, Ti, Cu, Zn and Ni, 0<X<1), in which part of M and/or Fe is substituted with Sr and formed of ferrite particles, and in the carrier core material, a Sr content is equal to or more than 2500 ppm but equal to or less than 12000 ppm, the amount of Sr eluted with pure water at a temperature of 25° C. is equal to or less than 50 ppm, an apparent density is equal to or more than 1.85 g/cm3 but equal to or less than 2.25 g/cm3 and magnetization ?1k when a magnetic field of 79.58×103 A/m (1000 oersteds) is applied is equal to or more than 63 Am2/kg but equal to or less than 75 Am2/kg.

Abstract: A carrier for developing an electrostatic latent image includes a core material particle and a resin layer covering a surface of the core material particle. The resin layer includes a resin and at least one kind of a fine particle. At least one kind of the fine particles includes a chargeable fine particle. The chargeable fine particle has a long diameter of 400 to 900 nm. The chargeable fine particle has a shape factor SF-1 of 160 to 250.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises a printhead configured to add energy to an image material including a plurality of color development layers that have different color development characteristics and develop colors in response to heat; and a control unit configured to output, based on image data, signal patterns corresponding to the plurality of color development layers and at least one signal pattern corresponding to a color reproduced by causing at least two of the plurality of color development layers to develop colors used to control the energy to be added to the image material by the printhead.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image carrier; a light source configured to emit light for exposing the image carrier; a controller configured to control a light intensity of the light source; a reference current generator configured to generate a reference current based on a target light intensity of the light source, the target light intensity being set by the controller; a correction current generator configured to generate a correction current for correcting the reference current based on an amount of correction that is set by the controller, and on the target light intensity; and a driver configured to drive the light source using a drive current that corresponds to a difference between the reference current and the correction current.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller for performing a mode, in which an image portion potential is controlled during image formation so that an absolute value of the image portion potential is a first value when a resistance value of a developing roller based on a value of a current flowing between the developing roller and an electroconductive member is smaller than a predetermined value when a predetermined potential difference between the developing roller and the electroconductive member is formed during non-image formation and so that an absolute value of the image portion potential is a second value smaller than the first value when a resistance value of the developing roller based on a value of current flowing between the developing roller and the electroconductive member is not smaller than the predetermined value when the predetermined potential difference between the developing roller and the electroconductive member is formed during non-image formation.

Abstract: A powder conveying device includes: a conveying nozzle, provided with a powder receiving opening; an open/close member to open/close the powder receiving opening; a flange provided to the open/close member; a biasing member to bias the open/close member; and a container setting section to which a part of a powder container is to be fit. The powder container includes: a conveyor to convey the powder from a second end of the powder container to a first end; a container opening protruding from the first end; a nozzle receiving opening into which the conveying nozzle is to be inserted; and a butting portion provided in the container opening, to butt against the flange. When the powder container is attached to the powder conveying device, the container opening is fitted to the container setting section, and the flange and the biasing member are housed in an inner space of the container opening.

Abstract: A toner container is detachably attachable to a developing device. The developing device includes an inlet to be poured with a toner, an inlet shutter to move between a closed position, at which the inlet is closed, and an open position, at which the inlet is open, a biasing mechanism to bias the inlet shutter toward the closed position, an engaged structure provided in the inlet shutter, an engaging structure to engage with the engaged structure and to retain the inlet shutter at the open position against a biasing force of the biasing mechanism, and an engagement releasing structure provided in the inlet shutter and to release an engaging state between the engaged structure and the engaging structure. The toner container includes a contacting surface to contact with the engagement releasing structure and to make the engagement releasing structure release the engaging state.

Abstract: A powder-container attachment device includes a powder container that accommodates powder, and a device body. The device body includes an attachment portion to and from which the powder container is attached and removed with a pushing operation and a pull-out operation, a receiving port, a lid that is moved in interconnection with the pushing operation and the pull-out operation to open and close the receiving port, and an engaging portion with which the lid is engaged in the state of closing the receiving port. The powder container includes a protrusion and a disengagement portion. The lid includes a holding portion that removably holds the protrusion, and an engaged portion that is engaged with the engaging portion during the pull-out operation. The powder container is movable in a direction in which the protrusion moves away from the disengagement portion during the pull-out operation.

Abstract: A toner conveyance device includes a housing and a conveyance member. The conveyance member includes a conveyance shaft and a conveyance blade. The conveyance blade includes a first blade part, a second blade part and a third blade part. The first blade part is formed along a predetermined spiral direction. The second blade part is connected to the first blade part on a downstream side of the first blade part in a conveyance direction and extends along the conveyance direction. The third blade part is connected to the second blade part on a downstream side of the second blade part in the conveyance direction and formed along a spiral direction opposite to the spiral direction of the first blade part. A boundary between the first blade part and the second blade part is contained within a range of a toner discharge port in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a transport belt, a first intermediate transfer belt, and a second intermediate transfer belt. The transport belt is disposed along a transport path extending in a vertical direction. The transport belt is configured to transport a recording medium while coming into contact with one surface of the recording medium. The first intermediate transfer belt is configured to sandwich the recording medium together with the transport belt. An image is transferred from the first intermediate transfer belt to the recording medium. The second intermediate transfer belt is disposed above the first intermediate transfer belt. The second intermediate transfer belt is configured to sandwich, together with the transport belt, the recording medium which is in a state where the recording medium is sandwiched between the first intermediate transfer belt and the transport belt. An image being transferred from the second intermediate transfer belt to the recording medium.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device fixes a toner image formed on a medium to the medium. The fixing device includes a heating rotator which is rotatably supported, an auxiliary heating member which is disposed along an inner circumferential surface of the heating rotator, and swings as the heating rotator rotates, a lubricant supply member which is disposed at a position on which the swing auxiliary heating member abuts, and is impregnated with a lubricant, and a pressing rotator which abuts on the heating rotator, and forms a nip portion through which the medium passes.

Abstract: A fixing apparatus includes a plurality of heat generating elements for heating a developer image formed on a recording medium corresponding to a plurality of heating regions. A first target temperature of the heat generating elements is set based on a developer amount per unit area of the developer image in each of the heating regions, and the temperature of the heat generating elements is controlled to the first target temperature. If a difference between the first target temperatures for two adjacent heating regions is outside of a predetermined range, the first target temperature for one of the two adjacent heating regions is corrected to a second target temperature, which is greater than the first target temperature, so that the difference between the first target temperatures for the two adjacent heating regions is within the predetermined range.

Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heater having a plurality of heat generating elements, a roller for forming a nip portion with the heater, an acquisition portion that acquires a plurality of count values indicating heat accumulation amounts of a plurality of heating regions heated by the plurality of heat generating elements, respectively, and a control portion that controls electrical power to be supplied to the plurality of heat generating elements to control individual heat generating quantities of the plurality of heat generating elements. The control portion controls the heat generating quantities so that a difference between a first count value indicating a heat accumulation amount of a first heating region heated by a first heat generating element and a second count value indicating a heat accumulation amount of a second heating region heated by a second heat generating element is maintained within a predetermined range.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a control portion configured to output, in a test mode, a recording member which has passed through a fixing nip portion in a case of a first temperature difference in which a center part temperature of a first rotary member is higher than an end part temperature of the first rotary member and a recording member which has passed through the fixing nip portion in a case of a second temperature difference in which the center part temperature is lower than the end part temperature by one operation of starting test mode to the input portion.

Abstract: A heater includes a plurality of resistive heat generators electrically connected to each other in parallel. A power supply supplies power to the resistive heat generators. An electric current detector detects an electric current that flows through the resistive heat generators. A voltage detector detects a voltage applied to the resistive heat generators. An electric current controller controls the electric current that flows through the resistive heat generators based on the electric current detected by the electric current detector and the voltage detected by the voltage detector. The electric current detector detects the electric current in a state in which, after the power supply starts supplying the power to the resistive heat generators, a waveform of an alternating current supplied to the resistive heat generators remains constant for a predetermined time period or longer taken for the electric current detector to detect the electric current.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a fixing device includes a belt, a heater, and a holder. The belt is formed into a cylindrical shape, is rotated in a circumferential direction to transport a sheet, and applies heat to the sheet. The heater is arranged on an inner side of the belt and extends in a predetermined longitudinal direction to heat the belt. The holder extends in the longitudinal direction of the heater and holds the heater. The holder includes a support portion and a retraction portion. The support portion comes into contact with the heater and supports the heater. The retraction portion is provided at a position avoiding the support portion in the longitudinal direction of the heater, and includes a smaller contact area with the heater than the contact area between the support portion and the heater or does not come into contact with the heater.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a first rotation section and a second rotation section. The first rotation section includes a first rotating member and a first belt. The first rotating member is rotatable about a first rotational axis. The first belt is caused to rotate by rotation of the first rotating member. The second rotation section includes a second rotating member. The second rotation section is opposed to the first rotation section in a first direction and allows a medium to be sandwiched between the first rotation section and the second rotation section. The second rotating member is rotatable about a second rotational axis. The second rotation section is disposed allowing an angle of the second rotational axis with respect to the first rotational axis viewed from the first direction to be variable.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus is characterized in that information about an input voltage detected on the primary side of a transformer is transmitted from a primary-side switching control unit to a secondary-side controller for controlling a heating device, and the controller controls the temperature of a heater of the heating device based on the transmitted information.

Abstract: A recording material determination apparatus includes a transmission unit, a reception unit, and a determination unit. The transmission unit transmits an ultrasonic wave to a recording material. The reception unit vibrates when the reception unit receives the ultrasonic wave having been transmitted from the transmission unit and having passed through the recording material, and outputs a signal corresponding to a vibration state. The determination unit determines a basis weight of the recording material in accordance with the signal output from the reception unit. A resonance frequency of the reception unit differs from a resonance frequency of the transmission unit, and the reception unit is capable of receiving a sound wave in an ultrasonic range and a sound wave in an audible range.

Abstract: A management system includes a printing apparatus replaceably holding a first and a second replaceable item, and a management server. The printing apparatus includes a transmission unit that transmits identification data indicating identification information on the printing apparatus and data including a value related to a usage amount of the second replaceable item. The management server includes an acquisition unit that acquires a value related to a previous usage amount of the second replaceable item from a memory based on the identification data from the printing apparatus. The management server includes a determination unit that makes a determination about a delivery instruction of the first replaceable item based on the value related to the usage amount of the second replaceable item, which is transmitted from the printing apparatus, and the value related to the previous usage amount of the second replaceable item, which is acquired from the memory.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner cartridge, a developer, and a processor. The toner cartridge includes an accommodation container accommodating toner and a memory storing a first toner residual amount display threshold value. The developer performs development by the toner supplied from the toner cartridge. The processor calculates a second toner residual amount display threshold value based on a toner supply index, indicating an amount of the toner supplied to the developer from at least one toner cartridge used before a toner cartridge mounted on the image forming apparatus, and the first toner residual amount display threshold value. The processor outputs notification relating to a toner residual amount when a toner supply index indicating an amount of toner supplied to the developer from the toner cartridge mounted on the image forming apparatus exceeds the second toner residual amount display threshold value.

Abstract: A drum unit usable with a process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum having an axis L1; and a coupling member having an axis L2 and connected to an end portion of the photosensitive drum, the coupling member being provided with a projection extending toward an end portion of the coupling member, wherein the coupling member is movable along the axis L2 between a first position, and a second position in which the projection is closer to the photosensitive drum than in the first position, wherein the projection is provided with a force receiving portion for receiving a rotational force and an outer surface facing away from the axis L2, and wherein at least a part of the outer surface is more distant from the axis L2 as is further from the photosensitive drum in a direction of the axis L1.

Abstract: A drum cartridge includes a blade, a sheet metal member, a support member, and a fastening member. One of the sheet metal member and the support member includes a first center hole which is formed at a center portion, and a fastening member receiving portion formed at a first end side and configured to fasten the fastening member. The other of the sheet metal member and the support member includes a second center hole which is formed at the center portion, and a through hole which is formed at the first end side and through which the fastening member is passed. The first center hole and the second center hole are arranged such that centers thereof are overlapped. The through hole is configured to be larger than the fastening member receiving portion in a swinging direction with the first and second center holes serving as the center of swing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an opening/closing member that pivots with respect to an apparatus main body between a closed position and an open position, a lock mechanism that holds the opening/closing member in the closed position, and a detection member that detects a position of the opening/closing member. The lock mechanism includes a first engaging portion and a second engaging portion at both ends of the apparatus main body, and a first engaged portion and a second engaged portion at both ends of the opening/closing member, in an axial direction. An engagement width for the second engaging portion and the second engaged portion is large compared with that of the first engaging portion and the first engaged portion, when the opening/closing member is in the closed position and locked by the lock mechanism. The detection member is located close to the second engaging portion in the axial direction.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a rotating belt in a main body. A roller is supported by a support shaft that moves the roller into contact with the rotating belt and away from the rotating belt. A pressing part in the main body is configured to press the support shaft so that the roller presses against the rotating belt. A lever is provided that when moved causes the pressing part to move between a first position, pressing the support shaft, and a second position, away from the support shaft. A openable and closable cover covers the main body and rotates about a first axis. An engagement part is fixed to the cover and moves with rotation of the cover. The engagement part engages the lever when the cover is closed and releases the lever when the cover is opened.

Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes an image carrier unit, a developing device, a unit support frame, and a developing holder. The developing holder is provided on the unit support frame, and holds the developing device such that the developing device is swingable in a direction that allows the developer carrier to get nearer to or further separate from the image carrier. The developing holder includes a driving gear and a pair of swinging shaft parts. The driving gear transmits motive power to the developing device. The pair of swinging shaft parts have a rotational axis extending parallel to an axial direction of the developer carrier and are supported rotatable relative to the unit support frame. An axial distance between the pair of swinging shaft parts is longer than a distance from a rotational center of the driving gear to a rotational center of the swinging shaft parts.

Abstract: A developing device includes a developing unit, swingably supported, for supplying a developer to an image bearing member, and including an inwardly extending wall portion. In an attitude during use, when against an urging force of an urging member configured to urge the developing unit in a first direction toward the image bearing member, the developing unit is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the inwardly extending wall portion is contactable to a restricting member for restricting an amount of movement of the developing unit in the second direction.

Abstract: A removable unit is removably installed in an apparatus. The removable unit includes a plurality of powered components, a power supply connector configured to electrically connect a power supply of the apparatus and the plurality of powered components. The power supply connector is configured to change a combination of respective voltages applied to the plurality of powered components.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller, a drum cartridge and a toner cartridge. The controller is configured to perform determining a value of a first initial developing bias for a first toner cartridge based on a cumulative number of drum rotations that is stored in a drum memory of the drum cartridge at the time when the cumulative dot count stored in the toner memory of the first toner cartridge is equal to zero. After determining the first initial developing bias, the controller is configured to perform determining a value of a second initial developing bias for a second toner cartridge based on the cumulative number of drum rotations that is stored in the drum memory at the time when the cumulative dot count stored in the toner memory of the second toner cartridge is equal to zero.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that efficiently cools two circuit boards with one fan. An AC input circuit board has an AC power supply voltage supplied thereto from a commercial power supply, and includes a drive circuit for driving a heater. A power supply circuit board has an AC voltage supplied thereto from the AC input circuit board, and includes a conversion circuit for converting the AC voltage to a DC voltage. A sheet metal having a tubular shape covers the power supply circuit board. A fan cools the power supply circuit board. A duct member is arranged in a manner overlapping the sheet metal and cooperates with part of a wall portion of the sheet metal to form a flow passage for cooling the AC input circuit board with wind generated by the fan.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (200, 300, 400, 600) for producing volume reflection holograms with substrate-guided reconstruction beams, comprising: at least one transparent, planar carrier element (210, 310, 410, 610) comprising a first flat side (210.1) and a further flat side (210.2), at least one master element (206, 306, 406, 606) arrangeable at the first flat side (210.1) of the carrier element (210, 310, 410, 610) and at least one optical input coupling element (102, 202, 302, 402, 602) configured to optically couple a light beam (214, 216), wherein provision is made of at least one coupling portion (104, 204, 304, 404, 604) configured to mechanically establish an optical contact between the input coupling element (102, 202, 302, 402) and at least one holographic recording medium (208, 308, 408) providable on the further flat side (210.

Abstract: A winding device on a structure of a movement or watch case, including a telescopic push-piece, independent of the control stem, driving a rack for winding a barrel, and including, between a pipe fixed to the case and an operating head, first elastic return device tending to move the head away from the pipe, this head being capable of occupying an angular, longitudinal locking position corresponding to a rest position, or an angular position of freedom allowing axial mobility, or a stop position wherein it has one degree of freedom, this rack, which is movable against second elastic return device, cooperates with a winding wheel set meshing with an intermediate rack actuated by a return spring of the second elastic return device.

Abstract: A timer movement includes a shell; a quartz movement body, a sound component and a central output wheel assembly driven by the quartz movement body are disposed in the shell, a printed circuit board and a traveling wheel driven by the central output wheel assembly are disposed at the top of the shell, and a battery compartment is disposed at the bottom of the shell. A leaf spring and a switch pillar are disposed on the printed circuit board, and a toggle rod forcing the leaf spring to bend so as to touch the switch pillar is disposed on the traveling wheel.

Abstract: System and methods for monitoring machine components are disclosed. A method may include detecting, by an electronic chip having a globally unique identifier and being integrated within the component of the machine, installation of the component in the machine. The method may include determining, by a monitoring module operatively connected to the electronic chip via a communication bus, a date or time of the installation based on receiving information regarding the installation from the electronic chip. The method may include monitoring, by the monitoring module, the component to determine an amount of time that the component has been operating. The method may include transmitting, by a transmitter module operatively connected to the monitoring module, information that identities the globally unique identifier, the date or time of the installation of the component in the machine, and the amount of time that the component has been operating.

Abstract: The present invention is to reduce an increase in a processing load when a background image is displayed in addition to pointer images indicating pointer movements. A control section displays a plurality of pointer images indicating pointer movements in a timepiece display area of a display section based on time information acquired from a clock circuit. Here, the control section identifies an area where the plurality of pointer images are displayed, such as a pointer movement area or a pointer presence area in the pointer movement area, and controls to perform high-load and low-load display operations with different processing loads on the identified area and an area other than the identified area, such as an outer area outside the pointer movement area or a pointer absence area in the pointer movement area, respectively.

Abstract: A device having: one or more processors for determining an elapsed time since a correction of a calculated date and time; estimate a degree of deviation included in the calculated date and time, based on the elapsed time; and in response to estimating the degree of deviation to be equal to or smaller than a predetermined range, execute a method by which the one or more processors: generate an expected code sequence of a code sequence to be received from a satellite; control a satellite radio wave receiver to receive the code sequence; determine whether there is a match between the expected code sequence and the code sequence; in response to determining that there is a match, obtain a present date and time information represented by the expected code sequence; and correct the calculated date and time, based on the present date and time information obtained.

Abstract: A servo control device to execute an operation in a discrete time system may include a velocity feedback path having a difference means calculating a pseudo-velocity from a detected position and a lowpass filter, and a PI control means executing a proportional integration control operation on a deviation between the pseudo-velocity and the position deviation to create a drive command for the driver. The velocity feedback path includes a first gain means applying a first gain to the pseudo-velocity, a delay means delaying the pseudo-velocity, and a second gain means applying a second gain to the delayed pseudo-velocity. A sum of an output of the first gain means and the second gain means is inputted to the lowpass filter, and “Fa(z)=1/(1?z?1Fb(z))” is satisfied where a transfer function of the PI control means is Fa(z), and a transfer function of the lowpass filter is Fb(z).

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for using a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) agent to provide adaptive tuning of process controllers, such as Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers. The agent can monitor process controller performance, and if unsatisfactory, can attempt to improve it by making incremental changes to the tuning parameters for the process controller. The effect of a tuning change can then be observed by the agent and used to update the agent's process controller tuning policy. It has been unexpectedly discovered that providing adaptive tuning based on incremental changes in tuning parameters, as opposed to making changes independent of current values of the tuning parameters, can provide enhanced or improved control over a controlled variable of a process.

Abstract: A display device is disclosed. The display device of present invention comprises a display unit providing an image; a control unit placed spaced apart from the display unit, the control unit providing the display unit with a electric power and a signal; a cable electrically connect the display unit and the control unit, the cable carrying the electric power and the signal; and a controller configured to control a property of the electric power in accordance with a length of the cable.

Abstract: A device for controlling an industrial system comprises an input block and a reference value predicter. The reference value predicter includes a disturbance predicter, a state predicter, and a model parameter predicter. A model updater updates the model of the industrial system based on the predicted state and the predicted parameters. A one-prediction-step calculator of the reference value predicter calculates a prediction step based on the predicted disturbances and the model of the system. The device further includes a matrix updater and a linear solver that includes a memory structure such that each row of Jacobian and gradient matrices may be processed in parallel, a pivot search block that determines a maximum element in a column of the Jacobian and gradient matrices, and a pivot row reading block. Moreover, the device further includes a solution updater that updates the solution for an iteration step and controls the iteration process and an output block that sends a solution to the industrial system.

Abstract: A metric priority is accessed, which identifies a priority of a plurality of different control metrics that are used in controlling an agricultural implement. Control signals are generated to control the implement to bring the metrics within corresponding predefined ranges in descending order of priority.

Abstract: An inflatable device including an inflatable body, at least one processor and communication circuit, at least one fan connected to the at least one processor, at least one lighting component connected to the at least one processor, and at least one speaker connected to the at least one processor. The at least one processor may be configured to control operation of the at least one fan to manage the inflation of the inflatable body, control operation of the at least one lighting component, and control operation of the at least one speaker. The processor may be further configured to execute operational control responsive to signals from an application installed on a mobile device. The inflatable device may be configured to play audio from the mobile device over the at least one speaker and match light patterns of the at least one lighting component to the audio.

Abstract: A building management system includes a controller for one or more devices of the building management system and a system manager communicably coupled to the controller. The controller includes a priority array for a point object managed by the controller. The priority array includes a plurality of commands for the point object and defines a priority of each command. The system manager is configured to retrieve the priority array from the controller, generate a user interface identifying the plurality of commands in the priority array and the priority of each command, receive a new command from a user, and update the user interface to include a preview of the priority array indicating how the priority array would change if the new command were applied to the priority array.

Abstract: A light sensor device is provided. It is controlled with a dual-mode master-and-slave microcontroller unit (MCU) application. An MCU is embedded into a light sensor chip. The original dual-mode master-and-slave dual-CPU architectures are combined to be operated as a single-CPU architecture. Since the original circuit pin design is followed, it is possible to be compatible with the old circuit design. The present invention uses a single-CPU architecture to directly control light sensors. Through the configuration of RAM, an inter-integrated circuit bus (I2C I/F) can be redirected to an internal non-volatile memory to switch the operational mode of the light sensor chip from a slave machine to a host machine which switches off the interrupt pin and, then, turns to a GPIO pin. Thus, the present invention provides a simple single-CPU architecture with easy use and effectively-lowered cost.

Abstract: Disclosed are a communication method between a master controller and slave controllers, a slave controller for the communication method, and a battery management system using the communication method and the slave controller, in which the master controller receives safety information about battery cells through a plurality of channels even when each of a plurality of slave controllers includes only one micro controller unit, thereby minimizing the increase in the cost and enhancing the safety of the battery management system. The communication method includes performing bidirectional communication between a master controller and first to Nth (where N is an integer equal to or more than two) slave controllers through a first communication channel, and receiving, by the master controller, an indication signal through a second communication signal via the first to Nth slave controllers.

Abstract: An edge gateway system securely delivers and exposes data generated by and/or related to a process plant for consumption by external systems, and includes a field-facing component that stores interest lists indicating the particular data that is allowed to be exposed by the field-facing component. Each interest list is defined (e.g., manually and/or automatically) in accordance with an exposable data type system extracted from (in some cases, multiple different) configurations of the process plant, and may include multiple types of data (e.g., control, I/O, diagnostic, device, historical, etc.) that collectively represent a particular named entity of the plant. The field-facing component obtains the process plant-related data indicated by the interest lists, and provides the obtained field content data to an edge-facing component of the edge gateway system for exposure to external systems, for example, by streaming and/or publishing the obtained data to the edge-facing component.

Abstract: To provide a microcontroller that suppresses increase of power consumption during debugging, a microcontroller according to the present invention includes a first signal processing circuit, a second signal processing circuit that performs signal processing in the same manner as the first signal processing circuit, a comparing circuit that compares a processing result of the first signal processing circuit and a processing result of the second signal processing circuit with each other, and outputs an error signal when an error is detected, a suppressing signal input unit that receives a suppressing signal for suppressing an operation of the second signal processing circuit and an operation of the comparing circuit, a suppressing circuit that receives the suppressing signal from the suppressing signal input unit and suppresses the operation of the second signal processing circuit and the operation of the comparing circuit, and a pseudo error signal output circuit that outputs a pseudo error signal in place of t