|
910T W-CDMA Phone HASHIMOTO Junichi/AISAKA Hideki/SATO Arata Toshiba has been developing third-generation (3G) handsets for Softbank Mobile Corp., formerly Vodafone K.K., while many operators have been shifting their services to 3G cellular phones. All of the phones released up to the present time have followed the Vodafone global user interface (UI) to match the global convergence models. We have now launched the 910T wideband code division multiple access (W-CDMA) model, a new type of handset that is more attractive to the Japanese market, to coincide with the introduction of mobile number portability (MNP) in Japan from October 2006. The 910T model corresponds to Softbank's new 3G services, and is equipped with 1 GB of internal memory and features music functionality with a Bluetooth stereo headset. Its 2G-like UI, with which Toshiba has been receiving high evaluations from users, is expected to attract an increasing number of users to this new 3G phone. Pedestrian Traffic Measurement System Using Computer Visiona BABA Kenji/ENOHARA Takaaki/YUASA Yuichiro The long-term measurement of pedestrian traffic, such as the number of people walking along public roads or visiting facilities, has been difficult because it has mostly depended on human vision. An additional problem is that the accuracy of measurement often severely declines in densely crowded situations due to limited tracking capability. Toshiba has developed a pedestrian traffic measurement system applying image processing technology. A field trial confirmed that the measurement accuracy exceeds 98% in a densely crowded situation. This system can be used to obtain information of value to the retail trade, such as the number of customers visiting or their behavioral patterns during visits, to determine marketing strategies. Advanced Reactor Water Cleanup System with High-Temperature Electrophoresis Demineralization Process as Alternative to Ion-Exchange Resin Process MONIWA Shinobu/SEKI Shuji/YOTSUYANAGI Tadasu The ion-exchange resin process has been widely applied to reactor water cleanup systems to remove impurities from the water used in boiling water reactors (BWRs). Toshiba has developed a high-temperature electrophoresis demineralization process as an alternative to the ion-exchange resin process for an advanced reactor water cleanup system. Since the new process uses only inorganic materials, high-temperature and high-pressure water can be fed directly to the system. The new system was confirmed to remove ions with high efficiency in a performance test using hightemperature and high-pressure water simulating BWR water. The advanced reactor water cleanup system will be greatly simplified because heat exchangers and resin-handling equipment are not required. It will also be economical due to reductions in heat loss and resin waste. Radio Source Visualizing System KAMIMURA Yukihiro/SHIMOMAKI Hirokazu Radio waves are playing an increasingly vital role in people's lives with the popularization of mobile phones and wireless LAN systems. However, the radio wave usage environment faces the threat of interference or denial of service, which may be produced by unlicensed and unlawful radio stations. Toshiba has developed a portable radio source visualizing system in response to the government's call for assistance in effective monitoring of illegal radio waves. This system, which indicates suspected sources of radio wave emissions in a monitored area, is more compact and can monitor a wider range of radio waves than conventional systems. As a result, it is expected that unlicensed radio stations will be able to be found more easily. Energy-Saving Technologies for Advanced Air-Conditioner Inverter System ENDO Takahisa/NUKUSHINA Harunobu/SHIMIZU Shinya Following an assessment review of the Energy Conservation Law, the index of the energy-saving guideline for air conditioners has been changed from the coefficient of performance at the rated operation to the annual performance factor, which is closer to the conditions of actual use. This change requires running efficiency at low output power to be improved, which can be realized by the development of an advanced inverter system. In response to this requirement, Toshiba applied a sensorless vector control method to the fan motor drive system of the indoor unit for the first time in the industry, to achieve low power consumption. We also adopted a metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor with a super junction structure (SJ-MOSFET) as the switching device for the compressor motor of the outdoor unit. This involved the development of Smart PRE SwitchingTM, a technology to drive switching devices that optimizes inverter efficiency at low output power. GR-W45FS High-Efficiency and High-Capacity Refrigerator UCHIDA Yoshihide/SAKUMA Tsutomu/KOGA Koichi Toshiba developed and began sales of Japan's first electric refrigerator in 1930. Since then, we have introduced a succession of new refrigerator technologies that have improved food storage performance as well as usability, energy consumption, and environmental friendliness. In 2005, we launched the GR-W45FB model refrigerator on the market as a commemorative product marking the 75th anniversary of Toshiba refrigerators. We have now developed the new GR-W45FS refrigerator as a further evolution of the previous model. Its main features are (1) improvements in the cooling performance and capacity realized by high-efficiency twin-cooling technology as well as a newly designed cool air flow passage and heat insulation structure; (2) a cool air purifying function that employs "nano hikari plasma" to deodorize and sterilize the cool air and to decompose ethylene gas; and (3) advanced usability with flat LED lighting that does not protrude into the storage compartments, and an electrically operated touch-type opening and closing door. DWS-600A Automatic Dishwasher with Improved Steam Generator ARAKAWA Toshio/SUGIMOTO Yasuko/SATO Nobuteru Automatic dishwashers have become increasingly popular and are now installed in approximately 20% of Japanese homes, with consumers citing requirements such as "cleaning dishes hygienically," "quickly clearing up dishes," "saving time spent on housework," and "saving water utility fees" as reasons for using them. To meet these user needs, manufacturers of consumer electronic products have been supplying dishwashers to the market with improved detergency, user friendliness, and energy saving. Toshiba released the DWS-600A automatic dishwasher on the market in July 2006. The DWS-600A model features higher detergency, steam washing, and shortened washing time. |