Hitachi, Ltd.

Sony Corporation

Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.

Kei Yonezawa

Takashi Sato

Shigeyuki Itoh

Yoshikatsu Yamamoto

Naomi Sato

Masaaki Hiroya

Hiroshi Asao

Makoto Ijichi

Takahisa Ishimatsu

Akira Yamaguchi

Masami Takahashi

Shuji Terada

Takafumi Ebara

Shoji Kawai

Kazumi Rissen

Masumi Terauchi

Tsuyoshi Okawa

Yoshihito Nasu

Tomoyuki Marui

Daisuke Takeuchi

Provided are an electrolyte having superior adhesion strength to an electrode and superior permeability into the electrode, and a battery using the electrolyte. An electrolyte comprises, for example, a high molecular weight compound and an electrolyte solution prepared by dissolving an electrolyte salt in a solvent, and the electrolyte is formed through applying a coating solution prepared by dissolving the high molecular weight compound in a mixed solvent to at least either a cathode or an anode. The high molecular weight compound includes a first high molecular weight compound with a weight-average molecular weight of 550,000 or more and a second high molecular weight compound with a weight-average molecular weight of 1,000 or more but not exceeding 300,000. Thereby, the adhesion strength of the electrolyte to the electrode, the permeability of the electrolyte into the electrode and the mechanical strength of the electrolyte can be improved, and the capability of holding a solvent can be improved.

Electrolyte and battery using the same

A battery capable of improving load characteristics, low-temperature characteristics and high-temperature cycle characteristics is provided. A cathode () includes a lithium cobalt complex oxide represented by LiCoMIMIIO(MI includes at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Al, Cr, V, Mn and Fe, MII includes at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Mg and Ca, 0.9&#x2266;a&#x2266;1.1, 0.9&#x2266;x&#x3c;1, 0.001&#x2266;y&#x2266;0.05, 0.001&#x2266;z&#x2266;0.05, x+y+z=1), and further includes Zr as a sub-component element. The content of Zr is within a range from 0.01 mol % to 10 mol % both inclusive as a ratio (Zr/Co) of Zr to Co in the lithium cobalt complex oxide.

Cathode active material with zirconium in crystal grain boundary of lithium cobalt complex oxide

Charging equipment and a charge control unit are provided, in which a plurality of devices mounted with battery can be simultaneously charged by the single charging equipment. Further, a method of controlling charge and a method of receiving charge are also provided. The charging equipment supplies electric power to the battery for charging, comprising a power output part which outputs DC power used for charging, a plurality of user operation units which can be connected with a vehicle equipped with a battery as a device mounted with battery, and the charge control unit which controls a power supply from the power output part to the user operation unit. Herein, the charge control unit distributes the electric power outputted from the power output part to supply the distributed power to the user operation unit connected with the vehicle.

Method of receiving charge, method of controlling charge, charge control unit and charging equipment

A cathode contains: a lithium cobalt composite oxide expressed by LiCoM1M2O, where M1 denotes the first element; M2 indicates the second element; x, a, b, and c are set to values within ranges of 0.9&#x2266;x&#x2266;1.1, 0.9&#x2266;a&#x2266;1, 0.001&#x2266;b&#x2266;0.05, and 0.001&#x2266;c&#x2266;0.05; and a+b+c=1; a first sub-component element of at least one kind selected from a group containing Ti, Zr, and Hf, and a second sub-component element of at least one kind selected from a group containing Si, Ge, and Sn. 0.01 mol %&#x2266;(content of the first sub-component element)&#x2266;10 mol % as a ratio to cobalt in the lithium cobalt composite oxide. 0.01 mol %&#x2266;(content of the second sub-component element)&#x2266;10 mol % as a ratio to cobalt in the lithium cobalt composite oxide.

Cathode active material and battery

Information optimal for a place where a user is located is provided to the user by specifying the place in a short range using RFID tags and a terminal which the user holds. To accomplish this, an RFID reader-equipped information terminal performs a process of reading RFID tags attached to arbitrary places a predetermined number of times per unit time and automatically measures a distance between the RFID reader-equipped information terminal and each RFID tag based on the number of times each responding RFID tag has been able to be read. A position at which the user is located is specified based on the automatically measured distance and information suitable for the position is then provided to the user.

Wireless signal receiver

A cathode with a cathode active material is provided. The cathode active material is obtained by mixing a zirconium-containing lithium cobalt composite oxide containing zirconium as a sub-component element in a first lithium cobalt composite oxide expressed by a formula LiCoMO(where M is at least one kind of element selected from Fe, V, Cr, Ti, Mg, Al, B, and Ca; 0&#x2266;s&#x2266;0.03; 0.05&#x2266;t&#x2266;1.15), and a second lithium cobalt composite oxide expressed by a formula LiCoAO(where A is at least one kind of element selected from Mg and Al; 0.05&#x2266;x&#x2266;1.15; 0&#x2266;y&#x2266;0.03).

Cathode active material and non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery

A battery wherein a cathode and an anode are layered and wound with a separator and an electrolyte in between them. The electrolyte is formed by firstly forming a coating layer containing a high molecular weight compound, a high viscosity solvent having a boiling point of more than 150&#xb0; C., and an electrolyte salt on the cathode and the anode, and then injecting an injection solution containing a low viscosity solvent having a boiling point of 150&#xb0; C., or less in the coating layer. A concentration of the low viscosity solvent in the electrolyte changes in the facing direction of the cathode and the anode. The concentration of the low viscosity solvent in the electrolyte is higher between the cathode and the anode, than on the cathode side and the anode side. Therefore, a diffusion rate of lithium ions is raised, and overvoltage is reduced.

Battery

An electronic-money collecting system is capable of returning a lost IC card used as an 'electronic purse' to a legitimate owner or an issuing institution with a high degree of efficiency. When a lost IC card containing data representing electronic money is found, the finder inserts the card into a public terminal, and information read from the card is transmitted to a card center by way of a communication line. At the center, a storage unit containing identification and contact data is searched for owner contact data, and the owner of the lost IC card is notified of the implementation of processing to collect the IC card. Also, a finder is given reward money recorded in a found IC card or, when an attempt made by a finder to illegally draw money, information on the finder is recorded, allowing abuse of a found IC card to be detected early.

Electronic-money rewarding system for lost and found IC card

An electronic-money collecting system is capable of returning a lost IC card used as an 'electronic purse' to the owner of the lost IC card or an institution issuing the lost IC card with a high degree of efficiency without imposing a burden on the lost-IC-card finder or the institution issuing the IC card. When a lost IC card in which money data representing the amount of electronic money stored on the card is found, the found IC card is inserted into a terminal installed at places, such as a banking organization or a public institution. At that time, information read out from the IC card is transmitted to a center by way of a communication line. At the center, a storage unit is searched for information on the legitimate owner of the IC card. owner. The owner of the lost IC card is then notified.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Kei Yonezawa