Investors
Glossary
A
- Active sensor
- Active sensor that emits a signal, such as light, electromagnetic waves, radiation or sound towards a target, and analyzes the reflected, refracted or absorbed signal to detect and measure the characteristics of the target. Non-contact detection.
- Actuator
- Collective term for devices that convert energy or electric signals into physical actions. Alps Alpine actuators are used in applications such as smartphone autofocus camera mechanisms.
- Amusement market
- Used by Alps Alpine to refer to the market for entertainment experiences such as games, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and e-sports. Alps Alpine offers a range of components for the amusement market, including essential game controller components such as switches, joysticks, and haptic reactor, which use vibrations to realistically recreate diverse sensations.
- Aspherical lens
- Lens that differs from a spherical lens because it has a complex curvature that varies across the lens surface. Alps Alpine holds a leading position in the market for aspherical glass lenses, particularly in the optical communication sector. We achieve high coupling characteristics to ensure high-quality communication over long distances, supporting use in intercontinental cable repeaters and intercity communications infrastructure through to base stations and household applications.
- Automotive switches
- General term for switches used in automobiles and motorcycles. Alps Alpine supplies a diverse range of detector switches, which, when pressed or released, detect the presence or position of an object.
C
- Capacitive sensing module
- Module that detects the electrical change (the change in capacitance) that occurs from contact with the human body. Various things are detected and manipulated with the help of an embedded sensor in the touchscreen that senses location and movement. At Alps Alpine, we develop a variety of "touch to move" devices, such as touchpads on laptops, controllers for video game consoles, and touch panels in automobiles. This technology is evolving towards a touchless control next-generation input experience and other next-generation sensors such as hands-off detection built into steering wheels.
- Communication module
- Module designed to both transmit and receive data using electromagnetic waves or light. Alps Alpine is supporting the advancement of autonomous driving and car connectivity by leveraging its automotive wireless communication technology to provide CV2X modules for communicating with the outside and multi GNSS modules needed for vehicle positioning.
- Component business
- One of Alps Alpine's three business segments (Component Segment, Sensor and Communication Segment, Mobility Segment) primarily handling electronic components. Key products include switches, actuators and haptic reactor.
- Core technologies
- Technologies that a company leverages as core strengths in business and technologies that are unrivalled in a particular market. Alps Alpine's core technologies are Contact & Resistor Technology, Actuation Technology, Magnetism Technology, Radio Wave Technology, Electrostatic Technology, Acoustics Technology, and Thermal Transfer Printing Technology. For details of each technology, see the "Technologies" page.
- Current sensor
- Sensor that measures the electrical current flowing through a circuit. Alps Alpine's current sensors are used in applications like battery management systems within Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs).
- C-V2X
- Short for Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything. Wireless communication technology that enables vehicles to communicate with one another (V2V), with signals and other infrastructure (V2I), with pedestrians (V2P), and with the broader network (V2N). The realization of C-V2X is expected to solve issues in a range of areas, including issues related to traffic safety, traffic convenience, autonomous driving, transport management, falling birth rates and an aging society, and energy.
D
- Digital cabin solutions
- A business belonging to our Mobility Segment. Primary customers are automobile manufacturers around the world. The Digital Cabin uses Alps Alpine’s original integrated electronic control unit (ECU) to process information obtained through a variety of input and output devices using core human-machine interface (HMI), sensor and connectivity technologies. The latest Alps Alpine technologies combine to deliver reassurance, comfort and emotion to everyone inside the cabin; for example, a large screen display, Zone Sounds that project sound individually to each person and other entertainment solutions, and an Electronic Mirror providing a peripheral view with dramatically reduced blind spots.
- DOE
- Short for Dividend on Equity. Indicates the percentage of a company's shareholders' equity that is returned to shareholders as dividends and serves as an indicator of a company's approach to dividends. Calculated using the formula "DOE (%) = Dividends paid ÷ Shareholders' equity × 100".
E
- Encoder
- Electronic device that converts rotational motion and position into electrical signals. Alps Alpine has expanded the scope of applications for its encoders from audio equipment to automotive products and household appliances such as game console controllers.
G
- GNSS
- Short for Global Navigation Satellite System. General term for satellite-based systems that provide high-accuracy global positioning information. Together with Furuno, Alps Alpine jointly developed the world's first GNSS module that realizes high-accuracy vehicle positioning without correction data. We are supporting the advancement of autonomous driving.
H
- haptic reactor
- Tactile feedback technology that uses vibrations to reproduce various sensations such as a click feel and roughness perception. Alps Alpine's haptic reactor is widely used by game console, VR/AR, and in the automotive.
I
- IC
- Short for Integrated Circuit. An assembly of electronic components built by layering and packaging intricate and complex electronic circuits on a semiconductor substrate.
- Infotainment
- Combination of the two words: information and entertainment. Usually used to refer to the systems and digital services within a vehicle that provide both information and entertainment. These systems typically include music and video playback, navigation, information applications, and internet connectivity.
- Integrated ECU
- An ECU (Electronic Control Unit) is a device that controls various vehicle functions. An integrated ECU acts as a central control unit combining multiple control units into one unit. In older vehicles, each function, for example, the engine, transmission, and infotainment systems, were controlled by separate ECUs.
- In-vehicle sound system
- Vehicle audio. Alps Alpine supplies a wide range of in-vehicle sound systems, including speakers, amplifiers and equalizers for automobile interiors that cover the range from high to ultra-low frequencies, zone sound systems that deliver personalized sound to each vehicle occupant, as well as pedestrian warning sound systems installed in quiet-running electronic vehicles.
- IR Day
- Event where a company communicates information about its operations and financial position, its business performance and management plans to investors and analysts. For the latest event information, see the "IR Calendar" page.
L
- Logistics remote monitoring system
- Alps Alpine's solution business that prevents the loss and uneven distribution of carts and pallets used at logistics sites and contributes to improved work efficiency by using IoT.
M
- Magnetic sensor
- Device that detects the magnitude, direction and variations of magnetic and geomagnetic fields generated by a magnet or current and converts them into electrical signals. Magnetic sensors are used in various applications including smartphone map apps to detect location and automotive steering systems to detect the angle of the steering wheel.
- Microfluidic device
- Chip made of glass or other transparent material with a microfluidic structure formed through the microfabrication of hair-fine or vessel-like microchannels. Alps Alpine’s Senclear™ is a microfluidic device that uses our company’s originally developed bonding technology to make possible high-strength, high-voltage bonding without adhesives. Its use in fields such as drug discovery and cutting-edge medical treatments is expanding.
- Millimeter-wave sensor
- Sensor that uses very high frequency electromagnetic waves to detect position and speed. Used for detecting the presence of a child in the car seat of the vehicle and for sensing obstacles in the vicinity of car doors during opening and closing.
- Mobility business
- One of Alps Alpine's three business segments (Component, Sensor and Communication, Mobility) primarily handling automotive products and systems. Key products include integrated display, sound systems, cabin controllers, electronic shifters and power window switches.
- Multimodal Sensing
- A technology that combines multiple different types of sensors and data sources to collect and analyze information. "Multimodal" refers to the integration of different senses (modalities) such as sight, hearing, and touch, and the use of multiple information sources in a form similar to human communication. It is a technology that is attracting more and more attention with the development of AI.
P
- Passive sensor
- Sensor that detects and passively senses energy in the environment such as human movement energy. Alps Alpine's passive sensors include detector switches fitted on the inside of doors for detecting the opening and shutting of doors and rotary sensors such as volume control knobs.
- PBR
- Short for Price Book-value Ratio. Ratio that considers whether a company's current stock price is reasonable relative to the book value of its assets. Calculated using the formula "PBR = Stock price ÷ Net assets per share (BPS)."
- PER
- Short for Price Earnings Ratio. Metric indicating how many times the earnings per share (EPS) the market is willing to pay for each share of stock. Calculated using the formula "PER = Stock price ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS)."
- Pressure sensor
- Device that can detect air and water pressure, converting it to an electrical signal. Used in diverse applications including elevation/depth detection in smartwatches, gas pressure monitoring, and the force sensors of stylus pens (touchscreen pens) for drawing, etc.
R
- ROE
- Short for Return on Equity. Financial ratio used to measure both a company's capital efficiency and its overall profitability. Calculated using the formula "ROE (%) = Net income ÷ Net assets (Shareholders' equity) × 100."
- ROIC
- Short for Return on Invested Capital. Financial metric that measures how efficiently a company uses capital contributed by equity and debt investors (banks) to generate profits. Calculated using the formula "Return on Invested Capital (%) = Net operating profit after tax ÷ Invested capital × 100". ROIC management is a management approach that uses ROIC as a management indicator.
S
- Sensor and communication business
- One of Alps Alpine's three business segments (Component, Sensor and Communication, Mobility) primarily handling products incorporating sensing and communication technologies. Key products include current sensors, magnetic sensors, millimeter-wave sensors and communication modules.
T
- TACT Switch™
- Push-button switch that delivers distinct tactile feedback (click feel) when operated. As a human-machine interface for consumer electronics, automotive systems, industrial electrical equipment and other products, there are many different applications.