Abstract: Times at which requests for a data read or data write from/to a logical volume are received are stored in memory as access times of a RAID group making up the logical volume. When a predetermined time has elapsed after the access time, a number of the hard disk drives according to the redundancy of the RAID group are set to a power saving mode. Assume there are first hard disk drives and second hard disk drives having shorter lifes and the RAID group exceeds a predetermined time after the access time. When the RAID group consists of only the first drives, a number of the first drives according to the redundancy of the RAID group are set to a power saving mode and when it consists of only the second drives, an arbitrary number of second drives are set to a power saving mode.

Abstract: A panel light source includes: a planar light transmissive electrode formed by ITO film, which is 0.1 ?m thick and 430 mm×430 mm in size; an EL layer; and a linear electrode layer formed by 4300 linear electrodes, which are arranged parallel in the Z direction. Each linear electrode is an aluminum electrode, which is 50 ?m wide, 430 mm long, and 3 ?m thick. The specific resistance of aluminum is 2.7×10?6 ?, and the resistance between first and second ends of the linear electrodes is 80 ?. The specific resistance of ITO is 4×10?4 ?, and the resistance between a first and second end of the light transmissive electrode is 40 ?. Negative drive voltage is applied to the first ends of the linear electrodes. Positive voltage is applied to the second end of the light transmissive electrode. Differences in voltage drops between the electrodes are reduced, compared to conventional line light sources.

Abstract: A light irradiating device provided with line light sources is located in association with an image recording medium. The line light sources are located in parallel and at approximately identical pitches with respect to a scanning direction. A slit array plate having slits is located between the image recording medium and the light irradiating device. Each of the slits is located at a position corresponding to the position of one of the line light sources. The light irradiating device is controlled such that line light beams are radiated out one after another with different timing from the line light sources.

Abstract: A reading light exposure system scans an image recording medium with a reading light beam. The reading light exposure system includes a line source emitting the reading light beam, an optical means which converges the reading light beam emitted from the line source in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the line source, and a pinhole array having a number of pinholes which limit the angle of divergence of the reading light beam in the longitudinal direction of the line source with respect to the optical axis of the optical means. The length of each of the pinholes in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the line source is larger than the length thereof in the longitudinal direction of the line source.

Abstract: An illuminating portion includes: a readout light source; a focusing optical system; and a pre-exposure light source. The readout light source includes a plurality of LED's, which are arranged linearly in the Z direction. The focusing optical system includes two cylindrical lenses that extend in the Z direction, and focuses readout light, emitted from the readout light source, as a line on an image recording medium. The pre-exposure light source includes a plurality of EL lamps, which are arranged linearly in the Z direction. The readout light source and the pre-exposure light source both emit light in the X direction, and are integrally formed in rows. The focusing optical system is fixed to the readout light source and the pre-exposure light sources by a mounting member. A planar light source and scanning portions for each light source, which had been conventionally necessary, are obviated.

Abstract: A disk array unit connected to a host unit to give information thereto and receive information therefrom. The disk unit includes a plurality of disk units for storing information transmitted from the host unit and a management information recording device, formed by utilizing information storage areas in the disk units, for causing information relating to a logical unit for storing information from the host unit to correspond to information relating to the units. The invention further includes a control unit, when there is no access from the host unit to the logical unit for a predetermined time, for determining the disk units corresponding to the logical unit based on information recorded in the management information recording device and performing power saving of power supply for the disk units.

Abstract: A photographing method and apparatus for photographing a fluorescent image, composed of fluorescent light emitted by a living tissue that has been illuminated by a stimulating light, as an image having a higher S/N ratio. Fluorescent light emitted by a living tissue that has been illuminated by a stimulating light emitted from a light source and propagated along an endoscope enters an image fiber. The fluorescent light entering the image fiber is propagated along the image fiber to the output face of the image fiber and focused on the light-receiving zone of a photographing element, under photographing conditions set so that the relation between the pixels of aforementioned output face, upon which the fluorescent image is formed, to the pixels receiving the light of the fluorescent image within aforementioned light-receiving zone satisfies the condition expressed by the formula: Nf×4>Nd.

Abstract: Operation processing is performed on a first fluorescence image and at least either one of a second fluorescence image and a reflected reference light image to form a tissue condition image, which represents a tissue condition of living body tissues and has been compensated for a distance to the living body tissues. According to at least one of the three images, a judgment is made as to whether each image area in the tissue condition image is an abnormal light affected area or a normal light detection area. The abnormal light affected area is displayed in a form different from the normal light detection area.

Abstract: A photographing method and apparatus for photographing a fluorescent image, composed of fluorescent light emitted by a living tissue that has been illuminated by a stimulating light, as an image having a higher S/N ratio. Fluorescent light emitted by a living tissue that has been illuminated by a stimulating light emitted from a light source and propagated along an endoscope enters an image fiber. The fluorescent light entering the image fiber is propagated along the image fiber to the output face of the image fiber and focused on the light-receiving zone of a photographing element, under photographing conditions set so that the relation between the pixels of aforementioned output face, upon which the fluorescent image is formed, to the pixels receiving the light of the fluorescent image within aforementioned light-receiving zone satisfies the condition expressed by the formula: Nf×4>Nd.

Abstract: A fluorescent endoscope apparatus in which the fluorescent light, which becomes noise, emitted from the photographic element propagating the autofluorescent light emitted from a living-tissue subject is reduced, and by which it is possible to clearly distinguish between normal and diseased tissues. The fluorescent endoscope apparatus has a stimulating light projecting unit for irradiating a living-tissue subject with stimulating light, and an optical element for propagating the autofluorescent light emitted from the living tissue subject that has been irradiated by stimulating light. It also has a photographing element, which is formed of the optical element, for photographing the autofluorescent light emitted by the living tissue subject irradiated by the stimulating light. The optical element is structured so as to satisfy the condition expressed by the formula: the strength of the autofluorescent light of normal tissue≧the strength of the autofluorescent light of the optical element×104.

Abstract: A line light source system includes a line light source formed by a number of linearly arranged light emitting elements. A pair of cylindrical lenses converges the light bundles emitted from the respective light emitting elements in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the light emitting elements are arranged, and a pinhole array limits the angle of divergence of the light bundles emitted from the respective light emitting elements with respect to the optical axis of the cylindrical lenses in a direction parallel to the direction in which the light emitting elements are arranged.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus using a charge multiplying solid-sate imaging device for use with an endoscope system, etc., capable of providing an output signal with an improved S/N ratio by reducing the dark noise. The full well size of the CCD imaging device is reduced to 1/M of the number of electrons corresponding to a maximum amount of light which may be received by the individual pixel determined by the technical specifications of the system, and the signal charges are read out N times in a prescribed time period corresponding to a time for a single frame in a TV frame rate. The system satisfies the relation, nd (1−1/M)>nr2(N2−1), assuming that nd is the dark noise and nr is the readout noise contained in single reading from a reference solid-state imaging means having a full well size equivalent to the number of electrons described above.

Abstract: A disk array unit connected to a host unit to give information thereto and receive information therefrom. The disk unit includes a plurality of disk units for storing information transmitted from the host unit and a management information recording device, formed by utilizing information storage areas in the disk units, for causing information relating to a logical unit for storing information from the host unit to correspond to information relating to the units. The invention further includes a control unit, when there is no access from the host unit to the logical unit for a predetermined time, for determining the disk units corresponding to the logical unit based on information recorded in the management information recording device and performing power saving of power supply for the disk units.

Abstract: A disk array unit connected to a host unit to give information thereto and receive information therefrom. The disk unit includes a plurality of disk units for storing information transmitted from the host unit and a management information recording device, formed by utilizing information storage areas in the disk units, for causing information relating to a logical unit for storing information from the host unit to correspond to information relating to the units. The invention further includes a control unit, when there is no access from the host unit to the logical unit for a predetermined time, for determining the disk units corresponding to the logical unit based on information recorded in the management information recording device and performing power saving of power supply for the disk units.

Abstract: A linear light source has LED chips disposed in an array that provides a higher-intensity light beam with a narrower half-beam width at the converging point. Each of the LED chips is disposed in such a way that its emission regions along a diagonal line are aligned with those of adjacent chips in a straight line. The slit is disposed in such a way that its opening is placed opposite to the emission regions aligned in a straight line. The utilization area is defined by the opening of the slit. The utilization area can include a larger emission region than that of the conventional linear light source so that a higher-intensity light beam with a narrower half-beam width can be obtained at the converging point.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for performing measurement of light from an illuminated specimen, under background light having intensity which varies cyclically with a period. A first measuring operation is performed for a certain length of time while illuminating the specimen. Then, a second measuring operation is performed for the same length of time as the first operation without the illumination of the specimen. A result of measurement unaffected by the background light is obtained by subtracting a result of the second measuring operation from a result of the first measuring operation. The difference between beginning times of the first and second measuring operations is made equal to an integer multiple of the above period. Alternatively, the above length of time of each of the first and second operations is made equal to an integer multiple of the above period.

Abstract: A disk array unit connected to a host unit to give information thereto and receive information therefrom. The disk unit includes a plurality of disk units for storing information transmitted from the host unit and a management information recording device, formed by utilizing information storage areas in the disk units, for causing information relating to a logical unit for storing information from the host unit to correspond to information relating to the units. The invention further includes a control unit, when there is no access from the host unit to the logical unit for a predetermined time, for determining the disk units corresponding to the logical unit based on information recorded in the management information recording device and performing power saving of power supply for the disk units.

Abstract: A fluorescent endoscope apparatus in which the fluorescent light, which becomes noise, emitted from the photographic element propagating the autofluorescent light emitted from a living-tissue subject is reduced, and by which it is possible to clearly distinguish between normal and diseased tissues. The fluorescent endoscope apparatus has a stimulating light projecting unit for irradiating a living-tissue subject with stimulating light, a optical element for propagating the autofluorescent light emitted from the living-tissue subject that has been irradiated by stimulating light. It also has a photographing element, which is formed of the optical element, for photographing the autofluorescent light emitted by the living tissue subject irradiated by the stimulating light. The optical element is structured so as to satisfy the condition expressed by the formula: the strength of the autofluorescent light of normal tissue≧the strength of the autofluorescent light of the optical element×104.

Abstract: Intrinsic fluorescence, which has been produced from living body tissues when excitation light is irradiated to the living body tissues, is detected with an image sensor and is read out as an image. The image is acquired by setting the image sensor such that a reading frequency, an area of one pixel, a total number of pixels, a number of pixels subjected to pixel binning, a number of reading ports, an exposure time, a quantum efficiency, an electron multiplication factor, and a sensor temperature of the image sensor satisfy the following condition formula: RN+DN<0.22×P×H×G in which RN represents the number of electric charges occurring due to reading noise, DN represents the number of electric charges occurring due to dark noise, P represents the irradiation output of the excitation light (in mW), H represents the quantum efficiency of the image sensor, and G represents the electron multiplication factor of the image sensor.

Abstract: Signal charge that has accumulated in photodiodes of a photoreceptor area in a CCD is multiplied by a charge multiplier and then applied to a floating diffusion amplifier, which has been set to a small conversion coefficient, or to floating gate amplifier, which has been set to a large conversion coefficient. If the accumulated amount of signal charge is small, the charge is converted to a video signal by the floating gate amplifier having the large conversion coefficient. If the accumulated amount of signal charge is large, the charge is converted to a video signal by the floating diffusion amplifier having the small conversion coefficient. Thus a video signal having a high level is obtained even if the amount of signal charge is small. Since it is unnecessary to change driving pulses that are applied to the charge multiplier, the multiplication factor of the charge multiplier will not fluctuate.