Abstract: A file management apparatus includes the following elements: a representative image storage device storing representative image data of each of a plurality of content files in association with a creation time of the content file; a rendering unit rendering the representative image data at a position corresponding to the creation time with a calendar continuous over days, months, and years serving as a background; a display state maintaining unit maintaining, as a display state, a time-axis range of the calendar being displayed and a position thereof; an operation receiving unit receiving a change operation to change the display state, the change operation commonly being a scrolling operation in a time-series direction in any time-axis range; and a controller controlling, in response to the change operation, the rendering means to render the representative image data on the calendar on the basis of the display state.

Abstract: An image reproduction system configured by an image reproduction device that can accumulate a still image or a moving image for reproduction, and an information processing device that makes a setting to the image reproduction device.

Abstract: On an optical disk, a string of a plurality of pits having two different depths is formed. Quantity of light reflected from the pit string is detected by a photoreceptor element, and based on the detected quantity of reflected light, a pit depth detecting unit detects depth of each pit. Based on the detected quantity of reflected light, a servo signal generating unit generates a tracking servo signal. An output control unit supplies the generated tracking servo signal when a pit of such depth that is to be reproduced is tracked, and holds and supplies an immediately preceding tracking servo signal when a pit of different depth is being tracked, based on the result of detection by the pit depth detecting unit.

Abstract: On an optical disc including a substrate on which pits having at least two different depths are formed, main information is recorded by the shape of the pits and additional information is recorded by the depth of the pit. It is possible to reverse polarity of a tangential push-pull signal dependent on the depth of the pit, and therefore it becomes possible to record information utilizing the depth of the pit. This improves recording density of the optical disc. Further, when information of the optical disc is to be copied, the information recorded by the depth of the pit cannot be copied. Therefore, unauthorized reproduction can be prevented.

Abstract: An optical disk has a lead-in region provided at the inner circumference side and a user region provided at the outer circumference side. Pit string 3 of pits of different depths is formed in the lead-in region. Light beam reflected from the pit string is detected by detector and TPP and RF signals are output by differential amplifier and addition amplifier. A ternary signal is restored from pits based on the TPP and RF signals. Information is recorded by pits of the same depth in the user region. Recording information in the depth direction in the lead-in region increases the recording capacity thereof. The information recorded in the depth direction in the lead-in region cannot be transferred to a user region of another optical disk.

Abstract: On an optical disc including a substrate on which pits having at least two different depths are formed, main information is recorded by the shape of the pits and additional information is recorded by the depth of the pit. It is possible to reverse polarity of a tangential push-pull signal dependent on the depth of the pit, and therefore it becomes possible to record information utilizing the depth of the pit. This improves recording density of the optical disc. Further, when information of the optical disc is to be copied, the information recorded by the depth of the pit cannot be copied. Therefore, unauthorized reproduction can be prevented.

Abstract: When a digital camera is used on the side of a C-mount section of a microscope, the digital camera is attached to the C-mount section of the microscope with a C-mount adapter and an optical adapter between them. When the digital camera is used on the side of an ocular section of the microscope, the digital camera is attached to the ocular section of the microscope with the optical adapter between them.

Abstract: On an optical disc including a substrate on which pits having at least two different depths are formed, main information is recorded by the shape of the pits and additional information is recorded by the depth of the pit. It is possible to reverse polarity of a tangential push-pull signal dependent on the depth of the pit, and therefore it becomes possible to record information utilizing the depth of the pit. This improves recording density of the optical disc. Further, when information of the optical disc is to be copied, the information recorded by the depth of the pit cannot be copied. Therefore, unauthorized reproduction can be prevented.

Abstract: On an optical disc including a substrate on which pits having at least two different depths are formed, main information is recorded by the shape of the pits and additional information is recorded by the depth of the pit. It is possible to reverse polarity of a tangential push-pull signal dependent on the depth of the pit, and therefore it becomes possible to record information utilizing the depth of the pit. This improves recording density of the optical disc. Further, when information of the optical disc is to be copied, the information recorded by the depth of the pit cannot be copied. Therefore, unauthorized reproduction can be prevented.

Abstract: An optical recording medium capable of obtaining a large reproduced signal from the recoded mark, a large reproduced signal of a pre-pit and a large tracking signal both in an area of the grooves and an area of the pre-pits, which provides a sufficient time allowance for switching tracking to that suitable for the area of the grooves or to that suitable for the area of the pre-pits. An optical recording medium comprising a substrate whereon tracks each comprising at least of writable grooves and pre-pits deeper than or equal to the grooves are formed and areas of a relatively shallow pits are each provided between an area of the deep pits and an area of the grooves. The depth Dg of the grooves, the depth Dsp of the shallow pits and the depth Ddp of the deep pits satisfy the following conditions: Dg<&lgr;/(8n), &lgr;/(8n)<Ddp<&lgr;/(4n) and Dg≦Dsp<Ddp. Tracking method is switched over in the shallow pit area when recording or reproducing information on the optical recoding medium.

Abstract: A process plan unit 2 generates a process plan based on an operation plan of an operation plan unit 1. A work plan unit 3 generates a work plan based on the operation plan and the process plan. Since each plan of the process plan and the work plan inherits and uses the simulation result from the operation plan, a consistent plan can be made. In addition, an planned work management unit 4 checks the operation plan, the process plan, and the comparison between the actual result and the operation plan and the process plan, clarifies the cause of the problem of the difference between the actual result and the plans, and quickly makes a recovery plan.

Abstract: When a digital camera is used on the side of a C-mount section of a microscope, the digital camera is attached to the C-mount section of the microscope with a C-mount adapter and an optical adapter between them. When the digital camera is used on the side of an ocular section of the microscope, the digital camera is attached to the ocular section of the microscope with the optical adapter between them.

Abstract: An optical disk has a lead-in region provided at the inner circumference side and a user region provided at the outer circumference side. Pit string 3 of pits of different depths is formed in the lead-in region. Light beam reflected from the pit string is detected by detector and TPP and RF signals are output by differential amplifier and addition amplifier. A ternary signal is restored from pits based on the TPP and RF signals. Information is recorded by pits of the same depth in the user region. Recording information in the depth direction in the lead-in region increases the recording capacity thereof. The information recorded in the depth direction in the lead-in region cannot be transferred to a user region of another optical disk.

Abstract: On an optical disk, a string of a plurality of pits having two different depths is formed. Quantity of light reflected from the pit string is detected by a photoreceptor element, and based on the detected quantity of reflected light, a pit depth detecting unit detects depth of each pit. Based on the detected quantity of reflected light, a servo signal generating unit generates a tracking servo signal. An output control unit supplies the generated tracking servo signal when a pit of such depth that is to be reproduced is tracked, and holds and supplies an immediately preceding tracking servo signal when a pit of different depth is being tracked, based on the result of detection by the pit depth detecting unit.

Abstract: A controller instructs a spindle motor to start rotating, and instructs a servo control section to start a focus servo control. When a light beam crosses information tracks on an optical disc with a rotation of the optical disc, an amplitude indicating signal generating section detects changes in the amplitude of a readout signal output from an optical pickup. A disc type identifying section identifies types of optical discs having different track pitches of the information tracks in starting the rotation of each optical disc based on the peak value and bottom value or the amplitude of the readout signal. Consequently, the types of optical discs having different information recording densities, particularly different track pitches, can be identified at an early stage without waiting for reproduction of information recorded on each optical disc. It is therefore possible to shorten the time for starting an optical disc device, or prevent an increase in the starting time.

Abstract: A farfield pattern which occurs when a light spot passes through a pit on a disk is applied as two-phase pulses to a pulse issuing portion through photo detectors, current-voltage converters and binarizing circuits. The pulse issuing portion issues, to a difference detector, pulses corresponding to the two-phase pulses, respectively, and each having a time width starting from the time point of level change of one of the two-phase pulses and terminating at earlier one between the time point of return of the one pulse to the initial level and the time point of change in the other binary signal and the time point of level change of the other pulse. The difference detector applies a phase difference pulse corresponding to the two pulses applied thereto to a LPF. The phase difference pulse converted into an analog signal by the LPF is issued as a tracking error signal.

Abstract: A motor control device for controlling a swing motor which moves a head is provided with a disturbance observer and an operation suspending unit. The disturbance observer outputs a compensating signal for compensating a driving voltage V for driving the swing motor. The operation suspending unit suspends an operation of the disturbance observer, based on a detection signal supplied by a velocity sensor which detects an angular velocity of the swing motor and the driving voltage signal V for driving the swing motor. The operation suspending unit operates when the signal voltage in the disturbance observer exceeds a reference level. This arrangement solves the following problem arising when the disturbance observer is employed for controlling a motor: when the motor comes into collisions with a stopper at an edge of the motion space, the disturbance observer further drives the motor so as to oppose a motion caused by the collisions, thereby exacerbating the collision.

Abstract: A motor control device of an information recording and reproducing apparatus has a disturbance observer for outputting a compensating voltage signal. The compensating voltage signal compensates for a drive voltage signal of a head-moving swing motor on the basis of the drive voltage signal and a detected signal from a velocity sensor detecting an angular velocity of the swing motor. In such a motor control device, amplitude of the drive voltage signal inputted into the disturbance observer is limited by a limiter not to exceed a maximum amplitude at which a driver of the motor generates a maximum drive signal for the motor within the drive ability of the driver. Therefore, even if an input signal to the motor is too great because the uncompensated drive voltage signal is excessive or external disturbance affects the swing motor, the amplitude of the signal inputted to the motor is limited. In other words, even if the input signal is too great, the compensating voltage signal is not affected.

Abstract: A focusing control device for use in an optical disk apparatus of the present invention is provided with: an error-signal generation circuit for generating a focus error signal; a detection circuit for detecting the quantity of light derived from a light beam reflected from an optical disk in order to form a light signal; a voltage-generating circuit for generating an offset signal whose polarity is suitable for an out-focus state based on the difference between a reference signal and the light signal, only when the light signal is smaller than the reference signal, that is, only during the out-focus state; an addition amplifier for adding the offset signal to the focus error signal; and a control circuit for controlling the position of a lens in response to the output of the addition amplifier. With this arrangement, the focus error signal is added by the offset signal so as to be shaped only during the out-focus state.

Abstract: The present invention is provided with a disturbance observer which outputs a compensating signal for compensating a driving signal of a linear motor in accordance with (1) an output signal of an acceleration sensor unit which mechanically detects an acceleration of the linear motor, the acceleration moving the optical pickup, and (2) the driving signal of the linear motor. A high pass filter which has a low frequency band cutoff frequency substantially same as that of the acceleration sensor unit is also provided on the path which is formed by connecting the input of the driving signal to the generated compensating signal in the disturbance observer. With the high pass filter, it is possible to prevent the linear motor from being driven too sensitively or too greatly by the disturbance observer due to the driving signal, vibrations, or shocks applied from outside, or noises from the acceleration sensor unit or the circuits, thereby avoiding the danger that the linear motor or the optical pickup is damaged.