Abstract: A control unit of a vehicular headlamp apparatus can selectively perform steering angle control and navigation-cooperative control. The steering angle control operates a drive mechanism based on a steering angle and a speed of a vehicle to control a headlamp's swivel angle. The navigation-cooperative control operates the drive mechanism using a navigation unit to control the swivel angle. When a current position of the vehicle reaches an entry control start point, the control unit starts navigation-cooperative control at the entry into a curved road. The control unit finds a target swivel angle based on a curvature radius and curved road direction information about the curved road. While the vehicle moves from the entry control start point to a curved road start point, the control unit operates the drive mechanism to gradually change the headlamp's swivel angle to the target swivel angle.

Abstract: A steering angle detected by a steering angle sensor is filtered to be used for changing a responsiveness of controlling an axis orientation of headlights of a vehicle. Based on the filtered steering angle, the axis orientations of the headlights are thereby controlled for being laterally swiveled. This leads to relieving a driver from being bothered by a feeling of strangeness irrespective of a state where the vehicle is rectilinearly traveling or turning around a curve, resulting in providing preferable swivel control meeting driver's sensibility.

Abstract: A vertical magnetic recording medium comprises a substrate, a soft magnetic backing layer formed on the substrate, a magnetic flux confinement layer formed on the soft magnetic backing layer, an intermediate layer formed on the magnetic flux confinement layer, and a recording layer of a vertical magnetization film formed on the intermediate layer, wherein the magnetic flux confinement part comprises a plurality of soft magnetic parts each formed along a track region of plural track regions and a non-magnetic part formed between adjacent track regions, the intermediate layer being formed of a non-magnetic material and is formed so as to cover a surface of the soft magnetic part and the non-magnetic parts.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes a magnetic orientation controller layer serving as a layer for controlling crystalline orientation in an upper layer. A non-magnetic orientation controller layer extends on the surface of the magnetic orientation controller layer The non-magnetic orientation controller layer serves as a layer for controlling crystalline orientation in an upper layer. A magnetic recording layer extends on the surface of the non-magnetic orientation controller layer. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium allows a reliable establishment of a uniform crystalline orientation in the magnetic recording layer based on the influences from the magnetic and non-magnetic orientation controller layers. A reliable establishment of a uniform crystalline orientation can be achieved without an increase in the thickness of the non-magnetic orientation controller layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically adjusting a direction of a headlight of a vehicle includes a steered angle sensor detecting a steered angle of a steering wheel of a vehicle, a vehicle speed sensor detecting a speed of the vehicle, a control unit performing a swivel control by which the direction of the light axis of the headlight is adjusted to a target direction depending on the steered angle and the vehicle speed, and a variance calculating device calculating a variance of the steered angle detected by the steered angle sensor. The control unit halts the swivel control unit when the variance calculated by the variance calculating device exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium including a substrate, a soft-magnetic backing layer formed on the substrate, a magnetic recording layer having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy formed on the backing layer, and a leakage magnetic field control layer having ferrimagnetism formed on the magnetic recording layer. The leakage magnetic field control layer is exchange-coupled to the magnetic recording layer antiferromagnetically or ferrimagnetically to thereby suppress the influence of leakage magnetic fields from the backing layer and the magnetic recording layer and reduce the medium noise.

Abstract: The apparatus for automatically adjusting a direction of a light axis of a vehicle headlight of the invention has a configuration in which the swivel control unit determines that the vehicle is making a left or right turn and halts the swivel control on the light axis of a vehicle headlight, if the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold speed and at least one of the conditions that the turn indication signal is in the on state, and that the steering angle is outside a predetermined angular range is satisfied. The swivel control unit resumes the swivel control when the turn indication signal is changed into the off state.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium has a configuration such that information recorded can be read from a region smaller than a beam spot by applying an external magnetic field and directing a light beam in reproducing. The magneto-optical recording medium includes a magnetic recording layer for recording and holding information, a magnetic reproducing layer provided on one side of the magnetic recording layer on which the light beam is incident, a nonmagnetic layer provided on another side of the magnetic recording layer opposite to the magnetic reproducing layer, and a magnetic assist layer provided on the nonmagnetic layer. The magnetic assist layer has a coercive force smaller than an external magnetic field applied in recording or reproducing information.

Abstract: A steering angle detected by a steering angle sensor is filtered to be used for changing a responsiveness of controlling an axis orientation of headlights of a vehicle. Based on the filtered steering angle, the axis orientations of the headlights are thereby controlled for being laterally swiveled. This leads to relieving a driver from being bothered by a feeling of strangeness irrespective of a state where the vehicle is rectilinearly traveling or turning around a curve, resulting in providing preferable swivel control meeting driver's sensibility.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium recording method is disclosed for recording magnetic information in a recording layer of a magnetic recording medium by using a magnetic head while heating the recording layer by light from an optical head. The magnetic recording medium includes a positioning magnetic layer having magnetism and is used for positioning the optical head.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium at least comprises a perpendicular magnetic recording layer and a backing layer backing the perpendicular magnetic recording layer. The backing layer has an in-plane magnetization and is formed of a ferrimagnetic material having a compensation temperature in the vicinity of a recording/reproducing temperature in which reproducing of magnetic information is made from the perpendicular magnetic recording layer.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium having a configuration such that information recorded can be read from a region smaller than a beam spot by applying an external magnetic field and directing a light beam in reproducing. The magneto-optical recording medium includes a magnetic recording layer for recording and holding information, a magnetic reproducing layer provided on one side of the magnetic recording layer on which the light beam is incident, a nonmagnetic layer provided on another side of the magnetic recording layer opposite to the magnetic reproducing layer, and a magnetic assist layer provided on the nonmagnetic layer. The magnetic assist layer has a coercive force smaller than an external magnetic field applied in recording or reproducing information.

Abstract: In an automatic beam-axis adjustment system, a beam-axis of a headlight is gradually swivel to a position determined based on a steering angle of a steering wheel. The beam-axis returns to the initial position and a swivel control is inhibited when a vehicle is at a stop or slowly moving in an intersection, regardless of the steering angle. The swivel control is restarted after the vehicle starts running straight ahead. In other words, the swivel control is not restarted until the vehicle stats running straight ahead even when the speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined value. Therefore, the movement of the headlights does not disturb a driver.

Abstract: An MO disk includes a readout layer, an intermediate layer and a recording layer each of which is made of a rare earth-transition metal amorphous material. The MO disk also includes a fourth magnetic layer formed on the recording layer and made of a rare earth-transition metal amorphous magnetic material containing Gd. The fourth magnetic layer has a rare earth metal magnetization-dominant composition and an axis of easy magnetization oriented longitudinally at room temperature. The axis of easy magnetization is changed to be oriented perpendicularly to the fourth magnetic layer as the temperature of the fourth magnetic layer rises to the Curie temperature of the fourth magnetic layer.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium including a substrate, a soft-magnetic backing layer formed on the substrate, a magnetic recording layer having perpendicular magnetic anisotropy formed on the backing layer, and a leakage magnetic field control layer having ferrimagnetism formed on the magnetic recording layer. The leakage magnetic field control layer is exchange-coupled to the magnetic recording layer antiferromagnetically or ferrimagnetically to thereby suppress the influence of leakage magnetic fields from the backing layer and the magnetic recording layer and reduce the medium noise.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium which is adapted to realize a partial ROM with remarkable facility in providing software. The magneto-optical recording medium comprises a transparent substrate, a volatile magnetic recording layer formed on the transparent substrate and having a Curie temperature approximately equal to or lower than a temperature raisable in a recording/reproducing apparatus of a user, and a nonvolatile magnetic recording layer formed on the volatile magnetic recording layer and having a Curie temperature higher than the temperature raisable in the recording/reproducing apparatus of the user; wherein the nonvolatile magnetic recording layer is not initialized and is retained in a state immediately after manufacture of the medium.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium, and a method of its production, a method of reading and an apparatus of reading the same capable of decreasing the magnetic field to be applied during MSR readout, or reading without applying magnetic field, by including first, second and third magnetic layers having specified magnetic characteristics.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium adapted for reproduction of a high resolution signal without the necessity of a reproducing magnetic field. The magneto-optical recording medium comprises a transparent substrate and deposits of a reproducing layer, a switch layer and a recording layer formed on the transparent substrate successively. The reproducing layer is a perpendicular magnetization film at a room temperature but is turned to an in-plane magnetization film when heated beyond a predetermined temperature. Each of the switch layer and the recording layer is a perpendicular magnetization film. The respective Curie temperatures Tc1, Tc2 and Tc3 of the reproducing layer, the switch layer and the recording layer satisfy the relationship of Tc1>Tc3>Tc2.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium, and a method of its production, a method of reading and an apparatus of reading the same capable of decreasing the magnetic field to be applied during MSR readout, or reading without applying magnetic field, by including first, second and third magnetic layers having specified magnetic characteristics.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium which is adapted to realize a partial ROM with remarkable facility in providing software. The magneto-optical recording medium comprises a transparent substrate, a volatile magnetic recording layer formed on the transparent substrate and having a Curie temperature approximately equal to or lower than a temperature raisable in a recording/reproducing apparatus of a user, and a nonvolatile magnetic recording layer formed on the volatile magnetic recording layer and having a Curie temperature higher than the temperature raisable in the recording/reproducing apparatus of the user; wherein the nonvolatile magnetic recording layer is not initialized and is retained in a state immediately after manufacture of the medium.