Abstract: Heretofore, when an error occurs during data reproduction, a retry is repeated until the error is corrected, which leaves a possibility of data transfer being not completed within a specified time. Only one piece of error information on uncorrected errors is informed to a host system even if the errors have occurred in a plurality of unit data. To solve the problem, a magnetic disk drive is provided which can transfer data within a specified time because the number of retries executed when errors occur is limited to a range that data transfer can be finished within a specified time. The disk drive generates error information regarding all errors caused in reproduction and communicates error information along with reproduced data to a host system. The disk drive is capable of concurrent execution of data processing that allows of errors and data processing that does not allow of errors without demanding that the disk drive be furnished with high performance.

Abstract: An optical box for positioning and fixing respective optical components is provided and functions as a housing thereof. A support stand for positioning and mounting the respective optical components, respectively, is formed separately from the optical box, and is loaded in the optical box.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to diagnosing error-correcting retries of an upper system by using a disk drive under control of the upper system. In one embodiment, a microprocessor can operate in any of at leas two operation modes. One is normal operation mode while the other is pseudo failure operation mode. Mode switching is made by a switch. Strictly, the pseudo failure operation mode includes three different operation modes: 1) pseudo logical error report mode in which a pseudo logical error is reported to the upper system without performing disk control; 2) pseudo component circuit failure mode in which a control circuit is forced to cause a failure by setting invalid control values to the control circuits; and 3) pseudo interface failure mode in which a pseudo interface failure in the system comprising multiple disk drives is reported by setting an invalid control value to the interface control circuit.

Abstract: Retrying processing in access of data having different properties required such as reliability and real time property of the access is optimized. In a magnetic disk apparatus connected to a host computer 10 through a connection interface and including a magnetic disk controller and a magnetic disk, the magnetic disk controller includes a retrying table in which an area address, an area size, a retrying limit value and the like are set for each of a plurality of storage areas A, B and the like of the magnetic disk and the retrying limit value set in the retrying table from the host computer is used to optimize the retrying processing for data having different reliability or real time property of access such as management data and image/audio data stored in each of the storage areas A, B and the like individually.

Abstract: A video camera is disclosed which can make photographing without any compulsion. A rotary grip is provided on a side face of a camera body so as to be rotatable relative to the camera body, the camera body having an image pickup device, a camera lens and a circuit board of various circuits. A hand strap is attached to the rotary grip. For carrying the video camera, the fingers other than the thumb of one hand are inserted between the rotary grip and the hand strap so that the tips thereof are caught on a peripheral surface of the rotary grip. A liquid crystal display monitor and an operating unit are integral with the peripheral surface of the rotary grip, and when the rotary grip is rotated relative to the camera body unit, the hand strap, as well as the liquid crystal display monitor and the operating unit, also rotate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an external storage system having a plurality of magnetic disk units which include a history storing device that automatically stores update information about the magnetic disk units as a history, and that can perform data recovery with a high degree of accuracy whenever a failure occurs. In one embodiment, an external storage system comprises a plurality of magnetic disk units being connected to one another according to a fiber channel protocol. At least one of the plurality of magnetic disk units is a history storing device that monitors each frame being transmitted to the plurality of magnetic disk units, and has an update history storing mode in which update history information is automatically obtained and stored in a storage medium of the history storing device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention reduce noise and residual vibration during random access operation of a magnetic disk drive. The magnetic disk drive which executes each instruction from an upper device to move a magnetic head from a start track to an end track on a magnetic disk. In one embodiment, the magnetic disk comprises a processor configured, if a seek span from the start track to the end track, according to a seeking instruction from the upper device, is equal to a preset specific length, to store the seeking instruction for the specific length in memory, and to seek an alternative position from the start track for moving the magnetic head and then seek the end track specified in the stored seeking instruction from the alternative position for moving the magnetic head.

Abstract: By using a mask 4, a first Group III nitride compound semiconductor layer 31 is etched, to thereby form an island-like structure such as a dot-like, striped-shaped, or grid-like structure, so as to provide a trench/post. Thus, without removing the mask 4 formed on a top surface of the upper layer of the post, a second Group III nitride compound layer 32 can be epitaxially grown, vertically and laterally, with a sidewall/sidewalls of the trench serving as a nucleus, to thereby bury the trench and also grow the layer in the vertical direction. The second Group III nitride compound layer 32 does not grow epitaxially on the mask 4. In this case, propagation of threading dislocations contained in the first Group III nitride compound semiconductor layer 31 can be prevented in the upper portion of the second Group III nitride compound semiconductor 32 that is formed through lateral epitaxial growth and a region having less threading dislocations can be formed in the buried portion of the trench.

Abstract: An electronic device on a serial interface extracts a timing clock included in data transmitted to another electronic device, constantly monitors the synchronous state of its own timing clock with respect to the extracted timing clock, and if they are out of synchronization with each other, restores the self-synchronization so as to prevent occurrence of data transmission errors due to transmission of data in an asynchronous state. The electronic device operates even when the electronic device is in an idle state receiving no data, to constantly check the synchronous state of a timing clock generated by the electronic device itself with respect to the timing clock of data flowing on the serial interface cable and carry out a self-synchronization operation.

Abstract: An optical scanner is capable of effectively correcting a difference with respect to the sub-scanning direction between the positions of optical spots for scanning photoconductor drums of a tandem type color image forming apparatus. The optical scanner includes an optical axis adjusting part. The optical axis adjusting part uses a deflecting mirror or a wedge-shaped prism to deflect the optical axis of an optical beam with respect to the sub-scanning direction. As a result, it is possible to accurately correct a resist difference among individual image forming stations and form a high-quality color image without any color displacement.

Abstract: A seed layer as a laminate of a GaN layer (second seed layer) and an AlN buffer layer (first seed layer) is formed on a sapphire substrate. A front surface thereof is etched in the form of stripes with a stripe width (seed width) of about 5 &mgr;m, a wing width of about 15 &mgr;m and a depth of about 0.5 &mgr;m. As a result, mesa portions each shaped like nearly a rectangle in sectional view are formed. Non-etched portions each having the seed multilayer as its flat top portion are arranged at arrangement intervals of L≈20 &mgr;m. Part of the sapphire substrate is exposed in trough portions of wings. The ratio S/W of the seed width to the wing width is preferably selected to be in a range of from about ⅓ to about ⅕. Then, a semiconductor crystal A is grown to obtain a thickness of not smaller than 50 &mgr;m. The semiconductor crystal is separated from the starting substrate to thereby obtain a high-quality single crystal independent of the starting substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser 101 comprises a sapphire substrate 1, an AlN buffer layer 2, Si-doped GaN n-layer 3, Si-doped Al0.1Ga0.9N n-cladding layer 4, Si-doped GaN n-guide layer 5, an active layer 6 having multiple quantum well (MQW) structure in which about 35 Å in thickness of GaN barrier layer 62 and about 35 Å in thickness of Ga0.95In0.05N well layer 61 are laminated alternately, Mg-doped GaN p-guide layer 7, Mg-doped Al0.1Ga0.9N p-cladding layer 8, and Mg-doped GaN p-contact layer 9 are formed successively thereon. A ridged hole injection part B which contacts to a ridged resonator part A is formed to have the same width as the width w of an Ni electrode 10. Holes transmitted from the Ni electrode 10 are injected to the active layer 6 with high current density, and electric current threshold for laser oscillation can be decreased. Electric current threshold can be improved more effectively by forming also the p-guide layer 7 to have the same width as the width w of the Ni electrode 10.

Abstract: A concrete product for promotion of afforestation, to be used in an environment where a sufficient amount of water for accelerating germination of seeds is supplied. Carbon fibers are disposed on the outer surface of a concrete body. The carbon fibers are made of filaments having a strand form, non-woven fabric form, woven fabric form, knitted form, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Retrying processing in access of data having different properties required such as reliability and real time property of the access is optimized. In a magnetic disk apparatus connected to a host computer 10 through a connection interface and including a magnetic disk controller and a magnetic disk, the magnetic disk controller includes a retrying table in which an area address, an area size, a retrying limit value and the like are set for each of a plurality of storage areas A, B and the like of the magnetic disk and the retrying limit value set in the retrying table from the host computer is used to optimize the retrying processing for data having different reliability or real time property of access such as management data and image/audio data stored in each of the storage areas A, B and the like individually.

Abstract: Retrying processing in access of data having different properties required such as reliability and real time property of the access is optimized. In a magnetic disk apparatus connected to a host computer 10 through a connection interface and including a magnetic disk controller and a magnetic disk, the magnetic disk controller includes a retrying table in which an area address, an area size, a retrying limit value and the like are set for each of a plurality of storage areas A, B and the like of the magnetic disk and the retrying limit value set in the retrying table from the host computer is used to optimize the retrying processing for data having different reliability or real time property of access such as management data and image/audio data stored in each of the storage areas A, B and the like individually.

Abstract: By using a mask 4, a first Group III nitride compound semiconductor layer 31 is etched, to thereby form an island-like structure such as a dot-like, striped-shaped, or grid-like structure, so as to provide a trench/post. Thus, without removing the mask 4 formed on a top surface of the upper layer of the post, a second Group III nitride compound layer 32 can be epitaxially grown, vertically and laterally, with a sidewall/sidewalls of the trench serving as a nucleus, to thereby bury the trench and also grow the layer in the vertical direction. The second Group III nitride compound layer 32 does not grow epitaxially on the mask 4. In this case, propagation of threading dislocations contained in the first Group III nitride compound semiconductor layer 31 can be prevented in the upper portion of the second Group III nitride compound semiconductor 32 that is formed through lateral epitaxial growth and a region having less threading dislocations can be formed in the buried portion of the trench.