Abstract: In a recording medium including stacked recording layers, management data requiring reliability is recorded in the recording layer far from the surface of the recording medium and data bodies are recorded in the recording layer close to the surface of the recording medium. Thus a data file can be read even if defects such as fingerprints and scratches occur on the surface of the recording medium.

Abstract: In an information utilizing device, a function item that has not been used by a user at all or that has a low frequency of use is deleted from function items displayed on a screen or is excluded from selectable items and displayed as a non-selectable item on the screen.

Abstract: A first device (1) includes a first interface (4) which transmits and receives, to and from a rotating recording medium, data in data blocks in a size equal to the integral multiple of the sector size of the recording medium, and transmits and receives, to and from a second device (2), in packets, the data transferred from or to the recording medium. The second device (2) includes a second interface (5) which is connected to the first interface (4) and transmits and receives data in packets to and from the first device (1). In transferring data between the first device (1) and the second device (2), data is transferred in the integral ratio of sectors to packets set such that the number of packets is smaller than the number of packets required for data transfer for one sector.

Abstract: In a recording medium including stacked recording layers, management data requiring reliability is recorded in the recording layer far from the surface of the recording medium and data bodies are recorded in the recording layer close to the surface of the recording medium. Thus a data file can be read even if defects such as fingerprints and scratches occur on the surface of the recording medium.

Abstract: A system includes a support side host (PCh1) connected to a network (n1) and a monitored side system (u1) connected to the network (n1). The monitored side system (u1) is formed by monitored/support object devices (ud1, ud2) and an interface device (us4) connected between the devices and the network (n1) for transmitting and receiving data between the devices and the monitor host (PCh1) via the network (n1). The interface device (us4) has a debug log processing unit (us2) for directly communicating with the devices by serial interface connection with the devices (ud1, ud2) without using a device interface unit (us1) controlling the connection with the devices.

Abstract: In an information utilizing device, a function item that has not been used by a user at all or that has a low frequency of use is deleted from function items displayed on a screen or is excluded from selectable items and displayed as a non-selectable item on the screen.

Abstract: A system includes a support side host (PCh1) connected to a network (n1) and a monitored side system (u1) connected to the network (n1). The monitored side system (u1) is formed by monitored/support object devices (ud1, ud2) and an interface device (us4) connected between the devices and the network (n1) for transmitting and receiving data between the devices and the monitor host (PCh1) via the network (n1). The interface device (us4) has a debug log processing unit (us2) for directly communicating with the devices by serial interface connection with the devices (ud1, ud2) without using a device interface unit (us1) controlling the connection with the devices.

Abstract: A transfer control method is provided to enable efficient data transfer when a single optical disk device (2) is accessed by a plurality of host computers (3). The method includes: an access position obtaining step of interpreting instructions issued from a plurality of tasks provided on the plurality of host computers (3) to the optical disk device (2) and obtaining the access position of data on an optical disk (1); an access ordering step of generating an access order table for data to be read in sequence, based on the access position obtained at the access position obtaining step; a data storing step of reading the data sequentially according to the access order table generated at the access ordering step and storing the data in a data buffer; and a data transfer step of transferring the data stored in the data buffer to the host computers (3) in an operation period before the optical disk device (2) becomes ready to transfer the next data.

Abstract: A method is provided for creating a plurality of partitions on a removable medium of a removable device connected to a computer system. When the computer is started (S1), the operating system and a device driver communicate with each other (S2). The device driver provides a plurality of drive letters for the removable device, so that the media is divided into partitions corresponding to the number of the drive letters. A drive for a media with fewer partitions is regarded to have no media loaded.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk motor for rotating a disk, a disk motor driving unit for driving the disk motor, and a controlling unit for controlling the disk motor driving unit. When an upper limit value of a disk rotation speed is received as an input value, the input value is interpreted as a rotation speed specification, so that a command packet including the upper limit value of the disk rotation speed is generated to output it to a controlling unit. The controlling unit sets the upper limit value of the disk rotation speed included in the command packet to the disk motor driving unit. The disk motor driving unit drives the disk motor at the upper limit value of the set disk rotation speed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a storage device having a USB interface, which transfers data in an isochronous transfer mode when the data on a recording medium attached to the storage device is video data or audio data.

Abstract: To provide a data communication system in which a host computer is connected with a plurality of peripheral storage devices, which may carry out data transfer simultaneously without any substantial increase in data transfer time. A data transfer node includes a plurality of data compression means of different compression ratios, measuring means for measuring the effective data transfer rate of data transfer performed by the data transfer node over a communication channel, selection means for selecting one of the data compression means according to the effective data transfer rate obtained by the measuring means, and means for adding a data compression method to transferred data. A data receiving node includes means for decompressing received data by recognizing the compression method of the received data based on information about the compression method contained in the transferred data.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk motor for rotating a disk, a disk motor driving unit for driving the disk motor, and a controlling unit for controlling the disk motor driving unit. When an upper limit value of a disk rotation speed is received as an input value, the input value is interpreted as a rotation speed specification, so that a command packet including the upper limit value of the disk rotation speed is generated to output it to a controlling unit. The controlling unit sets the upper limit value of the disk rotation speed included in the command packet to the disk motor driving unit. The disk motor driving unit drives the disk motor at the upper limit value of the set disk rotation speed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for inserting a first member into a hole of a second member includes the steps of (a) inclining either of the first member or the second member relative to the other and offsetting a center of the first member and a center of the hole, (b) moving the first member and the second member toward each other so that the first member and the second member contact each other at one point and are biased against each other, and (c) rotating either the first member or the second member about the contact point in a direction such that the center of the first member and the center of hole approach thereby inserting automatically the first member into the hole.

Abstract: A safety valve for a sealed vessel, for releasing pressurized gas from the sealed vessel in an abnormally heated state defined by a critical temperature. The safety valve includes an end plate for the vessel, the end plate having opposite concave and convex surfaces. A bore perforates the plate at a low point of the concave surface. A central portion of the plate surrounding the bore is bent toward the bore so as to define a cavity which opens toward the concave surface. An alloy material, having a melting point which is lower than the critical temperature, is provided in the cavity and plugs the bore so that if the temperature of the pressurized gas exceeds the critical temperature, the alloy material melts thereby opening the valve and relieving the pressure within the vessel.

Abstract: A method of sealing a pressure vessel so that pressurized gas in the vessel is released if the temperature of the gas approaches a critical temperature. An end plate having a concave upper surface and a convex lower surface, is provided with a bore perforating the plate at a low point of the concave surface. A central portion of the plate surrounding the bore bending downwardly to the bore so as to define a cavity in the plate. The plate is oriented with the concave surface facing in an upward direction. An alloy pellet, having a melting point which is lower than the critical temperature, is provided onto the concave surface so that the pellet is gravitationally drawn to rest in the cavity. The end plate is then heated at a temperature higher that the melting point of the pellet so that the pellet is melted and plugs the bore. The end plate is then cooled to solidify the melted pellet in the cavity and in the bore.

Abstract: A calorie calculator comprises a keyboard for manually controling the operation of the calorie calculator, a memory for storing a plurality of items of menu data and the corresponding calorie data, a retrieval circuit responsive to the operation of the keyboard for retrieving a particular item of menu data and the corresponding calorie data from the memory, and a display responsive to the retrieval circuit for displaying the particular item of the menu data and the corresponding calorie data.