Abstract: An electrode structure includes: a plurality of pixel electrodes arranged separately from each other; and a plurality of dielectric layers laminated in a first direction with respect to the plurality of pixel electrodes, in which the plurality of dielectric layers includes: a first dielectric layer that spreads over the plurality of pixel electrodes in a direction intersecting with the first direction; and a second dielectric layer that includes dielectric material having a refractive index higher than that of the first dielectric layer, sandwiches the first dielectric layer together with the plurality of pixel electrodes, and has a slit at a position overlapping space between pixel electrodes adjacent when viewed from the first direction.

Abstract: A switch receives a state change notice from a server via a port, the state change notice indicating that the state is changed. When a port receives a state change notice, the switch shifts the state of the port to a waiting-for-driver-start-up state to prevent execution of a process that corresponds to a signal that is received from the server. When the port receives, after it is shifted to the waiting-for-driver-start-up state, a signal that satisfies a predetermined condition from the server, the switch releases the port from the waiting-for-driver-start-up state.

Abstract: There is provided a relay apparatus configured to relay data transmitted and received between a plurality of devices, the relay apparatus includes an input unit configured to receive inputting of device group information, a first device and a second device being registered in the device group information, data transmission and reception between the first device and the second device being allowed, a setting unit configured to detect devices connected to respective communication ports of the relay apparatus and to register, in port group information, information associated with the communication ports respectively connected to the first device and the second device when the first device and the second device are connected to the relay apparatus, and a communication control unit configured to enable transmission and reception of data between the communication ports registered in the port group information.

Abstract: A control unit included in an information processing system determines, on the basis of information indicative of interface units and path information indicative of communication paths through a plurality of relay apparatus, whether or not the number of communication paths for access from the interface units to a node is greater than the number of the interface units. When the number of the communication paths is greater than the number of the interface units, the control unit controls the plurality of relay apparatus so as to block a part of the communication paths.

Abstract: A method for controlling a switch apparatus connectable to a host and a storage device including first and second areas, the method includes: establishing schedule of copying data stored in the first area of the storage device into the second area of the storage device; monitoring a state of access by the host to the storage device; carrying out copying the data stored in the first area into the second area while the monitored state of the access by the host allows copying of the data from the first area into the second area; and enhancing copying, if any portion of the data remains when a time set by the schedule is expired, the remaining portion of the data from the first area into the second area.

Abstract: A switch connectable between hosts and storage device, the switch for providing a service of allotting virtual areas to be deployed in the storage device to any of the hosts upon demand, the switch includes: a processor for controlling allotment of virtual areas to the hosts and allocation of physical areas of the storage device to the virtual areas; and a memory for storing information of the host allowed access to the virtual areas, the processor controlling access by any of the hosts to the virtual area so as to restrict access by any of the hosts to a part of the virtual areas allotted to the any of the hosts in reference to the memory.

Abstract: A storage area managing apparatus includes a managing unit for managing a plurality of logical volumes provided by a plurality of storage drive groups for storing data redundantly, and a rebuilding controller for generating recovery data when at least one of the drive groups is degraded on the basis of the data stored in the degraded drive group and generating a selected logical volume on the basis of the capacity of the recovery data, the rebuilding controller controlling the management unit for managing first logical volumes to correspond to a part of the plurality of storage drive groups except for the degraded drive group. The storage area managing apparatus includes a first transferring unit for transferring the recovery data to the part of the plurality of storage drive groups as indicated by the selected logical volume.

Abstract: A switch apparatus includes: a first switch circuit for receiving data from external, sending first data including the received data, and sending second data including the received data after a predetermined time period from sending of the first data; a first controller for outputting the first data received from the first switch circuit; a second controller for outputting the second data received from the first switch circuit; and a second switch circuit for receiving the first data from the first controller and second data received from the second controller, sending the first data to external when the first data is free from an error, and sending the second data to external when the first data has an error and when the second data is free from an error.

Abstract: There is provided a relay apparatus configured to relay data transmitted and received between a plurality of devices, the relay apparatus includes an input unit configured to receive inputting of device group information, a first device and a second device being registered in the device group information, data transmission and reception between the first device and the second device being allowed, a setting unit configured to detect devices connected to respective communication ports of the relay apparatus and to register, in port group information, information associated with the communication ports respectively connected to the first device and the second device when the first device and the second device are connected to the relay apparatus, and a communication control unit configured to enable transmission and reception of data between the communication ports registered in the port group information.

Abstract: A switch receives a state change notice from a server via a port, the state change notice indicating that the state is changed. When a port receives a state change notice, the switch shifts the state of the port to a waiting-for-driver-start-up state to prevent execution of a process that corresponds to a signal that is received from the server. When the port receives, after it is shifted to the waiting-for-driver-start-up state, a signal that satisfies a predetermined condition from the server, the switch releases the port from the waiting-for-driver-start-up state.

Abstract: A method for controlling a storage system having first and second switches and a storage device connected to the switches via a network in response to a request from a host, the storage device having first and second areas, each of the first and second switch accessing to the first and second area, the method includes, receiving a request for copying data stored in the first area to the second area from the host, transmitting initiation notification of the copying to the second switch, executing the copying by the first switch, maintaining progress status of the copying, controlling the second switch to refer to the progress upon receiving a request for access to the first or second area by the host before completion of the copying, and determining whether to permit access to the first or second area by the second switch.

Abstract: A switch apparatus includes: a first switch circuit for receiving data from external, sending first data including the received data, and sending second data including the received data after a predetermined time period from sending of the first data; a first controller for outputting the first data received from the first switch circuit; a second controller for outputting the second data received from the first switch circuit; and a second switch circuit for receiving the first data from the first controller and second data received from the second controller, sending the first data to external when the first data is free from an error, and sending the second data to external when the first data has an error and when the second data is free from an error.

Abstract: By having a version information storage section that stores respective version information on the program installed in the data relay apparatus; a requirement information storage section that stores, for each of the plurality of versions of the program, requirement information for changing that version to a different version; a confirmation section that checks whether a version of the program application of which is instructed can be applicable to the data relay apparatuses by looking up the version information stored in the version information storage section and the requirement information stored in the requirement information storage section; and an install processing section that installs, in response to the confirmation section determining that the program is applicable, the program in the instructed version to the data relay apparatuses, the labor for the maintenance is reduced and thee maintenance cost is reduced.

Abstract: A storage area managing apparatus includes a managing unit for managing a plurality of logical volumes provided by a plurality of storage drive groups for storing data redundantly, and a rebuilding controller for generating recovery data when at least one of the drive groups is degraded on the basis of the data stored in the degraded drive group and generating a selected logical volume on the basis of the capacity of the recovery data, the rebuilding controller controlling the management unit for managing first logical volumes to correspond to a part of the plurality of storage drive groups except for the degraded drive group. The storage area managing apparatus includes a first transferring unit for transferring the recovery data to the part of the plurality of storage drive groups as indicated by the selected logical volume.

Abstract: A switch connectable between hosts and storage device, the switch for providing a service of allotting virtual areas to be deployed in the storage device to any of the hosts upon demand, the switch includes: a processor for controlling allotment of virtual areas to the hosts and allocation of physical areas of the storage device to the virtual areas; and a memory for storing information of the host allowed access to the virtual areas, the processor controlling access by any of the hosts to the virtual area so as to restrict access by any of the hosts to a part of the virtual areas allotted to the any of the hosts in reference to the memory.

Abstract: A method for controlling a switch apparatus connectable to a host and a storage device including first and second areas, the method includes: establishing schedule of copying data stored in the first area of the storage device into the second area of the storage device; monitoring a state of access by the host to the storage device; carrying out copying the data stored in the first area into the second area while the monitored state of the access by the host allows copying of the data from the first area into the second area; and enhancing copying, if any portion of the data remains when a time set by the schedule is expired, the remaining portion of the data from the first area into the second area.

Abstract: A method for controlling a storage system having first and second switches and a storage device connected to the switches via a network in response to a request from a host, the storage device having first and second areas, each of the first and second switch accessing to the first and second area, the method includes, receiving a request for copying data stored in the first area to the second area from the host, transmitting initiation notification of the copying to the second switch, executing the copying by the first switch, maintaining progress status of the copying, controlling the second switch to refer to the progress upon receiving a request for access to the first or second area by the host before completion of the copying, and determining whether to permit access to the first or second area by the second switch.

Abstract: A method for controlling a switch apparatus connectable to a host and a storage device including first and second areas, the method includes: establishing schedule of copying data stored in the first area of the storage device into the second area of the storage device; monitoring a state of access by the host to the storage device; carrying out copying the data stored in the first area into the second area while the monitored state of the access by the host allows copying of the data from the first area into the second area; and enhancing copying, if any portion of the data remains when a time set by the schedule is expired, the remaining portion of the data from the first area into the second area.

Abstract: A rewritable, heat sensitive, color image recording medium having a pair of opposed substrate sheets at least one of which is transparent, and a heat sensitive layer interposed between the substrate sheets and containing a cholesteric liquid crystal compound having a molecular weight of not greater than 2,000 and a glass transition point of at least 35° C. A color image is formed on the recording medium by varying imagewise the temperature of the heat sensitive layer from a first temperature to a second temperature such that the cholesteric liquid crystal compound assumes a cholesteric liquid crystal phase at at least one of the first and second temperatures. The image is fixed by rapidly cooling the recording medium to a temperature lower than the glass transition point of the cholesteric liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: Novel signal peptides capable of functioning in yeasts have the amino acid sequence:Met-A.sub.1 -A.sub.2 -X-B-C-D-E-Fwherein A.sub.1 is a peptide chain composed of 1-3 amino acids each selected from the group consisting of Arg, Ser, Lys and His, A.sub.2 is a peptide chain composed of 1-3 amino acids, X is a peptide chain composed of 8-10 hydrophobic amino acids, B is Pro or Ser, C is Gly or Pro, D Cys, Ala, Leu, Ser, Thr and Val, E is Trp or Gln and F is Ala or Gly. DNA sequences coding for these signal peptides can be used for the secretory expression of heterologous proteins in yeasts.