Abstract: A process for preparation of an optically anisotropic cellulose ester film which comprises steps of: stretching a cellulose ester film comprising a cellulose ester of a lower fatty acid; and keeping the film at a temperature of 90 to 150° C. for 5 seconds to 3 minutes to prepare the optically anisotropic cellulose ester film.

Abstract: There are provided a balance adjustment circuit (6) for adjusting levels of first and second detection signals from a tracking detector, a differential circuit (8) for generating a difference signal between the adjusted first and second detection signals, an AD conversion circuit (10) for digitizing the difference signal, a wobble signal detection circuit (14) for detecting a wobble signal from the digitized difference signal, an adder circuit (30) for generating a sum signal of the adjusted first and second detection signals, a binarization circuit (32) for converting the sum signal into a binarized signal, a latch circuit (33) for latching the binarized signal and converting the same into a timing signal, a control signal generation circuit (34) for generating a control signal based on the timing signal and the digitized difference signal, a residual component removal circuit (18) for removing a residual signal component included in the digitized difference signal based on the control signal and outputting

Abstract: An optical compensatory sheet comprises a cellulose ester film, an orientation layer and an optically anisotropic layer formed of liquid crystal molecules in this order. Alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is fixed. An alkaline solution is coated on a surface of the cellulose ester film to saponify the surface. The saponified surface is coated with a coating solution of the orientation layer.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a cellulose acylate film difficult to be broken even if the stretching ratio is increased upon stretching and whose retardation (Re) is easily controllable to a desired value can be produced by melt film forming. Accordingly, a stretched cellulose acylate film highly oriented and having an appropriate retardation (Re) required from liquid crystal display device manufacturers can be produced.

Abstract: The nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a plurality of memory devices for storing data, a write circuit for supplying a high voltage for data writing, a plurality of selectors connected between the write circuit and the plurality of memory devices, for selecting one from the plurality of memory devices; and a control circuit for selecting one from the plurality of selectors, inputting a control voltage to a control terminal of the selected selector, and setting a write voltage for the memory device according to the control voltage.

Abstract: There are provided a balance adjustment circuit (6) for adjusting levels of first and second detection signals from a tracking detector, a differential circuit (8) for generating a difference signal between the adjusted first and second detection signals, an AD conversion circuit (10) for digitizing the difference signal, a wobble signal detection circuit (14) for detecting a wobble signal from the digitized difference signal, an adder circuit (30) for generating a sum signal of the adjusted first and second detection signals, a binarization circuit (32) for converting the sum signal into a binarized signal, a latch circuit (33) for latching the binarized signal and converting the same into a timing signal, a control signal generation circuit (34) for generating a control signal based on the timing signal and the digitized difference signal, a residual component removal circuit (18) for removing a residual signal component included in the digitized difference signal based on the control signal and outputting

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing an optical compensating film, which comprises stretching a cellulose acetate film, the cellulose acetate film having a water content of 2.0 to 20.0% by weight, wherein the cellulose acetate for the film has an acetyl value of from 57.0% to 62.5%.

Abstract: A conventional layout of power supply protective element cannot sufficiently protect an internal circuit against a surge current that flows into a narrow branch line that branches off from a thick main wiring line. A semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a power supply protective element connected around a terminal; a main wiring line connected with a VCC pad or a GND pad; a branch line that branches off from the main wiring line and applies a power supply potential or a ground potential to a functional block of the semiconductor device; a branching portion at which the branch line branches off from the main wiring line; and an internal power supply protective element connected with the branch line.

Abstract: A method of preparing a cellulose acylate of a specific substitution degree, which includes: adding at least one selected from the group consisting of water and a carboxylic acid having 2 to 7 carbon atoms, as an activating agent, to a cellulose; and applying at least one treatment selected from (a) maintaining the cellulose at a temperature of 40° C. or more, for one hour or more, (b) irradiating microwaves to the cellulose, and (c) placing the cellulose under a pressure in the range of from 1.5 atm (0.15 MPa) to 100 atm (10.13 MPa); a cellulose acylate film prepared by means of a solution-casting film formation method or melt-casting film formation method, using the cellulose acylate which is prepared by the preparation method; and a polarizing plate and a liquid crystal display device, each of which contains the cellulose acylate film.

Abstract: The memory device according to an embodiment of the invention prepares a reference field (reference value range) corresponding to each logical value and if the threshold value of the cell is within that field, the cell is determined to be defective and the data of the defective cell is stored in a redundant cell. Therefore, if the threshold value drops because the cell charge leaks over time, the data which is stored can be rescued. As a background operation of a normal operating, memory device performs the memory cell check and memory cell substitution in accordance with the internal addresses generated independently than external addresses. Therefore, a defective cell can be rescued without causing delay in the normal operations of memory device.

Abstract: A cellulose acylate film showing 10 marks/M2 or less of adhesion marks and having an in-plane retardation value (Re value) of 0 to 200 nm and a retardation value along the thickness direction (Rth value) of 30 to 500 nm. The cellulose acylate film shows favorable optical uniformity and can provide an improved liquid crystal display.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cellulose acylate film produced according to a melt casting process and having an Re unevenness of from 0 to 10%. When built in a liquid-crystal display device, the film significantly solves the problem of display unevenness and humidity-dependent visibility change.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus is provided for accessing an optical disc having at least one track, in which at least one prepit is provided in the at least one track. The apparatus comprises a light irradiation section for irradiating the at least one track with light, a first signal generating section for detecting light reflected from the at least one track, and based on the reflected light, generating a first signal including a prepit signal indicating the at least one prepit, a second signal generating section for removing a signal component impeding detection of the prepit signal from the first signal to generate a second signal, and a prepit detecting section for detecting the at least one prepit based on at least one of the first signal and the second signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes (a) a plurality of reference cells, (b) a plurality of memory cells, data stored in a selected reference cell among the reference cells being compared to data stored in a selected memory cell among the memory cells, (c) an address transition detector for detecting transition in input of addresses by which a memory cell is selected among the memory cells, and transmitting an address transition detecting signal indicative of the detected transition, (d) a counter for counting the address transition detecting signals, and (e) a reference cell decoder for selecting a reference cell among the reference cells in accordance with an output transmitted from the counter.

Abstract: A cellulose acylate-based dope, which has an exothermic peak giving a calorific value of 1 to 10 J/g (inclusive), between 0 and 40° C.; and a cellulose acylate film produced by using the same.

Abstract: Provided are a method for producing an optical compensating film, which comprises stretching a cellulose acetate film, the cellulose acetate film having a water content of 2.0 to 20.0% by weight, wherein the cellulose acetate for the film has an acetyl value of from 57.0% to 62.5%; the optical compensating film produced according to the method for producing an optical compensating film; a polarizing plate that is laminate including the optical compensating film and a polarizing film; and an image display that comprises at least one of the optical compensating film and the polarizing plate. According to the method for producing an optical compensating film of the invention, optical compensating films having a large NZ factor and having good view angle characteristics (especially &lgr;/4 plates having a phase difference of &lgr;/4 in a broad wavelength range), can be stably produced on an industrial scale.

Abstract: A recording medium which has a high effective recording density and a high error correcting capability, and a recording apparatus and a reproducing apparatus for the same are provided. The recording apparatus comprises an encoding unit, which encodes input data by an encoding scheme including a run length limit encoding scheme to thereby generate encoded data and divide and output one data stream formed by said encoded data into a plurality of data blocks, and a data adding unit which adds data having the same value as the last one bit of encoded data of said precedent data block to the top of at least one of said data blocks. Using the recording apparatus, in each data recording area of a recording medium which comprises pre-pit areas and a plurality of data recording areas which are divided by said pre-pit areas, a data block which contains said added data is recorded.

Abstract: An optical compensatory sheet comprises a cellulose ester film, an orientation layer and an optically anisotropic layer formed of liquid crystal molecules in this order. Alignment of the liquid crystal molecules is fixed. An alkaline solution is coated on a surface of the cellulose ester film to saponify the surface. The saponified surface is coated with a coating solution of the orientation layer.

Abstract: A tracking error signal detector includes: a photodetector (103) for detecting reflected light from an optical recording medium having a servo area provided with a first wobble mark and a second wobble mark; an amplifier (104) for producing a summation signal of the reflected light; a sampling portion (105) for sampling the summation signal; a first arithmetic portion (106) for calculating an extremum of the summation signal in the vicinity of reproduction timing for each of the first and second wobble marks from the sampling values so as to produce first and second extremums; and a second arithmetic portion (107) for producing a tracking error signal that corresponds to a difference between the first and second extremum. The tracking error signal detector can produce a high-accuracy tracking error signal even if sampling is performed with an asynchronous clock relative to the summation signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes (a) a plurality of reference cells, (b) a plurality of memory cells, data stored in a selected reference cell among the reference cells being compared to data stored in a selected memory cell among the memory cells, (c) an address transition detector for detecting transition in input of addresses by which a memory cell is selected among the memory cells, and transmitting an address transition detecting signal indicative of the detected transition, (d) a counter for counting the address transition detecting signals, and (e) a reference cell decoder for selecting a reference cell among the reference cells in accordance with an output transmitted from the counter.