Abstract: A capacitance detecting apparatus which can detect the change in minute capacitance of a measuring object with high sensitivity comprises a signal generator, a differential amplifying circuit, and a detecting unit. The signal generator generates a probe signal w(t) to be applied to one end of the measuring object. The differential amplifying circuit amplifies differentially a response signal v1(t) developed at the other end of the measuring object in response to the application of the probe signal w(t) and the probe signal w(t). The detecting unit detects capacitance change of the measuring object based on the amplified signal v(t) from the differential amplifying circuit.

Abstract: A physical properties detection device comprising a probe to be placed near or touching a surface of a ferroelectric; an oscillation loop including the probe and capacitance within the ferroelectric; and detection means for detecting a physical properties of the ferroelectric on the basis of a frequency variation of a measurement signal generated in the oscillation loop, the frequency variation accompanying application of an alternating electric field to the ferroelectric; and the physical properties detection device is further comprising frequency conversion means for converting the frequency of the measurement signal to a low frequency and outputting the resulting signal as a converted measurement signal; frequency control means for controlling the frequency of the converted measurement signal so as to match a target frequency; frequency detection means for generating a frequency detection signal that has a signal level corresponding to the frequency of the converted measurement signal; and synchronous dete

Abstract: A device for detecting polarization direction of a ferroelectric is provided. From a measurement signal provided through a probe disposed in contact with or near the surface of a ferroelectric, a demodulation means generates a detection signal having a signal level corresponding to a capacitance change of the ferroelectric due to application of an alternating electric field to a capacitor component formed in the ferroelectric directly below the probe. A synchronous detection means performs synchronous detection of the detection signal based on a synchronous signal and generates a polarization direction detection signal corresponding to the polarization direction of the ferroelectric. A pseudo-noise signal generation means generates a pseudo-noise signal with the same frequency as that of the electric field signal and a different phase and amplitude therefrom.

Abstract: A marker selection method includes: a marker generation step for generating a marker defining a position reference when recording data according to the modulation rule of the hologram recording/reproduction; a calculation step for calculating a correlation value indicating the correlation between a template image indicating a maker and each of a first verification image containing the marker shifted by a predetermined pixel and a second verification image containing data; and a selection step for selecting such a marker that the peak of the correlation value in the first verification image becomes greater than the peak of the correlation value in the second verification image. The selected marker is used as marker data in a marker generator in a recording processing circuit during recoding and as template data of the template matching processing circuit in the reproduction processing circuit during reproduction.

Abstract: A template matching processing device includes: first calculation means for calculating a plurality of correlation values indicating the correlation between an inputted detection image and a predetermined template image for each pixel unit while shifting the template image with respect to the detection image in pixel unit; and second calculation means for calculation coordinate position of the detection image according to the coordinate position of the center of gravity of the correlation values.

Abstract: A probe group is composed of, for instance, four probes adjacently arranged, and one modulation circuit is arranged for each probe group. At the time of recoding information, a changeover switch connects one of the four probes with the modulation circuit, and subsequently changes the probes to be connected with the modulation circuit while reciprocal movement of a recording medium is being controlled.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a biological information measurement apparatus for rendering laser light incident on an examinee and measuring a state of internal tissue of the examinee based on light scattered within the examinee.

Abstract: In a two-dimensional probe array, an interval between the leading ends of probes adjacent to each other in an X direction is made shorter than that between the leading ends of probes adjacent to each other in a Y direction. Thus, the leading ends of the probes are arranged to form a lattice wherein many rectangles are arranged. Furthermore, the lowest resonance frequency of an actuator which moves a recording medium in the X direction is set higher than the lowest resonance frequency of an actuator which moves the recording medium in the Y direction. At the time of recording or reading information, the recording medium is reciprocated in the X direction at a frequency substantially equal to the lowest resonance frequency of the actuator.

Abstract: A two-dimensional demodulation method for reproducing a data page by means of decision feedback Viterbi detection processing from a recording medium on which a data page has been recorded as a set of a plurality of two-dimensional modulation pattern symbols each of which comprises a plurality of pixels, and which have been modulated two-dimensionally, the method comprising: a step of determining a value of pixel deviation in a reproduction image obtained by receiving light from the recording medium on an image sensor; a step of splitting an output signal of the image sensor which indicates the reproduction image of the light received from the recording medium into signal symbol data by division into blocks in accordance with the two-dimensional modulation pattern symbols; and a step of carrying out decision feedback Viterbi detection for each signal symbol data in accordance with the pixel deviation value.

Abstract: A device for detecting polarization direction of a ferroelectric is provided. From a measurement signal provided through a probe disposed in contact with or near the surface of a ferroelectric, a demodulation means generates a detection signal having a signal level corresponding to a capacitance change of the ferroelectric due to application of an alternating electric field to a capacitor component formed in the ferroelectric directly below the probe. A synchronous detection means performs synchronous detection of the detection signal based on a synchronous signal and generates a polarization direction detection signal corresponding to the polarization direction of the ferroelectric. A pseudo-noise signal generation means generates a pseudo-noise signal with the same frequency as that of the electric field signal and a different phase and amplitude therefrom.

Abstract: A capaciatance detector is provided, which outputs an electric signal dependent on the capacitance present on an object to be measured. The capaciatance detector includes a measurement terminal to be disposed in contact with or in proximity to the object being measured; an impedance conversion circuit connected to the measurement terminal to form a resonant circuit; a reference phase oscillator for supplying a reference phase signal at a constant frequency to the resonant circuit; phase comparison means for outputting, as a capacitance detected signal, a phase difference signal indicative of the phase difference between a resonant signal, which is extracted from the resonant circuit in response to the reference phase signal being applied to the resonant circuit, and the reference phase signal; and resonance frequency regulation means for regulating the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit based on the phase difference signal.

Abstract: To provide a two-dimensional modulation method for hologram recording which is capable of preventing degradation of reconstructing performance when positional shift occurs and which enables information to be stably recorded or reproduced. The hologram recording carrier employs the two-dimensional modulation method for hologram recording for generating coherent light containing therein page data through a spatial light modulator having a plurality of pixels two-dimensionally arranged therein, in which the pixels of the spatial light modulator are partitioned into a plurality of blocks consisting of m pixels adjacent to each other (where m=an integral number), and a boundary portion which has a width having at least the width of one pixel of the spatial light modulator or of one pixel of an image detecting sensor used to reproduce the recorded page data and the distance between the adjacent pixels in each of the blocks, and each of which shields light is provided between the adjacent blocks.

Abstract: A hologram reproduced image position detecting method used in a hologram apparatus which perfoming an image formation with light reproduced from a recording medium where a data page including a marker and a data area that have been displayed on a spatial light modulator is recorded, on an image sensor having a larger number of pixels than the spatial light modulator, thereby obtaining a reproduced image of the data page to reproduce the data page. The detecting method comprises the steps of storing a template image into which the marker has been interpolation-expanded, beforehand; oversampling the reproduced image of the data page in the image sensor to obtain a detected image; and performing a template matching process on the detected image using the template image, thereby detecting the position of the marker when recorded.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser driving device is mounted on an information recording and reproduction device, and is suitably used for recording and reproducing information. The semiconductor laser driving device includes: a semiconductor laser for emitting a laser light; and a temperature detection unit for detecting a temperature of the semiconductor laser. The semiconductor laser driving device changes the output of the laser light based on the detected temperature. Thus, the semiconductor laser driving unit can suitably improve response characteristics of the semiconductor laser, irrespective of the temperature of the semiconductor laser. Therefore, the semiconductor laser driving device can ensure recording performance onto an optical disc without being affected by the temperature of the semiconductor laser.

Abstract: An example hologram recording/reproduction device reproduces recorded information from a holographic recording medium where interference fringes formed by a reference light and an object light corresponding to the recording information are recorded. The example hologram recording/reproduction device irradiates the reference light to a holographic recording medium; generates detection information data (Ddet) according to the detection light generated by irradiation of the reference light; sets a target irradiation position of the reference light on the surface of the holographic recording medium according to the detection information data; and moves the irradiation means with respect to the holographic recording medium along its surface so that the reference light is irradiated to the target irradiation position.

Abstract: A physical properties detection device comprising a probe to be placed near or touching a surface of a ferroelectric; an oscillation loop including the probe and capacitance within the ferroelectric; and detection means for detecting a physical properties of the ferroelectric on the basis of a frequency variation of a measurement signal generated in the oscillation loop, the frequency variation accompanying application of an alternating electric field to the ferroelectric; and the physical properties detection device is further comprising frequency conversion means for converting the frequency of the measurement signal to a low frequency and outputting the resulting signal as a converted measurement signal; frequency control means for controlling the frequency of the converted measurement signal so as to match a target frequency; frequency detection means for generating a frequency detection signal that has a signal level corresponding to the frequency of the converted measurement signal; and synchronous dete

Abstract: A demodulation method comprises the steps of performing branch metric computation on each of columns of a modulation symbol; calculating column path metrics that are respective path metrics of column state values of modulation symbols; and calculating symbol path metrics that are respective path metrics of symbol state values of the modulation symbols.

Abstract: A two-dimensional demodulation method for reproducing a data page by means of decision feedback Viterbi detection processing from a recording medium on which a data page has been recorded as a set of a plurality of two-dimensional modulation pattern symbols each of which comprises a plurality of pixels, and which have been modulated two-dimensionally, the method comprising: a step of determining a value of pixel deviation in a reproduction image obtained by receiving light from the recording medium on an image sensor; a step of splitting an output signal of the image sensor which indicates the reproduction image of the light received from the recording medium into signal symbol data by division into blocks in accordance with the two-dimensional modulation pattern symbols; and a step of carrying out decision feedback Viterbi detection for each signal symbol data in accordance with the pixel deviation value.

Abstract: A light beam output control device is provided, which can adequately perform a negative feedback control for different light beams. An optical pickup device 100 calculates an error between a detection voltage, a laser, and a target value of each kind of the detected laser beams. If the calculated error is not in a predetermined range for each kind of the laser beams, the optical pickup device makes each kind of the laser beams correspond to the error, changes a correction amount of the error when a negative feedback control is performed, and corrects the error on the basis of the correction amount corresponding to each kind of the laser beams, thereby performing a negative feedback control.

Abstract: A marker selection method includes: a marker generation step for generating a marker defining a position reference when recording data according to the modulation rule of the hologram recording/reproduction; a calculation step for calculating a correlation value indicating the correlation between a template image indicating a maker and each of a first verification image containing the marker shifted by a predetermined pixel and a second verification image containing data; and a selection step for selecting such a marker that the peak of the correlation value in the first verification image becomes greater than the peak of the correlation value in the second verification image. The selected marker is used as marker data in a marker generator in a recording processing circuit during recoding and as template data of the template matching processing circuit in the reproduction processing circuit during reproduction.