Abstract: A photodetector includes plural detectors. Each of the plural detectors has a single photon avalanche diode (hereinafter referred to as SPAD) which responds to incidence of a photon. The plural detectors include at least a first detector and a second detector. The SPAD has a recovery time period until the SPAD reaches a next photon-responsive state, in response to the SPAD responding to the incidence of the photon. The recovery time period of the SPAD in the first detector is different from the recovery time period of the SPAD in the second detector.

Abstract: A photodetector includes: a photoreceptor provided with a SPAD that is configured to respond to incidence of a photon, and as the response of the SPAD, configured to output a pulse signal; and a pulse rate control circuit configured to control sensitivity of the photoreceptor to have a pulse rate as the number of pulse signals outputted per unit time from the photoreceptor to be a set value set in advance, (i) in a set range including the set value, (ii) in a set range of the set value or more, or (iii) in a set range of the set value or less.

Abstract: A photodetector includes: a photoreceptor provided with a SPAD that is configured to respond to incidence of a photon, and as the response of the SPAD, configured to output a pulse signal; and a pulse rate control circuit configured to control sensitivity of the photoreceptor to have a pulse rate as the number of pulse signals outputted per unit time from the photoreceptor to be a set value set in advance, (i) in a set range including the set value, (ii) in a set range of the set value or more, or (iii) in a set range of the set value or less.

Abstract: A photodetector includes plural detectors. Each of the plural detectors has a single photon avalanche diode (hereinafter referred to as SPAD) which responds to incidence of a photon. The plural detectors include at least a first detector and a second detector. The SPAD has a recovery time period until the SPAD reaches a next photon-responsive state, in response to the SPAD responding to the incidence of the photon. The recovery time period of the SPAD in the first detector is different from the recovery time period of the SPAD in the second detector.

Abstract: A plurality of storage nodes are connected via a network to build a storage system. Each of the storage nodes includes a storage device. A condition holding unit holds a state condition indicating an inactive state and an active state of the storage device. A state control unit controls a state of the storage device between the inactive state and the active state based on the state condition held by the condition holding unit.

Abstract: A print record management device includes a comparison unit that compares print image data produced on the basis of stored document data with the stored document data, and a determination unit that determines, from a result of the comparison, which of the print image data and association data showing association with the stored document data is to be stored as record data for enabling reproduction of printing processing in relation to the print image data.

Abstract: A composite image-generating device includes: a geometric transformation table that assigns coordinates corresponding to positions of pixels of an output image on an input image received from a capturing section; and an output image-generating section that generates the output image by superimposing an overlay image based on overlay data associated with the positions of the pixels of the output image in the geometric transformation table on an image obtained by geometrically transforming the input image according to the geometric transformation table.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system capable of carrying out efficient and stable system operation control even if a usage rate of the entire system varies under a situation in which the characteristics of storage units, such as maximum available total capacity and speed performance, are largely different from each other. Therefore, the system according to the present invention is composed of a monitor unit for monitoring information on a total volume of data stored in each of the storage units or in all the storage units, an index value calculating unit for calculating an index value on the basis of the monitor result and a location unit for distributively locating or relocating logical storage areas in physical storage areas on a plurality of storage units on the basis of the calculated index value.

Abstract: A recording method includes multiplexing data and continuously recording multiplexed data in a continuous recording region of a recording medium having a random recording region, and recording management information about multiplexing and recording in the random recording region.

Abstract: A method for controlling a disk array apparatus includes: assigning serial addresses to all addresses of multiple disk drives of the disk array apparatus in an order of disk drive; equally separating the serial addresses into a first disk group having first serial addresses in an increasing order and a second disk group having second serial addresses in the increasing order; and writing data in the first disk group at one of the first serial addresses and in the second disk group at a corresponding one of the second serial addresses, said corresponding one of the second serial addresses being obtained by adding a maximum serial address out of the first serial addresses of the first disk group to said one of the first serial addresses.

Abstract: A record reproduction apparatus includes an encoding unit that encodes sector data to be written into a recording medium, by dividing the data into a predetermined number of blocks, and an iterative decoding unit that iteratively decodes the sector data read from the recording medium, by dividing the sector data into the predetermined number of blocks.

Abstract: A bad sector is detected by activating a bad sector detecting function of a recording apparatus at a predetermined interval. The bad sector is recovered, when the bad sector is detected at the detecting, by overwriting data on the bad sector with a duplication of the data, and when overwriting fails, by writing the duplication of the data on other sector.

Abstract: A composite image-generating device includes: a geometric transformation table that assigns coordinates corresponding to positions of pixels of an output image on an input image received from a capturing section; and an output image-generating section that generates the output image by superimposing an overlay image based on overlay data associated with the positions of the pixels of the output image in the geometric transformation table on an image obtained by geometrically transforming the input image according to the geometric transformation table.

Abstract: A video decoding device which enables smooth reverse playback of 3:2 pulldown video streams. A video data storage unit stores pictures constituting a video stream that is being played back, where each picture consists of a first field and a second field. An attribute data storage unit stores attribute data which describes how each picture should be displayed. The attribute data includes a repeat-first-field flag for each picture. When playing back the video stream in a reverse direction, a reverse playback unit determines whether the repeat-first-field flag is set or cleared, and reads out the first and second fields of each picture in the same order as that in forward playback mode if the repeat-first-field flag is set. If the repeat-first-field flag is cleared, it reads out the first and second fields in the opposite order to that in the forward playback mode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an information recording device that writes data onto a recording medium having a recording density based on the number of write/erase cycles reasonably guaranteed to not produce errors in adjacent tracks. The recording medium includes a first storage region where the number of data write/erase cycles are restricted; and a second storage region where the number of data write/erase cycles are not restricted.

Abstract: A storage device includes a S.M.A.R.T. information processor that periodically diagnoses physical and functional condition of the storage device and stores diagnostic information about the condition of the storage device in a magnetic disk and a storage unit. Upon receiving a request for the diagnostic information from a host computer, the S.M.A.R.T. information processor determines whether the magnetic disk is in standby mode. The S.M.A.R.T. information processor acquires the diagnostic information from the storage unit if the magnetic disk is in standby mode, and notifies the diagnostic information to the host computer.

Abstract: A disk managing apparatus is configured so that an operation mode of a disk device is set to be in a standby mode by default and an access managing unit continuously acquires an operation state of the disk device. Upon receiving a disk access request, and if the operation mode is the standby mode, the access managing unit checks the operation mode and sends a query about accessibility of the disk device to the power managing unit. Upon receiving an access permission, the access managing unit accesses the disk device and switches the operation mode to be in the active state. Furthermore, the data-transfer processing unit transfers frequently-accessed data to a frequently-accessed disk device.

Abstract: A print record management device includes a comparison unit that compares print image data produced on the basis of stored document data with the stored document data, and a determination unit that determines, from a result of the comparison, which of the print image data and association data showing association with the stored document data is to be stored as record data for enabling reproduction of printing processing in relation to the print image data.

Abstract: A plurality of storage nodes are connected via a network to build a storage system. Each of the storage nodes includes a storage device. A condition holding unit holds a state condition indicating an inactive state and an active state of the storage device. A state control unit controls a state of the storage device between the inactive state and the active state based on the state condition held by the condition holding unit.

Abstract: In a device control apparatus, a state judging unit, to which an I/O request received by an I/O request receiving unit is passed, acquires a device state by issuing a state check command to a control command queue of a magnetic disk device. When the device state acquired is normal, an I/O requesting unit issues an I/O command to an I/O command queue of the magnetic disk device. When the device state acquired is not normal, an I/O response notifying unit notifies a request source of the I/O request of error information of the device state.