Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk storage apparatus includes a disk and a servo demodulator. The disk has a servo area, in which a first phase servo pattern, a second phase servo pattern that is in phase with the first servo pattern, and a third servo pattern that is inverse in phase to the first and second servo patterns. The third servo pattern comprises at least two phase servo pattern segments. The servo demodulator is configured to perform a phase servo demodulating process that includes integration operation on integration sections of the same ratio, using a read signal read from the servo area by a head.

Abstract: A vehicle working-fluid evaluating system includes an obtaining device configured to obtain a plurality of deterioration elements related to deterioration factors that are generated as a vehicle travels and that accelerate deterioration of working fluid. A deterioration-level calculator is configured to calculate, based on the plurality of deterioration elements obtained by the obtaining device, an oil deterioration estimate. A severity determining device is configured to determine, in accordance with the oil deterioration estimate calculated by the deterioration-level calculator, severity of usage of the working fluid for a transmission mounted on the vehicle. A change-timing determining device is configured to determine the working-fluid change timing in accordance with the severity of usage of the working fluid determined by the severity determining device. A notification device is configured to indicate the determined working-fluid change timing determined by the change-timing determining device.

Abstract: A starting-clutch control apparatus is configured to control connection between a driving side and a driven side of a vehicle using a starting clutch disposed therebetween. A driving-shaft rotation speed detector is configured to detect a rotation speed of a driving shaft of the starting clutch. A driven-shaft rotation speed detector is configured to detect a rotation speed of a driven shaft of the starting clutch. A cumulative work amount calculator is configured to calculate a cumulative work amount of the starting clutch based on pressure applied to the starting clutch, the rotation speed of the driving shaft, and the rotation speed of the driven shaft. A torque output restricting device is configured to restrict an output torque of a driving source of the vehicle when the starting clutch is in a transient engagement state and the cumulative work amount exceeds a first specific value.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk storage device includes a magnetic disk, a head, a clock generator, an estimating module, and a controller. The magnetic disk includes a servo area and a corresponding data area, and has a surface divided into zones in the radial direction. The basic frequency varies in the servo area depending on the zones. The head is driven to read a signal from the magnetic disk. The clock generator generates a clock signal for decoding a signal read from the data area corresponding to the servo area based on a signal read from the servo area. The estimating module estimates the position of the servo area in the radial direction, from which the head reads a signal next. The controller controls the clock generator to generate a clock signal of the basic frequency before the head reaches the servo area based on the estimated position.

Abstract: A heater for changing a projection distance protrusion value by thermal expansion accompanying electric-power-distributed heating is provided in a head having at least a reading element. At desired correction timing, a changed distance detection unit measures a clearance changed distance in a state in which the head is positioned to a track on the recording medium while increasing the amount of electric power distributed to the heater. A contact determination unit determines that the head is brought into contact with the recording medium when a derivative value of the clearance changed distance is below a predetermined threshold value. A measurement output unit outputs the clearance changed distance detected by the changed distance detection unit at the time of contact determination of the contact determination unit as a measurement result of the clearance between the reading element and the recording medium.

Abstract: An X-ray image generating unit alternately generates X-ray images each obtained by radiating X-rays having a higher level of energy and X-ray images each obtained by radiating X-rays having a lower level of energy. Further, every time an X-ray image has been generated by the X-ray image generating unit, a dual energy subtraction image generating unit generates a dual energy subtraction image by using the X-ray image that has just been generated and the X-ray image generated immediately preceding the X-ray image.

Abstract: A servo-mark search control unit detects in a magnetic disk a servo mark matching a servo mark selected by a servo-mark candidate selecting unit. In this case, according to an instruction from a servo-mark search control unit, a non-volatile memory managing unit writes servo-write-mode identification information corresponding to the detected servo mark in a servo-write-mode identification-information storage unit of a non-volatile memory. In this manner, a magnetic disk device can recognize by itself a servo write mode with which servo patterns were written in a magnetic disk included in the magnetic disk device.

Abstract: A head control device for controlling, through thermal expansion of a heater, a position of a head for reading and writing data from and to a storage medium, includes a heater control unit that increases a current supplied to the heater stepwise; and an external-force sample retrieving unit that retrieves sampling values of signals each indicating a magnitude of an external force acting on the head in a moving direction of a head support mechanism. The head control device also includes an external-force evaluating unit that calculates a representative value of the sampling values retrieved by the external-force sample retrieving unit to evaluate the magnitude of the external force every time the heater control unit increases the current; and a contact detecting unit that detects contact between the head and the storage medium by comparing each evaluation result by the external-force evaluating unit with a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A servo-mark search control unit detects in a magnetic disk a servo mark matching a servo mark selected by a servo-mark candidate selecting unit. In this case, according to an instruction from a servo-mark search control unit, a non-volatile memory managing unit writes servo-write-mode identification information corresponding to the detected servo mark in a servo-write-mode identification-information storage unit of a non-volatile memory. In this manner, a magnetic disk device can recognize by itself a servo write mode with which servo patterns were written in a magnetic disk included in the magnetic disk device.

Abstract: An amplitude measurement unit measures an amplitude of a read signal from a preamble unit in a servo area of a predetermined frame number m per one rotation of the recording medium for a predetermined cycle number n while increasing an electric power amount distributed to the heater in the state in which the head is positioned to a track on the recording medium, and a mean amplitude calculating unit calculates a mean amplitude from an amplitude measurement value which is measured by the number which is the frame number m multiplied by the cycle number n.

Abstract: Since centers of a second gear, a fourth gear and a sixth gear coincide with each other and are disposed rotatably round a circumference of the same long shaft, a compact configuration can be realized while using a gear train of five gears to obtain a reduction gear ratio of a high gear ratio. The configuration in which the three gears have the same rotational center shaft in the way described above in an actuator which incorporates a plurality of gears is advantageous in that the number of center shafts is reduced and that the number of supporting holes in a housing which support center shafts is reduced.

Abstract: A heater for changing a projection distance protrusion value by thermal expansion accompanying electric-power-distributed heating is embedded in a head having a reading element and a recording element. A clearance control information measurement unit measures and saves, at desired correction timing, clearance control information including a clearance required for controlling the clearance between the reading element and the recording medium, heater projection sensitivity protrusion sensitivity, projection distance protrusion value transition time, recording current projection distance protrusion value, and a temperature correction coefficient. The clearance control unit varies the electric power distributed to the heater and changes the projection distance protrusion value of the head, thereby controlling the clearance to a target clearance upon reproduction and recording.

Abstract: A head control device for controlling, through thermal expansion of a heater, a position of a head for reading and writing data from and to a storage medium, includes a heater control unit that increases a current supplied to the heater stepwise; and an external-force sample retrieving unit that retrieves sampling values of signals each indicating a magnitude of an external force acting on the head in a moving direction of a head support mechanism. The head control device also includes an external-force evaluating unit that calculates a representative value of the sampling values retrieved by the external-force sample retrieving unit to evaluate the magnitude of the external force every time the heater control unit increases the current; and a contact detecting unit that detects contact between the head and the storage medium by comparing each evaluation result by the external-force evaluating unit with a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An amplitude measurement unit measures an amplitude of a read signal from a preamble unit in a servo area of a predetermined frame number m per one rotation of the recording medium for a predetermined cycle number n while increasing an electric power amount distributed to the heater in the state in which the head is positioned to a track on the recording medium, and a mean amplitude calculating unit calculates a mean amplitude from an amplitude measurement value which is measured by the number which is the frame number m multiplied by the cycle number n.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide an information recording medium in which ID regions (identification regions) have a high recording density. The information recording medium according to the present invention has identification regions where identification information is recorded by means of protrusions and recesses provided on edges of the information storage stripe along the width of the information storage stripe.

Abstract: A signal detection sections detect the light intensity modulated by the phase pits as ROM signals from the return lights of an optical storage medium that has phase pits and a recording layer to simultaneously regenerate data in the ROM and RAM, and detect the RAM signals where the return lights were modulated by the recording film. A feedback circuit reduces the cross-talk of the phase pits of the RAM signals of the recording film by feeding back the ROM signals to the laser drive current of the laser element, and a circuit for adjusting the feedback circuit so as to present a constant cross-talk suppression effect regardless the temperature change of the laser element. Since the feedback gain is changed by changing the laser temperature, an RF feedback gain, with which MO signals are not deteriorated by the change of the laser temperature, can be set.

Abstract: A heater for changing a projection distance protrusion value by thermal expansion accompanying electric-power-distributed heating is embedded in a head having a reading element and a recording element. A clearance control information measurement unit measures and saves, at desired correction timing, clearance control information including a clearance required for controlling the clearance between the reading element and the recording medium, heater projection sensitivity protrusion sensitivity, projection distance protrusion value transition time, recording current projection distance protrusion value, and a temperature correction coefficient. The clearance control unit varies the electric power distributed to the heater and changes the projection distance protrusion value of the head, thereby controlling the clearance to a target clearance upon reproduction and recording.

Abstract: A heater for changing a projection distance protrusion value by thermal expansion accompanying electric-power-distributed heating is provided in a head having at least a reading element. At desired correction timing, a changed distance detection unit measures a clearance changed distance in a state in which the head is positioned to a track on the recording medium while increasing the amount of electric power distributed to the heater. A contact determination unit determines that the head is brought into contact with the recording medium when a derivative value of the clearance changed distance is below a predetermined threshold value. A measurement output unit outputs the clearance changed distance detected by the changed distance detection unit at the time of contact determination of the contact determination unit as a measurement result of the clearance between the reading element and the recording medium.

Abstract: A storage device configured to load and unload a head against a storage medium, includes a latch mechanism configured to latch the unloaded head, a head moving mechanism configured to move the head, a measuring part configured to measure an unlatch force necessary for unlatching the head latched by the latch mechanism, by applying a constant electrical current to the head mechanism so that the head is moved in a load direction, by measuring a back electromotive voltage, and calculating a moving speed and acceleration of the head, a storing part configured to store information indicating the measured unlatch force in the storage device, and a control part configured to apply a driving electrical current corresponding to the stored information to the head moving mechanism where the head is latched by the latch mechanism at the time of loading.

Abstract: A storage device configured to load and unload a head against a storage medium, includes a latch mechanism configured to latch the unloaded head, a head moving mechanism configured to move the head, a measuring part configured to measure an unlatch force necessary for unlatching the head latched by the latch mechanism, by applying a constant electrical current to the head mechanism so that the head is moved in a load direction, by measuring a back electromotive voltage, and calculating a moving speed and acceleration of the head, a storing part configured to store information indicating the measured unlatch force in the storage device, and a control part configured to apply a driving electrical current corresponding to the stored information to the head moving mechanism where the head is latched by the latch mechanism at the time of loading.