Abstract: The present invention relates to an anisotropic glass containing, in terms of mol % on the basis of oxides, P2O5 in a content of from 45 mol % to 57 mol %, two or more kinds of alkali metal oxides selected from the group consisting of Li2O, Na2O, K2O, Rb2O, and Cs2O in a total content of from 30 mol % to 54 mol %, and at least one polyvalent element oxide other than P2O5 in a total content of from 0.1 mol % to 20 mol %, and having a birefringence of 30×10?6 or more.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an anisotropic glass containing, in terms of mol % on the basis of oxides, P2O5 in a content of from 45 mol % to 57 mol %, two or more kinds of alkali metal oxides selected from the group consisting of Li2O, Na2O, K2O, Rb2O, and Cs2O in a total content of from 30 mol % to 54 mol %, and at least one polyvalent element oxide other than P2O5 in a total content of from 0.1 mol % to 20 mol %, and having a birefringence of 30×10?6 or more.

Abstract: When power is supplied to an ODD used by being externally attached to a PC via a USB port, it is desirable not to cause an error to occur owing to occurrence of a power-on reset even when the power supplying ability of the PC is insufficient. After the ODD has been connected with the PC and started, the ODD executes an operation of large current consumption for a predetermined period of time and judges whether a power-on reset occurs or not while the operation is being executed. When the power-on reset does not occur, the ODD is set to operate on the basis of the highest specification. When the power-on reset has occurred, the specification is set lower so as to operate the ODD with reduced current consumption.

Abstract: When power is supplied to an ODD used by being externally attached to a PC via a USB port, it is desirable not to cause an error to occur owing to occurrence of a power-on reset even when the power supplying ability of the PC is insufficient. After the ODD has been connected with the PC and started, the ODD executes an operation of large current consumption for a predetermined period of time and judges whether a power-on reset occurs or not while the operation is being executed. When the power-on reset does not occur, the ODD is set to operate on the basis of the highest specification. When the power-on reset has occurred, the specification is set lower so as to operate the ODD with reduced current consumption.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite shaped body comprising silica nanoparticles and an organic polymer, wherein the silica nanoparticles and the organic polymer form a three-dimensional network; thereby provides: a composite shaped body which exhibits excellent formability and fabricability and which is also suited for use, for example, in producing a silica glass provided with an electrical conductivity; and a silica glass (especially, an electrically conductive silica glass) obtained by firing the composite shaped body.

Abstract: To adjusts protocol and analog characteristics of an interface automatically, there is provided a data input/output device coupled to a host computer for inputting and outputting data to and from the host computer, including: an interface coupled to an interface of the host computer; and a controller for controlling the interface of the data input/output device, wherein the controller is configured to: measure an analog characteristic of the interface of the host computer and a protocol characteristic of the interface of the host computer when the data input/output device is reset; and adjust an analog characteristic of the interface of the data input/output device to an optimum value based on a result of the measurement, and then adjust a protocol characteristic of the interface of the data input/output device to an optimum value.

Abstract: This invention improves the accuracy of wobble signal detection for disc discrimination and reduces discrimination errors due to noise. In an optical disc apparatus, a wobble signal generator creates a wobble signal from an electrical signal which has been obtained from conversion by a pickup. A bandpass filter (BPF) is set to change its central frequency to a wobble frequency f0 and to fn different from the wobble frequency, and the filter extracts the respective frequency components from the wobble signal. An amplitude-measuring section measures amplitude levels A0 and An of the extracted multiple signals. A disc discriminator compares the multiple amplitude levels and if the amplitude A0 is greater than the amplitude An by at least a threshold level Ath, judges that a wobble is present.

Abstract: An optical disk includes a first area, a second area having time information undistinguishable from time information of the first area and a third area having unique time information. The third area is divided into a plurality of sub-areas. Peculiar zone numbers are assigned to zones each representing the first area, the second area or any of the sub-areas and recorded in an associative-relation table memory for a management purpose. A zone number assigned to a zone of the present position of an optical pickup or a zone number assigned to a zone of a target position serving as a seek destination of the optical pickup is stored in a zone-number-storing memory for the purpose of managing the position of the optical pickup.

Abstract: A drive current or a drive voltage is controlled corresponding to change of load by sampling the drive current or drive voltage of a motor to move an optical pickup and then detecting change of the sampling signal as change of the optical pickup when it is moved. Moreover, change of the sampling signal is obtained from a difference of the sampling signals by comparing these sampling signals at the first and second points. Comparison of these sampling signals is conducted in unit of drive pulse.

Abstract: A drive current or a drive voltage is controlled corresponding to change of load by sampling the drive current or drive voltage of a motor to move an optical pickup and then detecting change of the sampling signal as change of the optical pickup when it is moved. Moreover, change of the sampling signal is obtained from a difference of the sampling signals by comparing these sampling signals at the first and second points. Comparison of these sampling signals is conducted in unit of drive pulse.

Abstract: A drive current or a drive voltage is controlled corresponding to change of load by sampling the drive current or drive voltage of a motor to move an optical pickup and then detecting change of the sampling signal as change of the optical pickup when it is moved. Moreover, change of the sampling signal is obtained from a difference of the sampling signals by comparing these sampling signals at the first and second points. Comparison of these sampling signals is conducted in unit of drive pulse.

Abstract: An optical disk includes a first area, a second area having time information undistinguishable from time information of the first area and a third area having unique time information. The third area is divided into a plurality of sub-areas. Peculiar zone numbers are assigned to zones each representing the first area, the second area or any of the sub-areas and recorded in an associative-relation table memory for a management purpose. A zone number assigned to a zone of the present position of an optical pickup or a zone number assigned to a zone of a target position serving as a seek destination of the optical pickup is stored in a zone-number-storing memory for the purpose of managing the position of the optical pickup.

Abstract: The present invention provides a single information recording and reproducing apparatus that is used to record data to multiple disks that are to be recorded on using different wavelengths. More specifically, the present invention provides an apparatus that accurately discriminates disk types while preventing disk damage and accidental recording of data during the disk type discrimination operation. The disk type is determined using the intensity of light reflected from the disk. Information is encoded using an encoder corresponding to the disk type. The resulting signal is used to drive a laser corresponding to the disk type, and information is recorded.

Abstract: A drive current or a drive voltage is controlled corresponding to change of load by sampling the drive current or drive voltage of a motor to move an optical pickup and then detecting change of the sampling signal as change of the optical pickup when it is moved. Moreover, change of the sampling signal is obtained from a difference of the sampling signals by comparing these sampling signals at the first and second points. Comparison of these sampling signals is conducted in unit of drive pulse.

Abstract: The present invention provides a single information recording and reproducing apparatus that is used to record data to multiple disks that are to be recorded on using different wavelengths. More specifically, the present invention provides an apparatus that accurately discriminates disk types while preventing disk damage and accidental recording of data during the disk type discrimination operation. The disk type is determined using the intensity of light reflected from the disk. Information is encoded using an encoder corresponding to the disk type. The resulting signal is used to drive a laser corresponding to the disk type, and information is recorded.

Abstract: A stepping motor (5) for rotating a screw (14) for driving a pickup (3) for axial movement is disposed near the inner circumference of a disk (100) with its axis aligned with that of the screw (14). The stepping motor (5) has a thickness of 7 mm or below.

Abstract: The present invention provides a single information recording and reproducing apparatus that is used to record data to multiple disks that are to be recorded on using different wavelengths. More specifically, the present invention provides an apparatus that accurately discriminates disk types while preventing disk damage and accidental recording of data during the disk type discrimination operation. The disk type is determined using the intensity of light reflected from the disk. Information is encoded using an encoder corresponding to the disk type. The resulting signal is used to drive a laser corresponding to the disk type, and information is recorded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a single information recording and reproducing apparatus that is used to record data to multiple disks that are to be recorded on using different wavelengths. More specifically, the present invention provides an apparatus that accurately discriminates disk types while preventing disk damage and accidental recording of data during the disk type discrimination operation. The disk type is determined using the intensity of light reflected from the disk. Information is encoded using an encoder corresponding to the disk type. The resulting signal is used to drive a laser corresponding to the disk type, and information is recorded.

Abstract: A channel switching controller is applied to a communication network such as an ISDN. The network has a first information processor, an exchange, and a second information processor. The channel switching controller easily and speedily switches channels from one to another when a communication error occurs in the network. If communication between the first and second information processors fails, the first information processor notifies the exchange that a communication channel, terminal, or line (telephone number) that is presently being used will be switched to another. In response to the notification, the exchange holds the current call. The first information processor resumes communication through the newly selected communication channel, terminal, or line (telephone number), and the exchange releases the call, to continue the communication between the first and second information processors.