Abstract: By the control information recording method, control information to control at least one of recording and reproducing operations of record information on an information record medium is recorded onto a guide track of the information record medium. The control information recording method is provided with the steps of: generating a control information timing signal one after another at an interval corresponding to a length of a control information unit equal to an N (N: predetermined integer not less than 2) multiple of a length of a record information unit of the record information; and recording the control information onto the guide track of the information record medium, on the basis of a timing corresponding to the control information timing signal.

Abstract: An optical recording medium which can produce a read signal free from waveform distortion during reproduction of information. The optical recording medium comprises groove information tracks on which information pits carrying information data is to be formed, and prepit tracks provided with a plurality of previously formed land prepits connected to the groove information tracks. The groove information tracks and the prepit tracks are arranged in alternation. The groove information track has a track width smaller in at least a part of each of sections in which the land prepit exists than in sections in which no land prepit exists.

Abstract: A recording medium includes pairs of groove tracks and land tracks having periodically formed bent portion provided side by side on a substrate, a plurality of land prepits previously formed on the land tracks and carrying information about the groove tracks, and a recording layer formed on at least the groove tracks and the land tracks. The land prepits have a radius of mean curvature smaller than a radius of mean curvature of sides of the groove tracks in land-prepit absent regions of the land prepits and are defined by curved surfaces continuously extending from the sides of the groove tracks. Those sides of the groove tracks which face the continuous curved surfaces of the land prepits are curved surfaces that stricture the groove tracks. The depth of the land prepit is larger than that of the groove track.

Abstract: A recording medium comprises pairs of groove tracks and land tracks provided side by side while being bent periodically, a plurality of land prepits previously formed on the land tracks and carrying information about the groove tracks, and a recording layer formed on at least the groove tracks and the land tracks. The land prepits have a radius of a curvature smaller than a radius of a curvature of sides of the groove tracks in land-prepit absent regions of the land prepits and are defined by curved surfaces continuously extending from the sides of the groove tracks. Those sides of the groove tracks which face the continuous curved surfaces of the land prepits are curved surfaces that stricture the groove tracks.

Abstract: A code phase setting method in a PN coder which includes a shift register is provided. According to the method, an initial value is set in the shift register and a direction is selected among two directions in which direction a value in the shift register is shifted. Then, a code phase is set by shifting the initial value in the direction a necessary number of times.

Abstract: An optical disc (1) is provided with: a disc substrate (110); an information track (102, G) formed on the disc substrate spirally or coaxially around a center of the disc substrate, on which an information signal including a physical sector number is to be recorded; and a guide track (102, L) adjacent to the information track and formed on the disc substrate spirally or coaxially around the center, on which a guide signal including address information is to be recorded, wherein a readable emboss area, in which the information signal is recorded by an emboss pit, and an unreadable emboss area, in which an unreadable emboss pit to disable writing and reading the information signal, are formed on the information track, and the guide signal is not recorded on the guide track corresponding to the readable emboss area and the guide signal is recorded on the guide track corresponding to the unreadable emboss area.

Abstract: On a recording medium, the version information indicating a version of the recording standard to which the information recording medium is adapted is recorded. Moreover, the normal recording condition information for recording information at a normal recording speed and the high speed recording condition information for recording the information at a higher recording speed than the normal recording speed are recorded. The recording condition information includes, for example, information about a write strategy for driving a laser light source. At the time of recording, the information recording device compares the version information on the information recording medium with the version information of the information recording device so as to judge whether or not the information can be recorded.

Abstract: An adding circuit which receives addend data and augend data, each of which consists of a plurality of bits, and sums the addend and augend data, comprises: a plurality of addition blocks, each of which is used to add a predetermined number of bits of the addend data to a like number of bits of the augend data, and for outputting both the result obtained by adding the predetermined number of bits and a carry-out signal, wherein, when a carry-out occurs for one of the addition blocks, in accordance with a carry-out signal from a lower rank and a set comprising the addend data and the augend data, the pertinent addition block responds to the pertinent carry-out, and wherein, when a carry-out does not occur for the addition block in accordance with the set comprising the addend data and the augend data, the pertinent addition block responds to the carry-out and generates a block addition end signal which indicates that the addition performed by the addition block has been completed.

Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a plurality of functional blocks, each of which starts and stops an operation thereof in response to assertion and negation, respectively, of a corresponding command signal, a clock generation circuit which generates a clock signal, a clock control circuit which starts supplying the clock signal to each of the functional blocks in response to the assertion of the corresponding command signal, and stops supplying the clock signal to each of the functional blocks in response to the negation of the corresponding command signal.

Abstract: An apparatus (C) manufactures an information record medium (DK), which has a track (G, L), on which information is optically recorded. The apparatus is provided with: a track forming device (40, 43, 50) for forming the track; and a transition portion forming device (40, 43, 50) for forming a transition portion (MG) for transiting an irradiation position (SP) of a light beam (LG, LL), which is used for illegally copying the information on the formed track, from an irradiation track (G2), which is irradiated by the light beam, to an adjacent track (G1), which is adjacent to the irradiation track and on which the information is recorded before the information is recorded on the irradiation track, such that the formed transition portion is continuous with the formed track.

Abstract: In a code generation device for generating a code: a binary-data generation circuit generates first binary data items indicating every (m+1)th one of n successive binary numbers, where m≧1 and n≧2. A binary-data derivation circuit derives m+1 second binary data items indicating m+1 binary numbers from each of the first binary data items, where the m+1 binary numbers include the first binary data item. A first processing circuit performs a predetermined common operation on identical portions of the m+1 second binary data items, and a second processing circuit performs individually predetermined operations on non-identical portions of the m+1 second binary data items, where states of corresponding bits in the non-identical portions of the m+1 second binary data items are not identical. A combining circuit combines the outputs of the first and second processing circuits.

Abstract: A semiconductor device that quickly saves data stored in an area to which power is supplied intermittently. Power is supplied intermittently to a first area. Power is supplied continuously to a second area. A memory is located in the second area. A save circuit saves data used in the first area in the memory before the supply of power being stopped. A restoration circuit restores data which has been saved in the memory to a predetermined circuit in the first area. A power supply control circuit supplies power to the memory if data has been saved in the memory. Otherwise the power supply control circuit stops the supply of power to the memory.

Abstract: An optical disc discriminating system comprises: a tracking error signal generating means adapted to generate a tracking error signal whose amplitude level varies with a groove depth of information tracks on an optical disc; a tracking servo means for directing a laser beam along an information track on the optical disc in accordance with the tracking error signal; a comparator adapted to compare the amplitude level of the tracking error signal supplied from the tracking error signal generating means with a reference level, with a tracking servo loop of the tracking servo means in an opened condition; a discriminating means adapted to discriminate the first and second groups of optical discs in accordance with a result from the comparator.

Abstract: An optical recording medium is designed to generate a read signal free from waveform distortion during reproduction of information. The optical recording medium is formed with information tracks on which data pits carrying information data is to be formed, and prepit tracks previously formed with a plurality of prepits. Each of the information tracks and each of the prepit tracks are positioned adjacent to each other, and each of the prepits is formed to be spaced apart from adjacent information tracks in at least its bottom part.

Abstract: A proposed semiconductor device is directed to making unnecessary circuit operation inactive to reduce power consumption because of leakage current. The device is functionally divided into blocks. The power supply systems of the blocks are divided into a non-controlled power supply group in which power is always on and controlled power supply groups in each of which groups a supply of power can be turned on/off independently. When a power supply system control part of the non-controlled power supply group outputs a control signal for power on, a power switch part turns on to release the controlled power supply group from the sleep mode, so that the first processing part starts intermittent operation. Only when it is determined that a first next-processing necessity determining part determines necessity of the next processing, a control signal is generated to activate the next power supply group.

Abstract: An optical disc (1) is provided with: a disc substrate (110); an information track (102, G) formed on the disc substrate spirally or coaxially around a center of the disc substrate, on which an information signal including a physical sector number is to be recorded; and a guide track (102, L) adjacent to the information track and formed on the disc substrate spirally or coaxially around the center, on which a guide signal including address information is to be recorded, wherein a readable emboss area, in which the information signal is recorded by an emboss pit, and an unreadable emboss area, in which an unreadable emboss pit to disable writing and reading the information signal, are formed on the information track, and the guide signal is not recorded on the guide track corresponding to the readable emboss area and the guide signal is recorded on the guide track corresponding to the unreadable emboss area.

Abstract: A dye record disc has a disc shape substrate having a track-forming surface divided into a read-only area and a recordable area. A reproducing track is formed on the track-forming surface in the read-only area, and has a plurality of pits, each of the pits comprising a dye material, and having a shape corresponding to the reproducing information. A recording/reproducing track is formed on the track-forming surface in the recordable area, and extends continuously, the recording/reproducing track comprising the same dye material as each of the pits.

Abstract: A processor and method of booting the processor in which dispensable circuit operation is eliminated to reduce power consumption. A first expected check-sum value relating to instructions and table data and a second expected check-sum value relating only to instructions are held in a boot ROM. When power is turned on, if a power-on determination circuit determines that the power has been turned on for a system, a read selection circuit loads instructions and the table data into an instruction storage memory and a table data storage memory and a check-sum performing circuit performs check-sum using the first expected check-sum value. In the case where the power has been turned on for periodic operation, instructions are loaded into the instruction storage memory, check-sum is performed using the second expected check-sum value, and table data that was saved in a backup memory is loaded into the table data storage memory.

Abstract: A semiconductor device in which consumption of power attendant on a leakage current in a block where the power is turned on and off intermittently is reduced. In the semiconductor device according to the present invention, an error check necessity judgment circuit judges on notification from an error check necessity notification circuit located in a block where the power is not disconnected whether an error check must be made, and an error check execution circuit makes an error check on data loaded from an external memory at the time of a boot in accordance with the judgment of the error check necessity judgment circuit. An error check cannot completely be omitted. Therefore, to ensure the reliability of a system, an error check is forcedly made once whenever a boot is performed times set by an error check interval setting circuit. This shortens intermittent operation time by time taken to make an error check, resulting in a reduction in consumption of power attendant on a useless leakage current.

Abstract: At least a portion of groove tracks in a information-data recording region of an optical recording medium comprises a plurality of groove portions separated by groove-absent portions in a rotational direction of the optical recording medium, each of the mark portions or each of the space portions includes one of the groove-absent portions. At least one of two groove tracks adjacent to prepit train, which is formed in land tracks, has a continuous groove portion or a groove-absent portion extending at least from a leading end to a trailing end of at least one prepit included in the prepit train in a rotational direction of the optical recording medium. The frequency band for separation of the groove tracks includes at least a portion of a frequency band of a modulated recording signal for recording information data on the optical recording medium.