Abstract: After opening a via hole, the bottom portion and the top portion are rounded by etching performed twice. As a result, resistance of the via hole can be reduced and its quality and life can be enhanced.

Abstract: An optical disk device for writing data into a disk including a plurality of recording layers, wherein the disk includes a recording layer in which a track for recording the data is formed in a clockwise spiral direction, and a recording layer in which a track for recording the data is formed in a counter-clockwise spiral direction, and the optical disk device records the data into a first recording layer, and selects a layer in which the data can be recorded and of which a spiral direction is opposite to the spiral direction of the first recording layer, as a recording layer for recording the data next to the first recording layer.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there are provided a file search method and a system therefor with which it is possible to display files including a keyword specified by a user in an importance descending order by monitoring a file operation by the user, creating reference relation between files, and arranging search results on the basis of the importance calculated from the reference relation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing head 1 comprising a carrier 3, a guide ring 4, a dress ring 5, and a head body 2, wherein the head body 2 is rotatable, and holds the carrier 3, the guide ring 4, and the dress ring 5; the head body 2 has a reversed-bowl shape and has a hollow 8; the dress ring, and at least the guide ring or the carrier are held by being coupled to a lower brim of the head body via a diaphragm 6; the hollow of the head body is sealed. During polishing, the pressure of the sealed hollow is adjusted with a pressure regulating mechanism 9 communicating with the hollow, thereby elastically deforming the diaphragm. As a result, a wafer W can be polished while the wafer and the dress ring are pressed with a given pressing force against a polishing pad 11 on a turn table 12 with rotating the wafer held by the carrier and the dress ring.

Abstract: In a conventional method for preventing a collision between a lens and an optical disc which uses a control system similar to the servo control of the optical disc, it is feared that, when there is no need to apply the servo, the collision prevention method may not perform its function satisfactorily. In an optical disc device that operates with a part of its functions suspended for reduced power consumption, the conventional method is not enough to avoid the collision between the lens and the optical disc. By arranging the lens/disc collision prevention mechanism independently operable, it is possible to prevent the collision between the lens and the disc even during the operation with limited functions.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording information in an optical-information recording media by holography includes a signal-light irradiation unit, a reference-light irradiation unit, a reference light angle adjustment unit, and a positioning unit for positioning irradiation positions of the signal light and the reference light. The optical-information recording media is divided into N (N?2) recording regions, M multiplexed information can be recorded in the respective recording regions by the reference light angle adjustment unit which changes the angle of the reference light at M angles (?1, ?2, . . . , and ?M) corresponding to a multiplexing number (M?2), management information for the M multiplexed information is multiplexed and recorded in the same recording region as a-th information (1?a?M) with a reference light angle ?a, and the management information on all the N recording regions are recorded at a common reference light angle.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes a plurality of pixel units, a reference voltage generator circuit, a cancellation unit, an analog-to-digital converter unit, a latch circuit, and a video processing unit. The plurality of pixel units output a reset signal serving as a first reference level of a video signal and the video signal, the video signal being output in units of two or more of the pixel units simultaneously to two or more of the signal lines. The reference voltage generator circuit generates a clamp voltage. The cancellation unit calculates the difference between a first addition and a second addition. The analog-to-digital converter unit digitizes the subtraction result. A latch circuit latches the result obtained at the analog-to-digital converter unit. The video processing unit terminates and starts the signal process in units of the pixel unit in a period when the clamp voltage is not generated.

Abstract: In relation to a system which effects one-to-many authentication using biometric information; e.g.

Abstract: In relation to a system which effects one-to-many authentication using biometric information; e.g.

Abstract: There is provided an optical information recording/reproducing apparatus having an optical disc drive unit for driving an optical disc mounted, a hologram disc drive unit for driving a hologram disc mounted, a disk discrimination device for discriminating which of an optical disc and a hologram disc was mounted, a selection device of the disk drive unit for selecting an optical disc drive unit, when discriminated to be an optical disc, by the disk discrimination device, while selecting a hologram disc drive unit, when discriminated to be a hologram disc, by the disk discrimination device, and a drive device of the disk drive unit for driving the disk drive unit selected by the selection device of the disk drive unit.

Abstract: In relation to a system which effects one-to-many authentication using biometric information; e.g.

Abstract: An information recommendation apparatus and method displaying recommendation information based on a user's preference generated from a search index of information of operation(s) previously performed by the user including calculating a degree of similarity between recommendation information and operation information based on a search index for the recommendation information and a search index for the operation information, and outputting operation information having a degree of similarity that satisfies a specified condition as a recommendation reason for the recommendation information.

Abstract: When a laser light focal point, driven by an objective lens, passes through each of a plurality of recording layers of an optical disc, data recorded on the recording layers through which the focal point passes may be deteriorated due to a difference in optical sensitivity for each recording layer or the like. In a focal point position movement in which switching of recording layers is made by a focus error signal, when the focal point position moves from a recording layer on which a laser light is focused to another recording layer which is not adjacent, light intensity or light density at the focal point is reduced in accordance with the recording layer to be passed through, thus deterioration of the data on the optical disc being prevented.

Abstract: When predetermined information is input into an input field and an OK button is pressed on a user authentication screen displayed on a monitor screen by a browser at entry time, the input predetermined information, the input predetermined information, the positional information about the input field and the OK button, and the identification information on the user authentication screen are obtained by the input unit and entered in an external storage device through a storage unit. When the authentication screen detection unit detects the user authentication screen by the authentication screen detection unit at input time, the input/press unit automatically inputs the predetermined information read from the external storage device into the position of the input field obtained according to the positional information read from the external storage device through the storage unit, and the position of the OK button is automatically pressed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polishing head 1 comprising a carrier 3, a guide ring 4, a dress ring 5, and a head body 2, wherein the head body 2 is rotatable, and holds the carrier 3, the guide ring 4, and the dress ring 5; the head body 2 has a reversed-bowl shape and has a hollow 8; the dress ring, and at least the guide ring or the carrier are held by being coupled to a lower brim of the head body via a diaphragm 6; the hollow of the head body is sealed. During polishing, the pressure of the sealed hollow is adjusted with a pressure regulating mechanism 9 communicating with the hollow, thereby elastically deforming the diaphragm. As a result, a wafer W can be polished while the wafer and the dress ring are pressed with a given pressing force against a polishing pad 11 on a turn table 12 with rotating the wafer held by the carrier and the dress ring.

Abstract: Record history record processing accumulates all user operations relating to program recording in a storage as a recording history. Preference change analysis processing extracts recorded programs in the most recent period from the recording history, obtains the weight of a word in the recorded program from an index from an EPG, adds the weight of the word to a preference in a period. The preference in programs for a period immediately preceding the most recent period is normalized, and a degree of similarity to the preference in the most recent period is calculated. Preference query generation processing emphasizes (five-fold) the weight of the words contained in the recorded programs in the period (June) and generates a preference query (FIG. 7).

Abstract: A retrieval information that is a retrieval target, acquired from an information source, is arranged on a vector space. Data of a usage information and a content specifying manners of usage, used by the user in the past is acquired by a usage-information acquisition unit. A user's preference extraction unit extracts a preference of a user from the data, and notifies a number-of-effective-elements reduction unit of the extracted data. The number-of-effective-elements reduction unit evaluates each element of a vector of retrieval information by using the preference of the user, and reduces the number of effective elements by removing the elements smaller than a certain criteria.

Abstract: There is provided a failure determination system for a continuously variable transmission of a belt type, which is capable of determining failure of control valves for performing speed varying operation, and enhancing maintainability. An ECU controls a transmission ratio of the transmission to a fixation-determining LOW-side range when the vehicle is standing. When the transmission ratio during stoppage of the vehicle is within a stop-time OD-side range if engine torque?OD-time DR-side reference torque and at the same time the transmission ratio<DN-side reference value hold, the ECU determines that the DR solenoid valve is faulty, and if the throttle valve opening?OD-side reference value, the transmission ratio?DN-side reference value, and at the same time a vehicle speed<OD-side reference value hold, the ECU determines that the DN solenoid valve is faulty.

Abstract: An image generating apparatus is provided with an image generating part for generating a sequential character image by connecting a plurality of unit image groups which are respectively guaranteed to indicate one communication information, and a display part for displaying the sequential character image.

Abstract: A search index generation apparatus includes: an information manipulation monitor unit detecting an information manipulation performed by a user on a computer by monitoring the information manipulation of the user on the computer; an information manipulation database for accumulation of data relating to an information manipulation detected by the information manipulation monitor unit; and a task detection unit analyzing the data relating to the information manipulation accumulated in the information manipulation database, detecting a task of the user, identifying an information group processed in the task, and recording the data relating to the task in the task database.