Abstract: In a rewritable compact disc having a wobble groove on a substrate, crystal and amorphous states of a phase-change recording layer are an unrecorded/erased state and a recorded state, respectively. When the recording layer is exposed to recording light, amorphous marks assuming the recorded state are formed. At any of 2-, 4- and 8-times velocities with respect to a reference velocity (1-times velocity) whose linear velocity is 1.2-1.4 m/s, modulation m11 of a recorded signal when the recording light of approximately 780 nm in wavelength irradiates the recording layer via an optical system with NA=0.5 or 0.55 is 60-80%. A topmost level Rtop of reflectivity of the eye pattern of the recorded signal during retrieving at the 1-times velocity is 15-25%, and a jitter of the individual length of marks and inter-mark spaces during retrieving at 1-times velocity is 35 ns or less.

Abstract: A reservation acceptance system is provided that accepts requests of reservations from customers so that the resources can be used efficiently.

Abstract: In an information delivery apparatus and method, when a user who transmits information updates information to be transmitted, based on a profile of each user desiring delivery of the information, the order of delivering the updated information, that is, from which user the updated information should be sequentially delivered, is determined beforehand, and information delivery matching a status of the user at a delivered end.

Abstract: A virtual space communication system includes a virtual space management computer which manages information regarding a virtual space, a plurality of client computers each of which receives information regarding the virtual space from the virtual space management computer and generates communication information used in the virtual space, each of the plurality of client computers having an object state changing unit for changing a state of an object included in the virtual space, and a communication management computer which intermediates communications regarding communication information and information representing change of a state of an object among the plurality of client computers sharing the virtual space. The virtual space communication system further comprises a changing unit for, when a state of an object is changed in one of the plurality of client computers, changing information of the virtual space managed by the virtual space management computer based on a changed state of the object.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is to provide an optical recording medium with improvements in repeated overwrite characteristics, write power margin, archival stability and the like. The invention provides an optical recording medium having a semi-transparent layer mainly comprising Ag, a first protective layer comprising a dielectric, a phase-change recording layer comprising an alloy mainly comprising SbxTe1−x (0.7<x≦0.9), a second protective layer comprising a dielectric, and a metallic reflective layer in this order, wherein the medium further has an interdiffusion-protection layer between the semi-transparent layer and the first protective layer where the first protective layer comprises a sulfur-containing dielectric, and the medium has a higher reflectance to light incident on the semi-transparent layer side with the recording layer being in an amorphous state than in a crystalline state.

Abstract: A heat insulating container is provided with an outer vessel 2 and an inner vessel 1 arranged in the outer vessel 2 with a gap 3, at least a bag 4 arranged in the gap 3, and a reinforcement member 10 with a rigidity higher than the composition material of the bag 4, arranged on at least one peripheral side of the bag 4. The reinforcement member 10 extends along the edge portion of the bag 4. The bag 4 is formed into a rectangular shape, and the reinforcement member 10 is arranged along at least two opposite sides of the bag 4. As a protrusion of one of the inner or outer vessels engages with the cavity or the protrusion of the reinforcement member 10 of the bag 4, the bags 4 can be easily inserted into the gap 3.

Abstract: An optical recording medium comprising a substrate and a phase-change type recording layer which may have at least two phases provided on the substrate, wherein the phase-change type recording layer has a composition represented by the following formula (1) as the main component: (AuxSb1−x)1−yGey  (1) where x and y are numbers which satisfy 0.01≦x≦0.4 and 0<y≦0.3.

Abstract: A plug for a liquid container comprises an outer plug, an inner plug and a fixing device. The outer plug is substantially a cylinder shape with a bottom wall and detachably installed onto a liquid container, wherein a liquid passage hole is penetrated through the bottom wall, and a liquid passage is formed between the bottom wall and an upper opening of the outer plug body. The inner plug is pivotally connected to the outer plug through a hinge, wherein the inner plug further comprises a liquid inlet seal member for sealing the liquid passage hole and a liquid outlet seal member for sealing an inner wall near the upper opening of the outer plug. The fixing device is used for fixing the inner plug onto the outer plug.

Abstract: Change of an identifier is reported without causing trouble to user agents. When a user agent A changes an identifier “A1” of a client 2a that he/she operates, notification recipients of a new identifier “A2” are automatically decided and the notification is carried out accordingly. It is desired that the recipients of the new identifier be preferably determined so as not to include unnecessary notification recipients, taking their relationship with the user agent A into consideration. For this reason, the maximum range of the notification recipients of the identifier is limited to be within watchers of the user agent A. The watchers are the notification recipients of user agent A's presence information, and therefore, it is assumed that there is little need for the identifier to be told to others who are not the watchers.

Abstract: In a presence system in which one user users a plurality of terminals, dynamically changing buddy lists are synchronized between the terminals. A presence notification message is sent to all the terminals of the user. The timing of sending includes, for example, when the presence information of a buddy is updated, when a new buddy is set, when display attribute information is updated, when a buddy is cancelled, and when a presence notification of unknown presentity is made. Thus, when one user uses a plurality of terminals in the presence system, dynamically changing buddy lists can be synchronized between the terminals. In addition, the display formats of the buddy lists do not differ from one terminal to another, and the same display format is attained.

Abstract: A mobile communication terminal having a phonebook with information corresponding to alternative communication services. The information can be entered remotely from another mobile communication terminal. When a sender selects a recipient and a service from the phonebook, the mobile phone displays the information with the phonebook. The sender selects the most convenient and available communication service for the selected recipient. In an alternative embodiment, a mobile communication network maintains communication statuses of a plurality of mobile communication terminals in a status database. Upon detection of a status change of one of the mobile communication terminals, a notifying portion notifies the other mobile communication terminals of the status change.

Abstract: Restricting the setting of presence information by presentities. Among other forms of presence information, restricted presence information that a user agent cannot determine him/herself is established. If among other forms of presence information “game score” is for example made restricted presence information, only user agent B, being a game administrator, would be able to determine the “game score.” When user agent A's game score is updated by user agent B, the game score is reported to user agent A's Watcher C.

Abstract: A phase-change recording material used for an information recording medium utilizing a crystalline state as a non-recorded state and an amorphous state as a recorded state, which has the composition of the following formula (1) as the main component:

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical recording medium having a protective layer and a phase-change recording layer on a substrate, said protective layer containing a metallic oxysulfide and an optical recording medium having a protective layer and a phase-change recording layer, said protective layer being formed by sputtering using a target comprising a metallic oxysulfide.

Abstract: In a recording method for a rewritable optical recording medium, immediately before a prospective leading pulse that is a time section where recording light of write power Pw irradiates a phase-change recording layer for the first time as a front low-power energy irradiating step, light of bias power Pb irradiates the phase-change recording layer for a first set time length yT as a preceding low-power energy irradiation step. And immediately after the leading pulse, the light of bias power Pb irradiates the phase-change recording layer for a set time length xT as a succeeding low-power energy irradiation step. The relation between x and y satisfies: 0.95≦x+0.7*y≦2.5. The high-power energy beam irradiates the recording medium in such a manner that a period of irradiation for pulses subsequent to the leading pulse is in a range of from 0.5T to 2.5T.

Abstract: An optical disc having excellent recording/retrieving characteristics and capable of improving the surface properties of the reflective layer without reducing the thermal conductivity, the reflectivity and producibility. An optical recording medium for recording and/or retrieving information by irradiation of light, which comprises a substrate, and an interlayer, a reflective layer containing a metal as the main component and a recording layer, formed in this order on the substrate directly or via another layer made of a resin or a dielectric material, wherein as observed from a light-incoming direction, the reflective layer is located in front of the interlayer, the interlayer contains the same metal as the metal constituting the main component of the reflective layer and also contains oxygen and/or nitrogen, and the interlayer has a content of the metal smaller than the reflective layer.

Abstract: A multilevel recording method based on a novel principle utilizing a phase change medium. The method comprises the steps of: radiating a recording energy beam against an information recording medium having a recording layer to locally melt the recording layer, the recording layer being adapted to produce a phase change between a crystalline state and an amorphous state upon being radiated with an energy beam; and forming an amorphous mark by cooling during a solidifying process to record information in the medium; wherein the size of the amorphous mark is controlled mainly by a competition between a recrystallization process and an amorphization process during the solidifying process; wherein an intensity of reflected light from a reproducing light beam radiated region is controlled in three or more multiple recording levels according to an optical characteristic difference between a crystalline region and a amorphous region and their areas.

Abstract: An semiconductor integrated circuit that uses a low-frequency operation clock to implement probing for fast operation. This semiconductor integrated circuit comprises a time adjustment circuit for adjusting the pulse width of enable signals. In normal mode, the time adjustment circuit does not convert the pulse width of enable signals. However, during probing, the time adjustment circuit converts an enable signal into an enable signal with a short pulse width for testing. In normal mode, a memory control circuit operates to synchronize with an unconverted enable signal. During probing, it operates in synchronization with an enable signal converted to one with a shorter pulse width.

Abstract: A multilevel recording method based on a principle utilizing a phase change medium. The method radiates a recording energy beam against an information recording medium having a recording layer to locally melt the recording layer. The recording layer is adapted to produce a phase change between a crystalline state and an amorphous state upon being radiated with an energy beam. An amorphous mark is formed by cooling during a solidifying process to record information in the medium. The size of the amorphous mark is controlled mainly by a competition between a recrystallization process and an amorphization process during the solidifying process. An intensity of reflected light from a reproducing light beam radiated region is controlled in three or more multiple recording levels according to an optical characteristic difference between a crystalline region and an amorphous region and their areas.