Abstract: An address data management method and system that allow a purchaser wishing to purchase merchandise from an online shopping site on the Internet or other vendor to make a purchase and request delivery while keeping address data comprising delivery address secret from third parties, including the vendor of that merchandise. An address data management method comprises the steps of: acquiring address data comprising delivery address from a purchaser; establishing an address ID with unique correspondence to address data and notifying the purchaser thereof; managing a correspondence table indicating correspondence between address data and address ID; accepting delivery request data generated by the merchandise vendor; extracting address data corresponding to address ID; and executing delivery processing of the article based on the extracted address data.

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:

Abstract: An improved portable game machine having a removably attachable external cartridge that includes an integrally formed image capturing apparatus is provided. The portable game machine preferably includes a user interface which may be manipulated by a user to capture images via the image capturing device of the external cartridge. The thus captured images may then be used in game play, or may be manipulated by the user to extend the range of enjoyment of the game. For example, according to the present invention, the user has the ability to associate hot spots with captured images which, when uncovered, cause the portable game machine to exhibit an effect associated with the hot spot. Additionally, the user is provided with the ability to incorporate line drawings or predefined stamp images into a captured image. The captured images may also be arranged to form an animation or loop of images that are displayed according to a sequence defined by the user.

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 improved portable game machine having a removably attachable external cartridge that includes an integrally formed image capturing apparatus is provided. The portable game machine preferably includes a user interface which may be manipulated by a user to capture images via the image capturing device of the external cartridge. The thus captured images may then be used in game play, or may be manipulated by the user to extend the range of enjoyment of the game. For example, according to the present invention, the user has the ability to associate hot spots with captured images which, when uncovered, cause the portable game machine to exhibit an effect associated with the hot spot. Additionally, the user is provided with the ability to incorporate line drawings or predefined stamp images into a captured image. The captured images may also be arranged to form an animation or loop of images that are displayed according to a sequence defined by the user.

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 energybeam 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: 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.

Abstract: Plural client computers 10 manipulates by individual users, a data management computer 200, and a host computer 100 are mutually connected through a network NW. The data management computer 200 manages the VRML file expressing a virtual space, and also transfers the VRML file to each client computer 10 through the network NW according to the request from each client computer 10. Each client computer 10 displays the virtual space according to the VRML file, and also displays in inside of the virtual space the object capable of updating the property data by the manipulation of the user. The host computer 100 manages the property data (position, shape, speech text, etc.) of the object changed by the operation inputted by the user at each client computer 10, so that the users of the client computers 10 sharing the same virtual space can communicate with each other through the behavior and speech of the objects in the virtual space.

Abstract: An improved portable game machine having a removably attachable external cartridge that includes an integrally formed image capturing apparatus is provided. The portable game machine preferably includes a user interface which may be manipulated by a user to capture images via the image capturing device of the external cartridge. The thus captured images may then be used in game play, or may be manipulated by the user to extend the range of enjoyment of the game. For example, according to the present invention, the user has the ability to associate hot spots with captured images which, when uncovered, cause the portable game machine to exhibit an effect associated with the hot spot. Additionally, the user is provided with the ability to incorporate line drawings or predefined stamp images into a captured image. The captured images may also be arranged to form an animation or loop of images that are displayed according to a sequence defined by the user.

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: In order to carry out gradation drawing processing without causing deterioration of printing processing throughput, i.e., deterioration of printer engine performance, in the event that a received drawing command is a gradation drawing command, the degree of change of color within the gradation drawing area is obtained, and a thinning-out level within the gradation drawing area is determined, based on the obtained degree of change of color. An enlargement value is determined based on the thinning-out level decided upon, and instructions are given to an image processing unit to draw the gradation drawing area in a manner enlarged with the enlarging value decided upon. Next, the color values of the pixel values within the gradation drawing area are calculated at pixel intervals determined by the thinning-out level, and this is used as gradation data.

Abstract: There is provided a communication management apparatus for managing a joining of symbols in a virtual world in a message communication system in which a plurality of user terminals are interconnected, the plurality of user terminals sharing the virtual world comprising a plurality of virtual spaces, and the symbols each defined for the associated one of the user terminals which will join the virtual world, and messages are exchanged among a plurality of user terminals corresponding to a plurality of symbols which have entered the same virtual space. In accordance with the communication management apparatus, the upper limit of number of symbols (users) capable of joining in the communication area is defined for each communication area. According to the communication management apparatus, it is possible to provide a user management system abounding in flexibility.

Abstract: When a new customer appears in a shop, the customer is registered in an advertisement server 1 with shop terminal 2. When the customer registers an advertiser in his buddy list, an advertisement is distributed to user terminal 4. Namely, by registering an advertisement of the advertiser in buddy list system 4 as if the advertisement of the advertiser is status information of the advertiser, the advertisement is distributed to the user terminal 4 via the buddy list system 3. To persuade a customer to register an advertiser in his buddy list, the advertiser provides an incentive for a customer registering the advertiser in his buddy list (hereinafter referred to as registration customer). Incentive is, for example, adding a premium to points granted to the customer according to purchase history.

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.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium having a multilayer structure comprising at least a lower protective layer, a phase-change type optical recording layer, an upper protective layer and a reflective layer, on a substrate, wherein the phase-change type optical recording layer has a composition of Zn&ggr;1In&dgr;1Sb&zgr;1Te&ohgr;1, where 0.01≦&ggr;1≦0.1, 0.03≦&dgr;1≦0.08, 0.5≦&zgr;1≦0.7, 0.25≦&ohgr;1≦0.4, and &ggr;1+&dgr;1+&zgr;1+&ohgr;1=1, whereby overwrite recording is carried out by modulation of light intensity of at least strong and weak two levels, so that a crystalline state is an unrecorded state, and an amorphous state is a recorded state.

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: A retractable ballpoint pen is free from leakage of ink from its tip and ink back-flow attributable to shocks produced by retractable operation, and is capable of satisfactory writing performance. The retractable ballpoint pen has a ballpoint pen refill (3) having a ballpoint pen tip (7) disposed in a forward end of an ink-accommodating tube (8), a ball (9) held for free rotation in a forward end part of the ballpoint pen tip (7). The retractable ballpoint pen is provided with a retracting mechanism (5, 6) for projecting a forward end of the ballpoint pen tip (7) and retracting the same through an open forward end (2a) of a barrel (2). A water-based ink (15) contained in the ink-accommodating tube (8) contains a thixotropic agent and has a viscosity at a rate of shear of 1.9 sec−1 at 20° C. in the range of 900 to 2500 mPa·s.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium having a multilayer structure comprising at least a lower protective layer, a phase-change type optical recording layer, an upper protective layer and a reflective layer, on a substrate, wherein the phase-change type optical recording layer has a composition of Gef(SbdTe1−d)1−f, where 0.65≦d≦0.85, and 0.01≦f≦0.20, whereby overwrite recording is carried out by modulation of light intensity of at least strong and weak two levels, so that a crystalline state is an unrecorded state, and an amorphous state is a recorded state.

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.