Abstract: A copolymer comprising: a hydroxycarboxylic acid (A) having a hydroxy group only at a 2-position; and a hydroxycarboxylic acid (B) having a hydroxy group at a position other than a 2-position, and having a homopolymer segment composed of one hydroxycarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of the hydroxycarboxylic acid (A) and the hydroxycarboxylic acid (B), and a copolymer segment containing at least two hydroxycarboxylic acids selected from the group consisting of the hydroxycarboxylic acid (A) and the hydroxycarboxylic acid (B).

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a light source component, a scanning component, an electrostatic driver, a controller, and a current sensor. The light source component emits light. The scanning component scans the light. The driver drives the scanning component. The controller controls emission of the light from the light source component. The current sensor senses current generated by a capacity change of the driver. The controller further controls the emission of the light from the light source component based on the sensed current sensed by the current sensor.

Abstract: Provided are a method for enhancing the production quantity of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (P(3HB-co-3HH)) having a high fraction of 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HH) using a saccharide or glycerol as a starting material; a method for producing a P(3HB-co-3HH) copolymer including performing transformation by homologous recombination of a crotonyl-CoA reductase gene in a chromosome of a recombinant strain of Cupriavidus necator endowed with the ability to produce P(3HB-co-3HH), or performing transformation by introducing an autonomous replication vector in which the crotonyl-CoA reductase gene is incorporated in the aforementioned strain, and cultivating the transformant in a medium containing a saccharide or glycerol as a carbon source; and a method for enhancing the production quantity of the copolymer and/or the fraction of 3HHx in the copolymer.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a light source component, a scanning component, an electrostatic driver, a controller, and a current sensor. The light source component emits light. The scanning component scans the light. The driver drives the scanning component. The controller controls emission of the light from the light source component. The current sensor senses current generated by a capacity change of the driver. The controller further controls the emission of the light from the light source component based on the sensed current sensed by the current sensor.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for enhancing the production quantity of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (P(3HB-co-3HH)) having a high fraction of 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3HH) using a saccharide or glycerol as a starting material. The present invention provides: a method for producing a P(3HB-co-3HH) copolymer including performing transformation by homologous recombination of a crotonyl-CoA reductase gene in a chromosome of a recombinant strain of Cupriavidus necator endowed with the ability to produce P(3HB-co-3HH), or performing transformation by introducing an autonomous replication vector in which the crotonyl-CoA reductase gene is incorporated in the aforementioned strain, and cultivating the transformant in a medium containing a saccharide or glycerol as a carbon source; and a method for enhancing the production quantity of the copolymer and/or the fraction of 3HHx in the copolymer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate (P(3HB-co-3HHx)) having a high 3-hydroxyhexanoate fraction using a vegetable oil as a basic raw material. According to the present invention, a method is provided for producing P(3HB-co-3HHx) having a high 3-HHx fraction using a vegetable oil as a basic raw material by disrupting and so forth at least one gene encoding 2-enoyl-CoA hydratase or at least one gene encoding 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase on a chromosome of a recombinant Cupriavidus necator strain imparted with the ability to produce P(3HB-co-3HHx).

Abstract: The present invention intends to produce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) [P(3HB-co-3HHx)] with a high 3-hydroxyhexanoic acid fraction using a vegetable oil as a basic raw material. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a method of producing a microorganism that produces poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) with a high 3-hydroxyhexanoic acid fraction using a vegetable oil as a basic raw material, by introducing a gene encoding R-hydratase that converts a fatty acid ?-oxidation system intermediate to a monomer, (R)-3-hydroxyacyl-CoA [R-3HA-CoA], into a recombinant Cupriavidus necator strain that was conferred an ability of producing P(3HB-co-3HHx).

Abstract: This optical disk device includes a pickup, an offsetting means, a focus servo means, a layer jump means, and a shift means. The pickup irradiates laser light upon an optical disk having a plurality of recording layers via a correction lens and an objective lens, and detects light reflected back from the optical disk. The offsetting means generates a focus error (FE) signal on the basis of the reflected light, and applies an offset voltage to the focus error signal. The focus servo means performs focusing servo on the basis of the FE signal. And, before layer jumping is executed by the layer jump means, the focus servo means displaces the correction lens to an intermediate position after having adjusted the offset voltage to a balance value. Then the layer jump means performs layer jumping.

Abstract: This optical disk device includes a pickup, an offset means, a focus servo means, and a layer jump means. The offset means generates a focus error signal on the basis of the output of the pickup, and applies an offset voltage to that focus error signal. And the layer jump means performs layer jump operation, including kick start operation, kick end operation taking a second threshold value as a reference, brake start operation taking a third threshold value as a reference, and brake end operation. Moreover, before executing this layer jump operation, the layer jump means changes this second threshold value or this third threshold value, according to the value of the offset voltage.

Abstract: An optical disc playback apparatus with which collision of a lens and an optical disc is avoided is provided. Processes executed by a microcomputer of the optical disc playback apparatus when a disc is played back include: the step of outputting a signal for performing focus search at a predetermined speed; the step of outputting a signal for reducing search speed when reflection of laser light from a surface of the optical disc is detected; and the step of outputting a signal for indicating disc error when S-shape is not detected and a certain time has elapsed since the detection of the reflection.

Abstract: A disc apparatus which can judge accurately whether or not a spindle motor is at fault due to a short circuit is provided. A disc apparatus (1) includes a spindle motor (3) which rotates a disc (2), a differential operational amplifier (5) which successively detects output voltages of the spindle motor (3), and a failure judgment unit (10) which calculates an average voltage of the plural output voltages and judges whether or not the spindle motor (3) is at fault in accordance with the average voltage and the output voltages. When counting number of occurrences of a specific state which indicates that one of the two output voltages detected successively is larger than the average voltage and other of the two output voltages is smaller than the average voltage, the failure judgment unit (10) judges that the spindle motor (3) is at fault.

Abstract: When a remaining number of tracks is smaller than a first threshold value, a coarse seek operation is determined to be normal, and therefore, a learning process is not executed. If the remaining number of tracks is not smaller than a second threshold value, the coarse seek operation is determined to be abnormal, and a voltage learning process id executed. If the remaining number of tracks is not smaller than the first threshold value and smaller than the second threshold value and prescribed conditions are satisfied, the operation is determined to be abnormal, and a time learning process is executed.

Abstract: There is provided an optical disk device that performs a focus jump operation in a stable and prompt manner. The optical disk device includes an objective lens, a light-detecting element, a lens holder, a shaft member configured to penetrate a hole, a focus drive mechanism, a focus drive circuit, a tracking rotation mechanism, a tracking drive circuit, and a control circuit. The control circuit includes a drive control portion, a wobble control portion, and a switch portion. The drive control portion generates a control signal to be input to the focus drive circuit and a control signal to be input to the tracking drive circuit. The wobble control portion generates a control signal indicating that a current value should fluctuate. During a period of focus jump, the switch portion introduces into the tracking drive circuit the control signal generated by the wobble control portion.

Abstract: A disc apparatus which enables an optical pickup to move swiftly to a target track is provided. A disc apparatus (1) includes an optical pickup (4) which irradiates an optical disc (2) with a laser light, a motor (6) which moves the optical pickup (4) to a target track in a radial direction of the optical disc (2), and a controller (7) which controls the motor (6). The controller 7 includes a calculating means (7a) which calculates a voltage level applied to the motor (6) and a recording unit (7b) which records a reference voltage level, a corrected number of tracks, and a coefficient. The calculating means (7a) calculates a voltage level based on the number of tracks between a track which the optical pickup is positioned over and the target track, the reference voltage level, the corrected number of tracks, and the coefficient.

Abstract: This optical disk device includes a pickup, an offsetting means, a focus servo means, a layer jump means, and a shift means. The pickup irradiates laser light upon an optical disk having a plurality of recording layers via a correction lens and an objective lens, and detects light reflected back from the optical disk. The offsetting means generates a focus error (FE) signal on the basis of the reflected light, and applies an offset voltage to the focus error signal. The focus servo means performs focusing servo on the basis of the FE signal. And, before layer jumping is executed by the layer jump means, the focus servo means displaces the correction lens to an intermediate position after having adjusted the offset voltage to a balance value. Then the layer jump means performs layer jumping.

Abstract: This optical disk device includes a pickup, an offset means, a focus servo means, and a layer jump means. The offset means generates a focus error signal on the basis of the output of the pickup, and applies an offset voltage to that focus error signal. And the layer jump means performs layer jump operation, including kick start operation, kick end operation taking a second threshold value as a reference, brake start operation taking a third threshold value as a reference, and brake end operation. Moreover, before executing this layer jump operation, the layer jump means changes this second threshold value or this third threshold value, according to the value of the offset voltage.

Abstract: This optical disk device includes a pickup, a replay means, and an adjustment means. The pickup irradiates laser light upon an optical disk. And the pickup receives light reflected back from the optical disk, performs photoelectric conversion thereupon, and outputs an electrical signal. The replay means adds an offset voltage to an RF signal generated from the electrical signal, and performs replay by processing the RF signal. The adjustment means measures the error rate of the RF signal while changing the value of the offset voltage. And the adjustment means adjusts the offset voltage to that voltage at which the error rate is the lowest. During replay, the replay means adds to the RF signal this offset voltage which has been thus adjusted.

Abstract: A disc apparatus which can judge accurately whether or not a spindle motor is at fault due to a short circuit is provided. A disc apparatus (1) includes a spindle motor (3) which rotates a disc (2), a differential operational amplifier (5) which successively detects output voltages of the spindle motor (3), and a failure judgment unit (10) which calculates an average voltage of the plural output voltages and judges whether or not the spindle motor (3) is at fault in accordance with the average voltage and the output voltages. When counting number of occurrences of a specific state which indicates that one of the two output voltages detected successively is larger than the average voltage and other of the two output voltages is smaller than the average voltage, the failure judgment unit (10) judges that the spindle motor (3) is at fault.

Abstract: A disc apparatus which enables an optical pickup to move swiftly to a target track is provided. A disc apparatus (1) includes an optical pickup (4) which irradiates an optical disc (2) with a laser light, a motor (6) which moves the optical pickup (4) to a target track in a radial direction of the optical disc (2), and a controller (7) which controls the motor (6). The controller 7 includes a calculating means (7a) which calculates a voltage level applied to the motor (6) and a recording unit (7b) which records a reference voltage level, a corrected number of tracks, and a coefficient. The calculating means (7a) calculates a voltage level based on the number of tracks between a track which the optical pickup is positioned over and the target track, the reference voltage level, the corrected number of tracks, and the coefficient.

Abstract: There is provided an optical disk device that performs a focus jump operation in a stable and prompt manner. The optical disk device includes an objective lens, a light-detecting element, a lens holder, a shaft member configured to penetrate a hole, a focus drive mechanism, a focus drive circuit, a tracking rotation mechanism, a tracking drive circuit, and a control circuit. The control circuit includes a drive control portion, a wobble control portion, and a switch portion. The drive control portion generates a control signal to be input to the focus drive circuit and a control signal to be input to the tracking drive circuit. The wobble control portion generates a control signal indicating that a current value should fluctuate. During a period of focus jump, the switch portion introduces into the tracking drive circuit the control signal generated by the wobble control portion.