Abstract: In an information recording medium in which storage capacity per recording layer has increased so much that the size of an SBM varies with those of spare areas, there is mutual dependence between a DDS and an SBM and it is difficult to retrieve disc management information as intended. In an information recording medium according to the present invention, if the largest space is allocated to an user data area, the number of blocks to store a space bitmap is Ni (where Ni?2). But if the smallest space is allocated to the user data area, the number of blocks to use is smaller than Ni.

Abstract: If a defective cluster in a spare area is managed with a defect entry, the size of a DFL will increase as the size of the spare area increases with an increase in the number of recording layers stacked in a disc. An information recording medium according to the present invention has pointer information indicating the location of the next available cluster in each spare area, and restricts the direction in which the spare area is used. Also, a defect entry indicating a defective cluster in the spare area is registered with the DFL. Thus, even if the size of the spare area 15 increases, the size of the DFL 21 can be kept relatively small. Furthermore, even after physical reformatting is done, a defective cluster, if any, in the spare area 15 can still be recognized as a defect and the control operation can be performed so that a replacement cluster is not re-allocated to that defective cluster (i.e., the defective cluster is not used).

Abstract: Disclosed is a signal distribution device which is provided with: supply lines (5) for supplying input signals to switching elements in signal distribution circuits; and distribution lines (6) for distributing the input signals to output terminals via the switching elements. The corresponding one of the supply lines (5) and at least one of the distribution lines (6) each have an extension section (5a) and an extension section (5b) which extend in an extending direction of a control line (13). A selection signal for switching on/off the associated switching element is applied to the control line (13). The extension sections (5a and 5b) are formed at positions that do not overlap the edge portions of the control line (13) in the extending direction thereof.

Abstract: A monolithic gate driver capable of operating with a relatively small number of circuit elements is realized. A stage constituent circuit constituting each stage of a shift register includes two output terminals connected to scanning signal lines, two thin-film transistors each having a drain terminal to which an output control clock signal is supplied and a source terminal connected to the output terminal, a first-node connected to the two thin-film transistors in common, a first-node control circuit, and an input terminal for receiving a set signal. In this configuration, the first-node changes from an OFF level to an ON level based on the set signal. Further, the first-node control circuit changes the first-node from the ON level to the OFF level.

Abstract: If a defective cluster in a spare area is managed with a defect entry, the size of a DFL will increase as the size of the spare area increases with an increase in the number of recording layers stacked in a disc. An information recording medium according to the present invention has pointer information indicating the location of the next available cluster in each spare area, and restricts the direction in which the spare area is used. Also, a defect entry indicating a defective cluster in the spare area is registered with the DFL. Thus, even if the size of the spare area 15 increases, the size of the DFL 21 can be kept relatively small. Furthermore, even after physical reformatting is done, a defective cluster, if any, in the spare area 15 can still be recognized as a defect and the control operation can be performed so that a replacement cluster is not re-allocated to that defective cluster (i.e., the defective cluster is not used).

Abstract: Stability of a circuit operation in a monolithic gate driver is improved. A bistable circuit is provided with a charge replenishment circuit (71) including: a capacitor (CAP2); a thin-film transistor (MA) having a first electrode supplied with a first clock for charge replenishment (CKA), a second electrode connected to a third-node (N3) connected to one end of the capacitor (CAP2), and a third electrode connected to a second-node (N2) to be maintained at the high level during a normal operation period; and a thin-film transistor (MB) having a first electrode supplied with a second clock for charge replenishment (CKB), a second electrode supplied with a high-level DC power supply potential (VDD), and a third electrode connected to the third-node (N3).

Abstract: A write-once read-many information recording medium is provided, which is capable of easily searching for a latest DDS and a latest defect list. At least one disc management working area is sequentially allocated in a predetermined direction on the write-once read-many information recording medium of the present invention. The latest defect list and the latest DDS are provided in a recorded disc management working area neighboring a border between the recorded disc management working area and an unrecorded disc management working area, where the latest defect list precedes the latest DDS in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A bistable circuit includes an input terminal (41) for a set signal, an input terminal (42) for a reset signal, an output terminal (48) for a state signal, a thin-film transistor (M2) for increasing a potential of the output terminal (48) based on a first clock, a thin-film transistor (M1) for increasing a potential of a first-node connected to a gate terminal of the thin-film transistor (M2) based on the set signal, a thin-film transistor (M5) for decreasing the potential of the first-node, a thin-film transistor (M7) for increasing a potential of a second-node connected to a gate terminal of the thin-film transistor (M5) based on the reset signal, a thin-film transistor (M6) for decreasing the potential of the output terminal (48) based on the potential of the second-node, a thin-film transistor (M3) for increasing the potential of the second-node based on the set signal, and a capacitor (CAP2) having one end connected to the second-node and the other end connected to the input terminal (41).

Abstract: It is an object to realize a gate driver that can cause a scanning signal to quickly fall after a charge period in each row ends. A gate driver is configured by two shift registers. In an n-th stage bistable circuit (SR(n)) in an entire shift register (410), a region netA connected to a gate terminal of a thin-film transistor that increases a potential of an output node for outputting a state signal (Q) based on a first clock (CKA) is set to an on level based on the state signal (Q) outputted from an (n?2)-th stage bistable circuit (SR(n?2), the region netA is set to an off level based on the state signal (Q) outputted from an (n+2)-th stage bistable circuit (SR(n+2)), and the output node is set to an off level based on the state signal (Q) outputted from an (n+3)-th stage bistable circuit (SR(n+3)).

Abstract: According to the present invention, multiple space bitmaps (SBMs #0 and #1 30) are provided for the user data area of each recording layer. A disc management structure update unit including one of those space bitmaps and a disc definition structure (TDDS 32) and having a size of one block is written on a management information area (TDMA 17). As a result, data including the disc definition structure (TDDS 32) can always be arranged in the first block at the top of the management information area (TDMA 17).

Abstract: An apparatus according to the present invention is designed to perform formatting processing on an information storage medium. The storage medium has a data storage area including a user data area and a spare area. The user data area is provided to write user data on, while the spare area includes a replacement block to be used as a replacement for a block that has been detected as a defective block. The replacement block stores instruction information that instructs to read data from the defective block when data is read from the replacement block. The apparatus includes a control section for controlling the formatting processing. In performing the formatting processing, the control section updates information stored in the replacement block such that when data is read from the replacement block, the data is not read from the defective block.

Abstract: Minimized is the influence which is exerted by recording calibration (test recording) such as power calibration, strategy calibration or the like, performed in an area for recording calibration (recording calibration area or test area) provided in each of a plurality of recording layers, on recording calibration performed in the other recording layers. On a recording medium, data is recorded on at least one of a plurality of recording layers by laser light incident on a surface of the recording medium. The plurality of recording layers include a first recording layer, and second through N-th recording layers (N is an integer of 3 or greater) which are sequentially located in a direction from the first recording layer toward the surface on which the laser is incident. The plurality of recording layers each have a first calibration area and a second calibration area located outer to the first calibration area.

Abstract: In an information recording medium in which storage capacity per recording layer has increased so much that the size of an SBM varies with those of spare areas, there is mutual dependence between a DDS and an SBM and it is difficult to retrieve disc management information as intended. In an information recording medium according to the present invention, if the largest space is allocated to an user data area, the number of blocks to store a space bitmap is Ni (where Ni?2). But if the smallest space is allocated to the user data area, the number of blocks to use is smaller than Ni.

Abstract: According to the present invention, multiple space bitmaps (SBMs #0 and #1 30) are provided for the user data area of each recording layer. A disc management structure update unit including one of those space bitmaps and a disc definition structure (TDDS 32) and having a size of one block is written on a management information area (TDMA 17). As a result, data including the disc definition structure (TDDS 32) can always be arranged in the first block at the top of the management information area (TDMA 17).

Abstract: A write-once read-many information recording medium is provided, which is capable of easily searching for a latest DDS and a latest defect list. At least one disc management working area is sequentially allocated in a predetermined direction on the write-once read-many information recording medium of the present invention. The latest defect list and the latest DDS are provided in a recorded disc management working area neighboring a border between the recorded disc management working area and an unrecorded disc management working area, where the latest defect list precedes the latest DDS in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A write-once read-many information recording medium is provided, which is capable of easily searching for a latest DDS and a latest defect list. At least one disc management working area is sequentially allocated in a predetermined direction on the write-once read-many information recording medium of the present invention. The latest defect list and the latest DDS are provided in a recorded disc management working area neighboring a border between the recorded disc management working area and an unrecorded disc management working area, where the latest defect list precedes the latest DDS in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: An information recording medium is provided that includes a data area for recording user data and a defect management area for recording a defect list for managing N number of defect areas existing in the data area, where N is an integer satisfying N?0. The defect list includes two or more blocks, and further includes a header located at a fixed position in the defect list and N number of defect entries, located subsequent to the header, including position information on the respective positions of the N number of defect areas. An anchor is located subsequent to the defect entries, and the header includes first update times information representing the number of times that the defect list has been updated. The anchor includes second update times information representing the number of times that the defect list has been updated.

Abstract: If a defective cluster in a spare area is managed with a defect entry, the size of a DFL will increase as the size of the spare area increases with an increase in the number of recording layers stacked in a disc. An information recording medium according to the present invention has pointer information indicating the location of the next available cluster in each spare area, and restricts the direction in which the spare area is used. Also, a defect entry indicating a defective cluster in the spare area is registered with the DFL. Thus, even if the size of the spare area 15 increases, the size of the DFL 21 can be kept relatively small. Furthermore, even after physical reformatting is done, a defective cluster, if any, in the spare area 15 can still be recognized as a defect and the control operation can be performed so that a replacement cluster is not re-allocated to that defective cluster (i.e., the defective cluster is not used).

Abstract: A peripheral region of a display panel includes a signal distribution device (4) for time-dividing and distributing, to output terminals (7), an output signal from a source driver. The signal distribution device (4) includes switching elements (20) for the output terminals (7). Each switching element (20) is controlled by a selection signal supplied to a control line (9) connected with a gate electrode. Each switching element (20) includes a source electrode and the drain electrode each having a comb-like shape having a stem part and branch parts extending therefrom. In at least one switching element (20), only all of or part of the branch parts overlap the control line (9) and a semiconductor layer (10). This suppresses abnormal heat generation of a source driver in a display device including the signal distribution circuit by which an output signal from the source driver is distributed to pixels in time series.

Abstract: Performing sequential recording to alternate destinations of an information recording medium and improving access performance of accessing the information recording medium are achieved by estimating sequential defective areas of the information recording medium based on prescribed conditions, allocating blocks of a spare area as alternate destinations of the defective areas, and performing alternate recording to the allocated alternate destinations, in response to a recording request to record information to the sequential defective areas. The above can be achieved because the use of the alternate destinations will help to prevent a time-out from occurring due to he the defective areas.