1. An information recording medium comprising at least a substrate, and a recording layer,
wherein said substrate is formed with a read only area and a recordingreproducing area, and wherein said read only area and said recordingreproducing area do not overlap with each other, and
wherein said recordingreproducing area is composed of a groove and a land, and
wherein a reflectivity of said recording layer is more than 10%, and
wherein said recording layer and said resin layer are formed continuously over at least two areas of said read only area and said recordingreproducing area, and
wherein a push-pull signal output T1 reproduced from said read only area is more than 0.1 and another push-pull signal output T2 reproduced from said recordingreproducing area is more than 0.1, and wherein 1.5\u2267T1T2\u22670.5, and
wherein said groove is wobbled in a width of wobbling within a range of 0.009 \u03bcm to 0.017 \u03bcm.
2. A reproducing method for reproducing an information recording medium comprising at least a substrate, and a recording layer,
wherein said substrate is formed with a read only area and a recordingreproducing area, and wherein said read only area and said recordingreproducing area do not overlap with each other, and
wherein said recordingreproducing area is composed of a groove and a land, and
wherein a reflectivity of said recording layer is more than 10%, and
wherein said recording layer and said resin layer are formed continuously over at least two areas of said read only area and said recordingreproducing area, and
wherein a push-pull signal output T1 reproduced from said read only area is more than 0.1 and another push-pull signal output T2 reproduced from said recordingreproducing area is more than 0.1, and wherein 1.5\u2267T1T2\u22670.5, and
wherein said groove is wobbled in a width of wobbling within a range of 0.009 \u03bcm to 0.017 \u03bcm,
said reproducing method characterized in that
reproducing is conducted by irradiating a laser beam on said recording layer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-33. (canceled)
34. Apparatus for storing energy, comprising:
a high pressure storage vessel for receiving a high pressure gas, the high pressure storage vessel comprising a high pressure heat store for receiving thermal energy from the high pressure gas;
wherein the high pressure storage vessel is configured for connection to a gas store for storing pressurised gas after exposure to the high pressure heat store or to gas processing equipment for receiving pressurised gas after exposure to the high pressure heat store;
wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a low pressure storage vessel comprising a low pressure heat store for receiving thermal energy from a low pressure gas, the low pressure storage vessel being selectively connectable to the high pressure storage vessel; and
gas transfer equipment for transferring gas at low pressure between the high pressure storage vessel and the low pressure storage vessel, wherein stored thermal energy is transferred between the high pressure heat store and the low pressure heat store by passing the low pressure gas between the high pressure storage vessel and the low pressure storage vessel.
35. (canceled)
36. Apparatus according to claim 34, further comprising an expander for reducing pressure of gas stored in the high pressure storage vessel prior to connection to the low pressure storage vessel, and wherein the energy of expansion is recoverable by the apparatus.
37. (canceled)
38. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the apparatus is configured to increase the pressure of gas stored in the high pressure storage vessel after disconnection of the high pressure storage vessel from the low pressure storage vessel.
39. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the apparatus comprises a further high pressure storage vessel for receiving high pressure gas, the further high pressure storage vessel being connectable to the gas store or the gas processing equipment via a connection between the high pressure storage vessel and the gas store and comprising a further high pressure heat store for receiving thermal energy from gas.
40. Apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the first-mentioned high pressure storage vessel and further high pressure storage vessel are configured to be alternately chargeable.
41. Apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the apparatus is configured to substantially continuously supply gas to the alternately chargeable first-mentioned high pressure storage vessel and further high pressure storage vessel.
42. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the apparatus comprises a further low pressure storage vessel comprising a further low pressure heat store for receiving thermal energy from gas.
43. Apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the further low pressure storage vessel is selectively connectable to at least one of the first-defined or the further high pressure storage vessel.
44. Apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the apparatus is configured to charge the first-mentioned and further low pressure heat store in series.
45. Apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the apparatus is configured to charge the first-mentioned and further low pressure heat store in parallel.
46. Apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the first-mentioned low pressure storage vessel maintains gas at a first pressure and the further low pressure storage vessel maintains gas at a second pressure different to the first pressure.
47-50. (canceled)
51. Apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the apparatus comprises at least two yet further high pressure storage vessels for receiving high pressure gas, each yet further high pressure storage vessel being connectable to the gas store or the gas processing equipment via the connection and comprising a yet further high pressure heat store for receiving thermal energy from gas.
52. Apparatus according to claim 51, wherein the apparatus is operable in a charging mode in which at any one time: one of the high pressure storage vessels is being charged with gas; one of the high pressure storage vessels contains gas having its pressure reduced; one of the high pressure storage vessels contains gas being transferred between the high pressure storage vessel and the low pressure storage vessel by the gas transfer equipment; and one of the high pressure storage vessels contains gas having its pressure increased.
53. Apparatus according to claim 52, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one yet further high pressure storage vessel for receiving high pressure gas, the at least one yet further high pressure storage vessel being connectable to the gas store or the gas processing equipment via the connection and comprising a yet further high pressure heat storage means store for receiving thermal energy from gas.
54. Apparatus according to claim 53, wherein the apparatus is operable in a charging mode to transfer low pressure gas from the first-mentioned and further high pressure storage vessels at the same time, each at a lower rate of transfer than the apparatus is configured to receive high pressure gas.
55. Apparatus according to claim 53, wherein the apparatus is operable in a discharging mode to transfer low pressure gas to the first-mentioned and further high pressure storage vessels at the same time, each at a lower rate of transfer than the apparatus is configured to discharge high pressure gas.
56. (canceled)
57. Apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the first-mentioned low pressure storage vessel or further low pressure storage vessel stores gas at substantially atmospheric pressure.
58. A method of storing and subsequently retrieving energy, comprising:
during a charge phase:
receiving a heated high pressure gas
transferring the high pressure gas to a gas store or gas processing equipment via a high pressure storage vessel comprising a high pressure heat store for receiving thermal energy from the gas;
transferring gas from the high storage vessel at low pressure between the high pressure storage vessel and a low pressure storage vessel comprising a low pressure heat store for receiving thermal energy from gas, wherein thermal energy stored by the high pressure heat store is transferred to the low pressure heat store by low pressure gas passing between the high pressure storage vessel and the low pressure storage vessel; and
during a discharge phase:
transferring gas between the low pressure storage vessel and the high pressure storage vessel at low pressure, wherein thermal energy stored by the low pressure heat store is transferred to the high pressure heat storage means store by low pressure gas passing between the low pressure storage vessel and the high pressure storage vessel;
subsequently passing gas at high pressure through the high pressure storage vessel to expose the high pressure gas to the high pressure heat store; and
expanding the heated high pressure gas.
59. A method according to claim 58, wherein gas is transferred cyclically between the high pressure storage vessel and the low pressure storage vessel during the charge phase, or is transferred cyclically between the low pressure storage vessel and the high pressure storage vessel during the discharge phase.
60. (canceled)
61. A method of storing and subsequently retrieving energy, comprising:
during a charge phase;
receiving a heated low pressure gas;
passing the low pressure gas through a low pressure storage vessel comprising a low pressure heat store for receiving thermal energy from the gas; and
during a discharge phase:
transferring gas from the low pressure storage vessel at low pressure between the low pressure storage vessel and a high pressure storage vessel comprising a high pressure store for receiving thermal energy from the gas, wherein thermal energy stored by the low pressure heat store is transferred to the high pressure heat store by low pressure gas passing between the low pressure storage vessel and the high pressure storage vessel;
subsequently passing gas at high pressure through the high pressure storage vessel to expose the gas to the high pressure heat store; and
expanding the heated high pressure gas.