Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus comprises first, second and third light sources to emit light fluxes of wavelength ?1, ?2 and ?3 for conducting recording and/or reproducing information for first, second and third optical information recording mediums having respective protective substrates of thickness t1, t2 and t3 and a diffractive optical element located on a common optical path for the first, second and third light sources. A converged-light spot is formed on the first optical information recording medium with m-th order diffracted-light ray of the wavelength ?1, on the second optical information recording medium with n-th order diffracted-light ray of the wavelength ?2, and on the third optical information recording medium with k-th order diffracted-light ray of the wavelength ?3 generated by the diffractive optical element respectively, wherein one of m, n and k is different from one of other two numbers.

Abstract: A tilt sensor for detecting information related to a tilt of an object to a reference plane is disclosed. The tilt sensor includes a diffraction element disposed that diffracts an incident light at diffraction efficiency depending on the incident angle, and a photo detector that detects a diffraction light diffracted by said diffraction element and outputs an photoelectric signal. Since the diffraction efficiency of the diffraction element changes as the incident angle changes, the intensity of the diffraction light from the diffraction element changes. As a result, the photoelectric signal output from the photo detector contains the information related to the tilt of the object.

Abstract: In the loading of a disc in a slot-in type of disc apparatus, time lag occurs at the time of shift from an operation that manually inserts the disc to an operation that automatically swallows the disc. In order to solve this problem, a switch for detecting the position of a disc at the beginning of insertion thereof and a switch for detecting a position where the loading of the disc has been completed are provided respectively. The modification of control is made so that the disc support arm is driven with a weak electric power from the beginning of the insertion of the disc, and an error caused by time-out is further detected. If the error has been detected, the disc is ejected.

Abstract: There are provided a cache region that stores write data from a host device, storage media, a data storage region for the storage media, and a comparison unit. A first comparison object is generated for N items of write data on the cache region and the N items of write data are transferred to the data storage region. Write data is read from a designated address of the data storage region and this write data is written to the storage media. When N items of write data have been read, a second comparison object is generated in respect of the write data. The comparison unit compares the first comparison object and the second comparison object, and if the result of the comparison is a mismatch, the N items of write data on the cache region are again transferred to the data storage region.

Abstract: An optical disk (D) is provided with multiple grooves (G) and multiple lands (L) alternating with each other. The address data recording regions have a pair of wobbling sections (31a, 31b) formed on both sidewalls of a groove (G) and having an identical phase. Thus, it is possible to obtain push-pull signals having a larger amplitude, which is advantageous for increasing the data recording density.

Abstract: An optical pickup includes a lens holder body having a first surface and a second surface opposing to each other, tracking coils, a focusing coil, and tilt coils which are formed on a pair of flat panels respectively disposed on the first and second surfaces, and first and second magnetic bodies respectively disposed to face the first and second surfaces of the lens holder body and each constituting a planar closed magnetic circuit.

Abstract: A method for storing information, in particular audio signals, received via radio, in particular broadcast radio, the received information being written to a first memory, where the information stored in the first memory is overwritten by newly received information, preferably no later than when the memory capacity of the first memory is exceeded by the sum of the information stored in the first memory, and where in response to a record command all or part of the information present in the first memory is transferred into a second memory. As a result, even when playback of information which is of interest to the user has already begun, the latter can nevertheless record the entire information unit, for example the whole piece of music, part of which has already been played back, in its entirety right from the beginning.

Abstract: A recording medium, such as a high-density and/or read-only recording medium, such as BD-ROM, which includes copy protection information for preventing illegal copying of the contents recorded on the recording medium, and to methods and apparatuses for forming, recording, and reproducing data on the recording medium.

Abstract: A disc with a temporary defect management information area and a defect management area includes a defect management area that is present in at least one of a lead-in area, a lead-out area, and an outer area, a temporary defect information area which is formed in the data area and in which temporary defect information is recorded, and a temporary defect management information area which is present in at least one of the lead-in area, and the lead-out area. Accordingly, it is possible to record user data in a recordable disc, especially, a write-once disc, while performing defect management thereon, thereby enabling efficient use of a defect management area having a limited recording capacity.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium of the present invention includes a thin film section made up of one or more thin film, the thin film section being provided on a substrate. Thin films of the thin film section include a single optical multiple interference film which incites optical multiple interference in a thin film section, the optical multiple interference being incited by the change of complex refractive index in accordance with the intensity of incident light. Also, the composition and thickness of the optical multiple interference film are arranged in such a manner as to cause the wavelength distribution of the reflectance of the thin film section at room temperatures to have a minimum value within wavelengths of ±80 nm of the incident light for reproduction. With this, the design freedom of the optical multiple interference film which realizes super-resolution reproduction with a reduced effective reproduction spot is significantly increased.

Abstract: An optical storage disc has portions for storing pre-recorded or mastered information and portions for storing user writable information, where the mastered portion and the writable portions have different storage capacities or areal data densities. During manufacture, a substrate is formed with a sequence of bumps to represent the mastered information and a series of grooves and lands, where information can later be written on the lands. A phase-change material is deposited over the substrate, the phase-change material changing both physical structure and optical constants when written to, e.g., by a laser.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an operation of recording data employed in an optical storage system is disclosed. The apparatus has a sampling-and-holding circuit, an operational amplifier, a plurality of gain amplifiers, and a plurality of switches. The apparatus operates under a short-term open mode, a long-term open mode, and a closed-loop mode sequentially in response to control signals and close/open statuses of the switches. A write-control signal is initialized by using a virtual ground effect within the short-term mode. In the long-term mode, the write-control signal is charged to a voltage level suitable for recording data onto a compact disk, while the charged write-control signal is employed to record data on the compact disk within the closed-loop mode.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method for reducing undesirable skipping during playback of a compact disc in a compact disc player. A lens system of the compact disc player reads audio data and subcode data from the compact disc. The subcode data includes Q channel bits and P channel bits. The actual time lapse of the compact disc playback is calculated from the Q channel bits and the P channel bits, while a target time lapse is calculated based on data received from a real-time clock. The difference between the two time lapse values is calculated, and if the differences is greater than a predetermined threshold, the lens system is repositioned to read the audio data from the compact disc corresponding to a predetermined time interval in advance of the current position of the lens system.

Abstract: A recordable information storage medium having a plurality of information recording layers, where each of the information recording layers of the recordable information storage medium has a plurality of information recording layers each including a lead-in area, a user data area, a lead-out area, and a dedicated area for a drive. The amount of user data to be recorded is divided to allot the data area having the same capacity on each of the information recording layers.

Abstract: A memory that includes a controller and a media including first information is provided. A first read/write mechanism is provided including an electron emitter configured to read the first information. The controller is configured to receive a first signal generated in response to the first information being read and generate a second signal configured to cause a position of the media to be adjusted relative to the electron field emitter in response to the first signal.

Abstract: A recordable information storage medium having a plurality of information recording layers, where each of the information recording layers of the recordable information storage medium has a plurality of information recording layers each including a lead-in area, a user data area, a lead-out area, and a dedicated area for a drive. The amount of user data to be recorded is divided to allot the data area having the same capacity on each of the information recording layers.

Abstract: A recordable information storage medium having a plurality of information recording layers, where each of the information recording layers of the recordable information storage medium has a plurality of information recording layers each including a lead-in area, a user data area, a lead-out area, and a dedicated area for a drive. The amount of user data to be recorded is divided to allot the data area having the same capacity on each of the information recording layers.

Abstract: A recordable information storage medium having a plurality of information recording layers, where each of the information recording layers of the recordable information storage medium has a plurality of information recording layers each including a lead-in area, a user data area, a lead-out area, and a dedicated area for a drive. The amount of user data to be recorded is divided to allot the data area having the same capacity on each of the information recording layers.

Abstract: A recordable information storage medium having a plurality of information recording layers, where each of the information recording layers of the recordable information storage medium has a plurality of information recording layers each including a lead-in area, a user data area, a lead-out area, and a dedicated area for a drive. The amount of user data to be recorded is divided to allot the data area having the same capacity on each of the information recording layers.

Abstract: An optical recording medium has spirally or concentrically formed tracks and capable of an optical recording. The optical recording medium includes a data recording and reproducing area divided into a plurality of zones in the radial direction. One zone is divided into a plurality of sectors respectively having an address area including pits having address information and a data are in which data is only present in grooves. The number of sectors forming each zone is different. An optical disc is formed so that an average reflectance Iadd of the address part and an average reflectance Idata of the data part satisfy a relation expressed by 0.7?(Iadd/Idata)?1.3 or 0.8?(Iadd/Idata)?1.2.