Abstract: The length of a format modulation area in an address segment is limited to be 25% of the address-segment length or less, and the position of the format modulation area is selectable two possible positions. Subsequently, where a CLV optical-disk medium is used, wobble modulation areas in adjacent recording tracks do not overlap each other in the radius direction.

Abstract: A data recording head having at least two waveguides that are energy-coupled. The first waveguide is end fire coupled to a radiant energy source of a first spot size, and the second waveguide outputs radiant energy of a second spot size onto a recording medium. The width of the first waveguide is larger than the width of the second waveguide, or the first spot size is larger than the second spot size. The recording also includes a cladding layer and/or a diffraction grating for mode index matching between the first and second waveguides. The second waveguide includes a solid immersion optical element to focus the output radiant energy. In one embodiment, the data recording head includes a write element to effect magnetic data recording, and the first and second waveguides are configured relative to the write element and supported relative to the recording medium to effect heat assisted magnetic recording.

Abstract: A multilevel information recording apparatus is disclosed, which includes a control unit that inputs signals to a strategy generating unit and a laser drive unit based on the multilevel information being recorded, a signal indicating the playback and recording state, and a clock signal indicating the cell frequency that is in synch with the multilevel information. The strategy generating unit generates a pulse signal in accordance with the timing of the laser beam emission of a write pulse, an off pulse, a bias pulse, and a space pulse based on the signal from the control unit and the clock signal. The laser drive unit determines the driving current of a laser light source based on a delayed playback signal/delayed recording signal that is obtained by delaying the playback signal/recording signal for a processing time of the strategy generating unit, a pulse signal from the strategy generating unit indicating the emission timing of the pulses, and an intensity signal predetermined for each pulse.

Abstract: The present invention is a folder indexing method that defines a format for storage and playback of digital audio files to support a specialized song selection access method. Access codes used to select media files for playback of music in a digital audio player, such as a juke box, are entered using track selection keys bearing the characters associated with the various access codes. At the software level, the track selection keys are assigned index values. Index values are used to locate a selected individual folder, but each individual folder uniquely stores only one media file. Preferably, folder names are only used for the purpose of alpha sorting folders so that index values can be used to count to a selected folder rather than searching for a term in a folder name. Multiple folder levels can be located using this method, but only the last folder level contains media files.

Abstract: A write once disc includes a defect management area that is present in at least one of a lead-in area and a lead-out area; a temporary defect management area that is present in at least one of the lead-in area and the lead-out area; and a drive & disc information area that is present in at least one of the lead-in area and the lead-out area. Information regarding the locations of temporary defect information and temporary defect management information is recorded in the drive & disc information area, the temporary defect information and temporary defect management information, which includes drive & disc information, are recorded in the temporary defect management area, and temporary defect information and temporary defect management information, which are lastly recorded in the temporary defect management area, are recorded in the defect management area for disc finalization.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical recording medium having a plurality of recording layers having different uses. The optical recording medium includes a first light transmitting layer (32); a layer (31) composed of an organic dye for recording and reading data by an optical beam of a first wavelength incident through the first light transmitting layer (32) and transmitting an optical beam of a second wavelength incident through the first light transmitting layer (32); a second light transmitting layer (34) for transmitting the optical beam of the second wavelength incident through the layer (31) composed of the organic dye; and a reflecting layer (331) for reflecting the optical beam of the second wavelength incident through the second light transmitting layer (34).

Abstract: In a disc playback apparatus for playing back audio signals recorded on a disc medium, a system controller detects a channel format of the audio signals that can be outputted from the playback apparatus. When content is recorded on a disc so as to be played back in a channel format other than the player channel format, it is not played back.

Abstract: A groove is formed on a master disc. The groove is formed substantially along a spiral standard locus, but a groove position is displaced in a direction crossing the standard locus according to record data. The wobble is determined from a wobble signal. A wobble is formed such that an average value of displacement of the groove position with the standard locus as a reference is zero for each predetermined data unit.

Abstract: A CD player for use with a CD having prerecorded thereon a series of tunes or tracks together with track numbers, and with a TOC which lists the prerecorded tunes with their starting addresses but, conventionally, with no ending addresses. The CD player comprises a RAM for storing the TOC read on the CD, a CPU for permitting the user to edit the TOC, and a preprogrammed RAM. After being stored on the RAM, the TOC from the disk is modified to include the ending addresses of the prerecorded tunes in addition to their starting addresses. The thus modified TOC is editable by the user for playback of any desired tune or tunes, either in part or in whole and in any desired order, permitting the customization of disk playback in a far more diversified way than heretofore.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and a system to read and buffer an audio data file from an optical storage medium into a buffer memory. The data file comprises blocks sequentially stored in the medium. Each block comprises a subcode block with encoded subcodes and a corresponding main data block with encoded audio data. The method first designates a starting block where buffering starts and searches for the starting block in the blocks. After the starting block is searched, trigger a main data block decoding procedure to decode the starting block and main data blocks in later blocks. According to the timing when the main data block decoding procedure is triggered, decide the timing to trigger buffering the decoded subcodes to the buffer memory. Therefore, the subcodes and corresponding audio data belonging to the same block before decoding can be buffered into the same buffer unit after decoding.

Abstract: Optical medium identification codes, such as the ATIP start codes used for CD-R optical media, are preassigned by optical medium manufacturer for association with planned optical media of the manufacturer. Optical disc drive manufacturers build optical disc drives having the preassigned optical medium identification codes in write strategy tables even though the optical disc drives are manufactured and sold before release and development of write strategies for the planned optical media. General write strategies associated with the preassigned optical medium identification codes provide more rapid write speeds for optical media having preassigned codes than for optical media having unknown identification codes by basing the preassigned write strategies on planned optical media design parameters, such as similarities with existing optical media of the manufacturer.

Abstract: An embodiment of a read mechanism used in a contact atomic resolution storage system, has a cantilever disposed with a medium which is movable relative to the cantilever. The cantilever has a probe which extends from the cantilever and which contacts a surface of the medium. A pod is formed on a side of the cantilever facing the medium and extends toward the media. A sensor element is formed on the pod so as to juxtapose the 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: A compact and light flying head type magneto-optical head apparatus is provided. The magneto-optical head apparatus (1) of the present invention comprises a suspension (12) whose one end is fixed to a lower surface of an arm (11), a slider (13) fixed to a free end of the suspension (12), and a magnetic modulation coil (14) and an object lens (15) mounted on the slider (13). The slider (13) mounted with the magnetic modulation coil (14) and the object lens (15) floats due to a wind pressure caused by rotation of an MO disk (3). The magneto-optical head apparatus (1) is further provided with a collimeter lens (21) between a light source (71) and the object lens (15) in a hybrid optical apparatus (7) provided to the arm (11), and a position of the collimeter lens (21) can be adjusted vertically along an optical axis O-O by a collimeter actuator (23), so that optical conditions between the light source (71) and the object lens (15) are improved.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting a signal to determine on-track/off-track and/or a track cross direction, using a detection signal corresponding to a reflected main light beam and detection signals respectively corresponding to reflected first and second sub light beams, and an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus using the same are provided. When detection signals respectively corresponding to one side portions, in a direction corresponding to a radial direction of the optical information storage medium, of the respective main light beam and first and second sub light beams are referred to as a first main signal, a first sub signal, and a second sub signal, respectively, the method and apparatus include obtaining a first operational signal, which is used to determine on-track/off-track and/or a track cross direction, by performing a subtraction on the combination of the first and second sub signals, and the first main signal.

Abstract: An optical recording medium 10 on which recording/reproducing or reproducing is performed by irradiating a light by means of an objective lens 4 having a numerical aperture equal to or more than 1 wherein an optical recording portion 2 is provided at least at the outer most surface at the irradiation side of the optical recording medium 10 and a relation n?NA is selected when the refractive index of the recording portion 2 is n and the numerical aperture of the objective lens 4 is NA. Accordingly, it can propose an optical recording medium and an optical recording/reproducing method suitable for a near-field optical recording method which uses an objective lens having a numerical aperture equal to or more than 1.

Abstract: There are provided parts where respective addresses of grooves on both sides of a land are identical to each other, and selection marks indicating validity of the parts are disposed. The selection marks determines the validity by taking advantage of the fact that there occurs a difference in wobble waveform in the land between a case of wobble data of the grooves on both sides of the land are identical and a case of the wobble data differ from each other. In this case, the wobble address method having an advantageous format efficiency can be used in combination with land/groove recording capable of narrowing down tracks, so that a reproduction method using a large capacity optical disc capable of high-density recording can be implemented.

Abstract: An optical pickup used to record information on and/or reproduce information from an optical recording medium, the optical pickup including an optical module to emit a light beam; and a front photo-detector to monitor power of the light beam; wherein the optical module is coupled to the front photo-detector so that a fixed distance is maintained between the optical module and the front photo-detector.

Abstract: An evaluation method for calculating an identification signal by using PRML, comprises a table storing true patterns and ideal signals thereof, false patterns corresponding to the true patterns and ideal signals thereof, and Euclidean distance between the true pattern and the false pattern, a calculating unit, when a recording signal synchronized with an identification signal coincides with any pattern of the table, calculates a distance between Euclidean distance between the ideal signal of the true pattern and a reproduction signal and Euclidean distance between the ideal signal of the false pattern and a reproduction signal, and an evaluation unit which evaluates an identification signal by using an average and standard deviation of difference. A table for patterns is created for a likely mistaken pattern, whereby calculating an evaluation value with high precision, of a signal quality, with a small amount of calculation.

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.