Abstract: In an interlayer movement apparatus for moving the focal point of the laser light to an arbitrary layer, there are provided an objective lens which collects the laser light from an optical source, a focus actuator which makes the objective lens move in its optical axis direction, a focus error detection means for detecting the convergent state of the laser light on the information layer of the optical disc, and an interlayer movement control system for making the focal point of the laser light move to an information layer two or more layers apart by controlling the focus actuator according to a relative speed between the information layer of the optical disc and the focal point which was calculated using the time required for the focal point of the laser light passing through the respective layers which was measured on the basis of the output signal of the focus error detection means and the respective interlayer distances which are specified by the optical disc specifications.

Abstract: A process which is performed by a recording/reproducing device configured to irradiate an optical recording medium including a plurality of recording layers with laser light to record and reproduce data, and is for determining at least one of a recording condition at the time of recording user data on any one recording object recording layer of the plurality of recording layers, or a reproducing condition at the time of reproducing the data from the recording object recording layer, where record management data indicating a recorded area on the recording layers is recorded on the optical recording medium. The process includes: acquiring a remaining capacity of a test recording area for each of the recording layers based on the record management data; and determining a recording layer on which test recording is intended to be made based on the remaining capacities of the test recording area acquired for the recording layers.

Abstract: It is an optical disk apparatus that comprises: a laser drive device for outputting a test power larger than a prescribed value in a gap section; an optical pickup for forming a beam spot on a disk and detecting reflected light; a focus error detector for detecting position shift between a recording face of the information recording medium and the beam spot; a focus control device for controlling the position shift; and a focus drive device for driving an objective lens in directions far from and close to the disk, wherein, in the gap section, the focus drive device keeps a focus drive output level of right before the laser drive device outputs the test power, and sets a recording power such that the emitted light power becomes the prescribed value.

Abstract: To provide an interlayer movement apparatus of an optical disc apparatus which can perform the interlayer movement stably even when the interlayer distances of the multi-layer optical disc which are specified by the disc specification are different between the respective layers.

Abstract: A second tracking error detector detects the displacement between the track and the light beam and outputs a second displacement detection result based on the comparison of the reproduction signals between first and second pit strings respectively. A second tracking error controller corrects a target position for push-pull control based on the second displacement detection result. A third tracking error controller calculates a correction data of a first displacement detection result based on the correction amount of the target position by the second tracking error controller, and corrects the first displacement detection result based on the calculated correction data.

Abstract: A focal control adjusting method according to the present invention comprises a first step for detecting a focal error signal obtained through condensing and irradiating a light beam on a rotating recording medium, and a second step for setting a focal control gain for controlling a positional shift between a recording surface of the recording medium and the light beam based on the focal error signal detected in the first step, wherein a result obtained by multiplying the position detection signal (sub light beams) by a preset coefficient is added to the position detection signal (main light beam), and a result of the addition is detected as the focal error signal in the first step, and the coefficient is set in accordance with the focal error signal in the first step.

Abstract: In an optical disc having a multilayer structure in which recording layers are bonded to each other, the number of times additional writing can be performed is increased. A method for controlling an optical disc device according to the present invention comprises steps of calculating a displacement amount generated when the recording layers are bonded to each other; and identifying the size of a recordable area in a non-usable area predetermined on the recording layer based on the displacement amount.

Abstract: There is provided an optical disc drive including a light axis deviation detection means (13) which detects a light axis deviation amount of an emission light, a tilt correction control means (15) which determines and outputs a tilt correction amount on the basis of an output of the light axis deviation detection means (13), a microcomputer (10B) which corrects an output of the tilt correction control means (15) and a warpage of a disc, and an addition means (16) which adds an output of the microcomputer (10B) and the output of the tilt correction control means (15), wherein a tilt actuator (2-9) is driven by an output of the addition means (16) through a tilt drive means (11) to control a tilt of an objective lens which focuses a light beam on the disc.

Abstract: Provided is an optical disk device for performing label recording by irradiating a light beam onto a label recording face of an optical disk, which is at a position different from that of a disk recording face, wherein label recording on the label recording face is performed by using tracking control information of the light beam irradiation which is performed by the optical pickup for the tracks of the disk recording face. Thereby, high-quality label images can be recorded on the label recording face of the optical disk.

Abstract: A tracking controller includes a tracking error detecting section and a tracking control section. The tracking error detecting section generates and outputs a tracking error signal that represents how much the focal point of a light beam has shifted from a target track on a storage medium. The tracking control section generates a drive signal in response to the tracking error signal so as to move the light beam such that the focal point of the light beam is located right on the target track. The gain of at least one of the tracking error signal and the drive signal is switched depending on whether or not the focal point of the light beam is located on a recorded area of the storage medium on which data has already been written.

Abstract: A second tracking error detector detects the displacement between the track and the light beam and outputs a second displacement detection result based on the comparison of the reproduction signals between first and second pit strings respectively. A second tracking error controller corrects a target position for push-pull control based on the second displacement detection result. A third tracking error controller calculates a correction data of a first displacement detection result based on the correction amount of the target position by the second tracking error controller, and corrects the first displacement detection result based on the calculated correction data.

Abstract: It is an optical disk apparatus that comprises: a laser drive device for outputting a test power larger than a prescribed value in a gap section; an optical pickup for forming a beam spot on a disk and detecting reflected light; a focus error detector for detecting position shift between a recording face of the information recording medium and the beam spot; a focus control device for controlling the position shift; and a focus drive device for driving an objective lens in directions far from and close to the disk, wherein, in the gap section, the focus drive device keeps a focus drive output level of right before the laser drive device outputs the test power, and sets a recording power such that the emitted light power becomes the prescribed value.

Abstract: Before data is recorded in an optical disc, an optimum recording power is calculated in an inner peripheral part and in an outer peripheral part of the optical disc based on OPC learning. Before the data is recorded in the optical disc, the optimum recording power is calculated in at least an intermediate part between the inner peripheral part and the outer peripheral part of the optical disc based on the OPC learning. Then, a correlation between position shift amounts in the inner peripheral part, the outer peripheral part and the intermediate part along a radial direction of the optical disc and the optimum recording powers calculated in the respective parts is calculated. The optimum recording power in a current recording part is set based on the correlation when the data is recorded, and laser drive control is executed with the set optimum recording power so that the data is recorded in the optical disc.

Abstract: A focal control adjusting method according to the present invention comprises a first step for detecting a focal error signal obtained through condensing and irradiating a light beam on a rotating recording medium, and a second step for setting a focal control gain for controlling a positional shift between a recording surface of the recording medium and the light beam based on the focal error signal detected in the first step, wherein a result obtained by multiplying the position detection signal (sub light beams) by a preset coefficient is added to the position detection signal (main light beam), and a result of the addition is detected as the focal error signal in the first step, and the coefficient is set in accordance with the focal error signal in the first step.

Abstract: An offset measuring method is for measuring an offset based on an optical beam reflected by an information medium, in a recording and reproduction apparatus including an optical pickup placed on transportation means so as to be driven along a radial direction of the information medium. The method includes the steps of directing an optical beam toward a first measuring position, thereby measuring a first offset amount based on the optical beam reflected at the first measuring position; moving the transportation means by a first distance in a first direction along the radial direction; driving the optical pickup by a second distance, which is equal to the first distance, in a second direction; and directing an optical beam toward a second measuring position, thereby measuring a second offset amount based on the optical beam reflected at the second measuring position.

Abstract: Provided is an optical disk device for performing label recording by irradiating a light beam onto a label recording face of an optical disk, which is at a position different from that of a disk recording face, wherein label recording on the label recording face is performed by using tracking control information of the light beam irradiation which is performed by the optical pickup for the tracks of the disk recording face. Thereby, high-quality label images can be recorded on the label recording face of the optical disk.

Abstract: An improvement of a system for providing more effectively product information has been required. The required improvement can be achieved by a technology, for example, that displays information corresponding to a point message displayed on an automated teller machine on a display unit installed in the proximity of the automated teller machine and displays more detailed information to customers who show any interest. The displayed information preferably corresponds to customer information (such as account number) acquired by the automated teller machine. The system further includes a sensor for detecting the approach of the customer to the display unit and switches display of an info-active screen in accordance with the approach or halt of the customer.

Abstract: A tracking controller includes a tracking error detecting section and a tracking control section. The tracking error detecting section generates and outputs a tracking error signal that represents how much the focal point of a light beam has shifted from a target track on a storage medium. The tracking control section generates a drive signal in response to the tracking error signal so as to move the light beam such that the focal point of the light beam is located right on the target track. The gain of at least one of the tracking error signal and the drive signal is switched depending on whether or not the focal point of the light beam is located on a recorded area of the storage medium on which data has already been written.

Abstract: An offset measuring method is for measuring an offset based on an optical beam reflected by an information medium, in a recording and reproduction apparatus including an optical pickup placed on transportation means so as to be driven along a radial direction of the information medium. The method includes the steps of directing an optical beam toward a first measuring position, thereby measuring a first offset amount based on the optical beam reflected at the first measuring position; moving the transportation means by a first distance in a first direction along the radial direction; driving the optical pickup by a second distance, which is equal to the first distance, in a second direction; and directing an optical beam toward a second measuring position, thereby measuring a second offset amount based on the optical beam reflected at the second measuring position.

Abstract: Optical disks compliant with different standards are recorded or reproduced by a single recording/reproducing apparatus by a first step of determining a substrate thickness of the disk based on a focusing error signal, when a focusing section for bringing the light beam into a focus on the disk is moved in such a way as to approach or withdraw from the recording surface of the disk; a second step of performing any one step of determining the number of recording surfaces of the disk when the focusing section is moved in such a way as to approach or withdraw from the recording surface of the disk, and determining whether or not the disk can be recorded and reproduced using a tracking error signal detected when the light beam crosses the track.