Abstract: A reproduction apparatus for an optical recording medium that has a convex pit recording layer, in which pits are formed in a convex shape viewed from a laser incidence side, and a concave pit recording layer, in which pits are formed in a concave shape viewed from the laser incidence side, as recording layers in which data is recorded by pit strings, the pits being formed with a depth that is set in a range of ?/4.5 to ?/6 with respect to a laser wavelength ?, including: an optical head section that irradiates laser beams on the recording layers and detects reflected light information to read out information recorded in the recording layers; a tracking error signal generating section that generates a tracking signal; a polarity switching section that switches a polarity of the tracking error signal; and a tracking servo section that performs a tracking servo operation.

Abstract: An optical recording medium which has an enhanced appearance or an enhanced design performance while computer data are recorded and a reproduction apparatus and method in which the optical recording medium is used are disclosed. When computer data are recorded on the optical recording medium on which recording data are recorded as interference fringes formed through interference of object light of images with reference light, related information of the recording data is recorded in a state wherein it can be recognized through the visual sense of the user.

Abstract: An optical disc (200) according to the present invention has a recording area divided into 28 zones of from a zone Z0 to a zone Z27. In a given zone, the number of waves of a wobble is set so as to be equal, that is, the number of waves of the ADIP carrier is set so as to be equal, between optional two neighboring turns of the track or between optional two neighboring tracks. This achieves inphase-outphase matching on an average, for decreasing a WPP signal, so that such an optical disc may be provided in which no low frequency components are superposed on push-pull signals, even though the optical disc is of such a type in which the track pitch is narrower than 1.6 ?m, such as 1.25 ?m, or in which a mark is detected by DWDD from a groove, as in the case of the next generation MD2.

Abstract: A magneto-optical disk having a small-sized diameter and a large capacity and able to record and reproduce disk discrimination information, and a recording method and a reproducing method of the same, wherein a recording layer including a main recording region in which a first information is recorded, a sub recording region in which a second information including the disk discrimination information is recorded, and a buffer region formed between the main recording region and the sub recording region and in which a third information is recorded is provided on a substrate, the second information is recorded by a mark array formed in stripe shapes in the sub recording region and the buffer region, a plurality of marks constituting the mark array are obtained by changing the magnetization state of the recording layer, and the third information is reproduced by a modulation signal of a reflection ratio along a circumferential direction of the disk.

Abstract: A recording medium is provided wherein type determination and writing possibility determination is enabled for various types of disks. Opening and closing structure functions to open and close a detection hole of a cartridge. The structure forms a plane substantially horizontal level with a reference plane of the cartridge at a position of a detection hole when the detection hole is in a closed state. The cartridge has at least a first detection hole and a second detection hole formed therein. The second detection hole (H1) is opened and closed by the opening and closing structure, and the first detection hole (H0) is in an open state at all times.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a modulation apparatus and method in which the modulation apparatus is realized with a simple circuit structure and is easily applicable to other systems. A pattern conversion unit 32 converts data having a basic data length of 2 bits supplied from a DSV control bit determination and insertion unit 31 into a variable-length code having a basic code length of 3 bits in accordance with a conversion table. A minimum-run-length limitation code detection unit 33 detects, from a data sequence containing a DSV control bit, the position of minimum runs consecutive from a channel bit string converted by the pattern conversion unit 32. A consecutive-minimum-run replacement unit 34 replaces a predetermined portion of the channel bit string supplied from the pattern conversion unit 32 for a predetermined pattern based on the position information supplied from the minimum-run-length limitation code detection unit 33, and limits the minimum run length to a predetermined number or less.

Abstract: A disc drive apparatus is provided which determines a recording medium enabling type and recordability for various types of discs. The discs are housed in a cartridge and each cartridge has at least a first and second detection hole formed therein. The second detection hole (H1) is variably opened and closed by an opening/closing device, and the first detection hole (H0) is in an open state at all times. The disc drive apparatus determines the disc type using a light signal reflected from the loaded recording medium. The disc drive apparatus also determines disc determining parameters (for example, recordability of a disc) based on information received about the disc type and the open/closed state of one or more detection holes formed in the cartridge.

Abstract: An optical recording medium which has an enhanced appearance or an enhanced design performance while computer data are recorded and a reproduction apparatus and method in which the optical recording medium is used are disclosed. When computer data are recorded on the optical recording medium on which recording data are recorded as interference fringes formed through interference of object light of images with reference light, related information of the recording data is recorded in a state wherein it can be recognized through the visual sense of the user.

Abstract: A system is disclosed wherein a content is distributed without using a network. The distributed content is acquired and reproduced by a content acquisition apparatus.

Abstract: An information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing information to and from a magneto-optical storage medium that includes a first magnetic layer for recording at least information, a second magnetic layer for regulating a switched connective force, and a third magnetic layer for shifting a magnetic wall of recorded markings for information reproduction. The three layers being stacked on a transparent substrate to make up the storage medium. The information recording/reproducing apparatus includes an optical head and a magnetic head. The optical head has a light source and an objective lens, the light source is configured to emit at least a laser beam with a wavelength of about 780 nm, the objective lens having a numerical aperture of about 0.45 and is configured to focus the laser beam from the light source into a beam spot for emission onto the magneto-optical storage medium. The magnetic head is for applying a recording magnetic field to the magneto-optical storage medium.

Abstract: An optical disc (200) according to the present invention has a recording area divided into 28 zones of from a zone Z0 to a zone Z27. In a given zone, the number of waves of a wobble is set so as to be equal, that is, the number of waves of the ADIP carrier is set so as to be equal, between optional two neighboring turns of the track or between optional two neighboring tracks. This achieves inphase-outphase matching on an average, for decreasing a WPP signal, so that such an optical disc may be provided in which no low frequency components are superposed on push-pull signals, even though the optical disc is of such a type in which the track pitch is narrower than 1.6 ?m, such as 1.25 ?m, or in which a mark is detected by DWDD from a groove, as in the case of the next generation MD2.

Abstract: An optical disc (200) according to the present invention has a recording area divided into 28 zones of from a zone Z0 to a zone Z27. In a given zone, the number of waves of a wobble is set so as to be equal, that is, the number of waves of the ADIP carrier is set so as to be equal, between optional two neighboring turns of the track or between optional two neighboring tracks. This achieves inphase-outphase matching on an average, for decreasing a WPP signal, so that such an optical disc may be provided in which no low frequency components are superposed on push-pull signals, even though the optical disc is of such a type in which the track pitch is narrower than 1.6 ?m, such as 1.25 ?m, or in which a mark is detected by DWDD from a groove, as in the case of the next generation MD2.

Abstract: A recording medium enabling type determination and writing possibility determination for various types of disks. Opening and closing means for opening and closing a detection hole of a cartridge forms a plane substantially horizontal level with a reference plane of the cartridge at a position of the detection hole when the detection hole is in a closed state. The cartridge has at least a first detection hole and a second detection hole formed therein. The second detection hole (H1) is opened and closed by the opening and closing means, and the first detection hole (H0) is in an open state at all times. A disk drive apparatus or a disk determining method determines, together with a disk type, determining information contents (for example writing possibility) based on one or a plurality of detection holes formed in the cartridge, on the basis of an open/closed state of the detection hole and a result of the disk type using a signal based on reflected light from the loaded recording medium.

Abstract: A modulation apparatus and method for more accurately determining a value of a control bit to be inserted into a data sequence and digital sum value (DSV) control bit generating method in which a data conversion unit supplies modulation-delimiter information including information regarding delimiters of modulation of a data sequence based on a conversion table to a modulation-delimiter detecting unit and supplies to a valid-delimiter detecting unit a DSV-segment-delimiter signal including information regarding a delimiter position of a DSV segment of the data sequence having the DSV control bit. The modulation-delimiter detecting unit detects modulation-delimiter positions based on the modulation-delimiter information supplied thereto and supplies a modulation-delimiter signal to the valid-delimiter detecting unit.

Abstract: A modulation apparatus and method for more accurately determining a value of a control bit to be inserted into a data sequence and digital sum value (DSV) control bit generating method in which a data conversion unit supplies modulation-delimiter information including information regarding delimiters of modulation of a data sequence based on a conversion table to a modulation-delimiter detecting unit and supplies to a valid-delimiter detecting unit a DSV-segment-delimiter signal including information regarding a delimiter position of a DSV segment of the data sequence having the DSV control bit. The modulation-delimiter detecting unit detects modulation-delimiter positions based on the modulation-delimiter information supplied thereto and supplies a modulation-delimiter signal to the valid-delimiter detecting unit.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus for an optical recording medium that has a convex pit recording layer, in which pits are formed in a convex shape viewed from a laser incidence side, and a concave pit recording layer, in which pits are formed in a concave shape viewed from the laser incidence side, as recording layers in which data is recorded by pit strings, the pits being formed with a depth that is set in a range of ?/4.5 to ?/6 with respect to a laser wavelength ?, including: an optical head section that irradiates laser beams on the recording layers and detects reflected light information to read out information recorded in the recording layers; a tracking error signal generating section that generates a tracking signal; a polarity switching section that switches a polarity of the tracking error signal; and a tracking servo section that performs a tracking servo operation.

Abstract: A modulation apparatus and method for more accurately determining a value of a control bit to be inserted into a data sequence and digital sum value (DSV) control bit generating method in which a data conversion unit supplies modulation-delimiter information including information regarding delimiters of modulation of a data sequence based on a conversion table to a modulation-delimiter detecting unit and supplies to a valid-delimiter detecting unit a DSV-segment-delimiter signal including information regarding a delimiter position of a DSV segment of the data sequence having the DSV control bit. The modulation-delimiter detecting unit detects modulation-delimiter positions based on the modulation-delimiter information supplied thereto and supplies a modulation-delimiter signal to the valid-delimiter detecting unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a modulation apparatus and method and a DSV-control-bit generating method for suppressing an increase in circuit size of the modulation apparatus. When an input data stream is supplied to a DSV control bit determination unit 31, the DSV control bit determination unit 31 determines a DSV control bit to be inserted into the input data stream. Upon supplying the input data stream to the DSV control bit determination unit 31, the input data stream is simultaneously supplied to a delay processor 32. The input data stream is delayed for a predetermined delay time and supplied to a determined-DSV-control-bit insertion unit 33. The determined-DSV-control-bit insertion unit 33 inserts the DSV control bit determined by the DSV control bit determination unit 31 into a predetermined position of the input data stream supplied by the delay means and supplies the input data stream containing the DSV control bit to a modulator 34.

Abstract: A modulation apparatus and method for more accurately determining a value of a control bit to be inserted into a data sequence and digital sum value (DSV) control bit generating method in which a data conversion unit supplies modulation-delimiter information including information regarding delimiters of modulation of a data sequence based on a conversion table to a modulation-delimiter detecting unit and supplies to a valid-delimiter detecting unit a DSV-segment-delimiter signal including information regarding a delimiter position of a DSV segment of the data sequence having the DSV control bit. The modulation-delimiter detecting unit detects modulation-delimiter positions based on the modulation-delimiter information supplied thereto and supplies a modulation-delimiter signal to the valid-delimiter detecting unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a modulation apparatus and method for more accurately determining a value of a control bit to be inserted into a data sequence, and to a DSV-control-bit generating method. A 1-7 PP data conversion unit 52 supplies modulation-delimiter information including information regarding delimiters of modulation of a data sequence based on a conversion table based on Table 3 to a modulation-delimiter detecting unit 81, and supplies to a valid-delimiter detecting unit 81 a DSV-segment-delimiter signal including information regarding a delimiter position of a DSV segment of the data sequence including the DSV control bit inserted. The modulation-delimiter detecting unit 81 detects modulation-delimiter positions based on the modulation-delimiter information supplied thereto, and supplies a modulation-delimiter signal to the valid-delimiter detecting unit 82.