Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided to manage the replication of contest recording media by assigning unique identifiers for content and media, and manage a database of records corresponding to the unique identifiers which include information related to the use of the unique identifiers. In addition, methods and apparatuses are provided for responding to content copy authorization requests, and are synergistically integrated with media replication management methods and apparatuses by using the same database of records corresponding to unique identifiers as a basis for such responses.

Abstract: A burst cutting area of an optical recording disc includes a BCA mark comprising a plurality of pits over which a reflective layer is formed. The plurality of pits may be arrayed according to a pit pattern specifying a predetermined nominal positional relationship between adjacent pits. The pit pattern may comprise microstripes which include one pit per pit track and most adjacent pits in adjacent pit tracks. A direction between adjacent pits within each of the microstripes may correspond to a nominal microstripe direction which may form an angle with a pit track direction within a range of 45° to 135°.

Abstract: A tracking error detection device for an optical disk apparatus comprises a detecting unit which includes at least two detectors and detects a reflected light from a series of pits formed on an optical disk, a phase comparing unit which detects a phase difference of outputs of the at least two detectors, and a low-pass filter which smoothes an output of the phase comparing unit, a cut-off frequency of the low-pass filter being higher than a frequency at which a spectrum of a modulation code recorded in the optical disk becomes ?10 dB and lower than a frequency at which the spectrum of the modulation code recorded in the optical disk becomes ?5 dB.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical head device and an optical disk unit using the same. The optical head device includes a relay lens control unit to control at least one of lenses of a relay lens unit based on an output signal outputted from a first optical detector and a power control circuit to control an intensity of a light beam emits from a light source.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus has an equalizing filter which performs partial response equalization of a detection signal detected by a detecting section and which outputs an equalized signal, a variable gain amplifier which corrects the potential of the equalized signal in accordance with a correction amount determined in accordance with a plurality of reference levels that are used for maximum-likelihood decoding and a plurality of peak levels in a histogram of equalized signals corresponding to the plurality of reference levels, and a maximum-likelihood decoder which performs the maximum-likelihood decoding by referencing the reference levels, in accordance with the equalized signal that has been corrected. The apparatus controls the signal amplitude of the equalized signal to an appropriate value, thereby implementing high-reliable decoding processing.

Abstract: An information storage medium according to an embodiment of this invention includes a wobble track whose wobble period is modulated by multi-frequency shift keying corresponding to playback control information, wherein the playback control information contains header data and address data, and the header data contains a VFO area formed from a predetermined frequency.

Abstract: An information storage medium according to an embodiment of this invention includes a wobbled groove having a wobble period modulated by multi-frequency shift keying corresponding to playback control information.

Abstract: There is provided an information reproducing device which outputs an equalization signal P by applying equalization processing to a signal detected from a storage medium based on equalization coefficients C0 to CN, outputs a decoding signal d by applying maximum likelihood decoding processing based on reference levels R0 to R6, generates an ideal waveform signal I based on the equalization signal, and has a target waveform generator which generates a target waveform signal T by changing at least one level of the ideal waveform signal I, wherein erroneous decoding is reduced by optimizing reproduction processing parameters such as the equalization coefficients C0 to CN or the reference levels R0 to R6 based on the target waveform signal T and the information on the storage medium is stably reproduced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical head device and an optical disk unit using the same. The optical head device includes a relay lens control unit to control at least one of lenses of a relay lens unit based on an output signal outputted from a first optical detector and a power control circuit to control an intensity of a light beam emits from a light source.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical head device and an optical disk unit using the same. The optical head device includes a relay lens control unit to control at least one of lenses of a relay lens unit based on an output signal outputted from a first optical detector and a power control circuit to control an intensity of a light beam emits from a light source.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical head unit and an optical disk unit using the optical head unit. The head unit includes a wavefront transforming optical element control unit to controls a wavefront transforming optical element so as not to transform wavefront of a light beam focused on a recording layer by a focusing unit due to the thickness error of a light transmission layer positioned between the recording layer and the focusing unit based on an electrical signal outputted from a first light detector, and an output control unit that controls light amount of a light beam radiated by a light emitting unit based on the magnitude of the electrical signal outputted from the light detector.

Abstract: A tracking error detection device for an optical disk apparatus comprises a detecting unit which includes at least two detectors and detects a reflected light from a series of pits formed on an optical disk, a phase comparing unit which detects a phase difference of outputs of the at least two detectors, and a low-pass filter which smoothes an output of the phase comparing unit, a cut-off frequency of the low-pass filter being higher than a frequency at which a spectrum of a modulation code recorded in the optical disk becomes −10 dB and lower than a frequency at which the spectrum of the modulation code recorded in the optical disk becomes −5 dB.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus has an equalizing filter which performs partial response equalization of a detection signal detected by a detecting section and which outputs an equalized signal, a variable gain amplifier which corrects the potential of the equalized signal in accordance with a correction amount determined in accordance with a plurality of reference levels that are used for maximum-likelihood decoding and a plurality of peak levels in a histogram of equalized signals corresponding to the plurality of reference levels, and a maximum-likelihood decoder which performs the maximum-likelihood decoding by referencing the reference levels, in accordance with the equalized signal that has been corrected. The apparatus controls the signal amplitude of the equalized signal to an appropriate value, thereby implementing high-reliable decoding processing.

Abstract: A disk apparatus according to one aspect of this invention comprises a photodetection unit configured to divisionally detect light reflected by the disk as a plurality of photodetection signals, and a tracking error signal generation unit configured to generate a tracking error signal on the basis of a phase difference between the plurality of photodetection signals detected by the photodetection unit, wherein the tracking error signal generation unit includes an equalization unit configured to equalize waveforms of the plurality of photodetection signals detected by the photodetection unit, and the equalization unit has frequency-gain characteristics that obtain a gain of not less than 15 dB at a frequency corresponding to a shortest pit or mark.

Abstract: There are comprised a laser light source for outputting a light beam, an optical disk having a recording/reproducing surface and a transparent substrate on the surface, an objective lens for gathering the light beam on the optical disk, a relay lens system comprising one or more lenses inserted between the laser light source and the objective lens, means for moving one or more lenses in the relay lens system toward its optical axis so as to correct sphere aberration in accordance with a thickness of the transparent substrate of the optical disk, and means for sustaining a diameter of an incident light on the objective lens when one or more lenses among the relay lenses move.

Abstract: An optical disk device has reproduction signal detecting section, each of which detects a reproduction signal corresponding to a reflective wave of an optical disk, a first offset controller, which offsets the reproduction signal with a first offset value F1, an A/D converting circuit, which A/D converts the offset reproduction signal, and a second offset controller, which offsets the converted digital reproduction signal with a second offset value F2, and a decoder, which viterbi decodes the offset digital reproduction signal and outputs decoded data B. Because an offset is performed with each exclusive value to A/D conversion and viterbi decoding, it is possible to obtain high identification accuracy with nonlinear characteristic eliminated.

Abstract: A focus offset setting portion gives a predetermined quantity of offset to a focus control quantity used to reduce a focus error signal to zero based on the focus error signal generated by a focus error generation portion, and outputs a result. An adaptive equalizer including an adaptive control portion and an FIR filter subjects a reproduction signal RF provided from an optical pickup to waveform equalization based on a signal decoded by a Viterbi decoder. A controller obtains an optimum point of a focus offset by using a tap coefficient of the adaptive equalizer, and changes a set value of a focus offset setting portion.

Abstract: An information storage medium according to an embodiment of this invention includes a wobble track whose wobble period is modulated by multi-frequency shift keying corresponding to playback control information, wherein the playback control information contains header data and address data, and the header data contains a VFO area formed from a predetermined frequency.

Abstract: There is provided an information reproducing device which outputs an equalization signal P by applying equalization processing to a signal detected from a storage medium based on equalization coefficients C0 to CN, outputs a decoding signal d by applying maximum likelihood decoding processing based on reference levels R0 to R6, generates an ideal waveform signal I based on the equalization signal, and has a target waveform generator which generates a target waveform signal T by changing at least one level of the ideal waveform signal I, wherein erroneous decoding is reduced by optimizing reproduction processing parameters such as the equalization coefficients C0 to CN or the reference levels R0 to R6 based on the target waveform signal T and the information on the storage medium is stably reproduced.

Abstract: An information storage medium includes a wobbled track containing a wobble modulated in correspondence with playback control information. The playback control information contains address data. Part of the address data contains at least one item of sync information. The frequency of the wobble changes at the boundary of the sync information.