Abstract: A data medium of the compact disc type may include medium areas of different types configured to define digital content, and a controllable element having two different states corresponding respectively to the two different types of areas. The controllable element may be configured to take selectively one of its states in response to a command, so as to modify in a controllable manner the content of the data medium.

Abstract: A write-once read-many information recording medium is provided, which is capable of easily searching for a latest DDS and a latest defect list. At least one disc management working area is sequentially allocated in a predetermined direction on the write-once read-many information recording medium of the present invention. The latest defect list and the latest DDS are provided in a recorded disc management working area neighboring a border between the recorded disc management working area and an unrecorded disc management working area, where the latest defect list precedes the latest DDS in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: An optical disk manufacturing apparatus which employs first and second signal layer forming mechanisms, a reflection layer forming mechanism, a light transmission layer forming mechanism and first, second and third transportation mechanisms. The apparatus further includes a liquid material supplying mechanism, a first and second rotation mechanism, first and second hardening light radiation apparatuses, a ring-shaped mask portion, and a mask transfer mechanism.

Abstract: An information storage medium is provided. The information storage medium includes a user data area on which user data is recorded, and a temporary disc management area on which a space bitmap representing a recording status of at least one recording/reproducing unit block of the user data area is recorded. The temporary disc management area including information about an additional space bitmap which is assigned to provide additional space to represent the recording status of the at least one recording/reproducing unit block of the user data area.

Abstract: An optical recording medium including a plurality of recording layers to record/reproduce information using light with a predetermined wavelength, the information being recorded on one of the recording layers using a mark and a space, wherein a channel clock period T is provided for recording the mark on one of the recording layers. A plurality of pulses, including a last pulse arranged at an end of the pulses, are used to record the mark with length 3T, the mark being recorded with a condition that a width of the last pulse is minimum 0T and maximum 1.10T, in which a first subsequent level lower than a peak power level of the last pulse is arranged next to the last pulse, and a second subsequent level lower than the peak power level but higher than the first subsequent level is arranged next to the first subsequent level.

Abstract: A write-once recording medium is provided, which comprises a management information area for recording management information for managing a recorded state, and a user data area for recording user data. The user data area is configured to contain at least one recording area. At least one session is configured to contain at least one of the at least one recording area. The management information contains range information indicating a recording range of the at least one recording area and identification information for identifying the recording area located at a boundary of the session.

Abstract: An optical reader comprises a housing, at least one light source inside the housing and an image sensor whose terminus is inside the housing. The housing has a longitudinal axis and a disc-receiving portion for receiving an optical disc so that the optical disc is coaxial with the longitudinal axis. The at least one light source is positioned on the longitudinal axis to illuminate the identification code on the optical disc and be reflected therefrom. The terminus of the image sensor is also positioned on the longitudinal axis, further from the disc-receiving portion than the at least one light source, and oriented to capture the identification code within its field of view. The image sensor and the at least one light source are cooperatively configured so that the terminus of the image sensor receives light reflected from the identification code and thereby readably detects the identification code.

Abstract: The present invention allows the usability of a write-once recording medium to be enhanced. The write-once recording medium is provided with an ordinary recording/reproduction area, an alternate area, a first alternate-address management information area (DMA) and a second alternate-address management information area (TDMA). In addition, written/unwritten state indication information (a space bitmap) is also recorded. The second alternate-address management information area is an area allowing alternate-address management information recorded therein to be renewed by adding alternate-address management information thereto. In addition, the written/unwritten state indication information indicates whether or not data has been recorded in each data unit (cluster) on the recording medium. Thus, it is possible to correctly execute management of defects and properly implement renewal of data in the write-once recording medium.

Abstract: A cleaning disc for a media reading device having a laser lens. The cleaning disc includes a first surface configured to face the laser lens, a brush extending outwardly from the first surface, and a recess in the first surface configured to receive at least a portion of the brush when the brush contacts the laser lens during a cleaning operation. Each brush is defined by a strand of material that includes opposite ends. A first end of the material extends through a first aperture to define a first brush and a second end extends through a second, spaced apart aperture to define a second brush. A middle portion of the strand of material extends along a second surface of the cleaning disc between the first and second apertures, and is covered by a cover.

Abstract: Provided is a medium capable of implementing a large-capacity recording at low cost per bit. A medium including a network of metal wires and recording materials each provided at an intersection of the metal wires. Surface plasmons are made to propagate along the metal wires. Two surface plasmons are made to propagate in two different directions and to collide with each other at a certain position. Multiple-layer recording is carried out by changing the recording materials at the certain position.

Abstract: Methods for operating an apparatus for reading from or writing to a Super-RENS optical recording medium, an apparatus for reading from Super-RENS optical recording media using such methods, and a Super-RENS optical recording medium suitable for such methods are described. The super-RENS optical recording medium has location information that is readable without super-RENS effect. The location information is provided as low-frequency information. For locating a position on the super-RENS optical recording medium, a reading light beam with a power below a power necessary for achieving a super-RENS effect is generated and the location information is retrieved from the super-RENS optical recording medium.

Abstract: There is provided an optical recording method for directing a recording pulse train to an optical disc medium to form marks thereon and for recording information as information about the edge positions of said marks and the spaces between marks, the recording pulse train having been created by modulating laser light into plural power levels. The method includes: coding to-be-recorded data into coded data consisting of the combination of marks and spaces; classifying said marks within said coded data on the basis of the mark length and the preceding or succeeding space lengths of the marks; shifting the position of the second pulse edge counted from the end portion of the recording pulse train for forming said marks, depending on the result of said classification, to adjust said recording pulse train; and directing said recording pulse train to the optical disc medium to form said marks thereon.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid material comprising an immobilized mixture of two or more proteorhodopsins, two or more bacteriorhodopsins, or one or more bacteriorhodopsin and one or more proteorhodopsins. The proteorhodopsins are selected from the group consisting of all-trans-retinal-containing proteorhodopsins and retinal analog-containing proteorhodopsins; all of which have absorption spectra that do not overlap. The bacteriorhodopsins are selected from the group consisting of all-trans-retinal-containing bacteriorhodopsins and retinal analog-containing bacteriorhodopsins; all of which have absorption spectra that do not overlap. The present invention also provides an optical information carrier, such as an optical data storage material and a fraud-proof optical data carrier, comprising the above-described solid material and a substrate selected from the group consisting of glass, paper, metal, fabric material, and plastic material, wherein said solid material is deposited on said substrate.

Abstract: An information storage medium and a recording/reproducing apparatus and method are provided with the ability to extend at least one middle area of an information storage medium comprising two or more recording layers so as to ensure optimal data recording/reproduction. The information storage medium comprises a plurality of recording layers, each including a user data area for recording user data and at least one middle area used by a recording/reproducing apparatus that records/reproduces data on the information storage medium to move among two recording layers, wherein the at least one middle area is extended when the information storage medium is finalized. As a result, when an information storage medium that contains an OPC area for obtaining optimum recording conditions (such as recording power) in an outer circumference thereof is finalized, and if a middle area of the disk is not large enough, the middle area can flexibly be extended.

Abstract: This invention relates to a stamper for optical disc and a method for manufacturing an optical disc by using this stamper. A photoresist is applied to a substrate (2) and this photoresist is exposed, developed and then transferred to form a disc master which has a recess/protrusion pattern formed on its one side. The one side of the disc master (20) is etched to narrow the width of a protruding part constituting the recess/protrusion pattern, and the recess/protrusion pattern of the disc master (20) with the reduced width of the protruding part is transferred to form a stamper (30). The recess/protrusion pattern provided on the stamper (30) is transferred to form a predetermined pattern on a substrate of an optical disc.

Abstract: A method and apparatus recording and/or reproducing data on/from a write-once disc, and a write-once disc therefor, the write-once disc having at least one recording layer including: a plurality of update areas in which predetermined updated information is recorded; and at least one access information area in which access information indicating an update area in which final recorded updated information is recorded. Reducing access time for reading the updated information using a location of predetermined updated information. Also, when a plurality of update areas for writing updated information required to use the write-once disc exist, a recording apparatus or a reproducing apparatus can quickly and easily determine an update area in which final updated information is recorded among the plurality of update areas.

Abstract: A signal evaluation method according to the present invention is a method for evaluating a read signal, retrieved from an information recording medium, based on a binarized signal generated from the read signal by a PRML method.

Abstract: A recording medium read/write method and apparatus are disclosed. The present invention records version information of a corresponding recording medium as read/write control information within the recording medium. The version information includes write compatibility version information and read compatibility version information. The read/write apparatus efficiently performs the read/write of the recording medium with reference to the version informations recorded within the recording medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to the reading of digital optical recordings at very high density (CD, DVD, etc.). Reading is done by a PRML (“Partial Response Maximum Likelihood”) technique which uses a model of analog response to the recording of an isolated information bit. Customarily, the response model is represented by four or five signal samples having standardized levels 1 or 2. To take account of particular phenomena of super-resolution reading, the invention proposes the use of a model having 6 to 10 samples that can take 4 or 5 standardized levels. This model can result from the superposition of two simpler models having only two possible levels of samples taken from 1, 2 and 3.

Abstract: An optical read/write apparatus causes a read/write light beam from illuminating means to strike only one side of an optical storage medium including stacked data storage layers each of which is readable/writeable separately from the other layers. In this case, the optical read/write apparatus operates so that data is read/written from/into a second data storage layer after fully recording a recordable area of a first data storage layer. Thus, light can be shone with uniform intensity across the substantially entire recordable area of the second data storage layer without using a complex read/write system even under such conditions that the transmittance to light of the first data storage layer in the recordable area may vary depending on whether any data is recorded in the recordable area.

Abstract: An optical read/write apparatus causes a read/write light beam from illuminating means to strike only one side of an optical storage medium including stacked data storage layers each of which is readable/writeable separately from the other layers. In this case, the optical read/write apparatus operates so that data is read/written from/into a second data storage layer after fully recording a recordable area of a first data storage layer. Thus, light can be shone with uniform intensity across the substantially entire recordable area of the second data storage layer without using a complex read/write system even under such conditions that the transmittance to light of the first data storage layer in the recordable area may vary depending on whether any data is recorded in the recordable area.

Abstract: An optical read/write apparatus causes a read/write light beam from illuminating means to strike only one side of an optical storage medium including stacked data storage layers each of which is readable/writeable separately from the other layers. In this case, the optical read/write apparatus operates so that data is read/written from/into a second data storage layer after fully recording a recordable area of a first data storage layer. Thus, light can be shone with uniform intensity across the substantially entire recordable area of the second data storage layer without using a complex read/write system even under such conditions that the transmittance to light of the first data storage layer in the recordable area may vary depending on whether any data is recorded in the recordable area.

Abstract: A super-resolution optical recording medium has at least a recording layer and a super resolution layer on a substrate. In the recording layer, a minimum recording mark is formed with spaces within a beam spot of a laser beam in recording. The minimum recording mark has a size of a resolution limit of a reproduction optical system or less, and can be reproduced by the reproduction optical system due to the existence of the super solution layer. The minimum recording mark in an AFM image takes the shape of a convex arc on a leading edge thereof and the shape of a concave arc on a trailing edge thereof (the AFM image is a plan view which can be observed on a surface when the light transmission layer is removed), and spaces have the similar shape to these.

Abstract: A recording medium in which data supplied from an information processing device is recorded includes: position detecting means for detecting a position of the recording medium; user authentication means for authenticating a user intending to use the data; recording means for recording data use limitation information; and data use limitation control means for controlling the limitation on the user's use of data on the basis of the data use limitation information.

Abstract: An optical read/write apparatus causes a read/write light beam from illuminating means to strike only one side of an optical storage medium including stacked data storage layers each of which is readable/writeable separately from the other layers. In this case, the optical read/write apparatus operates so that data is read/written from/into a second data storage layer after fully recording a recordable area of a first data storage layer. Thus, light can be shone with uniform intensity across the substantially entire recordable area of the second data storage layer without using a complex read/write system even under such conditions that the transmittance to light of the first data storage layer in the recordable area may vary depending on whether any data is recorded in the recordable area.

Abstract: In a super-resolution optical disk for the purpose of achieving an increase in the density of recording data by reproducing a recording mark smaller than optical resolution, the optimum reproduction power needs to be determined since the quality of a super-resolution reproduced signal strongly depends on the reproduction laser power. However, since the track error signal required for tracking servo also depends on the reproduction power, there is a need for a method for determining the reproduction power taking into account both the stabilization of tracking servo and a quality improvement of the reproduction signal. The reproduction power is changed under conditions with focusing servo applied but without application of tracking servo. Thereby, a cross track signal is detected to identify a reproduction power region that leads to quality improvement of both a reproduction signal and a track error signal.

Abstract: An optical recording medium is provided with at least a substrate, light absorbing and heat generating parts each of which absorbs light and generates heat, and recording parts, and each of the recording parts are formed between two recording tracks.

Abstract: A method of recording content comprising the steps of: providing a content storage medium comprising a pre-recorded grating or hologram; and illuminating a pre-recorded grating or hologram with a single recording beam to record content in the grating or hologram. The recording beam may increase the diffraction efficiency of the pre-recorded grating or hologram. Alternatively, the recording beam may form a new grating or hologram in close proximity to a pre-recorded grating or hologram.

Abstract: An optical read/write apparatus causes a read/write light beam from illuminating means to strike only one side of an optical storage medium including stacked data storage layers each of which is readable/writeable separately from the other layers. In this case, the optical read/write apparatus operates so that data is read/written from/into a second data storage layer after fully recording a recordable area of a first data storage layer. Thus, light can be shone with uniform intensity across the substantially entire recordable area of the second data storage layer without using a complex read/write system even under such conditions that the transmittance to light of the first data storage layer in the recordable area may vary depending on whether any data is recorded in the recordable area.

Abstract: A polycrystalline aluminum thin film is made of polycrystals of an alloy of aluminum. The polycrystalline aluminum thin film includes a first additive which is distributed with even concentration over an inside of each crystal grain and an interface of the crystal grain and a second additive which is distributed with higher concentration in the interface of the crystal grain than in the inside of the crystal grain.

Abstract: The invention relates to a master device which can be used in a method for producing a recording medium, a substantially spirally or concentrically running main track structure and at least one substantially spirally or concentrically running secondary track structure being formed on the master device, the secondary track structure being arranged on at least one side of the main track structure, the secondary track structure having discontinuities varying an optically detectable surface texture of the recording medium in such a way that at least first auxiliary information is represented on the recording medium.

Abstract: An optical disc recording apparatus (10) is provided with a tracking servo (13) for tracking a spiral track of concave and convex marks, an analog signal processor (14) for extracting a reproduction signal corresponding to the concave and convex marks, a digital signal processor (15) for extracting a channel clock synchronized with a channel bit length of the concave and convex marks, and a sub-information recording section (30) for recording sub-information by irradiating laser light based on the tracking to the spiral track. The sub-information recording section (30) records all the sub-information by repeating a process of recording a part of the sub-information by discretely irradiating laser light at a specified interval and with a specified frequency in synchronism with a channel clock by one tracking to form recordable marks on a reflective film a plurality of times.

Abstract: An optical disk includes a plurality of disk sheets which are laminated, and each of which has a recording face on one of the surfaces and a flat back surface, wherein the plurality of disk sheets are laminated by adhesive layers in such a manner that between adjacent two disk sheets, a back surface of one of the disk sheets, on the opposite side of the surface where the recording face is formed, faces the disk surface of the other disk sheet. The foregoing structure realizes an optical disk of desirable recording/reproducing characteristics, which is flat and has a fixed interval between recording faces, and which permits the problems of coma aberration, spherical aberration, etc., to be suppressed.

Abstract: [Object] A recoding playback apparatus and an optical disk are provided that allows reduction of a low frequency noise at a time of playback of a super resolution optical disk including small record marks whose size is below the diffractive limitation, to enhance quality of a playback signal. [Means for Solution] The reflective beams from the optical disk are received by dividing into outer portion beams and a center portion beam, and a playback signal is created by combining such beams based on respective different gains. Based on received amounts of light or amounts of low frequency noise in respective light receiving regions, adjustment or determination of gain values is made, or the optical head apparatus is optically adjusted, whereby the low frequency noise is optimally suppressed. Further, a specific region is provided on the optical disk for making the foregoing adjustment.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a write-once type information storage medium comprises an organic dye based recording material having sensitivity at a wavelength of 405 nm and at a recording wavelength in the range of 600 nm to 700 nm, wherein, when absorbance of a maximum absorption wavelength in the vicinity of 405 nm is defined as 1, the absorbance is 5% or more at any wavelength in the range of 600 nm to 700 nm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for data storage. In particular the invention relates to a single electron memory device utilizing multiple tunnel junctions, and arrays or matrixes of such devices. The data storage device according to the invention comprises at least one nanowhisker adapted to store a charge. Each of the nanowhiskers comprises a sequence of axial segments of materials of different band gaps, arranged to provide a sequence of conductive islands separated by tunnel barriers and a storage island arranged at one end of the conductive island/tunnel barrier sequence, whereby to provide a data storage capability. The number of conductive islands should preferably be between five and ten.

Abstract: Provided is a recording and retrieval apparatus for a multi-layer optical disk. A multi-layer optical disk in which a plurality of recording layers and a single servo layer are combined to form a set is used. A spot for the servo layer and a spot for the recording layers are turned on in a time-sharing manner. Servo signal detection areas are formed discretely in the servo layer. The servo signal detection areas and data recording areas are provided so as not to overlap each other when viewed from the spot incident side. Thus, separation of data from each of the layers can be done by even a single photodetector without interference.

Abstract: A record carrier includes a pattern of substantially parallel tracks for storing data in the form of marks, in which the data is encoded by a channel code. A watermark is provided by controlling the parameter of the channel code so as to introduce a predetermined run length distribution in the marks on the record carrier. Brightness differences are caused by introducing this run length distribution.

Abstract: An optical disk comprising two layers including a signal recording layer and an image recording layer further comprises a metal reflective layer formed on a surface of the image recording layer on the incidence side of laser light. The image recording layer is capable of forming a visible image in response to an increase in temperature caused by application of laser light to the metal reflective layer. The visible image is capable of being visually observed from a side opposite to the incidence side.

Abstract: An information recording medium in which an access unit including basic data and extension data is recorded, so as to allow a decoder that decodes only basic data to process the access unit which includes the basic data and the extension data for the next generation. The information recording medium is an information recording medium on which a stream, having plural access units and including at least one of image and audio, is recorded, wherein: each of the access units has: a first packet which includes basic data; and a second packet which includes extension data related to the basic data; the basic data is data that is decodable in a completed state without requiring the extension data and the extension data is data for improving the quality of data generated from the basic data; and the stream includes information which indicates attributes of the first and second packet.

Abstract: An optical read/write apparatus causes a read/write light beam from illuminating means to strike only one side of an optical storage medium including stacked data storage layers each of which is readable/writeable separately from the other layers. In this case, the optical read/write apparatus operates so that data is read/written from/into a second data storage layer after fully recording a recordable area of a first data storage layer. Thus, light can be shone with uniform intensity across the substantially entire recordable area of the second data storage layer without using a complex read/write system even under such conditions that the transmittance to light of the first data storage layer in the recordable area may vary depending on whether any data is recorded in the recordable area.

Abstract: The invention provides for modifications to conventional optical data storage media to reduce the amount of raw material necessary in the media construction. More particularly, a portion of a thermoplastic substrate is modified to create one or more substantial void areas compared to a conventional substrate that defines flat parallel surfaces without void areas. The configuration, number, and size of the voids may be modified in order to substantially reduce inherent raw material cost while maintaining the specified physical thickness, clamping area, and mechanical stability of the medium.

Abstract: An information storage medium with an array of laterally magnetised dots, as well as a process for producing this medium is disclosed. Each dot (2) contains at least one magnetic domain formed by a thin layer (4) of at least a magnetic material laterally covering this flat material and deposited at oblique incidence relative to the normal (z) to the plane (6) of the array. The invention applies in particular to computer hard drives.

Abstract: Recording areas in an optical disc having a plurality of recording layers allocated so each recording layer includes a data area for recording data, a connection area in which a predetermined pattern of data for indicating that no data area is recorded therein, and a remaining area, wherein a size and location of the data area of each recording layer is determined according to an amount of user data to be recorded. The connection area and the remaining area are allocated next to the data area of each recording layer in a direction from the inner circumference to the outer circumference of the disc. Accordingly, a recording time is reducible, and exclusive areas for recording information except user data can be additionally allocated to outer circumference areas of the optical disc or the sizes of the exclusive areas can be increased, increasing recording medium efficiency.

Abstract: A super-resolution optical recording medium has at least a recording layer and a super resolution layer on a substrate. A recording mark with the size of a resolution limit or less and a space with the size of the resolution limit or less are formed in the super-resolution optical recording medium by adjusting the intensity of a laser for recording or an emission pattern of the laser for recording such that at least the recoding mark with the size of the resolution limit or less out of recording marks in a modulation code is formed into a concave section with respect to a not-recorded section.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium includes: tracks each including a magnetic recording section in which information is recorded and a non-magnetic-recording section in which no information is recorded; and nonmagnetic guide sections magnetically separating the tracks from one another. The non-magnetic-recording section is formed integrally with nonmagnetic guide sections. The magnetic recording medium includes at least one pair of a first region in which at least a portion of each of the respective non-magnetic-recording sections of first and second tracks and a portion of a magnetic recording section of a third track coincide with one another at a position along a direction in which the tracks extend; and a second region in which at least a portion of each of the respective non-magnetic-recording sections of the first and third tracks and a portion of a magnetic recording section of the second track coincide with one another at a position along the direction in which the tracks extend.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and/or transmitting optical data or visual images includes a recording medium (100) having a substrate (220) and markable coating (230). The apparatus also includes a recording and transmitting device including a light source (150) having at least two separate lasers, and a unified apochromatic lens structure (148) having at least two separate lenses functioning as one structure. The lens structure (148) enables light beams (152) to a) pass therethrough onto the medium (100) with at least two different wavelengths directed to a single spot, so as to cause a localized change in chemical and/or physical properties to form an optically detectable mark (242) in the markable coating (230) and/or b) pass therethrough onto the medium (100) with at least two different wavelengths directed to a single spot, so as to cause an optically detectable mark (242) to reflect the light beams (152).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling access to a storage medium, such as an optically readable medium. Light sensitive or other materials that are adapted to change state and affect reading of a storage medium are used to control access to data that may be stored on optical medium and/or to control use of the medium.

Abstract: An electronic device. The device comprises a metalization layer and an integrated circuit chip incorporated into the device wherein the integrated circuit chip is capacitively coupled to the metalization layer. The device comprises a first substrate having the metalization layer formed on the substrate, a cap layer covering at least the entire metalization layer and at least a portion of the first substrate not covered by the metalization layer. The integrated circuit chip is coupled to the first substrate, and is placed in proximity and in non-physical contact with the metalization layer. A conductive layer is attached to the integrated circuit chip. The conductive layer has at least a portion placed in a non-physical contact with the metalization layer. The integrated circuit chip is capacitively coupled to the metalization layer through the conductive layer and the metalization layer.

Abstract: A microarray with optically recorded information and a sample capable of producing a signal as a response to external influence, or a precursor which, when activated or combined with a reagent, produces a sample capable of generating a signal. The microarray is compatible with a dual functionality optical drive. A method for acquiring information about a sample comprises directing a probe to a sample at a microarray to produce a signal from the sample, wherein the microarray is compatible with a dual functionality optical drive, and detecting the signal. The information optically recorded on the microarray can be in the CD, DVD or HD DVD or Blue Ray format.