Abstract: An optical disk drive according to the present invention includes: an optical pickup 6 including a light source 23 that radiates a light beam 21 to irradiate an optical disk 100, at least one objective lens 22 for converging the beam 21, and an actuator that can move the lens 22 perpendicularly to the disk 100; a transport stage 11 for displacing the pickup 6 in a disk radial direction; a rim detecting section 30 for sensing if the irradiated position of the beam 21 has passed an outer edge of the disk 100 while the pickup 6 is being displaced from an inner area of the disk toward the outer edge thereof to conduct a seek operation; and a control section 40 for getting the lens 22 retracted away from the disk 100 by the actuator and getting the pickup 6 displaced toward the inner area of the disk by the transport stage 11 if the irradiated position of the light beam 21 has been sensed to have passed the outer edge of the disk 100.

Abstract: The drive apparatus of the present invention includes a recording/reproduction section and a drive control section. The drive control section determines a physical address indicating a location at which data can be recorded next in the determined track of a write-once recording medium as a next writable address, based on the last recorded address in the track; compares the physical address corresponding to the logical address included in the recording instruction with the next writable address; when the physical address corresponding to the logical address is smaller than the next writable address, controls the recording/reproduction section to record the data at a specific location in the user data area other than the location indicated by the physical address corresponding to the logical address in the recording instruction; generates new disc management information; and controls the recording/reproduction section to record the new disc management information in the disc management information area.

Abstract: A recording medium has a user-data zone in which a plurality of fragments can be reserved by recording the start and end addresses of the fragments, and a management information zone in which management information having recorded-area-indicator (RAI) information indicating whether each of partial areas into which the user-data zone is divided by a fixed size is a recorded area and fragment information concerning each fragment reserved in the user-data zone is recorded. RAI information and fragment information are acquired from the management information zone. A recording end position in the reserved fragment is searched for using the entirety of an area in a reserved fragment as a search range. A search range in an unreserved fragment whose end address is not defined is determined on the basis of the RAI information, and a recording end position in the unreserved fragment is searched for within the determined search range.

Abstract: An optical disk device for recording or reproducing an optical disk has: an objective lens for irradiating a laser beam to the optical disk; an actuator for moving the objective lens in the radial direction of the optical disk; and a spindle motor for rotating the optical disk. After the laser beam irradiated to the optical disk passed through a PID portion of the optical disk, the actuator moves the objective lens in the radial direction of the optical disk at a timing corresponding to a rotational speed. Between signals to drive the actuator, an output time of a deceleration signal is set to a predetermined ratio of a time during which an acceleration signal is outputted. While the deceleration signal is outputted, a light spot passes through the PID portion.

Abstract: A optical recording medium wherein a sector address is assigned such that a sector address of a first recording layer is a complement of a sector address of a second recording layer adjacent to the first recording layer, and a sector address of each of the remaining recording layers is assigned such that the difference between the assigned sector address of one of the remaining recording layers and a sector address of another one of the remaining recording layers that is located two layers below the one of the remaining recording layers having an assigned sector address is the same as a predetermined offset value, and the first recording layer is any one of the bottom recording layer and the top recording layer from among the recording layers, and a different sector address is assigned to each recording layer is provided.

Abstract: When a remaining number of tracks is smaller than a first threshold value, a coarse seek operation is determined to be normal, and therefore, a learning process is not executed. If the remaining number of tracks is not smaller than a second threshold value, the coarse seek operation is determined to be abnormal, and a voltage learning process id executed. If the remaining number of tracks is not smaller than the first threshold value and smaller than the second threshold value and prescribed conditions are satisfied, the operation is determined to be abnormal, and a time learning process is executed.

Abstract: In accordance with certain aspects of the present invention, enhancements have been developed to further extend the performance of a generic DVD navigator. The methods and arrangements herein provide a mechanism that allows a player application to precisely ‘bookmark’ locations during playback, and later resume playback at the selected bookmarked locations.

Abstract: A drive device includes a recording/reproducing unit and a drive control unit. The drive control unit compares the physical address corresponding to the logical address contained in the recording instruction to the next recording-enabled address. When the physical address corresponding to the logical address contained in the recording instruction is smaller than the next recording-enabled address, the drive control unit controls the recording/reproducing unit to record data at a particular position in the user data area which is other than the position indicated by the physical address corresponding to the logical address contained in the recording instruction.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus comprises an optical pickup with a thread load, a thread motor for moving the optical pickup, and an inner circumferential switch. When the optical pickup is moved to an innermost circumference of an optical disc to turn on the switch, the pickup is stopped, and the moving direction of the pickup is changed to the outer circumferential side. A driving voltage applied to the motor is gradually increased. The driving voltage, at which the pickup moving to the outer circumferential side causes the switch to be turned off, is set as an automatically adjusted value of the driving voltage applied to the motor. Thereafter, this automatically adjusted value, which corresponds to the thread load, is used to drive the motor. This makes it possible to absorb variations of thread loads and reduce variation in rezero operation, achieving cost reduction, without using a thread sensor.

Abstract: A data recording method is disclosed which includes the steps of: firstly recording audio data onto a temporary storage medium following retrieval of the audio data from an external storage medium in response to an audio data import request; detecting whether a leading frame of the audio data held on the temporary storage medium references a preceding frame; and secondly recording the audio data held on the temporary storage medium to a storage medium in accordance with an outcome of the detecting step.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus (300) is provided with: a first recording device (302 etc.) for recording the first information into a first area of the first layer; a second recording device (302 etc.) for recording the second information into a predetermined area of the second layer; and a controlling device (305) for controlling the second recording device to record the second information by the laser light, while displacing an edge indicating an innermost or outermost circumference of the predetermined area in which a penetrated area penetrated by the laser light is included in the first area, in a direction to approach an edge of the predetermined area in which the penetrated area is not included in the first area, only by a predetermined length corresponding to a tolerance of a change amount indicating a change in the reproduction quality.

Abstract: The same contents having different recording rates are recorded on a multi-layer disk. A plurality of contents or the same contents having different recording rates are independently recorded respectively in different layers of an optical disk having a plurality of recording layers. In order to record a plurality of contents or the same contents having different recording rates in parallel at that time, recording on the multi-layer optical disk is conducted by repeating an operation of dividing each content into recording units, recording a recording unit of one kind of information in a recording layer, and recording a recording unit of the other kind of information in a different recording layer.

Abstract: A method of inter-layer search of a multi-layer disk, the method including determining whether a search is required of a layer other than a currently accessed layer; searching the currently accessed layer for a position corresponding to a target address on the layer not currently accessed; and moving access to the layer not currently accessed according to the position corresponding to the target address.

Abstract: A carriage receives and secures a portable digital music player in a vehicle audio system. The carriage is mechanically engagable with a dock of the vehicle audio system. Access and control over a portable digital music player received and secured by the vehicle audio system may be provided.

Abstract: One of (1) a signal reproduced from a recording medium by a pickup device and (2) control information related to the reproduced signal is searched in a first search range for first information. A trial is made for detecting an optimum condition of a reproducing operation of the pickup device with respect to the recording medium on the basis of the first information. In cases where detecting an optimum condition of the reproducing operation of the pickup device with respect to the recording medium on the basis of the first information has been unsuccessful, one of (1) the reproduced signal and (2) the control information related to the reproduced signal is searched in a second search range different from the first search range for second information. An optimum condition of the reproducing operation of the pickup device is detected on the basis of the second information.

Abstract: An information recording medium in which bottoms of a guide groove and a pit array formed on a disc substrate are allocated on a same flat plane and shaped in flat. Further, in a transition area from a pit array to a guide groove or from a guide groove to a pit array, the information recording medium is provided with an intermediate area composed of a pit array of which height changes from a height between a bottom and a side of a groove to another height between the bottom and a side of the pit array.

Abstract: An information recording medium in which bottoms of a guide groove and a pit array formed on a disc substrate are allocated on a same flat plane and shaped in flat. Further, in a transition area from a pit array to a guide groove or from a guide groove to a pit array, the information recording medium is provided with an intermediate area composed of a pit array of which height changes from a height between a bottom and a side of a groove to another height between the bottom and a side of the pit array.

Abstract: A recording media data structure includes a first recording layer having a lead-in area, a first user region successive to a physical sector of the lead-in area and for storing user data, and a first jump region successive to a physical sector of the first user region; a second recording layer stacked on the first recording layer, the second recording layer having a second jump region, a second user region successive to a physical sector of the second jump region and for storing user data, and a guide-out region successive to a physical sector of the second user region; wherein the lead-in area, the first jump region, the second jump region and the guide-out region each have a constant number of physical sectors, and the second jump region has a beginning physical sector successive to an ending physical sector of the first jump region.

Abstract: An information recording medium in which bottoms of a guide groove and a pit array formed on a disc substrate are allocated on a same flat plane and shaped in flat. Further, in a transition area from a pit array to a guide groove or from a guide groove to a pit array, the information recording medium is provided with an intermediate area composed of a pit array of which height changes from a height between a bottom and a side of a groove to another height between the bottom and a side of the pit array.

Abstract: An information recording medium in which bottoms of a guide groove and a pit array formed on a disc substrate are allocated on a same flat plane and shaped in flat. Further, in a transition area from a pit array to a guide groove or from a guide groove to a pit array, the information recording medium is provided with an intermediate area composed of a pit array of which height changes from a height between a bottom and a side of a groove to another height between the bottom and a side of the pit array.

Abstract: An information recording medium in which bottoms of a guide groove and a pit array formed on a disc substrate are allocated on a same flat plane and shaped in flat. Further, in a transition area from a pit array to a guide groove or from a guide groove to a pit array, the information recording medium is provided with an intermediate area composed of a pit array of which height changes from a height between a bottom and a side of a groove to another height between the bottom and a side of the pit array.

Abstract: An information recording medium in which bottoms of a guide groove and a pit array formed on a disc substrate are allocated on a same flat plane and shaped in flat. Further, in a transition area from a pit array to a guide groove or from a guide groove to a pit array, the information recording medium is provided with an intermediate area composed of a pit array of which height changes from a height between a bottom and a side of a groove to another height between the bottom and a side of the pit array.

Abstract: A battery-operated recording medium controller monitors the ID of a replayed melody and when a replay ID comparing section (A126) makes a decision that a melody of the same ID as the previous one is replayed, a section (A127) for judging necessity of auxiliary information designates an auxiliary information access control section not to acquire auxiliary information (ID3 tag) again from a disc but to reuse auxiliary information stored in an auxiliary information storing section A. Consequently, the number of times of accessing the recording medium is decreased, and when the auxiliary information added to reproduction data like the ID3 tag of an MP3 is acquired, moving distance of an optical pickup is decreased and current consumption can be reduced.

Abstract: An information recording medium in which bottoms of a guide groove and a pit array formed on a disc substrate are allocated on a same flat plane and shaped in flat. Further, in a transition area from a pit array to a guide groove or from a guide groove to a pit array, the information recording medium is provided with an intermediate area composed of a pit array of which height changes from a height between a bottom and a side of a groove to another height between the bottom and a side of the pit array.

Abstract: A disk access device records to and plays back from a disk on which data recording is performed according to the ZCLV format, and includes a head that reads/writes data from/to the disk. The disk access device calculates a deferment time period that begins upon completion of data reading/writing in the user area of a currently accessed zone and ends when the head enters a predetermined area of the guard track zone following the user area, and a setting time period for performing settings for data reading/writing in the zone to be accessed next. If the deferment time period is shorter than the setting time period, the disk access device moves the head back, when data reading or writing in the currently accessed zone ends, to a position such that the setting time period ends before the head advancing from the position arrives at the predetermined area.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method for reducing undesirable skipping during playback of a compact disc in a compact disc player. A lens system of the compact disc player reads audio data and subcode data from the compact disc. The subcode data includes Q channel bits and P channel bits. The actual time lapse of the compact disc playback is calculated from the Q channel bits and the P channel bits, while a target time lapse is calculated based on data received from a real-time clock. The difference between the two time lapse values is calculated, and if the differences is greater than a predetermined threshold, the lens system is repositioned to read the audio data from the compact disc corresponding to a predetermined time interval in advance of the current position of the lens system.

Abstract: A processor is configured to perform a method (110) including a step of deriving lateral offset indicators (1062) from a longitudinal position measurement (130). Improved seek cost indicators (1063) are generated, some or all based on a respective lateral offset indicator (140). Then a target destination is selected using at least one of the improved seek cost indicators (150,160).

Abstract: There is provided an information recording device for recoding information onto an information recording medium including a first recording layer (L0 layer) having a first recording capacity and a second recording layer (L1 layer) having a second recording capacity. The information recording device includes: write means capable of writing information onto the first and the second recording layer; calculation means for calculating a loopback address used when recording information subsequently after the first recording layer and the second recording layer according to the all information amount and the first and the second recording capacity; and control means for controlling the write means so that (I) a first part of the information is written up to this loopback address (1AFFFFh) onto the first recording layer and (II) the remaining second part of the information is written, starting from the corresponding address (E50000h) of the second recording layer corresponding to the loopback address.

Abstract: The invention relates to disc drive mechanism (100) which comprises an actuator (113) controlling a radial movement of a lens (109). An actuator controller (115) generates an actuator control signal which is fed to the actuator (113). An activation time processor (125) determines an amplitude variation characteristic of the actuator control signal. Specifically, the activation time processor (125) determines how the amplitude varies as a function of the rotation angle. The activation time processor (125) determines an activation time for a position change actuator signal component which causes the actuator (113) to move the lens (109) to jump to a different track. The position change actuator signal component is added to the actuator control signal in the actuator controller (115) thereby generating a combined actuator control signal which both tracks the disc and effectuates a jump. The activation time is selected such that the dynamic range of the actuator control signal is reduced.

Abstract: A seeking control system in an optical disc drive is disclosed. The system comprises a servo controller, a velocity control unit, and a switch unit. The servo controller receives a central servo signal to output a first tracking control signal for the tracking coil. The velocity control unit receives a tracking error signal to determine a velocity of the pickup head and compares the velocity of the pickup head with a predetermined velocity profile to generate the second tracking control signal. The switch unit outputs the second tracking control signal instead of the first tracking control signal to the motor driver to control the pickup head moving steadily.

Abstract: The present invention relates to optical disks and optical disk devices, and has an object to reduce access time and prevent malfunction. To attain the above object, in an optical disk (100), a management information area (130) is placed inside a user data area (140), namely, at the innermost circumference position of the optical disk (100), in an information layer (101) placed at the farthest position from the surface. A position information area (132) that stores position information indicating the position of each information layer in a thickness direction of the optical disk (100) is placed in the management information area (130).

Abstract: A multi-layered optical recording medium, a method of assigning an address in a multi-layered optical recording medium, a reproducing apparatus, a reproducing method, and a recording method, the optical recording medium including a plurality of recording layers, wherein a sector address is assigned such that a sector address of a first recording layer is a complement of a sector address of a second recording layer adjacent to the first recording layer, and a sector address of each of the remaining recording layers is assigned such that the difference between the assigned sector address of one of the remaining recording layers and a sector address of another one of the remaining recording layers that is located two layers below the one of the remaining recording layers having an assigned sector address is the same as a predetermined offset value, and the first recording layer is any one of the bottom recording layer and the top recording layer from among the recording layers, and a different sector address is

Abstract: An optical disk physical has a recording region divided into zones, each zone including physical tracks adjacent to each other. An integer number of sectors, are provided in each physical track. The angular recording density is higher in the more outward zones such that the linear recording density is substantially constant throughout the recording region, and logical tracks are formed of a predetermined number of sectors. independent of the physical tracks. The conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from a host device is easy. The addresses written in headers of the sectors in the logical track in which data are actually recorded, including substitute sectors used in place of defect sectors, are preferably consecutive to further facilitate the conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from the host device.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus comprises an optical pickup with a thread load, a thread motor for moving the optical pickup, and an inner circumferential switch. When the optical pickup is moved to an innermost circumference of an optical disc to turn on the switch, the pickup is stopped, and the moving direction of the pickup is changed to the outer circumferential side. A driving voltage applied to the motor is gradually increased. The driving voltage, at which the pickup moving to the outer circumferential side causes the switch to be turned off, is set as an automatically adjusted value of the driving voltage applied to the motor. Thereafter, this automatically adjusted value, which corresponds to the thread load, is used to drive the motor. This makes it possible to absorb variations of thread loads and reduce variation in rezero operation, achieving cost reduction, without using a thread sensor.

Abstract: A data recording/reproducing apparatus for use with a disc recording medium having a plurality of either concentric or spiral tracks formed thereon, each of the tracks being divided into a plurality of sectors is provided. The apparatus includes a seeking element for seeking a target track; a data accessing element for accessing data on the target track reached by the seek; and an error correcting element for correcting error in the data based on an error correction code generated by the error correcting element for error correction purposes.

Abstract: A method for determining a track searching direction is disclosed. The method takes advantage of the characteristic that the movement of the photo-diode with respect to the optical disk is not perpendicular to the track direction. Therefore, the phase difference between the front side and the rear side of the photo-diode could be used to define a seeking error signal. The seeking error signal is used, together with a tracking error (TE) signal and a radio frequency ripple (RFRP) signal, to determine the track searching direction. Because the seeking error signal has a better signal-to-noise ratio, the phase lead or lag can be determined more accurately. As a result, the accuracy of detecting the track searching direction on a blank disk is improved.

Abstract: An information recording medium in which bottoms of a guide groove and a pit array formed on a disc substrate are allocated on a same flat plane and shaped in flat. Further, in a transition area from a pit array to a guide groove or from a guide groove to a pit array, the information recording medium is provided with an intermediate area composed of a pit array of which height changes from a height between a bottom and a side of a groove to another height between the bottom and a side of the pit array.

Abstract: An information recording medium in which bottoms of a guide groove and a pit array formed on a disc substrate are allocated on a same flat plane and shaped in flat. Further, in a transition area from a pit array to a guide groove or from a guide groove to a pit array, the information recording medium is provided with an intermediate area composed of a pit array of which height changes from a height between a bottom and a side of a groove to another height between the bottom and a side of the pit array.

Abstract: An information recording medium in which bottoms of a guide groove and a pit array formed on a disc substrate are allocated on a same flat plane and shaped in flat. Further, in a transition area from a pit array to a guide groove or from a guide groove to a pit array, the information recording medium is provided with an intermediate area composed of a pit array of which height changes from a height between a bottom and a side of a groove to another height between the bottom and a side of the pit array.

Abstract: An information recording medium in which bottoms of a guide groove and a pit array formed on a disc substrate are allocated on a same flat plane and shaped in flat. Further, in a transition area from a pit array to a guide groove or from a guide groove to a pit array, the information recording medium is provided with an intermediate area composed of a pit array of which height changes from a height between a bottom and a side of a groove to another height between the bottom and a side of the pit array.

Abstract: A servo control apparatus includes: a drive section that applies a thrust to move a driven object; a storage section that stores a control circuit output initial value; an approaching control section that moves the driven object toward a target position; an error signal detection section that detects an error signal varying according to a difference between the position of the driven object and the target position; a start position calculation section that calculates a start position of a servo control process; an arrival detection section that detects whether the driven object reaches the start position; a control circuit initial value calculation section that calculates a control circuit initial value of a control system and supplies it to a control circuit of the control system; and a servo control starting section that starts the servo control process when detecting that the driven object has reached the start position.

Abstract: When a remaining number of tracks is smaller than a first threshold value, a coarse seek operation is determined to be normal, and therefore, a learning process is not executed. If the remaining number of tracks is not smaller than a second threshold value, the coarse seek operation is determined to be abnormal, and a voltage learning process id executed. If the remaining number of tracks is not smaller than the first threshold value and smaller than the second threshold value and prescribed conditions are satisfied, the operation is determined to be abnormal, and a time learning process is executed.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for searching for a writable area of a write-once information recording medium, comprising a searching portion and a control portion. The searching portion searches for an unrecorded area using a prescribed address as a reference. The control portion provides a candidate address indicating a candidate for a writable area based on a result of the search, and performs a determination procedure for determining whether or not there is a defective area address indicating an address matching the candidate address in defect management information. When it is determined that there is not the defective area address indicating an address matching the candidate address, the control portion determines an area indicated by the candidate address as the writable area.

Abstract: A data recording controller for properly adding data to a disc medium. The controller includes a data location counter for performing counting in synchronism with reproduction of data written to an optical disc. An LPP location counter performs counting in synchronization with reproduction of a disc address recorded to the optical disc. A detection circuit detects the difference between a data format address recorded to the optical disc and an optical disc address recorded to the optical disc from count values of the two counters. A control unit calculates a recording initiation address from the detected difference. A timing control circuit determines a timing for starting the recording of additional data from the recording initiation address.

Abstract: An apparatus for driving an optical pickup unit to a discrimination position at which a type of an optical disc can be discriminated includes an actuator, a motor, and a voltage generator. The voltage generator is electrically coupled to the motor for supplying a driving voltage to the motor. The driving voltage includes a first stage having a first voltage value for driving the optical pickup unit to move toward the outermost position, a second stage having a second voltage value for driving the optical pickup unit to move to the innermost position, and a third stage having a third voltage value for driving the optical pickup unit to move from the innermost position to the discrimination position.

Abstract: An optical disk drive includes a pickup head, a recording/reproducing circuit, a servo circuit, a driver, a thread motor, a spindle motor, and a controller. An optical disk has a first area and a second area for which different tracking methods are to be used. The controller may causes the pickup head to make a seek for a target address in the first area from a position in this area that is farther from the boundary between the two areas than the address. The controller calculates the target address by detecting the number of times the reflection intensity of the optical disk changes during the seek, for example. If the controller can perform no tracking servo control after the seek is made, and if the calculated address is located in a critical region, the controller immediately causes the pickup head to make a seek by a specified number of addresses toward the position farther from the boundary. After this seek is made, the controller performs tracking servo control again.

Abstract: A substrate for an optical recording medium includes recording tracks formed in guide grooves on a disc and an address section having an address pit sequence formed between the recording tracks in the guide grooves along an information reading direction of the recording tracks. The recording tracks in the guide grooves are divided into a prescribed number of zones. In each of the zones, the center of the address section corresponding to a recording track in the radially outermost or radially innermost guide groove is disposed so as to shift in a radial direction of the disc in relative relationship to the center of the recording track in the guide groove.

Abstract: An optical disk physical has a recording region divided into zones, each zone including physical tracks adjacent to each other. An integer number of sectors are provided in each physical track. The angular recording density is higher in the more outward zones such that the linear recording density is substantially constant throughout the recording region, and logical tracks are formed of a predetermined number of sectors, independent of the physical tracks. The conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from a host device is easy. The addresses written in headers of the sectors in the logical track in which data are actually recorded, including substitute sectors used in place of defect sectors, are preferably consecutive to further facilitate the conversion between the logical track and sector addresses read from the disk and the linear logical addresses supplied from the host device.

Abstract: A disc drive to control a home-in mode and method thereof includes a pickup unit irradiating a light beam on a disc loaded in the disc drive, a motor moving the pickup unit along a radius direction of the disc, and a control unit detecting and storing position information of the pickup unit based on driving pulses of the motor. The control unit controls a generation of the driving pulses of the motor using information of a home-in position based on the stored position information of the pickup unit and the driving pulses of the motor.

Abstract: A data editing method by which reduction of the burden of an editing process regarding stream data recorded on a recording medium is anticipated and a higher speed editing operation can be achieved. Stream data recorded on a recording medium are presupposed to be managed as a file by a file system. The stream data are managed in a unit of a track by a track managing data file managed by the file system. Editing of division or erasure in a unit of a track is executed by rewriting contents of track management information which defines each track in the track managing data file. With the configuration, when a division or erasure editing process in a unit of a track is performed, there is no necessity to rewrite the file system.