Abstract: A driving apparatus includes: a driving mechanism slider-driving a head including a first optical pickup and a second optical pickup, the first optical pickup and the second optical pickup having a same specification; a calculating mechanism performing predetermined calculation using a first slide-error signal obtained by filtering a signal from the first optical pickup and a second slide-error signal obtained by filtering a signal from the second optical pickup; and an outputting mechanism outputting a signal from the calculating means as a slider control signal for driving the driving mechanism.

Abstract: A multi-layered recording medium, and a method and apparatus for recording data in the recording medium are disclosed. A multi-layered recording medium, each of which includes an inner area, a data area, and an outer area, includes: first layer having at least a test area assigned to the inner area; and second layer having at least a management area assigned to the inner area, wherein the test area in the first layer is not physically located at the same location as the management area assigned to the second layer adjacent to the first layer with respect to an incident beam.

Abstract: A tape data transfer apparatus operable to determine a tape damage condition of a tape received in the apparatus by determining a value representative of a tape pack size of the received tape and comparing the value representative of tape pack size with a tape pack size reference value that is read from the cartridge.

Abstract: This invention directs to an optical disc assembly configured to receive an analyte which can be detected by a standard optical disc reader or an optical disc reader modified therefrom. The optical disc assembly may preferably be designed so that the optical disc reader can track the disc and detect the analyte concurrently and discriminably. The optical disc assembly contains or encodes optically readable features which are trackable by the optical disc reader and which have encoded speed information enabling the optical disc reader to rotate the optical disc assembly at a determinable speed. The optical disc assembly also includes an analyte section capable of receiving the analyte that can be detected by the optical disc reader.

Abstract: When using an optical disc medium that includes pit trains having their widths narrower than a diffraction limit, it is difficult to detect a tracking error signal and take a tracking-servo control while increasing pit density in a direction orthogonal to a pit-train extension direction. Information pit trains are arranged spirally or concentrically and formed in a structure in which their depths are changed periodically at a pitch radially along the optical disc medium, so that the tracking error signal can be obtained by push-pull detection of diffraction light from the structure.

Abstract: The optical disc apparatus of this invention includes: an optical pickup, which irradiates an optical disc with a light beam and generates a light detection signal based on the beam reflected from the disc; a search section, which controls the pickup before data is written on a storage area of the disc, thereby adjusting the beam spot location and searching a reference one of information layers stacked for a defective area in the storage area of the disc; a defect decision section for detecting an error based on the detection signal and determining a portion of the storage area, where the error has occurred, as the defective area; a defect size measuring section for measuring the size of the defective area in an area of the reference layer and generating a defect information list indicating there is the defective area in the area of the reference layer; and a recording range control section for managing, by reference to the list, the storage area such that no data will be written on a perpendicularly projecte

Abstract: A back-up method for defective data includes: first writing a batch of data clusters on a user data area; reading the data clusters to check for defects; planning back-up positions on the back-up area; writing the correct data for the defective data clusters to form a batch of corresponding replacing blocks; reading the replacing blocks to check defects; planning back-up positions on the back-up area; and writing the correct data for the batch of replacing blocks in order until the rewritten replacing blocks do not contain defects.

Abstract: A side determination apparatus of an optical disc includes a light source illuminating one side of the optical disc having a data side and a non-data side obliquely; a sensor receiving a reflected light from the optical disc illuminated by the light source; and a determination unit determining that an incident light into the sensor is a reflected diffracted light from the data side of the optical disc based on a distribution of an output of the sensor onto a surface of the disc to determine the one side.

Abstract: A method of handling a servo sector defect includes recognizing a first servo sector using a controller; determining whether the first servo sector has a defect; and when the first servo sector has a defect assigning at least a part of a next data sector to be assigned to the first servo sector to a second servo sector having no defect.

Abstract: Before initiation of tracking control, an optical disk device performs an offset amount obtaining operation, in which a difference between a middle value of the amplitude of a tracking error signal and a predetermined reference value is obtained as an offset amount. After the initiation of the tracking control, the optical disk device initiates an attenuation operation, in which an offset amount attenuation section attenuates the offset amount obtained by the offset amount obtaining operation to obtain an attenuated offset amount, while initiating, with an initial value being 0, an estimation operation, in which an observer estimates the offset amount according to a tracking driving signal to obtain an estimated offset amount. The optical disk device corrects the tracking error signal by using the attenuated offset amount obtained by the attenuation operation and the estimated offset amount obtained by the estimation operation.

Abstract: An optical disc reading apparatus, such as a Near Filed optical disc reading apparatus, comprises a disc reader (401) which generates a first signal by reading an optical disc (403). A bit detector (407) detects data values in response to the first signal and data reference signals which are indicative of expected signals for different data sequences. An air gap processor (415) generates a reading head position error signal indicative of a distance between the surface of the optical disc and a reading leans. A reference processor (409) modifies the data reference signals in response to the reading head position error signal. The invention allows improved bit detection and in particular allows fast adaptation of e.g. a Partial Response Maximum Likelihood (PRML) bit detector to variations in an air gap for a reading lens.

Abstract: A position-error-signal calculation circuit (105) calculates a relative position error between a laser-focused-beam spot (103) and an information recording layer (102), and generates a focus error signal (106). A filter (108) amplifies and passes therethrough a signal component in the vicinity of the natural resonance frequency of at least one mode among the natural vibration modes of the optical disc medium (101). A drive amplifier receives through a stabilizing compensator (109) and a D/A converter (110) the focus error signal (106) passed by the filter (108), to drive an objective lens (113), thereby allowing the laser-focused-beam spot (103) to track the information recording layer (102).

Abstract: Provided are a disk defect inspection method and apparatus. The defect inspection method includes; determining an independent recording density value for disk defect detection in relation to disk drive component factors excepting a disk of the disk drive, and performing a disk defect inspection using the independent recording density value for disk defect detection.

Abstract: A fault detection circuit, for detecting a fault condition associated with a sensor (wherein non-fault detection signals output by the sensor include high frequency noise components), includes: an input unit to receive a raw signal from the sensor and to provide a corresponding detection signal; and a determination unit to determine if the detection signal includes components in significant amounts corresponding to the non-fault high frequency noise components, and to output an indication that the fault condition is satisfied if the detection signal does not include components in significant amounts corresponding to the non-fault high frequency noise components.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an optical disk device includes a semiconductor laser, a circuit which generates a timing signal to determine a recording pulse timing, a circuit which sets a magnitude of a current for the laser, a circuit which switches the magnitude of the current according to the timing signal, a generation circuit which generates a correction signal from the timing signal to correct response characteristics of a recording pulse, a circuit which synthesizes the correction signal and signals obtained as the switch result to determine the magnitude of the current, and a circuit which feeds the current to the laser according to the synthesis result. The generation circuit extracts high-frequency components from the signals obtained as the switch result and the signal generated by the synthesis circuit, and switches a frequency and a signal gain of each of the components, in accordance with recording pulse conditions.

Abstract: Provided is a new-type recordable DVD medium characterized in having medium characteristics not defined in the DVD-R standards and-having compatibility with the DVD-ROM standards. Since information on the new-type recordable DVD medium can be played back by an existing player, even when content data protected by CSS (Content Scrambling System) is recorded on the new-type recordable DVD medium, the recordable DVD medium can be used for content distribution service using a kiosk terminal.

Abstract: In a DPP-type tracking error signal (TE signal), an offset caused by the difference between the reflectance of a main-beam irradiated part and the reflectance of side-beam irradiated parts is appropriately compensated without individual normalization of an MPP signal and an SPP signal. An analog signal processing unit 40 produces the MPP, MPI, SPP, and SPI signals on the basis of the amounts of received reflected light of the main beam and side beams detected by a photo-detection unit 130, produces a DPP-type TE signal and a CE signal on the basis of the MPP and/or SPP signal, and outputs the analog signals of the TE, CE, MPI, and SPI signals.

Abstract: An optical recording device includes a light source, a spatial light modulator, a correcting optical system and a light guiding section. The spatial light modulator includes plural pixels, a signal light region that displays a signal light pattern, and a reference light region that displays a reference light pattern. The spatial light modulator modulates and outputs incident light for each pixel in accordance with a display pattern. The correcting optical system includes a pair of axicon lenses that correct the emitted light from the light source so as to flatten the light intensity distribution thereof on an irradiated surface of the spatial light modulator. The light guiding section guides the corrected light to the spatial light modulator. The signal light and the reference light are irradiated onto an optical recording medium simultaneously and a hologram is recorded into the optical recording medium.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and system for distinguishing spatial and thermal defects on perpendicular media. The magnetic domains of the perpendicular media are oriented to have a first polarity, scanned using a read head, oriented to have a second polarity and scanned again. The signals from the read head are combined to produce output signals having improved signal to noise ratios from which the locations of spatial and thermal defects can be identified and distinguished.

Abstract: A test unit is provided for executing a confirmation test on the storage area of the storage apparatus. A storage area management unit sets an accessible valid storage area in the storage area, and extends the accessible valid storage area to include a part of the storage area. The part of the storage area used to extend the accessible valid storage is confirmed for normal operation by the test unit.

Abstract: In a near-field optical recording/reproducing system and a method of controlling a tilt, the near-field optical recording/reproducing system includes: a light source; an objective lens to focus light emitted from the light source to transmit near-field light to an information storage medium; a PD (photodetector) to receive a portion of the light that is transmitted from the objective lens to the information storage medium and is reflected from the information storage medium, to detect a GES (gap error signal) used for controlling an air gap formed between the objective lens and the information storage medium; a signal processor/determiner to obtain an edge voltage using the GES detected by the PD and determine a tilt control point using the edge voltage; and an adjuster to control a relative tilt between the objective lens and the information storage medium in the tilt control position.

Abstract: A phase error detection apparatus capable of performing offset correction of a tracking error signal accurately even when there is a defect or a non-recorded position on an optical disc. There are provided a phase difference detection circuit (107) which receives two sequences of digital signals, performs phase comparison using a distance between zerocross points of the two sequences of digital signals, and outputs a phase comparison result PCR and a phase comparison completion signal PCC, and an offset control circuit (11) which outputs an offset correction amount for each phase comparison completion signal PCC from the phase difference detection circuit (107), and the offset correction amount ?? is added to the phase comparison result PCR to avoid offset correction in a position where phase comparison is not carried out.

Abstract: A defect entry, including position information of a defective block of a reference information layer and state information indicating the defective state of blocks of the other information layers located adjacent to a perpendicular direction at a position of the defective block of the reference information layer, is recorded on a holographic information storage medium. A method of inspecting for a defect includes determining whether blocks in a reference information layer are defective, and determining whether blocks of the other information layers located adjacent to a perpendicular direction at a position of a defective block of the reference information layer are defective, based on a result of the defect determination of the reference information layer.

Abstract: A device providing for microstructuring a storage medium includes a radiation source for producing an at least partially coherent beam from electromagnetic radiation, a modulator-provided with a plurality of individually switchable modulator elements, a beam-forming optical element for illuminating the modulator, a reducing optical element for reducing a beam radiated by the modulator, and a transport table for displacing the storage medium in relation to the reducing optical element. The device solves technical problems caused by writing of microstructuring and individual diffractive optical elements, in particular computer-generated holograms having a high speed and high writing energy. The device is achieved in that the reducing optical element is configured with limited diffraction and produces a surface reduction of at least 25 from a surface of the individually switchable modulator elements.

Abstract: An optical disc reading apparatus, such as a Near Filed optical disc reading apparatus, comprises a disc reader (401) which generates a first signal by reading an optical disc (403). A bit detector (407) detects data values in response to the first signal. The detected data is fed to an error correction processor (407) which performs error correction on the stream of detected data. In addition, the reading apparatus comprises an error signal processor (411) which generates a reading head position error signal. The error signal may for example be indicative of an air gap error or a tracking error for the reading lens. The error signal is fed to a reliability processor (413) which sets reliability values of at least some of the detected data in response to the head position error signal. The error correction performed by the error correcting processor (407) then performs the error correction taking the reliability values into account. The invention may allow improved error correction performance.

Abstract: A method for inspecting an optical information storage medium includes the steps of: irradiating the storage medium with a laser beam and rotating the medium by a constant linear velocity control technique by reference to the radial location at which the laser beam forms a spot on the medium; changing the rotational velocities according to the radial location on the medium between at least two linear velocities that include a first linear velocity Lv1 and a second linear velocity Lv2 higher than the first linear velocity Lv1; generating a focus error signal and/or a tracking error signal based on the light reflected from the medium; performing a focus control and/or a tracking control on the laser beam that irradiates the medium based on the focus and/or tracking error signal(s); and passing the branched outputs of control loops for the focus and/or tracking error signal(s) through predetermined types of frequency band-elimination filters for the focus and/or tracking error signal(s) to obtain residual errors

Abstract: A method of detecting an abnormal disc is provided. Firstly, an objective lens is moved along a one-way path for enabling the light beam of the objective lens to pass through the data layer of a disc. Next, the path having RF signal is detected and recorded. Then, whether the terminal of the one-way path is reached is determined: if the terminal is not reached, the method continues to move the objective lens; if the terminal is reached, the method calculates the length of vibration path on which RF signal is detected. After that, whether the length of vibration path is larger than a path threshold is determined: if the length of vibration path is not larger than a path threshold, the disc is a normal disc; if the length of vibration path is larger than the path threshold, the disc is an abnormal disc.

Abstract: A method for detecting a typical defect area on a disc track includes the following steps. Firstly, a source signal is provided. Then, first and second signals are generated according to the source signal. The first and second signals are held at the peak level of the source signal and respectively decreased at first and second drop rates. Then, first and second threshold values are subtracted from the first and second signals to generate first and second slice signals, respectively. Afterwards, the source signal is compared with either the first slice signal or the second slice signal. When the first slice signal is larger than the source signal, a typical defect signal is changed from a first level to a second level. Whereas, the typical defect signal is changed from the second level to the first level when the second slice signal is smaller than the source signal.

Abstract: A track-crossing signal generator includes a bottom envelope detecting unit, a defect detector, an auto gain control unit, and an amplifier. The bottom envelope detecting unit receives a radio frequency signal, and outputs a bottom envelope signal. The defect detector is electrically connected to the bottom envelope detecting unit for receiving the bottom envelope signal and generating a defect signal when a defect area is formed on a disc track. The auto gain control unit is electrically connected to the bottom envelope detecting unit for receiving the bottom envelope signal and dynamically adjusting a gain value according to the amplitude of the bottom envelope signal. The amplifier is electrically connected to the bottom envelope detecting unit and the auto gain control unit for receiving the bottom envelope signal and dynamically adjusting the bottom envelope signal according to the gain value, thereby amplifying the bottom envelope signal as a track-crossing signal.

Abstract: A recording medium, method and apparatus for managing a file system information of the ‘recording medium are disclosed. Herein, information for identifying a file system type (or a file system identifier) within a high density recording medium, such as a blu-ray disc, is recorded, and such a file system identifier is used in the method and apparatus for recording and reproducing the recording medium. The file system identifier is also used in a method for recording the file system identifier and initializing the same, when initializing the recording medium.

Abstract: An evaluation apparatus for obtaining an evaluation value of a signal read from an optical recording medium includes a reading device reading a signal recorded on the optical recording medium, an edge position detection device detecting edge positions of the read signal acquired by the reading device, a frequency distribution table generation device generating a frequency distribution table of the edge positions on the basis of accumulation result of information of the edge positions detected by the edge position detection device, and a first calculation device calculating a T degree value represented as [{?fi×(xi?A)(2m+1)}/F]{1/(2m+1)}??Formula 1 (wherein m is a natural number excluding zero) wherein, in the frequency distribution table generated by the frequency distribution table generation device, xi, fi, F, and A represent the value of each of the classes, the frequency of each of the classes, the sum of the frequencies, and the weighted average value, respectively.

Abstract: An optical disk discriminating method and an optical disk device which can detect reflected rays for making discrimination among kinds of optical disks with high accuracies. By switching a plurality of lasers and moving a spherical aberration corrector while moving an objective lens to cause it to approach or keep away from an optical disk, rays reflected light from the optical disk can be detected with high accuracies. Discrimination among the kinds of a plurality of optical disks can be made on the basis of signals generated from the detected reflected rays. This ensures that the kind of an optical disk can be determined through one operation of sweeping.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus capable of encrypting bus data to a host has a bus encryption circuit and controls the access to a memory. Encryption of data between the recording/reproducing apparatus and the host can be achieved to assure protection of data and contents recorded on an optical disc.

Abstract: A method and infrastructure are provided for monitoring and analyzing the storage media quality and the drive hardware performance of a media library. The media library comprises a plurality of removable storage media, a plurality of drive units for said storage media and means for moving said storage media to and from appropriate drive units. The media library is managed by a management system being connected to said media library. At least one reference medium of a known and proven quality to compare the performance of at least one of said storage media in a given drive unit with the performance of said reference medium in said given drive unit and/or to test the performance of at least one given drive unit of said media library when acting on said reference medium.

Abstract: An aligned write signal generator with alignment calibration utilizes an alignment unit to align a plurality of write signal. The aligned write signal generator includes a write signal generator for receiving an EFM signal and converting the EFM signal into a plurality of write signals according to a write strategy waveform generating rule, an alignment unit for receiving the plurality of write signals, aligning the write signals and outputting phase adjusted write signals, and a phase calibration unit for receiving the phase adjusted write signals, detecting phase error between the phase adjusted write signals, and outputting phase control signals. The alignment unit further receives the phase control signals to adjust the delay time of each write signal.

Abstract: A bit detector (203) for an optical disc reading apparatus comprises an interface (401) which receives central aperture signal values from an optical disc reader (101). The interface is coupled to a threshold detector (403) which assigns a first data value to data bits having corresponding central aperture signal values above a first threshold and a second data value to data bits having corresponding central aperture signal values below a second threshold. The thresholds are set to provide high reliability of the assigned data values and to restrict the data resulting in central aperture signal values between the thresholds to minimum run length sequences. A run length detector (405) assigns data values to at least one data bit of a sequence of data bits having corresponding central aperture signal values between the first and second threshold in response to a run length coding of the data bits and a data value of at least one data bit adjacent to the sequence.

Abstract: [Problems] To provide an optical head device capable of obtaining a desirable track error signal and a lens position signal for both two types of optical media having different groove pitches. [Means for Solving the Problems] Light emitted from a light source is divided by a diffraction optical element (3a) into a main beam that is transmitted light, first sub beams that are positive and negative first order diffracted light beams, and second sub beams that are positive and negative second order diffracted light beams. The phase of the positive and negative first order diffracted light beams from regions (13a, 13c) and that of the positive and negative first order diffracted light beams from regions (13b, 13d) are shifted from each other by 180 degrees, and the phase of positive and negative second order diffracted light beams from regions (13a, 13d) and that of the positive and negative second order diffracted light beams from regions (13b, 13c) are shifted from each other by 180 degrees.

Abstract: A medium control device for accepting a medium, reading from or writing to the medium, and monitoring for errors that occur while reading or writing provides a quality determiner for determining whether the quality of the medium has deteriorated based on errors by monitoring for the errors that occur while reading or writing, and a quality marker for marking a message indicating deterioration of the quality of the medium on a label side of the medium when the quality determiner determines that the quality of the medium has deteriorated.

Abstract: To record specific information to a disk-shaped record medium and reproduce the recorded specific information without any influence on the error correction capability. Copy protection information (CPID) having an error correction code appended thereto, shuffled and otherwise treated is sent as a CPID bit block to an EDC rewrite circuit (14). The EDC rewrite circuit (14) rewrites an error detection code appended to user data in each sector in accordance with bit information in the CPID bit block. Thereafter, the data in each sector is scrambled, and an ECC block including a plurality of sectors is modulated with an error correction code and sync signal appended thereto. The modulated signal is recorded in a reserve area of a lead-in area of the disk-shaped record medium. During reproduction, CPID is restored based on the result of error detection of each sector.

Abstract: A tracking error (TE) signal is formed from a single spot on a photodetector 25 to improve the robustness in optical disc applications having a reduced track-pitch. Reduced track pitches are employed in high data capacity optical disc formats. By using high frequency cross-correlation of a central aperture signal, the differences within the left 21 and right 23 detector halves yield a divergence from the zero crossing that produces a more pronounced tracking signal. The more pronounced tracking signal is insensitive to incoherent cross talk in multi-layer discs.

Abstract: A signal processing technique is proposed for compensating for radial to focus crosstalk in an optical storage system including an astigmatic lens (25) and four-quadrant photodetector (26) for generating a focus error signal. A signal processor generates the focus error signal (FESRVO), a tracking error signal (TES) and a central aperture signal (CA) and the proposed radial and focus crosstalk scheme can be described by the following equation (I): Where IFESRVO represents the improved focus error signal and y1j and y2j are vector components for scaling. Instead, scalar adaptive scaling factors ?1 and ?2 may be applied which can be updated by minimising a cost function J(y1, y2), which is able to imply the radial to focus crosstalk components remaining in the focus error signal.

Abstract: An optical disk drive of recording a re-writable optical disk and the method thereof. First, an optimum power is determined. A gain of a SBAD (Sub Beam Adder) signal is adjusted for generating an calibrated SBAD signal such that the calibrated SBAD signal maintains at the same level during a write power phase and a read power phase substantially. Then, the re-writable optical disk is recorded by using the optimum power. Next, a defect of the re-writable optical disk is detected according to the calibrated SBAD signal. Then, the optical disk drive will jump over the defect and prevent it from being data-recorded so as to avoid system malfunction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a reading apparatus and to a corresponding reading method for reading data from, and detecting cracks in, an optical record carrier (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for adjusting the pitch of an array of light spots (103) in an information carrier reading apparatus so as to correspond with the size of the macro-cells in which data is stored. A degree of mismatch between the pitch of the array of light spots (103) and the size of the macro-cells is determined when the probe array generation device (102) is illuminated with an input light beam, and the pitch adjusted accordingly by adjusting the distance of the focus of the light source (12) so as to converge or diverge the input light beam (104) to the probe array generation device (102), thereby to create a non-collimated input light beam (104) and magnify the pitch of the array of light spots (103) accordingly.