Abstract: A servo control apparatus for maintaining a scanning device, such as a beam of radiation, aligned with an information recording track on a moving recording medium, such as a record disc. The apparatus is especially adapted for use in correcting for tracking deviations brought about by temperature-induced expansion and contraction of the disc, which causes the recording track being scanned to move radially outwardly or inwardly relative to the beam of radiation. In the preferred embodiment, the apparatus includes a movable mirror for oscillating the beam in a radial direction, in accordance with a periodic dither signal. This causes a corresponding variation in the intensity of the beam reflected by the disc, with the amplitude and phase angle of this intensity variation, relative to that of the dither signal, indicating the direction and magnitude of the deviation of the beam from the track centerline.

Abstract: A direct-read-after-write optical recording disc having a pair of transparent, disc-shaped members, each being formed with integral inner and outer ring-shaped bosses on one of its sides. A thin recording layer of a light-sensitive material is coated on each disc-shaped member, in a shallow annular recess formed between its two ring-shaped bosses, and the two members are disposed in a coaxial relationship, with their respective bosses in abutment with each other, whereby the two recording layers are located within a sealed, annular chamber.

Abstract: Heated material is injected into an annular cavity, defined by a pair of mold halves, through a sprue passage, defined by a sprue bushing and an end portion of a punch. The annular cavity and the sprue passage form, respectively the centrally apertured part and a sprue. After partial cooling of the heated material, the punch is locked in place while the annular cavity is displaced relative to the sprue passage so that the sprue is severed from the part along the peripheral surface of the punch end portion. The mold halves are separated to open the annular cavity while the sprue is resting on the punch end portion, and while the part is held by the punch end peripheral surface. After the mold halves are separated, a sprue ejector member is actuated to eject the sprue from the punch end portion. The finished video disc is then removed, carried by the moving platen of the moving mold assembly.

Abstract: A write and read objective lens for encoding and recovery of information upon a storage member comprising three single lenses and one achromatic doublet for which the working distance is large, flatness of field and resolving power are high and utilizable with a plurality of wavelengths of light.

Abstract: A video disc player assembly is described employing a fixed base member with a pair of fixed rails, and a movable carriage member employing a pair of linear bearing assemblies in engagement with said rails. A stabilization plate is mounted on the movable carriage for movement therewith. A motor and spindle assembly is mounted on the stabilization plate. A portion of the motor and spindle assembly extends through axially aligned apertures in the stabilization plate and carriage and carries a videodisc mounting surface coplanar with the stabilization plate. A centering means is provided to accurately center the disc about the spindle. A releasable clamp rigidly engages the spindle and holds the videodisc against the mounting surface parallel to the stabilization plate. A motor and spindle are mounted on the carriage for rotary driving of the video disc, a centering means is provided to accurately center the disc about the spindle, and a stabilization plate is provided adjacent and parallel to the rotating disc.

Abstract: A substrate carrier assembly is described which employs a frame, a plurality of rollers, a plurality of substrate carrier rings, captively held within the frame and a carrier support track. The substrate carrier assembly provides support and constraint to a plurality of substrate members, while the substrate members are coated with a thin evaporated layer. The physical configuration provided insures that a uniformly thin metal layer is formed over the substrate member.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling the speed of an information storage medium, such as a disc-shaped record carrier, relative to a device for recovering information recorded thereon. The disc includes a plurality of substantially parallel information tracks arranged in a spiral or in concentric circles, and information recorded thereon includes a pilot signal having a predetermined frequency. The apparatus includes means for comparing the phase angle of the recovered pilot signal with the phase angle of a locally generated reference signal, to produce an error signal for controlling the angular velocity of a spindle motor that rotates the disc. The pilot signal includes an equal integral number of cycles on each information track, so its phase angle is aligned on adjacent tracks and the apparatus can continue to operate even when the information recovering device is traversing the disc from one track to another or is not critically positioned with respect to an individual information track.

Abstract: A digital servo system for maintaining a detection device, such as a light beam, centered as closely as possible over an information track, such as an optical track on a video recording disc. The servo system includes circuitry for detecting when the light beam traverses a switching line, which, in the illustrative embodiment, is the track centerline, for applying a constant-magnitude acceleration force to deflect the beam to a corrected position, and for reversing the polarity of the acceleration force when the beam traverses the switching line.

Abstract: A digital servo system for maintaining a detection device, such as a reading beam, as nearly as possible centered with respect to an information track, such as an optical track on a video recording disc. In each of the embodiments disclosed, circuitry is provided to process a signal obtained from the reading beam, to obtain timing signals indicative of transitions of the beam across noncentral switching lines parallel with the track. In one embodiment, a constant-magnitude acceleration signal is applied to a beam position transducer, and is reversed in polarity each time a switching line is crossed after first crossing the centerline. In another embodiment, the polarity of the constant-magnitude acceleration signal is reversed after crossing a switching line a second time and after applying an additional acceleration impulse of relatively short duration.

Abstract: A servo control system for maintaining an information detection device, such as a light beam, centered on a moving information track, such as a spiral recording track on a video disc. The system of the invention includes a dither signal generator, a bandpass filter for deriving an intermediate signal indicative of the effect of dither on the detected signal derived from the information track, and switching circuitry for deriving an error signal from the intermediate signal and the polarity of the dither signal. In one embodiment of the invention, the switching circuitry includes an inverter, and a switch for selecting either the intermediate signal or the inverted intermediate signal, in accordance with the polarity of the dither signal. The error signal thus derived is low-pass filtered and has a positive value when the center position of the beam moves to one side of the track, and a negative value when the center position of the beam moves to the other side.

Abstract: A data handling system is described for encoding an input digital data waveform by a pulse code modulation technique useful to obtain optimum packing density for a recording medium. The encoding technique selects the binary one state of the input waveform for processing and generates an encoded waveform containing sufficient signal level transition to reconstruct the original input data waveform. The decoding technique examines the transitions present in the retrieved encoded signal and generates decoding indicia sufficient to identify all binary ones in the original digital waveform. A waveform generator recreates the original encoded waveform using selected clocking signals and the decoding indicia.

Abstract: Apparatus, and a related method, for maintaining an incident beam of radiation in alignment with the centerline of a movable, optically-readable information track, wherein the track comprises a succession of light-reflecting and light-scattering regions representative of a frequency modulated carrier and the sides of the track are adapted to scatter incident radiation in predetermined directions. The apparatus includes photodetector means for sensing the amount of radiation scattered by each side of the track and for generating an error signal indicative of the deviation of the incident beam relative to the centerline of the track, along with means responsive to the error signal for controllably moving the incident beam into alignment with the centerline of the track.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for controllably rotating an information storage disc relative to a radially movable optical transducer, whereby information is recorded on the disc in a series of substantially circular and concentrically arranged information tracks. The angular velocity of the disc and the radial velocity of the transducer are controllably adjusted to be inversely proportional to the radius of the particular information track being recorded, whereby the track is moved at a constant linear velocity relative to the transducer and the successive tracks are equally spaced with respect to each other, and whereby a uniform information recording density over the surface of the disc is achieved.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for writing upon a video record and for reading the video information from the video record after the writing is complete, and the video disc structure so written. The apparatus includes a laser and an optical system which directs the laser beam to a prepared rotating disc. The disc has a very thin metallic coating. A first lens acts to diverge the laser beam so as to fill a miscroscope objective lens which focuses the beam to a small spot of approximately 1 .mu.m in diameter. The spot contains sufficient energy to melt the metallic surface coating on the disc. The surface tension of the molten metal makes it draw back leaving a hole.Video information in the form suitable for display with a T.V. monitor is applied to an F.M. modulator for forming an F.M. signal. The F.M. signal intensity modulates a laser beam passing through a Pockels cell--Glan prism combination. The series of holes forming the coating of the disc represent the F.M. signal. Since an F.M.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for recovering information at a substantially constant rate from a rotatable information storage disc. The information is stored on the disc in a plurality of substantially circular and concentrically arranged information tracks, with a substantially uniform recording density, and it is recovered by controllably rotating the disc, relative to a transducer, at an angular velocity substantially inversely proportional to the radius of the corresponding track. The apparatus includes a coarse speed control potentiometer for producing a measure of the radius of the particular information track from which information is being recovered, and fine speed control means for comparing the relative phase angles of a periodic signal in the recovered information and a periodic reference signal and for producing a fine speed control signal proportional to the phase difference.

Abstract: A stamper for producing replicas of a video disc master formed of a glass substrate containing surface irregularities in the form of an information pattern of raised protrusions is formed by applying a strike coating of a conductive metal such as silver and then electroplating copper and nickel to form a self-supporting negative replica member, termed as "mother," which can be stripped from the surface of the master. The interior of the mother is cleaned and passivated preparatory to use as a mandrel in the electroforming of a positive replica submaster. The submaster may function as a stamper or be utilized after passivation as a mandrel in the electroforming of a submother from which a stamper or a plurality of stampers are formed.

Abstract: A data handling system is described for encoding an input digital data waveform by a pulse code modulation technique useful to obtain optimum packing density for a recording medium. The encoding technique selects the binary one state of the input waveform for processing and generates an encoded waveform containing sufficient signal level transition to reconstruct the original input data waveform. The decoding technique examines the transitions present in the retrieved encoded signal and generates decoding indicia sufficient to identify all binary ones in the original digital waveform. A waveform generator recreates the original encoded waveform using selected clocking signals and the decoding indicia.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for rotating an information storage disc about its central axis at a prescribed angular velocity that varies according to the radial position of an optical transducer for recording information thereon, whereby a uniformly high density of information can be recorded over the entire disc. The apparatus includes a register for storing a digital measure of the radius of the current track being recorded by the transducer, along with velocity signal circuitry for producing a disc velocity signal having a frequency inversely proportional to the measure of radius, and a spindle motor servo, responsive to the disc velocity signal, for controlling the angular velocity of the information disc, accordingly.

Abstract: Heated material is injected into an annular cavity, defined by a pair of mold halves, through a sprue passage, defined by a sprue bushing and an end portion of a punch. The annular cavity and the sprue passage form, respectively, the centrally apertured part and a sprue. After partial cooling of the heated material, the punch is locked in place while the annular cavity is displaced relative to the sprue passage so that the sprue is severed from the part along the peripheral surface of the punch end portion. The mold halves are separated to open the annular cavity while the sprue is resting on the punch end portion, and while the part is held by the punch end peripheral surface. After the mold halves are separated, a sprue ejector member is actuated to eject the sprue from the punch end portion. The finished video disc is then removed, carried by the moving platen of the moving mold assembly.