Abstract: A lift frame supports a turntable unit, and moves between a lower-most position and a read/write position in conjunction with slide movement of a follower slider. The follower slider has a pressing member and a cam groove. Pressed to a bottom plate of a device chassis by a coil spring, the pressing member stabilizes the movement of the follower slider. The cam groove fits onto a lifting pin of the lift frame. At the read/write position, the cam bottom wall is constituted of a pin pushing portion. The pin pushing portion is pushed upward by the coil spring to press the lifting pin to a cam groove upper wall when the lift frame is in the read/write position.

Abstract: An optical disk drive that performs logical overwrite and that enables reconstitution of arbitrary data acquired before logical overwrite. When data are written over a recorded area, the data are alternately recorded in an unrecorded user data area, thereby performing logical overwrite processing. Every time logical overwrite is performed, a system controller cumulatively prepares a correlation list consisting of an old physical address achieved before logical overwrite, an alternately-recorded new physical address, and a data length acquired before logical overwrite and records the thus-prepared list into an optical disk. When logical overwrite is performed a number of times, arbitrary data achieved before logical overwrite are reproduced by sequential reference to the old physical address of the correlation table.

Abstract: In an optical disk of HD-DVD, data is recorded in both grooves and lands. A groove track includes its own data region called a groove (G) track address system formed therein and a land track includes its own data region called a land (L) track address system formed therein. One bit of address data is composed of four redundant wobble waves. When only three or two of the four wobble waves can be detected, an error is determined. When an error is determined in tracing of a groove track, bit data of the L track address system is used to correct the error. When an error is determined in tracing of a land track, bit data of the G track address system is used to correct the error.

Abstract: When recording data on a multilayer optical disk, the recording power for a recording layer provided further from the laser beam incident side is optimized. An optical disk includes a first layer and a second layer. When recording data onto the second layer, the amount of return light at the space forming time is detected, and whether the first layer is in an unrecorded state or in a recorded state is determined in accordance with the level of the amount of return light. Then, the recording power for the second layer is changed in accordance with the determination result regarding the unrecorded/recorded state of the first layer. If the transmittance of the first layer decreases as a result of data recording, the recording power for the second layer in a case where the first layer is in the recorded state is set greater than the recording power for the second layer in a case where the first layer is in the unrecorded state.

Abstract: An optical disk drive recovers data in a write-once optical disk interrupted in the middle of recording operation. An optical disk drive includes a CD-R drive. When MP3 files are recorded in a CD-R, a CPU of the drive creates recovery data including file information, such as a filename, an extension, and a destination folder name of each MP3 file, prior to writing of the MP3 files; and writes the data. When power shutdown arose during recording of the MP3 files, the CPU reads the recovery data written in heads of respective MP3 files; creates FATs by use of the thus-read recovery data; and writes the FATs into the first tack of the CD-R.

Abstract: A disk drive and an information processing system optimizes the number of rotations of a disk. Data read from a disk and previously-read cache data are temporarily stored in buffer memory. When a total amount of cache data achieved during a given period of time T1 or an average amount of the same is equal to or less than a threshold value X1, a system controller controls the number of rotations in an increasing manner, thereby optimizing the number of rotations. When a total amount of cache data achieved during a given period of time T2 (T1<T2) or an average amount of the same is equal to or greater than a threshold value X2, a system controller controls the number of rotations in an decreasing manner, thereby optimizing the number of rotations.

Abstract: An optical disk device which drives HD-DVD or the like. In an HD-DVD type optical disk, address information is embedded in four wobble waves having the same phase. A wobble signal is detected by an optical pickup and demodulated by an address decoding circuit. The address decoding circuit detects an amount of phase difference of the wobble signal. The system controller sets an error flag in a bit in which the detected amount of phase difference exceeds a predetermined range. When a reading error is determined by means of CRC or the like, bit data replacement is performed with regard to the bit in which an error flag has been set, thereby correcting the error.

Abstract: A data recorder has a built-in medium recorder and a portable medium recorder. The data recorder has an optical disk drive section and a HDD section. In addition to having a mode for recording data in either of the mediums, the data recorder has a mode for simultaneously recording data in both the mediums. A pair of directories in an HD and an optical disk, where data are to be recorded, is stored as relevance information in the HD. In the case of second simultaneous recording or subsequent simultaneous recording, a reference is made to the relevance information, thereby automating location of directories where data are to be recorded simultaneously and obviating selecting operation.

Abstract: An optical disk drive capable of reproducing data even when warpage is present in an optical disk. A system controller of the optical disk drive reproduces data by setting a maximum speed in accordance with the type of an optical disk, an amount of side-to-side runout, or the like. In the meantime, when a read error arises as a result of trial reproduction being performed at an outer radius of the disk at startup, warpage is determined to be present in the optical disk, and a limitation on the maximum speed is raised. The rotational speed is set to allowable maximum speed of the optical disk drive, and warpage is corrected by means of centrifugal force. When reproduction becomes impracticable for reasons of meandering of a tack, or the like, during the course of reproduction of data, the rotational speed is decreased, to thus perform a retry.

Abstract: An optical disk drive capable of reproducing data even when defects, such as flaws or stains, are present in the disk. A system controller of an optical disk drive reproduces data by setting the maximum speed in accordance with the type of an optical disk, an amount of side-to-side runout, and the like. When reproduction of data becomes impracticable for reasons of meandering of a track, or the like, in the middle of reproduction of data, the rotational speed is decreased, and a retry is performed. However, when reproduction of data becomes impracticable for reasons of flaws or stains, the rotational speed is reversely increased, and a retry is performed.

Abstract: A printer transfers to one image formation area a plurality of single colors of ink repeatedly arranged in a longitudinal direction of the ink sheet, to thus produce in an image formation area of an intermediate transfer sheet a transfer image formed as a result of lamination of single color images, and also transfers the transfer image of the intermediate transfer sheet to a subject to be printed, thereby producing a desired image on the subject. During the course of a first single color of ink C being transferred from the ink sheet to an image formation area of an intermediate transfer sheet, to thus produce a single color image in the first color on the intermediate transfer sheet, a position mark is transferred by use of a black ink area provided at a widthwise edge of an area of the first single color of ink of the ink sheet and outside the image formation area of the intermediate transfer sheet.

Abstract: A CD player for use with a CD having prerecorded thereon a series of tunes or tracks together with track numbers, and with a TOC which lists the prerecorded tunes with their starting addresses but, conventionally, with no ending addresses. The CD player comprises a RAM for storing the TOC read on the CD, a CPU for permitting the user to edit the TOC, and a preprogrammed RAM. After being stored on the RAM, the TOC from the disk is modified to include the ending addresses of the prerecorded tunes in addition to their starting addresses. The thus modified TOC is editable by the user for playback of any desired tune or tunes, either in part or in whole and in any desired order, permitting the customization of disk playback in a far more diversified way than heretofore.

Abstract: An optical disk drive for driving an out-of-specification disk such as a CCCD. When the out-of-specification disk, such as a CCCD (Copy-Controlled CD), is loaded in the optical disk drive, a system controller of the optical disk drive reads TOC data in a first session and TOC data in a second session. When a contradiction exists between the TOC data in the second session and the TOC data in the first session, the system controller deems the disk to be not a within-specification disk but an out-of-specification disk, thereby diminishing the number of retry operations for reading data or a retry time, and reading data by means of generating a synchronization bit SYNC through use of an internal counter.

Abstract: A tilt detection system includes an optical disk having a series of data recorded therein, the series of data having a pulse width smaller than the minimum pulse width of data recorded in an ordinary optical disk; a reproducing part reproducing a signal from the optical disk by emitting a light beam onto the optical disk; and a tilt detecting part detecting a tilt of the light beam with respect to the optical disk based on a reproduced RF signal provided by the reproducing part when the series of data having the smaller pulse width is reproduced.

Abstract: An optical disk drive sets optimum recording power responsive to recording linear speed. When data are recorded in an optical disk, data are managed for each recording unit block (RUB). An APC area is provided at the top of RUBs, and OPC is performed by use of the APC area, whereby optimum recording power responsive to recording linear speed is set. Tentative optimum recording power responsive to recording linear speed is set, and test data are written, for a try, in the APC area at recording power that is determined by increasing or decreasing the tentative optimum recording power by a trace amount. The optimum recording power is set in according with a ? value obtained as a result of reproduction of the test data.

Abstract: A demodulation circuit accurately demodulates a wobble signal of an optical disk without being affected by a phase shift induced by crosstalk. An A-D converter subjects wobble signal reproduced from an optical disk to A-D conversion and feeds a result of conversion to a zero-crossing detection circuit. The zero-crossing detection circuit detects zero-crossing points of the wobble signal. A sinusoidal wave generation circuit generates a sinusoidal wave by means of sequentially connecting sinusoidal wave elements whose periods are each equal to a time interval between zero-crossing points. A multiplier multiplies an original wobble signal by a sinusoidal wave signal. A slicer detects an HMW-modulated portion of the wobble signal, and another slicer detects an MSK-modulated portion of the wobble signal.

Abstract: A storage device has a data erasing function. A controller of a storage device, such as an USB, has a lost timer section and an emergency timer section. Both timer sections halt clocking operation as a result of initiation of use of the storage device by an authorized user. The lost timer section commences s clocking operation as a result of completion of use of the storage device by the authorized user. The emergency timer section commences clocking operation as a result of unauthorized removal of the storage device. When either the lost timer section or the emergency timer section outputs a count-up signal, data in flash ROM are erased.

Abstract: An instrument amplifier includes an amplifier circuit for amplifying a sound signal input from an electric guitar. A main speaker emits sound according to the sound signal being amplified. A CD player plays back an audio signal from an audio CD. Side speakers for playback emits audio sound according to the audio signal being played back. A speaker box contains the main speaker and the side speakers in one space. In one embodiment, the speaker box includes a rear panel for closing a space behind the main speaker and the side speakers. Furthermore, an output mode key is settable in a first mode by external operation, the first mode being for controlling the playback speaker to emit sound according to the sound signal. The side speakers are disposed beside one another, for stereo sound emission of the audio sound.