Abstract: This invention relates to a reproducing apparatus compatible with a storage medium storing copyright-protected and copyright-unprotected files, the reproducing apparatus being capable of reproducing any one of the files stored on the medium, the reproducing apparatus comprising: demodulating means for demodulating any one of the copyright-protected files in one way and any one of the copyright-unprotected files in a different way; selective operation executing means operated to select either any one of the copyright-protected files or any one of the copyright-unprotected files as a file to be reproduced; and controlling means for causing the demodulating means to select one of the two different ways of demodulation depending on whether a copyright-protected file or a copyright-unprotected file has been selected by operation of the selective operation executing means.

Abstract: A recording medium and manufacturing method thereof, the recording medium comprising a control data area in which control data is prerecorded; and an information data area in which information data is to be recorded. The control data has a basic portion and an extension portion. The basic portion has a length corresponding to the information data.

Abstract: A head arrangement for reading a magneto-optical recording medium (10) having a storage layer and a read-out layer, includes an improved field generating device for generating a magnetic field used for copying a written mark from said storage layer to said read-out layer upon laser heating, the field generating device being arranged to generate a predetermined field gradient and/or a predetermined local maximum in a field component perpendicular to the surface of the recording medium (10). The width of the spatial overlap can thus be reduced such that an improved resolution and/or power margin is obtained.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, methods and systems for operating a magnetic storage media drive to perform read/write operations to magnetic storage media in an overwrite protected mode are provided. In one example, a method includes receiving a write request and associated write data and determining if the magnetic storage medium is overwrite protected. If the storage medium is overwrite protected the method includes writing the write data to the storage medium followed by an EOD marker associated with the end of the write data, allowing write operations to the storage medium after previously written data, and preventing write operations to the storage medium prior to previous EOD markers.

Abstract: An optical disc system includes a photo detector circuit of an optical disc drive and a signal processing system. The photo detector circuit is configured to generate at least one information-carrying signal from an optical disc assembly. The signal processing system is coupled to the photo detector circuit to obtain from the at least one information-carrying signal both operational information used to operate the optical disc system and data indicative of presence and/or characteristics of an investigational feature associated with the optical disc assembly. Methods and discs for imaging a biological or medical investigational feature are also provided.

Abstract: The hinge (13) should preferably be formed to have a higher resistance than ever against the pivoting of the mirror body (12) to effectively prevent the hinge (13) from being damaged. By adopting a suitable one of a variety of production steps as necessary, the hinge (13) can be formed more finely and with a higher precision and thus the micro mirror unit can be produced more easily in a shorter time. To this end, the hinge (13) is formed from a different material, such as SiNx, from the mirror substrate material from which the frame (11) and mirror body (12) are formed.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus includes a detector for detecting a data string corresponding to a waveform pattern having a predetermined time width, an ideal signal generator for generating a data string of an ideal signal having a predetermined time width, which corresponds to a data string having the predetermined time width, a parameter calculator for comparing the detected data string with the data string of the generated ideal signal, and determining a waveform compensation amount on the basis of the comparison result, a recording waveform generator for generating a recording waveform pulse on the basis of externally supplied recording data and the waveform compensation amount, and a pickup for irradiating a storage area of the optical disk with a laser beam in accordance with the recording waveform pulse to record the recording data.

Abstract: An optical reproducing apparatus that uses a hologram laser module and is applicable to a DVD Multi drive, wherein five sub spots of light in total that are most suitable to perform the differential push-pull tracking both for DVD-RAM and for DVD-R/RW are irradiated on the disk, respectively, and influence of several sub spots that are unnecessary in recording and reproducing a disk is canceled out by calculation, to realize an optical head that is compatible with the DVD Multi drive using a hologram laser module, and thereby providing a small-size, high-performance optical reproducing apparatus.

Abstract: A magnetic recording device is provided according to the present invention for magnetic recording on a recording medium. The magnetic recording device includes a planar waveguide having a propagation axis. The planar waveguide allows light received thereby to propagate along the propagation axis. The magnetic recording device further includes a magnetic pole having a yoke disposed adjacent the planar waveguide and a pole tip extending into the planar waveguide along the propagation axis. By extending the pole tip into, and incorporating it with, the planar waveguide, the light propagating through the planar waveguide and a magnetic flux flowing through the magnetic pole are co-locatable on a recording medium disposed adjacent the magnetic recording device.

Abstract: An apparatus of detecting defects on an optical recording medium includes a defect signal generating circuit for generating a corresponding defect signal according to a surface defect of the optical recording medium, a first synchronous signal generator for generating a first synchronous signal, a defect signal locating circuit, a delay signal generating circuit, and an OR gate. The defect signal includes at least one pulse, whose width corresponds to the physical width of a surface defect. The delay signal generating circuit generates a delay signal corresponding to each pulse when the spacing between two adjacent pulses is smaller than a preset value. An OR operation is performed to the delay signal and the defect signal to obtain a defect extension signal. The first synchronous signal and a second synchronous signal for separating data recording sectors of the optical recording medium are employed to detect widths and addresses of surface defects.

Abstract: A method of writing product servo sectors to a disk of a disk drive is disclosed. A plurality of spiral tracks are written to the disk, wherein each spiral track comprises a high frequency signal interrupted at a predetermined interval by a sync mark. During the product servo writing process, the sync marks in the spiral tracks are detected and a sync mark reliability metric is generated, wherein the sync mark reliability metric represents a probability that the sync mark was detected accurately. A timing recovery measurement is generated in response to the detected sync marks and the sync mark reliability metrics. A servo write clock is synchronized in response to the timing recovery measurement and used to write the product servo sectors to the disk while serving on the spiral tracks.

Abstract: An integrated unit in which a light source and a light emitting diode are combined into one component is fixed to an optical bench. Then, relative position adjustment of an objective lens actuator is carried out with respect to the optical bench so that a desired detection signal can be obtained through reflected light from a disk information recording medium and then the objective lens actuator is fixed. The relative position adjustment of the integrated unit is no longer required and it is no longer necessary preliminarily to provide a margin for adjusting the integrated unit. Thus, an optical head can be reduced in size and thickness.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is an optical disc driving apparatus 100, 200 for driving an optical disc while reading out information contained in the optical disc, the optical disc having an outer peripheral surface, comprising: a housing 101 formed with an loading slot having the optical disc passed therethrough; first detecting means 102 for performing a detection of the outer peripheral surface of the optical disc to be moved into the housing 101; and second detecting means 103 for performing a detection of the outer peripheral surface of the optical disc to be moved into the housing 101 after the detection of the outer peripheral surface of the optical disc is performed by the first detecting means 102; and judging means 104 for judging whether one optical disc or partially overlapped optical discs are passed through the loading slot 101a of the housing 101 based on results detected by the first and second detecting means 102 and 103.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for particle monitoring for a head disk assembly (HDA) to detect a head disk interface (HDI) event. A particle monitoring system includes a particle detector, an air sampling device, and a computer. The air sampling device is coupled to and in fluid communication with the particle detector. The air sampling device extends into the HDA to obtain an air sample. The particle detector is used to detect particles contained in the air sample. The computer is coupled to the particle detector and is configured to: monitor the particles detected by the particle detector; and declare an HDI event if the particles detected in the air sample match a pre-defined characteristic.

Abstract: A method and device for recording video on a record carrier (11), e.g. an optical disc. The information is arranged according to a recording format, e.g. DVD-video, for being playable in standardized players. The video information is subdivided into cells and playback parameters for reproducing sequences of the cells are included in control information. The format prescribes that within the recording area the control information precedes the video information for playback functions of the recorded video. However for home recording it is preferable that a recording is made in one pass, i.e. the video is to be recorded directly at its final location. Therefore the recorder has a control unit (20) for performing the following steps: first creating a free area (12) by selecting a starting point (13) within the recording area different from the beginning of the recording area, thereafter recording the real-time information from the starting point (13), and recording the control information in said free area (12).

Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus for a domain-wall-displacement magneto-optical recording medium with good format efficiency, capable of providing a good reproduction signal and securing a maximum recording region for a user is provided which comprises a recording circuit that starts recording of an information in a data region at a predetermined timing with a detection signal obtained in the preformat region being used as a reference, and a reproducing circuit that starts reproducing of the information recorded in the data region at a timing earlier than the predetermined timing with the detection signal being used-as a reference.

Abstract: In track jumping operation, an acceleration/deceleration pulse generation portion measures the TE signal amplitude during track jumping, and modifies the acceleration/deceleration time of the acceleration/deceleration pulse according to the measured amplitude to drive a tracking actuator. Also, the acceleration/deceleration pulse generation portion measures the movement time from the start of acceleration until a certain location is reached, and modifies the peak value of the deceleration pulse according to the measured time to drive the tracking actuator.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting an external optical disk drive's open/closed status. The apparatus includes an upper housing, a cover, a solenoid valve sub-assembly, a solenoid valve base, a solenoid valve, a hook device, a torsion spring, an elastic plate, a lower housing, and two wires. When the cover is closed, the convex portion located at the front edge of the cover presses on the torsion spring, and the torsion spring contacts the elastic plate, resulting in an electrically conductive state. When the cover is opened, the torsion spring is released, and the torsion spring disengages from the elastic plate, disconnecting the circuit.

Abstract: Audio-centered information is stored on a unitary medium by a Table-of-Contents (TOC) mechanism for specifying an actual configuration of various audio items on the medium. In addition to the TOC mechanism a file-based access mechanism to the information is assigned through a ROOT directory that contains a highest level TOC directory pointing at various audio items.

Abstract: A controller for controlling interruptions and restarts when writing data to a recording medium by emitting a laser beam against the recording medium. The controller prevents buffer underrun errors. The laser beam is emitted at a high power level when writing data on the recording medium and at a low power read level when reading data from the medium. The writing of data is interrupted when there is a possibility of a buffer underrun error. When restarting data writing from where the interruption occurred, the laser beam is shifted from the read level to the write level before reaching the location at which the interruption occurred. This guarantees that the laser beam has the required power level when writing is restarted.