Abstract: The track jumping of a scanner on optical storage media in which information items are stored on groove and land tracks or which have not yet been written to is intended to be made possible in a reliable manner. For this purpose, firstly a fictitious track type is defined for a regulating circuit, which regulates the position of the scanner. The regulating circuit is then closed on the basis of the track type defined and a track scanning signal. The reaction of the scanner to the closing is detected in order to obtain from this an item of information about the track type. This method is also advantageous, in principle, for closing the track following regulation in information carriers having relatively high storage densities.

Abstract: A device for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media 10, on which information is present in the form of pits, with a linearly polarized light beam 2. A device for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media 10 which ensures correct reproduction of the stored data even when the recording medium influences the polarization of the light beam 2.

Abstract: The track jumping of a scanner (1) on optical storage media in which information items are stored on groove and land tracks or which have not yet been written to is intended to be made possible in a reliable manner. For this purpose, firstly a fictitious track type is defined for a regulating circuit (1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10), which regulates the position of the scanner (1). The regulating circuit (1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10) is then closed on the basis of the track type defined and a track scanning signal. The reaction of the scanner (1) to the closing is detected in order to obtain from this an item of information about the track type. This method is also advantageous, in principle, for closing the track following regulation in information carriers having relatively high storage densities.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media with optical scanner, light source, focusing means, tilting-detection device and tilting-compensation device. The object of the invention is to propose an apparatus and a method, which enables optimum compensation of tilting using as few apparatus functions as possible. This is achieved according to the invention by using a tilting-detection device comprising an optical grating, a detector element, a control device for controlling light source and the focusing means and a control device controlling for the tilting-compensation device.

Abstract: A device for reading from and/or writing to optical recording media 10, on which information is present in the form of pits, with a linearly polarized light beam 2.

Abstract: The beam of light reflected from an optico-magnetic recorded medium is reflected by an optical pick-up onto one optical or another in accordance with the direction that the beam's plane of polarization is rotated in. A data signal is obtained from the difference in the photovoltages of the two photodetectors.

Abstract: An optical pick-up for selectively reading and writing an optical and magneto-optical recorded medium, in which light projected on the recorded medium is reflected therefrom and directed onto one of two photodetectors, depending on the polarization of the light. The recorded medium has magnetic domains for storing data and a magneto-optical signal is generated from the difference between the two photo voltages from the two photodetectors. The magneto-optical signal represents the data stored in the magnetic domains. The recorded medium also stores data in pit forms, and an optical signal is generated from the sum of the photovoltages of the two photodetectors, to represent the data stored in the pit forms. The arrangement is suitable for reading out simultaneously the optical signal and the magneto-optical signal.

Abstract: A tracking circuit for an optical scanner to return a light beam to a data storage track of a disk that was scanned by the light beam, after the light beam was deflected away as a result of an outside random shock or vibration. A difference amplifier generates a tracking error by taking the difference between two photovoltages. A directional logic circuit in the form of a D flip-flop determines which direction the light beam was deflected away from the data storage track that was scanned by the light beam. The light beam may skip storage tracks when it is deflected away from the track that was being scanned. The number of storage tracks that were skipped by the light beam, in this manner, are counted by an up-and-down counter, and this counter emits a control signal which is dependent on the state of the counter for deflecting the light beam back to the data storage track that was scanned. The counter output is applied to a control amplifier through a pulse shaper.

Abstract: An optically-recorded medium in which a reflecting optomagnetic layer is applied to a transparent substrate layer. The recorded medium stores data magnetically and by pits. The magnetically stored data and the pit stored data are superimposed on each other, so that every spot and region on the recorded medium stores both magnetically stored data and pit stored data. The recorded medium is not divided into separate regions for magnetically stored data and pit stored data, and the magnetically stored data and pit stored data may be read out simultaneously by a single light beam.