Abstract: For a disk of a land/groove scheme with land tracks and grooves appearing alternately, in order to enable stable and reliable reproduction of information as recorded on a disk by stably and reliably detecting a specific position at which a land track and groove change therebetween, a technique is employed for detecting the position whereat one land track is changed to a groove, or vice versa, by utilizing an HPP signal rather than an RF signal in cases where an optical head 103 attempts to reproduce certain information at the pit formation position of a disk 101. In addition, detect the polarity--positive or negative--of a pit signal appearing in the HPP signal, and then detect the position whereat the land track and groove change therebetween based on the position at which the order or sequence thereof changes, thereby permitting effectuation of optical head's tracking control and focus control by a method suitable for its respective parts.

Abstract: A masking type light control layer for decreasing its reflection factor in a high-temperature region is formed on phase pits of an optical disc, and the phase pit depth is set to a predetermined value. A light spot for reproduction is shaped to an elliptical form and two sub-flux beams on the optical disc are spaced by 5/4 track pitch from a principal flux beam in the radial direction of the optical disc. The kind of optical disc is discriminated and reproduction laser power and characteristics of an equalizer circuit are switched in accordance with the type of an optical disc. Through this, a stable servo signal detection can be ensured and repetitive reproduction characteristics can be improved.

Abstract: A tracking control apparatus is provided for controlling a displacement error between a pickup system and a track when reproducing information recording on an information-recording and reproducing medium having tracks on which information is recorded or reproduced.