Abstract: A storage device includes a plurality of memories storing data; and a controller controlling the memories, the controller performing in parallel in a number of the memories, the number being specified by a supplied specifying signal, one of a data writing process for writing data supplied from a connection destination device to which the storage device is connectable and a data reading process for reading data requested by the connection destination device.

Abstract: A head unit includes a head, and a head guide assembly disposed adjacent to the head to restrict a displacement of a tape (tape-like storage medium) in a tape width direction with respect to the head. A tape drive system includes a tape guide arrangement disposed to guide the tape supplied from a supply reel to the head unit, passed across the head unit and led to a take-up reel. The tape guide arrangement includes a guide disposed adjacent to the head unit, and the guide is supported with an air bearing. In one embodiment, the guide includes a motor for rotating a contact surface of the guide around which the tape is wrapped, in accordance with movement of the tape.

Abstract: In a memory card with a newly-added module for performing data communication, data communication is stably performed without receiving a noise effect. As an embodiment of the present invention, a memory card 100 has a thin-plate-shaped holding member 20, a memory section 24 provided as buried in the holding member 20, plural first connection pieces 2-10 connected to the memory section 24, a data communication section 26 provided as buried in the holding member 20, and two connection pieces 11, 12 connected to the data communication section 26. The two second connection pieces 11, 12 are disposed at the end of a row part R1 on which only the plural first connection pieces 2-10 are aligned. One first connection piece 10 positioned at the end of the row part R1 is a ground terminal. That is to say, in the plural first connection pieces 2-10, the first connection piece 10 adjacent to the second connection piece 11 is a ground terminal.

Abstract: A recording and reproduction apparatus using a plurality of generations of optical recording media and an optical recording medium used in such a recording and reproduction apparatus, wherein the optical recording medium comprises first and second recording areas, the first recording area is divided into a plurality of zones, each of the plurality of zones is divided into a plurality of divided areas of one type among a plurality of types set in advance, the plurality of divided areas are assigned addresses and have fixed recording capacities, and identification information indicating the one type is recorded in the second recording area. The apparatus focuses a laser beam on the second recording area to read the identification information and records information on the first recording area or detects recorded information of the first recording area based on the identification information. The optical recording medium is for example a magneto-optical disk.

Abstract: A recording and reproduction apparatus using a plurality of generations of optical recording media and an optical recording medium used in such a recording and reproduction apparatus, wherein the optical recording medium comprises first and second recording areas, the first recording area is divided into a plurality of zones, each of the plurality of zones is divided into a plurality of divided areas of one type among a plurality of types set in advance, the plurality of divided areas are assigned addresses and have fixed recording capacities, and identification information indicating the one type is recorded in the second recording area. The apparatus focuses a laser beam on the second recording area to read the identification information and records information on the first recording area or detects recorded information of the first recording area based on the identification information. The optical recording medium is for example a magneto-optical disk.

Abstract: A recording and reproduction apparatus using a plurality of generations of optical recording media and an optical recording medium used in such a recording and reproduction apparatus, wherein the optical recording medium comprises first and second recording areas, the first recording area is divided into a plurality of zones, each of the plurality of zones is divided into a plurality of divided areas of one type among a plurality of types set in advance, the plurality of divided areas are assigned addresses and have fixed recording capacities, and identification information indicating the one type is recorded in the second recording area. The apparatus focuses a laser beam on the second recording area to read the identification information and records information on the first recording area or detects recorded information of the first recording area based on the identification information. The optical recording medium is for example a magneto-optical disk.

Abstract: A recording and reproduction apparatus using a plurality of generations of optical recording media and an optical recording medium used in such a recording and reproduction apparatus, wherein the optical recording medium comprises first and second recording areas, the first recording area is divided into a plurality of zones, each of the plurality of zones is divided into a plurality of divided areas of one type among a plurality of types set in advance, the plurality of divided areas are assigned addresses and have fixed recording capacities, and identification information indicating the one type is recorded in the second recording area. The apparatus focuses a laser beam on the second recording area to read the identification information and records information on the first recording area or detects recorded information of the first recording area based on the identification information. The optical recording medium is for example a magneto-optical disk.

Abstract: A recording and reproduction apparatus using a plurality of generations of optical recording media and an optical recording medium used in such a recording and reproduction apparatus, wherein the optical recording medium comprises first and second recording areas, the first recording area is divided into a plurality of zones, each of the plurality of zones is divided into a plurality of divided areas of one type among a plurality of types set in advance, the plurality of divided areas are assigned addresses and have fixed recording capacities, and identification information indicating the one type is recorded in the second recording area. The apparatus focuses a laser beam on the second recording area to read the identification information and records information on the first recording area or detects recorded information of the first recording area based on the identification information. The optical recording medium is for example a magneto-optical disk.

Abstract: A reproducing laser output can be adjusted to an optimal level. To this end, a magneto-optical disk device includes a differential amplifier and a shortest recording mark identifier that detects a shortest recording mark reproducing signal corresponding to a component of a shortest recording mark in a reproducing signal obtained by reproducing a magneto-optical disk. In addition, an envelope detector detects an amplitude level of the shortest recording mark reproducing signal, a comparator compares the amplitude level with a reference voltage outputted from the reference voltage source, and a drive control section adjusts the reproducing laser beam to an output level at which the amplitude level is equal to or higher than the reference voltage, based on a comparison result from the comparator.

Abstract: A reproducing laser output can be adjusted to an optinal level. To this end, a magneto-optical disk device 1 comprises a differential amplifier 23 and a shortest recording mark identifier 33 which detect a shortest recording mark reproducing signal corresponding to a component of a shortest recording mark in a reproducing signal obtained by reproducing a magneto-optical disk 100, an envelope detector 33 which detects an amplitude level of the shortest recording mark reproducing signal, a comparator 35 which compares the amplitude level with a reference voltage outputted from the reference voltage source 34, and a drive control section 30 which adjusts the reproducing laser beam to an output level at which the amplitude level is equal to or higher than the reference voltage, based on a comparison result from the comparator 35.

Abstract: A reproducing laser output can be adjusted to an optimal level. To this end, a magneto-optical disk device includes a differential amplifier and a shortest recording mark identifier that detects a shortest recording mark reproducing signal corresponding to a component of a shortest recording mark in a reproducing signal obtained by reproducing a magneto-optical disk. In addition, an envelope detector detects an amplitude level of the shortest recording mark reproducing signal, a comparator compares the amplitude level with a reference voltage outputted from the reference voltage source, and a drive control section adjusts the reproducing laser beam to an output level at which the amplitude level is equal to or higher than the reference voltage, based on a comparison result from the comparator.

Abstract: A recording and reproduction apparatus using a plurality of generations of optical recording media and an optical recording medium used in such a recording and reproduction apparatus, wherein the optical recording medium comprises first and second recording areas, the first recording area is divided into a plurality of zones, each of the plurality of zones is divided into a plurality of divided areas of one type among a plurality of types set in advance, the plurality of divided areas are assigned addresses and have fixed recording capacities, and identification information indicating the one type is recorded in the second recording area. The apparatus focuses a laser beam on the second recording area to read the identification information and records information on the first recording area or detects recorded information of the first recording area based on the identification information. The optical recording medium is for example a magneto-optical disk.

Abstract: A malfunction during focussing pull-in in an optical disc recording/reproducing apparatus is to be prevented. To this end, the optical disc recording/reproducing apparatus includes an optical pickup 7 having an objective lens 8 and a biaxial actuator, a photodetector for generating tracking error signals from the return light of the laser light illuminated on the optical disc and a position sensor for detecting the position of the objective lens relative to the optical disc. The optical disc recording/reproducing apparatus also includes an actuator driving circuit for controlling the servo operation of a biaxial actuator 9, based on the tracking error signals, so that the converging point of the light beam will be on the signal recording surface of the optical disc, and a pull-in range decision unit for outputting a permission signal according permission for the servo operation when the position of the objective lens 8 is within a preset range.

Abstract: An optical disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus 1 is provided in which servo having high followup performance can be applied without impairing steady-state stability under suppression of servo errors. The optical disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus 1 includes a shock sensor 7 for detecting an impact applied from outside, and a servo unit 14 which performs servo on the basis of focussing error signals and tracking error signals and in which the servo operation is switched between a first state having a usual servo followup performance and a second state having a servo followup performance higher than said first state. The apparatus 1 also includes a controller 15 having the finction of discriminating the impact strength sensed by the shock sensor 7 and of switching the servo operation of the servo unit 14 to the second state when the impact strength exceeds a pre-set strength.

Abstract: In an optical disk recording and reproducing apparatus, a brake operation timing signal (H) is generated by a brake operation timing signal generating unit (8) from an RF signal and a tracking error signal delivered from an optical pickup which is provided with an objective lens (5) converging a laser light and irradiating the same on an optical disk 1, a light receiving portion receiving a return light from the optical disk and an objective lens actuator (6), while a shock sensor output (L) from a shock sensor (7) is compared with a predetermined level by a shock level comparing unit 12. Under the control of a control unit (11), only when the output from the shock sensor (7) exceeds a predetermined value, a brake operation to suppress a track jump is carried out by an actuator drive circuit unit (10) based on the brake operation timing signal (H), to thereby suppress a track jump caused by an impact from the outside.

Abstract: The invention provides a recording and/or reproduction apparatus for a record medium in the form of a disk by which the necessity for adjustment of an inclination of a head with respect to a disk upon production of the apparatus is eliminated and correct reproduction of data can be assured irrespective of a variation with respect to time. A control circuit controls an offset generation circuit to generate a predetermined offset signal. A skew servo circuit drives a skew motor in response to the offset signal to adjust the relative angle of an optical head with respect to an optical disk to a predetermined angle. A level detection circuit detects the amplitude of the tracking error signal then and outputs it to the control circuit. The control circuit adjusts the offset signal to be outputted from the offset generation circuit so that the amplitude of the tracking error signal may be maximum.

Abstract: The invention provides a recording and/or reproduction apparatus and a recording and/or reproduction method by which information can be recorded or reproduced accurately onto or from any of a plurality of record layers of an optical disk. In the recording and/or reproduction method, after an optical disk is started, an optimum focus offset position for a predetermined record layer of the optical disk is searched for. This searching is performed by varying an offset value stepwise and searching for an offset value with which the amplitude of a tracking error signal exhibits a maximum value. After an optimum focus offset position is searched out, the value of it is stored. Similar processing is performed also for any other record layer. When an instruction to reproduce a predetermined record layer is developed in step, focus jumping to the record layer is performed. Then, an optimum focus offset value searched out and stored in advance is read out and added to a focus error signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically reading out pre-recorded signals on an optical disc by way of data reproduction. If the quantity of playback data read out from an optical disc 1 and stored in a memory 6 during data reproduction is found to be in excess of a quantity for one rotation of the optical disc, data writing in the memory 6 is discontinued and an optical pickup 3 is caused to make track jump to a reproduced track under control by a controller 7. A servo gain control signal or a servo offset control signal is sent to a servo circuit 8 which then performs focusing servo control or tracking servo control of the optical pickup 3. The writing stop position on the optical disc 1 is then detected and data playback is re-initiated. Stabilized data playback is enabled even if servo error signals are fluctuated within the optical disc or the servo error signals are changed due to temperature changes in the optical pickup or in the error signal detecting amplifier.

Abstract: When a signal is played back from an injured portion of an optical disk, immediately after the reproduction of the signal from the injured portion, a mirror signal can be obtained with a high degree of accuracy from conversion of a traverse signal into a binary signal. In a traverse-signal discriminating circuit, a traverse signal, a low-frequency component of a playback signal, is separated from the playback signal and then supplied a hold circuit. In the hold circuit, the bottom of the traverse signal is held in order to produce a bottom hold signal. In a defect detecting circuit, in the mean time, a defect in the playback signal, if any, is detected. If a defect is detected, the defect detecting circuit outputs a defect signal at an H level to a hold-voltage resetting circuit. The hold-voltage resetting circuit discharges a capacitor included in the hold circuit, halting the operation to hold the bottom of the traverse signal as long as the defect signal supplied thereto is set at the H level.

Abstract: The invention provides a recording and/or reproduction apparatus and a recording and/or reproduction method by which information can be recorded or reproduced accurately onto or from any of a plurality of record layers of an optical disk. In the recording and/or reproduction method, after an optical disk is started, an optimum focus offset position for a predetermined record layer of the optical disk is searched for. This searching is performed by varying an offset value stepwise and searching for an offset value with which the amplitude of a tracking error signal exhibits a maximum value. After an optimum focus offset position is searched out, the value of it is stored. Similar processing is performed also for any other record layer. When an instruction to reproduce a predetermined record layer is developed in step, focus jumping to the record layer is performed. Then, an optimum focus offset value searched out and stored in advance is read out and added to a focus error signal.