Abstract: A disk recording/reproducing apparatus includes a disk rotator which rotates an optical disk, an optical pickup, a slide motor which moves the optical pickup into a radial direction of the optical disk, and a controller which controls at least the disk rotator and the slide motor in accordance with a signal obtained from the optical pickup. The controller determines an alternation destination for recording data at an alternation origin therein or during the alternation process depending on a position of the alternation origin on the optical disk and a reference position on the optical disk, when the optical disk has an alternation area on an innermost periphery and an outermost periphery, and the recording/reproducing apparatus conducts the alternation process upon detection of a defect block within a user data recording area on the optical disk, thereby conducting the alternation process thereon.

Abstract: Within a disk recording/reproducing apparatus for improving a transfer rate when recording/reproducing, and an alternation process method for a disk for it, for recording or reproducing information onto/from an optical disk 100, while conducting a alternation on a defect block within a user data recording area into an alternation area, a controller 500 determines an alternation destination where data of an alternation origin are recorded therein, or a drive speed during the alternation process, upon basis of the position of the alternation origin on the optical disk, when conducting the alternation process.

Abstract: A disk recording/reproducing apparatus includes a disk rotator which rotates an optical disk, an optical pickup, a slide motor which moves the optical pickup into a radial direction of the optical disk, and a controller which controls at least the disk rotator and the slide motor in accordance with a signal obtained from the optical pickup. The controller determines an alternation destination for recording data at an alternation origin therein or during the alternation process depending on a position of the alternation origin on the optical disk and a reference position on the optical disk, when the optical disk has an alternation area on an innermost periphery and an outermost periphery, and the recording/reproducing apparatus conducts the alternation process upon detection of a defect block within a user data recording area on the optical disk, thereby conducting the alternation process thereon.

Abstract: This invention provides an optical disc device that can prevent the occurrence of an error in a starting position of a write operation due to off-tracking, and to avoid an unnecessary stop of the write operation during writing. A tracking error signal generator generates a tracking error signal from a signal which has been detected by an optical pickup, and a system controller detects off-tracking by comparing the tracking error signal with a threshold level, and turns control operation of a tracking servo controller off if the threshold level is exceeded. The off-tracking detection threshold level applied during a time period from completion of seek operation to a start of movement of the optical pickup to the starting position of the write operation is set to be lower than a threshold level applied during a time period of data recording.

Abstract: This invention provides an optical disc device that can prevent the occurrence of an error in a starting position of a write operation due to off-tracking, and to avoid an unnecessary stop of the write operation during writing. A tracking error signal generator generates a tracking error signal from a signal which has been detected by an optical pickup, and a system controller detects off-tracking by comparing the tracking error signal with a threshold level, and turns control operation of a tracking servo controller off if the threshold level is exceeded. The off-tracking detection threshold level applied during a time period from completion of seek operation to a start of movement of the optical pickup to the starting position of the write operation is set to be lower than a threshold level applied during a time period of data recording.

Abstract: Within a disk recording/reproducing apparatus for improving a transfer rate when recording/reproducing, and an alternation process method for a disk for it, for recording or reproducing information onto/from an optical disk 100, while conducting a alternation on a defect block within a user data recording area into an alternation area, a controller 500 determines an alternation destination where data of an alternation origin are recorded therein, or a drive speed during the alternation process, upon basis of the position of the alternation origin on the optical disk, when conducting the alternation process.

Abstract: Within an optical disk recording/reproducing apparatus, in which a beam spot is irradiated upon an optical disk loaded therein, to obtain a reflection light obtainable therewith, and thereby conducting recording or reproducing of information upon an information recording surface of the optical disk, a microcomputer (?-computer) 9 for controlling the operation of the apparatus executes a predetermined process by considering the optical disk loaded into the apparatus to be an optical disk, which is loaded previously, executes a retry process when determined that the optical disk loaded into the apparatus is not the optical disk loaded into the apparatus previously, as a result of the process mentioned above, executes a process for recognizing kind of the optical disk inserted, and memorizes information of the kind of the optical disk inserted into said apparatus, which is obtained in the recognizing process mentioned above, thereby shortening the startup time of the apparatus, as a whole thereof.

Abstract: When installing software in a user's computer using a medium distributed from a supplier, an install limited count, which limits the number of times installation can occur, is recorded in a user-inaccessible area of a removable recording medium. In addition, an install count, which indicates the number of times the software installation has been executed and which is updated when the software installation is executed, is also recorded in the user-inaccessible area of the removable recording medium. Every time the software is installed, the install count is compared with the install limited count to prevent the software installation from being executed more than the number of times set by the install limited count.

Abstract: A disk magazine and disk changer device for holding multiple two-sided disk media wherein the magazine can be turned upside-down so as to allow both sides of the disk media to be utilized. In order to allow handling of two-sided disks, disk transport trays are provided above and below the disk media. A single disk transport tray operates to handle the disk medium above the given tray and below the given tray.

Abstract: A MCAV optical disc read/write system with a postscript type of recording medium is disclosed, which uses a pit edge method of recording information in spiral physical tracks of the medium. The spiral physical tracks are grouped into logical tracks in which a single track address is assigned to each logical track. The logical tracks in turn are grouped into circumferential zones. The number of physical tracks constituting a logical track in adjacent circumferential zones, and the number of track sectors per logical track are set such that the increment in the number of sectors per physical track in proceeding from an inner one to an outer one of such zones is controlled to minimize rate changes in the read/write clock frequency at zone boundaries. Sector addresses thereby may be read even when a read/write head is positioned in a wrong one of adjacent zones.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus that does not need the intervention of a host apparatus, such as a host computer, performs a diagnostic method of checking the optical disk apparatus for diagnosis using a diagnostic optical disk medium. Upon the detection of the loading of a diagnostic optical disk medium into an optical disk apparatus, an optical head reads diagnostic information written beforehand on the diagnostic optical disk medium, and a diagnostic operation is carried out to diagnose a writing or reading operation of the optical disk apparatus under the control of a main control circuit without requiring the intervention of a host computer. The results of diagnosis are written on the diagnostic optical disk medium or provided in some other fashion. If the results are stored on the disk, the host computer makes reference to the stored results when necessary.

Abstract: In recording and/or reproducing data into and from a disk record medium having a record medium in which a plurality of tracks are arranged radially, the record area is divided into a plurality of zones, and a clock frequency is assigned to each zone. The data recording and/or reproducing are performed according to the clock of the frequency assigned to the respective zone. Each zone is subdivided to include a plurality of tracks, and a clock having a different frequency is assigned to each zone. Each frequency is set in such a manner that the record capacity of the track gradually becomes larger as the zone is nearer to the outer zone.

Abstract: A MCAV optical disc read/write system with a postscript type of recording medium is, which uses a pit edge method of recording information in spiral physical tracks of the medium. The spiral physical tracks are grouped into logical tracks in which a single track address is assigned to each logical track. The logical tracks in turn are grouped into circumferential zones. The number of physical tracks constituting a logical track in adjacent circumferential zones, and the number of track sectors per logical track are set such that the increment in the number of sectors per physical track in proceeding from an inner one to an outer one of such zones is controlled to minimize rate changes in the read/write clock frequency at zone boundaries. Sector addresses thereby may be read even when a read/write head is positioned in a wrong one of adjacent zones.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus detecting a starting position of each data recording block or sector on a data recording medium, such as an optical disk. A VFO pattern and a CRC code are recorded at a starting position of each of the sectors. The VFO pattern and the CRC code are utilized for detecting a starting position of each sector with no predetermined pattern or sector mark, on the recording medium, which is dedicated for the starting position detection. This improves data formatting efficiency of the recording medium while maintaining the accuracies of automatic focusing and tracking even in a system employing pit-edge recording/reproducing.

Abstract: A method for detecting a starting position of each data recording block or sector on a data recording medium, such as an optical disk. A VFO pattern and a CRC code are recorded at a starting position of each of the sectors. The VFO pattern and the CRC code are utilized for detecting a starting position of each sector with no predetermined pattern or sector mark, on the recording medium, which is dedicated for the starting position detection. This improves data formatting efficiency of the recording medium while maintaining the accuracies of automatic focusing and tracking even in a system employing pit-edge recording/reproducing.