Abstract: An optical information recording medium includes at least one recording layer, a protective layer that transmits a focused laser beam, and a super-resolution functional layer that changes an optical characteristic in a local region smaller than the diffraction limit determined by the optical performance of the focusing optical system and the wavelength of the laser beam during at least the period of irradiation by the focused laser beam. The maximum thickness (K) between the light incidence surface of the protective layer and the recording layer is 0.083 mm.

Abstract: An optical head device mounted in an optical disc device. The optical head device is provided with a diffractive optical element and a photodetector. The diffractive optical element has: a primary diffraction region at a location on which the positive and negative first-order components and some of the zero-order component of a reflectively diffracted light beam are incident; and secondary diffraction regions at locations on which the rest of the zero-order component but none of the positive or negative first-order components of the reflectively diffracted light beam are incident. A main light-receiving section of the photodetector receives the zero-order component of a transmissively diffracted light beam that has passed through the primary diffraction region and the secondary diffraction regions.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium includes at least one recording layer, a protective layer that transmits a focused laser beam, and a super-resolution functional layer that changes an optical characteristic in a local region smaller than the diffraction limit determined by the optical performance of the focusing optical system and the wavelength of the laser beam during at least the period of irradiation by the focused laser beam. The maximum thickness (K) between the light incidence surface of the protective layer and the recording layer is 0.083 mm.

Abstract: An optical recording/reproduction method and device that can perform control for optimizing the amount of spherical aberration in a multilayered optical disc in a short period of time. When the objective lens is displaced in the focusing direction, the amplitude value of the focusing error signal detected just after leaving the focal position of a given first recording layer and the amplitude value of the focusing error signal detected just before passing through the focal position of a given second recording layer other than the first recording layer are measured with a particular spherical aberration, the amplitude ratio of amplitude values is calculated, the difference between spherical aberration and the optimal spherical aberration for the second recording layer is approximated as a function of the amplitude ratio, the optimal spherical aberration is calculated on the basis of this approximation, and the spherical aberration is set.

Abstract: The three-dimensional image display apparatus includes a display unit having display pixels arranged in rows and columns, and configured to display right-eye images and left-eye images alternately at every other column. Lenticular lenses with positive refractive power are provided corresponding to respective columns of the display pixels. The lenticular lenses and the columns of the display pixels are the same in number. The lenticular lenses collimate light representing the right-eye images and light representing the left-eye images. A deflection optical element deflects the collimated light representing the right-eye images and the collimated light representing the left-eye images toward right-eye and left-eye three-dimensional viewing areas. The deflection optical element includes a plurality of planes extending in a direction of the columns of the display pixels and inclined relative to a normal line of the display unit. The planes and the columns of the display pixels are the same in number.

Abstract: An optical disc device compatible with optical discs of different types having different track pitches, having a light detecting means (104) disposed in the path of diffracted light from the recording tracks on the optical disc (101), on which a light beam from a light emitting section (103) is incident. During the loading of the optical disc, the optical disc device discriminates the type of optical disc from the detection output of the light detecting means (104) and the positional relation between the optical disc (101) and the light detecting means (104). A simple structure thus enables the optical disc type to be discriminated.

Abstract: An optical recording/reproduction method and device that can perform control for optimizing the amount of spherical aberration in a multilayered optical disc in a short period of time. When the objective lens is displaced in the focusing direction, the amplitude value of the focusing error signal detected just after leaving the focal position of a given first recording layer and the amplitude value of the focusing error signal detected just before passing through the focal position of a given second recording layer other than the first recording layer are measured with a particular spherical aberration, the amplitude ratio of amplitude values is calculated, the difference between spherical aberration and the optimal spherical aberration for the second recording layer is approximated as a function of the amplitude ratio, the optimal spherical aberration is calculated on the basis of this approximation, and the spherical aberration is set.

Abstract: According to a method for setting the laser beam power applied to reproduce information recorded on an optical disc, information recorded in a region on the optical disc is reproduced using three or more test reproduction powers (S22B), the number of reproductions until the degradation of the quality of the reproduced signal reaches a prescribed value is determined as the degradation number of reproductions (S22F), the relation between the test reproduction power and the degradation number of reproductions is approximated by a curve, and a reproduction power restricting the degradation of the reproduced signal quality to a predetermined amount or less over a certain guaranteed number of reproductions is determined (S25F). In optical reproduction from an optical disc on which information is recorded, the optimum power of irradiation for reproduction can be set, and degradation of the information due to the reproducing light can be prevented.

Abstract: A first signal is detected from the central part of a light beam returning from a super-resolution optical disc; a second signal is detected from a peripheral part in a direction corresponding to a track on the super-resolution optical disc; a gain adjustment unit is provided to adjust the amplitude of the first signal; a subtraction unit is provided to generate a third signal by subtracting, from the second signal, the first signal with the amplitude adjusted by the gain adjustment unit; and an unit is provided to generate a reproduced signal by combining the first signal and a signal obtained by delaying the third signal.

Abstract: In a multilayer optical disc having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, because the type of each information layer is not recorded in the other information layers, every time the information layer being accessed changes, it has been necessary to read the type of the information layer and select a method of generating a tracking error signal adapted to the type of information layer, so access has taken time. In order to solve the above problem, in the optical multilayer disc according to the present invention, having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, in an area in one of the information layers, information about the other information layers is recorded. The time required to access the other information layers can be reduced by using this information to select a tracking error signal generating method.

Abstract: Before new information is recorded on a comparatively deep recording layer in a multilayer optical recording disc, a predetermined target value of a reproduced signal parameter is read from the disc itself or from a separate storage unit, the recorded/unrecorded states of the shallower recording layers are determined, and the target value is corrected on the basis of these states. The correction is based on a predetermined difference in the value of the reproduced signal parameter caused by a difference in the recorded/unrecorded states of the shallower recording layers. The corrected target value is used in calibration of the recording power by means of a test write. This correction of the target value permits reliable recording on a multilayer optical disc without delaying the start of the recording process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to optical disks and optical disk devices, and has an object to reduce access time and prevent malfunction. To attain the above object, in an optical disk (100), a management information area (130) is placed inside a user data area (140), namely, at the innermost circumference position of the optical disk (100), in an information layer (101) placed at the farthest position from the surface. A position information area (132) that stores position information indicating the position of each information layer in a thickness direction of the optical disk (100) is placed in the management information area (130).

Abstract: In a multilayer optical disc having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, because the type of each information layer is not recorded in the other information layers, in read and write operations by a compatible optical disc device conforming to a plurality of optical disc standards, every time the information layer being accessed changes, it has been necessary to read the type of the information layer and select a method of generating a tracking error signal adapted to the type of information layer, so access has taken time. In order to solve the above problem, in the optical multilayer disc according to the present invention, having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, in an area in one of the information layers, information about the other information layers is recorded. The time required to access the other information layers can be reduced by using this information to select a tracking error signal generating method.

Abstract: In a multilayer optical disc having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, because the type of each information layer is not recorded in the other information layers, in read and write operations by a compatible optical disc device conforming to a plurality of optical disc standards, every time the information layer being accessed changes, it has been necessary to read the type of the information layer and select a method of generating a tracking error signal adapted to the type of information layer, so access has taken time. In order to solve the above problem, in the optical multilayer disc according to the present invention, having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, in an area in one of the information layers, information about the other information layers is recorded. The time required to access the other information layers can be reduced by using this information to select a tracking error signal generating method.

Abstract: In a multilayer optical disc having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, because the type of each information layer is not recorded in the other information layers, in read and write operations by a compatible optical disc device conforming to a plurality of optical disc standards, every time the information layer being accessed changes, it has been necessary to read the type of the information layer and select a method of generating a tracking error signal adapted to the type of information layer, so access has taken time. In order to solve the above problem, in the optical multilayer disc according to the present invention, having information layers conforming to a plurality of different optical disc standards, in an area in one of the information layers, information about the other information layers is recorded. The time required to access the other information layers can be reduced by using this information to select a tracking error signal generating method.

Abstract: An optical pickup device includes a plurality of laser light sources emitting laser beams of different oscillation wavelengths, and a plurality of objective lenses on which the laser beams in the form of diverging beams emitted by the plurality of laser light sources are incident, and which directly focus the laser beams onto a recording surface of an optical disc. A rising mirror reflects a laser beam in the form of a diverging beam emitted by a laser light source of a predetermined oscillation wavelength among the plurality of laser light sources so as to lead the laser beam to one of the plurality of objective lenses, and transmits the laser beam in the form of a diverging beam emitted by the other laser light source. As the rising mirror transmits the laser beam in the form of the diverging beam emitted by said other laser light source, astigmatism is generated so as to correct existing astigmatism of the laser beam emitted by said other laser light source.

Abstract: An optical head device mounted in an optical disc device. The optical head device is provided with a diffractive optical element and a photodetector. The diffractive optical element has: a primary diffraction region at a location on which the positive and negative first-order components and some of the zero-order component of a reflectively diffracted light beam are incident; and secondary diffraction regions at locations on which the rest of the zero-order component but none of the positive or negative first-order components of the reflectively diffracted light beam are incident. A main light-receiving section of the photodetector receives the zero-order component of a transmissively diffracted light beam that has passed through the primary diffraction region and the secondary diffraction regions.

Abstract: An optical-system driving device is achieved that can switch over between objective lenses and is space-saving, lightweight, and simply-configured. An optical-system driving device for recording information onto or playing it back from an optical storage medium, includes a stationary unit having a rotation axis; a movable unit pivotable about the rotation axis; pivotal movement means for pivotally moving the movable unit about the rotation axis; and the movable unit includes a holder having a plurality of optical means that is able to focus a beam of light onto the optical storage medium, and a plurality of conductive elastic members for supporting the holder, wherein an optical axis of each of the plurality of optical means is located substantially equidistant from the rotation axis, and the optical means for focusing the beam of light onto the optical storage medium is selected by pivotally moving the movable unit with the rotation means.

Abstract: To adjust the parameters of a write strategy for recording data on an optical recording medium, the jitter value of a reproduced signal obtained from recorded data is detected. If the jitter value exceeds a prescribed threshold, a write strategy parameter having a comparatively small effect on the jitter value is adjusted, and subsequent data are written on the recording medium using the adjusted parameter. Parameters are selected for adjustment in ascending order of their effect on the jitter value. Stable data recording can thereby be carried out without significant jitter degradation.

Abstract: In an optical recording method, recording parameters (WU) to be used for recording are obtained using recommended recording parameter values (WR) read from an optical recording medium and previously obtained vector information (PC) and approximation coefficients (Ca, Cb) (S24). Writing to the optical recording medium is performed using the obtained recording parameters (S17). The vector information (PC) includes a vector component of the parameters obtained statistically with respect to parameter difference values (DF) between optimal recording parameter values (WO) and the recommended recording parameter values (WR) over a plurality of optical recording media so as to strengthen mutual correlation between the parameters.