Abstract: In an optical disk recorder, during the sensing of closely-spaced, position-indicating, machine-sensible indicia, a first peak of a track error signal is detected. In response to the first peak being detected, a half-track counter is decremented from a value which depends upon the position of the destination track relative to a current track. In response to the occurrence of a selected value of the half-track counter and the presence of a zero crossing of the tracking error signal, a first timer is activated to mask any defects occurring during the selected first half cycle of the last cycle of the tracking error signal. The half-track counter is again decremented in response to a second peak being detected and the occurrence of a next-to-last zero crossing of the tracking error signal and a second timer is then activated to mask any subsequent defects occurring during the second half cycle of the tracking error signal.

Abstract: A focus acquisition system includes providing a focus offset and changing the offset symmetrically for each measurement cycle. The amplitudes of the readback or tracking error signal are sensed and compared. When the amplitudes of the tracking error or readback signal is different at each of the offsets, then a new measurment cycle is performed after calculating a new offset value. The process is repeated until the temporary measurement offsets result in readback amplitudes that are substantially equal. A best focus is then indicated as being a position in which small defocussing will not substantially degrade the quality of the readback signal.