Abstract: A dual optical pick-up for accessing CD, CD-R and DVD discs is provided. The provided dual optical pick-up uses an objective lens and a laser source for DVD discs, and uses another objective lens and another laser source for CD and CD-R discs. Spirit of the invention is that both objective lenses are located in the same lenses holder, which connect to a guide rod, and the lenses hold moves only along a radius of the corresponding disc. Moreover, the laser beam produced by any laser source is transmitted through corresponding objective lens to a disc, and the reflected laser beam is transmitted through corresponding objective lens to a PDIC and then a spot is formed and detected. Hence, the location of each objective lens must satiate the requirement that any spot that corresponds to a specific track of disc does not mix with other spots that correspond to other track of disc.

Abstract: A dual optical pick-up head for accessing CD, CD-R and DVD discs is provided. The provided dual optical pick-up head uses an objective lens and a laser source for DVD discs, and uses another objective lens and another laser source for CD and CD-R discs. Spirit of the invention is that both objective lenses are located in the same lenses holder which connect to a guide rod, and the lenses hold moves only along a radius of the corresponding disc. Moreover, the laser beam produced by any laser source is transmitted through corresponding objective lens to a disc, and the reflected laser beam is transmitted through corresponding objective lens to a PDIC and then a spot is formed and detected. Hence, the location of each objective lens must satiate the requirement that any spot that corresponds to a specific track of disc does not mix with other spots that correspond to other track of disc.

Abstract: A dual optical pick-up head for accessing CD, CD-R and DVD discs is provided. The provided dual optical pick-up head uses an objective lens and a laser source for DVD discs, and uses another objective lens and another laser source for CD and CD-R discs. Spirit of the invention is that both objective lenses are located in the same lenses holder which connect to a guide rod, and the lenses hold moves only along a radius of the corresponding disc. Moreover, the laser beam produced by any laser source is transmitted through corresponding objective lens to a disc, and the reflected laser beam is transmitted through corresponding objective lens to a PDIC and then a spot is formed and detected. Hence, the location of each objective lens must satiate the requirement that any spot that corresponds to a specific track of disc does not mix with other spots that correspond to other track of disc.

Abstract: A focusing and tracking method and system for use on the read/write head of an optical drive is provided. The focusing and tracking method and system is capable of detecting both the focusing error and the tracking error of the read/write head to thereby control the focusing and tracking of the same during read operation. In particular, this focusing and tracking method and system combines the use of a knife-edge focusing method and a push-pull tracking method respectively for focusing and tracking of the read/write head. A specially designed photo detector is used to obtain both the focusing error signal and the tracking error signal. This allows the focusing and tracking system to be simplified in structural complexity, thereby saving manufacturing cost. Moreover, since the focusing error signal and the tracking error signal are obtained respectively in perpendicular directions, the undesired effect of cross-talk between the two error signals can be avoided.

Abstract: A two-wavelength laser pick-up head used for accessing DVD, CD, CD-R and CD-E systems. The two-wavelength laser pick-up head includes a shorter wavelength laser optical path for reading the data from a DVD system, and a longer wavelength laser optical path for reading the data from a CD or CD-R system. The above two optical paths use the same collimator and the same objective lens. There is a compensator lens which is used in the longer wavelength laser optical path for correcting the spherical aberration due to the thick substrate of the CD or CD-R.

Abstract: A grating pattern for a bifocal optical pick-up head assembly of an optical compact disc drive device is disclosed. The device is capable of accessing data on the surface of compact discs arranged in either the DVD or the CD formats. The optical head assembly has an optical system that includes a grating plate and an objective, wherein the grating plate contains the grating pattern, and the objective focuses a light beam onto the data surface of the accessed compact disc. The grating pattern includes a first region that contains no grating and a second region that contains grating. The first region substantially surrounds the second region. The light beam that passes through the first region of the grating pattern is incident to the cross-sectional aperture of the objective for the DVD format of the accessed optical disk. The light beam that passes through the second region of the grating pattern is incident to the cross-sectional aperture of the objective for the CD format of the accessed optical disk.

Abstract: A single-lens optical pick-up head has a laser diode, a beam splitter, a collimator, a polarizing light converter, a polarization controller, a polarizing beam splitter, a first quarter-wavelength plate, a mirror, a second quarter-wavelength plate, a convex mirror, an objective lens and a photodetector, for use in accessing DVD and CD discs by switching its optical property between two states.

Abstract: A digital video disc optical pick-up head system has a laser light source, a beam splitter, a collimating len, a polarization changer, a deflecting mirror, an optical crystal assembly, an objective len and a photosensor assembly. These optical components together constitute an optical pick-up head system that generates only a single focus at any one time. When an alternative focus is required, polarized light of an alternative polarization is used for generating a detectable opto-electrical signal for the photosensor.

Abstract: A beam shaper device for an optical read/write head on an optical disc drive is provided. This beam shaper device is particularly useful for shaping a laser beam originally emitted with an elliptical cross section, into having a substantially circular cross section. The beam shaper device includes only one prism and one plane mirror. The shape of the prism and the orientation of the plane mirror are specifically devised in such a way as to allow the output beam shaper device to have a circular cross section and to have its propagation axis orthogonal to that of the input laser beam.