Abstract: Double buffering of serial transfers is provided in order to allow for increased serial transfer rate without requiring increased internal processing speeds. A laser driver serial controller serially receives a word including address bits and data bits. During a write operation, the address bits are serially shifted into an address shift register of the laser driver, and the data bits are serially shifted into a data shift register of the laser driver. After the address bits and data bits are completely shifted into the respective address and data shift registers, the address bits and data bits are transferred in parallel to address and data holding registers of the laser driver. After the parallel transfers of the address bits and data bits from the address and data shift registers to the address and data holding registers, the address and data shift registers are available to serially receive additional address bits and data bits of an additional word.

Abstract: Methods and system are provided that enable unique write strategies to be selected without having to provide custom chips. Specific embodiments allow a user to specify which combinations, of total possible combinations, of space-to-mark lengths and mark-to-space lengths can have unique timing parameters defined in a portion of timing memory dedicated to storing space-to-mark and mark-to-space timing parameters, where unique timing parameters are defined for less than the total possible combinations of space-to-mark lengths and mark-to-space lengths. Embodiments also allow a user to select among different combination of timing mode and modulation code.

Abstract: Circuits and methods for damping out parasitic resonance within a packaged integrated circuit (IC) are provided. A conductive path including a resistor and a conductor is added in parallel with a conductive path that provides power to components within a die of the packaged IC. When implemented in a packaged laser driver integrated circuit (IC), a conductive path including a resistor and a conductor in placed in parallel with a conductive path that provides a laser driver output, of the packaged laser driver IC, to a laser diode. This abstract is not intended to be a complete description of the various embodiments of the present invention.

Abstract: Methods and system are provided for automatic power control of a laser diode, e.g., in a laser driver. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a power controller includes a detector circuit adapted to detect the output of the laser diode and to produce a measured output therefrom. A comparator compares a desired output to the measured output, and produces an error signal therefrom. The error signal is provided to an integrator circuit that produces an integrated error signal. At least one digital-to-analog converter (DAC) uses the integrated error signal to produce a current drive signal that drives the laser diode.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing the harmonic content of an oscillator are provided. More specifically, waveforms with reduced harmonics are provided, as are waveform generators for producing such waveforms. Such waveform generators can be used in or with a laser driver. However, the present invention is not meant to be limited to use with laser drivers. Rather, embodiments of the present invention are useful anywhere where harmonics resulting from an oscillating waveform need to be reduced.

Abstract: An air-incident optical recording medium for use with flying heads has a system of layers, which thermally isolate the disk surface from the active, recording layer.