Abstract: A baseline performance of a disk drive is found based on a media speed and a bit aspect ratio of the drive. A parallelism architecture is chosen for the disk drive based on an end-use application of the drive. The parallelism architecture includes two heads capable of simultaneously accessing one or more disks of the disk drive. An increased performance of the disk drive is determined due to the parallelism architecture, and at least one of the media speed and bit aspect ratio are reduced such that a final drive performance with the parallelism architecture satisfies the baseline performance, the baseline performance being less than the increased performance. The reduction of the media speed and/or bit aspect ratio increases another capability of the drive over that of the equivalent drive.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus 2 collects sounds on which spread codes are superimposed with a microphone 20 to calculate correlation values between the collected sound signals and the same spread codes as those of an apparatus which performed the superimposition to identify content reproduced by a reproduction apparatus 1 in accordance with the intensity of the peaks of the calculated correlation values. A control portion 22 identifies content which is correlated with the identified content and is necessary for the reproduction apparatus 2. The control portion 22 reads out the identified content data from a content data storage portion 25 to output the musical score data and the audio data to a display portion 23 and a reproduction portion 26, respectively. The display portion 23 displays the input musical score data on a screen, while the reproduction portion 26 reproduces the input audio data to generate sound signals.

Abstract: An audio mixing method includes: performing an audio processing operation upon a first audio input derived from at least one decoded audio input to generate a processed audio output, and generating a mixed audio signal by mixing at least a second audio input and the processed audio output. An audio mixing apparatus includes an audio processing circuit and an audio mixing circuit. The audio processing circuit is utilized for performing an audio processing operation upon a first audio input derived from at least one decoded audio input and accordingly generating a processed audio output. The audio mixing circuit is coupled to the audio processing circuit, and utilized for generating a mixed audio signal by mixing at least a second audio input and the processed audio output.

Abstract: A signal conditioning unit processes a data signal from an optical pickup unit. The signal conditioning unit includes a single-ended channel and a dual-ended channel. One of the single-ended channel and the dual-ended channel is selected as an active channel, and a reference level of a signal in the active channel is calibrated. The signal in the active channel is adjusted within a dynamic range of a digital signal processing stage, and the data signal of the active channel is converted to a digital signal at the digital signal processing stage.

Abstract: In an apparatus for conditioning a signal from an optical pickup unit (OPU), a single-ended channel includes a first signal processing block to calibrate a dark level of a single-ended signal corresponding to a single-ended output of the OPU, if any, and to center the single-ended signal. A dual-ended channel includes a second signal processing block to calibrate a dark level of a dual-ended signal corresponding to a dual-ended output of the OPU, if any, and to center the dual-ended signal. A multiplexer selects one of the single-ended channel and the dual-ended channel, and outputs a selected signal. A digital signal processing stage converts the selected signal to a digital signal.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes an input unit to which moving picture data is input, a memory, a management-information processing unit configured to generate management information related to a position of a predetermined picture in the moving picture data and to store the information in the memory, a recording unit configured to create a moving picture file and a clip information file on a recording medium, to record the moving picture data on the medium by storing the data in the moving picture file, and to record the management information on the medium by storing the information in the clip information file, and a control unit configured to control the recording unit so that, when a size of the stored information reaches a predetermined size during recording of the moving picture file, the recording unit stops recording and records the data by storing the data in a new moving picture file.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording angular multiplexed pits on optical recording media using a device for generating a light beam with an asymmetric intensity distribution is described. The device for generating a light beam with an asymmetric intensity distribution has at least one light influencing part for introducing a phase shift of 180° in a first half of the light beam relative to the second half of the light beam, wherein the border between the first half of the light beam and the second half of the light beam is rotatable around an optical axis of the light beam.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical recording method including: recording information on a recording layer for holographically recording information in an optical recording medium by irradiating the optical recording medium with an information beam and a reference beam, and repetitively recording information on the recording layer while moving at least any one of the information beam and reference beam and the recording layer along the surface of the recording layer, thereby being capable of shift-multiplex recording operations, wherein the optical recording medium is irradiated on a recording pulse basis, the peak intensity of light of the recording pulse is 0.1 mW to 100 mW, the irradiation time is 0.05 nsec to 1×105 nsec, and the irradiation of recording pulse is performed 5 times to 1×107 times per 1 msec; and also provides an optical recording apparatus and an optical recording medium.

Abstract: A driver circuit for use with a variety of OPU circuits has both a single-ended input and a differential input. The single-ended input is coupled to a single-ended signal path having a variable gain stage and a variable level shifter. The differential input is coupled to a differential signal path having a variable gain stage and a variable level shifter. The single-ended signal path and the differential signal path may be selectively coupled to an output. The respective variable gain stages and variable level shifters can be adjusted so that an output signal at the output has a desired dynamic range.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus includes sample and hold units for holding a plurality of analog photo diode signals. A signal holding controller generates control signals to the sample and hold units for holding the analog photo diode signals. Analog adjusting modules adjust the held analog photo diode signals. A multiplexer selectively couples one input end of the multiplexer to the output end of the multiplexer for outputting the adjusted analog photo diode signals. An analog to digital converter converts the adjusted analog photo diode signals into digital photo diode signals.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a pre-pit signal at different laser power intensities of an optical disk drive. The apparatus includes an amplifier for receiving a push-pull signal acquired from an optical disk to generate an adjusted signal, a multiplexer for receiving the push-pull signal and the adjusted signal and selecting the push-pull signal or the adjusted signal as a slicing signal for output according to a power state signal, and a slicer for receiving the slicing signal and slicing the slicing signal according to a slicing level to generate the pre-pit signal. Thus, the apparatus only needs one set of slicer to correctly slice the pre-pit signal.

Abstract: Recording of video data is enabled by a management structure of a clip which is compatible with a BD-ROM standard. In accordance with the recording starting operation, the recording of a stream in which the video data and audio data have time-divisionally been multiplexed on a packet unit basis onto a recording medium is started. In accordance with the recording stopping operation, the stream stored in a buffer is written as a stream file onto the recording medium and a clip information file corresponding to the stream file is formed. A play item showing the whole clip information file is formed and added to the existing play list on the recording medium. A mark is stamped to the play list at time corresponding to an IN point of the play item. Subsequently, the play item which is formed in association with the recording start and stop is similarly further added to the existing play list and the mark is further stamped at the time corresponding to the IN point.

Abstract: An audio/video data recording/reproducing device is provided that allows all video and audio signals, which can be displayed by a display of the audio/video data recording/reproducing device proper, to be output to an exterior through a digital interface. Such audio/video signals are in the forms of, for example, files as recorded including a moving picture file, a still picture file, and a file resulting from synthesization of a moving picture file with a still picture file. When the digital interface of the recording/reproducing device is connected to a digital TV, a synthesized signal from a synthesizing part 117, after being encoded into an MPEG-TS in an encoder 103, is output from a 1394 interface part 121. When the digital interface is connected to another editor or recording device, a recording signal from a reproducing part 116 is output as it is from the 1394 interface part 121.

Abstract: A light detector includes a light-receiving device that receives a light beam applied from a light source irradiating an optical recording medium with the light beam and that generates detection signals, and a power monitor circuit section that generates a power monitor signal for monitoring output power of the light source in accordance with the detection signals. The device includes split light-receiving elements. The detection signals are output from the split light-receiving elements as split detection signals. The section includes an amplifying circuit generating the power monitor signal and outputting the power monitor signal as differential signals, a fixed resistor determining a gain of the amplifying circuit, and a position-detecting signal output circuit generating position-detecting signals in accordance with the split detection signals. At least the light-receiving device, the amplifying circuit, and the fixed resistor are integrated on an identical semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A holographic multiplex recording method is provided in which remaining dynamic range in each recording area is made more uniform upon holographic multiplex recording. In this holographic recording method, a first-stage recording spot row RX1 is formed by arranging recording spots RS in an X-axis direction without overlapping, and then a second-stage recording spot row RX2 formed of the recording spots RS without overlapping in the X-axis direction is recorded in a position for shift multiplex recording in a Y-axis direction. This is repeated to form a Y-axis direction first multiplex recording spot matrix TYX1. In this case, recording is performed to all recordable regions without shift multiplex recording in the X-axis direction. Subsequently, a Y-axis direction second multiplex recording spot matrix TYX2 is formed in a position shift-multiplexed in the X-axis direction with respect to the first-stage recording spot row RX1 initially recorded.

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus is provided with a converter for converting at least one analog light detection signal into a digital light detection signal, and a signal generator for generating at least one servo error signal by subjecting the digital light detection signal to a predetermined operation process. The signal generator has a function of modifying contents of the operation process.

Abstract: An optical disk recording apparatus includes a first comparator, a second comparator, a third comparator, a selection circuit, a control voltage generator, a voltage control oscillator, and a control circuit. The first comparator compares frequency-divided signals to output an error signal. The second and third comparators compare a signal pre-recorded on an optical disk and the frequency-divided signal to output an error signal and a frequency differential signal. The selection circuit selects any one of the error signals to output the signal selected. The control voltage generator generates a control voltage from the signal from the selection circuit. The voltage control oscillator generates and outputs the write reference clock signal having a frequency corresponding to the control voltage from the control voltage generator. The control circuit controls operations of the selection circuit according to the frequency differential signals.

Abstract: A tuned circuit is used to detect wobble clock inversions. The tuned circuit reacts to a wobble inversion with a change in amplitude that may be detected by a threshold detector. A bandpass tuned circuit is used to detect wobble clock inversions. The output of the bandpass tuned circuit is input to a saturating high-gain amplifier such as a comparator. The output of the saturating high-gain amplifier reacts to wobble inversions with a half-cycle that has an increased duration as compared to half-cycles without wobble inversions.

Abstract: A light beam encoded with data simultaneously reads out data stored in tracks on an optical disk and produces a reflected beam directed to a detector array. The data stored on the optical disk and the encoded data may be components of vector arrays. As the light beam illuminates the rotating optical disk, the data stored on the disk is multiplied by the encoded data. The products of the multiplication are encoded in the reflected beam. A multiplicity of data is read out in parallel from the optical disk and simultaneously correlated with the encoded data. This comparison or correlation operation is performed on digitally encoded data utilizing convolution, or with analog encoding. The present invention can be utilized in pattern matching.

Abstract: Hold registers receive a hold register enable signal. When reading one kind signal of header field data, the hold register enable signal is High and the registers store newly renewed values of filter coefficients, and when reading a different kind signal of recording field data, the hold register enable signal is Low and the hold registers hold the last stored header field contents of the registers. Then, when a header field of a next sector is detected, the contents held in the hold registers are taken and preset to the registers. Thus, even in a case where an intermittent reproduction signal having different kinds of formats is processed in playback, the continuous adaptive equalization can be realized over the different kinds of reproduction signals in quality.

Abstract: Methods and systems for improving the storage capacity and data throughput of a digital mass storage device. The novel optimizations can be applied to a disk drive, either a hard disk drive or a disk drive having removable media, such as magnetic and optical disk drive technologies. The present invention provides at least two disk drive heads for reading and writing information from two different spinning media surfaces, e.g., platters or disks. If the disk is a read-only device, then the heads only perform the read function. A constant angular velocity drive mechanism is used meaning the rotational speed of the media is constant regardless of the head's position with respect to the media. In operation, during a media transfer, the first head accesses data by starting at the outside regions (“high track rates”) of the disk media and traversing inward towards the inner regions (“low track rates”).

Abstract: An optical disk control device comprises a playback signal detection unit for detecting data recorded on a disk by irradiating the disk with a converged light beam; a signal switching unit for successively selecting plural data signals obtained by the playback signal detection unit, and performing time-division-multiplexing on the selected signals; an A/D conversion unit for converting an analog signal which has been time-division-multiplexed by the signal switching unit, into a digital signal; an A/D conversion command unit for generating an A/D conversion command of the A/D conversion unit; a serial transfer unit for serial-transferring the command signal generated by the A/D conversion command unit; a serial reception unit for receiving the signal from the serial transfer unit, and controlling the signal selection operation of the signal switching unit on the basis of the received signal; and an arithmetic unit for generating an optical disk drive controlling signal by performing arithmetic processing on t

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for synchronously reading data from multiple tracks of an optical disk using multiple illumination beams. Circuitry is provided for use with a photodetector array to read and buffer data in parallel from the multiple adjacent tracks, while asynchronously providing processed data to a host processor. Circuitry is further provided for concurrently processing the signals read from the multiple data tracks to recover the data stored in the tracks.