Abstract: We disclose demultiplexing processing for an adaptive MIMO equalizer of a receiver of multiplexed communication signals implemented in a manner that significantly reduces the occurrence of singularities at the equalizer output without a significant concomitant increase in the required computational power. The receiver includes an equalizer controller that operates to dynamically track the degree of correlation of one or more pairs of equalized signals outputted by the MIMO equalizer and to use the tracking results to configure the MIMO equalizer in a manner that substantially prevents any two outputs of the MIMO equalizer from converging to the same state. In an example embodiment, the degree of correlation can be determined in a computationally efficient manner by identifying and comparing quadrants in which complex values produced at the different outputs of the MIMO equalizer are located over a plurality of time slots.

Abstract: An optical disc (120) has a first mark (131) disposed at the center of a track, a second mark (132) disposed away from the center of the track in a tracking direction thereof by a distance b1, and disposed away from the first mark (131) in the direction along the track by a distance L, and a third mark (133) disposed away from the center of the track in the tracking direction opposite to that of the second mark (132) by a distance b2, and disposed away from the first mark (131) in the direction along the track by a distance L2. The second and third marks (132) and (133) generate scattered light depending on the distance between a scattering medium (103) and each of the marks by irradiating the scattering medium (103) in an optical information apparatus with light. The distances b1 and b2 are smaller than 50 nm.

Abstract: An approach is described that allows an optical disc drive to accurately verify the power level of irradiation beam power levels associated a write strategy used in high speed, high density optical disc media formats using a front monitor diode with a relatively slow rise time and/or relative slow fall time compared to the clock cycle speed of the write strategy signal. A portion of encoded data to be written to an optical disc media may be overwritten to include a predetermined data pattern. During write strategy processing of the data, the predetermined data pattern is replaced with a constant write strategy power level. The constant write strategy output placed within the write strategy signal may control the optical disc drive laser to emit a constant irradiation beam for a duration sufficiently long to allow the front monitor diode to obtain an accurate measure of the irradiation beam power level.

Abstract: Provided is an optical pickup device that suppresses a fluctuation of a tracking error signal caused by stray light when recording/reproducing information on/from an optical disc including a plurality of recording layers and attains size reduction. It includes a laser diode emitting laser light of about 405 nm in wavelength, an objective lens irradiating the optical disc with an optical beam emitted from the laser diode and having a numerical aperture of about 0.85, and a detector including a detection part receiving the optical beam reflected from the optical disc. An optical magnification from the optical disc to the detector is set within a range from about 10× to 15×.

Abstract: A servo control signal generation device for discriminating a kind of an optical disk, changing over between top and bottom envelope signals of an RF signal, and generating a defect signal and a mirror signal includes an RF generator for generating the RF signal from reflected light of an optical disk, a disk discriminator for discriminating a kind of the optical disk from the RF signal, and a top envelope generator and a bottom envelope generator respectively for generating the top and bottom envelope signals of the RF signal. If the disk has reflectance after recording which is lower than that before recording, the defect and mirror signals are generated respectively from the top and bottom envelope signals. If the disk has reflectance after recording which is higher than that before recording, the defect and mirror signals are generated respectively from the bottom and top envelope signals.

Abstract: Even when recording data which is continuously inputted at a high speed, it is possible to correct a recording error and reproduce preferable AV data without a noise upon reproduction. A recording error detection circuit (14) detects an error generation upon recording according to the fluctuation of amplitude of a tracking error signal or a focus error signal. A recording signal processing circuit (6) again records (performs skip recording) the same data in a region subsequently adjacent to a region where a recording error has occurred. When performing the skip recording, address information contained in the recording data is rewritten into address information on a new recording region. Moreover, an identifier (skip mark) indicating that a recording error has occurred is added to the pattern of the link region of the recording data.

Abstract: Provided are an optical disc recording device and a recording signal generating device which enable to correct displacement between a reproducing position of a reproduction signal from a concave-convex mark preformed in an optical disc, and a recording position of second information to be recorded in synchronism with the reproduction signal, and stably and speedily record the second information. A digital signal processor (202) specifies a reproducing position in the concave-convex mark, using a reproduction signal and a channel clock. A recording signal generator (211) generates a recording signal alternately including a plurality of additionally recordable data, each of which includes second information and has a predetermined length, and a plurality of dummy data.

Abstract: In a case of performing recording/playing with an information recording layer with a first light irradiation, and controlling the recording/playing positions on the information recording layer by a second light irradiating as to a position control information recording layer provided separately from the information recording layer, corrections to shifts in recording positions and playing positions that occurs as a result of shifts in the optical axes of the first and second lights. A disc-shaped recording medium has multiple pit row phases wherein, the pit rows having a spacing between one round of pit formable positions that is limited to a predetermined first spacing are formed in a spiral shape or concentrically, and with pit rows arrayed in the radius direction, the spacing in the pit row forming direction of the pit formable positions is set to positions shifted by a predetermined second spacing.

Abstract: An optical drive according to the present invention can write information on an optical disc, which includes a substrate on which a number of pre-pits (2) have been formed on its tracks (t1 to t8) and a recording film that is supported on the substrate. The optical drive includes an optical pickup, and a writing control section for controlling the optical pickup so that marks (3a, 3b) are recorded on the tracks (t1 to t8) so as to overlap with some of the pre-pits (2) and for making the optical pickup irradiate the recording film with a writing light beam. The recorded marks (3a, 3b) overlap with at least ten of the pre-pits (2).

Abstract: In one example embodiment, a recording apparatus includes a laser and a controller. In one example embodiment, the recording apparatus records a second recording track on a recording medium which includes a first recording track which was previously recorded on the recording medium. In one example embodiment, the second recording track is gradually enlarged until a first separation distance exceeds a distance which corresponds to at least twice a number of maximum deviation tracks of the first recording track.

Abstract: A recording apparatus with a device for recording information onto a medium, provided with: (i) a first layer irradiated with laser light to record information on a first area; and (ii) a second layer irradiated with laser light through the first layer and having a second area whose edge on an inner circumferential side corresponds to an edge on an outer circumferential side of the first area; and a controlling device for controlling the recording device to pre-record, into an area portion of the first area, other than an area portion having a size corresponding to a tolerance length, which indicates an acceptable range of a relative position shift between an address defined on the predetermined position in the first layer and an address related to the predetermined position in the second layer, with the edge on the outer circumferential side of the first area as a starting point.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid material comprising an immobilized mixture of two or more proteorhodopsins, two or more bacteriorhodopsins, or one or more bacteriorhodopsin and one or more proteorhodopsins. The proteorhodopsins are selected from the group consisting of all-trans-retinal-containing proteorhodopsins and retinal analog-containing proteorhodopsins; all of which have absorption spectra that do not overlap. The bacteriorhodopsins are selected from the group consisting of all-trans-retinal-containing bacteriorhodopsins and retinal analog-containing bacteriorhodopsins; all of which have absorption spectra that do not overlap. The present invention also provides an optical information carrier, such as an optical data storage material and a fraud-proof optical data carrier, comprising the above-described solid material and a substrate selected from the group consisting of glass, paper, metal, fabric material, and plastic material, wherein said solid material is deposited on said substrate.

Abstract: A random access control method is provided, implemented in an optical disc drive for recording data to an optical disc. In the optical disc drive, a buffer stores a plurality of write commands each associated with a data block bound to a destination address. A processor controls the buffer to build a disc write task from the write commands in which addresses are organized in order. A drive unit is controlled by the processor, performing a recording operation to record the data blocks to the optical disc according to the disc write task; wherein the processor further controls the drive unit to verify the recorded data blocks after completing the recording operation.

Abstract: Herein disclosed a phase difference detection apparatus for detecting a phase difference between a first signal and a second signal, which may include a waveform equalization section configured to input the first and second signals as a target waveform and an input waveform, respectively, to perform a waveform equalization process using a FIR filter so that the input waveform may coincide with the target waveform; and a phase difference detection section configured to perform a predetermined calculation based on predetermined tap coefficients of the FIR filter in the waveform equalization section to calculate an asymmetric component of the tap coefficients of the FIR filter thereby to detect the phase difference between the first and second signals.

Abstract: A random access control method is provided, implemented in an optical disc drive for recording data to an optical disc. In the optical disc drive, a buffer stores a plurality of write commands each associated with a data block bound to a destination address. A processor controls the buffer to build a disc write task from the write commands in which addresses are organized in order. A drive unit is controlled by the processor, performing a recording operation to record the data blocks to the optical disc according to the disc write task; wherein the processor further controls the drive unit to verify the recorded data blocks after completing the recording operation.

Abstract: A random access control method is provided, implemented in an optical disc drive for recording data to an optical disc. In the optical disc drive, a buffer stores a plurality of write commands each associated with a data block bound to a destination address. A processor controls the buffer to build a disc write task from the write commands in which addresses are organized in order. A drive unit is controlled by the processor, performing a recording operation to record the data blocks to the optical disc according to the disc write task; wherein the processor further controls the drive unit to verify the recorded data blocks after completing the recording operation.

Abstract: An optical disc device recording method, which includes determining whether or not a recording process that records information on a label surface of an optical disc has failed, detecting a recording failure position at which the recording process has failed when the determining step determines the recording process has failed, and resuming the recording process from the detected recording failure position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for writing data on a record carrier (1) by using a radiation beam, wherein at least one of a writing power and an asymmetry of data written on the record carrier (1) is determined and a radial error offset, applied to the radiation beam with respect to a writing track of the record carrier (1), is controlled in response to at least one of the determined writing power and the determined asymmetry. Thereby, the radial error offset can be linked to at least one of the applied writing power and the obtained asymmetry of the written data, and can thus be altered before or during writing to maintain reasonable tracking in cases where writing is done on record carriers with variable radial error offset.

Abstract: As an optical disc is being rotated within an optical drive, an optical mechanism of the optical drive traces a discrete spiral path relative to the optical disc. As the discrete spiral path is traced by the optical mechanism of the optical drive, the optical mechanism selectively writes to the optical disc.

Abstract: A system which calibrates notch filters in a digital servo system is presented. A notch filter can be calibrated by obtaining a frequency response curve of the digital servo system in a range of frequencies, searching the frequency response curve for at least one peak frequency, and adjusting parameters of the notch filter to filter out signals at the at least one peak frequency. The digital servo system, for example, can be a tracking servo system or a focus servo system of an optical disk drive.

Abstract: A random access control method is provided, implemented in an optical disc drive for recording data to an optical disc. In the optical disc drive, a buffer stores a plurality of write commands each associated with a data block bound to a destination address. A processor controls the buffer to build a disc write task from the write commands in which addresses are organized in order. A drive unit is controlled by the processor, performing a recording operation to record the data blocks to the optical disc according to the disc write task; wherein the processor further controls the drive unit to verify the recorded data blocks after completing the recording operation.

Abstract: An information layer 0 comprises a system lead-in area, data lead-in area, data area, and middle area, an information layer 1 comprises a system lead-out area, data lead-out area, data area, and middle area, an end position of the data area of layer 1 is positioned outer than a start position of the data area of layer 0, the data lead-in area comprises a guard track zone wider than a test zone in the data lead-out area, the data lead-out area comprises a guard track zone wider than a test zone and a management zone in the data lead-in area, the middle area of layer 0 comprises a guard track zone wider than a test zone in the middle area of layer 1, and the middle area of layer 1 comprises a blank zone wider than a test zone in the middle area of layer 0.

Abstract: Laser light is irradiated from a lateral side of an optical disk (2) set in place to a peripheral side face of the optical disk (2), return light from the peripheral side face irradiated with the laser light is detected, and a displacement of the optical disk (2) is measured based on the detected amount of return light. Also, the focus is adjusted in relation to the information recording surface correspondingly to the measured disk displacement. Thus, a displacement of an optical disk can be measured in an extremely simple manner and with an extremely high accuracy, and information can accurately be recorded or reproduced to or from the optical disk with the focus being controlled.

Abstract: Additional information is generated for each of unit recording blocks in a recording medium. The generated additional information is recorded on a first area in the corresponding unit recording block. A piece of file data is recorded on a second area in each of the unit recording blocks. The second area differs from the first area. The additional information for each of the unit recording blocks includes 1) file identification information for identifying the file data, 2) next-sector address information indicating an address of a unit recording block following the present unit recording block, and 3) first-sector identification information indicating whether or not the present unit recording block is first one of the unit recording blocks assigned to the file data. The additional information may further include effective-data identification information indicating whether a piece of the file data recorded on the present unit recording block is effective or ineffective.

Abstract: An information recording/reproducing device includes an optical pickup and traversing means for moving the optical pickup in a radial direction of a disc-shaped recording medium. The optical pickup includes a splitter for splitting light emitted from a light source into transmitted light and reflected light, an objective lens for focusing the transmitted light onto the recording medium, a deflecting mirror for guiding the transmitted light to the objective lens, and a photo detector that detects light reflected by the recording medium. The light source, splitter, and deflecting mirror are arranged on the optical pickup such that a light axis extending from the light source to the deflecting mirror is slanted towards an inner periphery of the recording medium with respect to a direction perpendicular to a moving direction of the optical pickup. The photo detector is disposed at an inner periphery side of the recording medium relative to the light axis.

Abstract: Information is recorded/reproduced by focusing a light beam in/from an optical recording medium capable of forming therein marks for information recording in a plurality of three-dimensional directions including an arbitrary directions and at least depth direction. Specifically, the optical beam is sequentially focused at a recorded mark position adjacent an optically recorded mark position, at which a recording/reproducing operation is started, in any directions regardless of the directionality of the plurality of three-dimensional directions, to cause the focused position of the light beam to describe a predetermined locus having a predetermined rule to rapidly and continuously record/reproduce the information.

Abstract: The invention relates to caching data in a data processing system including a host computer and a storage subsystem including at least one customer disk and a cache disk. Write transactions are received specifying data to be written to at least one customer disk and these are cached in a volatile memory of the storage subsystem and written to the cache disk. The transaction data is written sequentially to the cache disk when available. In the intervening periods (i.e., when no transaction data is available), padding data is instead written sequentially to the cache disk.

Abstract: A method is provided for recording medium having a substrate on which first data and second data are recorded as a protrusion/depression pattern and a reflective layer that is provided on a surface having the protrusion/depression pattern. Laser light is radiated to the reflective layer to change the protrusion/depression pattern of the second data, and third data used for identifying the recording medium is additionally recorded at a predetermined position on the recording medium.

Abstract: A scan systems include at least one radiation source for directing at least one beam toward a spinning scan device. The scan device reflects these beams as rotating scan beams to track rotating scan lenses without translation between the scan beams and the scan lenses. The rotating scan lenses focus the scan beams into radiation spots and project them onto a scanned surface as moving scan spots. Relative movement between the scanned surface and the scan lenses produces an inner drum area scan. According to another version the system includes at least one radiation source for directing at least one beam toward a spinning scan device. The scan device reflects these beams as rotating scan beams to track rotating reflectors. The reflectors direct the beams to rotating tracking lenses without translation between the beams and the lenses. The lenses focus the scan beams into spots and project these onto a scanned surface as moving spots.

Abstract: An information recording method for recording information by irradiating an information recording medium with light, including steps of providing the information recording medium with a physical identification field (PID) and a data field, and utilizing a head amplifier for amplifying a detection signal in the PID field with a first gain and amplifying a detection signal in the data field with a second gain different from the first gain to record the information to the data field.