Abstract: A computer system for low power storage array with metadata access includes sequentially writing data to a currently active disk drive in a storage array and storing metadata relating to the writes in a preallocated portion of the currently active disk drive, determining when the currently active disk drive is nearing full capacity, activating a next disk drive and cloning the stored metadata from the preallocated portion of the currently active disk drive to a preallocated portion of the next disk drive. When the currently active disk drive is full, sequentially writing data to the next disk drive.

Abstract: A recording management apparatus includes: a control unit configured to perform track setting processing arranged to set, by recording purpose, a plurality of tracks serving as continuous recording areas to one layer of a recording medium having a plurality of layers serving as recording layers where recording of information is performed by laser irradiation, and closing track processing arranged to set each track to a continuous recording completed state within one layer alone.

Abstract: A recording management apparatus includes: a control unit configured to perform track setting processing arranged to set, by recording purpose, a plurality of tracks serving as continuous recording areas to one layer of a recording medium having a plurality of layers serving as recording layers where recording of information is performed by laser irradiation, and closing track processing arranged to set each track to a continuous recording completed state within one layer alone.

Abstract: An optical recording medium in which recording is performed by a recording device that is configured such that tracking servo control of recording light is performed by irradiating the recording light and ATS light for an adjacent track servo and by an adjacent track servo based on reflected light of the ATS light, wherein while a recording layer in which a mark is formed according to an irradiation of the recording light is included, a mark row is formed in advance by a pitch that is twice a distance between an irradiation spot of the recording light and an irradiation spot of the ATS light or greater in the recording layer.

Abstract: An optical recording carrier including, in a data recording area, a continuous-grooved main track for recording primary data to be stored, and a subtrack for recording control data including parameter data and address information. The control data includes a clock signal needless to be provided by the main track. The subtrack has a narrower full width at half maximum (FWHM) and a shallower depth than the main track. The distance between the main track and the subtrack is not more than half of that between two adjacent main tracks. The main track and the subtrack form a double-spiral pattern. When recording data, a recording spot tracks mostly along the centerline of the main track and reads the control data in the subtrack simultaneously to control the recording process. A method for manufacturing a recordable optical recording carrier compatible with a conventional CD-R is also provided.

Abstract: A method of recognizing a track pitch of an optical disk, adapted for an optical disk player, is provided. The method includes the steps of driving an optical pickup head to a predetermined position, so that the optical pickup head and the spindle motor are a predetermined distance apart, reading a data sector address, and recognizing the magnitude of the track pitch of the optical disk according to the value of the data sector address.

Abstract: A method to set a rotation rate for an optical holographic data storage medium by determining if the optical storage layer comprises an alternating series of lands and grooves. If the optical storage layer does not comprise an alternating series of lands and grooves, the method rotates the optical holographic data storage medium at a rotation rate based upon a data acquisition rate for pit-recorded information. If the optical storage layer comprises an alternating series of lands and grooves and the distance between alternating grooves increases as a function of the distance from said center point, then the method rotates the optical holographic data storage medium at a constant angular velocity. If the distance between alternating grooves does not increase as a function of the distance from said center point, then the method rotates the optical holographic data storage medium at a constant linear velocity.

Abstract: An optical disk writing method including determining a writing scheme for recording information on the optical disc based on received tracking error signals. The method also includes moving an optical pickup across tracks of the optical disc while the optical pickup emits a laser beam, counting a number of the tracking error signal, and determining a storage capacity of the optical disc based on the counted number of tracking error signals.

Abstract: An information recording medium (100) includes (i) a first recording layer (L0 layer) having a first track and (ii) a second recording layer (L1 layer) having a spiral or coaxial second track sharing the rotation center with the first track. (iii) The first recording layer has a first point (point Bx) indicated by a first address. (iv) The second recording layer has a second point (point Dx) which can be defined according to a predetermined positional relationship (allowable area: 10) with respect to the first point (point Bx).

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical recording medium having at least two information carrier layers, on which information can be written by means of a focused light beam. In this case, a separating layer is arranged between the information carrier layers and a respective transparent covering layer is arranged between the information carrier layer and the surface of the recording medium, the thickness of which covering layer substantially exceeds that of the information carrier layer. One object of the present invention is to propose an optical recording medium in the case of which it is possible to write to both information carrier layers using a low optical power. Further objects of the invention are to specify an apparatus and also a suitable method for writing to a recording medium of this type. A recording medium according to the invention has information carrier layers which are both semi-transparent.

Abstract: An optical head in which focusing error is detected by a spot size method used for recording and/or reproducing information signals on or from an optical disc. The optical head includes a unit for correcting the spot shape between the objective lens and a photodetector device. The spot shape correcting unit corrects part or all of light spots formed on the photodetector by a light beam reflected back by the optical disc so that the spot diameter in a direction traversing a track on the optical disc will be larger than the spot diameter along the track.

Abstract: Even in an optical disk which includes, within a single disk, plural record areas whose track-pitches differ from each other, a tracking parameter is adjusted in a short time and with a high accuracy. At first, an optical pickup for reading information recorded in the optical disk is displaced into a reference track-pitch area which is one of the plural record areas of the optical disk. Moreover, the tracking gain is adjusted so that the tracking servo gain in this area may exhibit a predetermined characteristic. Also, the value thus acquired is recorded into, e.g., a non-volatile memory. After that, based on the tracking parameter learned/adjusted in the reference track-pitch area, the tracking parameter in another track-pitch area is calculated using the track-pitch ratio therebetween. Thereby it becomes possible to adjust the tracking parameter in a short time and with a high accuracy.

Abstract: An optical head in which focussing error is detected by a spot size method used for recording and/or reproducing information signals on or from an optical disc. The optical head includes a unit for correcting the spot shape between the objective lens and a photodetector device. The spot shape correcting unit corrects part or all of light spots formed on the photodetector by a light beam reflected back by the optical disc so that the spot diameter in a direction traversing a track on the optical disc will be larger than the spot diameter along the track.

Abstract: A method is designed for controlling a power of a laser beam irradiated onto a track of an optical disc for recording of data at a given linear velocity.

Abstract: An optical head in which focussing error is detected by a spot size method used for recording and/or reproducing information signals on or from an optical disc. The optical head includes a unit for correcting the spot shape between the objective lens and a photodetector device. The spot shape correcting unit corrects part or all of light spots formed on the photodetector by a light beam reflected back by the optical disc so that the spot diameter in a direction traversing a track on the optical disc will be larger than the spot diameter along the track.

Abstract: A device and method for calibrating linear velocity and track pitch for an optical disc is disclosed. The device comprises a frequency divider, a synchronous bit-clock generator, a counter and a linear velocity and track pitch calculator. The frequency divider receives a motor frequency generator (FG) pulse and generates a motor rotation period signal (FG/X). The synchronous bit-clock generator generates a high frequency bit-clock according to a reproduced signal read from disc. The bit counter counts the pulse of the bit-clock for each period of the motor rotation period signal to generate the data amount M. The linear velocity and track pitch calculator calculates the linear velocity by a linear velocity function with the information of the data amount M and the motor rotation period. Then, the linear velocity and track pitch calculator calculates the track pitch by a pitch function with the information of the data amount, radius and linear velocity at different tracks.

Abstract: A disc playback system according to this invention, as shown in FIG. 1, comprises a pickup 1 for reading information from an information disc 2 on which data are recorded at a constant linear velocity, a disc motor 16 for rotating the information disc 2, a digital signal processing means 7 for digitizing data according to the playback format of the information disc 2, an interface means 19 for transmitting the digitized data to an external device and a buffer memory 18 for temporarily containing the data, and further includes a means for detecting the linear velocity and track pitch of the information disc 2 to decide the reference value for the velocity control of the disc motor 16 on the basis of the detected values of the linear velocity and track pitch and the value of the maximum radius of the data record area. According to the so-constructed disc playback system, the maximum playback velocity of the system can be obtained even in the case of discs having different track pitches.

Abstract: Structures of storage media for optical storage systems, especially for systems in the near-field configuration to couple radiation between the optical head and the media at least in part by evanescent fields.

Abstract: In accordance with a length of a pit to be recorded, a laser power irradiation time is controlled to have a length of (n−K)T +&Dgr;3T, where nT represents the length of a pit to be formed, K is a constant and &Dgr;3T represents an extra laser power value for addition to recording of a 3T pit. The control section also performs control for imparting an additional top power pulse to an initial part of each pit-forming laser power irradiation so as to increase a level of the laser power over a standard recording power level temporarily for a predetermined time period during the irradiation. The K and &Dgr;3T values and the level of the additional top power pulse are optimized for each selected recording speed. This arrangement always achieves optimum reproductive characteristics of signals recorded on cyanine-based or phthalocyanine-based optical disks at any selected recording speeds.