Abstract: An image formation control method for controlling an image forming system including a controller that converts original image data into image formation image data, an image forming apparatus that includes a control unit and an image forming unit and forms an image on a sheet on a basis of the image formation image data, a plurality of communication paths through which plural pieces of data are capable of being transferred in parallel between the controller and the image forming apparatus, and a measurement unit that measures data transfer speed of each of the plurality of communication paths includes causing the control unit to refer to the data transfer speed of each of the plurality of communication paths measured by the measurement unit and to assign a data transfer to each of the plurality of communication paths.

Abstract: A method comprising recording data related to a start-up procedure on at least one of a plurality of recording layers disposed on an optical record carrier for reading back the recorded data during subsequent start-ups, the selection of the at least one recording layer based on properties of the at least one recording layer is disclosed. The technique reduces the optical record carrier start-up time and is useful for DVD, HD-DVD and BD recorders and/or players.

Abstract: A method comprising recording data related to a start-up procedure on at least one of a plurality of recording layers disposed on an optical record carrier for reading back the recorded data during subsequent start-ups, the selection of the at least one recording layer based on properties of the at least one recording layer is disclosed. The technique reduces the optical record carrier start-up time and is useful for DVD, HD-DVD and BD recorders and/or players.

Abstract: An optical disc device capable of preventing a current larger than prescribed in specifications from flowing by measuring amounts of variation in drive signals of the actuator or the spindle motor, and in view of a correlation between those amounts of variation in the drive signals and the amount of current, changing the servo control system characteristics according to measured amounts of variation, and setting a limit to the level of drive signals.

Abstract: A recording medium read/write method and apparatus are disclosed. The present invention records version information of a corresponding recording medium as read/write control information within the recording medium. The version information includes write compatibility version information and read compatibility version information. The read/write apparatus efficiently performs the read/write of the recording medium with reference to the version informations recorded within the recording medium.

Abstract: A controller estimates Coulomb friction itself together with inertia and viscous friction, and reduces the influence of the Coulomb friction on the accuracy of the estimated inertia. In addition, the controller estimates inertia, viscous friction and Coulomb friction simultaneously with sequential adaptation in which a Fourier transformer is not used but an inverse transfer function model is used in order to minimize the estimated error. Data sampled for a predetermined time need not be accumulated, as a result, a large amount of data memory is unnecessary.

Abstract: The invention provides a protection cover of a pick-up head provided on a traverse of an optical drive. A plate flatly is positioned on an upper surface of the traverse, and the plate has a slot, with one end of the slot fastened to a spindle motor to clamp a disc and the other end of the slot forming a staying part for the pick-up head to stay in a stand-by mode. The pick-up head is disposed in the slot and has an objective lens. When the objective lens stays in the staying part out of a periphery of a 12-cm disc, the protection cover crosses over the staying part to protect the objective lens.

Abstract: The optical disc apparatus according to the present invention includes a tilt detecting means; a coma aberration correcting means; and a spherical aberration correcting means. Based on the result of a tilt detection, the amount of the correction performed by the coma aberration correcting means is determined so that the amount of correction is constant for the whole circumference of an optical disc, and then a spherical aberration is corrected by the spherical aberration correcting means. Thus, it is possible to correct the spherical aberration that has occurred due to the coma aberration correcting means, while the tilt margin is secured, thereby improving the reliability of reproduction and recording by the optical disc apparatus. Further, the optical disc apparatus according to the present invention is configured, in the case where a thermal shock tilt has occurred during the activation of the apparatus, to wait until the thermal shock tilt has settled.

Abstract: An optical disk drive and a method for scanning an optical disk that includes a substantially circular track with a scanning velocity is provided. A servo control signal (SCS) is determined based on a servo error signal (SES). A first performance indicator (IND1) of the servo actuator is determined from at least one of the SES and SCS. IND1 is compared against a first pre-determined threshold (ITHR1), determining a first servo margin (MAR1). The scanning velocity is set in dependence on at least MAR1. In particular, scanning velocity is reduced when the first performance indicator exceeds the first pre-determined threshold. Additionally or alternatively, a bandwidth of control of the servo actuator can be adjusted in dependence on at least one of a second servo margin, determined from at least one of SES and SCS, and a third servo margin, associated with a mark quality determined from a central aperture signal.

Abstract: An information recording apparatus such as an optical disc that can avoid an unrecordable condition between a power-on operation and an available state for recording thereby to solve a problem that an image taking chance is missed in a recording step, wherein its constitution is such that: receiving a command to turn on the apparatus after switching, a system controller drives a power-supply circuit to activate a drive controller and a memory controller; if the optical disc is not replaced while in power-off operation by a sub-battery, the system controller issues a request for high-speed activation, based on information stored in an EEPROM, to the drive controller, and drives plural drive control units one after another thereby to establish an activation period confirmedly, allowing the memory controller to accept a request for a recording start from the system controller without waiting for a report of activation completion to be issued by the drive controller.

Abstract: An optical disk drive includes a servo control unit 7 for causing an optical disk A to be driven; an optical pickup 2 for reading recorded data from the recording surface of the optical disk A after carrying out focus pulling-in of an object lens; a CPU 8 for controlling the servo control unit 7 and optical pickup 2 to perform readout operation of data recorded on the optical disk A; and a temperature detecting unit 9 for detecting temperature in the optical disk drive. The CPU 8 calculates the focus pull-in level in accordance with the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit 9, and carries out the focus pulling-in of the optical pickup 2 using the focus pull-in level.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling access to information stored on memory or data storage devices are disclosed. In various embodiments, fluid-mediated modification of information or access to information is utilized. According to various embodiments, data storage devices designed for rotating access are described which include rotation-activated fluid control mechanisms.

Abstract: A method for reading/writing data of a disk drive that includes a spindle motor for rotating a disk and a head for reading/writing data from and to the disk. The method includes the steps of; (i) adjusting a position of the head for the first time to space apart the head from a center of the disk at a specific distance, wherein when the head is spaced apart from the center of the disk at the specific distance, the disk vibrates at the minimum magnitude during raising operation of the spindle motor from a low speed to a high speed; (ii) raising the spindle motor from the low speed to the high speed; and (iii) adjusting a position of the head for the second time to move the head to a desired track in the disk for reading/writing data in the desired track.

Abstract: After an optical disk drive according to the present invention has been loaded with an optical disk and before the operation of recognizing the type of the given disk is finished, the drive presumes one of multiple types of candidate optical disks, from/on which data is readable and writable using a light beam with the shortest wavelength among the candidate disks, to be the disk being driven by the motor now and gets the beam for the presumed type of disk radiated from a light source (Step (A)). Next, the drive gets the disk spun at a rotational velocity that realizes a linear velocity equal to or higher than a standardized normal velocity when data is read from the presumed type of disk (Step (B)). Thereafter, the drive starts a focus control in a situation where the spot of the beam being formed on the disk is moving on the disk at the linear velocity equal to or higher than the normal velocity (Step (C)).

Abstract: A disc recording device has a mode control unit for switching the device either to a read mode or to a write mode. Reading and writing can be alternated for simultaneous recording and reproducing of video. A rotation speed control unit sets the rotation speed of the record carrier, and has a speed selector for selecting one of at least two speed settings for the read mode in dependence on an actual rotation speed of the record carrier during the write mode when switching from write mode to read mode. By setting the read speed to one of a limited number of settings the difference in rotation speed between said actual rotation speed and the speed in the read mode is limited. Due to the limited differences power dissipation is limited, while the performance of access time and playability of real-life discs is at a high level.

Abstract: An optical drive servo control system comprises: an optical pickup, for accessing an optical disc and generating an optical signal; a spindle motor, for rotating the optical disc and outputting a FG signal and a spindle motor synchronous signal; a frequency-multiplied FG signal generator, for generating an actual frequency-multiplied FG signal after receiving the FG signal, the spindle motor synchronous signal, a reference clock signal, and a frequency-multiplier value; and, a servo control unit, for controlling the spindle motor and the optical pickup, and compensating a run-out error of the optical disc according to the actual frequency-multiplied FG signal; wherein the frequency-multiplied FG signal generator calculates an ideal frequency-multiplied FG signal according to the reference clock signal and the frequency-multiplier value, and a positioning error between the ideal frequency-multiplied FG signal and the actual frequency-multiplied FG signal is less than half of a period of the reference clock sig

Abstract: A signal processing apparatus of an optical disk recording/reproducing apparatus and a signal processing method performed thereby are provided. The signal processing apparatus may include an operational data generation unit for receiving digital signals, filtering received digital signals and outputting filtered signals as operational data and a data arithmetic-operation unit for performing an arithmetic operation on the operational data output by the operational data generation unit in response to a command.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus for outputting a plurality of picture data forming reproduced data to a reproduction apparatus for reproduction, the data processing apparatus having a processing circuit for judging if the reproduction rate of the picture data by the reproduction apparatus is slower than a transfer rate for transferring the picture data to the reproduction apparatus and outputting all of the picture data forming the reproduced data to the reproduction apparatus when judging as a result of the judgment that the reproduction rate is slower than the transfer rate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of recording disc control information in a recordable optical disc including at least one recording layer, and more particularly, a method of recording information indicating a specific location of disc control information within the disc control information itself and a method of searching requested disc control information, thereby enabling to uniformly apply the standardized disc control information to efficiently cope with the record/playback of the optical disc and to efficiently search a plurality of disc informations.

Abstract: The present invention aims to obtain a position control device which, even if the range within which a mechanical part can be pulled in for position control is narrow, enables quickly stabilizing the pull-in operation.

Abstract: A player is provided that is capable of playing discs of either a first or a second configuration. Both types of discs can be double-sided optical discs formed with data tracks. In one configuration, the tracks on one side follow one spiral while the tracks on the other side follow a second spiral, the two spirals being oriented in opposite directions as viewed from the respective sides, and therefore being mirror images of each other. This allows data to be read by a player seamlessly from both sides of the disc without changing the direction of rotation of the disc. In the other configuration, the tracks follow identical spirals. The disc is then rotated in one direction for one side and the other direction for the other side.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling access to information stored on memory or data storage devices are disclosed. In various embodiments, fluid-mediated modification of information or access to information is utilized. According to various embodiments, data storage devices designed for rotating access are described which include rotation-activated fluid control mechanisms.

Abstract: In an optical disc device comprising: a pickup 3 having a laser diode and generating a laser beam for recording onto an optical disc 1; a disc motor 2 that drives the rotation of an optical disc mounted thereon; a stepping motor that moves the pickup in the radial direction of the disc; and a system controller 6 that supplies drive current to the laser diode, and that controls the rotational speed of the disc motor and the position of the pickup by means of the stepping motor; the pickup has a temperature sensor 31 in its interior and system controller 6 restricts the drive current supplied to the laser diode in accordance with a detected temperature during data recording and controls the rotational speed of the disc motor, based on the detected temperature and the data recording properties of the optical disc which have been determined.

Abstract: A recording device writes and reads marks that represent information. A radiation source (22) is controlled for writing the marks according to a write strategy on a record carrier (11) arranged according to a predefined recording format. The recording format defines pre-recorded disc information including a disc type identifier and disc recording parameters. The device has a control unit (20) for setting the write strategy, a strategy table (31) containing strategy data sets, each strategy data set containing parameters defining a respective, preset write strategy, and a lookup table (32) for containing disc type entries, each disc type entry being retrievable based on a disc type identifier and indicating one of the strategy data sets.

Abstract: A method for adjusting rotation speed of a driving motor in a disk drive prior to power on of a computer, includes: (i) inputting an external signal into the disk drive; (ii) converting the external signal into a predetermined value in such a manner to replace a default value stored within a memory device by the predetermined value such that the memory device is eventually stored with the predetermined value; and (iii) rotating the driving motor according to the predetermined value.

Abstract: A double-sided optical disc, such as a DVD-18 disc, is formed with data tracks on each layer. The tracks on one side are oriented along one spiral while the tracks on the other side are oriented along a different spiral, the two spirals being oriented in opposite directions as viewed normally from the respective sides. This allows data to be read by a player seamlessly from either side of the disc without changing the direction of rotation of the disc while the data is being read. The player determines whether a newly inserted disc is oriented properly and, if necessary, the direction of the disc rotation is reversed.

Abstract: The amount of light reflected from a disk is detected, and it is determined according to the amount of reflected light whether the disk is a recordable disk or a rewritable disk. The disk is controlled according to the result of determination such that it is rotated at a constant angular velocity (CAV) or at a constant linear velocity (CLV) and recording is executed. Further, rotation driving control of the disk is selected according to factors other than the type of the disk, such as according to whether random recording is allowed or not, according to a recording state in the disk, according to whether an alternative area is provided or not, according to a recording start position, or according to whether initialization is required or not. CLV control or CAV control is appropriately selected for a disk at recording to suppress a reduction in accessibility and a reduction in data transmission rate.

Abstract: The amount of light reflected from a disk is detected, and it is determined according to the amount of reflected light whether the disk is a recordable disk or a rewritable disk. The disk is controlled according to the result of determination such that it is rotated at a constant angular velocity (CAV) or at a constant linear velocity (CLV) and recording is executed. Further, rotation driving control of the disk is selected according to factors other than the type of the disk, such as according to whether random recording is allowed or not, according to a recording state in the disk, according to whether an alternative area is provided or not, according to a recording start position, or according to whether initialization is required or not. CLV control or CAV control is appropriately selected for a disk at recording to suppress a reduction in accessibility and a reduction in data transmission rate.

Abstract: The amount of light reflected from a disk is detected, and it is determined according to the amount of reflected light whether the disk is a recordable disk or a rewritable disk. The disk is controlled according to the result of determination such that it is rotated at a constant angular velocity (CAV) or at a constant linear velocity (CLV) and recording is executed. Further, rotation driving control of the disk is selected according to factors other than the type of the disk, such as according to whether random recording is allowed or not, according to a recording state in the disk, according to whether an alternative area is provided or not, according to a recording start position, or according to whether initialization is required or not. CLV control or CAV control is appropriately selected for a disk at recording to suppress a reduction in accessibility and a reduction in data transmission rate.

Abstract: A disk device in which at the recovery job of a focus pull-in operation, a CPU supplies servo control means with the respective correction values of the rotational speed of an optical disk and the moving speed of a lens which are described in the data table of a RAM, and performs the focus pull-in operation and determines whether or not the focus pull-in operation is successfully performed at the respective adjustment steps, and if the focus pull-in operation is successfully performed, the servo control means changes the amount of movement of the lens in response to a surface swing of the optical disk.

Abstract: A method for recording audio data to optical media is provided. The method includes obtaining a number of audio tracks on a source optical media and setting a source optical media device to a maximum read speed for the source optical media device. Also included is reading a first audio track on the source optical media and determining a digital audio extraction (DAX) speed for the first audio track. Further, a mid-point audio track on the source optical media is read and determining of the DAX speed for the mid-point audio track on the source optical media is processed. The method further includes calculating a record speed for the number of audio tracks on the source optical media to a destination optical media.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided, which enable a user's standby time to be shortened or utilized effectively in the course of recording/reproduction of information with respect to an optical disk. Information recorded on a disk is reproduced preferentially, and after counting for a predetermined period of time, recording learning is conducted. Alternatively, management information is reproduced preferentially over recording learning, and recording learning is conducted while a user is confirming this information. Alternatively, the possibility of recording on a disk is identified, and reproduction preference or recording learning preference processing is conducted based the possibility. Alternatively, a rotation speed of a disk is controlled to be variable or constant, based on the possibility of recording.

Abstract: A method of adjusting the write speed of a CD drive includes writing data from a CD drive to a disk at a first speed during a first preset time. If, at the end of the first preset time, the data error rate at the first speed is larger than the error allowance upper limit for the first preset time, then writing of the data will be completed at the first speed. However, if at the end of the first preset time, the data error rate at the first speed is smaller than the error allowance upper limit for the first preset time, then the writing speed will be adjusted to a second higher speed. The same process can be repeated for the second higher speed.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling operation of a motor system that addresses the design challenges for the small form factor optical disk system. The present invention includes starting the operation of a motor including windings and a rotor; placing the motor in a first operational state; driving the motor from the first operational state to a second operational state; and sensing a variation in an electrical waveform induced by driving of the motor to determine a cycle period from which the speed of the motor can be determined.

Abstract: A reproducing apparatus capable of reproducing the data to be reproduced correctly by judging the lead-in region of first session on a multi-session disc. The reproducing apparatus reproduces a multi-session disc composed of a plurality of sessions, each comprising a lead-in region recording index information including the information of reproduction start time measured from the disc innermost peripheral position, program region recording program tracks storing contents to be reproduced, and lead-out region, corresponding to the start position of each program track stored in the multi-session disc. This reproducing apparatus comprises an optical pickup for reading out the index information of specified session, and a session judging unit for judging if the lead-in region of the specified session is the lead-in region of the first session of the multi-session disc or not, on the basis of the information of the reproduction time included in the index information being read out by the optical pickup.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling operation of a motor system that addresses the design challenges for the small form factor optical disk system. The control system can be operable to read a physical sector address (PSA) from an optical medium, calculate a table index based on the PSA, enter a lookup table module to acquire reference data, and maintain a constant data rate transfer from the optical medium for a range of PSAs.

Abstract: Method and device for controlling an optical recording/reproducing device, for detecting a wobble signal in advance during free running when only a focus servo is turned on, carrying out wobble PLL, detecting the present rotating speed of the optical disk from the wobble signal, and controlling the spindle to reach to a target speed quickly, thereby stabilizing the servo in advance before regular data recording/reproduction, and enhancing performance of the optical recording/reproduction device.

Abstract: A method is designed for recording contents information along a track of an optical disk of a writeable type. A volume detection step is carried out for detecting an actual volume of the contents information to be recorded into the optical disk. A capacity detection step is carried out for detecting a nominal capacity of the optical disk, which indicates a rated volume of information to be recorded at maximum. A density determination step is carried out for determining a recording density of the contents information based on the detected actual volume and the detected nominal capacity. A record step is carried out for recording the contents information into the optical disk at the determined recording density such that the actual volume of the contents information can fit into the nominal capacity of the optical disk.

Abstract: Methods for determining recording speeds to optical media are provided. In one example, a method includes an algorithm in which a digital audio extraction (DAX) speed is determined for a first part of an audio track is measured, a DAX speed for an end part of an audio track is measured, and the DAX speeds are compared. The slower of the two speeds is selected as the DAX speed for the audio track. Subsequent audio tracks are sampled by first measuring the DAX speed for an end part of the audio track. If the DAX speed for the end part of the audio track is faster than the DAX speed for the end part of the previous audio track, the first part of the audio track is sampled, and the slower DAX speed of the first and end parts of the audio track is selected as the DAX speed for the audio track.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus which can record data by means of transition between an amorphous state and a crystalline state and enables overwriting of data. Test data are recorded into a test area of an optical disk by radiating a laser beam of recording power. The recorded test data are erased by radiating a laser beam of erasing power to the test area of the optical disk while a rotational speed of the optical disk is varied. An erasure performance for erasing the test data is computed at each rotational speed, and the erasure performance is compared with the predetermined threshold value. The higher the rotational speed, the lower the erasure performance. From among the rotational speeds at which superior erasure performance is achieved, the maximum rotational speed is selected. Data are written over the data area of the optical disk at the thus-selected maximum rotational speed.

Abstract: A storage apparatus rotates an optical recording medium at two or more kinds of rotational speeds. The rotational speed is decreased when a read or write margin becomes less than or equal to a first predetermined value or, when a frequency of generation of a servo abnormality of a tracking servo and/or a focus servo is greater than or equal to a first predetermined frequency. On the other hand, the rotational speed is increased when the read or write margin becomes greater than or equal to a second predetermined value or, when the frequency of generation of the servo abnormality of the tracking servo and/or the focus servo is less than or equal to a second predetermined frequency.

Abstract: In an initial operation of an optical disc apparatus for reading out information data recorded in the innermost data recording area on the optical disc, a main processor judges whether periods between adjoining two pits are normal or not from signals outputted from an optical pickup. When the periods of the pits are normal, a light beam emitted from the optical pickup is on the present data recording track, and the information data is read out from the optical disc. Alternatively, when the periods of the pits are abnormal, the optical pickup is moved inwardly with sensing the periods of the pits and judges whether the periods are normal or not. When the periods of the pits become normal, the light beam is precisely tracked on the present data recording track, and reproduces the information data from the optical disc.

Abstract: The amount of light reflected from a disk is detected, and it is determined according to the amount of reflected light whether the disk is a recordable disk or a rewritable disk. The disk is controlled according to the result of determination such that it is rotated at a constant angular velocity (CAV) or at a constant linear velocity (CLV) and recording is executed. Further, rotation driving control of the disk is selected according to factors other than the type of the disk, such as according to whether random recording is allowed or not, according to a recording state in the disk, according to whether an alternative area is provided or not, according to a recording start position, or according to whether initialization is required or not. CLV control or CAV control is appropriately selected for a disk at recording to suppress a reduction in accessibility and a reduction in data transmission rate.

Abstract: The amount of light reflected from a disk is detected, and it is determined according to the amount of reflected light whether the disk is a recordable disk or a rewritable disk. The disk is controlled according to the result of determination such that it is rotated at a constant angular velocity (CAV) or at a constant linear velocity (CLV) and recording is executed. Further, rotation driving control of the disk is selected according to factors other than the type of the disk, such as according to whether random recording is allowed or not, according to a recording state in the disk, according to whether an alternative area is provided or not, according to a recording start position, or according to whether initialization is required or not. CLV control or CAV control is appropriately selected for a disk at recording to suppress a reduction in accessibility and a reduction in data transmission rate.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of adjusting a rotation speed of an optical disc drive for a spindle motor controlled by a host to rotate and read an optical disc. First, it is determined whether the data read by the optical disc drive is in Mode 1 or Form 1 of Mode 2. If in Mode 1 or Form 1 of Mode 2, it is determined whether the frequency of read request commands output from the host is lower than a predetermined value or not. If the frequency of read request commands output from the host is lower than the predetermined value, then it is determined whether the response data output to the host is sequential reading data or not. If the three situations mentioned above are all sustained, the data read by the optical disc drive is ascertained as MP3 data. Thus, the rotation speed of the spindle motor is decreased to a lower value.

Abstract: When a system boot procedure is initiated in a computer having a disk drive including one or more disks, the one or more disks are rotated at a first, slow rate while boot data are read from the disk drive. Thereafter, while non-boot data are read from the disk drive, the disks are rotated at a second, fast operational rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reproducing data from an optical disc in which a disc inducing vibration is detected and the speed of the disc is adjusted to an appropriate speed which does not cause vibration. The method includes obtaining the frequency of vibration by subtracting the count value of track traverse pulses at the lowest speed factor from the count value of track traverse pulses at the highest speed factor; and varying the speed factor of reproducing data from the disc based upon a comparison of the obtained frequency of vibration with a predetermined base value.

Abstract: A disc speed control device for use in a disc player and/or recorder having a pick-up for reading/recording data. The device comprises an inner loop which regulates a determined disc rotation speed value received at its input and an outer loop which delivers this speed value depending on a frequency at which data is read by the pick-up. The present invention is particularly useful in multistandard disc drives which need to adjust to different disc speed modes, for example, constant angular velocity, or constant linear velocity.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk motor for rotating a disk, a disk motor driving unit for driving the disk motor, and a controlling unit for controlling the disk motor driving unit. When an upper limit value of a disk rotation speed is received as an input value, the input value is interpreted as a rotation speed specification, so that a command packet including the upper limit value of the disk rotation speed is generated to output it to a controlling unit. The controlling unit sets the upper limit value of the disk rotation speed included in the command packet to the disk motor driving unit. The disk motor driving unit drives the disk motor at the upper limit value of the set disk rotation speed.

Abstract: After an optical disk drive according to the present invention has been loaded with an optical disk and before the operation of recognizing the type of the given disk is finished, the drive presumes one of multiple types of candidate optical disks, from/on which data is readable and writable using a light beam with the shortest wavelength among the candidate disks, to be the disk being driven by the motor now and gets the beam for the presumed type of disk radiated from a light source (Step (A)). Next, the drive gets the disk spun at a rotational velocity that realizes a linear velocity equal to or higher than a standardized normal velocity when data is read from the presumed type of disk (Step (B)). Thereafter, the drive starts a focus control in a situation where the spot of the beam being formed on the disk is moving on the disk at the linear velocity equal to or higher than the normal velocity (Step (C)).