Abstract: An information processing device includes: a data processing unit which executes a reproduction process of recorded data of a disc, in which the data processing unit reads disc type information that is recorded on the disc, and ascertains a recorded data configuration of the disc based on the disc type information that is read, and executes data reading-out and reproduction processes according to a reading-out rate corresponding to the ascertained recorded data configuration.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for processing an interrupt. The apparatus includes a plurality of processing cores that are each configured to process an interrupt. The apparatus also includes an interrupt distributing unit configured to receive the interrupt, determine whether or not execution mode of each processing core is IRQ mode for exception processing or interrupt processing, and provide the received interrupt to a processing core that is not in IRQ mode.

Abstract: There is provided a cartridge including a plurality of optical information recording media having unique information recorded thereon, an accommodation body configured to accommodate the plurality of optical information recording media, and an identification device configured to store the unique information of the plurality of optical information recording media and supply the unique information to a changer in a non-contact manner, the identification device being provided in the accommodation body.

Abstract: A wobble determining apparatus is provided with: a calculating device for calculating (i) a first time required until reaching a number of revolutions of a motor which allows a predetermined linear velocity, and (ii) a second time required to move an optical head to a position which allows the predetermined linear velocity, on the basis of the number of revolutions of the motor and the position of the optical head; a judging device for judging whether to keep the optical head in accordance with the calculated first time and the calculated second time; and a controlling device for controlling a moving device not to move the optical head if it is judged to keep the optical head, and for controlling the moving device to move the optical head to the position which allows the predetermined linear velocity if it is judged not to keep the optical head.

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: Optically detectable marks readable by a wide range of optical systems are included on an optical storage medium. Among other uses, the marks may be used to determine the type of the optical storage medium in an optical device capable of reading multiple types of optical storage media.

Abstract: To solve the problem of deterioration in recording quality due to a change of a write waveform caused by changes of temperature and recording powers, aged deterioration and the like. A driver having a function of controlling rise/fall times and an overshoot amount of an optical waveform is used to optimize an optical waveform that changes in recording under the influence of a component of a laser and the like. Specifically, the rise/fall times and the overshoot amount of the optical waveform are optimized by obtaining a waveform control register value from test recording or a table.

Abstract: Optically detectable marks readable by a wide range of optical systems are included on an optical storage medium. Among other uses, the marks may be used to determine the type of the optical storage medium in an optical device capable of reading multiple types of optical storage media.

Abstract: Particular embodiments generally relate to randomly displaying images on a display device. In one embodiment, a list of images for display on a display device, such as a digital picture frame or television, is determined. The display device is configured to display different images in a sequential order (such as one after another). A random display method may be determined. An image in the list of images is then randomly selected based on the random display method. For example, images are randomly selected such that all images in a list of images are displayed once without duplicative display of an image.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of writing data to a disc (OD). The method comprised: a) performing a plurality of writing actions in which a plurality of data portions are written to the disc, b) performing a plurality of verification actions in which written data portions are at least partly verified and at least part of the data portions are replaced if needed. The method further comprises a2) performing a decision action for each writing action in which a decision whether or not to perform the verification action for a specific written data portion is taken.

Abstract: An information recording medium includes a lead-in area, a user data area, and a lead-out area, wherein at least one of the lead-in or lead-out areas includes a compatibility information area in which compatibility information, specifying whether each area on the information recording medium is recordable and/or reproducible. The compatibility information may include state information on whether the user data area is recordable and/or reproducible, state information on whether the lead-in/lead-out area is recordable and/or reproducible, state information on whether the compatibility information area is recordable and/or reproducible, or state information on whether a defect management area (DMA) is recordable and/or reproducible. Accordingly, an existing drive or apparatus for recording and/or reproducing data on and/or from an information recording medium can smoothly record and/or reproduce data on an information recording medium that is of a higher version than the existing drive or apparatus.

Abstract: Provided is a recording/reproduction apparatus capable of securing a backup area for management information on a recording medium without affecting the capacity of a user data area. Before a hard disk drive or a disc medium (recording medium) is finalized, metadata is recorded in a metadata area and when the hard disk drive or the disc medium are finalized, a user data area portion corresponding to the volume of metadata required for the finalizing is set as a metadata mirror area and then the metadata recorded in the metadata area is copied to the metadata mirror area.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes an optical disc drive, a data processing module which executes data processing using the optical disc drive, and a power supply management module which manages supply of power to the optical disc drive. The data processing module interrogates the power supply management module about the optical disc drive at the time of activation, and waits until an operating system recognizes the optical disc drive when an instruction is received from the power supply management module in response to an interrogation. The instruction instructs to wait until the operating system recognizes the optical disc drive. The power supply management module shifts the optical disc drive to a power supply on state and returns the instruction to the data processing module, if the optical disc drive is in a power supply off state when the interrogation is received.

Abstract: An information processing device includes: a correction coefficient holding unit configured to hold a correction coefficient which is a ratio between the position of a control target at a start time of control operation, and a detection signal indicating the control result of the control target; an initial-value-compensation matrix holding unit configured to hold an initial-value-compensation matrix for performing compensation of the initial value of a control computing unit for computing control output for controlling the control target from the detection signal based on the position and speed of the control target; and an initial-value generating unit configured to correct the position and speed of the control target at a start time of control operation with the correction coefficient, and employ the position and speed of the control target after correction, and the initial-value-compensation matrix to generate an initial-value-compensation value for compensating the initial value of the control computing u

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical recording/reproducing apparatus which can record information on the whole plane of the optical disk with a stable quality, even when the temperature has largely changed during a recording standby period in an intermittent recording process. The present optical recording/reproducing apparatus reproduces the information from a recorded portion on which the information has been already recorded, to evaluate the signal quality of the reproduced information, and simultaneously detects a temperature in the apparatus to correct a recording power of a laser beam when restarting the recording, on the basis of the evaluation result and the detected temperature in the apparatus, during the recording standby period in the intermittent recording process.

Abstract: A method for reading media information from optical recording media is provided which allows media information to be rapidly and stably read from the recording media. Index marks are successively detected at a plurality of positions spaced at predetermined intervals along radial direction of the recording media, and a center position is selected from amongst the positions at which the index marks have been successively detected. Media information read at the selected center position is used to rapidly and accurately perform a recording operation on a label surface of the optical recording media.

Abstract: The invention is to provide a recording method of an optical disc drive, which first calibrates the write power with minimum recording speed, adjusts write powers for higher speeds, searches a blank area in a lead-out area of a disc to record with write powers for all speeds, read signals, deletes the speeds with bad recording quality, reserves the speeds with good recording quality as recordable speed, checks the required recording speed for the address of the recording data, searches the recordable speed equal to or smaller than the required recording speed, replaces the required recording speed with the searched recordable speed, records data with the searched recordable speed and corresponding write power to ensure quality.

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: A method and apparatus for recording information on a multi-layer record carrier includes recording control information in a control information zone before recording user information after a layer jump. This ensures that all user information can be read and recorded reliably, while the storage capacity of the record carrier for storing user information is not reduced.

Abstract: An optical-disc apparatus comprising: a laser-light source; an objective lens; an aberration-correction lens to be moved in an optical-axis direction according to a cover-layer thickness of an optical disc; a stepping motor; a driving unit to generate a driving pulse for the motor; a storage unit to store current-position information of the aberration-correction lens based on the number of the pulse; and a control unit to control the driving unit so that the aberration-correction lens is moved between a first position set in a mechanical-movable range of the aberration-correction lens and a second position set on the objective-lens side relative to the first position, the driving unit being controlled so that the aberration-correction lens is moved to the second position when stop of disc rotation occurs, and is moved to a start position between the first-and-second positions according to the thickness based on the information when the stop is cancelled.

Abstract: A recording and reproducing apparatus is provided, which includes a rotary drive unit, an optical pickup unit, an adjustment unit which compensates for changes in characteristics of the laser light caused by changes in temperature, a temperature detection unit which detects a temperature of the optical pickup unit, an evaluation value generation unit which generates an evaluation value based on reflected light information, and a control unit. The control unit performs a temperature acquisition process, an optimum point adjustment process, a temperature acquisition process for acquiring a detected temperature during spin down, an optimum point search process, and a temperature characteristic compensation operation coefficient calculation process for performing temperature compensation with respect to the adjustment values.

Abstract: The time required for starting up drives in a storage device mounted with both hard disk drives and solid state drives is shortened. A storage controller of the storage device identifies the type (HDD/SSD) of the mounted drives before starting up the drives. The storage controller thereafter performs staggered spinup to the HDDs in several batches. After the startup of HDDs is complete, the storage controller collectively starts up the SSDs. The storage controller determines the drive startup processing based on a pre-set drive startup policy such as reduction of the peak current reduction or shortening of the startup time, and the drive type identification result.

Abstract: An optical disc playback device is capable of being transitioned to a sleep mode in consideration of an optical disc status or an optical disc drive device status. An optical disc playback apparatus includes a main controller to transmit a sleep mode transition command to an optical disc drive device, and an optical disc drive device controller to check either a status of an optical disc or a status of the optical disc drive device when the sleep mode transition command is transmitted to the optical disc drive device, and to determine whether to perform transition to the sleep mode in response to the optical disc status or the optical disc drive device status.

Abstract: A method of detection is described to be used in file system-based player devices to determine the type of compact disk that has been inserted into a player. The method automatically distinguishes between the DTS-CD format and standard audio CDs. The method allows the operating system or CPU software to take appropriate action to decode and playback the audio stream once the a decision between standard audio CD or DTS-CD is made.

Abstract: A TE signal polarity determining method, includes: (a) obtaining a wobble related signal, an RF related signal, a TE signal and an accessing direction; and (b) determining if an original polarity of a TE signal should be changed or not according to phases of the RF related signal, the wobble related signal and/or the accessing direction.

Abstract: In a method for adjusting a focus position for an optical disc, onto/from which in formation is recorded or reproduced, while adjusting the focus position of an optical reproducing means, upon a recording surface of an optical information recording medium having an area where information of the optical information recording medium is recorded in advance, comprising the following steps of: memorizing plural numbers of information relating to focus positions determined appropriately, which can be obtained from the area where the information of the optical information recording medium is recorded in advance; and adjusting the focus position for the optical disc loaded into an apparatus, from at lease one (1) signal relating to the focus position, which can be obtained from the optical disc, with utilizing a relationship between the plural numbers of information relating to the focus positions determined appropriately, memorized in advance, when reproduction of the information is impossible when the optical disc

Abstract: It is possible to manage an empty region in a disc partition while satisfying an inhibit matter of the ROM standard not recording a space bit map describer (SBD). The SBD is recorded upon disc initialization and additional recording into the partition is performed by using the SBD regardless of the access type in the device. When ejecting the disc, pointer information to the SBD recorded in the partition describer (PD) is hacked up in the SBD pointer information save file or save data and then the pointer information is erased. Upon disc recognition, the existence of the save file/data is confirmed and the SBD is restored.

Abstract: An optical disc drive for recording and/or reading information on or from an optical disc is disclosed. The optical disc drive includes: a position controller which controls the position of the objective lens based on the position-controlling light beam reflected by the reflective surface by condensing the position-controlling light beam by the objective lens such that the position-controlling light beam is brought to a focus at a target guide position on the reflective surface corresponding to the target recording position; a tilt angle detector which detects tilt angle of the optical disc relative to optical axis of the position-controlling light beam; and a focal position corrector which makes a correction such that a focal position obtained when the information light beam is condensed by the objective lens is aligned to the target recording position according to the tilt angle.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of writing data to a disc (OD). The method comprising a) performing a writing action in which a first data portion is written to the disc; a2) deciding to perform b) or not and b) verifying at least part of the first data portion that is written to the disc and deciding to replace the first data portion that is written to the disc or not. Finally the method comprises c) performing a further writing action in which a second data portion is written to the disc.

Abstract: Additional recording is performed on a recording medium without using a VAT technique. An area including the 256th logical sector is reserved at disc initialization time, and additional recording is performed from this reserved area and after. Additional recording is performed by writing packets from a logical sector immediately after a recorded area (including the reserved area), and AVDP is recorded into two places having the last logical sector number N of a packet structure and a logical sector number less than 256 sectors from N, and thus additional recording in compliance with the UDF is possible after that. At the time of finalization, AVDP is recorded in the 256th logical sector, a surplus area in the reserved area is subjected to padding to ensure wide compatibility with playback-only apparatuses.

Abstract: The present invention provides an information reproducing/recording apparatus capable of executing tracking servo normally in short time at the time of loading an information recording medium. At the time of executing a tracking servo process on a BD (Blu-ray Disc)-R capable of recording information selectively on a land track or a groove track during loading of the BD-R, the polarity of a tracking error signal adapted to trace of the land or the groove is temporarily determined on the basis of statistical information indicative of a result of a statistic taken to see which one of the BD-R that records information on the land track and the BD-R that records information on the groove track is more frequently used. On the basis of the tracking error signal of the polarity, an optical pickup is driven to execute tracking servo.

Abstract: A method of loading an optical record carrier into an optical drive is disclosed. The method comprises using a subset of a set of initial startup procedures for subsequent startups, the set of initial startup procedures comprising procedures that the optical drive requires to start recording or reading the optical record carrier. The method is useful for CD, DVD, HD-DVD and BD recorder and/or players. The method reduces the disc startup time and enhances the user satisfaction index.

Abstract: A recording apparatus recording data on an optical disk includes a management information checking unit that determines whether or not management information on the optical disk for managing the data recorded on the optical disk exists by checking for management information on the optical disk when the optical disk is inserted in the recording apparatus; an area usage checking unit that determines whether or not a usage history of an optical disk area for optimizing recording power exists by checking a use condition of the optical disk area for optimizing recording power; and an abnormality detection unit that determines whether or not an optical disk abnormality exists in accordance with the presence or absence of management information on the optical disk and the presence or absence of a usage history of the optical disk area for optimizing recording power.

Abstract: A method for demodulating a tracking error signal comprising the steps of (A) demodulating the tracking error signal when starting motion, (B) demodulating the tracking error signal after motion has started, and (C) demodulating the tracking error signal before and after lens motion stops.

Abstract: In an optical recording medium of a single-sided incident type having a plurality of recording layers, recording/reading conditions (for example, tracking polarity, recording pulse strategy, recording recommended power, etc.) can be instantaneously switched according to each of the recording layer, and recording or reading of information can be accurately and surely performed under recording/reading conditions adapted to each recording layer. A control unit reads out layer information from one recording layer of the optical recording medium in which the layer information is recorded in each of the plural layers, on which recording or reading of information can be performed by irradiating a laser beam from one side thereof (layer information reading step), and controls so that recording or reading is performed under recording/reading conditions adapted to a recording layer specified on the basis of the layer information (recording controlling step).

Abstract: An optical pickup is opposed to an inner-radius portion of an optical disc that is set, and pits (a modulation signal) are read by applying laser light for a DVD to the inner-radius portion. The read-out modulation signal is decoded by inputting it to a CD decoder. If decoded disc information includes particular verification data, the optical disc is judged to be a legitimate optical disc of a particular type and formation of a visible image on the label surface is permitted.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing unit for recording/reproducing information data on/from a recording medium, an initialization unit for initializing the recording medium in one of a first initialization mode in which information data recorded in all recording areas of the recording media is erased and a second initialization mode in which management data for information data recorded on the recording medium is erased from certain areas of the recording medium and erasion is not performed on other recording areas, and a control unit for controlling the initialization unit in accordance with an instruction to shut off a power of the apparatus during initialization, wherein processing by the initialization unit is changed between a case where the power-off instruction is received during initialization in the first initialization mode and a case where the power-off instruction is received during initialization in the second initialization mode.

Abstract: When a hybrid type next-generation DVD is loaded in the optical disc device, first, a red laser is turned on and parameter value and a lead-in information with respect to a DVD layer are acquired. The acquired information is stored in a memory. Next, a blue laser is turned on, parameter value and a lead-in information to a HDDVD layer are acquired, and the acquired information is stored in a memory. Then, the HDDVD layer is reproduced while lighting of the blue laser beam is maintained. Then, when a jump instruction to the DVD layer is inputted, the parameter value for the DVD layer is read from the memory and set to a process system. And the lighting laser is changed to the red laser and reproduction of the DVD layer is performed based on the lead-in information of the DVD layer stored in the memory.

Abstract: A method for recording and reproducing information to/from with an optical recording medium, with which either in-groove recording or on-groove recording is selected according to a type of the recording medium, and information can be recorded and reproduced with good signal quality. In this method a laser beam is reflected by an information recording layer and is received by a photodetector that has been split into at least two parts by a split line parallel to the direction of the grooves. Further, the laser beam is reflected in a region in which a groove width is greater than a width between grooves, and the method determines whether the grooves on a side where the laser beam is incident are convex or concave based on a sum signal and a difference signal of photodetection signals outputted from the photodetector.

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: Disclosed is an optical disc apparatus that sets a plurality of virtual zones, which correspond to a plurality of zones that are arranged in the radial direction of an optical disc, for a plurality of recording layers of the optical disc. When a servo signal distortion is detected in a virtual zone to change the rotation speed of the optical disc to a low speed in the virtual zone during an information recording or reproduction operation relative to a first recording layer, the optical disc apparatus stores the change information. When a recording or reproducing operation is to be performed in a virtual zone of a second recording layer, which is in the same disc radial position as the virtual zone of the first layer, the optical disc apparatus changes the rotation speed of the optical disc for the virtual zone to a low speed in accordance with the change information.

Abstract: The time required for starting up drives in a storage device mounted with both hard disk drives and solid state drives is shortened. A storage controller of the storage device identifies the type (HDD/SSD) of the mounted drives before starting up the drives. The storage controller thereafter performs staggered spinup to the HDDs in several batches. After the startup of HDDs is complete, the storage controller collectively starts up the SSDs. The storage controller determines the drive startup processing based on a pre-set drive startup policy such as reduction of the peak current reduction or shortening of the startup time, and the drive type identification result.

Abstract: Compatibility information embedded in an optical medium modifies actions allowed by predetermined non-compatible optical disc drives on the optical medium, such as optical disc drives that may suffer damage if certain actions are performed on the optical medium. For instance, a compatibility engine of the optical disc drive applies compatibility information read from an optical medium to determine restrictions to impose on the use of the optical medium, such as restricting the optical disc drive from writing to the optical medium, reading from the optical medium or performing any operations until an update to the optical disc drive firmware is performed either automatically or by display of a compatibility user interface at an information handling system associated with the optical disc drive. In one embodiment, the compatibility information identifies incompatible optical disc drives and firmware versions by unique identifiers.

Abstract: A method, medium, and device changing a play mode if an error occurs in a process of discriminating the type of optical discs. The method includes the operation of discriminating a type of an optical disc loaded in an optical player, and if the optical disc is discriminated as one of a plurality of optical discs that belong to a first type, setting the play mode of the optical player to a play mode corresponding to the type of the discriminated optical disc, reading and playing data recorded in the loaded optical disc, and if the optical player is unable to reproduce the data recorded in the optical disc, then changing the play mode of the optical player to a play mode for reproducing one of a plurality of optical discs that belong to a second type.

Abstract: A disc drive apparatus (1) is described, for writing/reading information into/from a storage medium (2), such as an optical disc. After start-up, multiple recalibration processes are executed, wherein the recalibration processes are executed more frequently during an early phase of the write/read operation than during a later phase of the write/read operation.

Abstract: An optical disc playback apparatus having DTS sound incompatible function is provided, which apparatus is capable of automatically playing back the Dolby sound without selecting the Dolby sound in the menu setting, when an optical disc including the DTS content is played back. When the playback of the optical disc including the DTS content is started, DTS compatibility judging means judges whether or not the setting function of the apparatus is set in the DTS sound compatible state. In the case when the result of judgment indicates the DTS sound incompatible state, Dolby sound selection means carries out a control in such a manner that a Dolby sound is compulsively selected, so that the Dolby sound is output instead of the DTS sound. Accordingly, a user is able to listen a comfortable sound and no operation for selecting the Dolby sound is required as for the type of sound to be listened, thereby enabling the usability to be enhanced in the operation of the apparatus.

Abstract: A method for performing optimal recording power calibration (OPC) on a recording medium, such as a DVD-RW, is characterized by flagging the address of the last test data. The method enables a recording position of the last test data to be quickly retrieved by recording position information of a power calibration area, in which the last test data is recorded, and indication information (such as a flag bit) indicating the recording position information is the last test data, in a specific area of the recording medium, such as the second field (field 1) of the format 1 RMD (recording management data). Such a method shortens the processing time prior to the OPC, and does not require the recorder to employ registers to determine the address of the last test data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for initializing optical recording media is provided that detects the intensity of a reflective light off of an optical recording media and analyzes the initializing condition based on the detected intensity during an initializing process. The light is radiated on a rotating phase-change optical recording medium. The light may be moved in a radial direction of the optical recording medium. The detected intensity of the reflected light may be used to identify crystallized portions and amorphous portions of the optical media. The initialization process can be adaptively controlled to ensure proper initialization. If desired, re-initialization can be limited to those areas detected to be outside of the predetermined parameters.

Abstract: Optical medium identification codes, such as the ATIP start codes used for CD-R optical media, are preassigned by optical medium manufacturer for association with planned optical media of the manufacturer. Optical disc drive manufacturers build optical disc drives having the preassigned optical medium identification codes in write strategy tables even though the optical disc drives are manufactured and sold before release and development of write strategies for the planned optical media. General write strategies associated with the preassigned optical medium identification codes provide more rapid write speeds for optical media having preassigned codes than for optical media having unknown identification codes by basing the preassigned write strategies on planned optical media design parameters, such as similarities with existing optical media of the manufacturer.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus comprises a focusing means for focusing a light beam on a recording medium having first and second information faces; means for moving a focal point of the light beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to the information faces of the recording medium; means for detecting a reflected light from the recording medium; means for detecting a focus condition of the light beam on the basis on an output signal from the reflected light detecting means; a focus control means for driving the focal point moving means on the basis of an output signal from the focus condition detecting means, and controlling the light beam so that the focus condition of the light beam becomes a prescribed focus condition; and a focus jumping means for moving the focal point of the light beam from the first information face to the second information face by driving the focal point moving means.