Power Control For Energy Producing Device Patents (Class 369/47.5)
  • Publication number: 20090290459
    Abstract: When an optical disk image forming device forms an image on an optical disk, the image forming device reads information of kinds of coloring matters used in an image forming area from information described in an information area of the optical disk. Then, the optical disk image forming device reads from a table laser power strength information corresponding to the information of the kinds of the coloring matters and a maximum linear velocity (Nx) at the time of forming the image and applies a laser beam having this laser power strength to form the image on the image forming area of the optical disk. Thus, since the discoloration of the coloring matter in the image forming area is always saturated, the image having a constant contrast can be formed on the image forming area of the optical disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicants: Yamaha Corporation, Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Seiya Yamada, Hisanori Itoga, Tatsuo Fushiki, Hiroshi Kubo, Michihiro Shibata
  • Patent number: 7619959
    Abstract: An optical disk drive (101) for optically recording and/or reproducing information signals is provided in which the power of a light beam emitted from an optical head (104) to an optical disk (102) is controlled by an optical-coupling efficiency varying elements (214, 215) correspondingly to the type of the optical disk, recording layer in a multilayer optical disk and a mode of operation selected while a variation of the optical-coupling efficiency is being detected by a light-detecting element (216), thereby positively varying the optical-coupling efficiency in a minimum necessary time. Thus, the power of the light beam focused on the optical disk can be varied in a wide range without having to extremely raise the ratio in output power between modes of operation at a light source (212).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Noriaki Nishi, Masaru Tezuka, Naoki Inoue, Kunika Hashimoto
  • Publication number: 20090279398
    Abstract: In electronic devices such as combination CD-ROM and MP3 recorder/players power is conserved by buffering audio or visual data in a solid state memory, preferably of the FLASH or DRAM type, before writing the data to a rotating hard disk. Alternatively, audio and/or visual data, including musical works and still pictures and video, read from a rotating hard disk may be buffered in the same solid state memory while being played. By rotating the hard disk drive only for transfer of audio-visual data, which is normally compressed, in blocks, the hard drive may be stopped both during relative lengthy accumulation, and/or use, of this data, and energy conserved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2008
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventor: Christopher Altare
  • Publication number: 20090274023
    Abstract: A method of reducing power dissipation in a variable-gain photo-detector circuit is described. The variable-gain photo-detector circuit has an output to output a main spot signal and at least one side spot signal. The main spot (M) and the side spot (Si or S2) are formed by separating a light beam into a main beam and at least one side beam and focusing the main beam on the main spot (M) and the side beam on at least one side spot (Si or S2) on an optical record carrier The method processes the main spot signal with a first averaging circuit having a first cut-off frequency. The side spot signal is processed with a second averaging circuit having a second cut-off frequency. The second cut-off frequency is lower than the first cut-off frequency. The above technique reduces power dissipation in the variable-gain photo-detector circuit and is useful for all optical devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2007
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventor: Johannes Leopoldus Bakx
  • Publication number: 20090274024
    Abstract: The optical information recording/reproducing unit distinguishes an unrecorded area of a set optical disc (step A100). Thereafter, recording is performed in the unrecorded area under a plurality of recording conditions wherein the recording power is changed with a bias power being constant, to select a recording power providing an optimum reproduced-signal quality (step B100). Subsequently, recording is performed using the selected recording power under a plurality of recording conditions wherein the recording power is fixed onto the selected recording power and the bias power is changed, to select a bias power providing an optimum reproduced-signal quality (step C100). The selected recording power and the selected bias power are set as the recording-use optical irradiation power and bias power, respectively (step D100).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Masaki Nakano, Masatsugu Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7609601
    Abstract: An information recording apparatus for recording information with less waveform deformation with an adequate modulation degree and with a high asymmetry, an information recording method, and an information recording program. An information recording apparatus in which a laser beam is applied to a recording medium and a recording mark corresponding to a recording signal is formed includes a light source for emitting a laser beam and signal generating means for generating a recording pulse signal for driving the light source according to the recording signal. The recording pulse signal includes a mark period during which a recording mark is formed and a space period during which no recording mark is formed. During the mark period corresponding to a long mark, the level of the recording pulse signal corresponds to a recording power with which the reproduction compatibility is ensured and the waveform distortion is at or below a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Sasaki, Hiroyuki Uchino, Kunihiko Horikawa
  • Publication number: 20090262611
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical drive for recording information on an optical carrier or disk (1). The optical drive has a radiation source (4) controllable by control means (50, 22) having calibrated values for a threshold current (I_THR_O) and a change current (I_delta_O). The control means (50, 22) is adapted for: 1) re-calibrating the change current (I_delta_O) using the corresponding threshold current (I_THR_O) to a re-calibrated change current (I_delta—1) by application of a power difference (delta_P), and 2) applying the re-calibrated change current (I_DEL—1) together with the calibrated threshold current (I_THR_O). The re-calibration is performed by refining or re-adapting the change current during operation of the optical drive. It is a distinct advantage of the present invention that the re-calibration of the change current can be performed with no or very little time consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 22, 2009
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Jeannet Van Rens, Mario Looijkens, James Joseph Anthony McCormack
  • Publication number: 20090252006
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an optical disc device includes a semiconductor laser which generates laser light to irradiate an optical disc, and an automatic power control circuit which detects an optical output of the semiconductor laser, sets driving current data equalized to reflect the detection result, and drives the semiconductor laser based on the driving current data. This optical disc device further includes a protection circuit which monitors the driving current data set in the automatic power control circuit to invalidate the driving current data in a case where the abnormality of the driving current data is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kazumi SUGIYAMA, Hiroshi NAKANE, Hirokazu SHOU, Tadashi KIKUTA
  • Publication number: 20090252005
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a test writing method for seeking the optimum write power correctly and in a short time under a high speed recording condition in a test writing method and an information recording device for recording information by forming different marks from the unrecorded part by injecting energy onto the recording medium. To achieve the above object, even number length marks and odd number length marks are separately test written in the 2T strategy to seek the respective optimum write power. Due to the possibility of enhancing the precision of test writing, a good recording ability can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: Junko Ushiyama, Hiroyuki Minemura
  • Publication number: 20090252004
    Abstract: A light beam output control device is provided, which can adequately perform a negative feedback control for different light beams. An optical pickup device 100 calculates an error between a detection voltage, a laser, and a target value of each kind of the detected laser beams. If the calculated error is not in a predetermined range for each kind of the laser beams, the optical pickup device makes each kind of the laser beams correspond to the error, changes a correction amount of the error when a negative feedback control is performed, and corrects the error on the basis of the correction amount corresponding to each kind of the laser beams, thereby performing a negative feedback control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2006
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Furukawa, Kiyoshi Tateishi
  • Patent number: 7599265
    Abstract: In a recording method or apparatus, in order to set an optimal recording condition by a minimal number of times of testing, test recording is carried out while changing power and pulse width of recording pulses in a stepwise manner. Conditions for the test recording are concentrated in a region of a matrix defined by power×pulse width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2009
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroya Kakimoto, Mitsuo Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20090245042
    Abstract: An optical disc apparatus includes: an obtaining unit obtaining a sensitivity coefficient indicating a relation between a light power of a semiconductor laser and a monitor value; a first deriving unit deriving a first monitor value in setting the light power at a peak power; a second deriving unit deriving a second monitor value in setting the light power at an erase power; a converting unit converting the first and the second monitor values into first and second light power values based on the sensitivity coefficient; a first calculating unit calculating a ratio between the first and the second light power values; a second calculating unit calculating a correction coefficient based on a setting value of a ratio between the peak power and the erase power and a calculation value of the ratio between the first and the second light power values; and a correcting unit correcting the light power of the semiconductor laser based on the correction coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Shigeru SHIMAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20090245045
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an optical disk device includes a laser light source that emits laser light to be applied to an optical disk, an automatic power control circuit that controls a laser output of the laser light source, and a control processor that performs a setting data transmission process for the automatic power control circuit. The automatic power control circuit includes an operation setting module that makes an operation setting according to setting data obtained in the setting data transmission process of the control processor and a condition determining module that determines whether an operation setting permission condition containing the number of clocks during a transmission period of the setting data is adequate, and inhibits the operation setting of the operation setting module when the operation setting permission condition is not adequate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Akihiko Doi
  • Publication number: 20090245043
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optical recording/reproducing apparatus. The optical recording/reproducing apparatus includes a laser light source capable of emitting pulsed laser light in a mode-locked state in which light beams having different wavelengths are synchronized and the pulsed laser light is oscillated, means for controlling the laser light source to be changed from a state of emitting the laser light in the mode-locked state to a state of emitting continuous-wave laser light, and means for irradiating a recording medium with one of the laser light in the mode-locked state and the continuous-wave laser light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daisuke UEDA
  • Publication number: 20090245044
    Abstract: Provided is an optical disc apparatus including: a recording unit configured to record data on an optical disc with laser lights of recoding powers set for first and second layers thereof; and a control unit configured to record/reproduce test data on/from these layers, determine first and second optimum recording powers for these layers, and set the determined first and second optimum recording powers in the recording unit, wherein the control unit changes the recording power across a predetermined search width, centering on a first recommended value for the first layer to determine the first optimum recording power, and corrects a second recommended value for the second layer on the basis of the first recommended value and the first optimum recording power and changes the recording power across the search width, centering on the corrected second recommended value to determine the second optimum recording power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Baba
  • Patent number: 7596065
    Abstract: A controller calculates a modulation degree of an RF signal provided from a signal processor, and supplies a record power that exhibits the calculated modulation degree matching with a target modulation degree as an optimum record power to a laser driver. More specifically, a modulation degree measuring portion measures the modulation degree of a signal of a predetermined frequency among the RF signals, e.g., a signal of 11T among signals of 3T-11T. The modulation degree measuring portion measures the modulation degree for each record power in OPC. The power determining portion determines a target record power such that the modulation degree measured by the modulation degree measuring portion attains the target modulation degree set by an OPC executing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Kato
  • Patent number: 7596064
    Abstract: A method for recording data on a recording medium having one or more recording layers. The method includes reading control information including a plurality of control information units for controlling recording/reproducing of data from the recording medium. The control information unit includes a recording speed, an identifier of the recording layer, and a write strategy information depending on the recording speed, where a sequence of the information units is ordered according to the recording speed. The method further provides for recording the data on the recording layer based on the read control information unit including the identifier of the corresponding recording layer on which the data is to be recorded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Yong Kim, Sang Woon Suh
  • Publication number: 20090238050
    Abstract: With the method of the present invention for recording data on an optical disk, a recording pulse corresponding to a long mark includes a combination of a leading pulse and a subsequent intermediate pulse. The level of the leading pulse indicates a first recording power, and the level of the intermediate pulse indicates a second recording power. When an optical disk includes a plurality of recording layers, the ratio of the second recording power to the first recording power is determined for each recording layer. When the recording speed is variable, the ratio of the second recording power to the first recording power is determined for each recording speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventor: Shigeru Furumiya
  • Patent number: 7593298
    Abstract: An apparatus for recording and reproducing an information signal on and from an optical disc includes a memory. The information signal is written into the memory. The information signal is read out from the memory. An optical head generates a laser beam in response to the readout information signal, and applies the laser beam to the optical disc to record the readout information signal on the optical disc. A test signal is recorded on a position of the optical disc near a recording position thereof via the optical head during the writing of the information signal into the memory. The test signal is reproduced from the optical disc. The reproduced test signal is evaluated to generate an evaluation result. An intensity of the laser beam is optimized in response to the evaluation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Ueki
  • Patent number: 7593308
    Abstract: The optical head device includes a semiconductor laser for emitting a laser beam having an elliptical beam shape; a collimator lens for collimating the laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser; a reflector including pair of belt-like pieces one of the surfaces of which is used as a reflecting face formed in a curved face having a curvature along their longitudinal direction, the pair of belt-like pieces being formed to be arranged in a major axis direction of an elliptical beam flux to sandwich the optical axis of the laser beam, and an optical sensor equipped with a condenser lens for detecting the strength of the beam reflected from the pair of belt-like pieces of the reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Matsui
  • Publication number: 20090219792
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a data reproducing device according to the invention includes a frequency difference detector, a phase comparator, a loop filter, an integrator, a first conversion part for converting a value of the integrator into a first conversion value, a second conversion part for converting the value of the integrator into a second conversion value, a first conversion table, a second conversion table, a first D/A converter (DAC), a second D/A converter (DAC), a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), and a prediction table. The value of the integrator and the first conversion value are associated with each other and stored in the first conversion table in consideration of the characteristics of the VCO. Meanwhile, the value of the integrator and the second conversion value are associated with each other and stored in the second conversion table in consideration of the characteristics of the VCO.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Koichi OTAKE, Kyosuke TAKAHASHI, Daisuke UCHIDA, Hiroyuki MORO, Yukiyasu TATSUZAWA, Toshihiko KANESHIGE
  • Patent number: 7583571
    Abstract: An apparatus comprising a first circuit, a second circuit and a third circuit. The first circuit may be configured to (i) generate a read power signal and (ii) control power of a laser beam emitted from an optical pick-up circuit during a read process. The second circuit may be configured to (i) generate a first write power signal and (ii) control one or more power levels of the laser beam during a write process in response to a second write power signal. The third circuit may be configured to generate the second write power signal and a third write power signal in response to a target write signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: LSI Corporation
    Inventors: Ainobu Yoshimoto, Hung Phi Dang
  • Publication number: 20090213708
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Suguru Kusanagi
  • Patent number: 7577068
    Abstract: The invention relates to write strategy modification, and in particular, to dynamic write strategy modification. A dynamic write strategy modification method comprises: writing a plurality of data on to an optical disk according to a writing strategy with at least three parameters; measuring at least two quality indices of the data wrote on the optical disk; storing a result comprising the parameters and the corresponding quality indices; judging whether a terminate condition is achieved; if no, changing the parameters and repeating the above steps; if yes, analyzing the stored results and outputting an optimal writing strategy with at least three optimal parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventor: Yu-Min Chan
  • Patent number: 7577067
    Abstract: A recording medium and method for controlling a recording operation using at least two OPC information obtained from performing at least two OPC operations for the same drive. The method includes comparing the two PC information with each other, and controlling a recording operation of the recording medium based on the comparison result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Yeo Han Yun
  • Patent number: 7567490
    Abstract: In a CAV recording of an optical disk, when a plurality of zones are provided, a write strategy is matched for a change in recording linear velocity in the zone so that recording quality can be assured, and recording power is controlled. The write strategy (pulse timing and power ratio) is optimized at the highest recording linear velocity of each zone and the setting of the power in each zone is controlled so that a relation between a recording linear velocity V and a recording power Po satisfies Po=CV (C is a coefficient which is obtained from the relation between Po and V at a zone end point), thereby assuring the reliability of recorded information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi - LG Data Storage, Inc
    Inventors: Toshiki Ishii, Tsuyoshi Toda
  • Patent number: 7567489
    Abstract: A light detector includes a light-receiving device that receives a light beam applied from a light source irradiating an optical recording medium with the light beam and that generates detection signals, and a power monitor circuit section that generates a power monitor signal for monitoring output power of the light source in accordance with the detection signals. The device includes split light-receiving elements. The detection signals are output from the split light-receiving elements as split detection signals. The section includes an amplifying circuit generating the power monitor signal and outputting the power monitor signal as differential signals, a fixed resistor determining a gain of the amplifying circuit, and a position-detecting signal output circuit generating position-detecting signals in accordance with the split detection signals. At least the light-receiving device, the amplifying circuit, and the fixed resistor are integrated on an identical semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Katsutoshi Tahara
  • Publication number: 20090185464
    Abstract: Each of control powers of a first definition group that correspond to a pulse train used to form a recording mark, and a plurality of levels of a second definition group that includes each of the control powers of the first definition group in accordance with the conditions of a recording medium 3 are set. A plurality of control powers are selected from the first definition group included in the selected level of the second definition group. When the laser is driven with the corresponding drive values, a monitor 4 obtains an emission power detection value. The emission power detection value is stored for each level of the second definition group, and an occurrence is counted for each level of the second definition group in a period during which the emission power detection value is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Atsushi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7564751
    Abstract: In order to set optimum laser power for a disk smoothly and appropriately with a small number of times of test writing, an integrated value Sn is obtained from each kind of laser power Pwn set for the test writing and the modulation factor m(Pwn) of a reflection light intensity obtained through the test writing with the laser power Pwn using an expression “Sn=m(Pwn)×Pwn2”, laser power Pwth is obtained at which the modulation factor m(Pwn) becomes zero when relational characteristics of the integrated value Sn and the laser power Pwn are linearly approximated, and optimum laser power Pw is set based on the laser power Pwth. Here, the optimum laser power Pw is obtained from the target ? value of the disk using an expression “Pw=Pwth×{1+1/(?+1)}”. The target ? value is obtained from an ADIP of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noboru Mamiya, Ken Hirose, Kenji Nakao
  • Patent number: 7564766
    Abstract: A laser drive device, a laser light emitting device and a laser driving method capable of preventing deterioration or failure of a laser element due to returned lights by defining a control limitation value taking into account an affection of the returned lights to the laser element by calculating a control limitation value of an output or current of the laser element based on first laser characteristic information on transmittance or reflectance of an output end face of the laser element, second laser characteristic information on a rated output value, or a rated current value and an oscillation threshold current value and third laser characteristic information on a returned light rate to the output end face of the laser element, so that a control limitation value taking into account an affection of the returned light is determined; then, by comparing said calculated control limitation value with an input control value; and driving the laser element in accordance with the control value when the control value
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshiro Takiguchi
  • Patent number: 7564757
    Abstract: The optical disk recording apparatus includes: a strategy circuit for converting recording data into a pulse train signal for defining an irradiation timing of laser light by using one of first and second conversion rules for forming different marks; a control unit for changing the conversion rule used for the strategy circuit after a timing of forming a contour of an image has passed at the time of forming the image on an optical disk, and when a timing of addition of a synchronization pattern to EFM data has arrived; and a current selecting unit for selecting a current in accordance with the pulse train signal based on the strategy circuit and for supplying it to a semiconductor laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Yukihisa Nakajyo, Morito Morishima
  • Patent number: 7561507
    Abstract: An information recording and reproducing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a running power controlling and recording unit and an interval adjusting unit which adjusts an interval for performing running power control and makes a suitable ROPC operation possible even if conditions for recording information are changed. When data recording is started, it is determined whether an ROPC operation is to be performed. When the ROPC operation is not to be performed, it is determined whether the data recording is finished, and when the data recording is finished, the operation ends. When it is determined to perform the ROPC operation, the ROPC operation is performed, and it is determined whether interval for performing the ROPC operation is to be changed. When it is determined to change the interval for performing the ROPC operation, the interval for performing the ROPC operation is changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Naoya Ohhashi
  • Patent number: 7561506
    Abstract: An information-recording method includes the steps of moving a light beam at a selected linear velocity relative to the information-recording medium; controlling the light beam to generate a multi-pulse having at least three power levels of a first power level Ph, a second power level P1 which is lower than the first power level, and a third power level Pm which is intermediate therebetween, the multi-pulse being repeatedly modulated between the first power level Ph and the third power level Pm; adjusting the third power level Pm in response to the selected linear velocity; and recording the information by irradiating the information-recording medium with the controlled light beam. Recording compatibility can be secured for information-recording apparatuses different in recording linear velocity and laser source characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Kitagaki, Makoto Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20090161507
    Abstract: Provided is an information recording/reproducing apparatus which suppresses consumption of a battery and prevents wasteful power consumption in the case of failing in recording and dubbing operations, including a signal processor which processes video or audio elementary stream supplied from the outside; an encoding unit which compresses information generated by the signal processor; a first recording medium which records the information compressed by the encoding unit; a connection which connects an external first power source; an internal second power source which is different from the first power source; and a controller which, when detecting a writing failure of the compressed information in the first recording medium, stops a power supply from the second power source when a recording operation of the compressed information in the first recording medium is operated only by the second power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Takaki MATSUSHITA, Akinobu Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20090161506
    Abstract: An optical disc apparatus capable of improving an overwrite performance for performing an overwrite operation on a re-writable type optical disc. The apparatus includes a calculating section which calculates out a recording power at the time of previously performing recording in a recording area of the optical disc, and a recording power determining section which determines a write power of the recording power calculated out by the calculating section as a write power of the currently recorded recording power, and at the same time, adjusts erase power, cooling power, and/or middle power of the recording power calculated out by the calculating section to finally determine the currently recorded recording power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Inventors: Atsushi YAMADA, Toru KAWASHIMA, Tomoya HOSHI, Mitsuhiro NISHIDATE
  • Publication number: 20090154315
    Abstract: An information storage medium according to the present invention is adapted for multiple different writing speeds and stores in advance writing conditions associated with each of the multiple writing speeds. The writing conditions include: a recording-power-related parameter and a write-waveform-related parameter, which are associated with each particular writing speed to perform a write operation at the particular writing speed; and another recording-power-related parameter for performing a write operation at a different writing speed other than the particular one using the recording-power-related parameter for performing the write operation at the particular writing speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Harumitsu MIYASHITA, Yasumori HINO, Atsushi NAKAMURA, Mamoru SHOJI, Kanji OHNISHI
  • Publication number: 20090147635
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are presented for optimizing write operations for optical storage media. A determination is made, at least in part by iteration, of a next power range and a current score for a current power range. If it is determined that the current score is relatively equivalent to a maximum score, a plurality of final parameters is updated and provided, including an optimal power range and a final score. If it is determined that the current score is relatively greater than the final score, then the plurality of final parameters is updated. If it is determined that a maximum number of iterations has been performed, the plurality of final parameters is provided. Otherwise, the current power range is updated with the next power range. One or more of the returned plurality of final parameters are employed to optimize write operations for optical storage media.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: Zoran Corporation
    Inventors: Jacob Moshe Finkelstein, Amit Miller, Erez Tsidon, Michael Levin, Assaf Margalit
  • Publication number: 20090147634
    Abstract: A light quantity adjusting apparatus, to adjust a light quantity of a light beam emitted from a light source, including a transmission element, including a first transmission portion, formed on a plane, having a first transmittance and a second transmission portion, formed on the same plane as the first transmission portion, having a second transmittance, a support element to support the transmission element, and a rotation shaft, connected to the support element, with a center axis extending in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the light beam, to rotate the transmission element, supported by the support element, about the center axis, to selectively insert into a path of the light beam one of the first transmission portion and the second transmission portion to adjust the light quantity of the light beam passing through a respective transmission portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinnosuke Torii
  • Patent number: 7545718
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, there is provided an optical storage media recording/reproducing apparatus for calibrating an amount of light energy output by the recording/reproducing apparatus during a recording operation, the recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: a reproducing unit to read unique property information from a writable optical disc inserted into the apparatus, which was pre-recorded on the disc during its manufacture; a controller to access stored data concerning optimum test writing parameters relevant to the recording/reproducing apparatus using the unique property information; and a recording unit to write test data on the disc in accordance with the accessed stored data concerning the optimum test writing parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Jeong Woo Kim
  • Patent number: 7542391
    Abstract: In one embodiment the method includes reading speed information from a specific area of the recording medium. The speed information includes one or more speed flags to indicate whether a corresponding speed is applicable to the recording medium. A first speed flag for a first recording speed lower than a second recording speed is set to be dependent on a second speed flag for the second recording speed. Data is recorded on a main data area of the optical recording medium based on the read speed information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jin Yong Kim, Sang Woon Suh
  • Publication number: 20090135686
    Abstract: A method for compensating the offset of a laser power control circuit, which predetermines a fixed reference voltage, adjusts the offset voltage by adding the reference voltage, outputs a summed voltage to a pick-up head, tries to ignite the pick-up head, detects the voltage of the pick-up head, checks whether the detected voltage rises to a specific threshold voltage, continues adjusting the offset voltage if the detected voltage has not risen to the specific threshold voltage and records the offset voltage if the detected voltage has risen to the specific threshold voltage, and configures the offset voltage to be the voltage offset compensation for the laser power control circuit, thereby eliminating feature differences of different pick-up heads of the laser power control circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Inventors: Chia-Hsing Hsu, Yi-Long Hsiao
  • Patent number: 7539111
    Abstract: Drive information is updated to always include the recording/playback conditions determined from the most recent learning process on a data recording medium. The data recording medium has a data recording area for recording data, and a drive information area for recording drive information. The drive information includes a plurality of drive-specific information records. Each of the plural drive-specific information records defines the operating conditions of the data recording and playback apparatus when a data recording and playback apparatus that can load and access the data recording medium reads or writes data. The plural drive-specific information records are arranged chronologically according to when the information was recorded to the data recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ishida, Motoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 7539110
    Abstract: An optical information recording medium for recording information by a plurality of record mark lengths, wherein the shortest mark length is at most 0.5 ?m, and a crystal state is an unrecorded or erased state and an amorphous state is a recorded state, wherein the erasing is carried out by recrystallization which substantially proceeds by crystal growth from an interface between the amorphous portion or a melt portion and a peripheral crystal portion; and an optical recording method suitable therefore. The medium of the present invention has characteristics that overwriting can be made at a high speed, the jitter of mark edge is small, mark length modulation recording can be made at a high density, and the formed mark is excellent in the stability with the lapse of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Kagaku Media Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironobu Mizuno, Takashi Ohno, Michikazu Horie
  • Patent number: 7535807
    Abstract: A method for writing a multi-session recordable disc. The method includes performing an immediate optimum power calibration (IOPC) in the lead-in area of each session of a multi-session recordable disc, determining a recording power for the session according to the IOPC output, and completing the session using the determined recording power. The method may be used in addition to the optimal power calibration (OPC) procedures included in the normal initialization of recordable discs. IOPC provides recording devices with an optimal recording power value obtained closer to the point of use than that obtained by conventional OPC procedures carried out at the extremities of the recordable area. Alternative embodiments of the method make accommodations for recording power variations according to disc velocity mode (CAV/CLV), recording speed, and the basis of the IOPC upon a variety of available data sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Qisda Corporation
    Inventors: Pei-Yu Chiu, Yu-Cheng Sung, Tso-Tsai Chen, William Wai Wang, Chih-Chung Pai
  • Patent number: 7532555
    Abstract: In an optical recording method used when information is recorded in a phase-change recording layer of a large-capacity rewritable optical recording medium such as a DVD-RW, one block pulse is used as a recording pulse for forming one recording mark when a recording velocity is higher than a recording linear velocity at which the rewritable optical recording medium can be rewritten, whereas a pulse train comprised of a plurality of short pulses is used as the recording pulse for forming one recording pulse when the recording velocity is within recording linear velocities at which the rewritable optical recording medium can be rewritten, whereby high-velocity recording is realized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Kagaku Media Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Mizuno, Hiroyuki Hoshino, Takashi Ohno, Michikazu Horie
  • Patent number: 7532550
    Abstract: When setting a recording power for use in recording optical information on a DVD-R, by using any one of sectors provided on the DVD-R as a PCA, whether a predetermined special detected signal is detected or not in the sectors is checked (Step S2), a non-used sector where no special detected signal is detected, of the sectors, is retrieved, based on the check result (Step S3), a mark signal for obtaining the special detected signal is recorded in the retrieved non-used sector (Step S5), a setting signal for setting a recording power is recorded in the non-used sector excluding the area where at least the mark signal is recorded (Step S6), and the recorded setting signal is optically detected to set the recording power (Step S13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Masayoshi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20090116344
    Abstract: An information recording method recording information on an information recording medium in the form of a recording mark having a time-length nT by irradiating optical beam pulses thereto according to a recording strategy, the recording strategy comprises the steps of forming the recording mark on the recording medium by controlling a power of the optical beam pulses to one of ternary values Pw, Pb and Pe (Pw>Pe>Pb) and irradiating a heating pulse having a power set to Pw, and a cooling pulse having a power set to Pb, upon the information recording medium alternately; and forming a space on the recording medium subsequent to the recording mark by irradiating the optical beam pulse with the power Pe, the recording strategy increasing the number of said heating pulses by one each time the time-length of the recording mark is increased by 2T, the recording strategy setting a heat pulse starting time sTtop and a heat pulse termination time eTtop for a first heating pulse, when forming a recording mark of a
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Eiko Hibino, Yujiro Kaneko, Hiroko Ohkura
  • Publication number: 20090116350
    Abstract: An information recording apparatus (1) comprises a recording means (501) that irradiates a laser beam (LB) having a predetermined power, thereby recording information onto an information recording medium (100); an adding means (550) that adds a weighting to at least one of a plurality of reproduction characteristics related to the information to be recorded; and a control means (504,550) that controls the recording means to record the information by use of a power at which the at least one reproduction characteristic to which the weighting has been added satisfies a predetermined first criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: PIONEER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoharu Yanagawa, Akira Shirota
  • Publication number: 20090109814
    Abstract: An optical disk recording method includes the steps of: providing a multi-pulse chain from a recording wave; independently changing the pulse rise timing and pulse fall timing (pulse width) of the first pulse in the multi-pulse chain in accordance with a preceding space length and a recording mark length; changing the pulse rise timing and pulse fall timing (pulse width) in accordance with a following space length and the recording mark length in a predetermined timing or in independence; and in relation to the smallest mark recorded by irradiation with mono pulse, changing the rise timing in accordance with the preceding space length and the recording mark length and the fall timing (pulse width) in accordance with the following space length and recording mark length, compensating various optical disks different in recording material without change of the fundamental waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji FUJITA, Takeshi Maeda, Manabu Shiozawa, Takahiro Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20090103404
    Abstract: Disclosed is an optic disk drive power management method for a computer system, which uses a keyboard controller, together with a system basic input/output system of the computer and a virtual optic-disk driver, to determine the status of the optic disk drive, including connection and removal of the optic disk drive, loading of a disk to the optic disk drive, and actuation of an eject button, and controls supply of power to the optic disk drive accordingly. Also, the system basic input/output system is employed to inform the virtual optic-disk driver to display an identifiable color (colored or gray) or figure representing the icon of the optic disk drive, thereby illustrating the status of the optic disk drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Publication date: April 23, 2009
    Inventor: Chai-Chang Chiu