Abstract: An optical information recording apparatus, an optical information recording method, and an optical information recording medium that enable information signals to be recorded precisely by determining recording conditions such as recording power, edge positions of recording pulses, and the like suitably before recording information signals. An edge test signal generation circuit supplies a test signal for optimizing edge positions of recording pulses. In order to suppress the variation in intervals between edges due to mark distortion caused by overwriting, test recording is carried out using this test signal in a plurality of sectors on the optical information recording medium with a test recording start point being shifted at random in each sector by a recording start point shifting circuit.

Abstract: An optical information recording apparatus, an optical information recording method, and an optical information recording medium that enable information signals to be recorded precisely by determining recording conditions such as recording power, edge positions of recording pulses, and the like suitably before recording information signals. An edge test signal generation circuit supplies a test signal for optimizing edge positions of recording pulses. In order to suppress the variation in intervals between edges due to mark distortion caused by overwriting, test recording is carried out using this test signal in a plurality of sectors on the optical information recording medium with a test recording start point being shifted at random in each sector by a recording start point shifting circuit.

Abstract: A media meter mounts to a surface of a removable storage media or other product, and provides a visual indication of one or more parameters of the storage media or other product. The media meter includes circuitry that detects status signals transmitted by rf transmissions or directly connected by wires between an auxiliary memory device mounted on the storage media or product, or receives status signals via rf transmissions directly from the auxiliary memory. As another alternative, the media meter may be integrated with the auxiliary memory to receive status signals directly from the auxiliary memory. The status signals indicate the capacity of the storage media, the number of read and/or write errors that have occurred during back-up and retrieval, the number of times the storage media has been loaded with data or other information, and other dynamically-varying parameters.

Abstract: An optical pickup device includes a light source for emitting light, a beam splitter installed on an optical path of the light emitted from the light source for splitting the light, an objective lens for focusing a main light split by the beam splitter at an optical disk, a monitoring photodetector for receiving a sub-light split by the beam splitter and monitoring the amount of light output from the light source, a main photodetector for receiving the light emitted from the light source and reflected by the optical disk and passing through the beam splitter and detecting an error signal and an information signal, and a collimating lens installed on the optical path between the light source and the beam splitter for focusing both the main light and sub-light split by the beam splitter, so that the amount of light received by the monitoring photodetector increases.

Abstract: A method for determining vertical or horizontal operation of optical disk driver is proposed. A feedback signal from a pick-up head of the optical disk driver is sent to a pre-amplifier to generate a focus error signal. The focus error signal is sent to a compensator to generate a compensation voltage. A low-pass filter removes high-frequency components of the compensation voltage to obtain a DC component of the compensation voltage. A comparator compares the DC component of the compensation voltage with a predetermined threshold value to discriminate the vertical or horizontal operation of optical disk driver.

Abstract: When optical disk defects are arranged by using non-defective areas in place of defective areas, different criteria are used for detecting the defects, depending on the type of data recorded on the disk. For example, to avoid interruptions of real-time recording, less strict criteria are used when audio or video data is recorded than when computer data is recorded. The criteria themselves may also be recorded on the disk.

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.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus for reproducing, or recording, information from plural types of information carriers, including: two or more light sources with different wavelengths; converging parts for converging light beams emitted from the light sources on the information carrier; movement parts for moving the converged light beam in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the information carrier; convergence condition detection parts for outputting a signal corresponding to the convergence condition of the light beam on the information carrier; amplitude detection parts for measuring the amplitude of the convergence condition signal; and focus control parts for driving the movement parts in accordance with the convergence condition signal and performing control so that the convergence condition of the light beam on the information carrier becomes substantially constant.

Abstract: A method of recording information in a phase-change recording medium, including the steps of conducting a test recording, using a laser beam including a plurality of pulse trains, each pulse train including alternately (a) a comb-shaped pulse train portion and (b) a flat pulse-free portion, or using a laser beam including a comb-shaped pulse train pulse train portion without including the flat portion, with a duty ratio of the comb-shaped pulse train portion being changed, thereby recording a plurality of signals or laser-beam applied portions in the recording medium, reproducing the plurality of recorded signals, or measuring the light intensities reflected by the laser-beam applied portions and converting the measured light intensities to voltages and obtaining the relationship between the amplitudes of the signals reproduced from the recorded signals or the voltages and the duty ratios corresponding thereto in order to specify a pulse strategy for recording information in the phase-change recording medium,

Abstract: In a disc player, a CAL pattern is recorded in a disc-like optical recording medium during a recording stand-by time period, which is yielded by a difference between a data rate in inputting information to a disc player 50 and a recording rate in recording information into the optical recording medium. The CAL pattern is reproduced from the optical recording medium, the reproduced pattern is evaluated, and an irradiation intensity of a laser beam is optimized for recording information in the optical recording medium, by a laser-output controller 30.

Abstract: An optical information recording apparatus, an optical information recording method, and an optical information recording medium that enable information signals to be recorded precisely by determining recording conditions such as recording power, edge positions of recording pulses, and the like suitably before recording information signals. An edge test signal generation circuit supplies a test signal for optimizing edge positions of recording pulses. In order to suppress the variation in intervals between edges due to mark distortion caused by overwriting, test recording is carried out using this test signal in a plurality of sectors on the optical information recording medium with a test recording start point being shifted at random in each sector by a recording start point shifting circuit.

Abstract: An information storing device and an information processing device having a memory for registering a plurality of working modes at recording/reproduction and a switching circuit for selecting one of the plurality of working modes, which select the optimum working mode automatically or by an instruction of ah operator according to power supply capacity of a device of higher rank to effect recording/reproduction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a disc player comprising one or more light sources that project a pulsing light onto the upper portion of a disc being played by the disc player. The pulse frequency, pulse length, pulse period, pulse interval, pulse color, pulse intensity or a combination thereof of the light source can be synchronized with the rotation of the spindle in the disc player, with the optical data stored, or with the rotation of an image precursor on the disc. When the disc is viewed through a viewing port while the disc is being played, a two-dimensional or three-dimensional discrete image is formed by the persistence of vision.

Abstract: When optical disk defects are arranged by using non-defective areas in place of defective areas, different criteria are used for detecting the defects, depending on the type of data recorded on the disk. For example, to avoid interruptions of real-time recording, less strict criteria are used when audio or video data is recorded than when computer data is recorded. The criteria themselves may also be recorded on the disk.

Abstract: A method for recording a phase change optical recording medium under optimal conditions is provided. In the recording of a phase change optical recording medium which has a phase change recording layer and which has a data recording area and a test write area, the test write area is recorded before the recording of the data recording area, and the recording of the test write area is conducted corresponding to the recording history of the data recording area in order to determine optimal writing and erasing conditions for the data recording area on the basis of the quality of the read-out signal of the test write area.

Abstract: An optical disc has a recording area for recording data encoded in optical marks at a recording density. The recording area has circular or spiral tracks provided with a servopattern including headers alternating with track portions. The headers contain position information encoded in preformed marks. The track portions include periodic characteristics, e.g. a wobble, to synchronize the data writing and reading operations. For reliably detecting the headers, the phase of the periodic characteristics include a phase jump at a predetermined distance before each header.

Abstract: Apparatus for reading and/or writing onto an information carrier includes the positioning system. The positioning system includes a drive member for moving a second part with respect to a first part and a fine-positioning member for moving a third part with respect to the second part. The positioning member also includes control means for continuously controlling the drive member in response to the orientation signal. The control means include control signal generating means for generating a control signal from the orientation signal. The control means further include a sensor for generating an auxiliary signal which is an indication for a current consumed by the drive member, and signal combination means for generating a drive voltage for the drive member in response to the control signal and the auxiliary signal.

Abstract: An apparatus or method for estimating a radial speed of a disc is suitable for an optical storage device. The apparatus is used in an optical storage device for receiving a pulse signal and an eccentricity, and generating an estimated radial speed of the disc. The apparatus comprises a frequency detector and a sinusoidal wave generator. The frequency detector is used for receiving the pulse signal and then outputs a rotation frequency. The sinusoidal wave generator is used for receiving the rotation frequency and the eccentricity, and then outputs an estimated radial speed value of the disc.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus and method for recording data in a data storage medium. The data storage medium includes a number of discs, each having at least one recording surface. Each recording surface is associated with a read/write head that records and accesses data from the surface. Each recording surface is partitioned into a number of zones. Each zone is vertically aligned with a same zone on each surface of each disc. The zone boundaries on all surfaces of the disc drive are the same. The recording frequency for each zone on all surfaces can differ for each read/write head in order to compensate for a read/write head that cannot meet the BPI error rate threshold.

Abstract: An optical reproduction method for reproducing information includes intermittently irradiating light to a moving optical medium, detecting reflected light from the moving optical medium while the light is irradiated intermittently when a moving distance of a light spot of the intermittently irradiated light on the moving optical medium is smaller than a diameter of the light spot, processing information based on the detected reflected light utilizing a differential operation, and obtaining a reproduction signal based on the differential operation.

Abstract: A recording medium for storing attribute information in a basic recording unit and a method of identifying data using the attribute information. On the recording medium, the attributes such as sector format, tracking method, reflectivity, area type, data type, and the number of layers of a sector are stored. For digital versatile disc-recordables (DVD-Rs), digital versatile disc-rewritables (DVD-RWs) and digital versatile disc-random access memory (DVD-RAM) on which data can be recorded and reproduced a multitude of times, information is stored relating to the attributes of a sector, which is a basic recording unit. In particular, information relating to data type, which represents whether the data is rewritable data, read-only, or linking data, can be stored in data identification data (DID) areas or identification data (ID) areas, which is positioned at the fronts of the sectors for representing all information relating thereto.

Abstract: An optical disk unit that directs a light beam onto a pregroove on an optical disk and generates a tracking error signal for tracking control based on a detection signal generated from a reflection of the light beam, the optical disk unit including a recording offset generator that acquires a differential between a tracking error component generated from a detection signal from the reflection of the light beam at a write power level and a tracking error component generated from a detection signal from the reflection of the light beam at a read power level and adds the differential to the tracking error signal at recording.

Abstract: An optical recording medium capable of obtaining a large reproduced signal from the recoded mark, a large reproduced signal of a pre-pit and a large tracking signal both in an area of the grooves and an area of the pre-pits, which provides a sufficient time allowance for switching tracking to that suitable for the area of the grooves or to that suitable for the area of the pre-pits. An optical recording medium comprising a substrate whereon tracks each comprising at least of writable grooves and pre-pits deeper than or equal to the grooves are formed and areas of a relatively shallow pits are each provided between an area of the deep pits and an area of the grooves. The depth Dg of the grooves, the depth Dsp of the shallow pits and the depth Ddp of the deep pits satisfy the following conditions: Dg<&lgr;/(8n), &lgr;/(8n)<Ddp<&lgr;/(4n) and Dg≦Dsp<Ddp. Tracking method is switched over in the shallow pit area when recording or reproducing information on the optical recoding medium.

Abstract: An information recording method has; a history determination step for determining whether or not a medium being cased and capable of being used for information recording and reproduction has previously been taken out from the case by using an identification section having historical information as to whether the medium has previously been taken out from the case or not; and a verification step for verifying correctness of information recorded always or on condition that a predetermined condition is satisfied when a result of the determination shows that the medium has previously been taken out from the case.

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.

Abstract: The present invention includes capacitive film thickness measurement devices and measurement systems. The invention also includes machines or instruments using those aspects of the invention. The present invention additionally includes methods and procedures using those devices of the present invention. The present invention discloses a capacitance measurement device and technique useful in determining lubricant film thickness on substrates such as magnetic thin-film rigid disks. Using the present invention, variations in lubricant thickness on the Angstrom scale or less may be measured quickly and nondestructively.

Abstract: This invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording a plurality of pieces of data into a recording medium is characterized in that the recording apparatus including a specifying means for specifying that a write operation over a combination of the pieces of data is prohibited, a judgment means for forming a judgment on what is specified for a predetermined piece of data by the specifying means in response to a command to perform a recording operation over the piece of data, and a control means for controlling an operation to record the pieces of data into the recording medium in accordance with a result of a judgment formed by the judgment means; and relates to a recording method adopted in a recording apparatus for recording a plurality of pieces of data into a recording medium is characterized in that the recording method including a specifying step of specifying that a write operation over a combination of the pieces of data is prohibited, a judgment step of forming a judgment on what is specifie

Abstract: An information storing device and an information processing device having a memory for registering a plurality of working modes at recording/reproduction and a switching circuit for selecting one of the plurality of working modes, which select the optimum working mode automatically or by an instruction of an operator according to power supply capacity of a device of higher rank to effect recording/reproduction.

Abstract: Optical pickup is provided which includes a first reproduction channel for reproducing a first-type optical disk and a second reproduction channel for reproducing a second-type optical disk. When reproduction is to be performed on a third-type optical disk that is different from the first-type and second-type optical disks but reproducible via each of the first and second reproduction channels, the third-type optical disk is first test-reproduced both via the first reproduction channel and via the second reproduction channel, to thereby detect a jitter value of the information reproduced via the first reproduction channel and a jitter value of the information reproduced via the second reproduction channel. Then, the recorded information of the third-type optical disk is reproduced using one of the first and second reproduction channels that attains the jitter value closer to a predetermined target jitter value.

Abstract: A method for selectively enabling writing of data multiple times onto a write-once read-many optical disk by a host system, the disk having a disk type indicator, and each sector having a SWF field and a flag field and user data, wherein new data bits replace existing data bits in a one-for-one ratio without mapping, comprising the steps of: reading a disk type indicator; setting a firmware flag allowing writing to the disk if the disk type is erasable WORM; receiving a write command from the host system, the command specifying a sector to write to; reading the contents of the disk SWF and flag fields for the sector; overwriting all user data on the sector with all zeroes if the firmware flag is set; replacing every user data bit in the sector with a zero in a one-for-one ratio without mapping; and resetting the contents of the disk SWF and flag fields to indicate the sector is available for writing.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to prevent the occurrence of crosstalk between adjacent pregrooves, even if the light beam is applied across the adjacent information recording layers in accordance with the increase in a storage density of the optical disc.

Abstract: An optical information recording method and an apparatus that is capable of forming recording marks having the same length on a land and a groove track of an optical recording medium. The optical information recording method and apparatus identify whether any one of a land and a groove track on an optical recording medium is accessed. Then, the optical information recording method and apparatus establish differently an outputting manner of recording lights to be irradiated on the optical recording medium on the basis of a detecting resultant of the land and groove tracks.

Abstract: A system and method for analyzing the errors inherent in the manufacture and recording of media and utilizing those errors as a signature for the specific media copy. Manufactured media, in this case CD's and similar type digitally encoded media, contain errors that are truly random in nature. Randomness is reflected in the spatial distribution of the E11 and E12 errors. These errors arise from a variety of sources and are manifested by experimental observation in non-correlative distribution. The nature of the errors that occur on parallel manufactured optical media can be classified into several categories: Recording errors, Encoding errors, Mastering errors, Molding defects, Materials defects, Contamination defects, Coating defects, Handling defects, Surface contamination, Playback errors, Optical ambiguity, A/D nonlinearity, and CODEC error. These errors all contribute to a unique error signature for each item of media manufactured.

Abstract: A light source is provided for emitting a light beam. The light beam from the light source is applied to a recording and reproducing plane of an optical disc and to a front surface of a transparent substrate of the optical disc. A photodetector is provided for detecting return light beams from the recording and reproducing plane and the front surface. A first signal is generated based on an output signal of the photodetector dependent on the return light beam from the recording and reproducing plane, and a second signal is generated based on an output signal of the photodetector dependent on the return light beam from the front surface. A signal relating to thickness information on a thickness of the transparent substrate is produced by comparing the first and second signals with each other.

Abstract: When a read to a disk returns an error for a sector previously identified as good, the read is retried a predetermined number of times to attempt to recover the sector data. If the sector is unrecoverable, the failed sector is relocated and an “unusable” bit associated with the replacement sector is set to indicate that the data is bad. The unusable bit indicates that the replacement sector is good, but the data contained within the replacement sector is bad. A read error is generated for subsequent reads to the replacement sector as long as the unusable bit remains set. The unusable bit is cleared after a write to or reformat of the replacement sector. The replacement sector thereafter becomes a fully functional substitute for the failed sector, containing good data. The validity of data within the replacement sector is identified at all times, allowing use of bad data to be avoided.

Abstract: A compact disk (CD) player includes CD playing circuitry. A selection monitoring unit is coupled to the CD playing circuitry. The selection monitoring unit transmits selection data that corresponds to a selection played by the CD playing circuitry to a remote system.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a disk drive apparatus in which a pickup is prevented from being overheated. The disk drive apparatus includes a motor for rotating a disk-shaped storage medium, a pickup for reading/writing information from/onto the storage medium, a rotation controller for controlling the rotational speed of the storage medium, and an overheat detector for detecting overheating of the pickup. The pickup is cooled by using an airflow entailed by the rotating storage medium. In the disk drive apparatus, when the overheat detector detects overheating of the pickup, the rotation controller increases the rotational speed of the storage medium, thereby increasing the efficiency of cooling the pickup.

Abstract: An optical-disk formatting apparatus includes an optical disk drive which formats a recordable optical disk by emitting a light beam to the optical disk. A format-data storing unit stores application-specific format data into a storage device. A format-data writing unit writes the application-specific format data, stored in the storage device, to the optical disk by controlling the optical disk drive after the formatting of the optical disk is normally complete.

Abstract: An optical disk device has a unit for counting data read errors from an optical disk and a unit for reducing a playback speed of an optical disk. When a number of data read errors occurring in a predetermined period of time exceeds a predetermined value the playback speed reducing unit reduces the playback speed of the optical disk. As a result, repetition of error detection and consequent reduction in playback speed with each data read command when reading defective sectors of an optical disk can be prevented and the time required for error detection and speed reduction thereby eliminated, greatly improving overall average playback speed.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus for reproducing a program recorded on a recording medium by which use of a high speed dubbing function by a user exceeding a range of personal use can be suppressed to achieve protection of the copyright is disclosed.

Abstract: A method for writing an optical record carrier, in which a mark representing recorded data is written in the record carrier by a sequence of radiation pulses. The radiation power has a different level in between the pulses of a sequence and immediately after the last pulses of a sequence. This allows an independent control of the leading and trailing edge jitter of the marks written.

Abstract: The optical disc reproducing apparatus comprises an ATIP demodulator which is supplied, from a matrix amplifier, with a wobble signal incorporating an address information in a modulated component thereof. In the ATIP demodulator, the free-run frequencies of the pair of VCOs change correspondingly to a moved position of a sled. Therefore, the ATIP demodulator can work well even if the carrier frequency of the wobble signal changes.