Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a head actuated over a disk surface by an actuator arm. The actuator is controlled to press the actuator arm against a crash stop in order to write a plurality of bursts on the disk surface each with a different write parameter setting. Each burst is read in order to measure a quality metric for each burst, and an operating setting for the write parameter is configured based on the measured quality metrics.

Abstract: A surface shape measuring method includes: acquiring displacement data on an object surface facing an optical displacement meter by scanning the object surface with the optical displacement meter that applies a light beam on the object surface and performs measurement; detecting an approximate range on the object surface including a groove formed on the object surface by searching the displacement data; calculating a groove start point and a groove terminating point of the groove included in the approximate range; calculating a smallest value of the displacement data in a restricted range from a center position between the groove start point and the groove terminating point to a width defined at a predetermined ratio with respect to the groove width; and calculating a difference between the smallest value of the calculated displacement data and the height of the object surface as the depth of the groove formed on the object surface.

Abstract: A medium identification device identifies a type of a recording medium used for image formation. The medium identification device includes: a two-dimensional image sensor that captures an image of the recording medium; and an identifying unit that obtains a glossiness evaluation value indicating glossiness of the recording medium, a surface roughness evaluation value indicating surface roughness of the recording medium, and a coloring evaluation value indicating coloring of the recording medium, using image data of a specular reflection region reflecting specular reflection light from the recording medium and image data of a diffused reflection region reflecting diffused reflection light from the recording medium, the regions being in the image of the recording medium, and identifies the type of the recording medium by combining determination using the glossiness evaluation value, determination using the surface roughness evaluation value, and determination using the coloring evaluation value.

Abstract: An optical disc drive (ODD) includes one or more sensors which detect a user placing a disc in the loading path. In response, a process is triggered for sensing the thickness of a protective layer of the disc even while the disc is moving toward a turntable. An initial determination of the type of the disc (e.g. CD, DVD or Blu-ray®) can be determined based on the thickness and reported to a host computing device. The host, in turn, determines an application to load based on the disc type. The loading of the application can begin sooner than if the ODD waited until the disc was seated on the turntable to detect the disc type. A final determination of the disc type can be made while the disc is seated as well. The host is informed if there is a disagreement between the initial determination and the final determination.

Abstract: A counter is configured to generate counts associated with different locations, within a smallest addressable unit of data, on a storage medium of a disk drive. A detector is configured to detect a change in a property of a signal sensed from the storage medium. A controller is configured to: determine a count of the counter corresponding to a location, within a smallest addressable data unit on the storage medium, at which the change in the property of the signal sensed from the storage medium is detected, and change a response of at least one of the detector, a read channel controller of the disk drive, or a servo controller of the disk drive based on (i) the count and (ii) the counter.

Abstract: A data phase locked loop circuit includes a phase locked loop circuit, a judging circuit, a detecting circuit and a control circuit. The phase locked loop circuit outputs a reference signal according to a data signal, which is generated by an optical drive reading an optical disk. When the judging circuit judges that a jitter signal is smaller than a threshold value, the control circuit stores a frequency of the reference signal. When the detecting circuit detects a defect zone of the optical disk read by the optical drive, the phase locked loop circuit fixes the frequency of the reference signal to a latest stored one.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to architectures and/or mechanisms that can facilitate issuing, embedding and verification of an optical DNA (o-DNA) signature. A first mechanism is provided for obtaining a set of manufacturing errors inherent in an optical media instance. These errors can be non-deterministic and can be encoded into the o-DNA that can be cryptographically signed with a private key, and then embedded into the source optical media instance. A second mechanism is provided that can decrypt the o-DNA with a public key and compare the authenticated errors to the observed errors to ascertain whether the optical media instance is authentic as opposed to a forgery or counterfeit.

Abstract: An optical drive apparatus that reproduces an optical disk having a land and a groove, the optical drive apparatus including a first tracking-error-signal generating unit that generates a first tracking error signal by using a DPD method, a second tracking-error-signal generating unit that generates a second tracking error signal by using a DPP method, a tracking servo unit that controls the optical system, and a determining unit that determines that an irradiation point of an optical beam is in a non-recorded area. The tracking servo unit switches over to a control based on the second tracking error signal in response to a result of determination by the determining unit during performing a control based on the first tracking error signal.

Abstract: When data is recorded on an optical disc, and stored for a long period of time, there is a need to periodically evaluate whether a quality of the recorded data is determined with time, or not. If the signal quality is lower than a given level as an evaluation result, a work for moving the data to a brand-new optical disc is required. However, in periodical inspection, if the number of optical discs is enormous, a large amount of time is required to evaluate all data recorded on the optical disc. In recording user data on the optical disc, a signal of a particular pattern having a lifetime shorter than a reference lifetime of the user data is recorded in a given area of the optical disc in advance, the particular pattern signal is reading at given time intervals, and processing on the user data is determined on the basis of the evaluation result of the signal quality.

Abstract: A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.

Abstract: Systems and methods for extracting a Curie temperature distribution in a heat assisted magnetic recording medium are provided. One such method involves saturating a magnetic recording medium by causing a laser to direct light on the medium and causing a magnet adjacent to the medium to generate a magnetic field on the medium, causing the magnet to remove the magnetic field on the medium, writing to the medium by causing the laser to direct light on the medium, recording measurements of light reflected from the medium made by a light detector, converting the measurements of reflected light into measurements of remanent thermal magnetization, and extracting the Curie temperature distribution from the measurements of remanent thermal magnetization. One such system involves a processor coupled to a spindle, a magnet, a laser, and a light detector, where the processor is configured to perform this method.

Abstract: A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.

Abstract: A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.

Abstract: A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.

Abstract: A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.

Abstract: A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.

Abstract: A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.

Abstract: A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.

Abstract: A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.

Abstract: A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.

Abstract: A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.

Abstract: A machine readable information storage medium, a reproducing method and apparatus which reproduces data from the storage medium, and a recording method and apparatus for recording data on the storage medium. The information storage medium includes a control area which stores within a data structure information usable by the recording or reproducing apparatus to record or reproduce the data on or from the storage medium. The information stored within the data structure includes a version corresponding to a specification, a revision number of recording speed, and an extended part version field.

Abstract: Devices, methods, and other embodiments associated with adjusting a defect threshold are described. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes defect detection logic and threshold adjustment logic. The defect detection logic determines, by using a defect threshold, if a read channel has read data from a defective portion of an optical disc. The threshold adjustment logic adjusts the defect threshold based, at least in part, on a gain value of a gain loop associated with the read channel.

Abstract: In a system of detecting an interference light with a light not irradiated onto an optical disc to increase the S/N ratio, it is difficult to stably acquire a reproduced signal with a simple configuration. Since the recording density is not improved, an improvement in transfer rate is difficult. In an optical information recording/reproducing apparatus where two optical beams face each other and are focused at the same place of a recording medium to record a standing wave developed by interference of the two optical beams, a phase difference of the two optical beams is modulated in a multiple stage and recorded. During reproduction, an interference light of a reproduced light from the recording medium and another reproduction reference light is detected as a reproduced signal, and a phase servo control stabilizing the phase of interference during reproduction by using a low frequency component of the reproduced signal is conducted.

Abstract: A header region evaluation circuit includes a difference signal detection unit that detects a difference signal proportional to a difference in amounts of received light from an optical disc, a high pass filter that switches a plurality of cutoff frequencies according to a passband control signal, removes a low frequency component from the difference signal, and generates a difference signal HPF output, a waveform shaping unit that generates a shaping signal to convert the difference signal HPF output into a pulse, and a physical header detection sequencer that generates a groove detection signal for evaluating whether the physical header region is either one of a groove and an inter-groove and generates a passband control signal for controlling the cutoff frequency to be reduced for a difference signal corresponding to at least a part of the physical header region.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an optical pickup includes an optical system which forms multiple light beams based on the light emitted from a light source and which converges a write beam and a read beam, thereby forming a main spot and a sub-spot, respectively, on an optical storage medium. This optical system converges the write and read beams onto the optical storage medium so that the main spot moves through the same region on the optical storage medium ahead of the sub-spot. The optical pickup further includes a detector for sensing the write and read beams reflected from the storage medium. The detector includes a first photodiode 10 that receives the reflected light from the main spot 50R on the storage medium and a second photodiode 11 that receives a portion of the reflected light from the sub-spot 51R.

Abstract: An optical disc device comprising: a controller for reading data from an optical disc having a plurality of recording layers, wherein: the controller, in shifting a focus of the laser light from a first layer to a second layer, performs a first change that changes a setting on the high frequency signal to a predetermined value at which the high frequency signal is superimposed to suppress peak power of the drive signal if a light density of the second layer is higher than a light density of the first layer; the controller shifts the focus from the first layer to the second layer; and the controller, after the focus has been shifted, performs a second change that changes the setting on the high frequency signal to a predetermined value at which the high frequency signal is superimposed to increase the peak power of the drive signal.

Abstract: In a small-sized optical pickup device for enabling to obtain a stable servo-signal, as well as, a focus error signal and a tracking error signal, without receiving ill influences of stray lights from other layers, when recording/reproducing a multi-layer optical disc, a reflection light from the multi-layer optical disc is divided into plural numbers of regions by a diffraction grating. And, it is divided into at least four (4) regions, by a division line in the tangential direction of the optical disc and a division line in the radial direction thereof. Light receiving parts, for detecting either one of grating diffraction lights, i.e.

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: A change in a property of a signal is detected, the signal having been sensed from a storage medium by a disk drive. A count is determined, the count corresponding to a first location on the storage medium at which the change in the property of the signal sensed from the storage medium is detected. The count is used to predict a second location on the storage medium corresponding to the change in the property of the signal sensed from the storage medium. Relative to the first location on the storage medium, the second location on the storage medium is closer to an actual location of a feature on the storage medium that causes the change in the property of the signal sensed from the storage medium.

Abstract: Circuitry for controlling mode selection of a CD/DVD reader is described. In one embodiment, the CD/DVD reader has a first device having at least one analog output, a second device having at least one digital input and at least one analog input, and an interface circuit coupling the analog output of the first device to the digital input and the analog input in the second device. The interface circuit includes a circuitry to use a single control signal from the analog output of the first device to control the digital input and the analog input in the second device. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: An optical pickup and an information storage medium system using the same. The optical pickup includes a light source that emits light having a plurality of different wavelengths. The optical pickup includes a diffraction device having a plurality of diffraction patterns corresponding to the plurality of different wavelengths to divide the light incident from the light source unit into main light and sub light. The optical pickup further includes a photo-detector having a first main light reception unit that receives the main light and a first sub light reception unit that receives the sub light so as to detect an information signal and/or an error signal by receiving reflected light. The first sub light reception unit of the photo-detector is shaped so as to reduce reception of noise sub light due to diffraction based on an undesired diffraction pattern of sub light generated the diffraction device.

Abstract: A focus search is performed on a mounted optical-disc recording medium once the optical-disc recording medium has been mounted in an optical disc device. The type of the mounted optical-disc recording medium is determined on the basis of results of the focus search. When a determination has been made that the mounted optical-disc recording medium is a multilayer optical-disc recording medium having three or more recording layers, a playback power is for an optical-disc recording medium being of a specification identical to the multilayer optical-disc recording medium and having one or two recording layers. A playback operation at the set playback power is used to read optical disc information from the mounted optical-disc recording medium, the optical disc information indicating the type of the mounted optical-disc recording medium.

Abstract: For obtaining stable servo-signals without receiving ill influences of stray lights from other layers, on both a focus error signal and a tracking error signal, when recording/reproducing a multi-layer optical disc having small gap between layers thereof, a light beam is divided with using a first and a second diffraction gratings. The first diffraction grating is a polarization diffraction grating, and is mounted on an actuator. The second diffraction grating is disposed on a fixed portion. The first diffraction grating has a first region having a center of a light beam and other(s), and among signal lights reflecting from the disc, the light beam entering into the first region is diffracted, and the light beam entering into the second region transmits therethrough. The second diffraction grating transmits the light beam diffracting on the first region of the polarization diffraction grating therethrough, while diffracting the light beam diffracting on the second region.

Abstract: An optical information reproducing apparatus includes: an irradiation section irradiating a light beam onto an optical information recording medium, in which holes are formed along a virtual track on a recording medium, along the virtual track; a light receiving section receiving a reflected light beam when the light beam is reflected by the optical information recording medium and sequentially generating a light receiving signal corresponding to the light intensity; a detection section detecting a variation pattern appearing when a signal level of the light receiving signal changes according to the hole; and a code string generating section, when generating a code string corresponding to the signal level, generating a code corresponding to the one hole from the variation pattern if the variation pattern falls within a range and generating a code string, which includes a plurality of codes, from the variation pattern if the variation pattern exceeds the range.

Abstract: A method of duplicating data to multiple random accessible storage devices has steps of reading one segment of source data having multiple segments, continuously detecting newly-connected random accessible storage devices, duplicating same segments to all connected random accessible storage devices, stopping duplicating the source data to any random accessible storage device that has stored all segments of the source data and repeating the steps from the beginning. When duplicating the source data to all connected random accessible storage devices, same segments of the source data are written to all connected random accessible storage devices. Therefore, a single writing task is proceeded in each writing session. The source data can be written to all random accessible storage devices at high speed. Consequently, efficiency of asynchronously duplicating data to multiple random accessible storage devices is increased.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to a photon/light based data storage, distribution and simultaneous data access system for a multiprocessor computer system.

Abstract: An optical article comprising a first file encoded on the optical article comprising data structure information; a second file encoded on the optical article comprising a backup of the first file; wherein at least one of the first file or the second file must be fully readable for the player to read the data on the optical article; and a mark disposed on at least a portion of the optical article where the first file is encoded and at least a portion of the optical article where the second file is encoded; wherein the mark comprises an optical state change material; wherein the optical state change material undergoes a change in its optical state when exposed to an activation signal selected from one or more of a laser, thermal energy, infrared rays, X-rays, gamma rays, microwaves, visible light, ultraviolet light, ultrasound waves, radio frequency waves, electrical energy, chemical energy, magnetic energy, and mechanical energy; wherein the optical article is transformed from a pre-activated state to an activ

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information storage medium includes an organic dye material which records information with a light beam having a wavelength equal to or smaller than 620 nm.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information storage medium includes an organic dye material which records information with a light beam having a wavelength equal to or smaller than 620 nm.

Abstract: An optical-pickup apparatus includes: a first laser light source including a first laser diode to emit a laser beam having a first wavelength, and a back-monitor photodetector to receive the laser beam emitted in a backward direction, not being an optical-disc direction, and output a first monitor signal; a second laser-light source including a second laser diode to emit a laser beam having a second wavelength; a light-receiving circuit including a front-monitor photodetector to receive the laser beam emitted in a forward direction, being the optical-disc direction, and output a second monitor signal, and a switch circuit to be inputted with the first and second monitor signals, and output the first or second monitor signal according to a switch signal; and first and second drive circuits to drive the first and second laser diodes according to the first and second monitor signals outputted from the light-receiving circuit, respectively.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the method includes generating version information including a first version information and a second version information. At least one of the first version information and the second version information is to determine a backward compatibility with respect to reading or writing of the recording medium. The version information is recorded on a specific area of the recording medium.

Abstract: An optical pickup device includes an astigmatism element which imparts astigmatism to laser light reflected on a disc, a spectral element which changes propagating directions of four light fluxes obtained by dividing a light flux of the laser light reflected on the disc to disperse the four light fluxes from each other, and a photodetector having a sensor group which receives the four light fluxes. The optical pickup device is further provided with a memory which holds a correction value for suppressing a DC component in a tracking error signal resulting from a positional displacement of the spectral element. The tracking error signal is corrected by the correction value to thereby suppress the DC component.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and an apparatus for determining the number of data layers in an optical disc. Firstly, the objective lens of the optical pickup head is controlled so that it moves toward the optical disc. At the same time, a generated SBAD signal is recorded. The number of wave peaks in the SBAD signal is then detected and the number of the data layers in an optical disc is determined according to the detected number of wave peaks in the SBAD signal.

Abstract: An optical recording medium having a read-only storage area and a writable storage area and a recording/reproducing apparatus and method therefor. The optical recording medium is a hybrid disc having both the read-only storage area, which is suitable for mass production of information having the same contents, and the writable storage area on which data can be recorded, updated or added at a user's option.

Abstract: A focus search is performed for an optical disc. A focus drive voltage is output for moving an objective lens in a thickness direction of an optical disc. An average value of focus drive voltages is acquired and recorded while the optical disc is rotating at least one time in an in-focus condition in which a laser beam emitted via the objective lens is in focus to a data layer of the optical disc. A closest-position voltage is set based on the average value, the closest-position voltage being a focus drive voltage at which the objective lens is moved closest to the optical disc in a focus search that is performed after the average value has been recorded. The focus search is performed by moving the objective lens between a specific starting position and a position corresponding to the closest-position voltage.

Abstract: A change in a property of a signal is detected, the signal having been sensed from a storage medium by a disk drive. A count is determined, the count corresponding to a first location on the storage medium at which the change in the property of the signal sensed from the storage medium is detected. The count is used to predict a second location on the storage medium corresponding to the change in the property of the signal sensed from the storage medium. Relative to the first location on the storage medium, the second location on the storage medium is closer to an actual location of a feature on the storage medium that causes the change in the property of the signal sensed from the storage medium.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus, a recording and/or reproducing method, and an information storage medium, wherein the recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes: a writing and/or reading unit writing data to or reading data from an information storage medium having one or more information recording layers; and a control unit controlling the writing and/or reading unit to write the data to the information storage medium by referring to one or more disk information structures including recording related parameter information corresponding to recording characteristics of the information storage medium, and recording characteristic information to which the recording related parameters are applied. According to the apparatus and method, parameters of recording characteristics appropriate to a recording and/or reproducing apparatus and compatibility between different specifications can be achieved.

Abstract: An optical disc device compatible with optical discs of different types having different track pitches, having a light detecting means (104) disposed in the path of diffracted light from the recording tracks on the optical disc (101), on which a light beam from a light emitting section (103) is incident. During the loading of the optical disc, the optical disc device discriminates the type of optical disc from the detection output of the light detecting means (104) and the positional relation between the optical disc (101) and the light detecting means (104). A simple structure thus enables the optical disc type to be discriminated.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an information reproduction device and an information reproduction method are provided, which are capable of reproducing data using temporary management information that is identified by a simple way of specification. In the present invention, the control receives temporary management information identifying information, searches for and reproduces the most suitable one of a plurality of temporary management information, and reproduces data using the temporary management information. Thus, it is possible to obtain contents of an overwritten file as of before the file was overwritten.