By Detection Of Storage Medium Incident Radiation Patents (Class 369/53.22)
  • Patent number: 7990820
    Abstract: An optical disc verification method according to the present invention includes the steps of: writing data on first, second and third radial locations on an optical disc at a writing speed V1 and reading the data written there, thereby measuring read signal quality index values A, B and C, where the second radial location is inside of the first radial location and the third radial location is inside of the second radial location; writing data on the first and second radial locations at a writing speed V2, which is higher than V1, and reading the data written there, thereby measuring read signal quality index values D and E; and correcting the signal quality index value C with the difference between the signal quality index values B and E, thereby calculating a signal quality index value F that would be obtained if data is written on, and then read from, the third radial location at the speed V2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Furumiya, Atsushi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7990826
    Abstract: According to the present invention, light is emitted by a light source at different emission intensities, and sensor output values are compared with threshold values at the individual emission intensities, so that the types of recording media having various reflection characteristics can be correctly determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoji Kikuchi, Mitsuyuki Fujibayashi
  • Patent number: 7983130
    Abstract: An optical disk processing system having a recording unit and a printing unit is provided. An optical disk processing system comprises a printing unit and a recording unit. An optical disk is driven with a low torque and then with a high torque. Based on reaching times until target rotational speeds are reached when the optical disk is driven with the low torque and the high torque, a type of the optical disk is judged. Loading of a plurality of optical disks is detected when the judgment results for low torque and for high torque do not match.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: TEAC Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuya Murata
  • Publication number: 20110170386
    Abstract: An optical disc drive according to the present invention includes an optical pickup and a writing control section for instructing the optical pickup to record a mark, representing the information to be written, on the optical disc. In recording the mark on the optical disc, the writing control section instructs the optical pickup to irradiate the same area on the optical disc with a light beam a plurality of times so that the mark is recorded in that repeatedly irradiated area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi KAYAMA, Kazuo MOMOO
  • Publication number: 20110158070
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for determining the layer type of a blu-ray disk. First, a laser beam is focused on a target layer of the blu-ray disk. Reflection of the laser beam from the target layer is the detected to obtain a reflection signal. The reflection signal is then processed to generate a first tracking error signal and a second tracking error signal. Magnitudes of the first tracking error signal and the second tracking error signal are then measured. The magnitude of the second tracking error signal is then subtracted from the magnitude of the first tracking error signal to obtain a difference value. Finally, the layer type of the target layer is determined by comparing the difference value with the first predetermined threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: MEDIATEK INC.
    Inventors: Kuo-Ting Hsin, Chi-Pei Huang, Chao-Ming Huang
  • Patent number: 7961577
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system for generating an output signal indicating a specific area on an optical disc. The system includes an optical pick-up head signal generator, a detecting apparatus, and an output signal generating apparatus. The optical pick-up head signal generator is used for generating an optical pick-up head signal. The detecting apparatus is used for detecting pre-recorded address information on the optical disc to generate a detection signal. Also, a output signal generating apparatus, which is coupled to the optical pick-up head signal generator and the detecting apparatus, is used for receiving the optical pick-up head signal and the detection signal to generate the output signal according to at least one of the optical pick-up head signal and the detection signal, the output signal generating apparatus not generating the output signal according to the optical pick-up head signal after a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: MediaTek Inc.
    Inventors: Meng-Hsueh Lin, Shu-Hung Chou, Shu-Ching Chen
  • Patent number: 7961576
    Abstract: A detection signal is asserted when a surface of an optical disc or an information recording layer is detected. An asserting (masking) time interval of the detection signal is set such that the number of times of asserting the detection signal becomes at most two times when a focal position of the objective lens passes at least the surface of the optical disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadafumi Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 7948838
    Abstract: A method for discriminating a type of disc. The method includes receiving a signal having at least first and second peak points generated by an optical beam reflected from a record layer of the disc, comparing amplitudes of the first and second peak points, and determining the type of the disc based on a result of the comparing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seung Cheol Lee
  • Patent number: 7936654
    Abstract: An optical disk device includes an optical pickup, a focus drive section, a detection section, a time measurement section and a disk identification section. The detection section detects reflected light reflected from an optical disk while the focus drive section moves a focus position of the optical pickup. The time measurement section measures a focus search time between when the reflected light reflected from a disk surface of the optical disk is detected and when the reflected light reflected from an information recording layer of the optical disk is detected. The time measurement section measures a false reflection search time between when the reflected light reflected from the disk surface is detected and when false reflection light is detected. The disk identification section calculates a ratio of the focus search time to the false reflection search time, and identifies a type of the optical disk based on the ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadafumi Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 7936653
    Abstract: An information processing device is a device for processing specific information recorded to a recording medium, and has a characteristic identification unit and a processing unit. The characteristic identification unit identifies the reflection characteristic of the recording medium. The processing unit processes the specific information recorded to the recording medium according to the identified reflection characteristic. The reflection characteristic is either a first characteristic such that the reflectance of light reflected by a recorded region of the recording medium (referred to as first reflectance) is greater than the reflectance of light reflected by an unrecorded region of the recording medium (referred to as second reflectance), or a second characteristic such that the first reflectance is less than the second reflectance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Harumitsu Miyashita, Junichi Minamino, Takeshi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7933179
    Abstract: In a super-resolution optical disk for the purpose of achieving an increase in the density of recording data by reproducing a recording mark smaller than optical resolution, the optimum reproduction power needs to be determined since the quality of a super-resolution reproduced signal strongly depends on the reproduction laser power. However, since the track error signal required for tracking servo also depends on the reproduction power, there is a need for a method for determining the reproduction power taking into account both the stabilization of tracking servo and a quality improvement of the reproduction signal. The reproduction power is changed under conditions with focusing servo applied but without application of tracking servo. Thereby, a cross track signal is detected to identify a reproduction power region that leads to quality improvement of both a reproduction signal and a track error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimichi Shintani, Hiroyuki Minemura, Soichiro Eto
  • Patent number: 7924673
    Abstract: An information processing device processes specific information recorded on a recording medium, and has a characteristic identification unit and a processing unit. The characteristic identification unit identifies the reflection characteristic of the recording medium. The processing unit processes the specific information recorded on the recording medium according to the identified reflection characteristic. The reflection characteristic is either a first characteristic such that the reflectance of light reflected by a recorded region of the recording medium (referred to as first reflectance) is greater than the reflectance of light reflected by an unrecorded region of the recording medium (referred to as second reflectance), or a second characteristic such that the first reflectance is less than the second reflectance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Harumitsu Miyashita, Junichi Minamino, Takeshi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7916596
    Abstract: Provided is an optical disc device for reading a signal recorded on an optical disc medium, which detects surface reflection at a surface of the optical disc medium, a fake signal generated based on the surface reflection, and light reflected by a data recording layer of the optical disc medium while an objective lens is moved relative to the surface of the optical disc medium, and discriminates a type of the optical disc medium based on a ratio of a first time period between an instant when the surface reflection is detected and an instant when the fake signal is detected, and a second time period between the instant when the surface reflection is detected and an instant when light reflected by the data recording layer is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
    Inventor: Toshikazu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7911908
    Abstract: An optical data processing apparatus reads and/or writes data from/on a data storage medium, in which first and second data storage layer are stacked. The apparatus includes: a light detector including at least one photodetector for generating a light quantity signal; a detecting optical system for guiding reflected light beams from a storage layer; and a signal processor for generating a layer sensing signal from the light quantity signal and determining, by the layer sensing signal, the type of data storage medium. The light detector includes a layer sensing photodetector arranged in view of an of an area of the light detector, and further includes a photodetector which is different from the layer sensing photodetector which receives the reflected light beam to generate a focus signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Fumitomo Yamasaki, Tohru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7911907
    Abstract: An optical disk apparatus according to the present invention is an optical disk apparatus for performing at least one of: recording data to a plurality of types of optical disks including a recordable optical disk and a read-only optical disk which are produced according to the BD specifications; and reproducing data from the optical disks. This apparatus includes: a means (506, 507) for irradiating a management area 502 of an optical disk 501 with a light beam while not performing tracking control, and generating a track position signal (push-pull TE or phase difference TE) from light which is reflected by the management area 502; and a disk determination means for determining, based on the track position signal obtained from the management area 502, whether the optical disk 501 mounted in the optical disk apparatus is a recordable optical disk or a read-only optical disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshige Ishibashi, Katsuya Watanabe, Takashi Kishimoto, Rie Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7911919
    Abstract: An information recording/reproducing device irradiates a signal light beam containing arbitrary two-dimensional information and a reference beam emitted from the same light source as the signal light beam to an arbitrary region of a hologram recording medium to record a first hologram. After the first hologram is recorded, the device changes the incident angle of the signal light beam with respect to the hologram recording medium and multiplex-records a second hologram, which is different from the first hologram, in the same region as the region in which the first hologram is recorded by irradiating a signal light beam whose incident angle has been changed and a reference beam substantially the same as the reference beam used when recording the first hologram while the device obtains at least a part of a diffracted beam from the first hologram simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoya Sugita, Kenichi Kasazumi
  • Patent number: 7903517
    Abstract: An optical disk drive and a method for determining a disk type are described. The optical disk drive may be arranged to receive a radial error signal while an incident beam is focused onto the optical disk and before tracking the track, to analyze the radial error signal for detecting whether a wobble signal is present, indicating whether the track is wobbled, and to derive a disk type from the wobble signal, if present. The optical disk drive may additionally or alternatively be arranged to receive a central aperture signal while the incident beam is focused onto the optical disk and before tracking a track including a sequence of embossed pits, to analyze the signal amplitude of the central aperture signal, and to determine the disk type from at least a first variation of the signal amplitude of the central aperture signal as a function of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Lite-On It Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes Leopoldus Bakx, Maarten Kuijper, Johannes Franciscus Petrus Claas, Petrus Antonius Verbeek
  • Patent number: 7894311
    Abstract: A focus servo apparatus for an optical disc apparatus including an objective lens to converge laser beam on an information recording surface of an optical disc, and an actuator to move the objective lens in a focusing direction crossing the information recording surface, the focus servo apparatus comprising: a retaining unit configured to retain control data for driving the actuator; and a setting unit configured to set the control data retained by the retaining unit as initial data for driving the actuator, in the case of driving the actuator, to detect a position of the objective lens where the laser beam is focused on the information recording surface, as a target position when performing focus servo.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sanyo Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin Yoneda, Akira Yoshida, Hideaki Sekiya
  • Patent number: 7885155
    Abstract: A data readout method is disclosed that is able to read data from an optical disk capable of super resolution readout with high accuracy. The data readout method allows reading data recorded in an optical disk by irradiating a laser beam onto the optical disk. The method includes the steps of varying a light emission power level of the laser beam while the laser beam is irradiated onto the optical disk, and acquiring a reflectivity of the optical disk corresponding to each light emission power level; calculating a second derivative of a curve representing correlation between the reflectivity and the light emission power with respect to the light emission power; calculating an extreme value of the second derivative; and calculating an optimum readout power level for super resolution readout based on the extreme value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenya Yokoi, Ryosuke Kasahara
  • Patent number: 7869340
    Abstract: A visible light characteristic changing layer formed from photosensitive or heat-sensitive material is formed in a location which can be viewed from a part of a label surface of an optical disk. The optical disk is set on a turntable of an optical disk unit while the label surface of the optical disk is directed downward. The optical disk and an optical pickup are moved mutually along the plane of the optical disk. In synchronism with the relative movement, the power of a laser beam output from the optical pickup is modulated in accordance with image data, such as characters or graphic images to be printed, and the laser beam is emitted onto the visible light characteristic changing layer. As a result of the visible light characteristic changing layer being exposed to the laser beam, a visible-light reflectivity of the visible light characteristic changing layer is changed, thereby forming a image corresponding to the image data on the label surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Honda, Tamon Kondo
  • Patent number: 7869322
    Abstract: The first layer (DVD layer) is first reproduced using the red layer light. Thereafter, search for the second layer (HDDVD layer) is performed with the blue laser light in accordance with the reproducing operation being temporarily interrupted for menu display (display for chapter or language selection). If the second layer is detected, a display indicating that the second layer can be selected is displayed over the menu display. If instruction to reproduce the second layer is input from the user according to the display, the reproducing operation of the first layer using the red laser light is switched to the reproducing operation of the second layer (HDDVD layer) using the blue laser light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Noboru Mamiya
  • Patent number: 7869323
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preventing a problem of collision between an optical system and a media by suggesting a method for confirming the kind of the medium prior to its operation in a drive having a compatibility with respect to a method for storing a near field optical information using SIL and a method for storing a remote field optical information below the existing blu-ray disk. The present invention can distinguish from an inserted optical disk if a compatible drive/pickup is in a near-field method, and confirm if the inserted optical disk is operable in a near-field method drive/pickup in advance, also.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Yun-Sup Shin
  • Patent number: 7855943
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, the invention provides an optical disk device having a drive and a control section. The drive applies recording processing and reproduction processing to an optical disk. When the optical disk is an unformatted blank medium, if the drive detects a medium ID and a medium key block region from the optical disk, the control section judges that there is copyright protection information and outputs display information which is used for the recording processing with respect to the optical disk together with display information showing the presence or absence of the copyright protection information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Masami Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7852726
    Abstract: A recording apparatus includes: a recording device for recording data onto each of a plurality of types of recording media by irradiating a light beam corresponding to each of the types of recording media; a diffracting device disposed on an optical path of the light beam from the recording device to the recording medium, for generating a main beam and a plurality of sub beams by diffracting the optical beam, the main beam recording data and performing a tracking process, the sub beams performing the tracking process, an amplitude of a tracking signal generated by each or one portion of the sub beams and by the main beam being maximum; a controlling device for controlling the diffracting device to adjust a position on which each of the plurality of sub beams is focused, in accordance with the type of the recording medium; and a tracking device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Naoharu Yanagawa, Akira Shirota
  • Patent number: 7848198
    Abstract: An information processing device for processing specific information recorded to a recording medium that has a characteristic identification unit and a processing unit. The characteristic identification unit identifies the reflection characteristic of the recording medium. The processing unit processes the specific information recorded to the recording medium according to the identified reflection characteristic. The reflection characteristic is either a first characteristic such that the reflectance of light reflected by a recorded region of the recording medium (referred to as first reflectance) is greater than the reflectance of light reflected by an unrecorded region of the recording medium (referred to as second reflectance), or a second characteristic such that the first reflectance is less than the second reflectance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Harumitsu Miyashita, Junichi Minamino, Takeshi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7843786
    Abstract: A method for discriminating an optical storage medium is disclosed. A predetermined range of the optical storage medium is read after the light source is focused on; and thereby a plurality of data transition points and transition regions defined by an interval of two neighboring points are obtained. Thereafter, the time-consumption for reading the longest transition region is used to determine the type of the currently accessed optical storage medium. Another physical characteristics according to data storage formats, such as the PLL clock frequency or the distance between the reflection layer and the surface layer of the optical storage medium, may be used as references to discriminate the currently accessed optical storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Inventor: Yi-Chung Chan
  • Patent number: 7839728
    Abstract: A technique for investigating differences of composition and structural state of a recording layer of an optical disc along with other defects, such as scratches, contamination, warp and distortion, prior to video recording and for setting up appropriate recording conditions in compliance with this result to thereby perform recording is disclosed. In an optical disc recording device capable of recording information on an optical disc, a region to be investigated is defined based on the video recording reservation contents. Then, investigate and evaluate the disc state which can affect the recording quality in a target disc region to be recorded. Next, based on investigation/evaluation results, perform recording setup, recording speed setup, servo control setup and recording position setup to thereby perform the recording. By appropriately modifying the recording setup on a case-by-case basis, it is possible to achieve high-quality recording.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc.
    Inventor: Akio Fukushima
  • Patent number: 7835248
    Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, after test write is performed with a predetermined test power to a first track on an optical disk, test write is performed with the same test power as the first track to a second track adjacent to the first track. Then, reproduction signals are obtained by reproducing the first track and the second track respectively, and a determination whether or not the test power is set to a recording laser power in recording main information is made based on a relationship between the obtained reproduction signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Morio Nakatani
  • Patent number: 7813245
    Abstract: When an image is formed on an optical disk, an optical disk image forming device reads information written in an information area of the optical disk. When a reflection preventing process is applied to an image forming area of the optical disk, the optical disk image forming device corrects at least one of a laser power or a focus gain in accordance with information about the image forming area written in the information area. Thus, the optical disk image forming device can form the image with a clear brightness and a good visibility on the image forming area of the optical disk without allowing a rainbow-color to appear or a face or a background to be reflected due to the interference of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignees: Yamaha Corporation, Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Seiya Yamada, Hisanori Itoga, Tatsuo Fushiki, Hiroshi Kubo, Michihiro Shibata
  • Patent number: 7808868
    Abstract: A method for determining a disk type is provided. In the invention, a pickup head of a DVD optical drive is moved to a blank area of the disk where no data is stored. After rotation of the disk is stopped, the blank area is irradiated with a laser beam, and reflective signals reflected from a surface layer and a reflective layer of the disk are measured respectively. According to a time difference between the two reflective signals, the type of the disk placed in the DVD optical drive is determined. Therefore misjudgment because of effects of pits in a data area of the disk on the reflective signals can be avoided, so that the disk type can be accurately determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.
    Inventor: Kuo-Ping Lu
  • Patent number: 7808870
    Abstract: An optical disk recording/reproduction device and a disk determination method for an optical disk recording/reproduction device. The disk determination method compares with a threshold value a drive value when the arrival of a focus point at a recording surface is detected during a focus search relative to an optical disk (301) or a drive value during an on-focus state. By this, two or more kinds of optical disks having different substrate thicknesses are determined. The threshold value is determined based on a drive value during an on-focus state when one or more kinds of disks out of the two or more kinds of optical disks become reproducible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yorio Takahashi, Makoto Aitani
  • Patent number: 7808869
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information recording apparatus which records content compliant with a second DVD standard on an information storage medium, the second DVD standard being a DVD standard later than a first DVD standard defined for a first image quality and being defined for a second image quality higher than the first image quality, includes a determination unit configured to determine whether narrow burst cutting area (NBCA) of the information storage medium is valid or not, and whether supported maximum recording speed of the information storage medium is triple speed or more of a predetermined recording speed, and a recording unit configured to perform real-time recording of the content compliant with the second standard on the information storage medium on the basis of the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Tadashi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20100246356
    Abstract: The present invention provides a disk surface defect inspection method including: irradiating a laser beam from an oblique direction onto a disk surface being rotated; detecting intensities of a first light that is scattered with low-angle and a second light that is scattered with high-angle from minute concave and convex defects; determining that a defect is the minute convex defect if a ratio of the intensity of the first light to the intensity of the second light is constant; and determining that a defect is the minute concave defect if the ratio of the intensity of the first light to the intensity of the second light is changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: HITACHI HIGH-TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bin Abdulrashid FARIZ, Yu YANAKA, Keiji KATO, Takayuki ISHIGURO, Shigeru SERIKAWA
  • Patent number: 7804751
    Abstract: One inventive aspect relates to a method which easily distinguishes copycat products that are difficult to distinguish by identifying only a media ID. A media ID and other attribute data are read out of a reference optical recording medium, and then a media ID and other attribute data are read out of an optical recording medium that is a target for separation. They are compared with each other in a data record processing section to determine whether data is data matched or not matched, and the result is displayed on a display section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Taiyo Yuden Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisayoshi Yata
  • Patent number: 7800999
    Abstract: An information recording medium (100) is provided with: a first recording layer (L0 layer) having a first calibration area (103-1) in which test information for calibrating a power of laser light in recording record information can be recorded; and a second recording layer (L1 layer) having a second calibration area (103-2) in which the test information can be recorded and in which at least one portion of a recording area faces the first calibration area, wherein the first calibration area and the second calibration area including a space area (103U-1, 103U-2) having a predetermined size in positions facing each other, the test information is recorded in a recording area (103R-1) located on one side, centered on the space area, in the first calibration area, and the test information is recorded in a recording area (103R-2) located on other side which is opposite to the one side, centered on the space area, in the second calibration area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Muramatsu, Kunihiko Horikawa, Kazuo Kuroda
  • Patent number: 7796476
    Abstract: An optical disk device includes a optical pickup head which emits a laser beam to an optical disk and detects light reflected therefrom, a signal output unit which outputs at least a servo signal and RF signal in accordance with the detected light, a gain control unit which determines the type of the optical disk from identification information recorded thereon, and sets first and second adjusted gains for a data recorded region and data unrecorded region, when determining that the optical disk is of a type wherein a light reflectance is higher in the data recorded region than in the unrecorded region, and a gain adjustment unit including a memory storing the first and second adjusted gains, the gain adjustment unit adjusting the gain of the servo signal in the data recorded region, using the first adjusted gain, and in the data unrecorded region, using the second adjusted gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Corporation
    Inventor: Masanori Kosaki
  • Patent number: 7787341
    Abstract: An optical disk device includes a pickup head, and a controller which controls the pickup head. The controller subtracting a second measured value determined from an amplitude value of the tracking error signal when the pickup head irradiates a second area of the optical disk with a first DVD laser beam, from a first measured value determined from the amplitude value of the tracking error signal output when the pickup irradiates a first area of the optical disk with the first DVD laser beam, to determine an evaluation value. The controller determining that the optical disk is the first DVD if the evaluation value is smaller than a reference value, and determining that the installed optical disk is a second DVD if the evaluation value is larger than the reference value, the second DVD optical disk having a smaller track width than the first DVD optical disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Nakane, Mikio Kakizaki
  • Patent number: 7782727
    Abstract: An optical pickup is opposed to an inner-radius portion of an optical disc that is set, and pits (a modulation signal) are read by applying laser light for a DVD to the inner-radius portion. The read-out modulation signal is decoded by inputting it to a CD decoder. If decoded disc information includes particular verification data, the optical disc is judged to be a legitimate optical disc of a particular type and formation of a visible image on the label surface is permitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignees: Yamaha Corporation, Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Hisanori Itoga, Seiya Yamada, Tatsuo Fushiki, Hiroshi Kubo, Michihiro Shibata
  • Patent number: 7768888
    Abstract: An optical disk apparatus which can promptly restart reproduction and recording by using a preceding discrimination result of a disk kind without using a memory. A mechanism for correcting an aberration is constructed by an expander lens for the aberration correction and a self-holding element as a moving mechanism of the expander lens. A detector for detecting a position of the expander lens is provided. By detecting a correcting position of the expander lens, the kind of disk to which the reproduction and recording have previously been executed can be discriminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Motoyuki Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20100188952
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, this invention determines whether a maximum value Hmax and minimum value Hmin of an HF signal obtained when a data recording portion is irradiated with a laser having a wavelength of 450 nm or less and an NA of 0.6 or more meet (Hmax?Hmin)/Hmax<0.13 . . . (1), or whether a maximum value Hmax, a minimum value Hmin, and a most frequent voltage value Have of a signal level of an HF signal obtained when a data recording portion is irradiated with a laser having a wavelength of 450 nm or less and an NA of 0.6 or more meet Hmax/Have?1.05 . . . (2) and Hmin/Have?0.90 . . . (3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Kazuyo UMEZAWA, Seiji MORITA, Masatoshi SAKURAI
  • Publication number: 20100182885
    Abstract: Provided is a method for easily discriminating that a disc is a blank disc that conforms to the DVD Download standards. An optical disc device is provided with a first identifying means (4) which identifies disc information written in a lead-in zone of an optical disc (1); a second identifying means (4) which identifies that there is no data recorded in the data zone of the optical disc (1); and a discriminating means (5) which discriminates that the optical disc is a blank disc that conforms to the DVD Download standards, based on output from the first identifying means and output which is outputted from the second identifying means and indicating that there is no data recorded.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KENWOOD
    Inventors: Akihiro Fukumoto, Tsutomu Arai
  • Patent number: 7756400
    Abstract: A method of an embodiment of the invention optically writes a plurality of image data files on an optically writable data side of an optical disc. The method optically marks a plurality of thumbnail images on an optically writable label side of the optical disc. Each thumbnail image corresponds to one of the image data files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Cari Dorsh
  • Patent number: 7755994
    Abstract: When it is determined that the disc loaded on a player is a hybrid next generation DVD, the DVD layer is reproduced with a red laser light. In parallel with this reproduction process, a process for notifying the presence of the HDDVD layer is performed. That is, determination is made on whether the notification timing defined in advance has been reached. If the notification timing has been reached, a control instruction is output from a controller to an AV processing circuit, and the image information including the image notifying the presence of the HDDVD layer is output from the AV processing circuit. Thus, the user may learn that the HDDVD layer can be reproduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Morio Nakatani, Masahiro Nakata
  • Patent number: 7746745
    Abstract: A method for determining the type of a digital versatile disc (DVD) so that a DVD+ can be distinguished from a DVD?. The main steps for determining the type of a DVD include setting up related parameters, reading a general wobble signal or a wobble signal within the general wobble signal from a DVD to obtain a peak hold value and a trough hold value. The peak and trough hold values of the general wobble signal are read to derive a peak-to-peak voltage. Finally, if the peak-to-peak voltage is greater than a predetermined threshold value, the DVD is classified as a DVD?, otherwise it is classified as a DVD+. Furthermore, a DVD-ROM disc can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Inventors: Ricky Chang, Allen Lu
  • Patent number: 7746747
    Abstract: In an optical recording medium drive apparatus, an optical recording medium is illuminated with a laser beam emitted from a head via an objected leans, and the head detects light reflected from the optical recording medium being illuminated with the laser beam. A signal generator generates a reflected light signal in accordance with the reflected light detected by the head. A controller drives the objective lens via a focusing unit, and detects peaks in the reflected light signal obtained when the objective lens is driven in a focusing direction. The controller determines whether the optical recording medium is of a single layer type or a multiple layer type by determining whether a pattern of the detected peaks is similar to one of patterns which can occur if the optical recording medium is of the single layer type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Sony NEC Optiarc Inc.
    Inventor: Shinichi Hasegawa
  • Publication number: 20100157763
    Abstract: An optical disk drive for determining a disk type associated with a substrate thickness of an optical disk comprising a substrate is provided to comprise a source to generate a beam, an optical arrangement arranged to direct the beam to the optical disk for forming an incident beam, a sensor arranged to sense a reflected beam and to produce a sensor output signal, a focus system comprising an objective lens system and a focus controller, wherein the objective lens system is arranged to focus the incident beam into a spot, and the focus controller is arranged to generate a focus control signal to drive and position the objective lens system; and a controller arranged to cooperate with the focus controller for moving the objective lens system, to receive the central aperture signal during the movement of the objective lens system, to analyze the central aperture signal for determining the focus actuator position, and to determine the disk type associated with the substrate thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: LITE-ON IT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Petrus Antonius Verbeek, Jean Philippe van Damme, Mohamad-Hussein El-Husseini, Stefan Geusens
  • Patent number: 7742373
    Abstract: An optical disk drive for scanning an optical disk having a wobbled groove and a land portion separating adjacent parts of the groove. The optical disk drive has a beam generator for generating a read beam and directing the read beam to the optical disk, a sensor for sensing a reflected beam produced by the optical disk upon receiving the read beam and for producing a sensor output signal with a sensor output signal amplitude, and an envelope analyzer to receive the sensor output signal from the sensor, to analyze an envelope (WS1e, WS2e) of the sensor output signal amplitude, and to derive from a variation of the envelope (WS1e, WS2e) as a function of time an indicator indicating whether the read beam is directed to the groove or to the land portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignee: Lite-On It Corporation
    Inventor: Jan Bakx
  • Patent number: 7733753
    Abstract: This optical disk device includes a pickup head, a spindle motor, a signal generation unit, a runout amount calculation unit, and an out of balance disk detection unit. The signal generation unit generates a tracking error signal. The runout amount calculation unit controls the rotational speed of the spindle motor to first and second disk rotational speeds, and obtains, at these rotational speeds, runout amounts TE1 and TE2 of a tracking error signal, and runout amounts FE1 and FE2 of a focus error signal. And an out of balance disk detection unit detects that this optical disk is an out of balance disk, if the absolute value of (TE2×FE2)/(TE1×FE1) is greater than or equal to a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2010
    Assignee: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takao Mizuno
  • Patent number: 7724623
    Abstract: A reading method for finding if a disc is placed reversely used in an optical disc drive is provided. The optical disc drive has a spindle motor, an optical pickup head having a lens, a fine actuator and a sled actuator. Firstly, a disc is placed into the optical disc drive. Next, the spindle motor rotates the disc. After that, a laser light of the optical pickup head is shot on the disc. Next, the lens is moved such that the laser light follows a single data track. Then, a central error signal of the lens is measured continuously. Afterwards, if the central error signal increases progressively, the optical disc drive finds the disc placed reversely, and the disc is ejected from the optical disc drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2010
    Assignee: Lite-on It Corporation
    Inventors: Po-Chuan Su, Yi-Chuan Pan, Mu-Shu Tsai
  • Patent number: 7719941
    Abstract: A method for identifying an optical disk according to a radio frequency integration filtering signal includes the steps of: moving an optical head to an initial position; rotating the optical disk and making focus, moving the optical head in a direction toward an inner ring until the optical head is moved to a home position or the focus fails, reading the radio frequency integration filtering signal, and recording a maximum and a minimum thereof when the optical head is being moved; stopping the optical head and determining whether a difference between the maximum and the minimum is greater than a predetermined threshold value; setting the optical disk as a second type of disk if the difference is greater than the predetermined threshold value; and setting the optical disk as a first type of disk if the difference is smaller than or equal to the predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chun Nan Liu, Yi Chun Lin