Abstract: A laser drive (LD) unit 1 according to the present invention is provided with a laser drive waveform controller 6, into which information for setting the laser drive is entered from a controller 2, for generating a laser drive waveform on the basis of that information and supplying an indicated amperage; an LD current setting unit 7 for setting a laser drive current matching the indicated amperage; an LD current output unit 8 for varying the laser drive current on the basis of the laser drive waveform and supplying the current so varied to a laser diode 3; and a current setting corrector 9, into which a monitor signal obtained at the time of monitoring the laser beam emission from the laser diode 3 is monitored, for correcting the laser drive current set by the current setting unit 7 by using that monitor signal to adjust the power of the laser diode 3. The laser drive waveform controller 6, current setting unit 7, current output unit 8 and current setting corrector 9 are formed on the same substrate.

Abstract: A simply structured apparatus according to the present invention corrects an overdrive power level. A main controller allows an overdrive power generator to set an overdrive power current to zero, allows a base power controller to control a base power current with the target value of a base power monitor level set to a desired overdrive power level. When the base power monitor level has reached the target value, the main controller allows said overdrive power generator to increase the overdrive power current until a base power control signal monitored by a base power control signal monitor reaches a value corresponding to a desired base power level.

Abstract: A front monitor-type optical pickup apparatus is composed of a window 10w for taking in a laser light beam, and a housing 10 for housing a front monitor detector 9 so as to face the window 10w. In the housing 10, the position of the front monitor detector 9 is adjustable. The optical pickup apparatus makes it possible to eliminate dispersion in quantity of incident light upon the front monitor detector attributed to component and assembly dispersion.

Abstract: This specification discloses an automatic calibration method for the output power of a pickup head for an optical information recording apparatus, which avoids laser diode thermal effects using duty cycle control and obtains the correct conversion function between the output current of a front monitor diode and the output power of the pickup head by curve fitting. This method only needs to measure one set of front monitor diode output current and output power conversion function of the pickup head. The same conversion function is applicable to all pickup heads of the same type. The optical information recording apparatus automatically detects the corresponding parameter for the pickup head. Each optical information recording apparatus can also automatically detect the specific power control parameters for each set of power control channel to obtain the optimal recording characteristics.

Abstract: An optical pickup device has a first combination reception and emission device (1) which emits laser beams (10) to an optical disk, and a second combination reception and emission device (2) which emits laser beams (11) having a wavelength different from that of the laser beams (10) to an optical disk. A DBS (3) is disposed on a path of the laser beams for making axes (12, 13) of the laser beams coincident with each other at an output side. A monitoring light detection element (9) is disposed near and above the DBS such that a light-receiving surface of the monitoring light detection element is substantially parallel with the optical axes (12, 13) of the laser beams (10, 11). The monitoring light detection element (9) receives laser beams outside of an effective region emitted by the first and second combination reception and emission devices (1, 2).

Abstract: An optical disk recording/reproducing device which records a signal on a disk using a laser beam irradiated from a laser element driven by a pulse signal, wherein an average level detector circuit (70) detects an average level of a monitor signal obtained when a basic pulse signal is applied to the laser element, and an average level of a monitor signal of a reference basic pulse signal is stored as a reference average level in advance in a memory (15). During an actual recording operation, writing in a trial writing region is performed. During the trial writing, a system control circuit (9) compares the presently detected average level to a reference average level stored in the memory (15), and corrects waveform of the basic pulse signal by adjusting a peak level and or a bottom level of the basic pulse signal to be output such that the detected average level matches the reference average level.

Abstract: An optical head device includes a light source for emitting a light beam and a focusing device for focusing the light beam onto a recording medium. An optical path directs the light beam from the light source toward the recording medium. The optical path directs a first portion of the light beam to fall upon the focusing device. A second portion of the light beam does not fall upon the focusing device. A light detector is positioned such that a light receiving face of the light detector is approximately perpendicular to an advancing direction of the second portion of the light beam and detects an amount of light in the second portion of the light beam for control of the power of the light beam emitted from the light source. Thus, APC processing is performed without reducing utilization efficiency of the laser beam of a trunk system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for recording an information signal 10 in a phase change layer of a recording medium. A mark is recorded by a sequence 13 of write pulses and previous marks between the marks to be recorded are erased by a sequence of erase pulses 14. De bias power level 191, 192 between the erase pulses is made dependent on the recording speed, thus obtaining low jitter of the recorded marks and at the same time preventing thermal cross write during erase.

Abstract: To stably perform optical recording and optical reproducing under optimum conditions, in an optical recording medium having a writable recording layer on a substrate and having a maker recording area in which recording is performed by a maker on the recording layer, individual drive control information of the optical recording medium is recorded in the maker recording area, and, in optical recording and optical reproducing, optical recording and optical reproducing are performed by the drive control information under optimum conditions.

Abstract: A user-removable optical data storage system is provided. A rotatable first-surface medium is enveloped in a cartridge. The cartridge provides relatively large data capacity such as about 0.25 Gbytes or more despite a relatively small size such as about 35 mm×35 mm×3 mm. Preferably the cartridge substantially seals the data surfaces of the medium when the cartridge is withdrawn from a drive and at least a portion of one surface is automatically exposed to the objective of an optics arm when said cartridge is inserted in the drive. Tracking involves rotating an optic arm about an axis parallel to the disk rotation axis. Focus can involve pivoting the arm about an axis parallel to the disk surface.

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

Abstract: A laser driver circuit for a light source in an optical recording system to maintain the read current at a substantially constant level. This circuit can reduce a recovery transient time for a transition from the write mode to the read mode.

Abstract: An optical disc drive according to an embodiment of this invention includes a light-receiving section for receiving light, a conversion section for converting the light received by the light-receiving section into an electrical signal, a generation section for generating a slewing rate control signal, and a signal processing section for processing the electrical signal using the slewing rate control signal.

Abstract: An optical pickup device includes a semiconductor laser for emitting forward and backward laser light from front and back emergent end faces thereof, focusing device for focusing the forward laser light emergent from the front emergent end face of said semiconductor laser onto an optical recording medium, a light-receiving element for signal reproduction for detecting return light from the optical recording medium, and a light-guiding system for guiding the return light to said light-receiving element for signal reproduction, said optical pickup device being provided with a light source unit having an arrangement in which said semiconductor laser and said light-receiving element for signal reproduction being incorporated in a common package and shielding device, disposed inside said package of said light source unit, for preventing the light emitted from said semiconductor laser from being incident upon said light-receiving element for signal reproduction.

Abstract: An optical pickup which appropriately detects reflected light and return light reflected back from an information recording medium even if a laser light B1 emitted from a light source varies in wavelength. The transmittances of a half mirror to the laser light B1 emitted from the light source, and to the reflected light Bwr, Ber or the return light Brr reflected back from the information recording medium are preset according to a predetermined condition, i.e., Tpc(&lgr;c)/Tp(&lgr;)=(1−Ts(&lgr;)/(1−Tsc(&lgr;c))×(Tsc(&lgr;c)/Ts(&lgr;)).

Abstract: An optical disc drive according to an embodiment of this invention controls to vary the power supply voltage to be supplied from a power supply section to a drive section, which is configured to drive a laser beam emitting section, so as to maintain consumption power in the drive section constant, in accordance with the operation state of the laser beam emitting section.

Abstract: A means for measuring the temperature in the surroundings of a semiconductor laser is provided and, if the temperature is not above a certain level, power correction is performed at high speed by linearly approximating the I-H characteristic according to one item out of reproduction power and multi-pulse recording power, or if the temperature is higher, accurate power correction of the semiconductor laser is accomplished by detecting a plurality of items out of reproduction power and multi-pulse recording power.

Abstract: An optical disk drive has a pick-up head for emitting laser beams, and an analog front-end circuit controlled by a microprocessor for controlling the operation of the pick-up head. An automatic control method for generating stable laser power of the optical disk drive includes getting a power reference function measured by a fixed quantity of optical disk sample drives, establishing the relationship between the laser power control signal of pick-up head from the analog front-end circuit by the microprocessor, and calculating the difference amount from a feedback signal minus a reference voltage on pick-up head side to generate a first function. When the analog front-end circuit receives this feedback signal, this method will be enabled automatically and adjust the first function of the laser power control signal to approach the reference function so as to adjust the intensity of the laser power generated by the pick-up head.

Abstract: In the data recording method for an optical recorder/player, data and start address information for recording the data are received, and an optimum power control (OPC) is performed in a data recording region of an optical recording medium corresponding to the start address. A laser recording power suitable for recording the received data in the data recording region corresponding to the start address is set based on the OPC, and the received data is recorded in the data recording region corresponding to the start address using the set laser recording power.

Abstract: The optical beam of the read power corresponding to the rotating velocity is radiated to a recording medium. Thereby, the rotating velocity of optical disc can be detected and the optical beam of read power corresponding to the detected rotating velocity can be radiated to an optical disc.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical head unit and an optical disk unit using the optical head unit. The head unit includes a wavefront transforming optical element control unit to controls a wavefront transforming optical element so as not to transform wavefront of a light beam focused on a recording layer by a focusing unit due to the thickness error of a light transmission layer positioned between the recording layer and the focusing unit based on an electrical signal outputted from a first light detector, and an output control unit that controls light amount of a light beam radiated by a light emitting unit based on the magnitude of the electrical signal outputted from the light detector.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recording medium and an information recording/reproducing apparatus which permit recording and/or reproducing by a laser beam of optimized power for each recording medium. The recording medium is provided with a calibration region in addition to an information recording region. The calibration region has wobbles formed such that the amplitude of the waveform of a reproduced signal therefrom can change. Prior to recording to the information recording region, a signal is recorded in the calibration region by changing the laser power, and the recorded signal is immediately reproduced. The waveform of the reproduced signal is evaluated to determine optimum laser power for recording. At the time of reproducing, a signal previously recorded in the calibration region is reproduced while changing the laser power, and laser power optimum for reproducing is determined.

Abstract: An optical disk device capable of data recording. A tracking error signal is generated from return light from an optical disk, and the tracking error signal to which a tracking offset signal is further added is supplied to a tracking servo circuit. A tracking offset signal in accordance with the driving current when recording data is determined based on the relationship between the driving current of the laser diode and the optimum tracking offset. Tracking control is performed using a fixed tracking offset signal when reproducing data and using a tracking offset signal which is variable in accordance with the driving current when recording data.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus that records data on an optical disk whose linear velocity is not constant. The optical disk apparatus includes an optical pickup that irradiates a laser beam of a recording power on the optical disk, converts light reflected from the optical disk into an electric signal; a detector that detects a level of the reflected light signal; and a controller that controls a recording power such that the reflected light signal level matches a target value set according to the linear velocity. When adjusting the recording power such that the reflected light level matches the target value, the target value is not set to a constant level, but set in accordance with the linear velocity. Target values at different linear velocities differ and, with this configuration, an appropriate target value is set and an appropriate recording power corresponding to the linear velocity is obtained.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical disc drive that can resume to record data consecutively from the position just after the data recording operation was suspended without overwriting when recording data onto an optical disc. The optical disc drive includes a rotational driving mechanism for rotating the loaded optical disc, an optical pick-up having emitting means that emits laser beam for recording data onto the optical disc; a drive circuit for driving the emitting means, the drive circuit having a section for determining an output of the laser beam; and voltage hold means for holding a voltage value at which an output of the laser beam becomes an optimum laser output for recording The voltage hold means holds the voltage at the section of the drive circuit to the voltage value at which the output of the laser beam becomes the optimum level for recording.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting abnormal states which prevents damage to a laser diode or data recorded on a disc and swiftly correcting the abnormal state. An overflow/underflow detector detects whether overflow or underflow of the laser diode occurs, by comparing a laser diode output power control value, which is output from the laser diode output power control circuit, with an overflow setting value and an underflow setting value. A mode switch switches an operation mode of the laser diode output power control circuit from a recording mode to a reproducing mode, in response to the detection result of the overflow/underflow detector.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus which controls write power of an optical driver by optimizing the number of channels used to drive a laser diode in a write mode while stabilizing the level of a write power voltage at an early stage of the write mode. The method of controlling the write power includes checking whether the write power provided to the laser diode included in the optical driver is stable, controlling the write power by increasing the number of channels used to control the write power so as to provide sufficient write power to drive the laser diode in response to the write power provided to the laser diode being unstable, and controlling the write power by using less channels than the channels used in response to the write power being unstable in response to the write power provided to the laser diode being stable. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the size of a firmware by preventing channels unnecessary to perform a write mode from being used.

Abstract: An optical head is composed of a light source means (1) for generating a luminous flux (A), a polarization beam splitter (2), an object lens (11) opposed to an appropriate recording medium (12), and a power monitoring means (6) for monitoring the power of the luminous flux (A) output from the light source means (1). The power monitoring means (6) is adapted to utilize a luminous flux (B) other than a luminous flux (C) of the luminous flux (A) (the whole amount of light) in order to monitor the power of the luminous flux (A) output from the light source means (1). The luminous flux (C) is substantially used for reproducing predetermined information from the recording medium (12) or recording the predetermined information onto the recording medium (12).

Abstract: An optical pickup device includes a semiconductor laser for emitting forward and backward laser light from front and back emergent end faces thereof, focusing device for focusing the forward laser light emergent from the front emergent end face of said semiconductor laser onto an optical recording medium, a light-receiving element for signal reproduction for detecting return light from the optical recording medium, and a light-guiding system for guiding the return light to said light-receiving element for signal reproduction, said optical pickup device being provided with a light source unit having an arrangement in which said semiconductor laser and said light-receiving element for signal reproduction being incorporated in a common package and shielding device, disposed inside said package of said light source unit, for preventing the light emitted from said semiconductor laser from being incident upon said light-receiving element for signal reproduction.

Abstract: A laser drive (LD) unit 1 according to the present invention is provided with a laser drive waveform controller 6, into which information for setting the laser drive is entered from a controller 2, for generating a laser drive waveform on the basis of that information and supplying an indicated amperage; an LD current setting unit 7 for setting a laser drive current matching the indicated amperage; an LD current output unit 8 for varying the laser drive current on the basis of the laser drive waveform and supplying the current so varied to a laser diode 3; and a current setting corrector 9, into which a monitor signal obtained at the time of monitoring the laser beam emission from the laser diode 3 is monitored, for correcting the laser drive current set by the current setting unit 7 by using that monitor signal to adjust the power of the laser diode 3. The laser drive waveform controller 6, current setting unit 7, current output unit 8 and current setting corrector 9 are formed on the same substrate.

Abstract: An optical disk drive that can automatically adjust an erase power to an appropriate level to keep the error rate low and not to shorten the life of an erasable optical disk. The optical disk drive obtains a reference erasing modulation factor using a test area of the erasable optical disk when the disk is set. While overwriting data in the erasable optical disk, the optical disk drive obtains an erasing modulation factor based on the read signal detected in an erased region from time to time to adjust the erase power so that the erase power continually adjusted to the appropriate level.

Abstract: When the modulation speed of the laser is increased, it is difficult to correctly detect a peak power and a bias power for controlling a laser power.

Abstract: An optical head includes a light source for generating a luminous flux, a polarization beam splitter, an object lens opposed to an appropriate recording medium, and a power monitoring device for monitoring the power of the luminous flux output from the light source. The power monitoring device is adapted to utilize a peripheral portion of the luminous flux. This peripheral portion of the luminous flux is distinct from the portion of the luminous flux that is used for reproducing predetermined information from the recording medium and recording the predetermined information onto the recording medium.

Abstract: A power control circuit for an optical information recording device is disclosed. A power sampling signal from a photodiode is transmitted to a peal envelope acquiring circuit and a bottom envelope acquiring circuit and then sampled and held, which is fed-back to a laser diode driving circuit. The laser diode driving circuit alters a driving signal emitted to the laser diode according to the fed-back signal to adjust the power of the optical signal emitted from the laser diode. Therefore, cost is reduced and the power control circuit is particularly suitable for high-speed recordable optical disk drive.

Abstract: An information recording/reproducing apparatus includes a semiconductor laser, a laser driver which drives the semiconductor laser, an optical system which focuses light emitted from the semiconductor laser on an information recording medium, a photodetector which detects light reflected from the information recording medium, and outputs a reflection light signal, a modulation circuit which modulates information in accordance with a predetermined rule, and outputs a binary signal representing the modulated information, and a calculation/control circuit which controls the modulation circuit. The laser driver includes a delay circuit, and receives the binary signal, generates a recording current signal corresponding to the binary signal through the delay circuit, and transmits an output of the delay circuit to the calculation/control circuit as a monitor signal. The calculation/control circuit generates a timing signal for sampling and holding the reflection light signal based on the monitor signal.

Abstract: For providing an information recording/reproducing apparatus, in which information data can be recorded and reproduced into and from various kinds of recording mediums, by use of a laser driver which enables recording strategy control for each kind recording medium, wherein in a laser driver, which obtains an NRZ signal from a modulation circuit and a clock signal being synchronized therewith, so as to make a PLL circuit disposed therein to oscillate a recording frequency, thereby enabling to generate a recording current signal corresponding to the NRZ signal, there is provided an unlock detection circuit, and recording/reproducing operation is controlled by a detection signal from the unlock detection circuit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is capable of recording optical information at high speed without using a high power laser beam. An intensity of a laser beam required in forming a land during recording optical information on an optical information recording medium is set to have a larger value for a greater linear velocity between a light source and the optical information recording medium such as an optical disc. As a result, a potion of the optical information recording medium in which a pit is to be formed can be sufficiently preheated even at the greater linear velocity, so that the pit can be formed without increasing an intensity of the laser beam required in forming pits.

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: The invention pertains to a control circuit (4) for a radiation source (2). The circuit comprises means (43) for generating an error signal (Perr) which is indicative for a difference between a measured average value of the output power of the radiation source (2) and a desired average value (Pset) of the output power of the radiation source. The circuit further comprises combining means (44, 45, 46) for generating a control signal (Sout) for the radiation source (2) in response to said error signal (Perr) and to an information signal (Sin) for modulating the radiation source. The combining means comprise first means (44) for modifying the information signal by a multiplicative factor &ggr; which is dependent on the error signal, and second means (45, 46) for modifying the information signal by an additive factor &sgr; which is dependent on the error signal.

Abstract: An initialization method for a phase change type optical disc, including the steps of irradiating a laser beam of a predetermined power onto a specimen optical disc, increasing the power of the laser beam with constant rate, detecting a reflectivity of the laser beam reflected from the optical disc in accordance with the increasing laser power, detecting a saturated value of the reflectivity of the laser beam, detecting an optimal power of the laser beam where the reflectivity belongs 70% to 90% of the saturated value, and performing initialization by irradiating the laser beam having thus obtained optimal power onto the optical disc to be initialized which will be initialized with the adjusted laser beam can improve the recording characteristic and erase ratio.

Abstract: An optical disc system for storing information on a medium includes a light source, a focusing mechanism, and a tracking mechanism wherein the mechanisms are controlled by a feedback loop and the focusing mechanism focuses light emitted by the light source onto the medium to effect writing of information thereon. The system is provided with an electronic circuit for generating a servo error signal that is communicated in the feedback loop for effecting corrections of the focusing mechanism and the tracking mechanism. The system is further provided with a driver for energizing the light source, a bias coil disposed proximate to the medium, a bias coil driver switchably connected to the bias coil for supplying an electric current thereto, a current monitoring circuit connected to the bias coil driver having an output responsive to the electric current, and a controller connected to the output of the current monitoring circuit and to the driver.

Abstract: An automatic power control (APC) apparatus reducing time necessary for stabilizing an APC circuit at the initial stage of automatic power control of a disc drive is provided. The APC circuit is designed such that a voltage of a predetermined percent of an expected output voltage is previously added to an APC output voltage of the APC circuit of a laser diode, thereby greatly reducing a stabilizing time necessary for stabilizing an APC output voltage at an initial stage in a write or read mode . Therefore, the loss of data in a high speed write or read mode can be reduced. Particularly, the loss of data in a high speed write mode can be greatly reduced.

Abstract: Disclosed is a lens for light collection for total reflection for a front monitor photodiode (PD) in an optical pick-up device. The optical pick-up device includes a light source provided with a holographic unit adapted to diffract a light beam, an optical disc arranged in front of the light source and adapted to allow data to be written thereof or to be read therefrom, a monitor photodiode arranged in front of the light source in a diagonal direction with respect to the light source, the monitor photodiode serving to monitor a laser power of the light source, and a lens for light collection arranged between the light source and the monitor photodiode and adapted to converge a first-order diffracted beam outputted from the holographic unit and to apply the converged first-order diffracted beam to the monitor photodiode.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information on and/or from a magneto-optical disk including an optical head for projecting a laser beam onto a magneto-optical disk and receiving the laser beam reflected by the disk, an up-down block arranged movably between a lower position and an upper position, an up-down motor for moving said up-down block up and down, a turntable for supporting the disk and a spindle motor secured to said up-down block and having a driving shaft coupled with said turntable for rotating the turntable, a position detecting device for detecting a position of said up-down block to derive a position signal when the up-down block is driven into the upper position, a rotation detecting device for detecting a rotation of said optical information record disk to derive a rotation signal when the optical information record disk is rotated at a predetermined revolving speed, and a control device for initiating a focus control for moving said objective lens and turntable relative to each

Abstract: A light source device for an optical head apparatus comprises at least one laser diode chip and a semiconductor substrate integral with the laser chip. The light source device is formed in a recess of the semiconductor substrate for aligning the laser diode chip on a surface of the semiconductor substrate by a semiconductor processing technique. The recess comprises a first side surface for defining a laser beam emitted from the laser diode chip in an optical axial direction and a second side surface for defining a direction perpendicular to the optical axial direction.

Abstract: An optical recording apparatus includes a light source driving unit for driving the light source to emit the light beam; an emission light power detecting unit for detecting an emission light power from the light source; and a light power adjusting unit for controlling the light source driving unit based on a detected light power by the emission light power detecting unit to adjust the emission light power from the light source.

Abstract: A detecting system for detecting a rotation angle of a deflecting mirror is disclosed. The detecting system is provided with a laser diode, an objective lens, and a deflection mirror therebetween. The deflection mirror is rotatable about a predetermined rotation axis to change the position, on an optical disc, at which a laser beam emitted by the laser diode is incident. Further, a beam splitter is provided to split the light beam into a first beam directed to the optical disc via the deflection mirror, and a second beam that is directed to a reflection surface of the deflection mirror. The second beam reflected by the reflection member is not directed to the optical disc but received by a detector which determines the rotation angle of the deflection mirror in accordance with the received second beam.

Abstract: A first current flows through a laser diode, a second current flows through the laser diode in addition to the first current, and a third current flows through the laser diode in addition to the first and second currents. First and second switches allow the second and third currents to be provided to the laser diode and prevent the second and third currents from being provided to the laser diode. First and second pulse generators provide first and second on-off signals each having a pulse-series waveform to the first and second switches in accordance with an information code. A timing unit generates a timing signal for preventing the first and second on-off signals from being provided to the first and second switches. Output of a photo detector is sampled during a period during which the timing signal is generated, and is sampled during a period during which the first on-off signal is in an H level and the second on-off signal is in an L level.

Abstract: An optical recording apparatus includes a light source driving unit for driving a light source; an emitted light power detecting unit for detecting an emitted light power; a temperature detecting unit for detecting a temperature of the light source; a light power control unit for adjusting a driving current of the light source such that a change rate of an emitted light power detection value fall within a predetermined range; and a detection value storing unit for storing a driving current adjustment value in association with a temperature detection value. The light power control unit adjusts the driving current value of the light source based on an stored detection value when the temperature detection value is within a range of temperature detection values already stored in the detection value storing unit.

Abstract: The present invention avoids a loss of information recorded on or information to be recorded onto an optical disk by accepting a state of deterioration of a semiconductor laser in a closed-type optical disk apparatus. The optical disk is rotated in a predetermined direction by a driving of a spindle motor through a motor driver based on an instruction from a control section. Information is recorded onto or reproduced from the optical disk by a semiconductor laser driven through a laser driver based on an instruction from the control section. The state of progress of deterioration of the semiconductor laser is monitored by a monitoring section, and this state is displayed by a light display section according to a deterioration state.