Of Record Carrier Patents (Class 369/53.2)
  • Patent number: 8295135
    Abstract: An optical disc includes a reflective film formed on concave and convex marks after the concave and convex marks are synchronized with the integral multiple of a channel bit length and formed in accordance with modulated main information. Thereafter, continuous or intermittent laser light synchronized with the integral multiple of the channel bit length is irradiated at intervals longer than the longest one of the concave and convex marks in accordance with a spiral track formed in a circumferential direction of the concave and convex marks, whereby an optical characteristic of the reflective film is changed to form a recordable mark and sub-information necessary to reproduce the main information is recorded in a superimposition manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Yamaoka, Mamoru Shoji, Keiji Nishikiori, Makoto Usui, Mitsuro Moriya
  • Patent number: 8289829
    Abstract: An information recording medium according to the present invention includes a track on which a data sequence including a plurality of recording marks and a plurality of spaces provided between the plurality of recording marks is recordable; and a recording condition recording area in which a recording condition for recording the data sequence on the track is recordable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Isao Kobayashi, Atsushi Nakamura, Yasumori Hino
  • Patent number: 8289822
    Abstract: Where a hybrid disc has different types of media, the light spot moves among recording layers of the different media, after loading the disc into an optical disc apparatus, there is a problem that information on a media type of each recording layer should be recorded in DI etc. of the optical disc. Detailed information on the hybrid disc is stored in DI, by changing a disc layer type identifier or a disc structure in DI such as BCA or PIC on the optical disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc., Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Kataoka, Yoshinori Ishikawa, Yutaka Nagai, Kenji Akahoshi, Takakiyo Yasukawa
  • Patent number: 8284647
    Abstract: A method for detecting a thickness of an optical disc is provided. Firstly, a beam intensity signal and a focusing error signal are generated. Then, a first time interval for a focus point of the laser beam to move from a first layer to a second layer of the optical disc is acquired according to the beam intensity signal or the focusing error signal. Then, a second time interval between two peak values of an S curve of the focusing error signal is detected. Afterwards, the thickness between the first layer and the second layer is calculated according to a known S-curve detection range, the first time interval and the second time interval. The S-curve detection range is multiplied by said first time interval and divided by said second time interval to obtain the thickness between the first layer and the second layer of the optical disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Chun Feng, Zhi-Hsin Lin
  • Patent number: 8284642
    Abstract: An optical disk apparatus according to the present invention includes: a controller 111, which receives an instruction that a layer-to-layer jump be performed from a current layer to a target layer; a layer-to-layer jump control section 146, which adjusts a spherical aberration correction value to the target layer and then gets the layer-to-layer jump attempted; a decision section 146 for determining whether the layer-to-layer jump has been carried out successfully; and a layer determining section 146 for determining, if the focus position has been set on a non-target storage layer as a result of the layer-to-layer jump, where the non-target storage layer is located in the optical disk. The layer-to-layer jump control section 146 shifts the focus position of the light beam from that non-target storage layer to the target layer by reference to information indicating which of the multiple storage layers the non-target storage layer is.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuya Watanabe, Shinichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8274683
    Abstract: Provided herein is a printing apparatus having a frame image take-in means which takes in a plurality of frame images at a predetermined interval from a content file as recorded target including image information on an optical disk medium, a frame image discriminating means which discriminates whether each of the taken-in frame images is appropriate for printing on a label face by comparing each of the frame images taken in by the frame image take-in means with prior and following frame images thereof and using a discriminating result whether differences between the taken-in frame images and the prior and following frame images thereof are small, a label print data generating means which generates label print data to be printed on the label face of the optical disk medium based on frame images discriminated as appropriate for printing on the label face by the frame image discriminating means, and a label print means which prints the label print data generated on the label face of the optical disk medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Masahiro Minowa
  • Patent number: 8270285
    Abstract: An optical disc includes a reflective film formed on concave and convex marks after the concave and convex marks are synchronized with the integral multiple of a channel bit length and formed in accordance with modulated main information. Thereafter, continuous or intermittent laser light synchronized with the integral multiple of the channel bit length is irradiated at intervals longer than the longest one of the concave and convex marks in accordance with a spiral track formed in a circumferential direction of the concave and convex marks, whereby an optical characteristic of the reflective film is changed to form a recordable mark and sub-information necessary to reproduce the main information is recorded in a superimposition manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Yamaoka, Mamoru Shoji, Keiji Nishikiori, Makoto Usui, Mitsuro Moriya
  • Patent number: 8264928
    Abstract: Embodiments of methods and systems for controlling access to information stored on memory or data storage devices are disclosed. In various embodiments, fluid-mediated modification of information or access to information is utilized. According to various embodiments, data storage devices designed for rotating access are described which include rotation-activated fluid control mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, LLC
    Inventors: Bran Ferren, Eleanor V. Goodall, Edward K. Y. Jung
  • Patent number: 8264929
    Abstract: An optical medium associated with a first type of optical drive laser, such as a blue laser, embeds identification information readable by a second type of optical drive laser, such as a red laser associated with DVD media or an IR laser associated with CD media, in order to reduce the time used by the optical drive to recognize media. An attempt to read the embedded identification information by the second laser that succeeds provides the optical drive with the information to proceed with use of the optical medium using the first laser. An attempt to read the embedded identification information that fails provides the optical drive with the opportunity to detect whether the optical medium is associated with the second laser so that a single spindle kick of the optical medium by the optical drive determines whether the optical medium is associated with either of two types of lasers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Dirk Erickson, Ed Beeman, Thomas L. Pratt, Christiaan Steenbergen, Charles Robert Weirauch
  • Patent number: 8254232
    Abstract: A mass-storage device according to an embodiment of the invention is disclosed that includes a laser and an indication mechanism. The laser at least optically writes to an optically writable surface of an optical disc incident to the laser. The indication mechanism indicates whether the optically writable surface incident to the laser is an optically writable label surface or an optically writable data surface of the optical disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Andrew Koll, Andy Van Brocklin, Daryl E Anderson
  • Patent number: 8254233
    Abstract: An information recording device, an information reproducing device, and an information recording medium securely protect copyright of main information, and prevent illegal access to the recorded main information. The information recording device includes a medium unique information generating section that generates second sub information by data-converting stamper unique information based on disc identification information that differs for each optical disc after transferring main information and first sub information from a stamper having the main information and the first sub information recorded thereon onto an optical disc, and a medium unique information recording section that records the second sub information on the optical disc having recorded thereon in advance the main information and the first sub information in a form different from the forms of the main information and the first sub information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Yamaoka, Yuji Takagi, Makoto Usui
  • Publication number: 20120213048
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for detecting land pre-pits. The method includes detecting, based on a land pre-pit threshold, a land pre-pit data stream from a signal responsive to land pre-pits on an optical medium, comparing a characteristic of the detected land pre-pit data stream in a specific number of wobble periods with a pre-determined land pre-pit characteristic in the specific number of wobble periods, and adjusting the land pre-pit threshold based on the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Mats Oberg, Jingfeng Liu
  • Patent number: 8243567
    Abstract: Provided is an optical disc having main information to be decrypted using sub information recorded thereon by arranging concave or convex recording marks in a spiral track wherein a reflective film is formed on the recording marks. First sub information is recorded and superimposed on the main information by shifting/deforming the recording marks or altering a pattern of the recording marks. Second sub information is recorded and superimposed on the main information by changing a reflectivity of the reflective film. The first and second sub information are recorded in an area from which the first and second sub information are to be read simultaneously. The second sub information is recorded in a manner to be associated with the first sub information. The first and second sub information are associated with each other and are recorded in the same area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masaru Yamaoka, Makoto Usui
  • Patent number: 8238212
    Abstract: A signal pattern detecting apparatus, which is capable of detecting a physical mark in a read back signal being read from an optical disc, includes a matching signal generator, a signal comparing device, and a decision circuit. The matching signal generator is utilized for generating a matching signal, capable of being utilized to identify the physical mark, according to a reference clock and a wobble clock. The signal comparing device is electrically connected to the matching signal generator, and utilized for comparing the matching signal with a wobble data signal to generate a comparison signal. The decision circuit is electrically connected to the signal comparing device, and utilized for generating an indication signal according to the comparison signal and a threshold value. Both the wobble data signal and the wobble clock are derived from the read back signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Chun-Nan Chen, Wen-Yi Wu, Pi-Hai Liu
  • Patent number: 8233375
    Abstract: A super-resolution medium (1) has a medium identification information for specifying a type of medium recorded in a medium information area (3) by use of pre-pits having a length not shorter than a length of a resolution limit of an optical system in a reproducing device (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideharu Tajima, Masaki Yamamoto, Go Mori, Nobuyuki Takamori
  • Patent number: 8228769
    Abstract: An optical disc recording method of suppressing variations in the record quality due to variations in an initial strategy of a write strategy using many parameters corresponding to a next-generation large-capacity optical disc. Modulation conditions for recorded data on the optical disc are determined based on a real measurement thereof; an initial strategy that meets the modulation conditions is determined; an optical strategy is determined in which the record quality is best in the vicinity of the initial strategy; and data is recorded on the optical disc, using the optimal strategy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Fujita, Masahiko Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8228781
    Abstract: A new-type recordable DVD medium has medium characteristics not defined in the DVD-R standards and has compatibility with the DVD-ROM standards. Since information on the new-type recordable DVD medium can be played back by an existing player, even when content data protected by CSS (Content Scrambling System) is recorded on the new-type recordable DVD medium, the recordable DVD medium can be used for content distribution service using a kiosk terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Senichi Onoda, Toshihisa Nakano, Masayuki Kozuka
  • Patent number: 8223620
    Abstract: A super-resolution optical recording medium (10) of the present invention includes: a medium information region (1) on which medium identification information is recorded; a content region (3) on which content information is recorded; and a blank region (2) provided between the medium information region (1) and the content region (3) and in which at least two tracks are provided so as to connect a train of prepits in the medium information region (1) and a train of prepits in the content region (3). No information is recorded on the blank region (2). With this arrangement, the present invention provides a super-resolution optical recording medium in which a region on which medium identification information is recorded and a region on which content information is recorded are different in track pitch and in which a reproduction error hardly occurs when reproduction shifts from the region on which the medium identification information is recorded to the region on which the content information is recorded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiko Sakai, Hirohisa Yamada, Masaki Yamamoto, Yasuhiro Harada, Go Mori, Hideharu Tajima, Nobuyuki Takamori
  • Patent number: 8213282
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for identifying a disk type of an optical disk in an optical disk drive. First, a pickup head of the optical disk drive is moved towards the optical disk. A reflected signal is then observed as said pickup head of the optical drive is moving on the optical disk. A motion behavior is then detected from said reflected signal. A first period between motion initiation of the pickup head and a first peak occurrence of the power of the reflected signal is then determined, the first peak occurrence take places while the pickup head detects said motion behavior of said reflected signal is in accordance with a motion reflected by an polycarbonate layer of the optical disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Cheng-Hsien Chang, Ya-Hsin Ching
  • Patent number: 8208354
    Abstract: An optical disc apparatus, for executing recording or reproducing on an optical disc having at least two recording/reproducing layers, includes an optical pickup, having a sphere aberration compensating portion, an objective lens, a driver portion, and an obtaining portion. The sphere aberration compensating portion sets up a compensation volume corresponding to an intermediate position laying between a deepest layer and a most front layer from the optical pickup, and the driver portion drives the objective lens in a direction approaching to the optical disc in accordance with the set compensation volume. When the sphere aberration compensating portion sets up the compensation volume corresponding to the deepest layer, and when the objective lens is driven in a direction approaching the optical disc, the driver portion drives the objective lens in a direction of separating from the optical disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd., Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideki Maruyama, Toshiteru Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8200066
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus and a reproducing method. A code number is inputted. First control information is reproduced in an info file for controlling reproduction of all of a plurality of playlists recorded on a recording medium. Second control information is reproduced in a playlist for controlling reproduction of the playlist. The reproduction of data is permitted, even when the first control information and the second control information are both active, if the inputted code number is consistent with a personal identification number (PIN) which is recorded in the info file, without requiring another input of the code number. Display of information in a playlist is controlled and the display of the information in the playlist is prohibited when the first control information or the second control information is active.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiya Hamada, Motoki Kato
  • Patent number: 8199622
    Abstract: Provided are a method for emulating a separate contents memory unit into an optical disk, an optical disk drive using the same, and an optical disk including a security zone. In the method, when an optical disk processing command from a host is present, whether an optical disk is present in the optical disk drive is judged. When the optical disk is not present in the optical disk drive as a result of the judgment, the contents memory unit is executed as a virtual optical disk. An application stored in the contents memory unit is displayed. The optical disk drive includes an optical disk storage unit, a contents memory unit, and a controller. The optical disk storage unit stores or reproduces contents using an optical disk. The contents memory unit stores contents therein and is executed as a virtual optical disk when the optical disk is not present. The controller controls the optical disk storage unit and the contents memory unit, and controls an access to be made, subject to the contents memory unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: In Chang Yang, Byung Ju Dan, Young Mo Goo, Byeong Rim Jo
  • Publication number: 20120140607
    Abstract: A signal processing apparatus for an optical disc with a first type region and a second type region is disclosed. The signal processing apparatus comprises: a determining unit, arranged to determine that an input signal is a first type input signal derived from the first type region or a second type input signal derived from the second type region; a peak-bottom detector, arranged to detect a peak-bottom value of the input signal; and a control circuit arranged to determine that the peak-bottom value is derived from the first type input signal or the second type input signal according to a determining result from the determining unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Chia-Wei Liang, Yu-Shu Chien
  • Patent number: 8194525
    Abstract: There are provided at least a first information storage area 20A and a second information storage area 40A. The first information storage area 20A contains, in advance, an OS or mpeg data. The second information storage area 40A is either write-once or rewriteable and available for writing OS update information or movie correction information. The configuration enables easy backup and restoration of software, content, and various information including update information for use by the software and content with reduced user time and workload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Harada, Shigemi Maeda, Hideharu Tajima, Tetsuya Hayashi, Atsushi Etoh
  • Patent number: 8194515
    Abstract: An information recording medium and a recording and/or reproducing apparatus and method used to guarantee reproduction compatibility in consideration of the fact that content distribution may be performed according to various business models includes a management information zone in which management information is recorded, wherein the management information indicates an intended type of use of the information recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shuichi Tasaka
  • Patent number: 8194516
    Abstract: A disc-shaped information recording medium includes a first recording layer (L0 layer) having (I) a first trial write area (101P-1) for trial write of first trial write information for calibration of the laser beam along the first track path (TP1) from the inner circumference toward the outer circumference and (II) a first recording area for recording the first recording information along a first track path (TP1), in this order from the inner circumference side. Furthermore, the disc-shaped information recording medium includes a second recording layer (L1 layer) having (I) a second trial write area (101P-2) for trial write of second trial write information for calibration of the laser beam along the second track path (TP2) from the outer circumference toward the inner circumference and (II) a second recording area for recording the second recording information along a second track path (TP2), in this order from the inner circumference side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Eiji Muramatsu, Shoji Taniguchi, Kunihiko Horikawa, Masahiro Kato, Toshio Suzuki, Kazuo Kuroda
  • Patent number: 8189441
    Abstract: A method of recognizing a track pitch of an optical disk, adapted for an optical disk player, is provided. The method includes the steps of driving an optical pickup head to a predetermined position, so that the optical pickup head and the spindle motor are a predetermined distance apart, reading a data sector address, and recognizing the magnitude of the track pitch of the optical disk according to the value of the data sector address.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yao-Wen Chang, Pin-Ju Wu
  • Patent number: 8179757
    Abstract: An apparatus for recording and reproducing an information signal on and from an optical disc includes a memory. The information signal is written into the memory. The information signal is read out from the memory. An optical head generates a laser beam in response to the readout information signal, and applies the laser beam to the optical disc to record the readout information signal on the optical disc. A test signal is recorded on a position of the optical disc near a recording position thereof via the optical head during the writing of the information signal into the memory. The test signal is reproduced from the optical disc. The reproduced test signal is evaluated to generate an evaluation result. An intensity of the laser beam is optimized in response to the evaluation result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Ueki
  • Patent number: 8174943
    Abstract: An optical disc apparatus according to the present invention includes: a laser light source for emitting multiple light beams, of which the wavelengths are different from each other and include a first wavelength and a second wavelength that is longer than the first wavelength; an optical system for converging an arbitrarily selected one of the light beams on an optical disc that has a surface and at least one information storage layer; a focus control section for controlling the focus position of the light beam with respect to the optical disc; and a defect detecting section, which senses light reflected from the surface of the optical disc with the focus position of the light beam set on the surface, thereby determining, based on the intensity of the reflected light, whether or not there is a fingerprint on the optical disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuya Watanabe, Shinichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8164989
    Abstract: A recording method for irradiating a multi-layered optical recording medium with a laser beam to record information thereon. The optical recording medium can form a first information recording layer that is the farthest from a light incident surface, a second information recording layer that is the second farthest from the light incident surface, and at least one third information recording layer that is located closer to the light incident surface than the second information recording layer is. The method is to record information on the second information recording layer when all the information recording layers other than the second information recording layer are either blank or have been completely recorded. This allows for realizing high-quality information recording in consideration of adherence of foreign matters or occurrence of scratches.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Kikukawa, Koji Mishima
  • Patent number: 8164993
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure provide a method for detecting land pre-pits. The method can adaptively adjust a threshold for detecting the land pre-pits in order to improve the correctness of detecting. The method for detecting land pre-pits can include extracting a land pre-pit data stream from a reading signal based on a land pre-pit threshold, the reading signal corresponding to land pre-pits of an optical medium, comparing the land pre-pit data stream with format information of the optical medium to obtain an error signal, and adjusting the land pre-pit threshold based on the error signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventor: Jingfeng Liu
  • Patent number: 8164998
    Abstract: The optical disc apparatus of this invention includes: an optical pickup, which irradiates an optical disc with a light beam and generates a light detection signal based on the beam reflected from the disc; a search section, which controls the pickup before data is written on a storage area of the disc, thereby adjusting the beam spot location and searching a reference one of information layers stacked for a defective area in the storage area of the disc; a defect decision section for detecting an error based on the detection signal and determining a portion of the storage area, where the error has occurred, as the defective area; a defect size measuring section for measuring the size of the defective area in an area of the reference layer and generating a defect information list indicating there is the defective area in the area of the reference layer; and a recording range control section for managing, by reference to the list, the storage area such that no data will be written on a perpendicularly projecte
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yuuichi Kuze, Akira Yoshikawa, Katsuya Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8159916
    Abstract: A pick-up of a format determining apparatus irradiates light to an optical disk to generate a reproduction signal. A signal processing unit decodes the reproduction signal to generate main data. A CD-ROM decoder decodes the main data. A CD-ROM determining unit determines whether or not the main data is in a CD-ROM format, based on the decoded main data. A reproduction signal determining unit determines whether or not the reproduction signal is normal when the main data is not in the CD-ROM format. A system control unit determines that the main data is in a CD-DA format, when the main data is not in the CD-ROM format, and when the reproduction signal is normal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Onkyo Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunari Ito
  • Patent number: 8149666
    Abstract: An optical disc apparatus according to the present invention includes a disc type recognizing section for determining whether the optical disc loaded is a first type, of which the number of information storage layers is less than a setting T (where T is an integer that is greater than two), or a second type, of which the number of information storage layers is equal to or greater than the setting T. Depending on whether the optical disc loaded has turned out to be the first type or the second type, the apparatus determines the read/write preprocessing (such as whether a fingerprint detection process needs to be performed or not).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuya Watanabe, Shinichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8144557
    Abstract: An optical information recording/reproducing apparatus includes an optical source unit that emits an optical beam toward an optical information recording medium mounted on the apparatus, an optical receiving unit that receives a reflected beam of the optical beam reflected from the optical information recording medium or a transmitted beam of the optical beam transmitted through the optical information recording medium to output an output signal in response to the reflected beam or transmitted beam, and a distinction unit that discriminates whether the optical information recording medium is a hologram disk for recording information by using a holography or a reflection-type optical disk for reproducing information by virtue of the reflected beam, in accordance with the output signal output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichiro Nishimura
  • Patent number: 8139454
    Abstract: A Spare Area kept unused on a disk is available for use other than spare processing, or Defect Management process, and compatibility of the disk is at least secured between different recording apparatuses. This is implemented by recording a SWP_PAC cluster defined as a new item and by recording address information of used addresses in a PAC or TDDS area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignees: Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc., Hitachi Consumer Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Akahoshi
  • Patent number: 8130607
    Abstract: An apparatus for detecting burst cutting areas on optical discs includes an optical pickup head, a front-end processing unit, a sync pattern detector, a channel clock recovery device, and a data demodulator. The front-end processing unit generates a BCA signal in response to a radio frequency signal. The sync pattern detector counts the BCA signal according to a reference clock, detects a sync pattern of the BCA signal and outputs a channel bit length counting value. The channel clock recovery device generates a channel clock according to the reference clock and the channel bit length counting value. The data demodulator transfers the BCA signal into a BCA data according to the channel clock. The sync pattern detector continuously counts the BCA signal and continuously outputs a plurality of counting values, so that the sync pattern of the BCA signal can be determined according to at least three sequential counting values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chia-Ming Chang, Chun-Nan Liu, Ping-Chiang Yang
  • Patent number: 8130604
    Abstract: A spherical aberration compensation method is provided. A first thickness of a cover layer at a first radius position of an optical disc is measured. A second thickness of the cover layer at a second radius position of the optical disc is measured. A spherical aberration calibration is performed at a third radius position of the optical disc to obtain an optimal spherical aberration compensation value. According to the first and second radius positions, the first and second thicknesses, and the optimal spherical aberration compensation value at the third radius position, a spherical aberration compensation formula is acquired. Afterwards, an updated spherical aberration compensation value is calculated by the spherical aberration compensation formula according to a fourth radius position where an optical pickup head of the optical disc drive is located. The updated spherical aberration compensation value is inputted into a spherical aberration compensator of the optical disc drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Chun Feng, Zhi-Hsin Lin
  • Patent number: 8130612
    Abstract: A recording apparatus which records information on a write once recording medium sequentially including a user data area, a first management information area, an indicator area and a second management information area on a recording layer thereof. The recording apparatus includes an optical head; and a control section for instructing the optical head to record information. The control section instructs to record management information in the first management information area; instructs to record indicator information indicating whether or not the management information has been recorded, in the indicator area; and instructs to record the same management information as recorded in the first management information area, in the second management information area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Shimoda, Motoshi Ito
  • Publication number: 20120051202
    Abstract: Provided are an optical disc discrimination method, an optical disc device and an integrated circuit that enable to accurately discriminate the type of an optical disc. The optical disc discrimination method comprises a first seeking step (S3) of performing a seek operation to a predetermined reference address in a user data area; a second seeking step (S5) of performing a seek operation from the reference address sought in the first seeking step (S3) to a predetermined target address in a physical information area, an address reading step (S7) of reading a current address at a position sought in the second seeking step (S5), and an optical disc type determination step (S8 through S10) of determining the type of the optical disc loaded in the optical disc device, based on the current address read in the address reading step (S7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Takeshi Shimamoto, Takashi Kishimoto
  • Patent number: 8125879
    Abstract: A recording medium, comprising a data area including a segment region and a replacement region; a first control data area storing access control information for controlling access to the segment region; and a second control data area storing defect control information for controlling a defective region of the recording medium, replacing a data of the defective region to the replacement region, wherein the replacement region corresponding to the defective region of the segment region is handled as the segment region to the access control information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Yong Cheol Park
  • Publication number: 20120033536
    Abstract: In an optical recording method, recording parameters (WU) to be used for recording are obtained using recommended recording parameter values (WR) read from an optical recording medium and previously obtained vector information (PC) and approximation coefficients (Ca, Cb) (S24). Writing to the optical recording medium is performed using the obtained recording parameters (S17). The vector information (PC) includes a vector component of the parameters obtained statistically with respect to parameter difference values (DF) between optimal recording parameter values (WO) and the recommended recording parameter values (WR) over a plurality of optical recording media so as to strengthen mutual correlation between the parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Tomo Kishigami, Nobuo Takeshita
  • Publication number: 20120026850
    Abstract: An instantaneous jitter information detection section detects, based on first and second digital values indicating different polarities relative to a predetermined reference value, an instantaneous gradient value corresponding to a difference value between the first and second digital values, and an instantaneous deviation value corresponding to a difference value between an intermediate value between the first and second digital values and the reference value. An information conversion section converts, based on an inversely proportional conversion table, the instantaneous gradient value to an inversely proportional value. An arithmetic section detects an instantaneous variance value by multiplying the instantaneous deviation value and the inversely proportional value together, and squaring a value obtained by the multiplication, and detects an integrated value by accumulating the instantaneous variance value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Youichi Ogura, Noriyuki Masunari, Yorikazu Takao
  • Patent number: 8107345
    Abstract: An optical disk discriminating method and an optical disk device which can detect reflected rays for making discrimination among kinds of optical disks with high accuracies. By switching a plurality of lasers and moving a spherical aberration corrector while moving an objective lens to cause it to approach or keep away from an optical disk, rays reflected light from the optical disk can be detected with high accuracies. Discrimination among the kinds of a plurality of optical disks can be made on the basis of signals generated from the detected reflected rays. This ensures that the kind of an optical disk can be determined through one operation of sweeping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeyoshi Kataoka, Motoyuki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8102741
    Abstract: A write-once read-many information recording medium is provided, which is capable of easily searching for a latest DDS and a latest defect list. At least one disc management working area is sequentially allocated in a predetermined direction on the write-once read-many information recording medium of the present invention. The latest defect list and the latest DDS are provided in a recorded disc management working area neighboring a border between the recorded disc management working area and an unrecorded disc management working area, where the latest defect list precedes the latest DDS in the predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Takahashi, Motoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 8098979
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for reproducing a recording medium that require input of a code number only once when the code number is required to be inputted to both a directory and a PlayList for reproduction. A plurality of directories such as DVR, DVR1, DVRn and the like are formed on a disk. One directory DVR has a flag DVR_protect_flag set therein for controlling reproduction of information belonging in the directory. Also, .rpls in PLAYLIST, which is one piece of information in the directory DVR, has a playback_control_flag set therein for controlling reproduction thereof. In a case where the DVR_protect_flag is 1, the reproduction is allowed only when a correct code number is inputted. In a case where the DVR_protect_flag and the playback_control_flag are both 1, input of the code number for the playback_control_flag is omitted when the correct code number has already been inputted for the DVR_protect_flag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiya Hamada, Motoki Kato
  • Patent number: 8094529
    Abstract: With an object of executing excellent finishing processing when information is recorded to a rewritable type record medium or a write once type record medium, the finishing processing is switched by whether a kind of a medium for recording information is the rewritable type record medium or the write once type record medium and a method of executing the finishing processing is switched based on a state of supplying power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Marumori, Junji Shiokawa
  • Publication number: 20110310716
    Abstract: A method for detecting a thickness of an optical disc is provided. Firstly, a beam intensity signal and a focusing error signal are generated. Then, a first time interval for a focus point of the laser beam to move from a first layer to a second layer of the optical disc is acquired according to the beam intensity signal or the focusing error signal. Then, a second time interval between two peak values of an S curve of the focusing error signal is detected. Afterwards, the thickness between the first layer and the second layer is calculated according to a known S-curve detection range, the first time interval and the second time interval. The S-curve detection range is multiplied by said first time interval and divided by said second time interval to obtain the thickness between the first layer and the second layer of the optical disc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Sunplus Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wen-Chun FENG, Zhi-Hsin Lin
  • Patent number: 8081548
    Abstract: A multilayer optical recording medium having three or more information recording layers is irradiated with a laser beam, and a first signal obtained from the reflected laser beam is subjected to a frequency filter. A second signal obtained by filtration through a high-pass filter is used to evaluate the characteristics of the multilayer optical recording medium. In this manner, even in a multilayer optical recording medium having three or more information recording layers, the influence of the variation of the thickness and material of the information recording layers and the influence of the variation of the thickness of a spacer layer can be clearly determined and evaluated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Mishima, Hiroyasu Inoue, Takashi Kikukawa, Tetsuya Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 8077575
    Abstract: A method of recording information on a recording medium. The method includes determining whether an amount of information recorded in a user data area is equal to or greater than a predetermined value when a finalizing process is performed on the recording medium. The user data area is an area of the recording medium and is used for information recording. The method further includes padding an area subsequent to an area of the user data area in which the information is recorded, by recording dummy information, if the amount of the information is less than the predetermined value, and recording management information for managing the dummy information as a file, in the user data area, for dummy information that has been recorded halfway, if the padding is interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Shimma