Abstract: An information recording and/or reproducing apparatus capable of obtaining a certain recording/reproducing margin with a simplified structure. The apparatus identifies whether an optical disc is a single-layer recording medium having one recording layer, or a multilayer recording medium having a plurality of recording layers, and sets a control range (movable range) of an objective lens on the basis of the identification result. When the optical disc is identified as a multilayer recording medium, the control range of the objective lens is set to be smaller than that for a single-layer recording medium. Further, the control range of the objective lens is set for each of the recording layers of the optical disc.

Abstract: Provided is an optical disk apparatus which optimizes a frequency of a high frequency superimposing operation upon reproduction so that good reproduction performance is realized in a wide irradiation power range of a laser power. The optical disk apparatus includes: a semiconductor laser device; an optical disk discrimination circuit for performing laser discrimination; a driver device including a drive circuit for supplying direct drive current to the semiconductor laser device and a high frequency superimposing circuit for superimposing high frequency current on the drive current; and a high frequency superimposing variable circuit for changing a frequency of the high frequency current in which when information is reproduced, the high frequency superimposing variable circuit sets the frequency of the high frequency current for reproducing a multi-layer disk to be higher than the frequency of the high frequency current for reproducing a single-layer disk.

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.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus and a method of performing a lead-in process with respect to an optical disk thereof includes a feature where an optical pickup unit reads out information recorded on a file system area of the storage area of the optical disk, and performs a lead-in process using the read-out file system if information recorded on a lead-in area of a storage area of the optical disk cannot be read out. Further, the optical disk apparatus may perform the lead-in process with respect to the optical disk even if there is a defect in the lead-in area.

Abstract: Methods and systems for the rapid evaluation of optical media reliability are disclosed. Simultaneous exposure of optical media to heat, humidity, and light has been found to be an effective test to differentiate more stable media from less stable media in a reasonable amount of time.

Abstract: An optical disk with an embedded security device, or wafer, is presented. The security device includes security features that enable the identification of genuine optical disks versus counterfeit optical disks. Methods for creating optical disks embedded with security devices are also presented. A security device is placed on the center pin of an open mold before the optical disk is formed. Alternatively, an optical disk having a cavity formed on a surface to receive a security device is created. A special mold with a raised platform creates the cavity on the optical disk. As a further alternative, two optical platters, each having a complementary cavity to accommodate a security device are created using a special mold having a raised platform. The security device is inserted into the complementary cavities and the optical platters and security device are bonded together.

Abstract: A method for determining a type of a disk and an optical storage apparatus thereof are provided. The method includes when the disk placed in the optical storage device is not a blank disk, determining whether the phases between a first signal and a second signal of the disk are the same or not; and determining that the disk is a low to high (LTH) data disk or a high to low data disk (HTL) data disk upon whether the phases of the first signal and the second signal are the same or not. Therefore, the reading parameters are correspondingly loaded in the optical storage device according to the type of the disk.

Abstract: A method of identifying physical characteristic information of an optical disc includes: deriving a reading result by reading at least a first region of the optical disc, where a location of the first region is specified in a Blu-ray disc specification for recording information associated with recording management of a BD recordable disc; and identifying a first physical characteristic of the optical disc according to the reading result.

Abstract: A recording medium, and a method and apparatus for recording and/or reproducing management information on/from the recording medium are discussed. According to an embodiment, the invention provides an apparatus includes components so that the apparatus finalizes the recording medium when receiving request of an external host or when a temporary defect management area located in at least one of a non-data area and a non-user data area becomes full, where a controller is configured to control the components so that the apparatus records the latest defect list information written in the temporary defect management area onto a final defect management area when finalizing the recording medium.

Abstract: A data storage medium includes a data structure, called a disk control block, used for administration and control information for the data storage medium. One medium may contain multiple different disk control blocks, each addressing a different function. Each disk control block includes a control block identifier that specifies the function of the disk control block. Each control block also includes a set of standard access control parameters. If a drive encounters an unrecognized disk control block, the drive can still decode the standard control parameters, so that the drive behavior is not inconsistent with the requirements of the unrecognized disk control block.

Abstract: A disc with a temporary defect management information area and a defect management area includes a defect management area that is present in at least one of a lead-in area, a lead-out area, and an outer area, a temporary defect information area which is formed in the data area and in which temporary defect information is recorded, and a temporary defect management information area which is present in at least one of the lead-in area, and the lead-out area. Accordingly, it is possible to record user data in a recordable disc, especially, a write-once disc, while performing defect management thereon, thereby enabling efficient use of a defect management area having a limited recording capacity.

Abstract: A recording method for recording, on a write once type information recording medium, management information representing a recording state of the write once type information recording medium is provided. The information recording medium includes data including a first synchronization signal. The information recording medium has a second synchronization signal pre-recorded by cutting. The recording method includes the steps of (a) performing a recording operation for recording the management information at a predetermined position of the information recording medium based on the first synchronization signal; (b) determining whether the recording operation in step (a) is normally terminated or not; and (c) when the recording operation in step (a) is not normally terminated, performing a recording operation for recording the management information at the predetermined position of the information recording medium based on the second synchronization signal.

Abstract: An optical disc drive according to the present invention can read data from any of multiple types of optical discs, of which the information storage layers are located at mutually different depths under their surface. When this drive is loaded with an optical disc, the servo controller of the drive changes a first type of drive signal to adjust a focus position by changing distances from the lens to the disc and/or a second type of drive signal to adjust tilt of the lens by changing the angles defined by the lens with respect to the disc a number of times, thereby changing settings to be determined by a combination of the focus position and the tilt. A signal quality rater measures multiple index values to rate the quality of a reflected light signal as the settings are changed. Then, the optical disc drive recognizes the type of the given optical disc based on those index values and reads data from the optical disc recognized.

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.

Abstract: A method of closing a recording range includes identifying a recording medium type from recording medium information of the recording medium and changing and an unrecorded area in the recording range to a recorded area if the recording medium type indicates that the recorded area has a higher reflectivity than that of the unrecorded area.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus (1) is provided with: a detecting device (11) for irradiating an information. recording medium with laser light (LB) and detecting reflected light as a detection signal, the information recording medium including a first recording layer (L0) and a second recording layer (L1); a high pass filter (14) for performing a filtering process on the detected detection signal; and a reproducing device (15, 16) for performing a reproduction process of the filtered detection signal to reproduce the data, the high pass filter attenuates a fluctuation component of the detection signal, caused by a relative eccentricity between the first recording layer and the second recording layer, by a first attenuation amount (34dB) or more.

Abstract: Compatibility information embedded in an optical medium modifies actions allowed by predetermined non-compatible optical disc drives on the optical medium, such as optical disc drives that may suffer damage if certain actions are performed on the optical medium. For instance, a compatibility engine of the optical disc drive applies compatibility information read from an optical medium to determine restrictions to impose on the use of the optical medium, such as restricting the optical disc drive from writing to the optical medium, reading from the optical medium or performing any operations until an update to the optical disc drive firmware is performed either automatically or by display of a compatibility user interface at an information handling system associated with the optical disc drive. In one embodiment, the compatibility information identifies incompatible optical disc drives and firmware versions by unique identifiers.

Abstract: A system controller is provided so as to record the second disk type information having the same content as that of the first disk type information, which is recorded in a DVD-R in advance, in a DVD-R in which the first disk type information is recorded as well as to record the record information in the DVD-R and reproduce the record information only if the first disk type information and the second disk type information have the same contents each other upon reproducing the record information.

Abstract: An information recording medium is provided with: a recording layer (L0 layer, L1 layer) having one or a plurality of predetermined recording areas (CDZ, 101 and the like) in which record data including buffer data in a finalizing process can be recorded; and a management area (CDZ) in which the management information (50a) can be recorded, the management information including first identification information (51a) for identifying whether or not embossed pits are formed in the predetermined recording area.

Abstract: A recording/reproducing device includes an optical head unit which performs writing and reading of information expressed by marks and spaces on an optical recording medium by irradiating laser light onto the optical recording medium, a laser driving pulse generating unit that generates a laser driving pulse according to the recorded information to supply a laser driving signal to the optical head unit, and executes the irradiation of the laser light onto the optical head unit for recording, an evaluation value calculating unit that calculates a quality evaluation value, which is an index of recording signal quality based on a signal read from the optical recording medium by the optical head unit, and an adjustment controlling unit that performs an adjustment setting of the laser driving pulse generated in the laser driving pulse generating unit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, single-sided dual-layer recordable disc 100 may be used. Information recording is performed by forming mark and space portions on data area DA using modulated laser power. Pp denotes the maximum laser power or peak power for forming the mark portion, and Pb denotes the bias power for forming the space portion. Power ratio Pb/Pp is calculated for each of recording layers L0 and L1. Information is recorded on any of the recording layers L0 and L1 based on the result of calculation. Here, the calculated power ratio Pb/Pp changes among the recording layers L0 and L1, thereby optimizing the recording condition for a multi-layer recordable optical disc within relatively short time.

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.

Abstract: A method for identifying a type of an optical disk includes the steps of: turning on a laser diode of an optical pickup and focusing light emitted from the laser diode on the optical disk; moving the optical pickup to obtain a plurality of servo signals; reading a specific servo signal from the servo signals; and determining the type of the optical disk according to the count of enabled times of the specific servo signal and a corresponding enabled time period.

Abstract: The invention provides a storage medium and a downloading method by which data can be downloaded comparatively simply and efficiently. Program information describing a downloading procedure is stored in a storage medium, and the storage medium is provided in this form to a user. When the user utilizes the storage medium, a procedure that can be executed to perform necessary processing without depending upon an operation of the user can be included in the process from accessing to a server to final downloading of desired content data. Consequently, the necessary number of operations by the user can be reduced as much.

Abstract: A disc discriminating method for use in an optical disc drive includes the following steps. Firstly, an optical pickup head of the optical disc drive is controlled to move in a first direction when the optical pickup head is in a track-unlocked state. Then, a tracking error signal and a radio frequency signal are generated. According to the tracking error signal, a tracking error zero crossing signal is obtained. According to the radio frequency signal, a radio frequency zero crossing signal is obtained. According to a phase relation between the tracking error zero crossing signal and the radio frequency zero crossing signal, the disc is discriminated as an on-groove recording disc or an in-groove recording disc.

Abstract: An over current protection device is described. It includes a plurality of input channels for receiving an input signal; a plurality of low pass filters coupled to a first group of the plurality of input channels, wherein each low pass filter is associated with one input channel within the first group of input channels, the plurality of low pass filters operative for removing spikes in associated with the input signal; and a plurality of digital to analog converters coupled to a second group of the plurality of input channels, wherein each digital to analog converter is associated with one low pass filter in the second group of input channels, the digital to analog converters operative for triggering over current protection when a signal received from the associated low pass filter is beyond a preset level, wherein the over current protection device is on chip with the laser diode driver.

Abstract: Expiration information stored on an optical medium is applied to determine an expiration date of the optical medium that provides a predetermined reliability of information archived on the optical medium, such as a predetermined acceptable defect level of the information at the expiration date. An expiration engine associated with an information handling system or optical disc drive determines the expiration date from one or more factors, such as the manufacture date of read-only optical media, the initialization date of recordable optical media, a quality rating associated with a defect growth rate over time of the optical media, and a desired reliability. In one embodiment, the expiration engine writes expiration information to the optical media, such as a date stamp at initialization of a recordable optical medium. Alternatively, an expiration date is stored on an information handling system to provide expiration warnings a predetermined time before the expiration date.

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.

Abstract: To provide a recording method of a multilayered optical disk having three or more recording layers, for performing recording while securing sufficient test areas without reducing user data areas, and while suitably controlling the power of laser beam irradiated onto each of the layers. The method uses an optical disk which has at least a first recording layer and a second recording layer located on the side nearer to the light incident surface than the first recording layer, and which respectively has a first test area configured by a plurality of segments in the first recording layer and a second test area configured by a plurality of segments in the second recording layer.

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.

Abstract: A media processor is capable of keeping disposal history of media regardless of whether the media is externally created media or not. In the media processor, while used media set in a created media storage unit is being conveyed to a media disposal mechanism by a media conveying mechanism, a label surface image printed on a label surface of the media is read by a line sensor. Subsequently, the media is disposed of by the media disposal mechanism such that reading and writing are not possible. In a storage unit, the read image printed on the label surface is stored as media disposal history.

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.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus includes an amplitude obtaining portion receiving S shaped waveform information of focus error signal from a focus error signal processing portion to obtain amplitude of the S shaped waveform and a discriminating portion discriminating kind of objective lens disposed in a light path of an optical pickup device. The discriminating portion changes controlled variable of a spherical aberration compensating element into a plurality of prescribed control values, and obtains the amplitude of S shaped waveform from an amplitude obtaining portion for each of the control values. Then the discriminating portion performs discrimination of kind of the objective lens disposed in the light path based on that a rate of change of the amplitude of S shaped waveform to change of controlled variable of the spherical aberration compensating element is different in response to kind of the objective lens.

Abstract: A method for controlling a position of a laser spot of a laser beam on an optical storage medium of a land and groove recording/reproduction type is provided. The method includes: detecting a pulse occurring in a reference signal while the laser spot is passing through a boundary between a groove track and a land track, wherein the reference signal is generated according to a reflected laser beam from the optical storage medium; determining a compensation value of the reference signal according to the pulse; utilizing the compensation value to adjust the reference signal for generating an adjusted reference signal; and utilizing the adjusted reference signal to control the position of the laser spot.

Abstract: It has been discovered that damage to an optical disc can be used as a damage signature for that optical disc. The damage signature can be digitally represented to uniquely identify the optical disc in combination with other identifying information that identifies the optical disc. Services, such as a restore service, can be provided to a user after validation of a digital damage signature of an optical disc.

Abstract: An optical disc of a recordable type or a rewritable type has a plurality of recording layers including first and second recording layers. A laser beam is applied to the second recording layer through a used area in the first recording layer to record arbitrary information on at least a part of the second recording layer. The used area in the first recording layer has been used for at least one of information recording and data recording. Positional information is generated. The generated positional information is of a blank area in the second recording layer which occurs due to the presence of an unused area in the first recording layer. The blank area adjoins the unused area. The generated positional information is recorded on a predetermined area in the optical disc.

Abstract: An optical disk drive includes focusing means, moving means for moving the focusing means in a direction perpendicular to a track direction, light detection means having a first light acceptance section accepting a light beam reflected by one information recording layer and a second light acceptance section accepting stray light reflected by another information recording layer, tracking error signal generating means for generating and correcting the tracking error signal using an output of the second light acceptance section, and tracking control means, wherein the second light acceptance section is composed of a disk inner area and a disk outer area, and where the stray light is accepted without accepting the light beam, and the tracking control means removes an offset caused by the stray light using a difference between the output of the disk inner area and the output of the disk outer area.

Abstract: The present invention has been made to increase the number of times of imaging operation in the case where a DVD+RW is used as a recording medium. The present invention provides an optical disc recording apparatus that records data onto an optical disc that adopts a format in which title and chapter are specified as data management units, the title being a playback unit of contents recorded in contiguous physical areas and the chapter being a unit obtained by dividing the title into a plurality of pieces, which includes a record unit that receives contents data as an input, encodes the contents data into a data stream compatible with the format, and records the encoded data stream onto the optical disc, and a control unit that controls recording processing for the optical disc, wherein the control unit records new contents data onto the optical disc in the physical area continuing from the last title of all recorded titles as a chapter continuing from the last chapter included in the last title.

Abstract: A test-write method for accurately and quickly determining recording conditions, and an apparatus suitable therefor. In a 2T-based strategy, recording pulse conditions are determined by separately test-writing an even-number length mark and an odd-number length mark, and then the relative positions of the even-number length mark and the odd-number length mark at the recording pulse start time are adjusted.

Abstract: A data managing method for an optical disc drive writing data into an optical disc having defects is provided. The optical disc has a user data area and a spare area. The optical disc drive includes a first buffering space and a second buffering space. The data managing method includes: when the first buffering space receives a data corresponding to a defect, not suspending the first buffering space from receiving the user data, and transferring the data, corresponding to the defect and in the first buffering space, to the second buffering space; and when data amount in the second buffering space reaches a predetermined value, suspending the optical disc drive from writing data in the first buffering space into the user data area, and driving the optical disc drive to write data in the second buffering space into the spare area.

Abstract: An optical disk reproducing apparatus to equalize and reproduce a signal optically read from an optical disk includes a controller to determine a number of regions to divide the optical disk into according to a reproduction frequency variation corresponding to a signal quality variation, and an equalizer to filter signals optically read from the divided regions with a cut-off frequency corresponding to the reproduction frequency variation.

Abstract: A disc recording and reproducing device and method record video data using a new file system other existing device cannot recognize. However, when a disc thus recorded is loaded in the existing device, the user is prevented from being instructed to format the disc (initialize the file system) or inadvertently erasing data thereon. The disc recording and reproducing device comprises the following elements. A first write-enable state setting unit checks a write inhibit flag when a disc is loaded, and sets the flag on the disc to a write-enable state when the flag is in a write-protect state. A first write-protect state setting unit checks information in a record history information storage when the disc is unloaded, and sets the flag on the disc to the write-protect state when data is recorded thereon or the flag in the memory is in the write-protect state and no data is recorded.

Abstract: A recovery method for recording to a write-once disc. The recovery method includes: sequentially reading data within a plurality of Data Control Blocks corresponding to respective sessions on the write-once disc; utilizing data included in the Data Control Blocks to establish address information corresponding to each closed session; determining whether the write-once disc is finalized or not according to existence of a lead-out zone; reading a TOC (table of content) block of a TOC area; utilizing the address information stored in a memory of an optical disc drive to recover the TOC block and then storing the TOC block into the memory of the optical disc drive as data of the TOC block prepared for the next recording operation when reading the TOC block fails and the write-once disc is not finalized; and completing the loading operation of the write-once disc to make the write-once disc enter a recordable status.

Abstract: The BCA recording and reproducing apparatus performs recording of data onto an optical disc placed on a recording turntable, reproduction of data recorded on an optical disc placed on a reproducing turntable and ejection of an optical disc placed on an exchanging table and placement of a new optical disc on the exchanging table in parallel. A processing time is thereby shortened compared with the case of performing data recording, reproduction and exchange in series.

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).

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).

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an information processing apparatus includes an optical disc drive, a measuring module in the optical disc drive, and a measurement value reception module. The measuring module is configured to measure a value related to an operation of a predetermined motor in the optical disc drive, which is executed during a time period of power-up of the optical disc drive. The measurement value reception module is configured to receive a measurement value related to the operation of the predetermined motor from the optical disc drive in response to an event of being requested to turn off the power of the optical disc drive, and to store the received measurement value in a storage device.

Abstract: A method for detecting a disc, the method includes the steps of: reading a file system of the disc; determining a type of the disc according to the file system; and abandoning a multi-session checking process upon the disc if the type of the disc is a one-session disc.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus for recording, reproducing or erasing an information signal by converging a light flux onto a recording layer through a transparent substrate. The apparatus includes one or a plurality of optical heads having a plurality of objective lenses whose aberrations have respectively been corrected for a plurality of disc substrates of different thicknesses, a cartridge for enclosing the optical disc, a discrimination hole which is formed on the cartridge, and a sensor for detecting the opening/closing state of the discrimination hole and for generating a discrimination signal. In accordance with the result of the discrimination as to the thickness of the loaded optical disc, the objective lens, in which the occurrence of the aberration is smallest, is used, so that the information signal can preferably be recorded, reproduced or erased onto/from the optical discs having different substrate thicknesses.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus for recording, reproducing or erasing an information signal by converging a light flux onto a recording layer through a transparent substrate. The apparatus includes one or a plurality of optical heads having a plurality of objective lenses whose aberrations have respectively been corrected for a plurality of disc substrates of different thicknesses, a cartridge for enclosing the optical disc, a discrimination hole which is formed on the cartridge, and a sensor for detecting the opening/closing state of the discrimination hole and for generating a discrimination signal. In accordance with the result of the discrimination as to the thickness of the loaded optical disc, the objective lens, in which the occurrence of the aberration is smallest, is used, so that the information signal can preferably be recorded, reproduced or erased onto/from the optical discs having different substrate thicknesses.